Rear Window

If you haven't seen that movie, you should. It's one of my favorite movies. I don't know if it's because I remember watching it as a child or because it stars James Stewart, who I think is an amazing actor. Either way, it's a great movie.

Speaking of "windows"...don't you love my segue into that?...I finished my window today.

Weeeeee!

Here's a picture of the view from the inside and the outside. The outside view is MUCH more interesting. :) Don't judge my abilities as a photographer based on these images...it was pouring rain. I ran outside, snapped and ran back in.

Here's the outside...
You can see a reflection of yours truly in the window. The black box is a t.v. that plays a constantly looping slideshow of my best work. The pictures are hanging from very thin wire by big metal clamps and the pictures on the bottom are being held up by a 4" screw at each end with a washer and nut holding it in place. We were going for an industrial look. Not sure we achieved it, but I think it looks awesome. Now if I could just get the slideshow to play the way I want it to, I'd be purring like a kitten...well, not exactly purring because I've tried to purr and can't manage. It sounds more like I'm gurgling. So I'd be as giddy as a schoolgirl. I can manage that one.

Here's a view from inside the office. Not very fascinating, but it gives you an idea of how everything is situated.

I feel so "professional" now that I have a window display. sigh. I'm really a photographer.

The window space actually belongs to Heartland Satelitte. They're generously letting me use their space to advertise.

Thank you Reid family! And thank you husband of mine for doing the hard labor.

B

I'm confused.

I was laying in bed last night unable to sleep because I was thinking about how to get my slideshow program to work properly. I then started thinking about my identity. This is how my mind works.

By identity, I mean how other people view me, how I view myself...my identifying characteristics. I've always thought that I had characteristics that define me...make me who I am. These are not amazing things, it might be something simple like the way I hold my hand when I'm thinking. But I'm conscious of those little things and realize that it makes up me...good or bad.

So in my state of dreaming while awake I was thinking of all the times I've seen other people say/do those same things. Was I influenced by them or were they influenced by me? Did I steal their characteristic or did they steal mine?

It doesn't matter either way, but it's a little disconcerting when someone's carrying on a conversation with you and your mind says, "That's exactly how I hold MY hand when I laugh! Am I copying them or are they copying me?!" It just makes it a little hard to pay attention.

I realize that we are all shaped by those around us and we're going to exhibit each other's characteristics from time to time, but I guess I was thinking that there were some things that were just mine.

Is this an identity crisis?

I don't know.

I do know that some days I feel like this...

And some days I feel like this.
And I'm okay with that.
B

Self Discovery

I've discovered some things about myself recently.

I think I may be a procrastinator. I would never have described myself as one. I think of a procrastinator as someone who is always late, never gets the job done and is constantly unorganized. I am none of those things...at least I don't think I am. However, I now think I may be a procrastinator, or something like one. Maybe there's another word to describe me...a less icky word.

I like to be busy. I like to have deadlines. I like the sense of accomplishment I get when I complete something under pressure. It makes me happy because I rose to the challenge, however small or great that challenge may be. What does this say about me?

Here's a small for instance...I've been wanting to do a shoot involving a baker's hat and a rolling pin for several months now. I searched the internet and found little baker's hats for kids that I could buy. I didn't buy one. I waited. I looked at them again. I waited some more. I had a shoot with the cutie patootie in the previous post planned for over a week. Did I buy the hat then? No.

It was the morning of the shoot and I was filtering through the mental file of creative options for the shoot and I thought, "Ooooo. I wish I had a baker's hat. I wonder if Walmart has one". No. Walmart does not have baker's hats. So I decided at 10:00 the morning of the shoot scheduled for 12:30 that I would buy the pattern and MAKE the hat.

So I did.

I haven't sewn in probably eight years but I slapped that hat together like nobody's business. It won't win any awards and I had to seam rip twice, but it worked and it was done in time for the shoot. Plus, it only cost me $8.00. Bargain!

This is the result:

What does this mean? Why do I act this way? I think it's like a rush for me. I'm an adrenaline junkie.

More self-analysis soon...I hope you enjoy the "soul baring". wink wink

B

More cuteness...

Before you even think it, let me clarify. The first photo is NOT selective color. I repeat...it is NOT selective color. For those of you who think you've caught me in a moment of selective color weakness...you're wrong. It's a slightly desaturated image and the bright pink shows up as faded pink.

So, though I am repulsed by selective color and will only begrudgingly do it if a client asks for it specifically, this is NOT selective color. And it is bea-u-ti-ful.

Don't roll your eyes at me!

Just SOME of my favorites from this shoot. I'm finally done with it and they ended up with 72 proofs. 72!!!! I'm out of control. But this was only a two hour shoot, so I think I did pretty good. I made a slideshow for them too. It makes me want to cry (this is a family friend's baby). I'm going to attempt to post the video so you can almost cry too.

B

This could get someone through a bad day...

If you have a bad day, just look at this picture and you just HAVE to smile. Even if it's just on the inside.

I don't know what you're bad day might consist of...maybe you were sitting on the deck with your new laptop drinking a cup of coffee and enjoying the ability to do your work anywhere in the house. Ah. It's so refreshing not being tethered to an office desk! Maybe your cat jumped up on your laptop looking for a warm place to lay. Maybe you grabbed the cat off of the precious laptop and in the process the cat ripped three of your keys off the keyboard. Maybe those keys fell through the decking to the inaccessible black hole beneath the deck. That would be bad. NO FEAR! Just look at the picture below...take a deep breath and the world will right itself. Double click the picture for an even more calming effect.

Because you can't look at that picture and not smile. And if you can, I don't want to know you.

Especially when I tell you that Madison requested her "sparky shoes". Not spark"l"y shoes but "sparky". Oh. My. It's too much cuteness. I can't take it!

More world righting cuteness to come.
B

Fla-fla

Translation: Madison-ese for "flower".

This is the first set and first shot I've edited from this set of Madison. More to come!
B

Carnival Ride

I have been told recently that my mind is "like a carnival ride". I'm not mentioning any names, but it started with an "R" and ended with an "ob".

I'm not sure if I should be concerned with the actual statement about my mental condition or the fact that it came from the aforementioned person, who themselves are not the most mentally stable (normal).

So. Is having a mind like a "carnival ride" a bad thing? I like carnival rides. Except the ones that spin you around until you feel like you're going to vomit. Oh dear. Do I make people want to vomit? I hope not. Carnival rides also make you feel like a kid again and give you a warm, happy feeling. Maybe I'm that carnival ride. oooh. I want to be that one.

Either way. Here are pictures from said "carnival ride"...


I love this one. The shadows are so cool and I love the little wisp of clouds in the corner.
Same building only in color. I love the yellow. It makes me smile.

I don't know why. I just like these next two. They're gritty and have direction. I just like it.

Bird on a wire. The last one is my favorite out of all of these shots. I love the blue sky. I love the lines because they aren't exactly straight and I'm okay with that. I love the space. I love the cute little bird. Doesn't it seem as if he's sitting there waiting for company? I think he's having a party and all his little bird friends just haven't arrived yet. They're coming....be patient little bird.

For some reason I'm craving cotton candy and a snow cone.

B

According to Rob...

these are Prince William flowers. That's according to Rob. They are actually Sweet Williams. But I will forever call them Sweet Prince Williams now. Thanks to Rob.

He says these are his favorite flower. He picks them for his wife because HE likes them. Does that make his picking them for her invalid? Because he's not really picking them for her? He's picking them for her for him. Wait. I'm confused.

Rob (and you know who you are)...pick your wife some flowers that SHE likes. I mean it.

B

Evening Walk

The kids and I went for a walk this evening. I shot these on the way...

"Oh what a tangled web we weave...
...when first we practice to deceive."~Sir Walter Scott

That's what I was thinking when I shot this. I don't know why. My mind is a scary place.


The large black box to the left is our house. The one on the right is my mom and dad's house. I know you can't really make it out, but it's there...just trust me.

Um. shrug. I'm not sure what this is supposed to mean, but I thought it was pretty. Sometimes my shots are just as simple as that. I looked up, thought, "ooooh....pretty" and shot it.

Again. Oooooh. Pretty. I was working on getting the flowers to stay in focus while trying to get the wheat looking stuff to have motion (blur). It was blowing in the wind which I think is soooo pretty.

Sometimes it helps to look at something pretty.

B

Split tree on hill.

Doesn't that sound like an Indian's name?..."My name Split Tree On Hill. I am good cutter of wood....on top of hills".

This is how my brain works. I'm sorry.

I took this while out today. It's somewhere around Old Greenville down a long country road. It's such a cute little tree. He's just hangin' on even though everything's fallin' apart.

Well. Aren't we all?

I think his cheerful little flowering friend is cheerin' him on to keep it together.

Hang in there buddy.
B

Rain can be pretty too.

Not as pretty as the sun, but still pretty.

This is the view from my bathroom window this fine Sunday afternoon. Well. It's actually the view from my bathroom window as I'm standing on the toilet. Don't ask.

The first one is my favorite...I like how the upper right corner is brighter and blurry. Isn't it dreamy in a way? I think so.

I'm hoping to make my next post more informative. Maybe a tutorial on how to do something useful in Photoshop.

Then again, posting pictures is SO much easier!
B

Drip, drip, drop, little april showers...

It was a little rainy today. I hope the Reid family got their roof on without any major catastrophes.

I wanted to see how fast the new computer would churn out my raw files from my compact flash cards, so I ran outside and shot these just as it was getting dark.

I like them for many reasons...the flowers are pretty and make me feel spring-y. It proves that I CAN shoot things outside the studio. I'm aware that these aren't going to earn me any awards, but I was really impressed with how clear they are just using my hunk-a-junk kit lens (just think what I could accomplish with a macro lens!).

Oh. And for the record...the raw files loaded in the blink of an eye. Well. Not really a blink of an eye, but WAY faster than my old computer. Just think of how much more productive I'll be now that I don't have to wait around for FIVE WHOLE minutes for pictures to download! I'm finally gonna get around to writing my autobiography.

I'm sure my life story will sell like hotcakes. I'D want to read it, wouldn't YOU?
B

I get by with a little help from my friends...

I got my new computer today! Yippeeee! Wait till you see the size of this monitor! I'll be posting pictures later but I wanted to give a big, loud thank you to the Thornton family.

THANK YOU THORNTON FAMILY!!!!

They helped me out in a tremendous way (wink, wink...you know what you did you helpful Thorntons'). So now I can keep editing my images of super cute babies, roosters and barbed wire. I know. Wasn't that awful nice of them? I thought so. Which brings me to my point...I want to thank them (aside from just "thanking" them) so I'm giving them 4 free 5x7 images (one for each kid...they're the cutie patooties in a previous post).

It's not much...just a small way to show gratitude, and I definitely have gratitude.
B

The sun is finally shining!

The sun finally came out yesterday, which makes me happy. I like the way I feel when the sun shines.

While these aren't exactly pictures of the sun, you can see the sun in them. Can't you? I mean, I can practically feel the late afternoon sun warming my chubby little cheeks (on my face...just clarifying).

Wait. I'm sitting by the window so it IS the late afternoon sun warming my cheeks. But, still...you get the point. The pictures show the sun from yesterday. Just shake your head yes. It will make me happy.

B

Yippitty Dooo!

I'm getting my new computer tomorrow!! Weeeeee! It has a 24" monitor! Pictures to follow.
B

Cutie Patooties

These are my three favorite shots from my shoot with the Thornton family. You can see the whole shoot here.

I'm not in a very chatty mood today...the stupid sun will NOT shine...I NEED sunshine! So...there ya have it and there ya are.
B

Teaser

The first shot I've edited from a shoot I had on Saturday with this beautiful bunch of kids. I'm certain it's not the best from the shoot, but I thought they looked pretty stickin' cute. More to come soon...

B

Randomization (yes, that's a word)

What do I do when I'm home on a rainy Friday with no children, not enough money to go anywhere, and my other half is otherwise preoccupied?

This...
I'm not sure what "this" is, but it's definitely something, isn't it? I found an awesome flickr group with AMAZING textures. I'm actually drooling right now. So I snazzied up this picture of Merna with one of the textures I fell in love with. For some reason it reminds me of "My Fair Lady".

I did this too....

As well as this...

I'm not sure what I think of these shots, but I love the colors. The second one looks like the view from a foot bridge into a boiling pit of lava...I can almost feel the heat from here. It's actually the lamp in my living room. Less exciting but also less dangerous.

I then shot this...

and last but not least, this...

I don't even know what to say about these. I had an image in my head. This was NOT it. But here it is nevertheless.

I also took some shots of our goldfish, a chunk of garlic, some old books, and a toothpick. I told you... randomization ...embrace it.

B

Feelin' Some Texture Love...

I can see myself getting out of control quickly with adding textures. The possibilities are endless! Endless, I tell you! Every time I flop a texture layer down on top of a picture it's like getting a sweetly wrapped present. Except unlike a sweetly wrapped present, if I don't like a texture I can delete the layer and try another one, eventually getting the one I want. If I'm feeling particularly adventurous (like in this picture of Merna), I'll add two or YES! even three different textures! I know. I'm a regular Evel Knievel.

Behold...the power of Photoshop.

B

Fruit from our Chicken Tree.

One of many eggs the kids have eagerly gathered from our new chicken coop. Summer particularly liked this one because of the "speckles" and insisted that I take a picture of it. That was less than a week ago and the excitement has already dissipated...they're sick of gathering eggs and feeding chickens.

So goes the story of my life...

My Guinea Pig.

This is one of my guinea pigs, Mariah (we like to call her Merna). Merna puts on crazy outfits for me and lets me put her in uncomfortable positions so I can take her picture. She complains and moans and whines..."I can't feel my leg"..."I think my retinas are burning out"...but I think she secretly likes it.

Do any of these jump out at you for any particular reason?

B