good news!

I am nerd enough to have pointed out to at least 3 clients at their initial consultations just how much I thought of this image...do you remember? She was probably my compositional favorite of the year, and one of my few hanging pieces in my home. Huzzah! She placed:

And thanks again and again to my wonderful clients... Angela and Jeffrey! for giving me the opportunity to be creative.

...not sure if I should say this, but then again you all know I'm not the only photographer around. Right? hah. Anyway, I am really wowed by how many NC images placed for the Artistic Guild of the WPJA's latest contest. What a great state, full of wonderfully inspiring weddings and beautiful scenery... and humongo congrats to Shane Snider (4th overall in the country internationally!!!! WOAH, dude) and the Mr. and Mrs. of Azul Photography who each placed an image or two. Well deserved! Makes me feel warm and fuzzy to be in the same state. :) Plus I met you all before which gives me a tinge of coolness. Er, maybe not...

multi media

I really love documentary work. I keep thinking about doing some photo essays. I have like 3 stories going on in my head. Imagining them incorported into an entire piece, such as those found at mediastorm blows me away.

John has heard me several times ask him if he'd like to take up videography to compliment my wedding photography. Of course I love how we work now, but offering even more to our clients totally peaks (peeks??) my interest. ...He said no by the way. He has no interest... What happened to 'whatever makes you happy, baby"? haha! Kidding, kidding.

So back to the other site, I love this one. John and I put the cart before the horse, if you know what I mean, and I remember those early days similarly to this young couple. Their story is endearing to me, and the images are gorgeous. Matt is truly talented.

I need to take some pictures.

Fire

On a normal day, our home:

safe, sound, secure.

But just around 6pm last night we noticed fire truck after fire truck, lights flashing, sirens wailing, flying past our home. Before long they began parking in front of our home. I rushed through the woods to shoot this:

I was about 50 feet from the fire or something, with the wrong lens. I needed something longer.. Having no experience with fire before, I turned tail, ran into the house, chucked my camera equipment next to the front door and made a mental note to grab the external drives, contracts, receipts and cat on the way out should we have to evacuate. John put on the sprinklers, the neighbors all swarmed about with the firefighters, waiting sentinel apparently to see what would happen.

Finally I asked for some info, and the firemen seemed more concerned about their abandoned dinner. They said a tractor was out there, they thought that would take care of it. I guess living in a place called 'the sandhills' can have it's advantages, when it comes to smothering a fire.

Naturally I grabbed my favorite lens, slightly longer than before I marched back in the woods. I got close, it got hot, I had a little trouble with wheezing later, but I'm so glad I went closer.

I headed home, wishing that the tractors and firemen had been on my side of the flames (heck, I am a mom after all, no jumping over the flames for me). I thought, maybe if [when] the flames get closer I will shoot the men putting flames out. I was preparing an argument in my head for John to take the kids/cat/cars while I stayed and documented the day our house burnt to the ground.

Ok, if you didn't know I'm over dramatic and imaginative, you do now. I came home and John was chopping potatoes and saying the meatloaf was overcooked. Oh, how anticlimatic! The firemen drove away. The glow in the sky disappeared. I am thankful, but a drama junkie at heart.

This morning I walked through the affected area. Still smoldering, air heavily scented with burnt pine, very small fires here and there, but without yesterday's wind, I am certain it's soon to be a distance memory for all.

FREEZE!

Something I found from a forum friend named Joe Milton:
CLICK

Not really photo-related but the reactions are wonderful. Love it!