With the new year just around the corner, I thought it would be fitting to take a look back and reflect on my work from this past year. If you are new to blog (welcome!) – this will probably be a good overview, and if you have been with me for a while (thanks!), I’ll offer some insight behind the photo – details that I haven’t shared before. So, there should be a little something for everyone!
I remember this cold day in January vividly. This shot was taken on my birthday. I vowed to spend this day doing something that I love – photography, of course. Only me and my camera – perfect! This image was taken with my Nikon D40, manually focused with my 50mm lens. I was just learning my way around Photoshop and playing with curves, lighting, etc.
Another great memory of January: Capturing images in Washington D.C. for Inauguration 2009.
These adorable feet belong to my nephew. In February, he was a quiet, calm baby and now he is active toddler, chasing everyone in his path! I absolutely fell in love with the light for this session – and this was the first time that I used my Nikon D90 after I upgraded from my D40. I edited all of the shots from this session Lightroom.
Love this image – definitely one of my favorites. I took this image on a family vacation to Florida. It was still a bit too cool to actually get in the water, but it was a perfect day to fly kites on the beach. I captured this image with my Nikon D40, and somehow managed to manually focus my 50mm in my right hand and hold the kite with my left. I also love how the blue in the sky contrasts with the aqua blue of the water.
This was Gabrielle’s Easter dress – so dainty, which fits her perfectly! In April, I began to use less contrast when processing my images (previously, I would immediately increase the contrast on all of my images). I fell in love with soft, muted tones and pretty much haven’t looked back since. This style has dominated my photography this year, and it all began in April! Also evident in my favorite images captured this month: be happy, morning cup of beauty, and urban vintage.
Confession: This image was taken by my husband and processed by me! A funny thing happens to the people you love when you follow your passion – they begin to encourage and support you. This image was taken on the beach in Isle of Palms, South Carolina – a Mother’s Day weekend getaway. I had such a wonderful time, and can you believe I’m actually in front of the camera this time?
I love walks after dinner in the summer. I captured this image of Gabrielle running back home. She just noticed that her father had returned from work, and was running towards him to greet him. I love the swing in her dress here and how she is airborne in this shot! The perfect summer evening light pretty much made this image!
One of my favorite places in the world is my bed! It is so comfortable and also a place where my family gathers to cuddle, talk, or just hang out. I also love to wake up to fresh flowers – and I try to keep them on my nightstand so that they are one of the first things that greets me in the morning. These pink tulips did such a wonderful job!
This was a very hard day for me. I had just visited my aunt who was losing her battle with breast cancer. I hardly recognized her when I saw her. I returned home from that visit with such a heavy heart – I had to escape. I went to a local rose garden and snapped away. It was just the therapy I needed to lighten my mood and help me come to grips with reality. I processed this image with Aunt Iris in mind – I imagined her sitting on that bench in the rose garden. She lost her battle with breast cancer in September 2009.
The best trip of 2009 had to be Italy! My husband and I planned this trip for months, and we had a wonderful time. We visited Venice (where I captured these images above), Florence, and Rome – so much history and beauty. There is something magical about Italy – everyone is so friendly and happy there! Don’t forget to check out the polaroids that I captured.
This image brings a smile to face – mainly because I remember Gabrielle was with me for this shoot and was definitely ready to go home! She is usually a cooperative little trooper, but this day – she had had enough. I actually took this image with her on my hip – bent down and about to fall over. It was the last image of the day, and when I processed this image later on that night – it literally took my breath away. You never know what you capture with your lens until you see it larger on your computer screen!
A great accomplishment in October: my work first appearing in a gallery!
I was introduced to persimmons this year – and I don’t know how I have survived up until this point without tasting these fruits! I also purchased this blue colander earlier this year, and I absolutely love the soft blue hues. I have used it for a number of images, including one of my favorites – apricots.
This image was taken in Louisiana in my father’s garden. He has three lemon trees along with an orange tree and lots of rose bushes. I love my time there. Gabrielle actually picked those lemons – they were literally holding the tree down! And you can guarantee that we had fresh squeezed lemonade the entire time we were there….
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I hope that you have enjoyed learning a bit more about the images you see here on my blog. I really love sharing my work with you.
I can’t wait to see where photography takes me in 2010!
and now of course the inevitable question: are you going to do a year two?
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