The Beach in February

This has quietly become one of my favorite pictures of all time. 

It's not perfect. The frame is just off. Needs more room at the bottom left.

Or a good, sharp angle.

But it insists my affection, and it has it.

And, print.

The Beach. In February.

This former Southerner has found the land she loves...this is some beautiful country. The beach on a 28 degree day in February with the beaches iced in snow? It. Was. Gorgeous. The colors drew me in,  but there wasn't a whole lot of time to stare. I had two kids ready to sled and explore the ices ridges and bergs. I will post more later. But for now, this is what it looked like as I climbed back into the car after a most beautiful photoshoot/ good old-fashioned sled-fest with little kids. Next time it snows, I have it on my calendar to be at the beach at 4pm for pics of undisturbed snow, and then pics of us disturbing it (with lots of joy and laughter, of course). Meet us there?

Amber

This is my fun and beautiful friend, Amber. We made her do all these funny things in order to photograph her. We were playing in a park while one of our best friends finished her bridal portraits and got ready to head to her reception. It was a beautiful day. Amber was a great sport, and this is my favorite shot...

Jackson

One of my favorite days with my son---ever. We had a photo shoot/ game of "throw the ball". It was so fun and I'll never forget it. Plus, we grabbed some great reminders of him at a new 3.

Beach Baby

Kiddos

Step 1. Acquire facial injury the night before a photo shoot.

Step 2. Pull it off anyway.

Alma Mater

You know how you return to your alma mater (where we met) and you take that family standing shot in front of something important and they all look the same except for the increase in family size? Yeah well, I was about done with that shot. I wanted to do something creative. If I tell you what we're really doing, it will gross you out. So I won't. But we look like we're having fun, don't we? And my husband did a great job squatting down at the exact height where I wanted him to snap us. Thanks, honey!

***

Yeah, so there might be an animal to her right that she's wary of. Might be a Canada goose. They were exhausted and should be napping, yet we pulled it off. So much better than the fountain shot.

***

Kathleen & Griffin

I think they're happy to see each other :)

This wedding was gorgeous. I'm not the photographer; I just grabbed a few shots while the photographer was working somewhere else (I asked permission, of course!). I'm married to the guy standing between the bride and groom up front. See his shoulder? He's supposed to hide so he's not in every bride groom pic :)

This was a gorgeous day. They did a lovely job. And the photographer was fab, but I can't seem to link to his website; it's not up. Too bad. He was good.

This is one of my favorite wedding pics ever. I love the emotion in it. You can feel it, can't you? Years of it...

Jackson

Somewhere in the middle of a brutal Wisconsin winter there emerged one day clocking in at 62 degrees and windy. And on that day there were happy playgrounds everywhere,  and children and parents soaking it all in.

Feet

With this photo I am actually much more interested in the feet that go in the shoes than the shot of the shoes themselves. I took this with  my point and shoot. No big deal; I just wanted to highlight the community of the people there. I was there to work and hang out; not to take pictures. So... some shoes on the feet of some beautiful human beings fighting to get out of homelessness. And fighting they are; and beautiful beyond my capacity as a wordsmith. (I wish I could show you their faces.) These feet are feet I quite admire, even if their shoes have seen multiple owners and many, many tumultuous, inhumane miles. Much respect to these shoes. And the people in them.

3

3 of my favorite three people. On my husband's birthday. At the zoo. In January. In Wisconsin. It was some good, cold fun!

Emily's Housewarming Brunch

Mia and Belle

I don't know. I have a thing for this photograph. It feeds my memory. I like it. 

Horses

My son asked me to "take a picture of those horses" as we drove by this roadside farm. My hubby was driving (through Lake Geneva, WI) and I, as often, had my camera conveniently in my lap. And there was traffic. So, yay for road work. Here you go, son. Oh, I had to nicely ask the horses to separate so we could see each one. They complied. 3 different looking horses. Life is prettier when it's not all the same, isn't it?

Doris and Julia

This is my Grandmother. Isn't she beautiful?

I call her Grammie.

and Julia with her Daddy.

Julia is Doris' 3rd great-grandbaby.

Pictures of Grammie and her 3 great grandbabies are coming...

And I decided this all-sepia thing is stressing me out as those photos are getting washed out and their coloring is inconsistent on here, so I'm bagging it. Not letting it get me down. Moving on. Still having fun. 

:)