Picture of a soul

I recently read Nick Kelsh's parting column in the final issue of "Lasting Moments" magazine and I'm so sorry to see his series end. He's always shared such wonderful "pick it up and use it right now" kinds of tips for improving your photography and I feel I've learned so much from him. One quote from his article really struck home with me: "If you photograph someone in color, it's a fashion shoot. If you photograph them in black and white, it's a picture of a soul." He credits a "famous photographer" for that quote. But no matter who said it, how those words ring true. His overall article was on simplifying your photos to make them stronger. But his most important point was if nothing else try a little black and white. Today I thought I'd share one of the photos from my new wall gallery in it's before and after state. I've always enjoyed the color version, but was blown away by the change to black and white. Before: I still love the color version. My little peanut is all rosy and pink and I love the sweet angle of my "first baby's" neck as he gives the peanut a little kiss. But I notice my eye is drawn to her little pink bow on her dress or to Gino's red collar. I notice the pattern of the chair, and her pink curtains, and my eye just jumps around a lot. After: With the black and white, all I see is that sweet little kiss, a face full of innocence, and the world's gentlest dog. How I love this moment between two little souls.

5 minute wall gallery

I've had a few questions about how our final family wall gallery turned out. After much thought, I went with all black and white prints. They arrived over the weekend and within moments everything was filled and remounted on the wall. I love curling up on the couch at the end of the day with these in the room, they would definitely make my happy list today. I've always been a sucker for black and white photography but have never displayed it in my home until now. More surprising is the fact that Tim loves it, too. Funny how such a small change has completely altered the feel of our home. Next up on my redecorating list is painting our bedroom. Stay tuned. . .

Wall galleries for the design impaired

I pour over design blogs, I love Better Homes and Gardens magazine, I watch HGTV when given the chance. Despite trying to absorb the numerous tips and tricks that these fantastic resources hold, I am practically inept at designing anything for my own home. I love how things look in the pictures, but I can never seem to execute it for myself. For the 3 years we've lived in our house I've been stumped as to how to decorate the space above our fireplace. Because of the layout of our house, it is the first thing you see as you come into our home. I've tried a handful of different arrangements of pictures but nothing felt right for the space. First we had art that was too small. Then I copied a Pottery Barn mantle but bought frames that were forever hanging off kilter. I've rotated countless decorative objects but it always felt cluttered and mismatched. This weekend I discovered the 5 Second Frame and I'm a total convert. I'm guessing that the design superstars reading this are shaking their heads in pity, but this could quite possibly be the best photo invention I've come across, ever. Look at how perfectly straight they are hanging! Notice the nice even spaces between frames?! This would have been a nearly impossible feat for me without the awesome hanging templates these frames come with. I can't believe I'm devoting an entire blog post to picture frames but this has seriously been the deepest source of aggravation for me design-wise for so many years! I totally covet those wall galleries found in Pottery Barn catalogs and I was finally able to hang one single-handedly within minutes. Now the big question is which photos to put in the frames. I'm debating all color, all black and white, or some kind of mix. Knowing me, this is the step where I'll screw it up. If only I could find my own personal designer to follow me around. . .

In the gardens

Today was a rare treat. We made the pilgrimage over to the Chicago Botanic Gardens--my true happy place. I take the peanut there frequently to let her run around and burn off some energy, but trying to take pictures while keeping an eye on her is a total challenge. Today we went as a complete family so I was able to do my thing knowing that Tim would wrangle the wee one. I'm just simply not good enough of a writer to explain in words what this place means to me. All I can say is that it is my own personal slice of heaven, breathtaking views at every angle. Guess I'll let the photos do the talking. It was a perfect morning:

Impending doom

Perhaps my flair for the dramatic is a little over the top today, but that is how I feel. The dang weatherman has decided we're in for another 5 straight days of thunderstorms and overcast skies. I'm going batty with this ugly "summer" weather. Coming home from our morning errands, I stopped and noticed my blooming flowers at the end of our front walk. I know in theory that overcast skies are perfect photography weather, but usually I just remember the bad weather the day the photo was shot. Oddly enough, this morning my flowers just seemed a little brighter than normal so I went and grabbed the camera before the torrential rains arrive. I thought having a reminder of the flowers in the yard over the next few days might brighten my spirits. 

I just made this photo my desktop and I plan on staring at those bright pink petals till my eyes go numb. Maybe then I'll have a shot at not realizing what it's doing outside on days we should be spending at a pool. Anyone else have tips for surviving a very wet summer?

A season for photo ops

With Memorial Day officially behind us, we are now right smack dab in the middle of prime photo op season. There are so many events coming up over the next few months: graduations, weddings, showers, family reunions, vacations, I could go on and on. Documenting these special occasions should be easier than it seems to be for most people. 

A few years ago, I read a couple books by Nick Kelsh that totally changed the way I use my camera. "How to Photograph Your Baby" and "How to Photograph Your Life" have some of the best user-friendly photography tips I've ever seen. They are practical and so easy to pick up and start using right away. "Your Life" has better tips for those tricky group shots at various big events and holidays, and "Your Baby" makes an excellent shower gift for that expecting mom in your life. I can honestly say that without Mr. Kelsh, some of my favorite photos of the peanut would just not exist.

Don't be shy

I posted my photo blog project this morning and I'm rather pleased with how it ended up turning out. I look back at yesterday taking all those photos. By 11 a.m. I was ready to toss my camera out the window, nothing was turning out the way I wanted it to. Something changed in the afternoon and I started to enjoy the photos I was taking just a little bit more. By the time I imported them onto the computer last night, I could see the project coming together and I woke up this morning excited to share them. 

With my project out of the way, I'm now just waiting for everyone else's postings to appear in Facebook. My co-conspirator Zina posted hers this evening and I'm blown away at just how beautiful everyday photos really can be. I consider Zina to be one of the best photographers I've met and while her album is gorgeous, I was just as entertained by a friend of a friend's project--a woman from Colorado whom I've never met. I think it is fascinating to take a peek into someone's opinion of what is important and meaningful from their day. Such a personal expression left out to be shared with anyone interested. I hope I see plenty more of my friends sharing their days with me in the week to come. It would be such a shame to let something as silly as camera shyness get in the way of such a wonderful project.

A day in the life of Peanut Blossom

Today is my "Day in the Life Of" Photo Blog day. I've been carrying around my camera since approximately 7:30 this morning in an attempt to document a typical day. The point of the project is to take notice and appreciate the small moments that make up our lives and find beauty in the everyday. My project definitely got off to a slow start and finding a unique way to present eating breakfast and our morning rituals was more challenging than I remember from the 2008 project. I found that documenting these moments actually made my day drag on far longer than it normally feels. I guess it's exhausting taking time to stop, smell, and photograph all those roses! I just loaded all the photos I've taken thus far onto my computer. Seeing them collectively on the big screen has made me excited to cull out my favorites for sharing. But, the day isn't over so I need to go load up some more batteries and get about my evening business. Here's just an appetizer for the final presentation:

"A Day in the Life Of" Photo Blog

Next week I'm participating in the second annual "Day in the Life Of" photo blog project. While trying to organize this event on a grander scale with my friend and partner Zina, I looked through last year's project to find my best sample to attach to the instructions. It took my breath away to compare the difference in my little peanut over the last 12 months. I found a photo of her clinging to the open dryer door for stability and now she's simply running circles around me. I'm so excited to participate in this year's event and see all the fantastic submissions from the other photographers. But I'm mostly looking forward to documenting another set of everyday moments to look back on next year.