Julia’s Blogfest

On Sunday this past weekend, I participated in an all-day workshop in Old Town Alexandria hosted by New England photographer, Jeff Dackowski, which I committed to doing a year ago.  It was a hands-on lighting workshop — not a ‘behind the desk and take notes” kind which I was happy to do but OH MY GOSH — outside, 44 degrees and rain, mist, cold feet.  I am NOT a cold weather lover so I was dying pretty much all day.  And when I am cold, I can’t contentrate and I’m very good at verbalizing how cold I am.  Nevertheless, I persisted and wanted to post some photos.

We had about 4 models to work with and posed them in various way to ‘find the light” — whether that was to skim their face and create more of a flat-light look or for more dimension.

Here’s the crew with reflectors…..

and just b/c I like to play with effects….

This is the BEFORE photo…..

and the AFTER with reflectors…..amazing the difference in skin and catch-lights in eyes….

Here again using a BEFORE to demonstrate a slow shutter speed setting so more ambient light floods in…..augmented with artificial light.

and this one is a faster shutter speed so the background is darker = less light in camera.

Cool background!

When I studied photography, I did some “cross-processing” which was using chome/slide film and processing it in film chemistry or the oppositie – the results were always fun & unexpected but the intent was to get a color-shift in the prints. Now you can do it in photoshop with various actions.  Here’s an example….

and this last one exemplifies what I want to do more of — and that’s shoot with off-camera lights…so in this shot, Jeff held a strobe up and to the left of the model.

I say this all the time but I AM GRATEFUL.   Grateful for a good, balanced, healthy life and 2 precious boys….a loving husband, amazing mother and great family.  Everyday when I go to sleep I pray that I will continue to be blessed by these gifts because without them, I am not happy and without happiness, I aspire to be nothing.  As in Corinthians I, ” and if I have all faith, so as to move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.” Corinthians 13

One of the most difficult portrait/NILMDTS sessions I did was in January.  The Lum family’s 4th child passed after turning 1 having suffered heart problems from birth.  While NILMDTS does not normally photograph children  (instead, focusing our services on families of newborns who have not had an opportunity to have professional photos done) I accepted this challenge and am so glad I was with them on that day in January for some of the most profound 90 minutes of my life to date.  Many of you know me as a very “feeling” person — there is no emotion that I don’t really know.  And while these sessions are heartbreaking beyond description I try to understand the deeper meaning they bring forth and how it affects me/us on this plane of existence.  How boring would it be go thru life feeling static and fixed?  The high moments are super high and the lows, incredibly low for me and the in-between equally meaningful in their own way.  Meeting the Lum’s has and will forever change me.  I saw in them something that transcends this earth.  I felt so helpless there as they cradled their baby girl after being taken off life support.  How can a parent lose a child and continue on?  I don’t get it and hope I never do.  They have no choice.  I am learning thru my NILMDTS families just how precious our lives are.  Seize the moment.

I subscribe to their www.carepages.com site to follow how they’re doing.  Today Samantha’s mom posted a very healing tribute to their daughter and I had to share this.  I was moved to tears and I’m sorry if this is hard to read but we MUST reflect.  It’s called namesinthesand.blogspot.com — started by 2 parents in Perth, Australia who lost their little boy in 2007 and started that less than a year ago.  The mom felt called to acknowledge other families who have lost by writing the names of those children in sand on a beautiful beach near where she lives – click here to read about it – you must it’s an amazing story.  Here’s the first few lines…

To Write Their Names In The Sand” began in the early hours of August 19th 2008. In her sleep on that cold winter’s morning, Carly dreamed of her son Christian for the first time since he was born sound asleep on January 26th 2007.

Carly dreamed that she was walking along the beach when up ahead of her she saw three children playing together. They were laughing and really enjoying their time under the sun. When she got closer to them they ran away up into the sand dunes. When Carly reached the point where the children were playing she saw that they had written their names in the sand. The children’s names were Noah, Bella and Christian. Carly had dreamed of her son. Even though she did not realize it was him until he was gone she felt overwhelmed with love. Christian was there, he was healthy, whole and happy playing on Heaven’s beach with his two little friends that left this Earth only a short time before he did. …..

Families can request to have their child’s name written in the sand, a photograph will be taken and then sent to the family.  Samantha’s name was written in sand as one of the more recent children that has moved on.  It’s so beautiful.

With permission, here is one of my photos of the Lum’s with Samantha.  Her breathing was labored at this point and she passed the next morning.  It was an honor for me to be with them having NEVER met them before this day.  How lucky I am.   I also want to thank my friend Amy Fazackerley who donated this blanket with her name embroidered — her business is The Monogrammed Monkey.  I asked her the night before to do this.  This is not part of our services and I don’t know what called me to do this but I think the unusual circumstance prompted me.

God Bless Samantha and her family.  Thank you to the Lum’s for allowing me to be there that day, trusting me and my camera to help mark this difficult milestone in your lives.

It always brings joy to me to work with a new mom and dad.  This family was no exception.  As my youngest turns 6 this week, I pine for the newborn baby phase and am in disbelief that it’s been 6 years for me.  I meet this birthday milestone of Harry with mixed emotions b/c 6 is NOT 3, not 4, not 5.  He is officially out of the toddler and preschool age as he is 1/2 way thru kindergarten already.

Maggie’s parents live in Alexandria and found me thru a referral system of Old Town Moms.  Love that network!  Mom and dad moved here from San Diego last summer so they are still new to the area and meeting new people.  Dad is in the Marines and is an F-18 pilot and they will be here a few years.  Mom is taking a break from working as a Salary Compensation Consultant.  Their little Maggie was SO good for the 2 1/2 hours they were here.  Literally no cries that I can recall!  Thanks you guys!

And this shot was their idea!  They wanted a photo of Maggie in dad’s helmet!  I had no idea how this would work and actually would do a few things differently now but I still love this.