Four Generations

I absolutely love when I hear from a client that I have worked with several times before.  It's so much fun to see their lives change, families grow, and be part of some really big moments in their lives.  So I was thrilled when I heard from Tiffany, asking me if I would do a Four Generations shoot for the women in her family.

We met up at the greatest little coffee shop in Seymour, TN called Brewed Awakenings.  If you are ever out that way I highly recommend it.  Great coffee, friendly atmosphere, and cheese cake that is to die for.

I could tell right off the bat that I was dealing with some pretty tough customers here.  Didn't want to smile, hard to work with, no fun at all......NOT!  These ladies were amazing from the get go.  Our whole session was full of stories and laughter.  I honestly felt like I was having coffee with them at their house and chit chatting the day away.

Mrs. Lille Rose is a hoot.  Her quiet demeanor is just a cover up for a truly amazing, beautiful, and fun loving nature.

Her daughter, Donna, is just the same.  Fun loving, beautiful, and full of spirit. You can tell the traits of a good sense of humor have passed down the generations.

And of course, Tiffany and Avery have a very special place in my heart.  I have enjoyed getting to know Tiffany better as a friend and to watch Avery grow into a beautiful little girl.

A special thanks to everyone at Brewed Awakenings for letting us invade the space and for the delicious cheesecake and coffee.  Thanks to all these ladies for letting me be a part of your day and peep into your lives together.  Love really does last generations and that is something so lovely and so worth passing on.

At the End of the Day

I don't know about you but today has been a long day for me.  Lots of travel, lots of it being hot, and lots of not being at home.  Thus my post is being done late at night and I'm really wore out.  I'm not even sure if I'm making sense.  BUT at the end of the day what do we all really want?  Super cute baby pictures that's what!  This is Speed Racer's super adorable baby cousin, and her mother was wonderful enough to let her be my muse.

Mann: Keeping Inspired

If you have met me, and talked to me about photography, you will know that I love Sally Mann.  Her work is deep, and meaningful.  I love the ambiguity and imperfections in her photographs.  In Photo School, my friend Clara and I, related to her a lot not only because we were in awe of her work but because she lives in our home town.  When I got married, Clara's gift to me was a book of Sally Mann's "Deep South" series, a gift that I really treasure.  Her photographs have an essence, which is something I strive for in my own photographs. Night-blooming Cereus, 1988 Sally Mann Gelatin silver print, 8 x 10 inches Copyright Sally Mann These images are for illustration only and are not to be reproduced without permission.

After a talk with Warnie this morning about last night's blog post, I realized that I had talked down a lot of my work from Art School.  That was not my intention at all.  I really take pride in my work and love doing art, whether that is printmaking, photography, painting, or sculpture.  And I think I have a talent for it.  The last couple years out of school have been harder than I thought they would be, and I have found this to be true for several of my friends from school as well.  Not only do you no longer have the support of your fellow artists, but you also no longer have the same resources available to you.  It's hard, very hard.  My Professors tried to tell me how hard it would be, and I didn't fully understand.  I am just now getting to the point where art is invading my every thought.  I think about painting, dream about smelling darkroom chemicals, and long to feel plaster in my hands again.

I think that is another reason why I respect Sally Mann so much.  In her "Immediate Family" series she talks about how part of the reason she took pictures of her children was that they were there.  You work with what you have and find something beautiful, or mysterious in it.

As an artists it's also great to find things that inspire you to keep your spirits going and keep you motivated.  If you're looking for some free motivation, check out the Art 21 Series by PBS.  You can watch it for free on their website at http://video.pbs.org.  They do interviews with many different artists from large scale sculpture, to paintings, to different types of photography.  Just hearing the way these artist talk about their work is inspiration enough.  Be sure to check it out.