Children 
Engaged
Families 
Weddings
Posted on December 30, 2010
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I met Taylor and her wonderful family while she and her parents were in town over Christmas.
Taylor recently turned one, and our session was her first time on the beach. I’m thinking that a 50-ish degree December day is no time for anyone’s first beach visit, and Taylor reacted in a sensibly less than enthusiastic fashion to all this nonsense.
While she was no less adorable because she didn’t feel like smiling, we decided to cut the session short and try again, indoors, the day after Christmas. (I’m editing that session and will blog it soon.)
But we still managed to get some really great candid shots of the whole family, with a little help from the low-hanging sun.
I got a whole lot of shots of this face. I am fairly certain it says, “Who thought this was a good idea?”
Puppy was a willing model, but a little stiff…kinda fake…not nearly as much personality…
Posted on December 26, 2010
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We have snow!
This is a rare, exciting occurence around here. We Southerners lose our minds when we see flurries.
I did not see snow at my home until I was a teenager. Luckily for my kids, this is actually the second time it’s snowed this year in Charleston. The first time, back in February, it accumulated, and we found that a Twister mat makes a great golf course sledding implement. (We were gentle and careful, though, I promise! If there’s one thing I was raised knowing, it’s proper golf course etiquette.)
Here’s Miss M today. I got so excited, she and I went outside before I realized she had no coat or shoes on.
And here’s Daddy to the rescue
Here’s Miller, wondering what’s going on. He’s often wondering what’s going on.
Here’s J, demonstrating that the Snuggie doubles as snow attire
Self-portrait. Whoa. Sorry for the giant-ness.
Posted on December 24, 2010
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Posted on December 22, 2010
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For my birthday this year, my husband bought me a Minolta SLR.
It’s almost as old as I am. (We’re talking a really ancient machine. 
)
I haven’t shot non-automatic film since the 80′s, and before that making pinhole cameras as a kid (shout-out to the Florida school system!), so I was really excited.
There’s just something about film. Not only the look (black and white images, particularly, will never look as good to me in digital format) but the process.
And film’s not dead either.
One of the most famous wedding photographers in the world rocks film.
Don’t get me wrong, digital’s great. Love it.
But going back to not relying on the LCD screen to fine-tune exposure, and doing the Sunny 16 math in my head, and really looking at the tonal range of the scene and adjusting accordingly makes me feel like I’m truly part of the creative and technical experience.
Even if I still can’t ever remember to get the darn rolls developed.
Once my kids are older and more trustworthy, I really want to have a home darkroom. Right now, it’d be a toxic chemical nightmare.
I am really excited about including a few film images in some upcoming sessions.
Here’s one I shot during a portrait session.
I am not 100% proficient with that pesky split prism manual focus screen, but I love this shot anyway.
Bit of cheating here. I uploaded this image into Photoshop and removed the black point.
Posted on December 16, 2010
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I attended a lovely Christmas party with the women of our church this week, and when I unwrapped my gift in the ornament exchange, I promised I would get a picture of the ornament hanging on our sad little tree.
On a hike in early December, our family stumbled upon three little 5 foot tall evergreens growing in the woods behind our neighborhood. We told the kids that instead of buying a tree this year, we’d head back with a saw, cut down our own little tree, drag it back, set it up, and celebrate with hot chocolate.
We thought it was a fun way to teach the kids to save money, live off the land…a charmingly retro holiday outing, yes?
Seemed like a good idea at the time.
When we first brought the tree home, it was slightly sparse, but green and frothy.
However, with its trunk the size of a man’s thumb, it’s just not getting enough water to keep it alive. 50 needles shiver and kamikaze any time someone closes a door in the house, and the branches are now drooping, gnarled, arthritic, misshapen.
There’s no sense in getting another tree now, so we laugh about it, and hold out until December 26th so we can put the poor thing out of its misery.
Here it is on Tuesday:
Here’s M with the new ornament
She did it herself!
Three cheers for determination
Posted on December 13, 2010
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I had a beach engagement shoot scheduled for today, but mother nature had other ideas.
WIth a dreary afternoon freed up, I went through some of the snaps I’ve taken around the house in the past week.
Insert a decadent dinner break at the Fat Hen (Flounder Nicoise? Yes Ma’am!)
and now I’m home and cozy, ready to update the blog with new images.
These days, I spend a lot of time each day tidying up behind the swath of destruction that this imp cuts through the house.
Coffee cups on countertops, lip gloss, Febreze bottles, dog food, folded pillowcases, half-empty bottles of Pinot Grigio–nothing is safe from her fat, fervent little fingers.
Here she is, assaulting a (cooled, thankfully) saucepan of boiled eggs
Silly me, thinking I could saute some onions and leave the butter out for a few minutes
She charms me, even with one finger shoved up her nose
This is her new chastened stance. I have to admit, it’s much more effective at tugging my heartstrings than crying ever was
Freelensed (don’t try this at home if you only have one nice camera body)
Daddy’s home!
Posted on December 1, 2010
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The extended family Thanksgiving is held at my parents house in Georgia. There aren’t any quiet, noncompetitive or unopinionated people in my family, so there’s always lots of energy and rollicking conversation.
There were no contact football injuries this year, but we may have possibly a little bit slightly broken my mother’s dining room table playing Spoons.
My mother plating an absolutely insane Italian cream cake that someone gave her. She told my aunt it was homemade, which was true, but not actually by her, in her home. Details…
Anti-tryptophan
Cousins always have better toys
Gloss me, baby
Gimme the kitty
No, seriously. Gimme.
In the bag!
Winding down with a pillowbook
