365 Project - Day 24

My favorite photography projects are theatrical shows. Thankfully, my sons give me an abundance of opportunities to capture these moments. I enjoy transporting them (viewer and actor), back to the action and their feelings during a particular scene. As I think about this, I can draw a close correlation to my previous ambition to be a sports photographer given I essentially wanted to accomplish the same effect. When I do get it right: scene, mood, facial expressions and action, I am thrilled. I have to admit, though, I am a perfectionist. As anyone who has tried capturing theatrical photos knows, this is difficult. Lighting, action, angles all converge to make this a tricky business. I was fortunate to have a terrific mentor who provided excellent advice. And, the rest is up to preparation, patience and post-processing.

In this photograph, I've left the feet in on the right because while in the eyes of the non-audience member, they are irrelevant, they are important to this scene. These kids were fantastic during opening night last night. I had to put down the camera and just laugh several times. Though it was the second night of the show, I was still laughing. It is and they are simply funny and enjoyable. What a thrill to just sit back, relax and delight in the wonder and excellence of youth! Can I say this is in part due to excellent directing?

Best wishes!

Today's Photo: "On cue"

“Hide not your talents, they for use were made. What's a sundial in the shade?”
― Benjamin Franklin

“How many observe Christ's birthday! How few, His precepts!”
― Benjamin Franklin

365 Project - Day 23

Tonight is opening night of my son's directing debut. I am a proud mama. I spent most of the day editing photos from last night's dress rehearsal, once my husband and son decided they wanted to have a few (17) prints in the lobby this evening. Lend Me a Tenor is a terrific show. We saw it years ago on Broadway and really enjoyed it. It was great fun watching these high school students "be" their characters and deliver stellar performances. Aidan and his co-director have done a marvelous job. Putting on a theatre production like this takes a great deal of teamwork, dedication and hard work. I am convinced that they will achieve their ambition of offering a performance that thoroughly delights the audience.

I was grateful to be a part of the intimate group attending the dress rehearsal and took far more photos than I expected. I actually exceeded the average for performances in which my children are cast. Comedic farces, however, do tend to lend themselves to plenty of opportunities to catch a sudden, quick and unexpected scene. Such a treat!

I have to say, I was just the slightest bit jealous as I watched the yearbook photographer move all over the theatre to take pictures. I was firmly rooted in one place, basically immobile. Hey, that's life and this too shall pass! I am learning a lot in my stationary state and that's always a good thing.

Today's photo: "Newtown High School Presents..."

"Act without expectation." Lao Tzu

"Life is like a theatre, but the question is not whether you are in the audience or on stage but rather are you where you want to be?" A. B. Potts

365 Project - Day 22

I guess it's pretty easy to say the weather isn't so bad when you haven't ventured out in it for more than a few moments at a time and, of course, if you don't live in Buffalo. Tonight I went out to photograph my son's dress rehearsal and it is so very cold. I found myself longing for the days when we lived in Texas. Clearly, winter is running rapidly toward us and I need to brace myself. I am not a cold weather person. In fact, I need - need sunshine and warmth. I'm one of those people that craves time in the direct sunlight simply because I literally feel all ills being drawn out by the rays of the sun. And I do mean "all ills": physical, mental and emotional. Warmth and sunshine are my ultimate cure.

I chose this photo for today's project because the cast of light and few remaining leaves symbolize hope of more days and weeks of warmer weather before the onset of bitter cold. Rather than think of this as fleeting fall, I choose to think of it as the hope of warmth.

Today's photo: "Hope of warmth"

Warmest Wishes !!


"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." Romans 12:12

"Hope anchors the soul." Hebrews 6:19

365 Project - Day 21

I sat down to relax in our dining room for a few minutes this afternoon. I mentioned this space in a previous blog. I can't recall the last time we dined in this room, really. As I looked around the room, two things struck me: it is a fantastic room; and it is so, so blue. Sitting there, I also remembered that blue was essentially my family's favorite color growing up. When I was 11 years old, we moved to a new city and new home and much, though not all, of the interior was blue. Blue, however, was not my favorite color. As they were building their new house, my parents were gracious enough to ask me if I wanted anything special in my room. I can only imagine their surprise (and likely regret) when I insisted on my room being pink and purple, but they delighted in honoring my wishes. At the end of a lovely light blue carpeted hallway, was the entrance to a pre-teen girl's bedroom with plush purple carpet and pale pink walls. I was thrilled!

I don't believe I have a favorite color these days. Though, I do absolutely enjoy this elegant blue dining room. I can see why this color is so cherished by my parents and, I thank them for indulging my pre-teen and teenage self.

So, in honor of my parents, I offer this "study in elegant blue"

"All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist once you grow up." Pablo Picasso

Best wishes!

365 Project - Day 20

I recently read an article on the Light Stalking website highlighting the "5 Photos Every Photographer Must Know How to Create." I agreed with the article and knew that one of the areas that I hadn't tried to conquer in full was freeze motion photography. Capturing action in sports is a breeze for me. It is what I dreamt of shooting when I was younger. I imagined myself on the sidelines of a professional basketball or football game, capturing the controversial and game winning plays, up close and personal. I suppose it's possible that part of the dream was tied to a throwback to my cheerleading days. Still the thrill of being on the sideline of a fast paced game in the midst of the action, yet slightly a part, sends my adrenaline soaring. Several months ago, I intentionally lost my way on the streets of Prague and happened upon a Monster Energy Drink sponsored mountain bike rally and trick competition. With my camera in hand, I was back on the sidelines capturing the action. Freezing a cyclist, upside down, at the top of the trick jump ramp - not a problem.

The challenge for me is that I envy others who have captured beads of sweat dancing midair as they bounce off a boxer during a prizefight or, better still, cause your mouth to water with the tantalizing wetness of the splash of a cold drink and suspended water droplets. So, I set out to attempt the latter. I could not do this alone and enlisted the aid of my husband. I knew I was on borrowed time as I watched his expression during my explanation of the project and his role. Then as my son returned home from school, smirking at my madness, my husband's patience and my enthusiasm waned. This photo is my nascent attempt at freeze motion water photography completed in under 30 minutes with minimal editing. As I need assistance, no one was willing to wait upon me as I nursed my photos.

Nevertheless, I am thrilled I experienced this. I believe it went well. I eagerly await my next opportunity to master this photo. My cup is full!

Today's Photo: "Refreshing Freeze!"

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21

“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.”
― Eleanor Roosevelt

365 Project - Day 19

There's always a bit of a anxiety for me when allowing family to vote on my picture of the day. This evening, I shared 2 options with my 17 year old son. I knew which one I wanted to use, but his reaction was the opposite. "I feel like the first one," he said nonchalantly, "is just a picture of a leaf. And this one illustrates the transition from Fall to Winter." Ugh - really? That first one was far more artistic than just a leaf IMHO. It was a fantastic photograph of the last leaf remaining on the branch of what had been a full tree just days earlier and I quite liked the blurred branches in the background.

This "transition" photo is lovely, however, and he is right. You do look at it and immediately understand that we are in the midst of a transition, with the tease of winter arriving perhaps earlier than we had hoped.

Today's Photo: "Transitions"

“What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.”
― John Steinbeck, Travels with Charley: In Search of America

365 Project - Day 18

Okay - I admit to being totally oblivious to the Polar Vortex conversation over the past week. I have a couple of simple explanations for this - I have not gotten out much and the weather doesn't seem to be all that bad to me. Perhaps, I'm a just a little jaded since we've had terrible weather this time of year in the past. What we're experiencing now simply doesn't compare. A couple of years ago, we had to cancel Halloween due to heavy snowfall that blew out our electricity for 6 days. So a little snow in early November with temperatures in the 30s is nothing ... mind you, it is a far cry from the heat we enjoyed living in Houston, but this polar vortex thing seems silly compared to that blizzard. I had to chuckle reading the whole arctic outbreak, polar vortex, global warming, climate change debate. Lots of discussion over which term is correct and whether something is going on with the global climate that may be driving record lows in November. I certainly don't mean to diminish parts of the world that were hit hard with bad weather this week. I found what we received refreshingly beautiful, regardless of what caused it.

Today's Photo: "Arctic Beauty"

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

"Snowflakes are kisses from Heaven." - Unknown