Daily Photo Journee

Oh riding….

2012-02-04T17:08:00.001-08:00

Knowing that tomorrow it is suppose to be 50 degrees and sunny is almost painful since my bike is still in storage. It would be a perfect day for riding! I am counting down until spring. Clean roads, wind in my hair, the rumble of my new pipes. Went to the dealership to see the work that has been done on our bikes. Dan got an awesome new gas gauge (skull), new speedometer, and air intake cover.

Hades got new pipes, a heavy breather, new speedometer, gas gauge, and a rack for my backpack. I also got a replaced license plate shield since I busted mine the first day I had him when I dropped him in the gravel behind the store. He looks SO awesome, and the rumble from those pipes was music to my ears! The guys in the shop still have him out on the floor and said they need to clean him up before he goes back to storage, but I don’t mind if they put that off.

Update and Life….

2012-01-14T12:48:00.000-08:00

So my family got to start the year with a trip to Minneapolis, MN. This wasn’t planned but my beagle Addy got sick right before Christmas. The local vet said they didn’t have the equipment necessary to check her heart and liver like was needed, so we were sent to the University of Minnesota’s Veterinary College to try to get some answers. After numerous blood and lab tests, an echocardiogram and a liver biopsy we have ruled out a ton of problems but are still waiting for a formal diagnosis. It is looking like she has hypertension and a disease called Cushing’s Disease that is causing her liver problems. Needless to say we have a follow up next week at the local vet for more labs and tests to try to get a final answer.

While there we had about five hours to kill while Addy was having procedures done so we spent the time at the Mall of America. It wasn’t nearly as big or impressive as I expected, but we still had a very good time. The kids’ favorite was the Lego store. This creation was over two stories tall and took over 150 people over three months to create. It uses over 3.1 million Legos!

Now we are back it has been a lot of catch up with school work and trying to make plans for what will be coming up the next six months. I have a two week trip in February and then Dan has a week long one in March. Then he once again will be gone on a six-week TDY for most of April and May. This will bring us right into the time to move. I am sure this year is going to fly by with all we have on our plates.

I just hope that things go smoothly as I have been stressed beyond belief over all the changes and things that we have going on. I am counting down until this summer just to have some down time from school and hopefully some fun family time before Dan leaves for a year.

A New Year….

2012-01-02T12:37:00.000-08:00

Once again a new year is upon us. This year I won’t be attempting to do a 365 again as I will be moving again this summer. Instead I am going to try to attempt a more creative photography goal for the year. When doing a 365 it really gets you thinking about quick photos you can take. You realize a lot of little things that you don’t take the time to shoot. This year I want to delve deeper into that. I am going to try a monthly project. It will either be from a list of things I have wanted to shoot, a new technique, new equipment, or just a creative idea I want to build upon. I am hoping to use this blog as a way to organize my creative photo thoughts and processes. This is my goal for the year and I am hoping that with all the craziness in my schedule I will be able to achieve it…

#365-Dec. 31st

2011-12-31T12:08:00.000-08:00

Another year down in the books. It has been a year with some serious ups and downs and the next year will most likely to prove just as crazy.

#364-Dec. 30th

2011-12-30T12:07:00.000-08:00

Back in studio. I have really been working on lighting with texture and shape. Plus the pineapple is so yummy.

#363-Dec. 29th

2011-12-29T12:06:00.000-08:00

And the snow finally is falling again…

#362-Dec. 28th

2011-12-28T12:05:00.000-08:00

I have been working more and more in studio as the weather is finally getting quite cold outside.

#361-Dec. 27th

2011-12-27T11:40:00.000-08:00

And little Angus, who we have had for just over three years now. So hard to believe so much time as passed. We still think of him as a puppy because he just goes nonstop!

#360-Dec. 26th

2011-12-26T11:39:00.000-08:00

Addy enjoyed her treat of pig ears. We have had her for ten years and three days now. We aren’t happy to know her health is in decline, but so thankful for all the wonderful years she has had, especially since she has had health problems since she was two!

#359-Dec. 25th

2011-12-25T11:36:00.000-08:00

Can you tell that Cole and Kati were very ready to start the day. The older teens~not so much. I am sure they would have preferred to sleep in a little more. Merry Christmas to all!!!

#358-Dec. 24th

2011-12-24T11:35:00.000-08:00

I just adore our Christmas eve tradition. We take the kids out to look at lights and get McDonald’s for dinner. Then we open their one gift for the evening, and then we grill our best steaks and enjoy a quiet candlelight dinner while we wait for the kids to fall asleep. Every year I treasure this quiet downtime.

#357-Dec. 23rd

2011-12-23T11:32:00.000-08:00

Spent the afternoon getting sugar cookies made for the holiday.

#356-Dec. 22nd

2011-12-22T11:30:00.000-08:00

Kati’s class party was today. It was SO much fun! We are so thankful every day that she got the wonderful Mrs. Popham as her teacher again this year. She is fantastic with the kids and they all just love her so much {and so do the parents.}

#355-Dec. 21st

2011-12-21T11:28:00.000-08:00

Cole had his last preschool day before the holiday break and it included a party with gift exchange. He had so much fun.

#354-Dec. 20th

2011-12-20T11:27:00.000-08:00

#353-Dec. 19th

2011-12-19T11:27:00.000-08:00

#352-Dec. 18th

2011-12-18T11:26:00.000-08:00

It drives me crazy how the blog templates change the colors of my images. This is an abstract one I created for class. The colors truly are much more vibrant though.

#351-Dec. 17th

2011-12-17T11:25:00.000-08:00

#350-Dec. 16th

2011-12-16T11:24:00.000-08:00

Incredible fog blanketed the town today. It was eerily beautiful.

#349-Dec. 15th

2011-12-15T11:23:00.000-08:00

Tonight was the city swim meet. Blake took fifth in the city for the 25 meter freestyle. Great placing! So proud of him.

#348-Dec. 14th

2011-12-14T11:22:00.000-08:00

I spent the afternoon working with a fellow photographer and friend. I had to create a 1920s lipstick ad for a class assignment and she was willing to model her awesome hat while applying the lipstick. She is so gorgeous and fun to work with. Thank you so much Susie!

#347-Dec. 13th

2011-12-13T11:20:00.000-08:00

Cole, dressed in his redneck wear, wanted to get to meet Santa. He was SO thrilled to get to tell him his long list of things he wanted for Christmas.

#346-Dec. 12th

2011-12-12T08:19:00.000-08:00

Blake had his school band concert tonight, which included not one but two solos on his baritone. He loves being in Jazz band and I am so thankful every day for his teacher Mrs. Massey.

One of Blake’s jazz solos at the school Christmas concert

#345-Dec. 11th

2011-12-11T20:53:00.000-08:00

Pumpkin sauced spaghetti squash~a new recipe that was totally yummy!

#344-Dec. 10th

2011-12-10T20:53:00.000-08:00

HAPPY 14th BIRTHDAY to BLAKE!!!

#343-Dec. 9th

2011-12-09T20:40:00.000-08:00

#342-Dec. 8th

2011-12-08T20:31:00.000-08:00

#341-Dec. 7th

2011-12-07T20:30:00.000-08:00

Cole has begun to think my IPod is his personally toy to use whenever he is bored. This is the look I get when I ask for it back.

#340-Dec. 6th

2011-12-06T20:28:00.000-08:00

Today was Trent’s driving portion of his test to get his license. He passed and is now legally driving.

#339-Dec. 5th

2011-12-06T20:25:00.000-08:00

Driving back to North Dakota for the last time for a while. Love how the state welcome sign is full of bullet holes.

#338-Dec. 4th

2011-12-04T20:23:00.000-08:00

So tonight WAS suppose to have a family photo with me and my four siblings since it was the first time we have all been together in over four years. Instead you get a photo of Cole in the ER with suckers in his two favorite colors green and blue. He had an “incident” and a bb ended stuck up his nose. It took trying with tweezers, vacuum, then a medicine spray and special angled tool before it would come out.

#337-Dec. 3rd

2011-12-03T20:21:00.000-08:00

#336-Dec. 2nd

2011-12-02T20:20:00.000-08:00

#335-Dec. 1st

2011-12-01T20:19:00.000-08:00

Last month of the year, it is so hard to believe how time has passed. Kati and Cole were playing dress up this afternoon. She helped him to be a boxer.

#334-Nov. 30th

2011-11-30T20:18:00.000-08:00

I love glittery ornaments on the tree. They help to make it all shimmery.

#333-Nov. 29th

2011-11-29T20:16:00.000-08:00

This is an incredible image by Robert Heinecken that I am studying this week. Definitely a photographer worth learning more about.

#332-Nov. 28th

2011-11-28T19:37:00.000-08:00

Getting the finishing touches on the tree.

#331-Nov. 27th

2011-11-27T19:36:00.000-08:00

Cole maxed out at Grandma’s house.

#330-Nov. 26th

2011-11-26T19:35:00.000-08:00

My cousin Zach with Cole. I can hardly believe he will be graduating this year. He is grown up to be such a wonderful young man!!!

#329-Nov. 25th

2011-11-25T19:34:00.000-08:00

Row of pies for desserts…having a family game night tonight.

#328-Nov. 24th

2011-11-24T19:33:00.000-08:00

This is my brother Scott harassing my dad (Uncle Steve in the background.) With Scott some things will never change. Happy Thanksgiving to all!

#327-Nov. 23rd

2011-11-23T19:31:00.000-08:00

Cinnamon roll bites and rolls near the warm oven to rise. Yum.

#326-Nov. 22nd

2011-11-22T19:30:00.000-08:00

This is the initials and marks on Dan’s arm right before heading back into surgery.

#325-Nov. 21st

2011-11-21T19:29:00.000-08:00

My mom has been spending a ton of time getting all the goodies ready for Thanksgiving dinner.

#324-Nov. 20th

2011-11-20T19:28:00.000-08:00

View as we are almost to Great Falls.

#323-Nov. 19th

2011-11-19T19:27:00.000-08:00

It took almost 11 hours for what is usually a nine hour trip. Packed tight into the truck with all six of us and the two dogs.

#322-Nov. 18th

2011-11-18T19:26:00.000-08:00

Beautiful evening sky, my favorite light.

#321-Nov. 17th

2011-11-17T19:25:00.000-08:00

Spent the afternoon with a friend making cake truffles. The kids had them half gone the minute I got home.

#320-Nov. 16th

2011-11-16T19:24:00.000-08:00

Cole was so thrilled to get to play in the snow while I was out shoveling. Talk about a photo of pure joy.

#319-Nov. 15th

2011-11-15T19:23:00.000-08:00

Got our first significant snow fall of the year. It is beautiful blue skies now, but it definitely snowed last night and into this morning.

#318-Nov. 14th

2011-11-14T19:22:00.000-08:00

Up goes the favorite leg lamp…

#317-Nov. 13th

2011-11-13T19:22:00.000-08:00

This beyond incredible image is from photographer Brassai. I am researching him for a major paper this week. His night photography is wonderful.

#316-Nov. 12th

2011-11-12T19:20:00.000-08:00

And up the tree goes…

#315-Nov. 11th

2011-11-11T19:19:00.000-08:00

Out came the Christmas holiday decorations today. Dan is having surgery right before Thanksgiving so we wanted to get a head start since we aren’t sure how much he will be able to help when we get home.

#314-Nov. 10th

2011-11-10T09:16:00.000-08:00

This is a wonderful classic 50s style diner we got to go to tonight. The food was delicious and the malts were out of this world. Definitely a place we will go to again. Thankful to find a place that has good service and reminds me of some of my fave places in MT.

#313-Nov. 9th

2011-11-09T09:14:00.000-08:00

This is an image by wonderful photographer Cornell Capa. I am studying him this week in my photo history class. He is an awe inspiring man with an incredible collection of images that I recommend any one take the time to look at and enjoy.

#312-Nov. 8th

2011-11-08T09:11:00.000-08:00

This is how I caught Cole watching cartoons this afternoon. I guess it muse be more comfortable than the couch.

#311-Nov. 7th

2011-11-07T09:10:00.000-08:00

One of my new favorite things is spaghetti squash. It is a squash but when you cook it and use a fork to pull it away from the rind it comes out like spaghetti. Tonight I made it up with some tomatoes, peppers, olive oil, garlic, and mozzarella. Totally delicious!

#310-Nov. 6th

2011-11-06T09:08:00.000-08:00

First snow fall of the season has started, luckily it shouldn’t be too much.

#309-Nov. 5th

2011-11-05T07:03:00.000-07:00

Got my new business cards in the mail~YEAH! They are awesome. Every single one has a different photo on the front. It’s like a mini portfolio in my purse.

#308-Nov. 4th

2011-11-04T08:01:00.000-07:00

Very early morning so I could get the building shots done in the sunrise. It was beautiful.

#307-Nov. 3rd

2011-11-03T07:01:00.000-07:00

I have been officially hired for my first commercial photography gig. I am shooting a new clinic buildings exterior shots for their advertising campaign. Next I am working on a contract with them for the interior shots, and then maybe more. Huge thanks to my pal Nelly for recommending me for the job. This is the moon in the sky on the evening I did my scouting of the building.

#306-Nov. 2nd

2011-11-02T21:57:00.000-07:00

I thought this was just hilarious! This is a carpet layers vanity plate. {Love his Harley sticker, especially the skull!}

#305-Nov. 1st

2011-11-01T21:56:00.000-07:00

Couldn’t leave the princess out.

#304-Oct. 31st

2011-10-31T21:55:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween to all! This is my little ninja. He was sure to tell everyone that he was a Shadow Ninja and they are the fiercest of the ninjas. {Hence the scowl on the face, to be more fierce.}

#303-Oct. 30th

2011-10-30T21:53:00.000-07:00

This is from the Adidas soccer advertising images that I am working on for my studio class.

#302-Oct. 29th

2011-10-29T21:52:00.000-07:00

I am learning a new technique in my advanced studio lighting class. It is called light writing. This was suppose to look like a dark bunker. {all shot in studio with strobes and flash lights.}

#301-Oct. 28th

2011-10-28T21:50:00.000-07:00

For the past month I have gotten the incredible honor to shoot the 91st Missile Maintenance Group for part of my Editorial Photography class. The hard work, camaraderie, patriotism, and team work that this unit showed has blown me away. I am so thankful for this wonderful opportunity to show the hard work these people put into their jobs and into defending our country. {This shot is right before they had a luncheon to celebrate the people that made the Guardian Challenge team for this year.}

#300-Oct. 27th

2011-10-27T11:12:00.001-07:00

It is my week to drive the kids to school in the morning (a neighbor and I swap off until the buses start running next week.) I am thankful I was able to enjoy this most beautiful sunrise though.

#298-Oct. 26th

2011-10-26T11:10:00.000-07:00

Trent had to stand in while I adjusted lights again. I swear he is on his phone 24-7!

#297-Oct. 25th

2011-10-25T11:09:00.000-07:00

So thankful that today’s cruddy weather is still just bringing rain and not the snow yet. I am hoping it holds off for a few more weeks, doubt it will though…

#296-Oct. 24th

2011-10-24T11:08:00.000-07:00

Had to work on some cliché images for school so Trent wanted me to shoot a new Facebook pic while I had the guns and ammo out.

#295-Oct. 23rd

2011-10-23T11:07:00.000-07:00

Long drive back to North Dakota. Took some time to stop really quick and get the last shots of the mountains before they will be out of my sight for a while.

#294-Oct. 22nd

2011-10-22T11:05:00.000-07:00

Out celebrating Cara’s birthday with Kris and Cara. It was so nice to get out!

#293-Oct. 21st

2011-10-21T11:03:00.000-07:00

While in town Kati and I had to see our favorite hair stylist too, Melissa! She is a hair wonder!

#292-Oct. 20th

2011-10-20T11:02:00.000-07:00

Shilo and Dustin have been cutting the boys’ hair since Trent was Cole’s age! This time Shilo got both of the boys because Dustin was out of town. She got Cole to help cut stripes into Trent’s hair to try to freak him out. When she was cutting Cole’s hair he kept yelling “You are cutting my skin off.” It was hilarious.

#291-Oct. 19th

2011-10-19T06:50:00.000-07:00

Kati got a mini shopping spree and got this outfit she picked herself. She wanted a photo to show her dad the ensemble since he was gone.

#290-Oct. 18th

2011-10-18T18:49:00.001-07:00

This is the devilish look I get from Cole now when I tell him I need him to sit for a few minutes to check my lights. Apparently he wasn’t thrilled with helping me.

#289-Oct. 17th

2011-10-17T18:47:00.000-07:00

We had to upgrade Stevie’s cage this weekend. He has gotten huge in the last two and a half months.

Same log from when we first got him to now.

#288-Oct. 16th

2011-10-16T18:40:00.000-07:00

This was taken while Blake and I were waiting for two hours to be seen in the ER. He decided to jump off a set off gym mats that were stacked about five feet high. He was trying to bounce off the wall and land on his feet. He ended up slipping (wearing socks when he kicked off the wall) and face planted. He ended up knocked out for a few seconds and got to have his first CAT scan. They also ended up gluing his chin shut. He was most upset none of his friends got a video of the idiotic move for Youtube!

#287-Oct. 15th

2011-10-15T04:04:00.000-07:00

I am SO thankful everyday for this flag and what it means to me!

#286-Oct. 14th

2011-10-14T06:02:00.000-07:00

Love looking at life through my eyes!

#285-Oct. 13th

2011-10-13T06:01:00.000-07:00

I wanted to get a photo of how green my eyes looked today, but Cole wanted to help. As always he totally has to ham it up in front of the camera.

#284-Oct. 12th

2011-10-12T10:51:00.001-07:00

My kids have definitely got use to being in front of the camera. I had a family shoot for a family and needed a stand in before they showed up to double check my light set up and camera settings. Kati got to be my lucky stand in. This is the look that I got for pulling her away from playing. Still working on getting the lights the way that I like them the best. Getting closer but still needs work. I think I might end up breaking down and getting two new soft boxes…

#283-Oct. 11th

2011-10-11T10:47:00.000-07:00

#282-Oct. 10th

2011-10-10T14:28:00.000-07:00

View of the historic 10th Street bridge in Great Falls at sunset.

#281-Oct. 9th

2011-10-09T14:27:00.000-07:00

#280-Oct. 8th

2011-10-08T14:26:00.000-07:00

View driving into Great Falls from Havre.

#279-Oct. 7th

2011-10-07T14:25:00.000-07:00

#278-Oct. 6th

2011-10-06T14:25:00.000-07:00

#277-Oct. 5th

2011-10-05T14:24:00.000-07:00

#276-Oct. 4th

2011-10-04T14:24:00.000-07:00

#275-Oct. 3rd

2011-10-03T13:31:00.000-07:00

The end of another soccer season…

#274-Oct. 2nd

2011-10-02T13:30:00.000-07:00

I just hate how blogger desaturates my images. Does anyone know how to fix this? I have that my images don’t look so vibrant when posted online.

#273-Oct. 1st

2011-10-01T13:28:00.000-07:00

For this assignment we had to bring the outside indoors. I had to recreate a scene and its lighting in studio. Fun, but a lot of work!!!!

#272-Sept 30th

2011-09-30T13:25:00.000-07:00

#271-Sept 29th

2011-09-29T13:25:00.000-07:00

#270-Sept 28th

2011-09-28T13:17:00.000-07:00

THANK you to Nelly of Nelly Hernandez Photography for getting pics of me with my bike before I have to put it away for winter storage! Just LOVE them!!!

#269-Sept 27th

2011-09-27T13:15:00.000-07:00

#268-Sept 26th

2011-09-26T13:15:00.000-07:00