Look at this sweetie 91/365

She's gonna be a heart-breaker for sure. Ms. A was very animated while telling me about her adventures at Disnesys Ice Capades - it's where she got that hat from.

All window lighting, D300, SS100, F2.8 and ISO 1000. MAN! I was shooting dramatic lighting the last 3 days and I forgot to check my ISO setting. You think I would have already learned this lesson but NO . . . I did it AGAIN!

More Dramatic lighting 90/365

I've been gone all day - work and bunco. Just made it home 30 minutes before midnight. Only had a few minutes to take a picture and since I had a couple of inquiries about Dave's tattoo's I thought I'd try to document them. One at at time. This one is his fantasy girl - nope it's not me. I know it's hard to tell from the picture but it takes up most of the right side of his right leg almost from the bend of the knee area to to top of his ankle. Lighting used was my favorite - flash light.

Always on the search . . . .89/365

Although I spend a lot more time on the computer than he does - he looks more intense than I do. LOL
He's tired after working a double.
I wanted to use dramatic lighting which I love and I wanted to practice my conversion to B/W. I'm open to any suggestions.

BAD DOGS! 88/365

I think they are suffering from SADs (season affective disorder or lack of sunshine) or they are going stir crazy or they just simply lost their minds!

They cannot play outside because of the ice/snow/cold and their size and they cannot go for walks. So they are being a bit rambunctious in the house.
Today I get home late - and my daughters had bought some pizza and bread sticks and they left it on the kitchen table - they forgot to make sure the chairs were pushed in. Well guess who feasted on it?

So here they are on punishment. Right notice the nice cushioned sofa, but no blanket. I am not happy with them. I threatened to send them to foster care or a puppy mill or something. (I know what puppy mills are but they don't!)
Hey Elli, what would the appropriate command be? LOL

After all of that ranting - tell me, who's lost their mind?

“Just living is not enough... One must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower.” Hans Christian Andersen quotes

87/365

I love Target! I bought these cute Owl place mats for my kitchen table and some wash clothes to brighten up my kitchen, and since the price was so reasonable I bought another set for the bathroom. Time to recycle all the old washclothes into car rags.

These are just snapshots as I was running low on ideas today.

Another Studio set practice 86/365

I know you've heard it a thousand times before. But it's true -- hard work pays off. If you want to be good, you have to practice, practice, practice. If you don't love something, then don't do it. -- Ray Bradbury

I want to be good at this and I love it - so here goes more practice.

Another studio practice with one of my kids. This time it's Izzy.
At first he was kind of serious - so I had to call in the big guns. As soon as Dave walked into the room Izzy was "laughing" naturally. I don't know what it is with the two of them, but they are always making each other laugh.
I tell them they both act like they are 12.

Lemmie & Roscoe Graduate 85/365

Lemmie is my friend (my friends dog too) and Roscoe is Lemmies brother.
Today they graduated from puppy obedience school.
There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face. ~Ben Williams



My goal in life is to be as good of a person as my dog already thinks I am. ~Author Unknown

Another studio shot 84/365

This is Alex, my step daughter. Isn't she a beauty?
Practicing my high key again. Still have a long way to go but I think with Pams instructions it's getting a little better.

Movie Night 83/365

My daughter ordered $5.00 movie cards for the whole family. Means you get into certain movies, which changes weekly, for only $5.00. That's almost half price. Well, guess who couldn't find her card and had to pay full price? ME.
I'm the one that finds all of the "lost" articles, the one who puts all articles that are out of place in and around the house away and I an the one who could not find her card tonight.

Oh well we went to see Slumdog Millionaire - it was such a good movie. We all gave it a thumbs up and here's my picture just in the nick of time.
**correction** when I said "family" movie please keep in mind that my youngest is 17 - therefore this would not qualify as a Walt Disney type family movie.

A bottle and a cup 82/365

My day can be summarized like that:

A bottle and a cup - No not alcohol but migraine medicine. I came home from work went straight to bed got up a couple of times for food and water. About 20 minutes before the day is over I think of my 365. What else can I offer on such short notice (honestly I really hated missing a day). Creative wouldn't you say?


So, here's a drink (of water) to good health!

High Key studio work 81/365

My beautiful daughter was a willing model . . .
So, did I get high key?

This one is from Pam 80/365

To much to do, to busy today, prior engagements, to many hours spent editing yada yada yada
I did not take this picture. Pam Lopez took it and she edited this one. I like it. My "babies" look great. Thanks so much Pam.

This one I did take yesterday - I played with it today
It's Pam and her husband exploring the old church. This building is huge!

Urban exploration revisited with Pam Lopez and fish-eye lens

I had the honor and the privilege to go urban exploring with Pam Lopez (PL Portraiture) today. We met in the OPS photography forum and have since become friends.
It was very cold but we had a blast. She took this first picture of us. It is in an abandoned hospital.




Here she is at the City Methodist Church
(In the heart of downtown Gary, Indiana stands a monument to God. It is City Methodist Church and it has been left to decay. The property is owned by the City of Gary, and there are apparently plans (or at least an idea) to turn the church into a performing arts center. In the meantime this historic church sits and suffers the indignities of the elements as it awaits redemption. The question is: will salvation come to this church in time. Read the rest of the article here) (update on article - the church will not be refurbished)


Pam just received her "fish-eye" lens for her Nikon - since she wanted to capture details she used her regular lens and I shot all day with the fish eye. Here is a different view of the picture on my blog header.
Music I heard with you was more than music, and bread I broke with you was more than bread. Now that I am without you, all is desolate; all that was once so beautiful is dead.” Conrad Aiken
This fish-eye lens was so much fun, of coarse I know it will not work on every subject but it did good here.


We ended the day by coming back to my place and Pam showed me how to set up the studio for High-Key. She took some shots of me and some of Isabella. Those I'll save for another post.

Thanks Pam for all of your help - it was a great day. Now I have to go thaw out some.

New Years Resolutions . . .?. 78/365

You may be whatever you resolve to be. Determine to be something in the world, and you will be something. "I cannot," never accomplished anything; "I will try," has wrought wonders. --J. Hawkes


*WARNING*WARNING* Long winded RANT
Why do we wait until New Years to set resolutions? Since Febuary 2008 I have been setting goals and revisiting them. Too many to list here - some just to personal to list here. Some have to do with self improvement others with finance and others with business. This is the first year, I was really surprised that I did not set out a "New Years Resolution" on January 1st, but then I realized, I have a large note book(s) with my goals, dreams and resolutions.

One of my goals is based on "Changing my way of thinking will change my life"
I've had periods in my life where I've dealt with self doubt, insecurity and depression, and then I realized it's a pattern. I feel "down" and I start looking for things that have gone or are going wrong and the negative self talk starts. It spirals downward from there. Now I try to catch it as soon as I realize and play some music, meditate, dance, create and do some positive self talk. Read my notes and for the most part it has worked.

I must confess that this week has taken me by surpise - and I've been in a "funk" a dreary feeling. Today I took my pictures and just then realized what has been happening. My quote for today

"Insanity is doing the same thing in the same way and expecting a different outcome." Leslie Calvin Brown

My pictures today are from my art room. It's my collection of Owls. Another one of my goals is to get rid of the clutter in my home. Where do these precious owl fit in there? Do I get rid of them or do I keep them? What purpose do they serve? Other than I like them? LOL Hmmm, things to ponder.





and since I was in a somber mood - I baked brownies. I haven't done that in a very long time. My kids better come home and eat that up really quick!


If you are interested in a good article on "The Psychology of New Years Resolutions" see Here:

Tranquililty . . . 77/365

"When we are unable to find tranquility within ourselves, it is useless to seek it elsewhere."
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

This is part of Lake Michigan. I had to walk through 2 - 3 feet of snow to get today's shot but it was well worth it. It was so peaceful on the beach today and this tree was obviously uprooted in a past storm. It is now as smooth as driftwood. I found it a beautiful site.




David waited in the car for me because I had to walk to it and he wanted to know what took so long. So long? "how long was I gone?" Apparently over 20 minutes in the frigid weather. Well, when I start taking pictures I lose track of time - LOL.

My girls . . .

Just my girls



*Just a side note - the hat Isabella is wearing was made by Dave's aunt. She has made me some Rock'n crochet baby hats too** Thanks Aunt Pat - those hats are GREAT!!

The Ultimate Sacrifice... 75/365

A co-worker of my husbands, died in the line of duty while chasing a criminal, who has yet to be brought to justice. He left behind 2 small children and a wife.

Today marks eleven years of that tragedy - and we remember it like it was yesterday.

Dorian, gone but not forgotten.

74/365 This weather is for the birds. . .

We are under severe winter storm alerts. So much so that schools where closed early and our court building was closed early. Which means I got to go home early. So, why did I wait until the sun was completely gone to go outside and take a pictre? LOL
I was up to my knees in snow and this is the best I could do...



I'm going to do something I don't do often enough . . lay on the couch, with my 2 lap dogs and watch t.v. until bed time. That's it.

72/365 Lumber Jack

After shoveling the drive way my lumbar jack decided to split wood. He's been warming up the house with that wood in the fireplace.
Gotta love a fireplace - it's pretty cozy.

So that he not only cuts wood but also exercises he does it the old fashioned way, sort of, this is called a grenade. You tap it into the wood then pounce it hard. Drive it all the way to the middle of the log and the rest of the logs automatically splits. Hard and labours work. Glad he likes to do it.

Saturday & Sundays pictures

So you see I did take pictures yesterday - I just didn't think there was anything salvageable. Until this cute little face proved me wrong. Maybe I was just in a bad mood yesterday.
My little Twix playing in the snow.



Today's picture . . .I wanted to show you how practical my DH is. This is the reason I won't be getting my 70-200 lens anytime soon.


O.K. I'm just kidding. I love this old truck. It is a 1994 Chevy Silverado and we really do love our truck. It needed new tires. There it is.



This truck has pulled campers, helped moved several family members, pushed, climbed, circled, towed. It took us up and down the Smoky Mountains several times - no easy feat for a big truck. 130,000 miles and still going strong. and now with new tires and a few other minor adjustments - here's to 130,000 more miles!
This Chevy truck ROCKS!

Today . .

Today's picture comes from Mexico, where I am sure it is as warm today as it was when I took this picture. I played with it in photo shop then topazed it. Wilky said as long as I did something different to it, it would count as todays picture.
Why no new picture? Because it's all white outside. That's right, all white and so far I couldn't take a picture of anything with enought contrast to make it interesting. It's been snowing and blowing snow for 2 days.
It is a full moon but I don't have a 200mm lens (YET) to take a good enough pictures.
Yeah, I know lots of excuses today.
So I'm calling it a night and maybe tomorrow I'll get some awesome snow shots.

My manicure date . . .

Yesterdays post is a wash . . .as a matter of fact I copied this quote off of my friend, Pam's blog
“Lost, yesterday, somewhere between sunrise and sunset, two golden hours, each set with sixty diamond minutes. No reward is offered for they are gone forever.”Horace Mann
That was for yesterday . . .it's gone.
Today,
Isabella came over for a visit today and one of our customs (if you will) has been that before she leaves she gets my nail polish bag and picks a color (usually red or pink) and I do her toes and her finger nails. Well, she is a whole TWO years old, so today, after I painted her nails the perfect, princess pink - it was my turn. YIKES what a mess!!! but she promises me they are "pretty pretty like a princess" and I guess she wouldn't lie to me, would she?
just a snap shot but look at those nails . . . .

I always enjoy her company.

A work of art . . .

Aren't we all made in the image of the creator?

"The true work of art is but a shadow of the divine perfection.”
Michael Angelo

Todays post was going to be about the contstant struggle I have trying to maintain balance in my life. Family, Work, art, home, excersice etc etc etc.
instead this is where I ended it. I'm tired and going to bed now.
Night ZZzzzz



p.s. one is a tatoo the other is just an eye liner pencil.

SWAT

As if being on the police department wasn't dangerous enough David had to up it a notch. He was on the SWAT (special weapons and tactics) team for 10 years.

Face it, it's too cold to go outside after working in an office all day so here you have it a SWAT guy in front of our fire place.

To serve and protect . . .

it's the oath my husband David took - and that he has done for the past 18 years, serve and protect in one of the toughest cities in the world. He has moved up with-in the ranks and he has done a great job.
He loves the police work but politics has gotten in the way.
He retires from police work in 2 years and starts over somewhere else.

This piece is from a collectible I got him a couple of years ago. I pray that God and his angels watch over him and his co-workers.


Each person's only hope for improving his lot rests on his recognizing the true nature of his basic personality, surrendering to it, and becoming who he is.
Sheldon Kopp



Lit by candle light for dramatic effect.

I'm proud of you baby - keep up the good work.

Today I Cheat . . .

I didn't take any pictures today. What I did do was go over some of my pictures and play with them. I also ordered a calendar for 2009. I know a little late, but someone usually gives me on for my office and this year I didn't get one. so I put together an awesome scenic calendar - that I got for free from Vista Print. I only used one of the images below but wanted to post them all.

“We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass- grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence... We need silence to be able to touch souls.”
Mother Teresa








These were taken in November at the beautiful Warren Dunes in Michigan. There was a storm coming in and I managed to get some awesome images. These images turned out mostly greyish I used Topaz in Photo shop. I love the drama Topaz gives to scenic images.

Festival of lights

Went out to dinner with our friends tonight - we went to Michigan City, IN
and they still have their display out "Festival of Lights" it was pretty impressive. A huge display.