Happiness

"I hear that style is all the rage in Greece right now," Speed Racer said with a smile twitching across his lips.  I let out a wail of exasperation and the smile on his lips ripped open into a huge laugh.  I turned back to my reflection in the mirror.  I looked like a mummy.  I had gauze wrapped around various parts of my body, with tiny pieces of tape trying to keep them together.  I frowned, and that just sent Speed Racer over the edge. Pretty soon he was going to be on his hands and knees laughing too hard to breathe.  "It's not funny," I said, trying to keep a genuine pout on my face, but I couldn't help but laugh too.  I was covered, head to toe, in poison oak...on our anniversary. On Friday when I was thinking about this post, I thought I would make it another of our "How Did I get Here" series, and it would be a romantic post about Speed Racer and I's anniversary and undying love for each other.  And while that post still may appear later in the week...right now I am itching so bad and laughing that I just can't bring myself to do it.

The problem started last Saturday when I decided that our front flower beds needed to be cleaned out.  Speed Racer was out claiming car parts, and I thought what a great wifey it would make me look like if I tackled it and got it done by the time he got back.  It went just fine until I got to our maple tree.

I hit that thing like a hurricane from hell...pulling weeds this way and that...until I realized what I held was poison oak.  I had gloves on, thank God, but it was too late the damage was done.  At that moment I had a choice, and I'm going to admit folks, I chose wrong.  I got this trait from my Mom that once I start working on a project, I have to finish it, even if I should stop.  So instead of stopping and cleaning up, I tried to just power through until I had it done and could then go clean up.

Once I had finished I rushed into our downstairs laundry room and tore off my clothes, dumping them in the washing machine with some very hot water.  I raced up stairs to the bathroom and doused myself in rubbing alcohol.  I took a hot shower scrubbing every part of me with soap several times.  By the end of the day, I had no bumps...I had come in victorious, or so I thought until Friday.

Friday rolled around and little bumps started to pop up on my skin.  At first I thought I had just gotten some bug bites while I was outside the night before.  Then those bumps, turned into blisters, weeping, burning, itching, wish you could cut off that appendage blisters.  I tried to play it cool, it was just one spot after all, right? Right?  Wrong.  Pretty soon I had clusters of these on my legs, then on my abdomen, then on my side,  then on my chest, then on my elbow spreading up to my wrist.  It would be ok, I told myself.  It would go away soon, I covered it up with band aids.  But that just made it worse.  The adhesive on the band aids just angered the sensitive skin in the area, so now I had blisters and raw angry skin.

I finally gave in and showed Speed Racer.  He looked at me like I had the plague, like I was an infected Zombie.  He began to avoid all physical contact for fear of becoming infected.  Perfect, just what I wanted on our anniversary.

Saturday, I woke up mummified, but feeling ok.  Speed Racer was not in the bed next to me, and as I started to get up the door opened and he came in with a breakfast tray.  French toast, cherries, strawberries, syrup, and home-made whip cream...the man knows how to do breakfast right.  We decided we hit the road and try to find something fun and relaxing to do.  I could go into this part of our anniversary but really it involves several main aspects for you to get the gist of the afternoon: it was hot, there were lots of people, a semi purposefully tried to hit us, wherever we went we were in traffic for hours.  We tried to make it fun, but no matter where we went, we were fun blocked.  It wasn't our fault.  The best part of the day was the breakfast in bed, and then a cute little lunch place we found that had a screened in porch overlooking the smokies.  So we decided we needed a do over...Sunday would be our do over.

Sunday turned out great, Speed Racer got a few things done around the house.  We went down to the Crown and Goose, our favorite brunch spot.  Came back, took a fun ride in the Triumph Spitfire and got a slushy.  Then had some friends over for grilling out.  It was a pretty perfect day.  As the night was winding down, Speed Racer surprised me by sneaking out to get one of my favorite deserts, fantastic Carrot Cake, from a local restaurant.  We did the dishes while we listened to the playlist from our wedding, dancing and singing along the whole time.

The night ended perfectly as we lay in bed, and Speed Racer leaned over, trying not to touch my poison oak infested body, and kissed me gently, telling me how much he loved me, even if I looked horribly grotesque with blisters all over my body.  Ah, Amore.  It really can't get any better than that.

How Did I get Here? Part VI

So I know what you're thinking...how many more of these "How Did I get Here" series are there?  And where is here? When is it going to END?!  Hopefully very soon.  Not to worry, this is not the Rocky Series.  Although who can deny that theme song? You're singing it now...I know you are. After our friends Mr. and Mrs. Hokie got hitched, our other friends Mr. and Mrs. Miami got engaged and had a date set for May.  Mrs. Miami is my friend Renee, she has her own blog so her identity is no secret.  But I love nicknames, they're fun, and different and we all need a little mystery in our lives, right? Right.  Maybe they should be called Mr. and Mrs. Atlanta since that's where they are moving to, but more on that HERE.  But it's my blog and I do what I want to...daggum it.  Mr. and Mrs. Miami recruited me to be their photographer for their wedding and I was thrilled!  Mrs. Miami and I happen to be engaged at the same time, so we were able to help plan or rather vent about the frustrations of planning a wedding.  The day of the wedding finally came and Speed Racer and I packed the very VERY tiny car we were taking up to Maryland, and hit the road.  “If you want to know if you love someone, take a road trip. If you want to know if you can marry them, do it in a roadster.” ~Unknown  That pretty much sums that up.

We arrived in Maryland a little road weary, but ready to go.  The festivities began, starting with the rehearsal dinner.

The Lighthouse in the background is the lighthouse where they would be hitched the next day.  Luckily the weather held out, and we started the morning off bright and early.

This is Little Miss, she is Mr. and Mrs. Miami's gorgeous baby girl, and she got to be flower girl for the day.

They're friends with Mr. and Mrs. Hokie too.

Love, the purple shoes!

These parasols were adorable!  They were so much fun for everyone to play with, not to mention get out of the sun, and made for fantastic pictures.

Sorry Mr. Miami, but this is my favorite picture out of the entire day.  I love it.  I want to hang it on my wall.  Is that too weird?

So apparently in the Greek Tradition, if you put the names of your bridesmaids or single lady friends on the bottom of your shoes on your wedding day, and they wear off, then they will be getting married.  Kind of an alternate version of throwing the bouquet, at this point in the day (2 weeks before my wedding) I was still 50/50.

Photographer's Note:  I was on a moving dock in order to get this shot.  I had visions of my falling off and drowning with all the camera gear.  But it was worth it, I love this shot too.  I also want to hang it on my wall.

Thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Miami for letting me be a part of your big day, and helping me learn and grow as a photographer!    After a long day of shooting in the hot sun, Speed Racer and I, with Mr. and Mrs. Hokie in tow, headed back down south.

Post from the Past: Warnie and Olie

In December my brother Warnie and (my now sister-in-law) Olie got married.  It was a beautiful ceremony (I'm sure there will be a post later) and we had a great time.  But before that, I had the privilege of assisting my brother in his scheme to propose to this beautiful lady.  We had it all planned out, they were going to come up and stay with me before they headed to their college town the next day for a "museum exhibit."  While they were at the exhibit I would sneak down, and with the assistance of my lovely friend The Twin, set up the romantic scene.  It was fool proof.  Almost.  It was suppose to rain all day.  Warnie was thinking about calling things off, and trying to do it another time, but I could tell he was disappointed.  I mean guys have a lot of pressure with these things!  So I pulled a couple strings and told Warnie not to worry, it would be magical.  And it was.

The tent was the real saving grace.  Luckily my previous employer let me borrow it, even though I'm sure he thought I was crazy.  There was also a terrible wreck, so we thought we were going to be late.  But it all worked out.  Let me add that this was all Warnie's idea, I'm not taking any credit at all, I just set everything up.  But I was so excited to be a part of that moment.  His love and devotion for her is absolutely moving.  I am blessed to have Olie as my sister.  She makes me laugh, she puts up with my craziness, and she is one of the most caring people I know.  I really lucked out with both my sister-in-laws, which is great since I never had sisters.

Thank you Warnie and Olie for letting me be a part of that day, and then posting about it...without asking first.  I love you both very much.

Dam Blog Post

Last night Speed Racer and I were feeling a little antsy in our pantsy after a lazy afternoon.  We had managed to go on a nice 23 mile bike ride in the morning before the rain started.  But after that were trapped inside, and quite frankly, took advantage of it with a long Sunday afternoon nap.  After dinner with some friends, the clouds cleared up and we hit the highway. To Norris Dam.

We really got there at the perfect time of day.  The rain had cooled everything off, leaving a slight mist on the water.  It was gorgeous.

This is one of our favorite "date nights."  We just get in the car and drive somewhere.  We've been doing this since either of us could drive and it's great because it's cheap, and relaxing, and just the two of us.

The two of us AND my CAMERA!

Unfortunately for Speed Racer...but he's very nice and lets me take picture of him...except when he decides to start moving around, to be mean.

Of course we were lucky to get a hot press car to ride around in too.

It was a wonderful night, and a great way to start the week.

How Did I get Here? Part V

So after a few portraits here and there, I got to try my hand at another wedding.  Our friends Mr. and Miss (at the time) Hokie were getting married and asked that I shoot the wedding.   I was so thrilled and honored that they wanted me as their photographer, I was so glad that my friends were using my skills (note: this is a blatant request for my other friends and family to use my photo skills.  Come on guys, weddings, births, birthdays, anniversaries, USE ME...ahem...please, I would love to be part of your lives in every way, and it's an excuse for me to visit).  I also got to give my two cents in some of the wedding planning, since Speed Racer was living with Mr. and Miss Hokie at the time.  It was lots of fun, the wedding was absolutely stunning.  Miss Hokie was beautiful, and now she's Mrs. Hokie. Mr and Mrs. Hokie:

After Mr. and Mrs. Hokie road off into the sunset, in a beautiful Ford F150, Speed Racer and I went to a bar with some of our friends.  I was sitting there, absolutely exhausted, listening to the stories and laughter from my friends, and I had an overwhelming sense of peace.  I could do this, I love how happy everyone is at weddings.  I love getting to know people.  I could do this, I wanted to be a photographer so badly.  It would be hard, but I'd get there.

How Did I get Here? Part IV

Graduation came and went.  At first I was determined to live purely off of my fine art photography, but as I continued my job at a local pool for the summer, I realized that some other cash would be necessary.  I mean, I do have a shoe habit that needs cash to be fed.  And there are lots of pretty shoes I still do not have. (It was a horrible, rainy day, and as I came down the ramp a huge gust of wind blew a puddle of  water off the tent and onto me and the girl in front of me.  She looked pretty worried, I thought it was hillarious.)

Not only did I have a shoe habit that needed aide, but I realized how much I love to take portraits.  I love capturing people, whether it's a couple, a wedding, a family, super cute babies, or goofy pets.  So I set out to take me some portraits.  My first test subjects were my previous boss Krissy, and her two adorable children.  Krissy works for SwimKids Swim School as well as teaching for George Mason University.  If you live in the Northern Virginia area, you should definitely check out SwimKids.  I had never before seen a 4 year old do butterfly, let alone teach a 4 year old to do butterfly.  They have a fantastic program, and I know 100% it has saved childrens lives.  They teach, safety, Mommy and Me classes, as well as competitive swimming.  And their instructors are the nicest, friendliest people you will ever meet.  SO, Krissy let me borrow her and her children for one of my favorite portrait shoots.

Krissy, Nayarit and Thrace

One of my favorite parts of a shoot that involves children, is when the kids finally start to relax around you and forget that you are there.  Then the great pictures start to flow, and their personalities start popping out.  It's a ton of fun.  More Posts from the Past to come!

Summer Portrait Special

I'm doing a Summer Portrait Special!  Memorial Day has come and gone, the pools are open, school is almost out, summer is beginning, and I'm ready to take pictures of you enjoying it!  I'm offering a one hour Portrait session for $98.99 at any location you choose.  With this session you get 1 8x10, 3 5x7s, and 8 wallets.  This session is for families, friends, senior portraits, couples, kids, babies, and pets!  I have many print sizes and types to choose from if you'd like a different look.  Interested?  Contact me at runawayalice@gmail.com, or 540.460.2691.

Don't live in Knoxville but still want to partake in the Summer Portrait Special?  Not a problem, just add the cost of gas (and room if you live really far away!) and I'll come to  you.

Here are a few samples from previous Portraits I've done:

How Did I get Here? Part III

Next up in our "How Did I get Here?" series, is the first wedding I ever shot.  My friend and adopted big sister, Stephanie contacted me when I was a Junior in college and asked if I could take some pictures at her wedding.  I was super nervous, not really sure what I should do, and had dreams of my camera crashing and all the pictures being destroyed.  But the wedding and the pictures turned out beautiful.

So here is a quick run down of things I learned at my first wedding.  These are good rules whether you're doing it for free for a friend/ family member, or whether it's someone you've just booked.

1. Make up a basic contract.  This just lets people know what you're offering and the time limits you're working with, that way they know what to expect.

2. Have a shot list.  This can be something you come up with and go over with the bride, or that you have the bride make.  Either way this list will insure that you get the photos that are most important to the happy couple.

3. Lots-o-Memory.  You can never have too much memory, that way you don't get to the middle of the ceremony and have to start deleting photos.

4. Take your time.  This is hardest for me to remember when I'm doing group shots.  Sure you don't want to have the posed photos take 2 hours while everyone is waiting at the reception.  But remember that this is a happy day and that most of the time, these people have been rushing to this point all morning.  Take your time and rearrange people until it looks right to you.

5.  Jump in there.  This sounds dumb to say, but don't be timid!  Sometimes when you're first starting out you don't want to get in the way of anyone and ruin the wedding, which is true, you want to be respectful.  But whether you're doing this for fun or for coinage, they picked you to be their photographer!  So have fun and jump in there to get the good shots.

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.

Hello, Illinois

The morning after I made it to Jack’s house, I awoke to the smell of bacon.  I love bacon.  I’m a meat kinda girl, and bacon is possibly one of my favorites…my brother knows this, so he spoiled me with bacon the entire trip.  First thing we did each day was take Oscar for a walk.

Oscar loves his walks, and it was a great time for us to catch up and talk…we do a lot of talking in my family so we need amble time to do so.  It also gave us a chance to see a little of Historic Urbana.

After a quick lunch with Scientist Lady on Friday, we set out to see the campus at University of Illinois.  The campus was really beautiful, although deserted with school being out.

Next we hit the art museum which is connected to the University Art building.  I’m ashamed.  I have to say that going in I was expecting a kind of small museum, that probably didn’t have a lot of cool exhibits.  But what I found was this:

A Rembrandt!  Not only a Rembrandt but they had Louis Bourgeois, Andy Warhol, Winslow Homer, and many more fabulous artists.  I was tickled pink, like a kid in a candy store.

When I took a quick trip to the ladies room in the Art building, I found a treasure trove of wise sayings, here's just one example, there will be more in the photo gallery:

Wise…so very wise…

After a hard day in the museum we came back the house and crashed for a bit.  As a matter of fact, we did this just about every day.  I don’t know why we were so tuckered out, but it was great to just relax and be.  Oscar agrees…

So after some fun and fondue, we decided to show the Parentals how to play Wii.

They did great!  And they beat the pants off of me in Frisbee golf!

Saturday we hit the local Farmer’s Market, to pick up a few things dinner.  After that we took a quick stop for some cool drinks, then that afternoon we went and saw Robin Hood.

On Sunday we started the day off with brunch at a local restaurant called Radio Maria.  They had fantastic Spanish cuisine, and I had Migas….delicious delicious Migas.  It was basically eggs with potato and zucchini, with a side of salsa and sour cream, all to be wrapped in corn tortillas.  Of course, it was so excellent, that I forgot to take pictures of it…oops!

After a good brunch to start out the day, we headed out into the prairie.  On the outskirts of Urbana there is this excellent Prairie Sculpture Park.  It’s a great place to play, fly a kite, and enjoy the sculpture and wide open spaces.  Which is what we did.  And this was without a doubt my favorite place to take pictures.

It was a great trip and I was sad to leave.  I had never experienced such wide open spaces and that big sky.  It was different, but I like my mountains too.  Thanks Illinois, it was fun...I'll miss you.