and with big brother J.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Sneak Peaks!
I have had quite a few sessions lately, which of course means slower turnaround time with proofing. Because of this, I wanted to offer some sneak peaks to those of you who are patiently awaiting the link to your proofs! I selected a couple favorites from each session to process ahead of time and post for you to see while you're waiting for me to finish your session. :)
Enjoy!
D. Family
M.
Baby M.
Baby R.
I am waiting on releases for the other two, and will post the sneak peaks from those as soon as I have them! Keep checking back, because as soon as I finish with each session I will be posting more favorites!
Enjoy!
D. Family
M.
Baby M.
Baby R.
I am waiting on releases for the other two, and will post the sneak peaks from those as soon as I have them! Keep checking back, because as soon as I finish with each session I will be posting more favorites!
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Just Ducky
I find myself having a lot of fun interactions with animals during photo shoots--usually family pets, but sometimes wild critters as well! Last month I was shooting at a lake, home to many geese and ducks, one of which had 12 babies following her around. Someone had conveniently left behind a bag of bread, so we got to feed them (we saw the "Do Not Feed Ducks" sign later...oops!), and I gave them their own mini session. :)
Aren't they just so cute?
The proud papa
They let me get pretty close...as long as no one made any sudden moves...
Retreat! Retreat!
Aren't they just so cute?
The proud papa
They let me get pretty close...as long as no one made any sudden moves...
Retreat! Retreat!
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
After the Flood
It's been a little while since I did a flood update, so here it is! This week I had two sessions--one in Iowa City and another that was a reschedule from last week. At that time last week we had no way to get to each other--the roads were still covered in water and closed. Today I drove across the I-80 bridge for the first time since the flood. It's hard to believe that just one week ago it was inaccessible. We are fortunate the bridge there stayed intact. You can see where the water level was, as the bottom half of the trees are brown with dead leaves and debris, while the leaves on the top half are still green. It's a strange sight to see! Unfortunately, since the interstate was open and I was driving 70 MPH (yes, 5 over the limit), you will have to just picture it in your mind. :)
I drove across the Cedar Valley bridge on my way to Iowa City the other day and was shocked to see how low the water is compared to a week ago. It's truly amazing to see after the fact! In Iowa City, many businesses still have sandbags piled around them, and signs of the floodwaters are evident in the brown, dingy sediment, dead foliage, water lines on buildings...I got to Coralville and chickened out. I just couldn't bring myself to drive down the strip--made up an excuse about needing to get home and not wanting to get stuck in traffic, but really I just don't know if I'm ready to deal with the loss of so many familiar places.
So, today I only have new photos of Rochester, from the workday this past weekend. It is somehow therapeutic to be able to go there and help in some small way. It's not hard to leave with positive feelings of recovery after spending time with others in the community, all pitching in, working together, talking about rebuilding and even joking around. Unfortuantely I had another commitment that day and was only able to work a few hours, though I'm sure my puny arm muscles and aching back thank me! :)
The highway at the entrance of the community (see photos in previous posts), leading to the miraculously-still-intact (but still closed) Rochester Bridge. The highway really took a beating.
Skidloaders and the beginnings of sandbag piles in the street.
Most of the day was spent pulling sandbags from where they were stacked around the homes, tossing them into the waiting skids, which would then deposit them on the street, to be picked up and disposed of. Sandbags are heavy enough by themselves...but these were full of WET sand!
Get to work!
Ever-growing piles...of slimy, very bad-smelling, wet sandbags...
This is the street shown in several previous posts. Where I stood to take this photo was only days ago covered in water. To the left of the truck at the end of the road is the street sign on the corner where the daycare sits. The river is now back within its banks, at regular "flood stage" level.
Water line
The business behind the daycare...I made a mark on the photo to emphasize where the water line is (hard to see on a small file), to show how far it was above the sandbags.
Ready to start on the daycare--a sandbag driven by the current and shattering the basement window is what let the water in. The basement interior has been gutted by now, so it was time to clean up the remains of the flood on the outside.
Finally the last sandbag is gone!
After I left the volunteers and residents continued to move down the streets, clearing sandbags from around the houses and then helping clean up inside as well. Ironically, it hasn't rained in a week and now we really need it--to wash away all the grime from the flood. There is still a lot of work to be done and some homes that could not be saved. Unfortunately the decreased water levels in our area only means that it has moved elsewhere to wreak havoc on other communities downstream. Continue to keep all of the people affected by the '08 flood in your thoughts and prayers!
I drove across the Cedar Valley bridge on my way to Iowa City the other day and was shocked to see how low the water is compared to a week ago. It's truly amazing to see after the fact! In Iowa City, many businesses still have sandbags piled around them, and signs of the floodwaters are evident in the brown, dingy sediment, dead foliage, water lines on buildings...I got to Coralville and chickened out. I just couldn't bring myself to drive down the strip--made up an excuse about needing to get home and not wanting to get stuck in traffic, but really I just don't know if I'm ready to deal with the loss of so many familiar places.
So, today I only have new photos of Rochester, from the workday this past weekend. It is somehow therapeutic to be able to go there and help in some small way. It's not hard to leave with positive feelings of recovery after spending time with others in the community, all pitching in, working together, talking about rebuilding and even joking around. Unfortuantely I had another commitment that day and was only able to work a few hours, though I'm sure my puny arm muscles and aching back thank me! :)
The highway at the entrance of the community (see photos in previous posts), leading to the miraculously-still-intact (but still closed) Rochester Bridge. The highway really took a beating.
Skidloaders and the beginnings of sandbag piles in the street.
Most of the day was spent pulling sandbags from where they were stacked around the homes, tossing them into the waiting skids, which would then deposit them on the street, to be picked up and disposed of. Sandbags are heavy enough by themselves...but these were full of WET sand!
Get to work!
Ever-growing piles...of slimy, very bad-smelling, wet sandbags...
This is the street shown in several previous posts. Where I stood to take this photo was only days ago covered in water. To the left of the truck at the end of the road is the street sign on the corner where the daycare sits. The river is now back within its banks, at regular "flood stage" level.
Water line
The business behind the daycare...I made a mark on the photo to emphasize where the water line is (hard to see on a small file), to show how far it was above the sandbags.
Ready to start on the daycare--a sandbag driven by the current and shattering the basement window is what let the water in. The basement interior has been gutted by now, so it was time to clean up the remains of the flood on the outside.
Finally the last sandbag is gone!
After I left the volunteers and residents continued to move down the streets, clearing sandbags from around the houses and then helping clean up inside as well. Ironically, it hasn't rained in a week and now we really need it--to wash away all the grime from the flood. There is still a lot of work to be done and some homes that could not be saved. Unfortunately the decreased water levels in our area only means that it has moved elsewhere to wreak havoc on other communities downstream. Continue to keep all of the people affected by the '08 flood in your thoughts and prayers!
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Oh boy...
As I've referenced in a previous post, my husband and brother-in-law love to hunt! So, for Father's Day my sister dressed my nephew in camo with a bunch of his daddy's hunting stuff so she could give the photos as a gift to his dad. My nephew loved it, and he was so funny! Nothing like starting them young, right? (as a non-hunting-fan here, I am rolling my eyes)
Disclaimer: the child was not near any sharp objects--the "arrows" had no tips on them!
Disclaimer: the child was not near any sharp objects--the "arrows" had no tips on them!
Friday, June 20, 2008
Recent Session
I know you are all probably tired of water pictures and photos of my kids, so, here are some favs from my most recent session! This little girl was born the same month as my daughter, which is how I met her mom. They are both super-sweet and I'm glad I met them. It was really neat to be able to do her two-year pictures! The site we were originally planning to use was flooded, but I think this area ended up working out quite nicely!
She really looooooved that merry-go-round! That's where she was headed every time we put her down, hehe :) I love the "discarded flowers" in this pic while she is having fun
She really looooooved that merry-go-round! That's where she was headed every time we put her down, hehe :) I love the "discarded flowers" in this pic while she is having fun
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
S'Mores
The other night DH lit a fire in our firepit and helped the girls make s'mores. By the time I got out there (he was entertaining them so I could get something done), they were a MESS! ...and they were acting totally silly too--nothing like a lot of sugar to bring out the sillies! :)
Monday, June 16, 2008
All Roads Lead to Water
Here are a few more pics from Saturday, of the roads around Cedar County. The Cedar Valley bridge is open now, but these won't be open again for awhile:
The highway leading to the Rochester bridge
Sign pointing to what's left of the community of Rochester
Lots of visitors to the new local "tourist attraction"...looks like everyone had the same idea, now that there is nothing more that can be done, we may as well just look around and take pictures!
A log spinning in the current by the side of the road
Overlooking the closed portion of I-80
This little boy's dad took him down to the interstate so he could stand (and lay!) in the middle of I-80...talk about a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! :)
Stormclouds over Cedar County Saturday night
The highway leading to the Rochester bridge
Sign pointing to what's left of the community of Rochester
Lots of visitors to the new local "tourist attraction"...looks like everyone had the same idea, now that there is nothing more that can be done, we may as well just look around and take pictures!
A log spinning in the current by the side of the road
Overlooking the closed portion of I-80
This little boy's dad took him down to the interstate so he could stand (and lay!) in the middle of I-80...talk about a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! :)
Stormclouds over Cedar County Saturday night
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