not still life...real life

So

I've been busy lately

...

watching my child

watch her child.

It doesn't get any better.

***

Canon 6D

Tamron SP 24-70 f/2.8 lens

Manual Mode

ISO 1600

f 3.2  1/100 sec

LR preset: kk_barelycolor

Texture: kk_epic

Drawing

done with

Sanford UniBall Fine pen

***

Linking up with

Be Still 52 (week 30)

Texture Tuesday

P.S.
Happy Birthday
to my own
Mom
Great-Grandma Peggie

an american-italian thanksgiving

These things

say

'Thanksgiving'

to me:

Canon 6D + Tamron 24-70 lens
LR preset: kk_earthywgrain

PS textures: kk_waterfront1 and kk_waterfront21

as seen on Instagram
iPhone 6 captured with Camera+ app
edited with Leonardo and Stackables apps

family heirlooms

now in my keep:

ravioli rolling pin,

collander,

macaroni pot,

Italian embroidered linen tablecloth
and matching napkins

(a wedding gift for my folks in 1953)

***

This is what

Thanksgiving dinner

looked like

in our family:

homemade ravioli

with

homemade ricotta filling

and

the best ragu

you ever tasted.

We kids never had a traditional

Thanksgiving turkey dinner

until we were

grown

and living on our own.

For the record,

none of us

ever objected.

Also for the record,
we considered ourselves
Americans
of
Italian/Irish/Swedish
descent.

Greg, Cindy, Mom, Grandpa,

'Dudie,' Adrienne, Lissa

(Dad was behind the camera)

Thanksgiving 1966

at Dudie & Grandpa's house

Dudie wisely got out her best

plastic faux lace tablecloth

for us kids

(tomato sauce stains quite reliably)

Greg, Cindy, Adrienne, Lissa

making ravioli with Grandpa

in our kitchen

November 1969

See the rolling pin?

The tradition continued

- in a way -

when we kids

had kids,

only now it's

Christmas Eve

dinner...

Linking up with

Texture Tuesday

Be Still 52 (week 25)

Happy Thanksgiving!

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

pink ribbon warrior: a still-life portrait

war·rior

noun, often attributive

\ˈwȯr-yər, ˈwȯr-ē-ər, ˈwär-ē- also ˈwär-yər\

a person engaged in some struggle or conflict 

 This week's Be Still 52 challenge:

create a

'still-life family portrait'

Today I pay tribute to

my late sister

Lissa

a

'pink ribbon warrior'

in the truest sense.

Back in 1995, when Lissa was diagnosed at age 40 with Stage 2 breast cancer

I embroidered this pink sun hat for her to wear.

Lissa endured surgery, chemotherapy and radiation.

She won her battle with breast cancer.

Two years later

she succumbed to Leukemia -

a result of her chemotherapy treatment.

She won the battle

but lost the war.

I still have her day planner

with her last entries from 1997

in her own handwriting.

***

I still pray for understanding 17 years later, asking God the unanswerable question: Why? Why, dear Lord, did you take this young, brilliant scientist in the prime of her life, who obviously had so much more to give? (Lissa earned a PhD in Anatomy, had herself done cancer research at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute before discovering her true calling as a teacher: of anatomy to medical and dental students, then biology to community college students.) Why did the very science that she loved fail her? For what purpose?

While not exactly getting an answer to this prayer, I have come to be at peace with it. You see, in 2006, I was diagnosed with Stage 0 LCIS. Because of my sister's medical history, I got a 'front row seat': extra-close scrutiny from that point forward, including treatment from Lissa's own oncologist, a simple biopsy, plus five years of hormone therapy, and continued vigilance with yearly mammograms. I've been free and clear for eight years. Easy.

Last month my annual routine mammogram revealed Stage 0 DCIS. You might say things are dialed up a notch this time. This time I was tested for the BRCA gene (negative, thank God), and my MRI was clean. It was recommended that I meet with a plastic surgeon 'so I could make an informed decision' (if you know what I mean...YIKES!). Well, we finally decided on a simple lumpectomy, which is scheduled for early next week. My doctor says I might not need radiation...just more hormone therapy and mammograms every six months for awhile...because we caught it early. Easy...again.

In no way do I consider myself a 'pink ribbon warrior.' My path has been easy because Lissa's was not. If not for her diagnosis in 1995, I myself might not have been as vigilant with yearly mammograms - which have since twice averted a much more serious diagnosis later on.

Lissa was both a pragmatic scientist and a devout Catholic. I firmly believe that she would see the good in this for her little sister - from both perspectives.

***

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,

who have been called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:28

"Notice that the verse doesn’t say God causes evil and suffering, just that he promises to cause good to emerge. And notice that the verse doesn’t say we all will see immediately or even in this life how God has caused good to emerge from a bad circumstance. Remember, we only see things dimly in this world. And notice that God doesn’t make this promise to everyone. He makes the solemn pledge that he will take the bad circumstances that befall us and cause good to emerge if we’re committed to following Him."
Lee Strobel - Why Does God Allow Tragedy and Suffering?

Notes:

CAMERA

Canon EOS 6D

Tamron SP 24-70 f/2.8 lens

Manual Mode

Aperture range: f/5.0 to 6.3

Early morning 

in my

basement studio

with Lillian.

I kept her laser-light cat toy handy

'cause she just seems to know

when I'm ready to

press the shutter button.

Both hand-held and flash

were out of the question

with the available lighting
and subtle shadow-play I wanted,

so I improvised

to get a vertical shot from ground level.

Resting the lens on fabric

probably interfered with its focusing function:

out of over 30 shots,

only one was 'tack sharp'

even though I used the

10 second shutter delay. 

After that first photo session

hauling out the tripod

suddenly seemed to be

not such a bother!

LIGHTROOM

I am still working my way through

Kim's 31 Days of Lightroom class,

especially Custom Layouts

and Snapshots

at my own pace.

I love auditioning and fine-tuning

presets...I finally settled on

kk_breathe

for all photos.

PHOTOSHOP

Just this texturizing:

***

Linking up with

Be Still 52 (Week 17)

Texture Tuesday

birth...of a mother and father

My

favorite captures

from last week's

'newborn portrait shoot'

of our new grandson

Fen

 

1

A spontaneous gesture

(on Kelly's part)

+

being present and mindful

with camera in hand

(on my part)

2

Connection:

father and son

delight and devotion

(this is how Aaron is with Fen)

***

Notes:

CAMERA

Canon EOS 6D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Lens

Continuous Shooting Mode (silent)

experimented with

DOF, indoor/outdoor lighting

LIGHTROOM

Lots of experimenting with

Develop Module and Presets

to 'refine my vision'

Presets:

1

PRESETS GALORE Rich Lavender

(I desaturated Kelly's bright blue top)

2

LR B&W Look 1

Color was distracting in this shot;

I never even noticed the bokeh

'til I made it B&W!

(I fine-tuned the Split Tones and Contrast)

PHOTOSHOP

Both photos:

one layer of

kk_dollard_softand gentle

(Soft Light ~40-45%)

desaturated to get the effect without the color

***

But my favorite photo of Fen

was captured by my friend

Lidia West

(a new mother herself)

who graciously offered to

help me with our photoshoot.

Fen

10 days old

I didn't do a thing to this photo!

Seriously.

***

Linking up with:

Texture Tuesday

Start to Finish

Photo-Heart Connection

new life

Fenris Kenneth Robert McFadden

June 15, 2014

***

Linking up with

Texture Tuesday

Start to Finish 2

Notes:

In Lightroom

I cropped

did some basic edits

then

preset: kk_likeadream

and

my own B&W split tone

In Photoshop

***

(Grandma 'Mimi')

a job worth doing

Etching brush and ladle

belonging to

Joe Toomey

I often heard this saying from my mother, who likely heard the same words from her father. I assumed that Grandpa Joe had coined the phrase himself, but eventually realized that it is an old proverb.

***

John Joseph Toomey, my "Grandpa Joe," was born August 7, 1894, in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, to Michael and Ann (Murphy) Toomey. Joe's father, a railroad worker, was "gone a lot," leaving his wife and two young sons to fend for themselves. Ann died when the boys were very young, so their aunt, Ellen (Murphy) Baker, raised them.

Joe's childhood was spent in the loving care of his Aunt 'Nell' and her family, where he learned the value of hard work and a good education. There on the Baker farm in Wisconsin he grew up, working alongside the hired hands, and attending the local one-room school.

After high school, Joe worked on the railroad while taking correspondence courses from the University of Wisconsin. He eventually saved enough money to attend classes at the university, working in a fraternity house kitchen and typing term papers to make ends meet. He never did graduate.

In his late twenties, Joe went to work for the Minneapolis Tribune, which was founded by his cousin, William J. Murphy. Eventually, he was sent to Los Angeles to learn the rotogravure process, including photoengraving and etching, so that he could set up such a department at the Tribune. Joe worked at the Tribune until 1940, when the newspaper was sold.

***

Notes:

SETUP
Backdrop: plywood scrap, painted white and roughed up
I actually 'skated' the plywood over gravel.
+
Shop rag from Home Depot (already a bit dirty!)

I didn't spend a lot of time setting up;
just figured I'd see what happened
and deal with it
in a Wabi Sabi fashion.

original photo

SOOC

LIGHTROOM

Lens Corrections:

fix distortion, perspective, and angle

Crop:

Rule of Thirds - sort of

ample empty space

Presets:

Kim's Light&Airy Workflow

after Lightroom edits

cropped and ready for
Photoshop edit

PHOTOSHOP

Cloning to fill in the right side
kk_rainyday Soft Light 35%
another layer of the same at 47%
+ a layer mask to bring back some clarity
kk_grungedup_2 Multiply 35%

Fonts:
Old Newspaper
Dear Joe
(I know...too easy)

***

Linking up with

Be Still 52 - Day 3

Start to Finish 2 - Day 10

expecting - part 2

B&W

is

classic

but

the colors

turned out

so beautifully...

Here's

some more
of my
favorite shots:

I handed the camera

to Aaron...

Kelly
with
soon-to-be
Aunt Erin and Grandma 'Mimi'

(the girls call me 'Mimi')


There's been significant speculation
about wee Fen's
haircolor.
We all agree:
the world needs
another
ginger.


***

Lightroom Preset:
Rainbow Pastel
from
Presets Galore

+

kk_waterfront
(Soft Light 24% + Multiply 60%)


Linking up
with
Texture Tuesday
Free & Easy eDition


***

(Grandma Mimi)

expecting...

Kelly & Aaron

and

Fen

May 18, 2014

Soon...

(make that 'Grandma Mimi')

***

Lightroom Preset:

Soft Matte with Vignette Cool

from

Presets Galore

+

kk_laura

(Multiply 30%)

***

Linking up

with

Texture Tuesday

Black & White eDition

new life

2014

is shaping up to be a memorable year.

Sometime in mid June

the world will welcome Baby McFadden.

I made this little assemblage for Kelly and Aaron for Christmas. Kelly had texted me her first ultrasound image in late November; not long afterward I was thinking of it as baby's first portrait and decided to make something to that effect.

I knew the jpeg file would be quite small, so I edited it and printed it out to about 2" square. Then I dug up a small primed wooden cradle board and went to work. The front was already a pristine gesso white on the outside, so I gessoed the back of it since I wanted to use it as a shadowbox. I sanded and scraped it, then added some text fragments and comfy, nest-like cheese cloth, plus a paper flower + freshwater pearl center, for a soft, organic feel. I suspended an old eyeglass lens with wire over the focal area (since I initially had great difficulty 'reading' the image - LOL).

 original image

(sticking out his/her tongue: already some attitude?)

edited image

I played around a bit in Lightroom and then in Photoshop, where I added a layer of kk_isobel (Soft Light 100%). I added a Levels Adjustment layer to lighten it up for printing (necessary because the monitor image is so bright that when it translates it to printed, you have to adjust).

***

For you created my inmost being;

you knit me together

in my mother’s womb.

Psalm 139:13

***

Linking up with

Texture Tuesday

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.

***

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