my cousin's BIG FAT CATHOLIC WEDDING! finally....

VALERIE + MIKE

Saturday, August 18, 2007
Valerie Hanson and Mike Hubbard
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Green Bay, WI
reception at The Rock Garden

Parents of the Bride: Jerry and Cheryl Hanson
Parents of the Groom: Bill and Stephanie Hubbard

Bridesmaids: Monica Hanson
Laura Hanson
Jen Miller
Melissa Hubbard

Groomsmen: Bill Hubbard
Dave Holewinski
Tony bouche
Kyle Hanson

Cute adorable little people: Lydia Hanson and Cameron Maier

Florist: Jessica Kaczmarek
Personal Attendant: Brenda Dierschke
Band/Dj: Burce Marshall
officiant: Msgr. Jim Dillenburg
videographer: Randy Kostichka



Finally! I've been so swamped with reprint orders, wedding edits, and just plain LIFE, that I haven't had the chance to blog Valerie and Mike's BIG FAT CATHOLIC WEDDING! So, without no further WAIT, here it is!

Valerie's signature color was Tiffany Blue in my book, but I think I head the term, Pool Blue. Maybe so, but cute either way, and the girls all had toes to match!



These sisters are TIGHT, so plenty of hugs, laughter and just a few tears. I think they seriously happy that Valerie was moving out so there's extra room for them! But shhh....they love her all the same.


Walking to her house one last time as a single girl! OH, my gosh!

Monica is the one with cold hands, which come in handy when a bride is getting hot.

This is Mike, her handsome groom. Such a great guy! They met in High School, but it took a bit for Valerie to totally fall for this one. Her Dad gave a great speech at the wedding about how she really studies things before jumping in and joining. She definitely studies Mike and after some time, realized he was for her. He was looking quite handsome that day!



But he has nothing on this little guy! oh, my gosh! I just love his teeth and eyes! Too cute!







I still can't get over Val in this dress! AMAZING! I totally got a Grace Kelly sort of vibe every time I saw her. LOVE it!



Remember the tears I mentioned? Yep. About 10 minutes before the walk down.



I love this shot of Dad and her before she left the brides' room.

LOVE it!



Too cute! Seriously these two are so cute we should just go ahead and stuff them with fluff and sale them at the fair! Oh, my gosh! (In my best WI accent!) LOL


After the vows and pronouncement, everyone cheered and clapped! So great!








They had a receiving line immediately after the ceremony. Because of the rain, they couldn't do the dove release they wanted to do. Which caused me of course to immediately wonder why? Other birds fly in the rain. I mean, they find their way home, why not doves? Hmm....good one to ask a bird man if I ever meet one again.

So, the receiving line would wear anyone out, but during it I grabbed this shot of Valerie's Grandpa resting from all the hugs and greetings.

Adorable Lydia. Enough said.




Okay, this is Devin's (my husband) Grandmother and Valerie's Great Grandmother. She made the dress Valerie wore for her daughter Claryce. She died several years ago, but she too was married on the same date and in this gown. Well, Cheryl, Valerie's Mom, married on the same date and in the gown as well. I loved that Valerie did too! And it fit so well. Simply gorgeous. So, I had to get a quick portrait for Ida Lee. It was pouring rain, but I stepped outside and shot through a doorway. I call this tunnel lighting, and it's my favorite type of lighting. The light just kisses the face and is so smooth and pretty.





Mike's quickly earning points from me here! During the signing of the license, he kept kissing Valerie's hand and it was so sweet!


She so had her heart on heading to the park and taking photographs, but with the rain and an heirloom dress, we didn't dare. Instead? Find a cubby with a great view of the outdoors. LOL







Love the light in this cake shot! It was from candles and with my 50 1.2.



Bucking the "clanging glass you shall kiss tradition", Valerie and Mike opted to have stories told or songs sung and just anything done by guests to embarrass them selves and then they would kiss. It was so much fun! This shot below is of Kyle, Valerie's brother and some of his friends singing "can you feell the love tonight" from the Lion King. Remember the part about Simba being doomed? They ad libbed and it was too cute! They had the place rollling!




The first dance lit with a video light.


Getting the party started!

Okay, I never caught this kids name, but he was enthralled with my "light stick". I use a wireless transmitter to fire off my flash to make the lighting more interesting and get it off the camera. Well, he so wanted to help me and carry my light pole. He must have had a HUGE starwars vibe going, I think, but the dude was pretty good at it.



This is David and Davida, my inlaws. When my flash boy was busy, I tried out a new lighting technique of having the subject hold the pole with the flash pointed at them. Turned out pretty good and usually got people to laugh!



You can actually see the pole in this shot. This is Kirk and Jill who were flower girl and ring bearer at Cheryl and Jerry's wedding! Too funny!



See! I think this really works. Who needs an assistant? Seriously. LOL (just teasing Steph!) Actually, at this wedding, my cousin Jill helped out TREMENDOUSLY. She was dancing with my pole all over that floor! And managed to fire it in the right direction a time or two.



this is us attempting a self portrait.




Okay, remember Benjamin? From Brenda's family session? Well, this is my new attempt at "project art" while attending receptions. I call this "adventure of running boy at wedding". What do you think?







Portrait of Don and Claryce on their wedding day. You can see how Valerie decided to wear a different head piece but the gown unchanged. I love old photos!




Jill and "too tall".











I love this shot! Jill and I wanted to see what would happen if we stuck the pole under Valerie's dress. She looks like a bell!







So much fun!

my tour of Greenbay

They don't grow them like this here. Here we have to water CONSTANTLY and pull weeds every other day. But in WI? They just grow. I love it!

See, when Cheryl, Valerie's Mom got married, everyone drove out to the lake and hand picked the flowers for the reception, well since this wedding is steeped in tradition, meaning the date and the 3 generations of women wearing that amazing gown, it seemed fitting to repeat this tradition too. So, cool.

So, on the Friday of the wedding, after photographing Brenda's clan, we drove on out to the Don and KayElla's place. It's about 50 minutes outside of Green bay and so worth the drive! We stayed for just a bit and then headed back into Green bay and I had the chance to visit Valerie and Mike's new home. More on that later....just scroll on down and enjoy!








This is Jessica and her sister. She works with Cheryl and is a fantastic floral designer! She hand picked many of the flowers that day and stuffed them all into the back of her Tahoe. She spent many hours in the basement, creating, creating and creating!


Yes, beware folks. They are amazing designer that can wield a sharp scissor! Charlie's Angels ain't got nothing on these flower girls!




Gorgeous Place!



I just loved the smell of these trees! Below is a view of the back of Don and Kayella's place. Such a great design. I don't have any images to share, but the inside reflects the Texas side of the couple complete with horns and horseshoes. LOL





You can't beat shuffleboard!

Cute story that I'm sure their Mom's will love. You see, these are Kay Ella's grandkids visiting and staying with them for the wedding and their summer vacation. Well, they are quite competitive kids because as Kay Ella was giving me the "grand tour" of their amazing place on the lake, we came out the back where they were "jousting" and I heard the words, "Grandma, she flipped me the bird." LOL I was rolling!




Ahh....Lambeau field. This is why you come to Green Bay. A Wedding? Forget the wedding, I wanted to see Lambeau field. (No, not really, I always love weddings, but it was cool seeing the place and getting a visual image in my head of Valerie in her new home. Very cute!


Check this out. You can literally walk to the field from Valerie's back yard. Yep. Walk. And Mike, her entrapaneur husband has devised a way to shave mega bucks from the mortgage payment each month. PARKING. Yep. That's what the do here in Green Bay. In the city that revolves around the Packers, you need parking for those tailgate parties, so, Mike and Valerie will provide it. BUT BEWARE relatives. No FREE PARKING just because you know the couple. Nope. Mike already warned us. So fork out the bucks to help the newlyweds out. Hey, I think we might could get a beer from the basement on Mike though. Maybe? Huh?


Cute, cute place too, folks. Fully redone and even came with this really cute contemporary furniture. And not redone in a tacky way, either. Very cute and very cool. The are so lucky! My first home? Oh, my gosh! We so won't go there.



Okay, Cory's nickname in our family is "too tall". He's married to Jill, Devin's cousin. Just check this dude out scraping the ceiling in Valerie and Mike's basement! Cool basement, but Cory will be crawling. LOL


Had to get a shot of Curly!

Jerry was giving us the tour and he was sweet enough to take this photograph of us. The camera adds 10 pounds, remember that. Totally unflattering pose for me. I can take photographs very well, just not be in them.





Me and Jill being total self portrait dorks. I love this!


Jerry giving us the background to how they got the money to start the Packers and the Field.


Jill and Cory.

Isn't this great! I love how the light is there and it's built on the North side which has got to be brutal during the season. Great place to come and enjoy the game!




Wisconsin Cheese. YUM! I have one of these cheese heads from a Christmas eons ago when I first met Devin's Northern Family. They make the long trek every other Christmas to spend the Holidays with us. So much fun! Corny fun, but FUN!



This place is so ultra cool and devoted totally to it's fans. Check this out. The lines inside the atrium coincide with the marks on the field. So, when I was standing on the 50 yard line, if I could walk through walls, that is where the 50 yard line is on the field. Cool, huh?


Last shot before we headed to the rehearsal. On the left is Mike, chatting it up with Kyle, Valerie's Bro. You know, Guitar Hero. Thanks for the tour, Jerry! It was so cool getting to see the place, but next time? I want tickets to a game! LOL

meet the Zabriskie's (again...)

On Friday morning, bright and early after rising from my dungeon, I photographed the Zabrinski family. Tom, Brenda and Benjamin. They may look a bit familiar?

Benjamin has gotten so BIG! I could hardly believe how much he's grown up! You'll see some more photographs of him in my wedding blog, in just a bit. (working on that now) and he's my "boy running at wedding". I'll explain. LOL In the mean time, enjoy this family session sneak peek!

new color...AGAIN!

I can't seem to make up my mind. So you tell me which one you prefer, the white background? Or the chocolate brown? And if you have to ask if it's chocolate brown, then I really need to use the white.

I've been checking out my site on different browser systems and it looks like total poop with the brown on Safari. Decisions decisions...

Leave a comment and let me know.

the rehearsal

I'm back from my wedding in Athens, and finally able to blog about Valerie and Mike's rehearsal, not to mention my "mini tour" of WI. (This is the wedding that took place on the 18th) I had so much fun hanging out with Valerie and her family that weekend! I slept in the basement, I kept referring to as the "dungeon" only because if was cold and dark, which makes the most excellent sleeping conditions. Sleep I did, too! Wow! But I definitely needed it to keep up with this bunch!

The basement/dungeon was actually a media room all tricked out with electric chairs and a HUGE screen projection system. Very cool, but we didn't have enough time to try it out. My days flew by!

We had so much fun! Kyle is a definite night owl like me and we spent one evening together, in silence with our keyboards. He's a facebooker, too! You'll have to check him out under my friends.

The rehearsal was a good run through and it was a great chance to meet everyone and get to know their faces before the BIG day. I always try and go to the rehearsals if possible. The church was very simple in design, yet had great details tucked in here and there. Now the orange and aqua color scheme was a bit difficult to work with on the white balance, but hey, Valerie hired a pro. (wink)





The flower girl, Lydia was such a doll! The priest had told the wedding attendants to NOT hold hands on the way preceding down the aisle. They are to represent the couple's singleness. But these two did. Too cute!


Jerry, Valerie's Dad is a total HOOT! He recently became Municipal Court Judge for the City of Green Bay. Correct me if I'm wrong Jerry, (which his daughter just did in an email) in the comments below and he definitely honed his public speaking skills this weekend! Apparently once you receive the appointment, you must then run a campaign for the office. So, if you are a registered voter in Jerry's area, GO VOTE FOR HIM! He's honest, fair, and best of all, FUN! I'm sure criminals need fun judges, right?

LOL




Valerie and Mike both are very good at pointing.









The two Dad's had TEXAS sized mugs at the rehearsal dinner to enjoy during the dinner, given to them as gifts from Valerie and Mike. They even had them engraved!




Valerie gave each of her attendents an adorable monogrammed bag for all their wedding day goodies! Too cute!

Sam here, he received a Packer's Hat. Way cool.







And this is Jerry's Mom and Dad. I could photograph Mr. Hanson all day if he would let me. Such character in that face!

Check back soon for the wedding sneak peek!

my girls

Okay, so I never blogged Valerie's wedding and I really have TONS of other photos to show you too, as well, but my days have been so packed with kids getting ready for school, there's really no time. I think I will miss my kids terrible when they venture off the first day. After all, with them will go several hundered dollars of cute clothes purchased in a frenzy at the mall. That was yesterday. And those will have to be washed next week. But the "photography" Kristin will be so stoked to sit down UNINTERRUPTED and work, work, work on images that need to be worked on!

They've been darlings really, they have. And we've enjoyed our days together, but I'm definitely used to working at home ALONE and this summer helped me realize that I can't get that time back. I can't. It's not possible. And with all the things that took place this summer, they needed me. And I needed them.

They are total goof balls that are all rolled into wonderfullness and adventure, with a big gob of imagination mixed in. I love my goober girls!

PS. Yep. They are having fun with this laptop. geez... wait...I'm in there too. I'll admit it. It takes a goober to know one.

technological woes

I'm so sorry if you've been trying to reach me since last week. I've been having trouble for weeks now with my Cingular Wireless 8125. It's a "do it all phone" and it's given me more grief than it was every worth. Well, my 4th one in less than a year bit the dust today, screen wise, and they are sending me a replacement, but I have basically had enough.

So, I'm the proud owner of an iphone as of 4 PM today. I'm still figuring the thing out, but the good news is, my voice mail is working again, due to a new sim card, which I know think was the problem with phone #2 and #3 but I had no idea.

To make a lon story short, if you tried to reach me by voice mail in the last week and I have not called you, PLEASE email me at kristinbednarz@mac.com or you may now phone 806-789-2673. I hope my main problems are resolved. And thank you so much for your patience!

an heirloom by idalee

I'm home! Finally after all day of traveling. AND some lost luggage. I really can't stress this enough, but we so need to fly SW EVERYWHERE! And even where they don't fly? Fly close and then drive. Not that SW doesn't make mistakes. We all make mistakes. But at least with SW, they are friendly and give you peanuts.

So, Wisconsin was amazing! It was so much fun with family just to hang out and visit and yes, I did work, as evident by these pictures I'm sharing of Valerie's bridal. But even more so, I'm so glad I could make her marriage celebration and witness how happy everyone was, not to mention, dance my bootie off with Jill. (more on that later of course...)

I'm way behind on posting, editing, backing up files, and most of all, ALBUMS! Oh, and my cell phone broke right before I left, and I have so many voice mail messages to answer and return. YIPES! I thank you all for your patience and understanding. If you are understanding. If you are not? Well, drinking works for me.

We did Valerie's bridal on Thursday after the Family Session. I had seen the dress in photographs, as Ida Lee, Devin's Grandmother, made it for Claryce, Valerie's Grandmother. Did that make sense?

It looked amazing! Classic and refined and oh, my! I got chills looking through the lens. Many of these were taken with my new 200 2.8 and I think it's a keeper for sure. It's creamy and rich with the files and colors, and best of all, weighs so much less than my 70-200 2.8. A great way to downsize the bag now that I'm shooting 2 cameras.

I'll post more from the wedding and my trip, but for now, enjoy these of the Classic Val all dressed up in an amazing heirloom of a gown! 3 generations have worn it and it's looks AMAZING!


Hey, someone email Jessica Claire and see if she can spot something in this shot! LOL I left my shootsac out on the ledge. Geez.... it's not in every shot, but gosh, when will I learn?

guitar hero

Valerie's bridal was OUTSTANDING! We went to the Green Bay Botanical Gardens and it was so pretty! I can't wait to show you, and will on Saturday maybe before the wedding. I don't think Michael will be reading the blog that day. But for now, my cousin Kyle will have to work. He's a most excellent guitar player and except for the northern accent, he plays a mean, "Sweet Home Alabama".

I'm having a great time, and really am enjoying myself. My cell phone died in DWF so please email me as I will be without one until Thursday.

info@kristinbednarz.com

the hanson family

Hey, blog readers! Quick post before I head back out the door, but I'm in WISCONSIN! Yep! And I'm heading out to photograph my cousin Valerie's Bridal session but wanted to touch base and let everyone know where I'm at and what I'm doing.

Valerie is getting married!

More later...

danna and randy

It's that time of year again! Randy and Danna needed an image for their Christmas Card and even though it's barely August, they knew it was going to be difficult to find the time and the photographer and the place. We managed to jive on all three this morning rather early. WHEW! We just had a few minutes, and as early as it was? I was dripping in sweat. Not a very wonderful thing to say, no, but just a testament to our crazy weather!

They did GREAT! I love this picture below of Chadna. It really shows just how crazy life can be. You just laugh!

it's soccer time!

It's soccer time! Kalyn's soccer team had a scrimmage tonight and I had the chance to play with my new lenses. Most of these images are straight out of camera (sooc) and except for the BW above and the one below this text, nothing has been edited. I'm very impressed with the color and sharpness and best of all, speed at which these two lenses operate.

Just so you know, I purchased a 24. 1.4 and a 200 2.8.

You can view all the soccer photographs from the games I manage to make it to, HERE.

a new lens (or two)

I shoot with the 5d and it's a full frame sensor which is GREAT. My lens, the 16-35, which is my WIDE, I've loved since I first bought it back in 05. With the 5d, it was great for environmental shots, but just not quite sharp enough for portraits or groups and I hated the way it distorted folks on the edge of the frame. So, I was shopping for a new wide prime that would serve me well. It needed to be sharp, fast and most of all, durable. I decided on the 24 1.4.

Here's a few images from today's soccer game of my youngest Summer Zoe. I think I'm really going to love this lens!

On a side note, I thought it was the only one I had purchased. I forgot I had thrown the 200 2.8 in the cart as well. So, I have a new prime, long focal to play with as well. Gosh! It feels like Christmas!

abby and andy (for emily alexander)

I 2nd shot for Dallas photographer, Emily Alexander this weekend. She had a wedding booked before she found out she was expecting, and with only a few more weeks to go, I invited myself to schlep her gear and bring her liquids. LOL

I've known Emily since 2004 when I photographed her wedding to Jonathan. We've kept in touch ever since and when she started her photography business, even more so! I love it when you click with a bride and just share the same passions. It makes you feel a bit better about your obsession. LOL

We had a great time, and I'm so bummed I did not take one photo of us together. That's so not like me. Just broke the "Eli rule" of photography, which is GET IN THE PICTURE, STUPID. Cuz when you are gone, folks will want to look back through the photos.

Abby and Andy, the bride and groom, saw each other before the ceremony, and they were just wonderful to work with, giving us tons of time to photograph the portraits. I'll share what I took, but you will have to go to Emily's blog to see the main photos.

Facebook link to Andy + Abby's album.

a cool bloke

image above, copyright of sean flannigan photography, 2007.

This post if for my friend Julie. We like to look at photography websites together and discuss what we like and love about them. Most of the time we agree, JESH, and sometimes we don't. I think she will like this new "bloke" I'm following.

Sean Flanigan

Just click his name for his blog. I check it every day and just love the simplicity, yet realness of his work. He's just enough quirky with a touch of romance mixed in. Perfect for my taste.

Hope you enjoy! And Sean, not that you even know who I am, but if you are getting an increase number of hits today, "you are welcome." LOL

brittany + tyler

Great weekend!

Brittany and Tyler were married at FUMC Saturday with a reception at the Texas Tech Stadium Club. We had a great time despite some minor "mixups" and delays. I always love shooting at First Church because it's hard to take a bad photo there. LOL Makes my job easy.

I will say this. I wish they would allow the use of a shooter from the choir loft or side aisles. It's always sad that you can't get the couple's faces when they say their vows. I hate that. I always try to remain unobtrusive and definitely noninvasive when photographing during the ceremony. It's not about ME getting the shot, it's about the documenting of the sacrament. BUT, if I'm allowed access closer to the couple, then I can get those emotional moments forever, but no. Balcony and center aisle only. I console myself with the fact that it is a pretty center aisle. LOL



I met Tyler and the guys that morning at the course. I love this shot of the 4 of them just over the hill. Tyler is 2nd from the left. A great golfer, by the way. I've golfed with many guys over the years, or rather, meant to say, I've "photographed" many grooms golfing, and Tyler knows his poop, sort of speak. It's funny, the guys always tell me they golf so much better when I'm not there. Of course they do! LOL



Thomas was working the hair again. I love his work and he's amazingly fast. Seriously girls, if you want good hair, call him. He's wonderful!

So many fun moments between friends when getting ready.


Fabulous bouquet!



Fun with a mirror.


I love these dresses that all the fashionable brides are wearing! (and other girls for that matter.) The smock gowns that are so comfortable in all the pretty prints. Brittany has no idea where she's going for her honeymoon, only that it's "coastal". So she packed plenty of pretty things.






How many girls does it take to get a girl dressed?

Brittany was too cute! She would make these faces when she was "preening" in the mirror. Habit, I guess...but I loved watching her lips when she played with her veil. LOL


Yes, I was letting all the cold air out, keeping the doors propped open, and I'm sorry about that, but the lighting from the East bouncing off all the concrete outside makes for some pretty yummy shots, don't you think?


Ahh...all the lovely ladies!


And such a cute flower girl!




Okay, funny moment, but not so funny for those involved. About 10 minutes before ceremony time, someone asked for the groom's ring. This shot above is Mom explaining where it was, (in a Suburban apparently NOT at the ceremony site) and what she did to remedy the situation, (found a substitute ring from a guest.) Everyone handled it very well, I might add.



Study these two photos. I love the juxtaposition between the guys and the girls right before a ceremony. Girls? Excited! And happy, almost "glee" like waiting for their walk down the aisles.

and the guys? Just check out Andrew above. Yep. He's having fun. LOL


And then there was Brittany. Oh, gosh... she was sooooo nervous! Not about getting married. She was fine with that. But the walk down the long aisle was really causing butterflies to roam around in her tummy! Just check out that face!




Wanted to try something different for the "aisle" shot this time. I've spent a lot of time in the balcony at this church.



More of that yummy light bouncing off the concrete.









Brittany's dad, Brent is a HUGE Red RAIDER fan! Now that I think about it, most of the guests at this reception were HUGE Red Raider fans. LOL

This was a cute moment. About 2/3rds of the way through their first dance, dad stepped in.





More friends having fun.


Tyler and his Mom.


Making good use of the stadium seats to photograph the groom's family.



A tortilla exit! My first! LOL

You can view more of Brittany and Tyler's wedding sneak peek by clicking HERE. Be sure and check out Brittany's Bridal Session too. She did AWESOME! Thanks so much, you two! You were wonderful to work with, and for.

the rehearsal

I'm back at First United Methodist Church for another fabulous wedding! Brittany and Tyler are getting married today and I'm heading out the door, almost as I type to meet the guys for some golf. Well, they will play, I will shoot. That's always fun for some nervous swings, let me tell you.

I've been slowly getting caught up after Elizabeth's funeral and really doing alot of thinking about purpose and life and most of all time. Not that anything will change drastically in my work schedule or anything, but simply being aware and present in your day to day tasks, and really giving your all to that task, mainly for the Glory of HIM. That's the best way to put it.

Another thing I've been thinking about it is all the ways to approach this craft I love, from both mind and spirit. I've always loved the images that speak to me emotionally, and I need to remember to fill myself up with those once in a while. Instead of what I think my client wants or needs. It's about being true to yourself in your shooting. I hope I can explain a bit without confusing myself. I tend to do that when I try and verbalize or spell. Sometimes I understand it in the fog of my brain so much better.

When looking through the lens, the feeling, the essesnce of what you do and shoot, it has to be of YOU. A part of you must come through and does when I pull that camera back up to my fat cheeks. I love shooting! I do! I could do it all day long. I lvoe that feeling I feel when I'm witnessing a moment between humans, and I'm snapping those moments and thinking how cool is that second is forever remembered.

A danger involved in that blessing we have in witnessing, is when you let others seep into those threads on your filter and effect what you are making. Sometimes we let what we read on a message board or what our competition has done or is doing at the moment, and let that affect what we are taking and thus it doesn't allow for that image to be REAL. Sure it happened, but we tend to think more than just become as the shutter is pressed, and I'm not saying some thinking shouldn't be involved. It must! I mean, we do have to make sure it's in focus and hey...they aren't big black blobs in the viewfinder. LOL But what I'm trying to ramble about here, is there are so many ways to photograph that moment, and what makes the image speak to you and most of all to the individual you are photographing, is that it's a part of YOU and them that is true.

It's fine to be inspired by others, but stay true to yourself in what you are capturing and seeing. This is where the joy in the craft is involved. This is where that inner part is enjoyed. Don't forget the inner part! It's what moves inside of you when you see a great image. And hopefully, a great image you took.

stepping off the soap box.

On a side note, literally, check out the cute little box in the sidebar of this blog. It's a twitter account and I update it periodically through the day. More useless information than anyone could possibly ever need. There ya go.




I could spend hours in this church photographing the stained glass.

passion

the sufferings of Jesus on the cross

any emotion...as hate, or love

intense emotional excitement, as rage, enthusiasm, lust, etc.

the object of any strong desire

the west texas shooting club

Tonight was so much fun! My good friend/photographer, Toni Spray went along on a "shoot out" with Lauren Clark and Sarah Huffman. Gosh, Sarah! I hope I'm spelling your name right? Speaking for myself, I had a great time! And we are planning on doing this again next month. I sure hope so.

When you shoot with other photographers, it helps validate your obsessive place in the world. There is someone out there, like you that looks and dreams of things in rectangles. Someone that loves to discuss f stops and lenses and thinks of their gear bags as "half full". LOL

We had subjects tonight. Christy Penn of Christy Penn photography and her hubby and sweet guy, Jason. They were are subjects ready to do whatever we asked and even brought along a cool vintage bike that was just darling with Christy's hat and gloves. LOVED this idea!

Of course, when you are shooting with a group of photographers, you are always scrambling for a good view, a good line of site and a chance to direct. We took turns for the most part, but essentially let Lauren do the directing. She's very good at it. Me? I played and had a blast and fed my creative soul!

Let's do it again tomorrow night, right?

Oh, and Brittany? I know you will read this at some point, and girl! You have got to do this with us! You would LOVE IT!








Sarah

Toni







Okay, bless their hearts! We had them ride back and forth in front of us for like 20 minutes. Seriously...and try as I might on the "pan and scan", I never did nail the shot. I'm sure Lauren did and we will have to check her blog later for details.







Same shot, processed differently in PS. I'm not sure which one is my fav.


The FABULOUS West Texas Shooters Gang!


And Lauren with her FAB Clients!

Thanks everyone for a great night!

wednesdays @ julie's

We swim every Wednesday at Julie's. With or without her. Mostly with her and her kids, and that is so much more fun than just us. I've watched Julie's kids grow up since Ben, her 2nd was born. In fact, I met Julie through Elizabeth. They went to school together and Elizabeth took me to Bunco at her house one evening 8 or so years ago. Many kids later, we are still friends. So, today, I drove by Aunt Barbara's (Devin's Aunt, Elizabeth's mother-in-law), and picked up Dalton and Kate, so they could join in on our weekly fun.

I keep telling myself that it will get easier and every time I get very sad, or can't sleep, I simply think of these kids. I know many of you have called, emailed and wondered what it is you can do to help, and I don't seem to have an answer. I'm only glad you are concerned, because that sparks the heart to think of them, and pray. They are such adorable kids and have a GREAT Dad that will do his best. Not too mention amazing cousins that love to swim with them!

So, keep praying and asking and emailing, and loving. If we all do that, they will be just fine. Oh, and read the print under each photo to know just who is who. With the 4 I brought and Julie's 5, that's a lot of kids! (Stephanie? Remind me next week to bring the camera out when you are there! Seriously...and get your with those kiddos! OK?)

Julie's youngest son, Rex. He will be 4 soon. Here he is channeling the Spideyman Gods. I told him to cross his eyes and this is what I got. LOL

Me, with stuch a stupid look on my face, taken by Stephanie. I'm holding Megan, Julie's daughter. She is such a cutie!




UGH! This new thing I've started...posting images of myself is so hard. I really do hate it. But after pouring through images of Eli in the past week, I just feel it is so important to include myself in the personal stuff. And besides, Emily Houchin requested it, so there. Isn't that enough? It's a shame we never see each other, really. I mean, geez...grab the binoculars and look out each other's front windows and we could "see each other", huh?



Megan, Kalyn and Kate.



Kate, enjoying some chocolate pudding.


Spideyman.


Kalyn and Megan.




Kate and Kalyn.



Summer and Megan.


The one and only photograph of Dalton and guess who took this one? His sister Kate did. I better watch out, she is going to be wanting my job next.



Football crazed Rex.