portraits: week 8

This week's portrait is of a couple that I serve with at church: Aaron and Abby.  Abby approached me about taking some family photos of them with this beautiful Autumn back-drop.  We decided that Farmington, the historic homestead, would be just the right setting.

Halloweenhead

I've got a halloweenhead
Head full of tricks and treats
It leads me thru the nighttime streets
Black cats and falling trees
Under ladders always walking
Salt shaker spills just throw it over your shoulder, babe

-r. adams

 

I look forward to my annual pumpkin carving party for months.  The thought of a huge pot of venison chili cooking on the stove, cider brewing in a crock pot, pumpkins waiting to be carved - makes me smile.  6th annual.  I cannot believe I have been doing it this long.  Maybe someday, you will get a handmade invitation in the mail to my 37th annual...

a beautiful day for a baby

I never thought that I could love someone so much who can't even talk or relate to me at all.  My heart, though, has warmed to a little girl by the name of Mary Grace.  The joy that I find in her smiles, giggles, wet kisses, and cuddly form is immense.  What is it that makes our hearts love such little things so much?  I can't even imagine what it would be like to have one of my own...

portraits: week 7

This week's portrait comes from a maternity portrait shoot I did for my friends Jordan and AJ Aspinwall.  So I pretty much think maternity pictures are totally awkward and sorta-creepy.  Jordan asked me if I would take her's and immediately I thought of black and white photos with naked pregnant women draped in black velvet.  Super Creepy.  Well, I found out that Jordan also thinks maternity pictures are awkward and asked me to take the pictures because she thought I would be of the same opinion -- thus not asking her to do anything weird.  Good thinking.  I tried to look at this like any other portrait.  In these, the viewer needs to see the mom side of Jordan - that she is nurturing and protective, while also beautiful.  In the photos with both mom and dad, we need to see that baby Jesse will be born into a loving home.

I have known Jordan since high school.  It is amazing that I have traveled through so many different stages of life with her.  It truly is awesome that I have good friends that have stuck around me for so long and not just become acquaintances.  I hope baby Jesse grows with friends like mine.

everybody likes a chalk drawing

No matter what age you are, drawing with chalk on a sidewalk or street is still real fun.  The colors are always bright, the pavement is always hot, your hands always get dirty, and the picture is always big.  This past weekend, Mary Margaret and I drew an outline of a "community" chalk picture on a large section of concrete outside of Sojourn Community Church for our annual Fall Festival.  We helped kids, adults, and teenagers design images of themselves in a crowd. 

Maybe we should all go out, buy some sidewalk chalk, find a friend, and make some art this weekend...

the house on park st.

Have you ever noticed that old houses always have so much more character than newer homes?  My first apartment was a house in downtown Bowling Green that dated to 1903.  A sense of history permeated the space.  My friends and I loved that house with its crazy wallpaper, drafty windows, creepy basement, and peeling paint.

portraits: week 6

You know she is a good one, if she can turn Ike Wassom speechless.  This is when I knew that my budding friendship with Miss Kelly Faber was going to turn out very well.  Kelly has brought wisdom, understanding, and an unique goofiness into my life.  On one hand, she is a super-smart Doctor and a mature woman in Christ.  On the other hand, she is a perfectly ridiculous, fun-loving, youthful, kooky girl.  So, pretty much, she is super-awesome and I love her dearly.

Some of my other favorite shots:

 

 a nice black and white one:

a shot with Kelly and her Mom:

the haunted bridge

There is a bridge on Old Richardsville Road in Warren Co. Kentucky that has a reputation of being haunted.  If you drive out onto the bridge at night, stop in the middle, and put your car in neutral, the ghost of creatures past will push you along, either to the other side or to your doom.  We liked doing this in college.

 

For some odd reason, we always reached the other side safely.  

A is for apple

Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings.
- Psalm 17:7-9

I was super-lucky to be able to go back to Jackson's Orchard this season.  Marissa and I were able to get apple slushies, fried apple pies, and caramel apples. And, just like school kids on a field trip, we became mesmerized by the apple conveyor belt.

portraits: week5

This week's portrait assignment: Miss Erin Newman.  I have been able to watch Erin blossom through high school, college, and the often ambiguous "after-college" years.  She becomes more and more beautiful every year - both her spirit and her presence.  It gladdens my heart to have her as part of my Louisville Family.

Rosine Barn Jamboree

I have a list of my favorite "Kentucky" things.  What tops my list?  Rosine, Ky.  This little town in Ohio Co holds quite a Big presence in the Bluegrass world.  As Bill Monroe's birthplace, Rosine looks back to the "good ole days" of community get -togethers, classic music, and the All-American Two-Step.  Every time we visit Rosine, it is obvious that we are outsiders, but the community always welcomes us in.  They will come up to us, ask us where we are from, what bluegrass music are we familiar with, and will even let us borrow instruments for the jam sessions outside the general store.  Kentucky, I love you.