Shoot

37/365
1:59pm

Behold! The first Canon EOS Rebel! Oh, how I loved this camera. My parents had it delivered to our house Christmas Eve 1991 (well before one click shopping) and even upgraded the lens to a Sigma 28-135mm....Best.Christmas.Gift.Ever. I had no idea what I was doing. I took rolls and rolls of film, mostly of my parents, brother, and dog. I once attempted a really horrible still life on the basement shelf with a matted, grimy teddy bear, some musty European history books, a filmy, free-with-flower-purchase vase, all with a glaring workspace flood light casting harsh, offending shadows. I managed to make that scene worse than had I just left those poor, defenseless objects alone. Can't win 'em all.

I stumbled across my nearly obsolete 35mm gem a couple months ago. I asked the guys at the camera store what I could expect on a trade-in: the first Canon EOS Rebel! Come on! With a Sigma lens! After a polite head shake and sympathetic eyebrow raise, they suggested I donate it to a high school photography class. Not wanting to believe it, I looked at a couple online recycling companies who give you cash for your camera. Best offer: $3.50 for the camera, $10 for the lens. Sigh. I'll soon be contacting West High School.

Maybe Jack will be inspired in the meantime.

Pearly

36/365
10:15am
As I glanced a month ahead in early January, I mistakenly mumbled aloud that Jack had a dentist appointment. He began preparing (read: stressing) for this day at that moment. It's not about the tools, the sounds, nor the sensation. Nope. It's about the light. Too bright. Way too bright. His hygienist, Sarah, must have made a note about this particular anxiety because there were two pairs of sunglasses waiting for him. I could feel his blood pressure go down when he slipped into the chair, though eyes remained firmly sealed.

Sarah was warm and affable, and within a couple moments Jack was having a detailed conversation about Transformers and owls and superheros and planets and birthdays and cherry toothpaste and Mr. Thirsty (the spit sucker in his left hand). Well, it seemed all that was previously worth worrying about was no longer applicable.

Until the day he meets Mr. Drill.

Honey, Please Take the Snake Out of Your Nose

35/365
1:33pm

Things you never thought you'd say before you were parent. And while we're at it, let's just mention the get-up: one of my winter hats, a rubber snake stole draped around his neck, Jack's superhero cape, and a red mitten donning his right hand. Just an ordinary Wednesday. I had several shots to chose from today, but figured I couldn't go wrong documenting a limbless reptile entering my son's nasal passage.

The Looking Bowl

34/365
9:39am

Jack and I always bake in the afternoons while Charlie naps. When we decided to spend the morning making oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, Charlie found the operating mixer to be as intriguing and entertaining as a new toy. While Jack is very serious about the process (and calling himself "an expert"), he backed off his Proper Procedure to be amused by the fun house mirrors effect. Who doesn't love science?

I focused on both boys in the reflection, not on real-life Charlie. In fact, I was able to draw more light for the shot from the backdoor and the dining room windows because of the reflection. How handy.

Slurp, Gulp, Mmmm......

33/365
12:59pm

I made a hearty, good old-fashioned chicken noodle soup not long ago, and defrosted the leftovers for lunch. This is dear Charlie's Noodle Vacuum Face, complete with a carrot freckle. Most of his meals have a 90 second duration, at which point he theatrically pushes away from the table and emphatically declares himself, "DONE!" He'll stick around for soup, savoring each noodle and swigging the broth until he's satiated, roly-poly and sloshy.

Grow

32/365
9:22am
To know her is to know this is a miracle.

I took, ahem, close to two hundred (that's right, 200) frames this morning. I immediately edited 150 at first glance due to focus, light, expression, composition, etc... Left with about fifty, I chose this one because it expresses what mothers feel when they're expecting: light, glowy, tender, serene, protective. (Ah, not including the raging hormones days. Ok, fine, it's what women want to feel.) I added a film grain effect in post-production.

Truly, it was an honor to have had the opportunity to preserve just a fleeting moment of her beautiful twenty-seventh week.

Sew What?

31/365
6:39pm

Yeah, I got nothing on this! I went down to Brandy's house this weekend, and narrowly missed my first Day Without A Photo by talking too damn much to take a picture. I found this old Singer hanging out in one of her guest rooms; it was part of Keith's parents' bedroom collection that was handed down to them.

There was very low lighting in the room, and I had to use a super cool wooden jewelry box as a "boxpod" to stabilize the camera. I left the shutter open for a long 30 seconds so it could pull all the available light from the room. Conveniently, doing it this way also allowed us to continue our very important blather with barely a blip.