Numbers

I checked the stat of my blog today. Numbers showed I have a infinitesimal readership. I am my own fan. So do to large request of my readers … umm…reader I bring you these images.

My 10-year-old Ike resting on a large stone bench in Paris






The steps that one climbs to reach the top of the Arc De Triomphe in Paris

The Louvre

Last week I was in Paris. I have a new understanding of why people love Paris.

My family and I stopped shortly at The Louvre. One can see pictures but to stand there infront of the Mona Lisa is beyond words. I fell in love with Nike of Samothrace. I would have never thought I would want to photograph a statue, but I could not make enough images of her. Here she is.





And here is my take on the Venus de Milo.





I will have to return to The Louvre with out children on a day I can just take in all the great art. Cause as you can see my little Miles and his big brother Garrett were not having the greatest time.

Lost for a month

Well a month has past with not one word from me. No worries, I am my only reader. I was busy with the visit of my sister. I have hundreds of images to work through now. Here are a few from the last month.

The first is a flowering tree just down the road from me.






I returned to Italy with my sister this last month and shot Venice with out the huge crowds.






Now being overwhelmed with images and behind on blogs I leave you to ponder what to show next.

Stray Cat Strut

My dear friends at PFN ( PhotoFocusNetwork.com ) have a photo contest every week. This weeks theme was blue. Richard recently bought a new blue guitar, making it the subject matter of my blue shoot. My first take turned out okay but I needed to tweak a few things in the image, so I set out to reshoot. I set up again and as I start shooting a cat hopped over the fence and head straight for my staging area. All I can say is this cat love the camera. She must have been a model in her past life.
On the image with the cat I changed the color of the guitar I just felt it worked better being a brown guitar. The second image was what I turned into the contest.






During this time with the cat I have the 80s song Stray Cat Strut stuck in my head. I bring you the Stray Cats complements of YouTube.com Fitting I think.

It’s all about the Bert Man

Well he is 16 and ready to take on the world. We took the DART down to Bray a few weeks ago all the images are from that trip. Plus one I added from his first shave.





On a side note I was excepted into DWF. It is a big community. I am guessing they will let most anyone in who will pay and wants to learn wedding. I am cool with that that is how I am there. I am on information over load from DWF. I will most likely pay the 100 bucks at the end of my 30 days, hop on the roller coaster, hang on and pray my brain doesn't blow.

Carnival Venice Italy 2007

Venice is truly and understandably one of the most romantic cities in the world. Okay so I am overly worldly but I will say it is at the top of my personal list.

I went with my family and my brothers family the finally Sunday of Carnival. To say it was crowed would have been an understatement. I found it harder to shoot while worrying about were the children were. I will hand it to my brother and husband. When I wanted to shoot they stepped up to the plate with the kids (we had six children and two grown children with us) All in all I am very pleased with I shot.

I would love to fly down for a day for some serious shooting next year. I will return to Venice this month to shoot the city with out the masses.

Here are some of the first images I have edited from the day:

Weddings

The topic of my day. I have applied for a membership to DWF and wait to see if they will except me. At the same time I received word from the States that one of my portrait clients are looking for me to shoot to shoot her sister's wedding this next summer. All signs are pointing for me to open not only my portrait studio but also get into weddings. I am really excited about the thought of it all. Richard and I have been talking about the remodeling that will be done in the house to make all this happen.

When I stop and think about wedding I can’t help but think of my ol' friend Randy Jenkins from Chattanooga TN. August 2002 Randy took me under his wing to teach me the ropes of shooting weddings. Randy worked at a Christian College in the area and shot weddings part time.

Our first shoot together was a Bridal on a beautiful Wednesday evening. I truly enjoyed working and learn from Randy. We had a great time. Here are a few images I shot that evening.





That Saturday I woke early met up with Randy at a convent store. He grabbed a bag of M&Ms and a diet coke (Randy said the diet coke took away calories from the M&M so it was a balanced breakfast) he did this before every wedding. We spent most of the day shooting the wedding finally about 5 pm we head home. He was talking about how much he missed his wife who was out of town, and what he was going to do with his teenage son the rest of the weekend. Randy and his son went to the movie that night where Randy had a heart attack was in ICU for two weeks until he past.

I still stop and wonder why God had me spend Randy’s last living day with him. Why me?

I miss Randy not only was he a great photographer but he was a great man, husband and father. In some way when I rebuild my studio I know Randy will be there helping out on the wedding side of it all. Thank you Mr. Jenkins for all you have given me, I could only hope I can find another mentor as grand as you.

I leave you with an image of Randy driving the bride.