Hillary ::: My First High School Senior Rep ::: View Into The Future

On Stage Soon ::: Marissa ::: High School Senior :::

Making progress...... edit, edit, edit....

Sending this wedding to Pictage, and, while going through tons of images, I was reminded of how much I loved the vintage style of Debby and Jason. I also love my new frames! I'm almost caught up! (for now)

Edit Break ::: Big Jim Style ::: Who Could Resist This?

The Burrage Mansion and The Hope of the Imagine Gallery

"Imagine that every child has a family. Imagine that that family is you." This gallery will be a first for the county of San Bernardino and is going to be on display at the Annual Adoption Finalization Event on November 17th. It's mostly because of my best friend and fellow photographer, Shelly Schartau, who has been photographing this event, every year, for 6 years, since bringing home two sweet sisters, Katy and Amber, to complete her family. Over the years, she has wanted to see a "Heart Gallery" in San Bernardino and this will be the first step toward making it happen. There will be many people at the event and the board of directors, who will see huge, poster size images of children that still need adopting. I'm so proud of my friend and I was so incredibly moved and delighted at the prospect of helping to take these images of the most beautiful children, ranging in age from 4 to 15, last Thursday, at the beautiful, historical Burrage Mansion, in Redlands.

The Burrage Mansion estate, at 1205 W. Crescent Ave., in Redlands, was constructed by oil tycoon Albert C. Burrage in 1901. According to the ownership history, Burrage and his wife purchased the property from Redlands founders E.G. Judson and Frank Brown for $17,500. When the Burrages used the estate as a winter home, it was known as Monte Vista.

The 17-acre Burrage Mansion estate is now owned by Tim Rochford, who has been restoring the grounds and mansion to use for the benefit of less fortunate children in the community.

I wish I could show you all of these lovely faces, because you would want to take them all home. There were moments I thought we were on a "Gap" ad. seriously. amazing children. We just shook our heads. I feel forever changed, just having this experience and I look at the world a little differently again. I'm thankful for my parents even more. I appreciate, having them in my life, loving me unconditionally, and considering their job, as parents, the most important one they've ever had. The cold and windy day, ended with a mini photo shoot, with my "assistant" Katy. Amber is more camera shy. When I see Shelly, with her beautiful daughters, and think of the work we just completed, I see a real success story and I know that there is hope. How fitting.

EDGAR AND MUGSY, BIG AND LITTLE, OLD AND YOUNG. A PLAY DATE!

This is my brother, Edgar. He's an old boy now, but I love him and he is always one of the highlights, of my visit, to my parents house. Lately he is more of a "moper" and I'm certain the rain doesn't help his attitude. However, one day, there was a knock on the door and his face lit up (as well as his deafening bark) and low and behold, it was "Mugsy," the 8 month old, newly adopted Jack Russell. You see, no amount of telling mom and dad's friends about how much work a new dog can be (especially during retirement) talked them out of this little abandoned guy. So through the door, he ran, and Edgar, the 11 year old Airedale, played and played and played (or should I say, tried to swat Mugsy through mid-air)....jaws wide open, low, timid growling, yet a gentle teddy bear. THEN.... just like the British, when at war, all came to a stop for a biscuit (no tea this time) and the anticipation in the frozen faces was evident....

I just had to post, because in this 15 minutes of fun, I laughed an hours worth....
ENJOY!

Salem, Requiem, Photo Walk With Dad. Leaves, leaves, leaves...

The best part of yesterday was going to the photo exhibition, in Salem, called "Requiem," at the Haille Ford Museum. Dad and I started out, several blocks, from the museum, taking pictures along the way and continued after, walking and talking about the images we saw and snapping more of the colorful capitol, on our way to a nice lunch together. We both agreed that we were so blessed to have seen and felt this exceptional, moving and disturbing display of 239 images from the cameras of 135 war photographers, who either lost their lives, in combat, or went missing, during the Vietnam and Indochina wars. It was a small portion of the same name book, "Requiem," published in 2001, and dedicated to the "historians of war." The work of Henry Huet, Larry Barrows and Robert Capa stood out as compelling and set the standards for war photojournalism, bravery, dedication and have allowed us to see and feel the anguish of war. To really appreciate those that served and came back to be ignored and uncared for, to those that never came back, including them, the many lives torn apart in the midst of such brutality and insanity. God I pray we can bring the war, today, to a close and bring our soldiers home soon.... and continue to pray for them. love them. and take care of them when they do come home. someday.

Another day well spent. All I could think of was how easy I have it. My camera practically drives itself and it feels like so long ago that I was manually focusing, manually metering, chugging out 30 rolls of film on a job and how these brave young photographers, of the past, laid down their lives to make it so easy for the rest of us....

Oregon Cascades In The Fall, One Day, One Little Drive.....Continued

You just get in the car here and drive anywhere and it's pretty. Even simple shopping centers are pretty. Dairy Queens are pretty. McDonald's looks prettier. The Post Office is pretty. The local vet's office is beautiful! The WalMart parking lot is pretty. You drive from one town to the next and there's character, color and "characters!" Most of our driving was on the two lane Cascade Hwy and we finished the day having lunch in the little town of Detroit Lakes at "Cedars" where I found some "ghouls" at the bar and a 17-year old "bar greeter/keeper" named "Daisy," the dalmation. She was so sweet! On our way back I screamed, in delight, to "stop the car" so I could take a picture of the old antique shop and, of course, a big red barn (there are lots of them and as we whiz by I just know that if I was driving I would NEVER come home and my dad knows it!) and then we had tea and I begged to photograph the old covered bridge, by their friend's house, in Stayton. Oh how I love being with my mom and dad! Today mom and I went to downtown Salem to window/bargain shop and have lunch and tomorrow dad and I will go to Salem to see a photographic display, at the Hallie Ford Museum of Art, a Vietnam War Photo Exhibition, "Requiem: By the Photographers Who Died in Vietnam and Indochina," Willamette University. Then some picture-taking (I hope!) and lunch! I do miss my family - but it's so nice to have this one-on-one time with mom and dad :)

Detroit Lakes, Driving With Mom and Dad, First Day....

There's not as much red as there was a month ago, because in Oregon, they actually have a season!! But I'm still hunting for red leaves and yell out, like a little kid, when ever I see them. My poor parents! I literally grabbed this while driving a 2-lane highway, with my dad at the helm and that's never slow....and, I know that some people don't believe this, but I don't touch my color. I usually vignette, contrast, white balance (if necessary) and LOVE my "old" Canon 5D's sooooooo much, on raw, raw, raw and shoot majority on manual, metering and often bracketing...

An Afternoon In Redlands With Erin and Ray....

I just love Erin and Ray! I think that they are not only a very photogenic couple (Erin's eyes are amazing too!), but they are such sweet and fun people. Erin and Ray met, 5 years ago, at The Claim Jumper, where Ray was a host. Erin went there, a few times, with friends, and finally talked to Ray. They exchanged numbers and the rest was history, as they say! I just worked with Erin's sister, Andrea, on Catalina Island and I'm really looking forward to Erin and Ray's wedding, at Falkner Winery, next April. What's so funny, is we started in a cool alley (yes, I do work those alley's) -- inside joke -- and the first thing I saw was a door, with the number "10" written on it and I said (like I always do, with numbers and things), "does the number 10 mean anything to you?" and, da. Of course, it was their wedding day number.

Oh? and do I feel honored to be shooting Erin's wedding, because she is a budding photographer and searched for me, trying to remember my business name, from a wedding I shot a long time ago and actually found me and then mom booked me for both of these sweet sisters!! yeah!! Wouldn't that be great if that's just the way it worked all the time! What's really neat about Erin, is that she really understands and appreciates the life of a photographer and all the little ways we feel. She's learning still, but she gets it and has an amazing respect for the art. I had a blast working with you both and I just have a feeling that we will remain friends for a long time to come. I love my clients and I consider them my family. Can't wait to see you again and would LOVE to see a picture of your Halloween costume Ray!! pleeeeease!!!






























Isn't Erin lovely!!!! (and I don't sharpen eyes usually - or do anything to them -- these are her gorgeous eyes!!)