Project 26 | Post 20 | Struggle

The theme this week for my 20th post in my Project 26 is Struggle.

it's so hard to watch our children struggle.  So much harder than I expected before I became a mother.  My instinct is to swoop in.  Save.  Remove the pain.  Remove the suffering.  Remove the source of the struggle.  Kiss the boo-boo.  Make all well.  But I have learned that that is not always the right and loving thing to do.

Sometimes, struggle is necessary.  essential.  and without it, failure and death may result.  Those struggles bring forth strength.  Strength that is crucial to survival.  Strength that cannot be attained without enduring the struggle.



We've raised monarch caterpillars the last two summers.  I have LOVED it.  It has been utterly fascinating to watch.  Once the metamorphosis is complete, the caterpillar has transformed into a beautiful butterfly.  But he must struggle.  It is so hard to watch the little creature wriggle and writhe once he becomes ready to break free from the chrysalis.  You want to reach in and make it easier on him.  Help break that shell free.  You must stiffle this motherly, helpful instinct.

For if you swoop in and remove the struggle, the butterfly will die.

It is through the process of that struggle that his new body becomes strong enough to live.  Strong enough to withstand the environment in which he lives.  It is through this process that he is able to pump his new lifeblood throughout his body and wings, inflating what starts out so tiny, but then becomes the most magnificent thing.

This has been the most wonderful illustration to me as a mother.  I want to make it all better for them, all the time.  But sometimes, I need to let them wriggle and writhe.  To push off the restraining outer shell, so that they can discover the true strength they hold inside.

Please visit my lovely friend Gail Pomare, and then the rest of our group, to see her interpretation of Struggle.  I'm always amazed at the way Gail sees the world and these prompts.  I can assure you that you won't be disappointed by a visit to her blog.

I shot these with my D90 Sigma 30mm f1.4 Nikon 85mm f1.8 Nikon 50mm 1.4D

Newborn | motherhood | lifestyle

An' when she wraps her hand around my finger,
Oh, it puts a smile in my heart.
Everything becomes a little clearer.
I realise what life is all about.
It's hangin' on when your heart has had enough;
It's givin' more when you feel like givin' up.
I've seen the light: it's in my daughter's eyes.

Martina McBride in her song "In My Daughter's Eyes"

These images of mom with her children, and brand new baby daughter, just speak pure motherhood to me.  They are some of my favorite images I've ever captured.






Now, tell me that she isn't just oozing the beauty of motherhood here!!??












See the other images from this session here:  family, sister and brother, father,

I shot these with my D90 Sigma 30mm f1.4 Nikon 85mm f1.8 Nikon 50mm 1.4Dhttp://www.careypace.com/2012/09/big-brother-big-sister.html

newborn | lifestyle| just her

Here is the last in the series featuring this family newborn lifestyle session.  Just her.  Brand new her.  She was such a good, beautiful baby.













See the other images from this session here:  family, sister and brother, father, mother

I shot these with my D90 Sigma 30mm f1.4 Nikon 85mm f1.8 Nikon 50mm 1.4D

Food Styling | Food plus Digital Texture

Dude, I love the internet.



If not for the internet, I'd never have learned what I do know about photography.  I'd never have found the friends I have through photography forums.  I'd never have found the Bloom forum.  I'd never have seen Laurie's idea to start a food photography group to glow and learn.  And so, I'd never have been a part of The Inspired Plate.

But I did.  I have.  I am!

And I am ever so grateful for that.  I sure enjoy the ladies in our group, and I love how we share, discuss, and learn so much through each other.  Sometimes I let myself get down when it seems that there really is so much evil and selfishness in this world.  But people like these ladies remind me that there IS still good, kindness, and selflessness left here on earth.  Laurie has been hard at work to set up our group's web presence.  If you dig food images, please take a moment to go "Like" our facebook page, where you'll stay updated on what our group is doing.

September's Challenge was to photograph a food and then use a Digital Texture overlay on the finished product.

I'm not a stranger to using textures and overlays, but it certainly isn't part of my everyday workflow or style.  This was a good opportunity to stretch, learn, and grow for certain!

I decided to use a photograph I shot recently for a wonderful local small business, Bellafina Chocolates.  Brenda Barnicki has been very hard at work investigating how to ramp up the business side of her Chocolatiering, and she contacted me to see if I could help her out with better images of her and her chocolates for her online presence.

Um, hello?  Me?  Chocolate?  Camera?             yeah... I'm there!

It has been a lot of fun to work with her.  How could it not be if there's chocolate involved and someone who gushes about your work and is beyond appreciative?

When it came time to think about this month's food challenge, I realized that these chocolate images were the perfect ones to experiment texture food-land with.  Textures on the images probably wouldn't be what Brenda could use for her product images, but they sure would make pretty uses of texture.  Crazy just how much it changes the tone and mood of the image, isn't it?





I used several textures to achieve the look.  The antique script I found from one of my favorite texture places: Shadowhouse Creations.  (see right below).  He was one of the first places I found years ago when I started to play with textures.  I don't know how he does it, but what he puts out there is free and is free for commercial use.  This dude rocks.  A lot of my favorite textures that I use are from him.   I also used the "Extreme4" texture by Jessica Drossin, available on her blog here as a freebie. (see middle below)  Lastly, I added another one of Shadowhouse Creations textures that you can find here.   (see left below).  Goodness, in scrolling through his site trying to find the best link to use I've found about 50 new textures I'm dying to try out!  You really should check this dude out!



One more time I'll show the same image with the original on the left, the finished texture version on the right.  So cool, huh?


 


Next up from The Inspired Plate is the wonderful Sarah Wilson.  Sarah joined our group later this year but I'm so glad she did.  I so totally dig her style!  So pay her, and the rest of our group, a visit to check out their take on adding a digital texture to their food photography work.  Sarah Wilson | Ozarks Fare Grounds

I shot these with my D90  Nikon 50mm 1.4D

fatherhood | the involved dad

I think I have a soft spot for an involved dad. You can tell who they are - or at least I can. It's blazingly obvious. They just know what is going on. They don't need mom to itemize what they need to do. They know their children. They know their children's routine. They know where the sippy cups are stored. They know just how to make the PB&J.  They know what needs to happen.  They don't wait to be told or asked.  They take initiative and step up, especially when mom is down for the count, or otherwise occupied.

Like, when she's nursing her third newborn and recovering from delivery.

I feel so very fortunate that Shawn is an involved dad, like that.  Yes, yes, I confess.  Sometimes I get annoyed when he has an opinion on something that treads on what feels like my "mom turf".  But in the grand scheme of things, I'll take my involved dad any day over any alternative.

When I came to photograph this family's third newborn, this dad just oozed involved dad, too.  I loved it.  I utterly adore watching and documenting a genuine man love and care for the treasures that God has entrusted to his care.  And I love how these images portray that visually about this man and his kids.












See the other images from this session here:  family, brother and sister

I shot these with my D90 Sigma 30mm f1.4 Nikon 85mm f1.8 Nikon 50mm 1.4D

big brother, big sister

Big brother and big sister were simply adorable. They played together so awesomely while I was there. I wanted to be a fly on the wall and document them alllllllll afternoon.  I came to realize during this time, while I watched them play while little sister ate, that it is documenting little ones interact that truly makes my heart sing with joy.
 









See the other images from this session:  family

I shot these with my D90

Sigma 30mm f1.4 Nikon 85mm f1.8 Nikon 50mm 1.4D

newborn family | lifestyle

Back in June, I had the most wonderful honor of documenting this family's third child and her newness into the world.  A newborn session is such an important occasion.  It is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity.  What a treasure it is for me to be welcomed into someone's home and given access to their private moments and connections, giving them this visual gift to share for the rest of their lives. I was still taking the Finding the Light Workshop while I worked through these images.  To say I was in a state of overextended fog was an understatement!  While I managed to put them on my facebook page, I totally forgot to blog them!  I'm so excited to share these.  I just love how they turned out, and I feel that they truly reflect my personal style of artistry as well as beautifully document this new little girl's introduction to the world.

There are too many to share in one post, so I'm going to break it down over several posts.  I hope they bring the joy of new life to you today.  Here are the family images.



















I shot these with my D90 Sigma 30mm f1.4

Project 26 | post 19 | Me and Mine

when time has changed it all

when I am old and gray

i want you to remember

i want you to remember

the sunshine on your back

the grass beneath your toes

i want you to remember

the giggles and the fun

the swing goes high and low

i want you to remember

the sprawling yard before you

the endless hours spent in flight

i want you to remember

the scent of wild onions

the glorious gift of sight

i want you to remember

following the footsteps of your brother

how i love to watch you smile

i want you to remember

the wind against your hair and face

how I adored and watched you all the while

when time has changed it all

when childhood ceases to endure

i want you to remember

how i knew you'd always soar.

We started out with the tripod and my Sigma 30mm lens and the remote.  But Shawn arrived home before we finished and he was able to do a little session with us playing on the swings - a current favorite of hers.  I think he did a mighty fine job, don't you think?




















See the discarded tripod?

















Oh, how I adore her smile.





I do not do my Project 26 in isolation. A wonderful circle of women photographers has banded together. Check out my awesome Kiwi friend, Gail Pomare, and her creative take on me and mine. I am so grateful for photography and the connections I've made through it. I would never have otherwise met and formed friendships with Gail, Jayme, Ginger, Krista and all the others!