A good day indeed.....

Hey gang- since I had today off- I went down and visited with Mom Miles and G’ma Bea for 3 hours. My husband's G'ma Beatrice is 96+ years old- she's just beautiful! And she is so sharp for her age- and look at this face- there's hardly a wrinkle- crazy!!!!!

I teased her that she’s always saying she doesn’t have a story to tell- but that I begged to differ as I plopped down the 14 page manuscript of her life this far!

I have come home with another 10 pages of handwritten notes and several old 1950’s photographs!!! (Great Aunty Gertrude, Bonnie Cleo and Gert’s son LaDell and friends from college- same age/time frame as Daddy John)

I took Bea a copy of the text that I have written based on her stories relayed to me over the years, in large print so that she can see what I’m attempting to do. We had a great visit today- and she seems excited- she is going to look for more photos for me.

AND…. She let me take some photos of her today- AND… she even smiled for me!!!!! (This is HUGE.....) It has been a good day indeed!

Estella just phoned to say that Bea is still smiling about our visit today. Me too!

Caught in the act of decorating the happy couple's vehichle.....

Fall in Washington....

Most of the time I can honestly say that living in Western Washington and the rain that comes along with the calm coastal waters and sweeping mountain views is a small price to pay....... except when you are the bride at an outdoor fall wedding- or her photographer..... and it's raining buckets!

Now as the minister (who is long time friend to the groom) and I were discussing the above mentioned precipitaion over the sounds of wet squeaking shoes scurrying around as friends and family set up inside for the event.... is that the wives tale of rain on your wedding day being good fortune- and that if this is the worst thing that ever happens to Tom & Ingrid- they can count their blessings- and call it a success!

The wedding went seamlessly- (other than the rain and having to totally rearrange the plan...) and the ceremony draws to a close, and I'm walking backward back down the aisle to capture the happy couple coming out the door to the recieving line... and what do I find????? It has not only stopped raining.... but what catches my eye in a puddle of rainwater on the walkway???? The sun- peeking out of the fast moving clouds!!!!! And blue sky!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh happy day!!!!! Proof positive that prayers are answered.... even if they aren't always on our time schedule! (my mother will nod her head in approval here...)

And so all's well that ends well, right? Tom and Ingrid got married- and it turned out to be a gorgeous day- man I just love happy endings!

A great way to spend a sunday afternoon.....

Hold onto your hat.... this little angel could steal it and your heart! What a doll-baby! And patient..... my goodness.... she was hanging it out there in a diaper, and several clothing changes and didn't fuss once! Just a happy, happy girl! Mommy and her look-a-like sister were a giggle-a-minute- we had great fun playing dress up in the park! We were slated to play on Saturday- and it was raining sideways.... so we had to cancel our play date.... but miraculously on late Sunday afternoon- the clouds parted (while I was shooting Tom & Ingrid's wedding- thank heavens....) so I called M and said- "I have sun here- wanna come and play?????" A great way to spend a Sunday Afternoon!

No more monkeys jumpin on the bed.....

My girl loves Curious George- and everything is all about George- or any monkey she calls George.... these were all from her party! It's sort of like Where's Waldo..only it's Where's E?

I had fun hanging out with her this morning- she even had her monkey PJ's on!

the littlest princess......

Is a big girl now....she turned two this weekend..... My little neighbor girl is so darned cute- I can't stand it! She got some dress up stuff at her party- so Aunti suggested she try it on and take pictures.... this is the result...

Let them eat cake.....

.....or Curious George banna splits! What a fun party! :) All of the kids- and there were lots of them.... had a great time at E's birthday party yesterday. By the time it came down to eating this our girl was rubbing her eyes and about ready for a nap- it's hard work being the princess! :) I'm sure she napped well- sweet girl!

A girl and her guitar....

One can't measure the relationship between a girl and her guitar..... even if she's only two.....

The birthday girl was thrilled- and was rockin' out as soon as it was unwrapped!

This little baby was at the birthday party next door yesterday….
He cracked me up- happy funny boy.
He’s one of those babies that makes you wonder about re-incarnation-
He’s like a little old man in an infant’s body….. can you just imagine
George Burns as a baby- with big glasses and a cigar………..
“So- how you doin’?????”

Rain, rain, go away.....

Oh this weather is going to drive me to distraction...... I had to postpone two shoots yesterday due to the rain.... and the wedding I'm doing this afternoon will now have to be indoors. :( which is such a pity- the venue for this wedding is gorgeous- bay views to the west and huge old trees and dahlia gardens on the immediate premesis and a quick walk south is the Evergreen aboretum (one of my favorite places to shoot...have I mentioned that to adnosium yet????? ) and the colors are so good there right now..... But what can you do????

This is Washington afterall! I am comforted by the fact that after meeting the wedding party last night for rehearsal- that I'm pretty certain they can make anything funny- what a crew! Everything is a one liner or a loving jab at an obviously long history amongst friends.

I tried something new last night while lurking durring the rehearsal last night. It looks really goofy on my camera- but it works! I ran into another photographer last weekend who was haunting the arboretum shooting senior portraits as well. I inquired about the peice of paper (which later turned out to be packing material of sorts) rubber banded to his multi-directional flash. We were both shooting Canon and the same flash...... so he directed me to some other guy's you tube presentation. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNCmuExlHvM
and it seems too simple to be true.... but I tried it last night and was amazed at how much more I liked the photos taken indoor at night than ever before..... so I'm hoping that this gem of information will serve me well today at the wedding ceremony.... we shall see.

More from Sunday...

This shot is also from Sunday- Debbie, partner in crime to Corrina below- what fun these two ladies were!

Miss Debbie is so much more reserved than Corrina- but it was certainly a giggle fest. Doing pin-up style photos takes guts- you put all of yourself out there- on so many levels.... but as I've many ladies tell me- "Now that I've done this- I can do anything!" Talk about shedding all of your fears and inhibitions- that'll do it!

I'm always glad that I've helped bring happy photo gifts to the men in their lives..... woman are so beautiful in so many ways- why not give your spouse a stunning portrait of you?

She is so regal looking- and classically beautiful! What I love about this shot- is that it doesn't show a thing- it leaves it all to the imagination- and that mystery is priceless! But I really love- is that it's totally uncluttered with stuff- no clothes- minimal jewelry.....simple- beautiful. :)

Back to school

My little nieghbor girl off to start preschool.... makes me giggle that her back-pack is nearly as big as she is! So cute!

Back in the saddle... almost....

I'm home sick today nursing a wicked migraine that started coming on last night...- can't stand the light so I have all the blinds drawn like a recluse and have napped all afternoon.... I wanted to peek at some more of the shots from this weekend and won't be here long as the brightness from my monitor is making all squinty again. :( Hate these things......

I am posting these as this little girls is just so dang cute I can't stand it! A grown up just couldn't pull this off- and yet it's the coolest thing since sliced bread on her.... love, love, love it!

Going green....

And no- I'm not doing anything more stupendous about going green other than following the directions on the bottoms of containers as to whether or not I am able to recycle..... :)

But.... this girl is.... she is so "granola" (in a wonderful way)- fresh faced and adorable --she was my muse late this afternoon- and we played at the aboretum in the gorgeous green grass and trees..... (does that count more toward my going green?????) and another hidden gem of a reclaimed alleyway- turned sculpture park..... ( I have had serendipitous lighting every time......)

She's another one- who over the course of the hour with me- grew up in front of my camera..... and what I mean by that- is that I often get people (often who are under duress to get their photos taken- for whatever reason....) who are totally timid or lacking in confidence- either in their appearance in photos or in themselves..... and by the time we finish up- and I've beem able to show them on the digital display, who I see looking back at me when I'm photographing them- is a totally different person than who I started with.

And often, they walk a bit taller and with more purpose afward- because I've shown them something they didn't know they possessed. :) I love that! :)

The new 29.....

"They" keep saying that 40 is the new 30.... but I'd say this gal looks like she's in her 20's......She beautiful, super fit, and super confident and was a scream to work with! :)

I have to share with you- (with her permission) one of the three ladies that I shot today. I was approached a bit over a month ago by Corina (long story short a friend of a friend...) to do something fun and out of the box for her husband for the holidays and because she had recently turned 40.

So I met her a week ago with one of her best friends who had driven for over an hour to meet me. We decided to capitalize on the forcasted weather to be gorgeous this weekend- and it was..... We each made several calls to friends who had friends who could possibly hook us up with rooftop access- no dice.

Then- came our saving grace.... Tanya at Tiffany Talent (who represents the kids as a model and talent agency)

http://tiffanytalent.com/index.htm

called and generously offered her loft space on the waterfront in downtown Seattle. It's a great space... but I don't shoot indoors- and don't have all the lightboxes and flashes, etc to do so.... so I was super nervous about shooting indoors. We basically had to dismantel the loft in front of all of the windows so that we could utilize any and all natural light coming in.

Overall tho- I think we can say it was a success......