soulmates

This week I am linking up with Beyond Beyond - inspired by some elegant magazine layouts and Kim's tutorial on tinting in Lightroom, and celebrating a special kind of love with Texture Tuesday.

I spent a good hour perusing the magazine rack at the public library before checking out a couple of back issues of Victoria...then immediately went home and set up two photo shoots, combining family heirlooms and some old snapshots to tell a story or two...

Della & Greg

As did many children of his generation, my father grew up in a bilingual home, where Italian was spoken as often as not. Della Libonati was born in Denver of immigrant parents. Gregorio Notarianni emmigrated to America in 1920, as a young man. Although well-educated he only learned the language upon arriving here; over the years Della was his primary tutor in conversational English. An avid reader and history buff, Greg soon became fluent in the language.

***

These are just a few my grandfather's treasured old books, which I now display on a shelf in my living room. Topics include Italian history - ancient and contemporary early 20th century, especially WWI, in which he served in the Italian Cavalry - as well as an Italian-English dictionary and vocabulary book dated 1905. This little end table also belonged to my grandparents. I re-finished it several years ago.

I have several of these little terra cotta jars - made in Italy about 100 years ago - at one time displayed on a dresser or vanity in my grandparents' bedroom.

***
Edna & Joe

My maternal grandparents, Joe and Edna Toomey, eloped in June of 1921 when she was just 18 years old and he was 27. My mother relayed their wedding story in her genealogy many years later:

Edna's mother, Ida Swanson, was especially suspicious of anyone Irish, and likely to be Catholic. Joe was both...They told her parents that they wished to marry and be married in the Catholic Church. Ida would have none of it so the young couple eloped...When the priest learned that Edna was Lutheran, she was banished from the altar and they were married in a side room. This was an affront to them both.

It wasn't until several months later that they revealed their marriage to Edna's parents...when she realized that she was expecting.

***

This sterling silver dish was the only wedding gift that Joe and Edna received, given to them by Joe's friends, the Mulrooneys. Their only "wedding photo" is a snapshot of Edna wearing her brown taffeta wedding dress. The handkerchief was Edna's.

***

I followed Kim's tutorial on Tinting in Lightroom using Graduated Filters; after adjusting the colors to get the right feel, I made it a preset, which I call Peachy Blue Vintage. I also applied my own Soft White Vignette preset to all of the photos here. I softened the color photos with Kim's Berrily preset.

In Photoshop I treated all photos with a layer of kk_carmel (Soft Light blend mode @ 60-70%), which I brushed away via a layer mask to recapture some details.

xoxo

Cindy

the colors of spring

This collection of images is from a "photo walk" excursion three weeks ago, on a warm - but dreary - spring day in the Highlands neighborhood in northwest Denver. There's just a different kind of energy in this trendy, upscale, re-born old neighborhood, so I knew it would be rich with colorful imagery. It did not disappoint. Here, ordinary everyday details are presented with an artistic flair.

On the way back to my car I spied this little shop -  Garnet Gecko - and ended up spending over an hour there. I don't normally consider shopping a hobby, but I was intrigued enough to step inside this one boutique.

Even though the "Asian import" style is generally not my thing, I was drawn to this collection like a moth to a flame. It truly was a feast for the eyes - a bounty of beautifully hand-crafted textiles, jewelry, and assorted accessories. And I enjoyed a delightful visit with the proprietress, Sharon, chatting as though we were already old friends. It elevated an enjoyable excursion to a memorable experience.

Okay, so I did take home a lovely hand-dyed scarf and some silver earrings...that still doesn't make me a real "hobby shopper." I'll be back for more. Photos, that is. And there was this other scarf...

***

Linking up today with Walk and Click Wednesday: Making the Ordinary Special, and Beyond Beyond, where we got a refresher tutorial in making a colorful storyboard, and Texture Tuesday.

Both storyboards were textured with

Kim Klassen's kk_coolgrunge: Soft Light blend mode @60%

and kk_3101: Multiply blend mode @ 30 - 50%

Fonts: Eccentric Std and Cheboygan

xoxo

Cindy

rescuing a caterpillar

Today I am linking up with Photo Heart Connection, Kat Sloma's monthly retrospective review of 'the photo that best connects to your heart.' I made this shot while on a little hike with my daughters last Saturday. I was trying out my new Canon 6D, getting acquainted with all the buttons and dials, so I wasn't expecting anything special. We were just walking along, 'dishing' about this and that, when Erin spied this little fella trying to cross the trail. Immediately, simultaneously we all thought the same thing: he's going to get trampled before he can make it across! Without hesitation, she gently scooped him up, and while we debated where to put him (which direction was he actually heading?...we didn't want to make him start all over again), I made this shot. On the fly...the spur of the moment. I hardly had time to even focus. Then Kelly chimed in with this quote she'd once heard...

mouse over to see the original

...and a precious memory was born.

When I reviewed my shots in Lightroom and zoomed in on this shot I was amazed at the detail I had captured. 20 megapixels. Wow!

It got me thinking of the days when we used to hike and camp with the girls...and I recalled this snapshot I took many years ago.

Kelly & Erin

Three Sisters Park

near Evergreen

1995

***

I'm also linking up with Beyond Beyond 'cause I started with Kim's tutorial on creating my own hazy preset...but as happens so often with my creative process, I end up not quite where I thought I would be when I started. I played around with several Lightroom presets, finally settling on one of David duChemin's - Iceland Split Blues. Then I added Kim's texture - kk_prague - Soft Light blend mode @39%...all of which gave it the spring/hazy feel I was after in the first place.

xoxo

Cindy

redemption & resurrection

In my world, blogging takes a back seat to everyday life, so sometimes a post will appear to be a bit 'behind the times.' Ideally this would have been posted in time to greet the world early on Easter morning. In reality, here's how it came about:

1. I made the photo Saturday afternoon while on an impromptu little hike with my daughters in the foothills just west of Denver. I was trying out my new camera for the first time - a full frame Canon 6D. We ventured to a place we used to hike when they were little: Matthews Winters Park and encountered a tiny 19th century cemetery.
2. I played with the image on and off all day Sunday - while pondering the significance of Easter - in between a fabulous bike ride with my husband and preparing Easter dinner.
3. I was too tired to finish it up last night...so here I am Monday morning, sitting at the computer before I head off to work.

The prayer - an acclamation of the Catholic 'mystery of faith' - is said immediately after the consecration of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ, acknowledging the reality of His death and proclaiming our faith that He is alive and that He will come again.

Linking up with Beyond Beyond and Texture Tuesday...just playing, as Kim suggested this week. Springtime in the foothills/plains of Colorado can be quite dry, with only a hint of growth and new life. I really struggled with the color - or lack thereof - with this image, and even toyed with converting it to b&w, but that didn't fit my vision for this photo. So I played with it in Lightroom to bring out the subtle browns and greens, then, in desperation, applied a combination of Rad Lab filters (Flora, Antique Tone, Boutwell Magic Glasses II, EZ-Burn 2...each tweaked as needed), which seemed to do the trick. Then into Photoshop, where I applied Kim's BeStill and ChalkMagic textures, and a bit of text (University Roman font).

It was not a very efficient process, but that's how I roll.

And anyway, who said that the creative process is an efficient one?

xoxo

Cindy

spring...again

It is Spring. It is also Holy Week. So you'd think I'd have put a Scripture passage with this classic image, rich with Paschal significance. Nope. That's not where my muse took me this time.

My mind was a mixture of thoughts and feelings as I shot this tiny crocus...tentatively, bravely, humbly rising up on the first day of spring in a little urban garden in northwest Denver. I saw it as a sign: of spring. And hope. And new life. You know, the usual stuff.

But the more I thought about it, the more I sensed something deeper within this iconic image: the cyclical, repetitive nature of it all. And how it is tied to God's unending mercy. We can count on the return of spring, heralded by this tiny little flower, no matter how bleak the winter preceding it...every year. And we can count on God's loving mercy, no matter how bleak our situation...every time. Again and again, we stumble and fall. Again and again, He forgives and absolves...when we accept His mercy.

Fitting this image with a caption was the hardest part of this post. I knew what I was looking for, but I couldn't quite put it into words. It was more a feeling than a thought. After searching in vain for much of the day yesterday nothing seemed to say what I wanted it to say. I almost gave up on the whole thing. Then I googled one more time: 'spring quotes.' Almost magically, a 'secular' bit of prose from a favorite poet appeared...to illustrate - to me at least - the seemingly cyclical, repetitive nature of God's loving mercy that is at the core of Christianity. This is our path to Eternal Life, which Christ died for, and then rose again, showing us the way...

An artist's highest calling is allowing God to communicate through him. The gift of creativity. I immediately saw it in Her Rilke's little verse. I can only hope that I accomplish it through my own work.

According to His great mercy,

He has caused us to be born again

to a living hope

through the resurrection of

Jesus Christ

from the dead.

1 Peter 1:3

xoxo

Cindy

Linking up with Beyond Beyond and Texture Tuesday. I texturized with Kim's kk_naturally, coolgrunge, and musiclight, and used one of my new favorite fonts, Matilde.

how does one become a butterfly?

mouse over to see the original

Dear "Enna," on the brink of your hope-filled journey to health:

You are my little butterfly, with elegant wings tattooed on your delicate porcelain skin, right between your shoulder blades...where logic would dictate they would be attached.

I never really thought about it until recently, but sometimes it takes courage to hope - especially in a dire situation. It is so much easier to give in to despair. It's safe there. No risk of disappointment.

It also takes an iron will. To persist. To persevere. To get up after you stumble and fall...and to keep going.

You've got what it takes - already wired into you from birth. Also known as Stubborn in other situations. Hard-headed. Single-minded. Determined.

Don't forget...I have known you longer than any other person. Twenty-two years + nine months to be exact.

Only God knows you better. You are my child...and His. And whether you believe it or not, He is still right there with you at every turn. Always.

H.O.P.E.

Hang On. Pain Ends.

xoxo

Mimi

***

Next Tuesday I will accompany Erin and her fiancé to L.A., where we will meet with  Dr. Matia Brizman, who will be treating Erin in the coming months.

***

Linking up with Beyond Beyond and Texture Tuesday.

This silver butterfly brooch belonged to my maternal grandmother, Edna Swanson Toomey. When I saw it among my mother's jewelry, I chose it for Erin, who has for years been attracted to butterflies - both for their natural beauty and for their philosophical significance.

I had a real time of it with this seemingly simple still life. It was fun...but challenging. Initially I shot this from above, with not much thought of light, beyond adjusting my camera settings to get a 'good' shot. After playing with the image in Lightroom, following Kim's tutorial on a matte finish, and applying some textures in CS6...I let it go for a day, planning to upload and write the accompanying blog post. 

The image was okay. Just okay.

Then I happened to be reading in David duChemin's Photographically Speaking how to both be aware of and consciously use light to make a stronger image: an image that communicates my intent, my vision. I realized that I had dropped the ball: my image was flat and lifeless...because I had not asked what David says are "two of the most important questions you can ask - mindfully, intentionally - as you look throught the viewfinder:

     1. What is the light doing in this frame?

     2. Is it doing what I need in order to create the photograph I want?"

 Definitely not what I had envisioned for this photo, or this subject: Hope in the midst of darkness.

As they say: back to the drawing board. I set up the shot again, this time determined to better communicate my intent instead of just 'taking a picture.'

photo taken with my iPod Touch

After setting things up with the ceiling light on, I turned off the light and played with assorted slow shutter speeds, ISO (all the way down to 100 so that I could play up the light-dark contrast and use multi-second exposures) and shining the flashlight in different directions/angles to play up the luminous, dimensional qualities of the brooch, as well as moving the light source during the long exposure to try and imply a sense of fluttering movement (I stumbled upon this effect accidentally and liked it.)

At some point in all this it dawned on me that I was being true to my One Little Word Challenge...that word being 'Light.'

I again played around in Lightroom and CS6 as before, with my vision and intent in mind, choosing a much more subtle texture - kk_storm - and finally adding a pastel rainbow Gradient Fill Adjustment Layer (14% opacity) to bring in some color and life. I loved what the matte finish did for the image, but my efforts at chalk lettering were not fruitful...some tools/settings were grayed out or didn't function. Another time maybe. No worries...Kim's prompts are always a good starting place.

diligentia

mouse over to see the original

Diligence is a very great help,

even to a mediocre intelligence.

There was lots to play with this week in our Beyond Beyond class (nicknamed 2B). Shooting from above; Kim's brand-new Cloth & Paper Collection of textures (I used Bamboo, Cameron, and MagicFilm); another preset in Lightroom; and Kim's own brand of heartfelt wisdom. I am being sufficiently challenged...and enjoying every minute of delightful diligence!

You gotta make art with what you've got around...with what's in your heart and what's on your mind. At least that's how it has always worked best for me, whatever the medium. I had to remind myself of this yet again as I tried to make something happen with this assignment. And then I slowed down, stopped worrying about what it was finally going to look like (i.e. what other people might think), and just went with my own instinct.

So, I dug into a box of my father's old school books, and chose three Latin primers. Young Aldo's photo was tucked in amongst them (honestly...that part was true serendipity!). I included his old typewriter, and rounded it out with some artificial greenery that provided a little "organic" contrast...and just felt right. I arranged everything on a piece of white foamcore board, got out my camera and a stepladder and the rest is history.

The precise arrangement of it all was a process that I found meditative, relaxing and oddly rewarding: achieving just the right compositional balance via the placement of elements, the amount and use of negative space, noticing every little nuanced line, shape and color. I learned this years ago by studying - and imitating - the work of British textile artist Janet Bolton. You know you're having fun when you look up at the clock and realize that it's been hours - not minutes - that you've been playing around with this stuff...and that you'd better wrap it up or you're gonna be late for work.

All the while I was remembering Dad, the diligent scholar, and his love of languages, especially Latin and Greek. As I paged through his Latin books, I remembered my own high school Latin class back in 1978, which I took just for fun my senior year. It was the best class ever. Far from a "dead" language, studying Latin helped me learn much about the roots of my own language, got me translating bits of wisdom from Cicero, Virgil, Seneca, St. Augustine.

Tell me again why we stopped teaching Latin in our schools?

I am linking up with February's Photo-Heart Connection 'cause I did most of the "work" last week. Thanks Kat for reminding me what it's all about.

xoxo

Cindy