Happy New Year. {365 - Day 366}

Only I would choose to do a 365 photo project on a leap year.  Call me an overachiever.  But I did it.  Here is the last photo of 2012.  At the beginning of the year I thought I'd have to create moments and work hard to find interesting things to shoot.  But it turns out that there is something, someone in my life every day worth taking pictures of.  Especially this sweet little blonde I know.  Were it not for this beautiful ray of sunshine, I may never have made it.  She is my inspiration.  The love of my life.  And pretty darn cute to boot.   Thank you Sarah Beth for being a willing subject for your crazy Mommy.  Thank you to Kurt and everyone else who has fallen victim to my lens.   Thank you for reading and for your enthusiasm.  I will miss this project next year.  I am sure I will continue to look for "the picture" in everything I do.  It has made me a better photographer and a better writer.  I will continue to blog, although not every day, and come up with new projects to keep me on my toes.  I hope you continue to read and enjoy.

Cheers to a beautiful 2012, and to the new adventures that 2013 will bring us.  Happy New Year to you, near and far.  Friends, family, and blog followers.  Love to you all.  Now get out your cameras and take a picture. 

Last Sunday. {365 - Day 365}

Last Sunday of 2012.  Chocolate chip pancakes & bacon.  Fresh water and coffee. Pajamas on the couch watching cartoons.  Playing with ponies and paper dolls.  Rearranging a "big girl" room and folding laundry.  Vacuuming up cheerios and broken beads from costume jewelry.  Cream cheese & olives on wheat bread cut into quarters for little hands. YMCA.  Whole Foods, organic kale, ripe lemons.  Parking garage.  Home for supper.  Bath time, bedtime, blogging.  One more post to go.

Day 365 {iPhone + Photoshop}

Sarah Beth, Photographer. {365 - Day 364}

Sarah Beth got a camera for Christmas.  It's a VTech digital camera designed for kids.  Meaning it's got two handles and two viewfinders like binoculars.  Kid friendly controls and it looks like you could toss it across the room without it breaking.  I'm sure that theory will be tested sooner or later.  The great thing about it is it's a real deal camera.  2 megapixel, zoom, memory card, plus a lot of fun kid-centric features.  Sarah Beth was thrilled.  She used to play with our little point and shoot until it bit the dust, so having her own camera is awesome. 

I took her on the greenway today for a photo walk.  We both had our cameras.  She got so into it.  Squatting down to get the right angle.  And I must say, she is actually really good for being only three.  She has an eye for composition.  In fact, I chose her portrait of me as the picture of the day.  It was so much fun sharing my passion with her.  Teaching her how to stop, point and shoot.  How to look for the light and take her time getting the right picture.  She's a natural.

I know I'm biased, but check out her use of the rule of thirds in her composition, the leading lines and the lens flare in the photo below.  She even got my boots in the frame.  All of her images below are right out of the camera, no cropping or editing. I'm a proud Momma!

 Day 364 {VTech Kidzoom taken by Sarah Beth, age 3.5}

 And here she is taking that picture of me.  Cuteness!

Future National Geographic Photographer?  I think so.

 The photographer.

 Her shots.

My favorite picture of hers, I think.  :-)

Eventually she got tired and had to take a break.  And I had to carry a tired photog and her camera back up the greenway to the Target Starbucks to recharge with a hot chocolate.  It was a great day.  And I'll have these photographs to remind me of it forever.

Almost over. {365 - Day 363}

Time to stock up on Champagne. Only a few days left in 2012. Only a few days left of my project.  When I started my 365 366 photo project, I didn't know if I could really do it.  Take and post a photo a day, every day, for the entire year.  It was a major challenge, artistically and sometimes logistically, to come up with a photo, upload, edit and post.  Some days the photo just came to me.  Other days I was not as inspired.  I already love looking back at my entries, some of these moments have already been forgotten.  It will be so wonderful to have this year captured from this blog into a book, where I can look back at the ups and downs of 2012 as each day unfolded.  Seeing Sarah Beth grow throughout the year.  Reading about what was important or funny or dull about each day.

What I learned is that there is beauty and interest in everything when you look for it.  There is a story behind everything.  That every day, every moment counts and should not be taken for granted.  That it is important to take photos of the ones you love, to write down special moments, silly moments, the little day to day stuff of life that makes it so great.  Otherwise you will forget.  You will forget that silly smile your child had when she was 3.  Because by 3 1/2, it changes.  You will forget how breathtakingly beautiful that sunset was back in May.  You don't need a fancy camera.  In fact, some of my favorites have been taken with my phone.  You don't need to be a Pulitzer-prize winning author.  Just write what you feel.  Even if no one reads it but you, you will have captured those moments for yourself forever.


Day 363 {iPhone + Photoshop}

Coca-Cola {365 - Day 362}

Before we left Hendersonville this morning, we stopped for lunch downtown at Mike's on Main Street.  Our favorite soda fountain.  On the side of Mike's is this beautiful Coca Cola hand painted billboard.  My Dad told us that they just finished restoring this sign.  That there is a guy who works for Coca-Cola and his job is to travel around and restore these relics.  I have always loved this sign and seeing it in all it's vibrant glory, I love it even more.


Day 362 {iPhone + Photoshop}

The Day After {365 - Day 361}

SB partied hard yesterday. I thought she'd want to sleep in, but no dice.  She was up at 7:20 looking for her barbies.  We went out to breakfast and came home to spend the rest of the day inside at Grandma's house, as the weather was cold and wet.  Not that Sarah Beth noticed.  She had the best day playing with Grandma on the floor.  Legos, dolls, games.  Poor Grandma didn't get a break all day, except for when Grandpa took the remote control car for a spin in the living room, Sarah Beth chasing behind it.

Here she is in a rare quiet moment with her new doll.  "Big Baby" as she calls her.  She just put her doll in the time out chair and was explaining how she needed to be a good girl as she fixed her hair.

Day 361 {iPhone}

Merry Christmas! {365 - Day 360}

Christmas started at 7AM here.  It was gloomy out so it seemed even earlier. But SB was ready to party to we got up to check out what Santa left her.  She was enchanted by the tree and wasn't sure where to start.  She got over that quickly though, and made short work of her presents, creating a wrapping paper explosion in the living room.  Favorite gift?  It's a tie between the remote control car and her Disney Princess Barbies.  She is sleeping with the Barbies right now.  She would have slept with the car too but Mommy had to draw the line somewhere.  Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Day 360 {Canon 5D Mark III by Kurt + Photoshop}