Last Post On Blogger! (At least for the moment)

I wanted larger photos for my readers to enjoy and I found a way to have them...just click the link and it will take you to my new photography journal on Wordpress. Hope you subscribe and bookmark my new page once you get there. Go there! Now. Leave a comment so I know you made it. Please!!! Do it. It will be fun! Thanks.

http://oneshotbeyond.com/

CONGRATS CLASS OF 2008!

As much as taking photographs of live subjects is what I live for...seeing their reactions to the photographs in print is almost just as gratifying as doing the initial photo session. I met up with two of my senior clients today to deliver their gorgeous session photographs. It is truly amazing to be a part of something as beautiful as making memories live on.

I am so grateful to my recent clients, specifically the SENIORS who are graduating later today! Hope your graduation ROCKS-just like each of you!!!

CONGRATS CLASS OF 2008!

Class Motto
"The biggest risk in life is never taking one"

Isn't this the best quote in the world?!

I'm working on some major blog changes...please hang in there for me in the coming days.

Herb & Natalie Say "I Do"! (Part One)

I'm excited to present Herb and Natalie on their wedding day. Herb is my brother-in-law. Since this was a family wedding there will be many photographs to share from this event.

It was a delightful day, beautiful ceremony and fun reception. Bet you can't tell it was in the 90's!
There was a soft breeze rolling through which kept everybody comfortable.
Here is the first set, hope you enjoy them.

More on the way...including some of my favorites!!!
(remember to click to enlarge each photo for best viewing)

Married at "The Grove".
Natalie & My Nieces and Nephews as They Arrived~

The Happy Couple~

Love This One!

A Favorite of Mine...My Mother-In-Law Walking Away After Lighting One of the Candles.
I like her expression and the way everything else is out of focus around her.

Natalie's Dad Hugging His New Son-In-Law Right Before the I Do's~

The Ceremony Kiss (barely caught it)~

The Modern Day "Brady Bunch". Aren't they a Gorgeous Family?Congratulations!!!

Tuesday's Texture Challenge (Part 4)

Mix and match the following three FREE textures to create new and
creative overlays for your own work.

Here are the two samples I came up with this week. The first has one texture overlay applied and the other has two textured overlays applied on it. The model is Tess, a senior from a recent shoot. See more of her photos here and here. Find more of my free textures from past weeks. using my "Quick Search Labels" link titled "Free Photography Textures".
Not sure how to add textured overlays to your photos? Click here for a simple step by step.
Now-Go texture something!

Also, how many of you out there would like me to continue with Tuesday Textures?
Let me know if you're getting use out of these or not. Thanks!

Download these FREE texture overlays at full resolution now. Click and Save!
Link back to me if you happen to use one.

Herb & Natalie Say "I Do"! (Sneak Peek)

More Coming Soon...

Any Fine Art Landscape Lovers out There?

Well, if there are you ought to get busy looking at Gary Love's Photography!

Gary Love is a local artist who travels the world in search of nature's beauty in it's raw and pure state. He passes on that beauty to the world in flawless photography. Gary delivers nothing better than the finest of quality in every masterpiece he creates. I've seen some of his work in person at my Aunt Tina's home and was frozen in front of the glorious perspectives this wonderful artist is able to capture. I have two favorites of his from inside my Aunt Tina's home.

The first is "Born to Run" and the second is "Purple Haze".

When browsing Gary Love's Photography make sure and click on each photo to hear in Gary's own words how each fine art masterpiece came to life and his views on them. I couldn't believe what happened to him right after he shot the "Simple Twist of Fate" photograph.

The book cover shown above is titled "Artist of the West". It was a juried coffee table book for Western artists only. Gary Love has four pages in the book as well as one image on the cover titled "Break on Through" (panorama aspens). More on his published work here.

Gary Love's fine art collections are sold as Limited Editions in series' of 300.

If you see one you love you need to move fast. What's not to Love?
Each piece brings you in and grabs hold of your very soul.

Dinner is Served

Dinner from five nights ago. Another family must have. Succulent tri-tip , rosemary herb potatoes and green beans. Mouth watering goodness from the tippity top to the last bite.
Never a drop of leftovers around when I serve this dinner.
Yes! I love the taste of success!

Dinora Class of '08

I met Dinora on Tuesday afternoon for her senior photo session. Besides having a wonderfully unique name, this senior has an adorable and infectious smile too!

I couldn't wait to take the first shot at our session.
We covered a lot of ground that day and have plenty to show for it.

We went for a variety and I think we did it. I had such a terrible time narrowing these down...just playing-it was soooo fun searching through the awesome mounds of files finding just the right ones for this post. :-)

My Pick of the Day! Of course, since it's the 1st time I've shot somebody wearing their cap & gown. She looks so beautiful here and so HAPPY to be GRADUATING!
Isn't the setting just splendid for this? Chillin out by this cool wall we found. Goodness her hair looks perfect...
and you can't even tell it was cold and windy out.Digging the framing on this one...stylish.Lovely in Vintage! The bricks remind me of school.A different look with a cool vibe!The classy and sophisticated shot of the day with a little extra texture flavor & text on it.
*Post update-
Gigantic THANKS to my dear friend & faithful blog reader Alisha for pointing out a grammatical error on this next photo and post title.
What would I do without my good friends to help me out?
I appreciate you spotting it and letting me know right away.
The original post had Class of 08' instead of Class of '08! OOPS!!! :-) The softer side of a gorgeous young lady...I so love this shot. Don't you???I am so grateful to Dinora for picking me to take her photographs...thank you girlie!
Good luck in College next year & Happy Graduation!!!

Let's go for a Stroll (2)

Hope you're enjoying out stroll through SRP. I know it's been slow going, but I think nature should be savored in this way.

These rocks tickled me. I burned the edges some, but other than that all of the following SRP photos are unaltered.

(Be sure to click each photo to see them bigger)

"Hardness Amongst Amber""A Stiff Path""The Fallen Comrade"My Very Own "Gentle Warriors""A Hushed Vista"

Check out Let's go for a Stroll and Let's go for a Stroll (1)
along with Lavender Bliss from past SRP posts of mine.
Then go ahead and come on back and see the rest in the coming weeks.

My 100th Post!

For my 100th post I wanted to pick something really special to post. This may seem like just another flower and broken leaf, but it's more. This flower grows in a bed of pansies right next to our pool in the backyard. It was there almost a year ago when we 1st went to look at the house we ended up buying. I thought once it disappeared in the fall it would be lost forever. I think I practically forgot about it altogether until my husband called me outside one evening last week.

It was such a beautiful sight to see this beautiful flower pop out again this spring. The first time I saw it I figured would be the last.

What a happy reminder of our
soon to be
1 Year Anniversary in our new home!

So for my 100th post I give you..."A Beauty All It's Own"!

(click on the photo to enlarge it to it's full loveliness)

Tess Class of 08' (On Top of the World)

More of Tess...this time she's on top of the world!

Need I say more? Didn't think so!

Gorgeous Light + Gorgeous Girl = This Awesome Photo Below (A favorite of mine)
(click each photo to enlarge)

What a Sweetheart!Loving the Game & Looking Great!Another favorite of mine...totally cute!The Entire Family-now we see where Tess got her good looks from!Thank you Jim, Debra & Tess for a great time yesterday...it was such a fun time meeting you all. See more of Tess here.

Come back for more...you won't want to miss what's coming up in the last set of Tess! I'm having such a hard time narrowing down which ones to post. :) That's a good thing.

Also, Texture Tuesday will either be pushed back to Thursday or next week to accommodate for Senior Class of 08' postings before graduation.

I'll Admit It...They've Got Me Too!

I can't help it. I have to share my favorite drink with you. I rotate favorites about every 2 years. This years kick is the white mocha, extra hot, non fat, 2 pumps rasberry and whip cream. I go for the grande. I can't finish anything larger than that. I will warn you...this drink is a SWEET drink, but if you like sweet at all you ought to get you one next time you're there.

Last years drink was the chai latte. And the year before that was the caramel macchiato, extra hot, non fat, upside down with no whip. I try not to get more than 1 a week,

but today was a very rare and happy exception!

Comment below and share your favorite drink & coffee shop

(especially if it's one that's not on their regular menu)!

:-)

Here's to Mondays!

Tess Class of 08' (Stop and Stare)

It was my pleasure to work with beautiful Tess early today for her senior photo session. This picture had to be the sneak peek of her shoot. While editing I couldn't help but hum the tune to OneRepublic's song "Stop and Stare". I spotted this mini stop sign in a local community and just had to have her pose by it. Tess was up for trying all sorts of fun stuff and it payed off-her photos are seriously SIZZLIN HOT! Doesn't hurt that she's so pretty and photogenic!

Look for more coming soon...

(click to enlarge-much nicer enlarged) :)

Let's go for a Stroll (1)

Another view of the earthy SRP.


"That the sky is brighter than the earth means little, unless the earth itself
is appreciated and enjoyed".

By-
Helen Keller

More SRP photographs
here & here and even more on the way.

Go enjoy the beautiful earth this weekend...you know I will be.

Rosey Mornings

Just thought I'd post this sweet rose to remind us all to savor our mornings and keep them rosey and cheerful. Sad news came last night; my sweet and smiley Aunt Tina passed away a little after 8pm. She was ill for the past few months and rather weak for several years in a row now. That never stopped her from sharing an encouraging story, lending an ear, helping out those around her or having family get togethers on her enormous property. I remember years and years full of parties, Thanksgiving dinners, baby showers and just for fun BBQ's at her home. We would all play hours of vollyball, cards or horseshoes together. Tina would usually be cooking for everybody or in deep conversation with others at her custom giant banquet table.

I will always remember her sweetness, soothing voice, easy tempermant, love for children, bright blonde hair and famous cheesy potatoe casserole (1 with onions and w/o to please everybody). That was her way. She was one of the most pleasant people I've ever met. Her kindness and loving spirit will be greatly missed.

My heart goes out to all those who loved her as I did.

A Style Queen Extraordinaire

I'm Posting THIS Blog Because #1 I Found It & Love It and #2 Because I Believe Every Girl Could Use a Little More Style In Her Life.

(I'll find something for you boy readers later)!

Better yet...take a look and keep your style meter updated so you can get in a really

sweet spot with the lady love in your life.

Have yourself a looky loo. You're going to love, love, love the stream of inspiration and color her blog exudes. Don't stop there though...Jen Ramos is a powerhouse and has her own company MADE BY GIRL. Check it out! Do a little shopping & bookmark it because like I said you're going to LOVE her stylish & colorful creations.

This poster is what I am falling for at the moment, only it wouldn't fit in anywhere in my house. Darn, Darn, Darn.

GO GET INSPIRED ALREADY!

Let's go for a Stroll

Over the weekend my family and I visited a local Ecological Reserve, The SANTA ROSA PLATEAU (I'll be referring to it as SRP). I was wildly enchanted by every bit of what I saw. I think we covered nearly ten miles of ground that day. What a special piece of land! Over the next few days I hope to take you on a stroll through the raw beauty of this place. I will be going back time and again I'm sure. I am putting this on my list of places to visit next spring when the wildflowers will be in bloom.

Oh...my photograph posted yesterday called "Lavender Bliss" was taken during my visit to SRP.


This sign was posted at the exit of the trail head we departed from.

I do not know why I am choosing this photo at this very moment to post, but it grabbed me and won't let go. Sheesh...this spot...this view...the quietness...the overflowing peace that it brings back to me. It's too hard to explain in just words.

If you look closely you'll notice the tree in the center-bottom half of the photograph had fallen over. It was just a massive twisted heap perfectly centered between the branches of the healthy tree I was photographing. It looks dinky in this photo, but it was NOT dinky at all.

(click on photo to enlarge)

Talk about a gorgeous day! Even when it was breezy and turned cloudy it was like the sky was smiling down upon us as we hiked our way through the acreage.

Friends Make all things Brighter

Jen-thank you for these kind words & mention in your profile and I'm so happy that quote resonated with you in those dark days. Thank goodness they're in the past now!

Jason-thanks for featuring me earlier this month! I don't how I forgot to mention it sooner. Your blog rocks and I'm loving your photographs from Paris!

Have a look at my profile featured on Jason Moore's Blog earlier this month if you fancy. And make sure to check out Jen's profile and blog as well.

I'm so blessed to have great friends that brighten my days!

A quote to learn by,

“When you have come to the edge of all the light you have, and must take a step into the darkness of the unknown…Believe that one of two things will happen to you…Either there will be something solid for you to stand on or you will be taught how to fly.” Unknown Author

Lavender Bliss

On a recent nature walk I found a dollop of beauty among the blandest of twigs.

I couldn't help myself from capturing this photograph.

For miles there was nothing but dullness and suddenly about an inch and a half of lovely lavender brightened up the path.

Truly breathtaking (at least I thought so)!

Tuesday's Texture Challenge (Part 3)

Tuesday's Texture Challenge is back! Here are some new textures to add a little umpf to your photographs when they need it or just for the pure sake of having fun. Read more about my texture challenges here.
Remember you can download the original size here and use it in any manner you'd like.
These were some quick edits. I personally love the texture #6. It totally looks like water drops!

Free texture #5 & Sample

Free texture #6 & Sample