Happy tenth birthday to our incredible daughter!
Keep following your dreams, sweet girl, and dream BIG!
Tag: natural light photography
Relaxing Afternoon
Today, I’m reminded of a relaxing afternoon spent with my daughter, reading under the magnificent redwoods.
Favorite Photo Friday: Creating in the morning
Some mornings, we have the luxury of having extra time to create. Our girls love to write, draw, design, and build. I love to capture these moments as they unfold, revealing and creating a story of my own in the process.
Beauty in an unlikely location
Beauty can be found in unlikely locations; I discovered this reflection in a puddle at the parking lot of our local grocery store.
Favorite Photo Friday: just missed!
I captured our daughter’s reaction the instant she realized that she just missed the goal. So many feelings are expressed in this moment, without speaking a single word!
A moment to myself
I enjoy sneaking a quiet moment for myself, to capture the beauty of morning light in our yard.
Memories
I have an old metal tin, which I’ve used since childhood to hold many of my keepsakes: my lost teeth, photos of puppies, gumball machine rings, Girl Scout badges, and a ballerina necklace. This old tin also holds something special from my grandpa, an old square dancing belt buckle.
It is amazing how many memories can be evoked from the discovery of just one object.
Finding this belt buckle brought back more than just a memory of how much my grandma and grandpa enjoyed square dancing together. I was reminded how I loved to go and visit them at their house in San Francisco, how excited I was when they let my brothers and I “paint” their garage with paint cans filled with water, and how much fun we had playing Yahtzee at their dining room table. I remember the sleepovers, hunting for Easter Eggs, taking the bus to go shopping, and even the sound of their voices cheering for the San Francisco Giants as we listened to the game on the radio.
Most importantly, I remember the love I felt from them, my love for them (then and now), and their kindness toward each other, and to all of us.
Now, as a parent, it warms my heart to watch the bond between our children and their grandparents grow. They may not understand how fortunate they are to have these relationships now, but, when they are older, I hope that they look back at this time in their lives with fondness, just as I am doing now.
In these moments, I miss my grandparents, immensely. I am grateful that I have so many wonderful memories of my time with them.
Thank you, grandma and grandpa!
Storytelling: Learning to ride a bike
Our daughter woke up early yesterday, full of enthusiasm; she was ready to learn how to ride her bike without training wheels.
After a lot of practice with us at her side, she gained the balance and confidence she needed to ride on her own.
With a little extra convincing, she was ready to give it a try, without any help.
She pushed off and rode the length of the playground on her own,
over and over again,
beaming with pride!
Such a huge accomplishment! We are all so proud of you!
The Cemetery
Recently, a friend and I decided to get together, visit a new destination, and take photos. When she suggested that we visit a local cemetery, I was completely open to the idea, but found myself wondering how I should go about capturing images in a such a place.
When we arrived, I felt a bit lost and overwhelmed; I wondered how to properly show respect while taking photos in a cemetery. I needed to get comfortable, especially since I was so focused on figuring out how I should take photos.
I get comfortable by starting small and focusing on details.
I needed to walk around, quietly observe, and to get away from focusing on should so that I could find both a connection to the cemetery and my voice. So, I explored.
Then, it happened; I found light, my constant companion on my photographic journey, and my voice became clear.
As fond memories of my grandparents came to my mind, I found a needed connection with the cemetery. I began to see stories all around me; stories that, I imagine, have been here, waiting to be discovered and shared.
I was no longer thinking about how I should be taking photos; I just did what came naturally. I found a way to capture the story and the respect that pressed so heavily on me when we first arrived at the cemetery.
This photo outing proved to be a much more challenging experience than I anticipated, both personally and photographically; I am thankful for the experience!
Happy Valentine’s Day
I couldn’t resist this toy store window display.
keep opening doors 