...in finding old photographs.

     Photography has always been a favorite medium of mine.  Growing up, my sister's and I spent much of our summer's at our grandmother's house.  My room was the "Sewing Room" which was not a room where my grandmother sewed but rather a room where she kept everything that didn't fit in any other nook and cranny of her home, including but not limited to an old crib.  I think there might have been a sewing machine in the room, but I'm pretty certain it was in a back corner covered up by boxes, stacks of newspapers, and dust.  I remember one night I spent in this room with my sister, she got the bed and I being the youngest was relegated to the floor.  During the night as I tossed and turned I apparently made my way under the crib.  One side of the crib rail had been lowered, and under the crib my grandmother stored all of her wrapping paper neatly folded and ready to reuse. I was fairly upset when I awoke to find myself imprisoned in a crib rail cell filled with wrapping paper.  This sounds funny now but as a 7 year old I was quite affected! I couldn't wait to graduate to the room where my oldest two sisters slept. Their room had a huge menacing bear rug hanging on the wall above the beds, but strangely enough I was more scared of the crib rails and wrapping paper then I was of the bear.
     The only way to get to my room was to go down this one lengthy hallway.  On one side of the hallway were a number of rooms including the sewing room and on the other side was a wall covered from top to bottom in photographs.  I can remember turning on the light in the hallway and just standing there staring at all of those faces of relatives from long ago.  I was enthralled by the photographs of my grandparents from when they were young. My grandparent's were both beautiful individuals, these early images portrayed vibrant and happy people without the grey hair and wrinkles.  I was enchanted by the black and white images of these two who I knew in an entirely different manner.  Today I was reminded of the wall of photographs by a link I clicked on as I was browsing my photography blogs.  The photo's displayed on this page are some of the only color photographs that exist from the Depression Era (http://extras.denverpost.com/archive/captured.html).  The images are incredibly real.  The people in them raw and unposed.  I can only ever hope to attain from my viewers the feelings that these honest images emote in me, but that won't stop me from trying.  This is why I strive to keep my images as natural and unposed as possible. This is the type of photography that first drew me to pick up a camera and this is what keeps drawing me back again and again. All these years later it's not the material possessions piled high in the sewing room that hold the memories I have of my grandparents, but rather the images I have in my mind and those in print that endure.
     Just for fun, here are a few images of my grandparents from my grandmothers wall all those years ago.

And finally my grandparents as I will always remember them, standing in front of their Southern California home.

...a welcome reprieve.

This year has been one of the busiest seasons of my life.  I have not posted as much as I would have liked.  It's been way too long since I posted something other than a session.  I have a new vision for this blog formulating in my mind.  It's been taking shape for a few months now, and is still in the brainstorming phase. It has something to do with being more real and trying to be true to who I am.  I think I have been sticking to close too the vest and not revealing enough about the things with which I struggle and the things for which I am passionate.  It's a fine line between sharing too much and not sharing enough.  This will still be a space to share my photography but hopefully to communicate a little more of who I am too. More on all of that later.  For now here are a few images from a beautiful vacation we took to Key West in February.  It was a much needed reprieve from the craziness of our lives this past year. I only just started working on these and will post the rest soon. Thanks for stopping by!
Lindsay

Kate loved playing on the airport chairs.

 Eli thought he was super cool in my shades.

 At the Pelican Sanctuary.

 This is one of the many bridges between Key West and Key Largo.  I submitted it in an Art Auction today to raise money for 20liters.org.  Kind of excited about that. Ahh, who am I kidding I'm super excited:).

...making breakfast together.

This family session was an incredible experience.  My hope is that their story is told through these images. I see so much of who they are individually and who they are as a family. I am so thankful for the opportunity to capture this day. 

Love is making breakfast together and staying in your P.J.'s on cold winter days. It's cooking with a baby on your hip. Love is tiny little toes and flour on your nose.  It's in the mischievousness
of a father and the adoration of a mother. It's curly brown hair and chubby little fingers. It's playing with a dog 3 times your size. Love is snuggles and laughter. Love is between sisters.  Love is little girl giggles. Happy First Birthday Miss M!