Welcome to my photography blog, a place where I share not only portraits but other aspects of my photography.
The Back Roads
The itch to shoot pictures and to constantly make better images is always in my being, like a restless rash, begging to be scratched. Those of you who harbor that kind of creative urge understand how strong that itch can be. Those who don’t, struggle to understand why some of us must always be making that thing that fulfills us, whether it’s art, music or the written word. My husband falls into that category. God bless him, he’s a good sport, dragging along while I take 200 pictures of the same flower, but he’s truly puzzled by the joy I get from spending hours photographing people, nature and things.
I had a raging itch to shoot this past Saturday morning, and I was in the mood for some small town atmosphere and character. I proposed a little road trip to Golconda, Illinois, which was met with a groan, because he saw HOURS of photo taking ahead, but he relented. I think he was afraid I’d get the car stuck in some backwoods mud, and that‘s a real possibility this time of year in Pope County. We’ve had a lot of rain lately. I gave him my usual, “You never know what kind of adventure we’ll find” speech, and off we went.
We swung by Dixon Springs Park because I had a hunch the waterfall there was running pretty good, and much to my delight it was. A waterfall makes a nature loving photography buff’s heart sing. Sing loudly, I tell ya’.
Afterward, we headed to Golconda and arrived in town to find an antique tractor show and parade. As in they lined up their polished, shiny old tractors and paraded them around the town square. Young and old alike were there, celebrating a part of their heritage and the simplicity of rural living.
It was just delightful. Hubby loves old tractors, so he had a fine time examining them, and I got to roam around the streets of Golconda, searching for anything interesting to shoot.
Strangers nodded and waved as I passed them, and no one batted an eye at my mud boots and ratty yard sale sweater, my usual attire on a back roads shoot. What a wonderful little slice of Americana, in the backyard of where I grew up. No matter where you live, the roots of your youth run deep, I think.
A Little More Winter
I am over winter. Really. Honestly, I was over it before it started, but now this summer baby is holding on by a thread. Come on, spring! The one good thing about the unusual amount of snow and ice we’ve had this year is the photography opportunities it brings. I do enjoy the way ice transforms things. That extra layer of liquid adds something dynamic to each element of nature.
I think of ice as nature’s jewelry. It’s as if the landscape is dripping in diamonds, making everything nice and sparkly in the right light.
I especially like the way it transforms outdoor sculpture, turning a piece of art into a completely different piece.
Fascinating, yes. But come on, spring!
Sneak Peek for Joelle and Ryan
While we typically don't get much snow here, this winter has certainly been unusual. The white stuff that fell Friday night was perfect for this couple who didn't mind braving the chilly air for part of their maternity shoot.
Reelfoot Lake
Last Saturday, I went to Reelfoot Lake in northwest Tennessee for a little eagle viewing with photography friends. We saw some eagles, but they were so far away it was pretty tough to get a decent shot of them without a much longer lens. It was still a great day though. We hit the jackpot with the weather. The rain stayed away and the temperatures were warmer than they had been in a while. Perhaps the wildlife was as happy as we were about the weather because the critters were very active around the cold blue waters of the lake.
It was fun to spend the day shooting with fellow photogs, but it was equally as fun just enjoying the blessing of nature’s beauty. I have definitely become my mother because driving around the countryside all day looking at trees, animals and old houses and barns has become a favorite pastime. And the trip to Reelfoot was a great reminder of the diversity of the landscape in this part of the country. The fried fish I had at Boyette’s at lunch was pretty good, too.
We saw a blue heron devour a snake (no photo for me, I was on the wrong side of the car), a mass of green headed mallards, a batch of bashful coots and the best moment of the day, hundreds, maybe thousands of snow geese taking flight. Even if I hadn’t gotten a picture of that, it was something special to see.
Here are some shots from the day. Oh, and be forewarned. Apparently, I have a fascination with the bottoms of cypress trees. Get out and see the world. It’s pretty cool, even in the winter.
My Favorites From 2013
When the new year rolled around, I took a look at the images I shot in the past twelve months and tried to do some honest critiques of my work and set some goals for 2014. Aside from that, I tried to pick my favorite shots from the year.
A photographer buddy and I were talking this week about how interesting we find it when we create an image we love and no one else likes it or how someone falls in love with something we deem a throwaway shot. I guess that’s what makes art interesting. We all like different things, and we all have different perspectives developed through the filters of our life experiences. I’m always flattered when someone falls in love with one of my pictures. However, because I’m so critical of my own work, it’s rare that I fall in love with one of my own shots. There are usually just a few each year that I truly love, and often it has as much to do with the experience I had while shooting it as it does the final product. I get to meet a lot of great people through photography.
Sometimes, a favorite comes from a wedding shoot or family shoot because of the special moment captured. To me it’s a great honor for a couple or family to ask me to preserve a special time for them. I feel privileged to be a small part of the joy of marriage, maternity and births. That’s the good stuff in life!
Below are my favorites of 2013. I hope 2014 also yields a year of bugs, blooms and interesting faces and places.
Tom. Oh, Tom. You have the most interesting face I have come across in a long time.
Besides being just a truly nice guy, you have so graciously answered all of my nosey questions about your tattoos and piercings and a business that this middle aged mama knows nothing about but is fascinated by. I’m sure you chuckle every time I leave your shop, and you’ve taught me so much about the tragedy of judging a book by its cover.
While I don’t like getting up early, I have grown to love the rhythm of my town as it comes alive with the sunrise in the mornings. I have decided it’s a blessing to have to be at work at 7am because it forces me to see the beauty of that time of day and the people who move in darkness and the orange glow of sunrise.
This year, I rediscovered the beauty of the area in which I grew up. Southern Illinois’ natural beauty is incredible when you take the time to travel its back roads, rocks and waterfalls. I can’t wait to explore the waterfalls during the spring rains this year. This shot came from an old tower in the middle of nowhere. I love the layers of color.
This image of giddy girls headed out to prom just makes me smile every time I look at it. They were so much fun to photograph. High school has such a way of making us feel inadequate that I love that they could see that night how beautiful they are.
This one makes me feel all warm inside. It’s the mother of the groom reading for the first time a card her son gave to her shortly before the wedding. So touching. It’s exactly the kind of moment I look for when shooting weddings.
Since my soul yearns to soak up the world, I’m always inspired and in awe of the places I visit. I was very fortunate to see several parts of Italy last year and two of my favorite pictures from that trip came from wonderful watery Venice. I think the first one is going to end up on my bedroom wall in a big print.
And then there's this one just because it was so cool. I will never forget that day as long as I live.
One of my favorite pastimes is shooting macro nature shots, and I plan to do more of that this year. Neighbors, beware. You’ll see me laying in the yard with my camera to the ground and my butt in the air chasing bugs and dew drops. They came together in this one.
And then there were the spiderwebs.
May your year be filled with the things that bring you joy.