Feature Friday--Light Bright

When I was a kid, we went to the Champlain Valley Fair every year. My sister and I used to plan for it weeks in advance, as we usually entered some sort of competition. Art work, vegetables, flower arrangements, and bonsai trees were all among the items we toted to and from the fair. One year I won a second place ribbon for a drawing of a horse, and I believe my sister received a ribbon for a plant of some sort.

The last time I remember being at the fair was my first week of college, 11 years ago. I went with my boyfriend at the time to see Styx and REO Speedwagon perform, and skipped orientation/bonding time with my dorm mates. It rained half the night, and I remember a man on stage with a guitar (no idea which one) jumping in the puddles and making the water splash in time to the music. 

Wednesday night, my mother, sister, and I (plus one husband and one boyfriend) went to the fair together for the first time in over a decade. I had forgotten how beautiful everything is at night when the lights come on all over the fairground. I was glad I had my camera with me, although the rest of the group, who were constantly waiting for/losing me in the crowd when I stopped every 15 feet to photograph something, may have been less so. I hope they can at least enjoy the results. Happy fair week/labor day weekend/last day of August!

Feature Friday--Historical Wine Hike

Last weekend, my husband and I finally got to break in one of our wedding gifts--a picnic set that is designed to transport and serve wine and cheese. We packed a picnic and drove to Waterbury, where we hiked a 3 mile loop containing a self-guided historical tour telling the stories of the pioneer families who settled and built farms on the land that is now Little River State Park. We saw their stone walls, barn foundations, and well holes, and walked the bumpy trails imagining what it would have been like to coax a horse up the hills towing a wagon. We read the names on the grave stones, and ran our hands along the remains of rusted farm equipment. I took photos of broken medicine bottles, dishes, and other miscellanea, and we enjoyed our picnic of wine, cheese, and summer sausage by the foundation of an old farm houses before hiking back toward the parking area. Near the end of the tour, we ran into a house from the 1800's that was still standing, and that is where I took this picture of my husband.

I took many lovely photos on our hike, but this picture is the one that stands out to me. It is unclear at first what is happening; it looks as though I took two photos and collaged them together, but in fact, it is just one. I was standing at the back of the house, looking through the window, and Nick was sitting on the front steps drinking his last few sips of wine. Because the lower panel of the door has been removed, I could see straight through the house, but the glass window I was shooting through caught my blurred reflection and the foliage behind me.  It was a serendipitous moment, and I am pleased to have captured it to share with you. Happy Friday!

Feature Friday--Say Cheese

I can't explain why, but I have always loved photographing people while they are photographing something else. One of the first photos I ever took of my husband (the weekend we met, 14 years ago) was a shot of him lying on the ground taking a photo of the Ottawa Parliament building. At every wedding I shoot, I end up with several photos of guests holding up phones or point and shoot cameras, pointed at the couple, or the bridesmaids, or an inebriated guest on the dance floor. The best thing about the digital view screen is that, depending on my angle, I can often get a shot of my subject and their subject at the same time. There's nothing like catching a shot of a bride taking a picture of her bridesmaids, while being laced into her wedding dress. I love that the recent advancements in digital technology allow so many people to have a camera as an integral part of their every day lives, and I look forward to introducing my future offspring to the joys of photography at a young age.

Feature Friday--Summer Nights, Candle Lights

Last night, my sister and I sat out on the porch, surrounded by a few dozen candles. It was a mild summer evening, and we enjoyed the company, relaxation, and the warm, flickering glow of the flames. It was an awesome almost-end to the week, and brought back memories of our childhood, when we were so interested in the drawer full of candles in the kitchen that my mother finally relented and let us play with them (matches and all) if we followed the rules. Your hair must be pulled back, and there must be an aluminum foil lining on the table. We spent many hours at that table burning chunks of colored wax, sticking our fingers in the hot goo, and going through box after box of matches. When I got married, I actually vetoed a beautiful venue right away because they refused to allow real candles and tried to sell me on the idea of LED tea lights. (Approximately 15 candles on each table made up the majority of the decor for our wedding.) Last night was one of the last times my sister and I will enjoy on her porch. When the summer comes to a close, she will be moving out of her beloved apartment, and in with her boyfriend. I wish her all the best in her new place, where she will build new memories, but I will miss evenings like this one, and the memories that go with them.

Feature Friday-Heather & Adam

Last weekend, I had the pleasure of being a second photographer for a wedding at Stratton Mountain Resort with Kirstin LaMonde of Kirstin LaMonde Photography and Two House Photo.  Heather & Adam's wedding was a lovely evening affair, and even though it rained all day, it let up just in time for the post-ceremony photographs of the bride and groom.  Stratton is a beautiful location, and the couple was lovely as well. It was, as always, an honor to be invited to share in and capture such a special event in two peoples' lives. Congratulations to Heather & Adam.