Growing Pains...

"I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow. I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights. I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life. I've learned that making a "living" is not the same thing as making a "life." I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance. I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw something back. I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision. I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one. I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back. I've learned that I still have a lot to learn. I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

— Maya Angelou

How Many Ways to Shoot a Ring

I have been taking some photography courses and have really enjoyed them. One is a wedding photography class, but the other is an intermediate level general photography. For the general class I am given an assignment every week. This past weeks was "shoot a product out of its normal surroundings". So I thought for a while and came up with taking K's engagement ring around to different situations at shooting it. It turned out to be fun, till the last shot, for which I sat for 45 minutes taking 200 shots to come out with 5 that were sort of in focus... though in the end its a cool concept. Here are a sampling of what I took.

Thanksgiving

It's Thanksgiving, and I have so much to be thankful for: - For the leftover apple pie I'm eating right now--my favourite! - For the support and friendship of siblings. - For in-laws who love and support and show incredible generousity and hospitality. - For my job...fulfilling, well-paying and a blessing in the face of so much unemployment. - For our church family that loves, supports, encourages and stretches us in so many ways. - For being done university at long last, having completed everything to the satisfaction of both myself and my profs. - For having enough. Clothes, food, heat. We are provided for. - For physical health. For the ability to enjoy the outdoors; to move and be active. - For my husband, who love, supports and grounds me and with whom I absolutely love sharing life. - For sunshine that makes plants grow, makes things warm and light and makes my heart happy. - For being born into a country with universal health care, democracy, wide open spaces of nature, and relative plenty. - For music and how it expresses my soul. ...and there's so many more that I can't even begin to cover them all. These are just the ones that come to mind especially right now.

Wedding Dress Shots, Take Two

How often does an opportunity like this come along? B's taking a wedding photography class at present, and he volunteered the two of us as models for the informal photoshoot session on SAIT campus. With the provision that my dress still fit. So, two weekends ago, we pulled it out. Fitting into it was no problem. However, there were several other rather large hitches. Major hitch #1 1) The corset-back ties may or may not have been run over as we left the wedding, and may or may not have ripped. Ok, they did rip. In two pieces. And had tire-rubber marks and dirt all over them. Oh yes, and for a few frantic minutes, we thought we'd lost them all together. 2) The dress had been tied up in a plastic bag for four years and was very wrinkled. Especially the lengthier train in the back. 3) I had never had the dress cleaned after the wedding and, seeing as it was an outdoor wedding, it was quite dirty. But at least I hadn't spilled anything on it! Oh well, we thought, these are all overcomeable with a little ironing, sewing and dusting. However, we left all of this until an hour before we were supposed to leave for the shoot along with getting all of Brent's stuff ironed, polished and tied (whoops!). But, thanks to my trusty sewing machine and a little creative cleaning and ironing, we managed to get the dress in working order. So the dress, we figured, was a go. What we forgot to account for, until the day before the shoot, was that I am completely incompetent when it comes to fancy hair doing. Ever wondered why I keep my hair long and at one length? Because it's easy to tie up in a braid or bun. And a bun or ponytail or braid just wouldn't cut it for this situation. So, major hitch #2: I am hair-doing handicapped. However, a good friend of mine stepped in for the rescue. We headed over to her house Saturday morning and while B and her husband visited, she handled the hair situation. It looked GOOD. Definitely as good as the original wedding hair-style, though a way more sophisticated look. (Thanks D!) So, with the addition of my far-east imported pearls (finally a chance to wear them, Rach!), some make-up courtesy of the Body Shop, my warmest leggings and fancy scarf, I was ready for take 2. The dress is now in DIRE need of being cleaned, however. I think I'm going to get dry-cleaned and packed up professionally. I don't think I'll be needing it any time after this. Wearing it once more and getting it extra dirty has been good incentive to get this looked after finally. Playing dress-up was one of my favourite activities as a child. Right up there with reading. Apparently I haven't grown out of either. :D Our real wedding pictures were a bit of a letdown. So hopefully some of the students' images turned out well and they'll pass them along to us. Obviously they won't replace the ones from the real day, but they're a fun alternative. In closing, I have to say I'm a little self-conscious of all the shots of just me, but, obviously, Brent couldn't be in the shots that he took himself. Hopefully we'll have pictures of him too later.

To The Mountains While We Can

Last Sunday we took advantage of the fact that Life Group was canceled and headed out to the mountains after church. The weather was so clear and the colours of the leaves and sky so gorgeous, it was an afternoon meant for hiking. Since we'd never done any hiking in the Bragg Creek area before, we decided to head out that direction and find somewhere to hike. It's not as far into the mountains as we would normally if we were hiking Three Sisters or Bourgeau, for instance, but it was far enough. The hike up Moose Mountain was quite reminiscent of the Coliseum hike out by Nordegg. You make a left hand curve as you hike through the trees and then out and along a ridge for several kilometres. Then up a steep steep incline to the top. At the top of Moose Mountain lies a fire look out station complete with a helicopter landing pad, a mailbox, a clothesline and an outhouse with a view. And a very friendly hospitable fire lookouter. We had lunch on the helicopter landing pad, enjoying the 180 degree view. It was absolutely beautiful in the late afternoon light.The way down was mighty chilly. We could see our breath for most of the journey. I put on every layer I had brought with me and I still lost feeling in all of my fingers. But it was SO worth it. We got down into Bragg Creek at around seven thirty and stopped for some high salt, high calorie snacks for the journey home. A day well spent!

Photo Processing

I really enjoy taking and working on photos. Slowly over the years I have learned Adobe Photoshop almost inside and out. In the process I felt like cause I knew so much I knew so little in turn. A running joke about Adobe Photoshop is there are 100 ways to do the exact same thing, so over time I've learned various techniques (workflows) in my processing. This morning I was working on a photo of J & M's wedding (I didn't take the photo). I felt like I had come to a good place with it, and looking back I realized I had created my own very quick work flow system. I wanted to remember this system, so I created a video of it. Most of the mumbo jumbo at the bottom of the video most pople won't understand, but the photo does come a long ways from SOOC (straight out of camera) to the final product. And so I share the video...