walking in a winter wonderland

I work with one of the sweetest creatures on the face of this earth. Her name is Lydia, and she is amazing. As is her Christmas Village, a tradition she started the year she was wed, I think about 25 years ago. Every year she has been adding to her village, and now, she has not one, but three different sections, a farming hamlet, a smaller village, and then the city (which has an industrial section, a commercial section, and a sea port.) I asked if I could take photos of it all, because I know how much time she has put into it over the years, and I thought that it would be a fun present if I were to photograph her village and then create a DVD with slideshows of the different sections set to Christmas music.

I was overwhelmed by how amazing it all was. I wanted to shrink myself and live there. There's no other way to describe it besides MAGICAL.

Here are a few of my favorite photos I took, and they also relate to this week's photography theme: Americana.








Merry Christmas Eve, friends!

escape to the sea

For months now (i.e. four months now), Dirk and I had been planning a mini-moon (miniature honeymoon) to Chicago. When plans fell through less than 12 hours prior to our EDT, we switched gears fast: consulted VRBO, repacked our suitcases, made margaritas out of lemons, and perhaps the hardest part for me, wrapped my brain around the disappointment and tried to stay positive (thanks Mel and Leyna.)

We ended up in Seaside, FL, one of my favorite places on earth (during the off-season.) We ended up eating way too much seafood, reading way too many books, taking way too many walks on the beach, and drinking way too much alcohol. A weekend of indulgence that was absolutely wonderful in every way. A case in point that everything happens for a reason.


Since our cottage was pet friendly, we were able to bring the kids, and they were obsessed with the beach.
And a little freaked out by the ocean, although they got used to the loud waves and the sensation of water pulling them out to sea.

I find that a weekend at the beach is similar to a weekend in the woods. At a certain point, within 30 minutes at least of arriving, you give up trying to stay clean and accept the filth that comes with dirt, or sand, respectively. As a kid, sand drove me crazy. I could not STAND feeling that the sand was invading every little crevice. Then college happened. And the level of uncleanliness I was willing to find acceptable in my life changed drastically. And thank God.
My husband grew up at the beach, and has been trying to get me to move down there since we first met. His most recent argument is that if we move to the beach it is a guarantee that my parents will retire there and be our nanny (WHEN we have little ones.) I'd say this is a strong argument, and coming from such a hunk, who am I to disagree?!
Seaside was a veritable ghost town (and those in residence were not complaining.) On both of our morning walks, I saw not a soul except the sweet people at Modica market who made our biscuits and coffee each morning. Oh, and Santa & the Mrs., who were lurking around the town square during our stay.
Piper has always been a bit of a nutcase. Now she is a confirmed crack head.
Here is the Dreamboat, our cottage for the weekend. It was perfect and had everything two people and two goldens could ever need. We will be returning for sure.

So, Plan B turned out to be Plan Wonderful, and we will cherish memories of our Seaside minimoon forever.

For more photographs taken in Seaside during our trip and years gone by: http://www.flickr.com/photos/libbadibbado/sets/72157624873765808/with/5279041572/

texture

I've always been a very tactile person. I love texture. So when this week's theme was just that, I was a very happy picture-taker. Here are a few of my favorites from the past week:



I know that I can speak with my other group members when I say that TFTB has been a godsend for my creativity. I have focus again. For so long, my inspiration came from travel, seeing new things, meeting new people, smelling new smells, tasting new tastes, and then I started doing the portrait thing when the travel thing ended. Then Chap challenged me to take photos of something other than dogs and children. So now my photography has direction again, and it's a good feeling. All week long I ponder on the theme. I think about composition, styling, subject, composition. I search out my shots, but still allow those special moments to find me. I love what this group has done for my motivation, my confidence, and my friendships with two very special people.

lessons & carols in the clouds

Lessons & Carols is an annual Advent ceremony held at All Saint's Chapel in Sewanee, TN. Granddaddy was kind enough to invite both me and my great aunt Jane to attend this year. Sewanee's fog is rather infamous. I remember two whole months one year where we were literally just walking around in the fog. With our heads in the clouds. I never minded the fog or lack of sunshine during the winter months. It made it that much easier to pretend I was walking around Oxford, England (a place I hold very dear to my heart.)

During my freshman year of college, I walked past this amazing old cemetary on my way to and from class, the dining hall, you name it. I always found it a very beautiful and peaceful place, never creepy or grotesque. In the fog, it always seemed magical. This is long before I'd found a passion for photography, but the mental image is one of those "real" moments I've mentioned before, where I've captured a photograph in my memory. Lucky me, I was able to actually capture some of those memories/moments this past weekend:




The Lessons & Carols was exactly how I remembered it. The Chapel had been "greened" and the candlelight service was awe-inspiring. I had chills. And tears. And just felt so very reverent. Until I'd look over and see my 90-year-old Granddaddy checking the score of the Auburn game on his iPhone. Nice. I was able to sneak back into the chapel the next day to photograph some of the amazing poinsettias and decorations. The choir was practicing. So it was me, the choir singing, and my camera. All by my lonesome in that big big beautiful place. What a great way to start off this holiday season.




We stayed at the Edgeworth Inn on the Monteagle Assembly Grounds, an old 1896 inn originally owned by Adam Edgeworth. You can read more about it here: edgeworthinn.com
Granddaddy and I spent some time meandering the Assembly Grounds, taking photos, remarking on the snow, just enjoying our time together.






The Inn itself was perfect for this week's theme of Black & White:




And, just one more photo. This is during Granddaddy's texting lesson. You know how amazing I think my grandfather is, already, but this weekend he decided to tackle texting. Except, no amount of trying to convince him that texts should be short and sweet and to the point seemed to get through to him. So he sent a text message that was longer than most emails. It was like a blog entry, I swear. Not to mention that the whole thing read like some telegram one might have received in the 40's. I had a hard time not peeing my pants. He keeps me young, this guy.

Double Ugh

Is it possible to have TOO many creative outlets?! I mean, one is great, but what about a blog, a flickr, a freelance photography fan page, jewelry, photo editing, etc.? Becoming overwhelmed by work, I can see, but becoming overwhelmed by all the fun things I have to do when I leave work?! Ridiculous. So I'm sorry my blog is suffering. I apologize for not having time to find anything witty or meaningful to write (not that anything I've ever written has been witty or meaningful.)

I am still in love with my new camera. Every photo I take seems like the best photo I've ever taken. Our Theme last week was "Straight Out of Camera" so the photos I'm going to share are exactly that.


Spending Thanksgiving in North Carolina was just what we needed. Dirk and I haven't gotten to spend that much uninterrupted time together since the beginning of August, so it was so wonderfully relaxing to spend three whole days with no agenda. And in such a gorgeous setting.


Taylor (aka Brooke) made everyone these super fun turkey hats to wear on Thanksgiving. It made for a great family photo.
I love this photo of Granddaddy watching his son-in-law and grandsons-in-law clean the kitchen after our feast. We called him the Vice President of clean-up.


Here is my 90-year-old Granddaddy proving a point using his ipad. And guess who's getting one for Christmas! ME! I am so excited to have a new toy, and have already started a list of all of the fun apps and games I'm going to download when it's mine! It's been killing me that Granddaddy, and even my Mama, have ipads and I don't! I'm used to being the one with the fun toys who then takes all the phone calls and explains how to use said toys to the rest of my family. I feel like Phil Dunphy on his birthday when all he really wanted was an ipad :)



Taylor's new thing is to tell you that she "needs something in my mouth" instead of just telling you that she's hungry or wants a snack. She's smart, that one. She's at a great age, and is so much fun to be around. Except when she hears the word, "No," so Dirk and I just tiptoed around that subject.



We spent a chilly afternoon wandering around downtown Asheville, Christmas shopping, taking pictures, whatever.


While we were downtown, Taylor got this "ugly action figure" instead of a $40 Princess Book. At the bowling alley, while Taylor bowled three whole games, the grown-ups (minus our Designated Pregnant Driver), drank a pitcher of beer and bowled ONE game.



I keep holding out hope that once the holidays are over and people aren't banging my door down for Christmas Card portrait sessions, I will have some time to breathe. And when that time comes, I'll probably end up missing the extra income those sessions bring and seeking out new shoots for new clients. Thus is my life. I wouldn't have it any other way.

I've been cheating on you, blogger...

That's right. I have been feeling guilty for a few weeks now. See, there's this group that Mel and Leyna and I have created on flickr and facebook called "Themes from the Bottom." Each week we take turns coming up with a different photography theme. Then we spend all week chatting about it, taking photos, and then critiquing each other's shots. Our group on facebook has been particularly enjoyable. It's like a running conversation all day long. We talk about things that are probably boring to others, like composition, post-processing, organization, lenses, cameras, lighting, etc., but it is extremely helpful to bounce ideas off of others when it comes to taking pictures. I have gotten so wrapped up in this photography group that I have been neglecting the blogosphere, and for this, I apologize. I decided that a good way to incorporate my blog into Themes would be to share my favorite photos from the past week's theme and explain the challenges and triumphs that went along with my week in photographs.

Melody chose this past week's theme, which was "Changing of the Seasons." Since the photographers are spread out across the country, she thought it would be fun to see how each of us experience the changing of the seasons. This was especially fun because it is just now fall in Alabama. It seems like overnight I woke up and everything had turned to the most magnificent colors!
With the changing of the seasons comes the changing of the clocks. This has been especially challenging since I get home most days and it is dark out. Not prime picture-taking conditions, for sure. BUT, I've turned lemons into lemonade, and the darkness and lack of time for photos has got me THINKING about my images. Planning out my shots for the group. Pondering what exactly do the seasons mean to me? And, on Saturday, I was able to take advantage of the darkness and capture this shot of the moon. My first attempt at a moon shot, and I'm hoping it will be easier next time. It took me 30 minutes to get the settings right! Ha!
The changing of the seasons means you can once again see our sweet little house from the street. We moved in in March where there was no leaves on any of the trees, and quite quickly (come April) we realized that we were going to be invisible to passersby for a large portion of the year. We love this seclusion. Especially since we're really NOT that secluded, although it feels as if we always are.
I also realized this week that I have experienced the change of seasons this year from watching the view from our front porch evolve. Right now it's a rainbow of fall colors. Since we've moved in, I think this may be my favorite way to experience the view from the porch.
The cooler weather means it has become increasingly difficult to run the crap out of the dogs. Piper could seriously fetch the ball up for HOURS. She'd probably run herself until she had a heart attack! They love this cooler weather, and I love being able to leave the front and back doors wide open for them to run in and out as they please (with no mosquitoes!) I even don't mind sweeping up all the leaves their hairy tails bring in.
The changing season means the trails are now covered with leaves and I don't have to worry about looking out for snakes. It means no tick checks when returning from a hike, and being able to breathe the cool air so deeply!
Leaves, leaves, leaves. It means I can photograph leaves. Everywhere I go I see them. All different colors and textures and sizes. They drive my husband crazy to the point where he wanted us to give "each other" a gas-powered leaf blower for Christmas. Some Christmas present, right? I'll let you surmise my response but it has something to do with my dead body.

So there you go, if any of you budding photographers out there are interested in joining our group, shoot me an email.

AND, on an aside, if any of you in the blogosphere would be interested in joining a facebook group for the Pirate Bloggers, I'd be game for contributing.