I’ve always wanted to try to take road shots–you know the ones where the road seems endless. I found the perfect spot, my aunt’s road. It’s straight and it goes on for what seems like for miles… it also has a personality… its not perfect–it’s the road that I’m always excited to see when I get to drive down to see my aunt. I love staying with her and for a long weekend before school started I stayed out in the quiet country where some may say it’s boring, but I think is bliss.

The road to family

I tried to capture some moments with my family. My cousin’s daughter was the most photogenic of them all. Here’s my favorite picture.

"A" is playing and took time to look at the camera.

Today, I was cleaning out my nightstand drawer and I ran across a Hallmark card I have kept since I worked in Abilene. I was in a card shop and I just liked the message because I was on a new adventure as a news producer at the time. Ever since then, I have run across this card I saved and I still get inspired by its message. It’s helped remind myself that life is not a straight and narrow road and that success does not come easy. Here’s the message that inspired me to keep living my dreams–no matter what.

The road to success
is full of steep grades and dangerous curves
and potholes
the size of New Jersey.

The maps are all wrong
nobody knows DIRECTIONS,
and you’re never quite sure
where you are,
except you’re not there yet.

You start having doubts.
You think maybe
you’re running out of gas,
maybe it’s TIME to stop
and reconsider,
maybe it would be wise to turn back.

And you could do that.
But then you’d never know
what’s waiting for you
just around the next turn,
just over the next hill,
just BEYOND THE HORIZON.

–anonymous

This past week I travelled to the Texas Hill Country to see a good friend from college (the first go around). Glenda and I had a fabulous time going to all the wineries around the hill country. We went to Driftwood vineyard, Woodrose winery, Grape Creek vineyards,Becker Vineyards, Pedernales Cellars, Torre di Pietra, Sister Creek Vineyards, and Duchman Family Winery. All the wine was fabulous–some more fabulous than others. I have to admit, before tasting all this wine, I was not much of a wine connoisseur. I am still not–but I have found reds I like–who knew a good Cabernet was my thing–and sweet wines I LOVED! I also found a Viognier that I really liked by Becker Vineyards.  If you live in Texas and like wine–this is the place to go to experience a Texas you have never experienced. The people are fun, nice and happy to see you. Here are some pictures I took while in the hill country.

Today my dad and I drove to Rockwall to go to the Farmer’s Market. We found ourselves watching a July 4th parade. The parade was VERY short, but the unexpected parade put me in the patriotic spirit. Here are some shots from the parade and the Farmer’s Market. I found that cloudy/hazy/icky weather is hard to meter. Some of my pictures looked overexposed, but that means I must practice more! Please help me choose my three pictures to show to my photography class this week. It’s the last class!

For most of the week, rain has plagued the DFW area. What is a budding photographer to do other than take pictures of RAIN? Here’s my attempt to capture the essence of rain falling. I will say that rain is HARD to capture. I would like to find some light reflections at night from the rain. I’m still trying to figure out where to go to take such pictures where I don’t have to venture ALL the way downtown. Oh well, rooftop raindrops are good enough for now.

Rain

Angel of Hope

I finally decided which shadow picture to show in photography. I have no idea why I worry about which one to choose, but for some reason, I felt as if this picture became more than a picture to me. Unexpectedly, as I told the backstory of the angel figurine I used in the picture, the more significant the picture became. I thought I just took the figurine off my shelf because I liked how her shadow was cast against the wall.

In 2006, my mom was diagnosed with Stage IIIC ovarian cancer. I thought visualizing hope would be good for both of us. I found this angel to sit beside her night stand so at night she could look over at this angel and visualize a real angel looking after her–no matter WHAT happened. When my mom passed away a year later, I removed the angel from her night stand and placed her guiding light in my study.

Yesterday, as I started taking the pictures of this angel, I started to focus on how I wanted my mom to see the angel–as a guide. I now wonder if I bought this angel for myself to help guide me to what was inevitably to come–a life without a mom to guide me through the rest of my life. If I ever get married, she won’t ever be at my wedding (yea, guide me to that man, Angel of Hope!) she was missed deeply at my doctoral graduation, and she will never celebrate another Christmas with me again (oh the fun we had decorating our trees!). There is definitely a void in my life that will never feel filled by anything or anyone other than what a mom could fill.

Now as I pondered which picture to choose and as I considered my friends’ suggestions, I decided this picture was the one that told my story of the angel. I like that the focus is on the lantern because light guides us, and the shadow symbolizes my mom as MY angel who casts shadows in my life to remind me she is still looking after me.  I still have a journey to take and this angel who sits in my study, and unbeknownst to me until now, is helping me  fulfill my life’s journey and dreams. Thanks to photography, I got to capture a feeling I had no idea I needed to capture.

I played with the contrast on the pictures below to give the shadows a more dramatic effect. The pictures are the most popular ones from my survey from my previous post.

This afternoon I tried to create shadows. I found an interesting object in my house to cast a shadow on the wall, which you will see below. Please help me choose the one I should showcase to my photography class.

The story of the Angel of Hope:  I bought this for my mom and put it on her night stand soon after she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Each night, I would tell her that this Angel would watch over her with her guiding light.

Last night the sky was perfect for a beautiful sunset. I headed to the park, which has a small lake. I caught some people fishing and I caught a beautiful sunset. Here are my examples for the lighting assignment so far.

Tree in sunset

Tree in sunset 2

backlit duck

Fishing at Sunset

Silhouette sunset

Sunset