Old Fashioned is the Subject

Todays's Photo Challenge Subject:  Something Old Fashioned.  I took the picture of the dining room in one of the buildings located at the Historic Plantation Farm located in Baton Rouge, LA.  It is now on display as part of the LSU Rural Life Museum.  Anyway, notice the ceiling fan.  You see the string that is attatched?  That is used to manually swing the ceiling fan over the table of food to keep the flies away.  ewww...I think every generation deals with their own difficulties.  Life was simple but hard back then.  In our generation, life is simple but hard. We just have different challenges.

Day 141 of 365, Yesterday, I did a Bridal Shoot for an upcoming wedding.

Photo by Betty Slaton

Photo by Betty Slaton

The above two pics were taken by my mom.  She rode with me to help with the Bridal Shoot that I had scheduled for yesterday.  The location is the Audubon Historic State Park and Oakley Plantation in St. Francisville, LA.  It is an absolutely perfect photography site.  The first pic above is the old Plantation Home.  Featured also is the Chief of Hospitality.  His name is Gus the Turkey.  He greets everyone who drives up.  The parking lot and front porch is his territory.  While Mama was talking to Gus, she was snapping a few pics.  When she walked into the museum where I was paying the entry fee, she told me about what Gus did.  She said that the whole time she was taking his picture, his tail feathers were up and proud and he was wobbling around in a strut.  As soon as she started to walk off, pppphhhhhhh, down his feathers went in a big dejected sigh.

Here, I was trying to make Gus look glamourous.  How about it?

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I sent my bride and her mom to the password protected gallery of images that we captured.  After she viewed them, she sent me a text message that made me soooo happy.  She wrote, "I love them!...We are at our honeydo shower.  But I completely love every single one them!"

Goodie, goodie!  She loves them!  I knew she would.  I told Kristin that I am itchin' and can't wait to post the Bridal Session images but I have to wait until after the wedding, of course.  Kristin (bride-to-be) and her mom, Norma were phenomenal to work with.  Norma came up with some really great poses.  Combining mine and Norma's ideas and Granny's (my mom) assistance with the lighting, we made a great team.  I sure am happy with every one of our shots.  Kristin was willing to try anything we threw out for her to try.  It is a big effort to do a Bridal Photo Session.  For the bride, it is early morning hairdo and make-up, then meeting up at the location with her dress in tow.  But, I will tell you what...it is all worth it in the end!  After the wedding cake is long gone and honeymoon is over, what will remain?  The amazing images of the hopes and dreams of new couple starting a new life together.  Then, for my efforts in the Wedding Day Photography, I hope to capture special and memorable moments to hold forever in the hearts of the bride/groom and their families.  It is so important to capture today's images of our Parents, Grandparents, Siblings, Family and Friends.  All moments captured are priceless treasures for future generations.  

Is it all worth it?  You betcha!

Day 139 of 365, Crooked (or with a crook in it or opposed to straight) I'm reaching but...read on.

Today's Photo Challenge Subject is Crooked.  Here are a few quick grab pics that I came up with.  This is my kitchen table backlit by my eastern facing window light.  Then, below I propped up the umbrella with a crooked handle.  Would this qualify for crooked or curved?  For my purposes today, I will call them crooked.  For me to move on with my day, I had to get something nailed down because....

I really,really need to get some work done around here.  It is Friday and I have a few errands to run also.  I hear Terry outside working hard on the yard so I need to get myself into gear.  But, you know what?  If I know what my challenge is, I can hardly think about anything else until I get that 'in the can'.  'In the can' is old photography lingo from the film days when the job was complete and the roll of film was in the canister to be developed.  Like do I think of this as my job or something?  I don't know...~!  

You know what I actually WANT to do?  I want to go to our Old State Capital Building and get a pic of the interior Spiral Staircase.  It is so beautiful because it is capped off by a gorgeous huge stained glass dome roof.  I just might be able to do that if I can manage to de-clutter this house, mop the floors and finish with the general housework.  So, now I have a goal.  I will definitely get motivated and speed ball around here so that I can go on my Artist Date today!  Ok, let me set my timer to give me a time limit incentive to just 'get'er done'!  Also, I will crank up the music to boom all over the house so that I can do the Lindy Hop to IT!!!!

Please, don't rain on my parade!

Draw a Straight Line...

Draw a Straight Line..., originally uploaded by michelle*sibley.

Uploaded for Daily Photo Challenge, Subject: Straight, May 27, 2010

I thought of doing this from the moment I heard that today's challenge subject was "Straight". I never got around to setting this up until after 10 pm because I didn't know where a ruler was. Just before turning the lights out to go to bed, (actually to go watch a re-run of Andy Roddick's match today at the French Open) I saw a yard stick standing beside the wall and the refrigerator. Ah Hah! There it is! So, I went ahead and grabbed the straight edge to capture this picture. Hey, better late than never. Don't cha think?

Day 138 of 365, Cool Can Am & Starbucks

Today's Photo Challenge Subject was "Straight".  While me, Terry and Karmyn were out and about, we stopped at Starbucks.  I saw these mugs on the shelf and decided to get a quick pic.  The handles are all straight in a row right?  Actually, I straightened them just a little.  The Starbucks baristas were most likely wondering why I was straightening their shelf.  :) 

My daughter will not let me take her pic for anything.  I have to be a photo sniper.  Then when she sees that she is the target....she is outa Dodge!

Oh, well...her legs look good.

How about this?  We stopped at Big Mike's to grab a bite of lunch.  We parked next to this 3 wheeled motorcycle as seen above.  I saw the name Can Am on the side.  I'm diggin' this!  Back, when the gas prices sky rocketed for the first time, I purchase a couple of hwy legal scooters.  I never put them on the highway though because I felt that they would be way too dangerous.  The scooters are more suited for city streets and not the rural highways of my hometown.  But, this 3 wheeler peaked my interest today.

When we walked into Big Mike's there were 3 guys already seated in the booth in front of ours.  One of the guys was bald with a goatee and tatoos.  With him was a guy with dreadlocks in a ponytail.  The third guy looked more like a golfer type compared to them.  At any rate, I figured one of those guys were driving the Can Am because the rest of the people in the restaurant were women.  Then, a huge table of ladies got up to leave.  They marched out in a single file of middle aged ladies with their shoulder bags...except one.  Terry said,  "There's the Can Am driver right there...the one with the yellow and black lightning bolt helmet."  I had to get a picture. 

 

Day 137 of 365, Night Walk in the Downtown Baton Rouge Area

Today's Photo Challenge was "On the Road".  Here are a few Night Scenes that I captured.  These were captured in downtown Baton Rouge, LA. 

  I took this picture as I was standing on the tracks that run along the levee of the Mississippi River.  Do the tracks look twisted?

Day 136 of 365, By George, I think she's got IT!

Today, I found this gorgeous little girl's images in my archived files. I remember the day that I captured them. I met her last March, as I was taking Portraits of a beautiful High School Senior girl. My Senior wanted to capture images with her horse that she had purchased with her own earnings. The location was the horse farm that she used to stable her horse. The owner gave us permission to use the entire pasture, barn, pond, etc. as our backdrop. We did get some amazing images that day. We were winding up our session when we noticed this little girl inching her way toward us. I could tell that she wanted me to take her picture. Before doing so, I called to her mom to get permission.  When given the ok, I told the sweet little one where I wanted her to stand or sit.  The posing?..My goodness, the posing was all her! She is a natural I believe. By George, I think she's got IT! I am sure you know what I mean by IT.  IT is that little something special that makes her unique...spaghetti sauce chin and all. :) I love these images. I think the combination of low setting sun filtering through her fine blond hair to her little pose techniques that were completely natural, down to the pensive half smile expression on her face. Again, By George, I think she's got IT, I'd say! I wish I knew her name.