"Remember to be gentle with yourself and others.  ...None can say why some field will blossom while others lay brown beneath the August sun.  Care for those around you.  Look past your differences.  Their dreams are no less than yours, their choices no more easily made.  And give, give in any way you can, of whatever you posses.  To give is to love.  To withhold is to wither.  Care less for your harvest than for how it is shared and your life will have meaning and your heart will have peace."  Kent Nerburn

I am following my heart.  It is taking me in a different direction.  I love photography!  I am so grateful for the friends I have made and the creativity it has inspired in me along the way.  I am grateful for every opportunity that has crossed my path.  This is the end of my professional photographer path for now.  Thank you to those of you have supported me with your kindness along the way!  I will always be grateful~

This is my last post here.  My classes are finished and I am no longer taking professional opportunities.  I will be found with my camera always close by.  I will continue to post on our family blog- happy day!   I do have flashcards available for purchase that include much of the information I taught in my beginner workshop.  You can see them here for more information

Eliza's baby sister~

Caroline

Lucky Caroline...looks just like her big sister!!!!  Not only is she beautiful....she couldn't be sweeter!  I am so happy for the William's family!  What a perfect addition to the already wonderful family!

I grew up watching the MDA Telethon on Labor Day. I was thrilled as the donations grew and Ed McMahon would announce the new totals. The stories always brought tears to my eyes and left me feeling inspired. I met Vance and his family when I was about 18. I became fast friends with each of them. I received a wonderful letter from a friend and colleague of my friend Vance. I couldn't have come close to saying it better...so I am sharing his words:

This Labor Day weekend, millions of Americans will celebrate the end of summer with barbecues, final runs in the beach surf and gathering friends and family to enjoy the bounty that life as an American affords us. All are classic American traditions but every Labor Day there is another tradition that should not be forgotten – the Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Association Telethon.

For over 40 years, Jerry Lewis and the Muscular Dystrophy Association have raised millions of dollars to fight a disease that has unfortunately impaired the mobility of millions of people. While this disease may have robbed these persons of their individual mobility it has not arrested their spirits or abilities to make a difference to the world.

About two years ago, I had the fortune of meeting one of these persons. His name is Vance Taylor and while I am proud to call him one of my business partners and friends I’d like to just call him an American Tradition.

A native Californian, Vance was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy at a fairly early age but that has not stopped him by any measure. Moving East from the Golden State, Vance made his way to Washington, DC where he has made not just a name for himself inside the Beltway but rather nationwide as one of the country’s foremost experts in water infrastructure and related homeland security areas.

Truth be told, if you gathered in a room a group of government or industry experts that specialize in these areas and asked them who is one of the most effective voice on their issues, chances are they’d tell you, “Vance Taylor.”

In further describing him, I have to quote another of my business partners, David Olive who when asked about Vance said:

“He’s probably the most inspirational guy you will ever meet. I mean nothing stops this guy.”

That’s about as accurate a description that can be made about him and that’s what makes me call Vance an ‘American Tradition.’

Whatever the challenge, whatever the set-back, he overcomes it – he presses on. He gets the job done and he keeps on moving. You can’t get more American than that.

As a nation and as a people we have all had our bad days and Vance has not been immune to those but like any American he’s learned to pick himself up, dust himself off and get back into the arena of life, ideas and actions that make not just history but make a positive difference to the every day lives of his family, his community and his country.

This weekend, one American Tradition will meet another.

Vance and his family will be in Las Vegas as part of the 43^rd annual telecast of the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon. Now for those of us that know Vance, we know this isn’t his first encounter with the media. While always ready with a quotable quote for a DC reporter, last year, wearing his best tuxedo and displaying his classic humble charm, Vance served as the co-host of the Washington, DC telecast of the MDA telethon.

This year he’s going one better – the big stage in Vegas with Jerry Lewis and the other celebrities and entertainers that make the annual telethon such a huge success.

Vance is scheduled to make two appearances on this year’s telethon:

• Sunday, September 6 -- Hour 5 -- 2:10 - 3:00AM (EST)

This weekend as you celebrate your own Labor Day traditions, I’d like to encourage you to think of Vance and the annual American Tradition he is a part of this year. Even better, making a contribution to MDA in his name would be a great way to honor one American Tradition as it joins another.

All of Vance’s friends and colleagues are incredibly proud of this extraordinary man. He has inspired us daily by his own individual example and his incredible drive to make a difference. We should know. We experience it daily. He’s made a tremendous difference to all of us personally and to our country’s security in numerous ways.

All of Vance’s friends and colleagues know that by what he does this weekend he will inspire countless more. For that we are even prouder of him, who he is and what he stands for.

Very simply he’s the best of American Tradition.




Richard B. Cooper
Principal
Catalyst Partners, LLC

You are wonderful...and make my job so easy!  I hope you love your pictures~

Thank you,

Carin

I think I love this more than my Holga! I bought 620 film through BHPhotovideo but have learned recently that 120 will work! I will try that next!!!

• beautiful weather
• fantastic participants
• gorgeous models
• vintage cameras
• flowers
• red bike

I can't wait to show you more!!!!!!!!!!!

Bokeh:  (derived from Japeanese, a noun boke, meaning blurred or fuzzy) is a photographic term referring to the apperance of out-of-focus area in and image produced by a camera lens using a shallow depth of field.

(definition by Wikipedia)

You can use the out of focus area to compliment your image.  Patterns from fences, chicken wire, leaves from trees, tall grass and small lights can add beauty to your image and compliment your subject!  Pay attention to the bokeh- it is BEAUTIFUL!

That is the challenge...take pictures with bokeh in mind.  Seek out different situations that would make your bokeh more interesting.  Work on setting your camera to settings that create a shallow depth of field.  Please share them with us by linking to this post!

ISO 320 ss 1/200 f 4.0  (4.0 on my 135mm creates a very shallow depth of field...more so than my other lenses)

ISO 640  ss 1/200 and f2.2  (135mm)

ISO 100 ss 1/800 f2.5  the bokeh in this image is created by sun, greenery and water

ISO 100 ss 1/800 f2.2 (the same sun, greenery and water but I stepped back further)

Have fun playing with bokeh!!!!!!!!  I can't wait to see what you come up with!!!!!!!!

I pulled out the camera at my father-in-laws birthday party.  The camera required 35mm and I brought 120.  Danny's dad went into the house and came out with a roll of film.  It was a refillable film canister and he thought he had bw film in it.  He really had no idea what the film speed was...or how old it was.  I threw it in the camera and had it developed (crossing my fingers that it was really bw...because if it was color the bw developing would ruin it).

It worked!!!!!!!!  I was amazed at the exposure flexibility of the film!  I was guessing that the film speed was 400...but who knows...I still can't believe it worked!  I can't wait to try it again!!!!

ISO 1600 f2.0 ss 1/80

They entered into this world as cousins~ and now becoming sweet friends.

In fact, between Danny and his siblings, we have 8 little girls. Their ages range from 8 to just a few months old. They were all together last night! The second youngest (1 year), sweet baby Sage chose to leave her mom and dad's side last night and follow the girls. They all ended up on a concrete slab---perfect for sidewalk chalk! Sophie and Sage were so cute together! Sadly, the sun was down and the light was low! I was trying to avoid the high ISOs, which are VERY grainy on my point and shoot...but my shutter was too slow for this image---

ISO 400 f2.8 ss 1/15

P.S. I tried out my first roll of film on one of my new/old cameras (see previous post) last night! The suspense is killing me....did it work!? Are my camera and I friends!? I'll let you know!