Organization

I feel its impossible to explain to you organized types how someone as naturally messy as myself can feel that things that are too ordered cut off my ability to concentrate where as a bit of disorder and freedom seem the most strictly in order and the most satisfying to work with.

The picture above is an example of my current photo working process. Rating and sorting photos as I scan through them. Yes, I'm aware there is fantastic software out there that would do the same thing - but it wouldn't you see. When I write it out I have instant access to my own decisions, if the frame right behind the one I wrote is better, then I cross it off, no having to unsort or unrate or search thru the different buckets to figure out why I rated what.

It's might panic a few of you - but that's okay. It soothes me. I've tried a lot of methods (yes the technology ones) and this is the first thing that makes me happy rather than overwhelmed and lost.

I imagine when I've got my own studio and assistants, they'll tell the documentary folk about what a convoluted system it is, but how it seems to work for me. They'll think I've got a bit of genius to me... yes, I think this method suits me fine.

Men in Black Realization

"Fifteen hundred years ago everybody knew the Earth was the center of the universe. Five hundred years ago, everybody knew the Earth was flat, and fifteen minutes ago, you knew that humans were alone on this planet. Imagine what you'll know tomorrow."

No, I haven't been thinking of aliens... vampires - yeah but that's neither here nor there.

What I do keep thinking about is my own version of that quote.

I was looking through my photography blog posts trying to find a top ten of sorts that I can give to Steve for the soon to be launched brightwatersphotography.com. And I realized just how errr young my photography pursuit is. It didn't upset me but it made me look at my current work vs my older work (less than a year ago) and what popped into my head was "wow, just imagine a year from now how sucky my work from today will be..."

Thats a positive thing in case you think I'm in need of encouragement - its not that - I love what I've been doing - so to hope that I look back and find it rough and amateur of my style would be great.

And there will always be pictures I take that are beyond me for my own level - for instance my first two baby shoots - I got tremendous eyes - I'm either slipping on that or I dunno... haven't had the right set of circumstances again.

It's an exciting thought... onwards and upwards...

Abby Quote

So Abby was going to sleep last night and she said, "Momma, there's one more thing I have to tell you. Today... in school... we read, we read, we read a book... and the author was, was, was someone named... ABBY. (she pauses, realizes she needs to clarify) Not me. Another Abby!)

And it's Mogurt in the Lead...

Ahhh, okay, we're movin' a little bit now.

Granted as facebook and twitter kill the need for blogs, I understand - but I still like the blog form...

P.S. There is not too much cuter than a snoring baby.

It doesn't seem to be...

Just me.

My "who's blogged most recently" contest seems to have become a tortoise race. Er hmm. No offense.

Oh dear, Oh dear, Oh dear,

(That's a quote by the way, Abby trying to find something)

One of the pictures I'm pretty sure I lost was of Abby reading a magazine - that's her thing right now - she LOVES magazines. An idea for any of you out there looking for Christmas gifts for her.

She has also discovered The Wizard of Oz and is hilarious about it.

Jack is currently stumbling toward me and mumbling like a drunken sailor - I must give him smootches. Back later...

Family Shoot with My hero

go here: http://www.madisonavephotography.com/blog/red-skies/

Things I pretend to be ready for, but am not...

Shopping in the girl's stores rather than the baby stores for Abby's clothes.

Abby going to real school.

ugh.

Oh and (edited to add) Jack walking.

Lord help us all...

More Thoughts on Money

Just had a very nice photoshoot with the lovely Shannon Stewart (you know, the photographer I am always trying to attain equality to in coolness?). We all worked hard which actually made me feel good - because I always feel like any of my photo shoots everyone leaves exhausted - myself, the parents, the kids and any bystanders. So it's nice to know, whatever magic she gets, flowers and babies don't just get hypnotized by her brilliance.

I can't wait to see the pictures. I can't say I felt like I did a great job as a model, but I have absolute faith that I'll like them.

I wanted to pick her brain about all sorts of things photography:

What happens if you've got kids who really really really truly won't sit for you? Well, I know the answer to that I guess. Get artsy pouting pictures - but that's if it's not a family shoot...

How does she get that LOOK about her photos - as if she's above them but on their level at the same time. huh Huh HUh?

How does she always manage to get the eyes? Even in a pouting or running kid?

What aperture does she use? Hmmmmmm???

Oh well, I know I know, I'm exploring my own style and craft, blah blah blah... I'm still jealous and in awe though.

Is her sitting fee enough to keep her not too busy - i.e. discouraging anyone but people not to overwhelm her? Or is it just a perk to make it all worth it?

But I didn't want to sidetrack us from the family shoot.

Controversial Post

I know a lot of you are going to adamantly disagree with me here. I respect your feelings, but I just have to share. Steve gave Abby our traditional Christmas music (traditional in that its the same CD we listen to every year) tonight and listening to it just chokes me up. Maybe I should be listening to more Inspirational music in normal life - because this just fills me to the brim with God-happiness.

The Good Kind of Overwhelmed

Had two great shoots today - am overwhelmed with pictures.

Happy Miracles for Mrs Frazzle

Just had the guts to look in my "uploads" folder - a folder where I put pictures I want to play with, but had little hope that I'd bothered to update it recently.

And the two sets of pictures I knew I'd lost were there.

Thanks God.

Gone Baby, Gone

Well, first off, my hats to SEVERAL of you who get bragging rights to say "I told you so"

Through a series of unfortunate events I have destroyed my external hard drive... with ALL my pictures and videos from the last ten years (and all of YOURS too most likely). I was, ironically enough, two days away from backing it up on the drive Steve was letting me use. I was also, double ironically enough, only using it to try to be safe - dumping the newest batch of photos on there in case my computer decided to go belly up again. I usually never use it in iffy situations because I knew I wasn't properly backed up - but I was frazzled and it was just a terrible horrible no good very bad day, what can I tell you?

I'm dealing with it well because my unofficial backup of snapfish really does have most everything on there. The only things I'm missing are the most recent (*see frazzled) stuff which I hadn't had a chance to upload yet. But it's okay... mostly and blessedly, I don't even remember what I'm missing (*see frazzled).

ANYWAY this is also a public service announcement. If I have taken any pictures of you or your family that you love and have NOT ordered off of snapfish - I suggest you do so. There is no guarantee Snapfish will not fail either (see Hazel's early days Snapfish nightmare)... and if it does - I will have absolutely nothing for you.

The Last Days of Soccer

Abby was part of the first U5 division of... er... whatever... region 13... er.. yeah. It actually ended up quite cool. Abby learned WAY more than I expected especially since she had to be forced to go a few times. She had a good time - noticed when other kids got all the goals, but had a pretty good time all the same.

She got a trophy! She keeps saying "I can't believe I got a trophy! It's my FIRST one!" She wanted to call Daddy in Athens right away. And when he came home yesterday it was the first thing she told him about.

Auntie Samantha was substitute Steve while he was away and helped get me comfortable with the whole thing.

And the best part? It's DONE!!! whoooo!!!

The Boys Club

Oh I get it. Under my own roof no less.

So I've gotten no sleep this week that Steve's been gone. Jack has stayed asleep in his crib a max of like 4 minutes all week. Even when I have him with me in bed he just had like a 2-4am and 5-6am sleep cycle. Steve is home THREE hours and Jack slept seven hours in his crib (not all at once, mind you - but instead of 4 minute snippets there were hour chunks until his final sleep cycle from 1-5).

Yeah, great. Boys. Together again.

Jack is driving a car...

Okay, maybe not yet, but he sure is growing fast. He's going to be one year old in LESS than a month. What in the WORLD?

His most hilarious things right now are saying "pah, pah, pah" to Gramma, (She also swears he says "up" on command, but I think she's been drinking). He growls in his sleep or his almost asleep phase when something is still not right and there is no way he'll actually be put down. Samantha and I literally watched as he figured out how to say 'Auntie' and it was not easy. He got "tee" first and we were very proud and made much of him. And then he got "ah" followed closely by "tee" and so for a good ten minutes he just kept repeating it "Ah -tee" and sometimes it turned into "AUUHnnt."

He loves to walk, empty the dishwasher... STILL is only appeased by making a noisy mess of the pan cupboard when he's in a bad mood.

He is literally so happy to be in a playground he gets both giddy and quiet and falls fast asleep right afterward from the sheer effort of happiness (I'm guessing here).

I think he calls me some form of Adrea rather than mom. "Ayedee" is my name I think.

He's just so cute. Highly highly into mommy right now so not many people can see how truly good natured and cute he is, but that's okay.

OH he loves to be tickled without mercy, and teased upside down. He loves to wrestle and cuddle with Abby (tries to crawl into bed with her then promptly head butts her by accident).

That's Jack at the moment.

Jack - Night Giggles

Okay, that was the funniest thing ever. Jack has been fitfully asleep now for like three hours. I was just placing him back to sleep when he gasped in his sleep, and then started giggling - as if someone was full on tickling him in his dream. Too funny.

Holy Cow, I'm a Movie Star...

Okay, perhaps a movie star wouldn't be so shocked to look glamorous... Gina Long is a mom from Abby's pre-school (we are all known as the mom of our child here, no other status symbols make it past the door) and she is one of those people that I have spied from a distance, thinking "I bet we'd like each other" in the weird distant way I do. But social outings never found us together - our kids, if they did play together, didn't force us to plan playdates, we never even seemed to do our work days on the same day.

Besides the intuitive feeling like we would get along, the only other thing I knew about Gina was that she cleaned way too thoroughly at a workshop day. But I didn't hold that against her. ;)

Anyway, true to form, the last year our kids will probably be in the same school, I figure out we actually DO get along (not just in my head) and we actually have quite a lot in common.

Not the least of which is a love of photography. Hence the super cool awesome pictures above (thank you Gina).

I was talking to my mom about them, just thinking you know my normal self, in my opinion, is not exactly an intimidating force. In general, unless I'm actively trying to fight against my nature, my natural inclination is to try to make everyone else comfortable - if that means acting like a clown or just ... you know... bowing a little to show a little weakness. But in my heart of hearts - as I'm taking pictures of other gorgeous people, I'm wishing someone would make me look magazine glamorous... not glamour shot glamour - but super cool glamour... oh its easy to tell you what I mean because they are right here attached to this post. And I don't mean to say no one has tried - or that it has been the fault of any other fabulous photographers out there - but, since I'm as naturally self-conscious as I am not (I'm an oxymoron, what can I tell you?), I needed someone to walk me down this road of being in FRONT of the camera. SO for this and all the fun we're going to have - Thanks Gina!!!!

And Now For Something Completely Different...

Or much the same but nothing at all to do with one another...

I have an abundance of photo shoots... which is fantastic... but it's making me itchy - I want to get them all tweaked and uploaded post haste... POST HASTE I tell you.

Inadequacy

I was an art major in college. I say this because I know... I KNOW art isn't about being "the best" because there is no such thing. You can have all the talent in the world and you're still not going to be "the best".

SO I'm not sad that I'm not the best. But geez, I feel low. I was searching photography sites today looking for inspiration as I headed into my two photoshoots - just a little shot in the arm to make sure I was thinking fresh.

And now I'm bogged down in the glory of these other photographers.

In the end its probably a mix of "well they are much much better than me" and "they aren't me"... i.e. the part that isn't experience/knowledge is the x factor that is that particular person's style.

I'll use April as an example (hi April!)... I felt like we really clicked as art students - but when I would look at the ENERGY in her work - spirals and movement galore all fit together into a tight composition I wouldn't even feel inadequate because they were SO her that I couldn't even begin to try to copy it. Well, I take that back - when I did try to take an element from her stuff it ended up being one of my favorite prints that I've done. SO you know... copying is a good form of learning too.

What's my point? My point is I feel so BLAH in comparison to the sites I went looking at today...

My Computer's Back and You're Gonna Be In Trouble...

Hey la, hey la... my computer's back.

Of course I'm afraid to test the thing that made it mess up last time. I just want to keep my OWN computer where everything that I want to work the way that it works, works... if that makes any sense.

I was caretaker to FOUR kids for most of today (photos to be attached above). Shannon had her gall bladder out and is not 100%... or 50% for that matter yet. So what's a Godmother to do, but grab her godchildren and make a road trip out of it?

Wesley and Julia were exceptional travelers. Wesley kept up conversation the entire way. Not overbearing or loud... just simple conversation about festivals and a funny commercial he'd seen.

We had an hour to hang out before Abby got home and we did well.

We had pizza without incident and played outside without incident (well, Julia got UP the playhouse and then refused to come down either way and just kept saying "help" in a non-urgent sort of way).

Then, shock of all shocks, resttime/naptime went off without a hitch as well. I'll always be here when they need me but today went so well I almost don't want to try it again and lose my triumph.

They were getting a little sick of me by 5, but Dave was on his way and discussing exactly where he was on the road helped pass the time.

I had to get used to answering to "Da" which is what Julia calls me... shorthand for "Adrea" or "aDA" I'm not sure, but it works. She was a faithful reporter of anytime Jack wanted me.

Wesley was fraternal as could be with Jack, "aren't you cute."

Seriously, except for a couple little sibling things, this was SMOoOoOoth sailing.

It did help that we watched some tv which is not usually the norm over at the other house...but we DID mostly play.

Black-out

Steve's off. :(

I'm sad.

Steve's Birthday Dinner

A very big thanks to my dad for footing the bill and for Hazel for choosing the place - uber cool.

For some reason Steve's birthday always squeaks by us. We managed a family Halloween/Birthday get together and an adult dinner. No, nothing off color, just a dinner with friends who are adults and no kids! This amazing feat was put together in under four hours. That is how impressive it is. That is how much people like Steve (well, THESE people anyway).

Countdown to Black-out

Well, it's time again - for Steve to sail off into the sunset along with his computer. (My computer went back to the hospital the morning after it was sent home in the first place) I have pictures pictures pictures not even DOWNLOADED off BOTH my cameras.

It's like I've got paperwork hanging over my head or something. The halloween pictures at least I want to get off of there. SIgh. So hopeless. So any of you parents hoping I took halloween pictures of your kids... I may have... I don't know yet.

:(

And oh yes, I will miss Steve more and more. And will probably gain ten pounds comfort eating... if I can get any food together to eat that is.

A proliferation of Twirl

Twirl skirts are all the rage for the little girls in Abby's class.  Perhaps they have always been the rage forever for little girls - but I'm just getting on the ball now.

Anyway, after Abby suffered some strong pangs of envy at Kate's beautiful twirl skirt, my mom and I (who have not exactly been lazy trying to bring this dream to life for Abby) went with renewed vigor in search of a petticoat.  

What we found was a rainbow petticoat - could anything be more perfect for Abby June?

It was adult sized so my rather brilliantly genius mother decided to cut it in two and make TWO rainbow twirl skirts (for sharing).

Well, Abby approved.  (We also found a dark ruffle skirt for cheap which became a quite versatile garment for Abby - it was immediately a cape, a dress, a veil... many many things.

Well, so, here she is, one twirl skirt UNDER her snow white dress (courtesy Wesley & Julia), one cape around her neck, and one twirl skirt as a rather cumbersome veil. 

Jack Jack Walker Inc.

Well, Jack has been taking steps for a few weeks now - which makes his walking record on par with his sister.  10 1/2 months.   Maybe a LITTLE earlier. BUT they've been pretty faltering and he's still be preferring to crawl.  

Gramma insists he's been walking fine for her this whole time, but I think its safe to say that today he's deigned to walk for the rest of us low-lifes now.  He walked five steps to try to steal Daddy's lunch and three steps just when I called for him.

SO here we go.  Next phase.  Whoo hoo.

I should mention he's had NO shyness CLIMBING.  He's a climber.  It's a problem.