unforgettable: fen meets kermit

Have you ever
been
inspired to
grab your camera
and just
'shoot from the heart'
?

I mean
what's the worst
that could happen?

The photos
might not
'turn out,'
technically-speaking

or you might
fall flat,
not capturing
that special
'something'
that made you
pick up your camera
in the first place.

You might even end up
deleting
each and every
shot
in frustration.

Or...

you just might

end up

capturing

something

truly

unforgettable.

***

I did just that

one afternoon last month

when Fen came over to

Grandma & Grandpa's house

to play.

Recently

I have been reading

The Unforgettable Photograph

by

George Lange

who says,

"Which moment will provide the unforgettable picture isn't much in your control...If you can't see the moments, you can feel their flow, like feeling the flow of music. That feeling is essential to taking good pictures; it's as important as having a good eye...I shoot using my heart more than my eyes."

I highly recommend

this book.

***

Someone's nose is out of joint

whenever

the

'noisy little bald kitten'

comes to visit.

Time

 for a nap

- safe and secure -

in Grandpa's arms

***

Notes:

CAMERA

Canon EOS 6D

Tamron SP 24-70 f/2.8 lens

Manual Mode

hand-held

ISO 3200

f/4.5-3.5 1/125 sec

LIGHTROOM

Minimal editing:

just a bit of the basics

and minor cropping.

How often does that happen?

***

Linking up with

Friday Finds

playtime

mouse over to see the original

***

Notes:

SETUP

teddy bear

belonging to

young Bobbie Swainson

c. 1960

+ 

wooden top and plaid scrapbook

belonging to

young Aldo Notarianni

c. 1930

+

wooden crate magazine rack

belonging to

my late sister Elissa

before I painted/distressed it 'shabby chic' style

setup

(+ tripod)

original photo

SOOC

Numerous shots in Manual mode,

playing with depth of field,

focal point

and shutter speed.

***

 In Lightroom

I cropped (4x5),

cloned away the dark corner,

played with

multiple adjustments

...

and then I scrapped it all

and started over

with Kim's

kk_oldendays preset.

Perfect!

Just the effect I was looking for.

***

In Photoshop

I added two layers of

kk_waterfront1

Hard Light 20%

and

Multiply 30%

(I lowered the saturation on this layer)

I masked the texture

off of the bear and the top.

Font:

2Peas Just Plain Little

***

Linking up with

Start to Finish 2

Be Still 52

animal lover

I'm linking up with Kat Sloma's Photo Heart Connection today, in which I choose a photo from last month that really speaks to my heart, and then tell why. While looking through my Lightroom catalogue I came across these two photos of the garden next to our front porch.

These were just quick practice shots I took the other day, picking up my 'big girl' camera for the first time in months after shoulder surgery in August. As is so often the case, a casual snapshot accidentally captures something special, and ends up worth keeping. These two photos remind me why I love my husband.

I call this my Hamster Memory Garden, the final resting place for Lulu, Buddy, Scooter, and now Henry. You can see the four stone 'markers' (one is actually a neat grouping of smaller stones). Two of these little guys - Lulu and Henry - started out as Erin's pets (Lulu was initially thought to be female, but the vet eventually informed us otherwise, but we never did change his name); the other two were mine from the start.

Bob never wanted to hold or even pet any of my hamsters (being a street cop in Toronto held too many memories of real-life encounters with large urban rats...hamsters are, after all, rodents).
UPDATE 11/8/13: After Bob read this post he clarified his position on petting the hamsters..."I just didn't want to get attached to the little critters..." He also routinely feeds the squirrels (also rodents), as well as the dogs next door.
But when Lulu, the first one, died it was Bob who talked me into going to the pet store to fill the void in my heart; I came home with Buddy. Then when Buddy died, Bob went to the pet store with me and helped me choose Scooter. Henry - the last one, and the sweetest - passed away in September.

It was Bob's idea last year to find a Saint Francis statue for this little corner of the garden, to watch over my beloved little critters. It was Bob who carefully dug each small grave, deep enough for the little kleenex-lined box to remain undisturbed. It was Bob who stood by my side - patiently, quietly, respectfully, each time as I tearfully said good-bye. Together we covered them with dirt and a simple stone marker (also his idea). And this last time just a few weeks ago, when I put a few peas and a sprinkling of broccoli slaw on each grave, he smiled as I reminded the little fellas,

"Life's short: eat your peas first."

And yes, the four tiny pumpkins were Bob's idea too.

***

***

Until one has loved an animal,

a part of one's soul remains unawakened.

Anatole France

***

Linking up with
Photo Heart Connection
Texture Tuesday

texture used (top two photos only):
kk_savor
Multiply ~50%
+Soft Light ~65% 

pre-Photoshop editing in Lightroom:
Dave Delnea's preset: C+V Washed Vintage-001

then my own RadLab 'recipe':
Edge Blur
+ Derelicte (39%)
+Meadowlark
+Homestead BW (28%)
+Boutwell Magic Glasses II

show & share: see clearly

I made this assemblage for Bob for Christmas a couple years ago, and it hangs on a wall in our dining room in a spot where I can visit it every day. I treasure it dearly for both the emotions and the memories it evokes.

I gathered a few precious souvenirs of our 2007 trip to the UK (rocks, sea shells, a piece of driftwood, a bit of dried heather - all gathered on the coast of Ireland) and combined them with some vintage lace, buttons and trim, and a bit of Gaelic text I found on the internet. The vintage photo mat I scanned from one of Rebecca Sower's photo art pieces, whose mixed media art inspired this piece. BTW, I have been inspired by the work of this amazing artist for years. And it's not just her art, it's the way she truly lives her faith, honoring the Lord in everything she does.

I started with an 8x10 canvas I bought at Michael's. I distressed the wood a bit, then applied some Golden molding paste with a palette knife. Once it was dry I sanded it, then began adding layers of liquid acrylic paint - rubbing, scrubbing, sanding the surface until it looked like driftwood. I painted the canvas in the same way, leaning more toward the wonderful faded aqua tones I remembered from the little seaside town where I took the photo. I did a bit of editing in Photoshop Elements to give the photo a dreamy, misty feel.

I assembled everything within the wooden frame (this makes a nice shadow box) and enclosed it with a piece of glass. Then I wrapped some annealed wire around it all to hold it together. I did use some strong glue (hidden under the driftwood) to keep it from slipping.

***

This layout is from the scrapbook I made to commemorate our trip. Waterville - located on the west coast of Ireland - is the one place Bob continues to mention as the place he would like to return to...

The journaling is in Bob's own words:

I would have been content to spend

the entire 24 days here...

walking the shoreline

and counting the waves.

***

An InLinkz Link-up

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show & share: bessie & bill

Have you ever been captivated by an old snapshot?

Well I have...a few times.

Like this one of
Bob's maternal grandparents:

a page from our 'ancestors' scrapbook

I can't wait to get my hands dirty again

with paint and paper and ink and glue...

***

An InLinkz Link-up

Share my button:

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friday finds: 2 good arms

This Friday Finds me at home, recovering from shoulder/rotator cuff surgery.

my new shoulder

Try as I might I can't quite seem to wrap my head around the whole picture that is the ingenious design of the human shoulder. No worries: I have an excellent surgeon. Just look at his work: a combination of masterful engineering and fine stitchery. All done arthroscopically, of course. Amazing! (I am reminded of my doll- and teddybear-making days long ago.) 

***

Did I say 'I'?

I meant 'we.'

Bob had the same surgery just five weeks ago. His shoulder injury apparently dates back some 13 years, while lifting weights. He did what any guy would do: tough it out and learn to work around the 'little bit' of pain...until a couple months ago when he tore his bicep tendon. After a week and some wicked bruising he finally asked me for the name of the shoulder doctor I had been seeing...and the rest is history. Oh yeah, and let's not forget the broken toes on his left foot, which happened the night before his surgery when he dropped a steel target on his foot. Or the wasp sting on his throat earlier that same day (which swelled up like a golf ball). We weren't sure they would even proceed with the scheduled surgery. But they did, and he did fine...and the fine folks at Panorama Orthopedics looked after his foot too.

We do get the most curious stares when we go out together in public. Bob has fabricated a parachuting mishap story, which is infinitely more interesting than reality. I believe my injury stems from last winter, when we were helping my mother pack up and move, so she could sell the family home. There were at least a few days of heavy lifting...and it's been sore ever since, and this time swimming didn't help. It actually made it worse.

The doctor prescribed physical therapy early in the summer, but it only got me so far. Even the eventual MRI didn't reveal the big tear that was hiding beneath the surface. So no one was expecting this much repair work, until Dr. Johnson got in there on Tuesday. Otherwise he would have waited a few weeks to give Bob a chance to heal a bit more before incapacitating me too. (My only request of the doctor was that we do this ASAP so that I/we could better focus on Erin's situation.) How fortunate we are to have a surgeon that doesn't just see a shoulder, but rather a human being...a family.

We do work well together, the two of us, each with his/her strong arm in a sling: between us we have two good arms. And many family and friends helping out as needed.

***

the lovely floral arrangement sent by

my friends at the bank

I will be on short-term disability from the bank for several weeks. A lot of time on my hands now, but I won't be in my studio, or able to operate my big camera for a long while, but with my computer and iPhone I will have plenty to amuse me. I was specifically instructed to learn to mouse with my right hand. And of course there's Physical Therapy - twice weekly for several weeks. Bring it!

***

Lillian is good company too

***

All photos taken with my iPhone 5,

then edited on my iPad mini,

with PicTapGo and Snapseed apps.

dad

For Dad:

I miss you.

a page from my art journal

using 'leftovers' from

the Fathers Day card

I made for Dad

2010

---

snapshot taken

on my Baptism day

June, 1960

No photo editing here;

it was just a test print that

turned out interesting!

***

 For Bob:

You continue to be

an amazing husband and father.

scrapbook pages

for Kelly (above)

and Erin (below)

April 2010

scrapbook page

for Erin

July 2009

('Ner' is the girls' nickname for their Dad)

***

Happy Fathers Day!

xoxo

solitude

We went on a little hike last Saturday at Flatirons Vista, where we used to hike with the girls many years ago. This time it was just Bob and me...and my Canon 6D. This was my favorite shot of the day: a perfect portrait of my husband, enjoying solitude, in his element...seriously, I just saw it unfolding, raised camera to eye, and 'click!' Well, maybe I did ask Bob to go back and re-trace his steps - s l o w l y - so I could frame it a little better. Only once though.

I played around with the image quite a bit before settling on this final version; first some fine-tuning in Lightroom. As you can see below, the color was so drab I knew immediately that a black & white filter would be a good starting point. I tried several B&W presets before settling on David duChemin's Green Filter Cool Duo, which I further tweaked in the Split Toning panel til it felt right. Then into Photoshop, where I smoothed out the sky with a gradient fill adjustment layer and applied two of Kim's textures: kk_vintageteal (Multiply 53%) and then scratchedmagic (Screen 56%). I must have cropped and re-cropped fifty times, mostly a matter of where I wanted the figure to be within the frame, and how to best use the strong diagonal lines of the fence.

Here's the original photo, SOOC (Straight Out Of Camera)

***

And the bit about 'solitude'...it's more than just an obvious choice for me to paste onto this image. I've always enjoyed solitude, usually content to amuse myself. Matthew Kelly calls it 'The Classroom of Silence.' A genuine respite from the chatter of everyday life.

Linking up with Texture Tuesday

xoxo

Cindy

winter haiku

Winter??

Don't you mean spring? Yeah, don't I wish. Here in these parts we're finally getting the precipitation our drought-stricken land has been craving for months. And in true Colorado style, April is turning out to be more wintery than January. Even the oft-repeated mantra, "we sure need the moisture" is wearing mighty thin.

So...I've been back in my studio in recent weeks, just casually playing around in my art journal with gesso, paint, paper, stamps, crayons, stitching...whatever I can get my hands on. While I thoroughly enjoy and love creating with camera and computer, I gotta admit that I have sorely missed the hands-on, real-time stuff in my studio.

I promised myself I would do  just one layer of something each day. Non-committal, no worries or expectations, or pressure to create a masterpiece or anything. Just play around and enjoy the process. That is what an art journal is for.

At some point in my layering process I dug up a spare print I had made years ago: a scanned favorite snapshot of young Bob and his friends on the makeshift skating rink at the park across the street from his house. Growing up in Canada meant strapping on ice skates at an early age...and, in Bob's words, "literally crawling home every night, exhausted from hours of hockey..." Fond memories indeed. He loved skating, and to see him on his hockey skates now...well, it's as if he'd been born with skates on. Which, as I said before, is not far from the truth.

I finally turned to haiku to express the sentiments I had unearthed and discovered that I can write...and poetry at that!

A strong contrast to his recent mutterings about winter, which I will leave to your imagination. I mean, the guy just wants to get out to the range and teach, and get on his bicycle and ride. I heartily concur.

***

Linking up with Tuesday Muse.

xoxo

Cindy

destiny

From a very early age it was understood that my husband Bob (RW) would follow in his father's footsteps and become a police officer. For over 28 years he honourably "served and protected" his fellow citizens, first in Toronto and later here in Lakewood, Colorado. He loved being a street cop.

Sgt 523

Metro Toronto Police

Early in his career he took up competitive shooting in order that he might be well-trained in the use of his sidearm: the one tool on which his life might depend. Bob's enjoyment of the shooting sports quickly grew into a passion for weapons training, which he in turn shared with his fellow officers. For 25 years he trained fellow officers in firearms proficiency and tactical safety. He eventually specialized in Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT).

MetroToronto's Emergency Task Force (ETF)

Team 6 Leader

Since his retirement in 2009, he has built his own business, RW Firearms Training. To say that it is his pride and joy is an understatement.

photo courtesy of Grant Leighton

But it's not just about the guns. Widely known in shooting circles as RW (Robert William) - Bob is definitely a people person. Remember the bit about his sidearm being the one tool on which his life might depend? Well, before he would ever allow himself to draw his weapon in any given situation, he made sure that he had exhausted all other options. In SWAT circles, it is known as the Three T's: Time, Talk, Tactics. In other words, a police officer needs to rely on his people skills to do his job well. In Bob's case, that includes a wicked sense of humour. They still talk about Bob's many witty "Swainsonisms" at Lakewood.

And, by the way, just because you have a skill doesn't mean you can teach it. Just ask his many clients, students, and fellow officers over the years if RW has taught them well. He is truly a gifted teacher. And he manages to make it fun, too. Bob counts many of his clients among his closest friends.

Running your own business is hard work, but we both acknowledge how truly blessed he is to be doing what he loves. And, as he likes to say, "I get to sleep with the boss's wife." LOL.

Enjoy this short video, borrowed from Bob's website and produced by his good friend and colleague Chris Mailliard, President and CEO of Fusion Preparedness.

Happy Birthday Bob!

May you continue to enjoy
the fruits of your labour
for years to come.

xoxo

Cindy

For all you photographers and fellow bloggers, I used one of Kim Klassen's storyboard templates for Photoshop. I scanned the old snapshots, then did some adjusting to even out the varied color tones among the group. I dropped them into the storyboard file, then layered a couple textures, including one of my own scans of a bit of textured fabric to convey the nostalgic/childhood/home feel I get whenever I look at old snapshots.