What's your opinion? {Omaha Professional Photographer}

Do you follow my 365 blog, too?  If so, just the other day I blogged about waiting in the school parking lot to pick up my children.  I had taken my camera that day to pass the time.  Something I probably will do more often as I find myself snapping pictures with my cellphone to pass the time quite regularly and let's face it, those aren't the greatest quality images. ;)  Which reminds me of that anonymous quote I read the other day that went something like this:...'photography is like a disease once it enters your bloodstream'...or something to that affect.  I am definitely addicted to the camera. :)  Anyway, in that blog, I did not share an image with either of my girls because I said that would be too predictable (you can view that blog entry here ).  Here is one of the images that I did take that afternoon.  It is a headshot of my youngest. Now, before you take a look at the eyecandy I have a quick question.  Just for fun, which do YOU prefer? The black and white or the color?  I am a little partial to both (*shocking* I am the mom) but I do have my favorite.  Leave me a comment and tell me whether you prefer the color image of the black and white photograph.  I'm interested in your opinion.

Icy Adorments and Tree Limbs {Omaha Professional Photographer}

So a few days ago I shared an image with you here on the blog called Dew Drops and Tree Limbs .  Well, I revisted this same spot last Tuesday evening and photographed the tree again in the evening using only the ambient light.  This time, the tree had delicate beautiful ice jewels decorating its limbs.  It was the beginning drizzle of a winter rain storm.  The rain did come as promised by Jim Flowers, our local weather man, later that evening. Wednesday morning was a tad slick but that was expected.  Here is the image of the tree limbs.

Happy Birthday, Sara! {Omaha Professional Photographer}

I am hijacking the blog for a moment to wish my sister, Sara, a very Happy and Blessed Birthday!!!  Today, January 25th, is Sara's birthday.  I love her to pieces.  She is an amazing woman.  Help me wish her Happy Birthday or Happy Birthday Week by leaving some birthday wishes for her in the comment box. :) 

Cool Stop- Motion Video {Omaha Professional Photographer}

One of my friends in CO shared this video on his facebook page and I thought it was pretty cool.  It is a stop-motion project using (and telling the story of) the Olympus Pen .  Enjoy! :)

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/8dY9Fl/illusion.scene360.com/uncategorized/4388/the-pen-story-stop-motion/

Kids these days :) {Omaha Professional Photographer}

I remember when I was a child and the toys we used to keep us entertained.  The video for Owl City's Fireflies  actually covers quite a bit of the super 80's memorabilia.  I do remember my Uncle Michael's Commadore 64.  He was kind enough to allow me and my cousin Christina to play some of his games on the computer when we came to visit.  Although, the computer was not the primary source of entertainment.  I also recall listening to 45s to learn my multiplication tables, not visiting a website to practice my math facts.  It amazes me, really, that children from preschool on are introduced to computers and are comfortable manuvering their way around the keyboard.  I had to take typing in highschool!  I'm not even sure that is a required course at this point any more...my money is riding on NO.  Anyway, the other day, my little one was doing her normal Saturday thing...cartoons (somethings never change) and playing games online.  It made me smile.  Here are a few quick shots that I just had to share with you out here on the blog.

Dew Drops and Tree Limbs {Omaha Professional Photographer}

The other evening I opened my front door to talk with my neighbor.  She was bringing over some yummy homemade authentic Italian meatballs with sauce and pasta that her husband had made for dinner.  She has been telling me how yummy this particular dish is and wanted to share.  Let me tell you, she wasn't lying!  It was scrumptious- every last morsel.  Anyway, while accepting the yummilicious gift, I noticed the tree outside my front door was decorated with what looked like precious diamond jewels.  It was breathtaking.  I found it to be very surreal between the fog and the little bit of ambient light the dew was catching.  It was almost as if I had stepped into a fairy tale.  I had to photograph it.  Here is one of my favorite images.

Sharing a Quote from Berenice Abbot {Omaha Professional Photographer}

You know that I have an affinity for quotes.  I came across this one today:

"...people say they need to express their emotions I'm sick of that. Photography doesn`t teach you to express your emotions it teaches you to see." - Berenice Abbott - Art News, January 1981

Berenice Abbot was an American Photographer (1898-1991) who was known for (amongst other things) her black and white photography of New York City architecture, "Changing New York".  The images within this documentary project span over a 10 year period. 

You can view some of her work and read more about this talented artist here.  Funny enough, there is a rather long quote once you enter her gallery in regards to pictorialism.  I find that very interesting considering my last post was A Salute to Pictorialism.  Abbot, according to the quote, felt that pictorialism was a hinderance to photography because in her opinion "....Photography can never grow up and stand on its own two feet if it imitates primarily some other medium. It has to walk alone. It has to be itself.”

I encourage you to take some time to view her work.

A Salute to Pictorialism {Omaha Professional Photographer}

I have a friend who is really into pictorialism.  She peaked my interest and so I thought I would give it a whirl.  This, of course, comes with my new love and appreciation for a vintage feel in photographs.  If you've been following along on this blog or my fanpage, you know I am really really really into that vintage look right now.

What is pictorialism?  In short, it is a technique used to give images soft, painterly, romanticized qualities. You can find a short article explaining pictorial photography by Paul Hooge here (be sure to scroll down).  Some photographers who used this technique (in no particular order) are: Clarence H. White, Alfred Stieglitz,  Henry Peach Robinson and Robert Demauchy. 

Here is the pictorial portrait I created and wanted to share with you on the blog. :)

Sally Mann

I just had to share a quote with you today from Sally Mann.  She is a famous American Photographer born in Lexington, VA in 1951.  Sally Mann has received numerous awards for her work including Guggenheim and National Endowment for the Arts fellowships.  Check out her work.  Her books of published works include "Immediate Family", "At Twelve: Portraits of Young Women" and "Mother Land: Recent Landscapes of Georgia and Virginia." I think she is pretty amazing.  Anyway, here is the quote. 

".....I struggle with enormous discrepancies: between the reality of motherhood and the image of it, between my love for my home and the need to travel, between the varied and seductive paths of the heart. The lessons of impermanance, the occasional despair and the muse, so tenuously moored, all visit their needs upon me and I dig deeply for the spiritual utilities that restore me: my love for the place, for the one man left, for my children and friends and the great green pulse of spring."  - Sally Mann - Still Time catalogue Alleghany Highlands Arts and Crafts Center, 1988

School Break

I have really been enjoying the time with my girls during this holiday break. It is rapidly approaching the end of break and pretty soon we will be back to the daily grind. I had my camera out quite a bit during vacation. Here are some of my faves.

love love love this one

look at those lips!

I'm always a sucker for profiles.

...and eyelashes. <3

Love this one, too...those stray hairs are *so* her!