Sometimes I get a strange look and then 99% of the time, they go for it. It’s hilarious. Everyone laughs and it creates a whole new energy. And in some cases, I keep shooting after and those are the best images of the day.

And I have found that the jump is often reflective of one’s personality. I’ve had a diver look like she is about to jump into cold water, a ballerina look graceful, a former model fly in 4 inch heels perfectly, and a guy doing a guitar jam in mid-air.

Take a minute and think about the last time you jumped in the air…now go ahead and try it when no one is looking, or if you’re daring, in the middle of a crowded room. Trust me, you’ll be smiling after you land.

I am total sucker for cute, adorable, baby faces and had to post this. As you know, I don’t do much posing and let kids be themselves. So when this little guy struck a pose, it was too funny and I had to click the shutter for the fleeting moment.

So, what images to post today? The building project. We are 95% complete and I am ready to take a break from trying to figure out which tile or hardware or color or wood to use. So as we sit at the beach next week…the trim is getting put on, the cabinets tweaked, and the drawer pulls attached (all 37 of them). It’s been chaotic at time, but worth every speck of dust.

The one thing that I have loved about the project is the shapes that the tools and objects make. I’d be walking by and notice something, then run to get the camera. My kids and dogs would be watching me from the sunroom, wondering why I found a rusty tool so cool. Or the broken up tiles. Or the electrical wires. But all I could see is form, lines, shadow, and simplicity.

I’ll be back in the office on August 30…enjoy the last week of summer!

During their travels, the oldest found mushrooms in the forest and got creative in presentation. And at the end, he and his brother build a twig fort. It was a fabulous morning of brotherhood and boys being boys.

But the other word to describe the morning…stressful. The hardwood floors refinishers arrived early this morning and the loud machines got on my nerves as I packed for our two night hotel stay. Estella was great in the beginning, but fell on her bottom half way through and was really, really grumpy after that. Adi wanted to eat wood chips, refused to stand, and kept coming towards me for the camera.

I suppose I could have picked a better day to do the session. But then again, I don’t think there is a ever a perfect day or perfect moment to take pictures. And that’s exactly why we need to keep taking them. Whether it’s a formal session or a quick ones on the way to the grocery store. The magic of photography is capturing the small moments in a great big life. If we keep waiting for the “perfect” day, we’d never pick up the camera.

On to the studio…it’s been a good couple weeks of quiet catch-up. The senior season is full swing and my calendar is starting to fill up. Just a quick reminder that the Middleton deadline is early September.

And lastly, Doggy Daze calendars will be ready for pick-up/delivery starting on Monday. And they look fantastic!!

Here’s a quick preview…beginning today, you can pre-order the calendar. It will be available for shipping or studio pick-up in early July.

This summer, I have a high school senior helping me keep my sanity and stay organized. While these aren’t her official senior portraits, I took a few shots down the street on her first day and posted one here.

And speaking of senior portraits – just a friendly reminder that the Middleton yearbook deadline is early September. Sessions and orders must be completed by August 19th to make the deadline.

The reality is that photography, like any art form, is subjective. Each person brings their unique lifelong experiences to their consciousness when viewing an image. And just the same, the photographer consciously, or subconsciously, bring their own experiences to the image when they click the shutter. It’s really quite remarkable when you think about.

When I look at this image, there are so many things that it represents to me. Youth, energy, and movement. Then I look closer and I see the shadow on the boardwalk and the tree branch in the background that mimics the boy’s shape. And then my eye starts going to the patterns and lines…