FRESH FOCUSES Photography

Simple Steps...

2011-12-17T10:18:00.000-08:00

I shot this flower one day on my way to work out at the Silverado Resort Spa. At the time I never knew this flower would turn out to be one of my favorite shots but the colors, the lighting and the simplicity of the moment bless me every time I look at it.

I found out later that this Day Lily's life isn't very long...only a day. Imagine that...one day of life.

I wonder how we would live if we only had one day left?

Sounds daft perhaps but I look at my photoshoots as if each one will be my last. That way I can put my best foot (or in this case my best lens) forward.

Works well for this pensive photographer.

Flagstaff Photographer

2011-10-19T16:21:00.001-07:00

Flagstaff has so much to offer a photographer. Not only beautiful sunsets, sunrises and mountains, and four seasons, but a diverse population of fun people and playful pets. I'm so blessed to report that my business here has proliferated beyond my imagination.

While in Napa Valley, I also had the wonderful blessing of shooting great landscapes, rustic homes, verdant hillsides and of course...the vineyards. On file are thousands...yes, thousands of shots over the course of 16 years...most shots on my bike or hiking.

I am truly blessed and all thanks goes to my Wonderful Counselor and Ever-lasting Father!!!

Flagstaff, Arizona...just about 7,000 feet...

2011-07-31T15:34:00.000-07:00

God does work in mysterious ways...and the older I get, the more I see that His ways are definately not our ways. As a photographer, I can surmise that there are times my pictures turn out a lot different that I thought they would. Yes, even in this day of digital previews of every image on my monitor, I'm often surprised once I get home and excitedly view each shot...only to find out, in most cases, how great that shot really was. That's a good thing in my world.

I knew when we moved to Napa Valley 15 years ago that it would be temporal, but what I didn't know was that we would be moving back to Flagstaff. We, my husband Dan and I, assumed we would buy land in middle Arizona, build a vineyard and open a photography/pr studio and accounting firm. Great picture hun?

Well, such is life that the Good Lord would have us move back to the mountains of Flagstaff. We knew in our hearts it would be a good picture, the sunsets, majestic hillsides, aspens, urban trails and the heartbeat of our life...our son, his wife and...our precious granddaughter.

What we didn't know was the picture was even better than we imagined.

Such is life...such is the heart of our God, always looking out for us in every capacity...be from directing my lens or directing our lives, He is in control and more often than not, He'll work in mysterious ways.

No Language Barriers in Photography

2011-02-20T07:49:00.001-08:00

I love the fact that I can sit down with anyone in the world, show them images and not have to interpret. Pictures speak for themselves...the photographer brings the interpretation in his/her style and the spectator conceives.

A Good Photograher is a Healthy Photographer

2010-11-07T16:38:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow marks the third week since I was hit, head on, by a car. I was on my bike and the driver came over into my lane. Thank God she stopped or I wouldn't be here casually writing on my blog. I was very blessed to be able to walk away from this accident and though I will have a good six to eight months of doctor visits and pain...I am thankful.

At least once, my doctor has stated, "if you weren't in such good shape you could have really gotten hurt." This applies to my profession as well.

There are a lot of skills a good wedding photographer should possess, but the main one...I think, is good health.

Since I was 18, healthy eating was always an issue for me, mostly because I struggled with weight and I was always looking for the best new "few pounds" off diet. But now, eating and exercising is not so much about "weight" as it is maintaining good health.

An eight-hour wedding shoot, even with a second shooter can be compared to a marathon. With all the equipment I need for lighting, charging and back-up consider this. My camera weighs in a few ounces less than ten pounds. Doesn't sound like much, but when your bending, stooping, running and sometimes laying on the ground..that 10 pounds adds up...fast.

Oh, I didn't mention the five or so pounds strapped to my body by way of a vest and the extra camera hanging off my side.

There's a lot of good supplements on the market, and I do partake of my fair share. However, the best supplement I've found is eating 95% organic, juicing 100% organic veggies, and Vita-Mixing 100% organic veggies. These I partake of every day...and this had made the difference...along with biking, hiking, weight-lifting.

I'm very thankful the Good Lord showed me an easy, affordable way to good health...and, He showed when I was young.

Onward healthy photographer!

God's Glass

2009-12-12T13:10:00.000-08:00

Without excuses, perhaps purposely...I tend to repeat myself. So was the case this morning as I was reading Exodus 31:3, "And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship."

My glass, that is, my lens, is filled with God's Eye and I truly believe that it is He who leads me to the shots that, to be honest at times blow me away. I'm not saying that I'm not a hard-worker, or that my years of education were feckless, but what I'm saying is this, "it is truly God who fills my lens and gives me the creative for each shot."

That's also not to say that I put my camera in "auto" mode and shoot away aimlessly hoping for a good shot. It is to say this, each shot I take is presupposed with God's Spirit leading, guiding and directing me. God gives me the wisdom, understanding and knowledge of my aperture, shutter, ISO settings. My job is to be educated and learn all I can to give my clients the best....and the best I can give is being faithful to Him, and continue to persevere and work toward post-grad certification as a "expert" in photoshop (June 2010).

An adage adapted in the world of photography is "it's all about the glass". That is, it's not so much the camera but the lens (glass). I agree for the most past...my addendum would be, "it's God's Glass."

Harvest 2009

2009-10-23T22:48:00.000-07:00

Harvest this year was just plain fun and my camera snapped more images of smiling faces (well they're smiling buried in grapes) and plump grapes than my cards could hold. Dan's vineyard yielded a good crop and once again his talented hard-working hands produced some beautiful grapes.

Next to cycling photography is a great release for me and vineyard shooting is one of my favorites so I ventured out of our vineyard and rode the trail. This last week I took a mid-morning ride and captured some of the most intense fall shots of the season.

Mile-after-mile, the reds and bright yellows of fall filled my frame with images of fall in Napa Valley. I stopped so much it was almost a chore to get my heart rate to any degree of "up", but the intensity of the colors did a good job and who knows...we may find out someday that the pressing of the shutter combined with the excitement of the shot...may burn more calories then we ever imagined. Now that's a good thought!

Up late...yes, sleep can wait...

2009-08-25T22:21:00.001-07:00

Typically, I promise my clients at least two to three weeks before they will get their pictures. Of course the second I get home I download them, copy them and make sure they're safe and protected. I find it nice to to let my mind take it easy for a few days and rest before I get to the process of going through each image and deciding which ones to keep or delete. By the way, the percentage of keepers is usually around 97%.

For good reason, this week, as a matter of fact, first thing on Monday I began the process of "post work". You see, Chris, the groom will be going into the Army reserves next Monday. Chris had no expectations of seeing the pictures before he left, however, I felt it very important that he does see them.

If Chris can dedicate his life to serving our country, than I can certainly leave my comfort zone and push to get these pictures finished so he can enjoy them before he leaves. Frankly, it's the least I can do.

Wedding on the Horizon

2009-08-21T11:58:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow I'll be shooting my first wedding in the Carneros region of Napa Valley. The venue is right smack in the middle of vineyards with some interesting (at least to this photographer) trees, stairs and even a rustic white woodshed.

In the midst of preparing my equipment my mind is contemplating creative shots that will bless the bride and groom with fond (and fun) memories and my heart is seeking the Lord for wisdom and guidance.

I may have mentioned this, but my husband and I never had a big wedding. Fact is we got married (30 plus years ago) at a justice-of-the-peace in Chandler, Arizona (we lived in Flagstaff), who (except for God) would have imagined I would be a wedding photographer!

God does have a sense of humor...and He uses it well.

In a whimsical kind of way, I get to live the wedding I never had over and over and over again. Yes, I do get teary-eyed when the bride first appears with her dad and my heart melts when I see the groom look at his bride and the first kiss of their marriage always stings my heart.

The best part however, is this... because I'm the photographer I get the best seat in the house--right up front!

Yes, every wedding is exciting to me and I have to confess...I LOVE MY JOB!!!!

A Grand Season

2009-07-29T11:06:00.000-07:00

For almost two weeks now we have been blessed with a beautiful little girl who at this moment is almost eight pounds...Gabriella Juliette "Ella".

As we drove the 800 plus miles to see our little baby, thoughts whirled though my head as I envisioned holding her, smelling her breath, changing her diaper and of course, photographing her. My visions fell short when it came to reality, her small little frame was more than our minds could ever conceive.

Pappy, Dan's new title, held Ella as if she was a priceless jewel, his big hands almost covering her frame. Granamo, that would be "me", held her with great confidence and unhindered prayers and thanks-to-God for her life.

Our son, Kai, insists Gabriella will ride a unicycle before a bike (and I'm sure she will), and new ma-ma, Amber, just sweetly smiles, her eyes full of love for her husband and new daughter. What a picture of love, joy, peace...contentment.

Yeah, it's a grand season...and the hard part is being so far away...but to help ease my pain and re-focus I'm going to put myself to a challenge, 200 miles on my bike in seven days.

I know that's now much for most athletes, especially athletes in Flagstaff, but for me it'll be a challenge because I'll be including some tougher rides in the mix, a 60 miler to Calistoga, Atlas Peak and Mt. Veeder...it'll be fun and I'll take along my best Friend, Jesus, and my long-time companion, my old Nikon D-70 and together, well...we'll have a grand time.

My Eyes

2009-07-16T05:00:00.000-07:00

As I've said before, my gift of photography is a gift from God. I was perusing some images yesterday, not client images but images I took off-the-cuff. Now even with the years I spent in college studying photography styles, do's and don'ts and ratios, etc., etc. There were shots I took that were so in sinc in lines and flows of imagery, there is no way I could have possibly point-and- shot the picture unless there was a supernatural force behind it.

Take this shot, for instance. The curve of the tree perfectly matched the angle of her head adding balance and structure to the overall composition. Gusieppe, the dog, placed perfectly beside the young woman allowing full view of her hair.

In summary...perfect shot from a perfect God!

What A Priviledge

2009-05-08T18:08:00.000-07:00

This Mother's Day, I get to work. Yeah, I have a photo shoot. Why did I schedule a photo shoot on Mother's Day? Well, this one is extra special. You see, I'm going to be taking pictures at a local assisted living home. I get to share my gift of photography with women, perhaps men as well, who might not have the opportunity of a professional photograph. We're going to print the shots on the spot, then mat them and package them.

My friend Diane is coming to assist me and I know she'll have just as much fun as I will. I look forward to meeting new friends and since I can't be with my son and his wife (and grandbaby on the way), spending time with these dear people is something I truly look forward too. Of course my gorgeous husband will then bless me with dinner...so, it's not a complete work day. Plus, I'll get a good bike ride in to church and back, and hey...for me that's a wonderful Mother's Day.

My Favorite Wedding of '08

2009-01-22T17:45:00.000-08:00

Every year it seems like I have more fun photographing weddings than the year before. People are, for the most part, really joyful at weddings and my big smile seems to fit right in.

It's really hard to peg my favorite wedding of 2008, but getting out of town is aways fun especially when my husband, Dan, and I have time for long bike rides. We had a wedding in Monterey, so we took advantage of the great weather and rode for miles (around 33) along the coast. The fresh ocean air filled this photographer with great ideas and this shot was one of them.

Why I love Wedding Photography Part 1

2008-08-19T14:43:00.000-07:00

I always ask myself, "who is more stressed out, the bride or the wedding photographer?" Okay, in my case I admit it, I do get stressed out a little during weddings. I do pray A LOT and it helps A LOT, but weddings can be tough. You only have this one chance to get it right...if you don't get it right, it's not like they can re-create the scene all over for you.

However...the wonderful part of wedding photography is sitting down at my computer the next day (sometimes that night) and looking over the images. It's not that I don't dis-qualify myself as a good photographer, but I'm so thankful to God for arranging my mind, my eyes, and even my commands to my subjects. I'm often so blessed and say, "thank You Lord, thank You for all your help." I truly believe this gift of photography is from Him.

I truly love wedding photography. It's like sharing someone's really special day with them except that I get to go deeper and just like a reporting photo journalist (this was, by the way, my first degree in college before switching to public relations) whose primarily obligation is to not only get the facts but document them.

Even the shyest of brides seem to get use to my photo intrusions after a while. I guess they figure they just better get use to me...and they do, in the most beautiful way. Of all the brides I've had the honor to photograph they've all had a beauty that warmed my lenses and poured beautiful images out of my printer.

Then there's the groom and his team of guys who demand special tactics on behalf of the photographer. Guys just seem to freeze up when a camera's around. I've found that after many moments of cajoling and comical questions always brings doable album shots.

One thing I've noticed lately is that when anyone at a wedding I'm shooting has a question, who do they shoot (pun intended) for answers? You guessed it, the lady who sticks out with her Gary Fong Lightsphere (flash diffuser) and honkin' big camera...yes, that would be me.

...better get back to the computer, wedding post work. More next time.

Photographers Don't Grow on Trees

2008-04-21T14:28:00.000-07:00

Lately it's come to my attention that people don't really understand all the work and time that photographers put into their business. Taking the actual pictures is really just the start. When I work with a client, say, a simple portrait session, consider the following crucial steps:

at least two days and several hours scout time to determine the best time of day, lighting, etc.
prepare equipment, clean lenses, prepare flash cards, check batteries, re-charge equipment, etc.
review in my mind the person, what style would they like, what I would do or talk about to put them at ease so get that once-in-a-lifetime shot.
at least one hour or more shoot time, not including the time it takes to load equipment.
Drive time, props
shooting, I always go over on time, but I don't charge for it
post work: opening the files in PhotoShop RAW format and converting to jpeg, depending on images this can take 4 to 10 hours. Especially in group shots when one person doesn't want to smile or a child keeps moving.
any softening or special effects work
meeting with the client to go over the images
more computer/lab work.

Oh, did I mention taxes and bookkeeping? Probably not because this is my least favorite side of the business.

Now, consider this: I pay upwards of $125 plus tip to color and cut my hair. A massage, much needed for someone who likes to workout and also lifts heavy camera equipment, can cost $65 plus per hour. A pedicure is $45 an hour, plus tip...I can go on and on.

In college, I studied journalism and a good two years was concentrated on photography, then 14 years in my darkroom. Currently I'm in my 4th PhotoShop class and will probably take it for another two years. I won't even go into the cost of equipment except to say this...my new lens costs just as much as my new camera.

Photographers don't grow on trees, and we work hard, really hard to get the documentation of your wedding, your precious graduate or your beautifully aging grandmother just the way they would want to be remembered.

My current price for a one-hour portrait session which includes a print package and full cd of images is $175. Pretty fair hun?

Photography

2008-03-28T07:13:00.001-07:00

I met with a client the other day and from the beginning of our meeting I had this lack of peace. Though I really liked the people, I felt inwardly that this wasn't a good match for me. They loved my work, especially my prints with Scripture, and truthfully I really liked them.

However, there was this lack of peace.

Along with shooting through God's Eyes, my prayer for me as a photographer is to shoot through His Mind. A lot of people wouldn't outright understand that, but what it means is listening to His Spirit and succumbing to His Will rather than my own.

Sometimes when I'm in a middle of a shoot, I find myself praying seeking the Lord for His direction...He's never let me down. Now you might be thinking, "well if you're a professional photographer shouldn't you know what you're doing?" I would answer, "yeah, I've got the years of schooling and the experience." But you know, being dependent on God for all things doesn't make me less knowledgeable about what I'm doing, but makes me more powerful because my power comes from the creator of the universe who knows all things. He controls the lighting, the smiles that are generated, the conversation and the technicalities of the equipment.

He's NEVER let me down.

Check out the bride and her nephew. Precious. Precious in God's Eyes.

One Very-Cool Ride

2008-01-26T00:00:00.000-08:00

There are many reason why this bike ride is going to be fun, but the most important is the ride accommodates a wide range of ages and athletic abilities. Let's face it, if you can ride a bike five to eight miles, a 15 miles should be cake. Now, if you're a 15 mile-rider, then what's another 10 miles especially with a group of friends, business associates or your family pushing together. Now the more challenging 50 miler, well, this is a great start for experienced cylcists wanting to push themselves and a great primer for cyclists who are gearing up for century rides.

However, cycling in Napa Valley in the Spring, in a safe controlled environment should entice cyclists from across the nation. The vineyards are blooming with tell-tale signs of mustards, daffodils boasting bright colors and other adorations of Napa Valley foliage. From rustic farms to exquisite mansions, it's really quite beautiful.

The really cool aspect of this ride are the two organizations that the Rotary Club of Napa has selected to raise funds for. The Pathway Home Project, a transition center located at the Yountville Veterans Home geared specifically for Afghanistan and Iraq Veterans and Enchanged Hills Camp for the Blind and Visually-Impaired (in conjuncion with Lighthouse).

Probably the best way to get involved is to form a team and raise pledges. See our Web site for more information: www.cycle4sight.com.

Photography

2008-01-25T23:42:00.000-08:00

Photography has changed a lot in the last 10 years. We moved from the dark room to the computer, and hey, it's exciting stuff. The only problem is non-photographers have no idea the time it takes to manipulate an image. I think a lot of people are of the assumption that photographers tap a few keys and in seconds refresh, enliven, brighten and...viola. Spending time in PhotoShop can take hours sometimes, and hey, a lot of times it's not because the photographer didn't get the lighting right. Many times it's refinishing our clients mistakes. But that's okay...because I love photography.

A View From The Top

2008-01-18T13:56:00.000-08:00

This is a picture of our friend Archie, atop Mt . St. Helena, in the Napa Valley.