a little different

Better than us...

2011-11-11T01:39:00.000-08:00

You think dogs will not be in heaven? I tell you, they will be there long before any of us. ~Robert Louis Stevenson

I don't have a long drawn out story to tell about the next photos. I am posting them because they are what I love most about photographing. They are what gets lost in posing and preconceiving an image like I am forced to do so often at a session with people. These creatures are honest, like babies and children, and the occasional adult that will let me in. They let the camera just eat them( a wierd expression I know, but it is for lack of a better term for just letting someone have you, just as you are, selflessly) When I get the shot right, and we make eye contact, there is no notion of what they look like. They just look right into your soul and let you have everything they have to give. Somewhere the rest of us turn that off, we learn that there is an expectation for what we are to portray, and what someone else wants us to be. Lately I am focusing on trying to see truth. Even in an everyday family session. I encourage people to sit like they normally sit, play with their hands, and talk to me. I want real. I am kind of desperate for it lately. I was trying to think of subject matter for a blog post,( It has been forever.) and I could think of nothing better than these lovely friends that I have photographed over the course of many family sessions. Enjoy, there are many more to come


Sage, we miss you....probably one of my favorite dogs ever.

Third time's the charm;)

2011-06-28T14:12:00.000-07:00

I got the opportunity a couple weeks ago to photograph a DELIGHTFUL family, the Moultrays. We tried for two weeks in a row and we had rain both days, in the middle of sunny streaks, and finally we just said we would go no matter what! I am so glad we did because it was a perfect, warm evening, a little overcast (there were sprinkles, but we didn't care!) We decided on ice cream to start (my favorite..) and then they got out some bubbles and wierd hats. Two things that I freakishly adore... They were so genuine and fun and the kids loved to be in front of a camera. Clients like this make my life so easy! Until I am sitting here completely UNABLE to get choose which photos I will present to them in their package. I am finally done, and I have been reminded that that sometimes, even if it seems gloomy or impossible, you should just try...unless there is lightning...then you sit inside and have your ice cream!

Ill just be in my musical bath if you need me....

2011-06-13T23:56:00.000-07:00

Take a music bath once or twice a week for a few seasons, and you will  find that it is to the soul what the water bath is to the body... (Oliver Wendell Holmes) 

So I couldn't have said it better myself. I saw this quote awhile ago on some piano chord sheet I looked up online. It was nestled there amongst the bad advertisements for protein shakes and ads for lizard insurance that inevitably pop up every time you go to the sheet music sites. I don't know why it caught my eye, but it did and it is on the money. You must know that feeling..when you hear an artist play for the first time, and you are engulfed. No cover songs needed. It is when it just makes sense to some unexplained part of you. The words don't even have to make sense. It is that moment that the songwriter probably longs for, to have that perfect symbiosis (I might have made that word up..) with the listener. Like a painting on the wall that a hundred people pass by and then there is that one. They pay 1000 dollars for it, never mind that they can't eat for a month, because it was somehow painted FOR THEM.  A song is the same thing I think, and on a grander scale because music is wrapped around every fiber of our being, no matter if it is Beethoven's Sonata 14 or Def Leppard's Love Bites from the 80's. (The first two I thought of, no particular reason....) You hear the song for the first time and you stop. The best way I can describe it is a little jolt. Right kind of behind your sternum, yes where I suppose your heart is, excuse my cheese but it is pretty much true. That moment is then carved inside of you. I remember where I was when I heard Dave Matthews "Crash"...I was in the YVCC hub with my binder and my hopeless math problems, drinking an americano 1/4 full with whipped cream instead of cream,(must have been about 1997ish) and holy crap there it was. "You've got your ball you've got your Chain, tied to me tight, tie me up again..."followed by the most perfect circles of guitar I had ever heard. What? What is this? Who is this heavenly being singing this? Well I sat there in total shock until MTV(remember that?) put the little name thing in the bottom corner and I ran like the wind to the CD store and that thing was mine. About 8 exact same trashed copies later, and every version of every song the man has ever done on my itunes...it stuck with me. A large piece of my life's soundtrack if you will. 

Yes, that was a long intro to this entry, but I had to try to describe that moment, and honestly it has been awhile since that sense of awe in music has hit me. But this past year really to my happy surprise it has been LOCAL yakima musicians that have really made impressions on me (keep in mind I am not a musical expert of any kind, I just like it alot and listen to it alot, and am baffled and intrigued by those who can WRITE IT) So the first in my musical praise is the group Cody Beebe and the Crooks. They are ridiculously good. 

Their music is like the perfect salad dressing. (Bear with me on this), they include all the layers, the herbal earthy part, the salt, the pepper of course, a teeny splash of lemon because you need the acidity, just a tiny bit of honey for some sweet, and the best part is the oil for the smooth, then you take that and really shake it and then pour it on us...the lettuce. haha! That is OUR bath! (here is their bio on all the members Here)

 They played "THE BRICK" in Roslyn, a couple months ago and I for one,was blown away. I then got the spur of the moment chance to photograph their concert for Rock the Gap a couple weeks ago for Yakima Magazine.(YAY!)

These guys have it together,I love their music and style, and I hope they like the photos I came away with. I don't think it is possible to catch their energy on film. But I tried. ;) Check out their website here

Download their music and watch their video too...

Watch for the guys at Case of the Blues here in Yakima later this summer. Also watch for them all around the Northwest.

Cheers;)Jen

Last but not least...

2011-05-25T16:55:00.000-07:00

I know, it's been a(long)while since I put anything up here...I keep thinking that tomorrow I will have more time, and todays ideas may not be stellar, but in a couple days I might have that epic thought train that would warrant expression. But the last couple weeks I have been especially feeling guilty about not posting, mostly because I have had some really great images worth sharing. Ironically these come from the last minute senior sessions that inevitably happen in the late spring. I always love these sessions because these kids are usually the opposite of procrastinators (me), they truly are the ones that have been so busy with sports, activities, work and mostly just life that they haven't had even a minute to themselves..and this is just the icing on their high school cake, or so to speak. This is definately the case with Jackson here, who is so actively involved in sports and school, this is truly the first chance he has had to take time for himself, and have some fun being himself . It is an understatement to say Jackson was brimming with epic ideas for his shoot, including his shoe collection, a mid-remodel room, a phone booth, a rosary (in almost every pic). He had every detail of his session planned to the enth degree. Nothing makes me happier than to just photograph an amazing, accomplished person inside of his own ideas and personality. I love seeing someone so young be so transparent, and so comfortable letting me into his world. So here are a few from his session..watch for him, I'm sure he is going on to greatness;)

Thank you again Jack- have a great year next year!

Heart of Gold

2011-01-26T15:36:00.000-08:00

Let's face it. It is so uninspiring to look out the window right now as the green of our yards and trees have been sucked back down into the warm earth (or they say its warm once you go about a mile down....) waiting for the spring. I say this was a bright idea the plants and greenery had. I really have no desire to go outside either nor have I since October. I want my bed to just suck me in and spit me back when I can feel the warm yellow sun on my back again. Totally logical in my mind.

The anticipation of summer hit me yesterday (January 26th) when my youngest, Charley, asked if we could get the pool out. He cried when I said no. I love that he sees the sun and its instantly summer! Granted it was sunny, and tolerable, but being the oppressive mother that I am I had to decline his wish. My rule is no pool till its 80....I absolutely love it when I get my chaise lounge out and kick back while the kids throw water on each other and splash, then eventually the iconic chattering teeth come and beg for a towel! Then I put the towels out and we lay in the grass waiting for the sun to heat us through and through. Yes its as close to nirvana as I can possibly fathom at this grey dismal moment in my day.

I thought I would wait to post these pics till summer, but I just was so excited to find them while digging through my hard drive, building my new website, that they are going up now. Yes they were taken on what was I believe to be one of the hottest days of summer, at a concert in the park.(notice the sweaty hair ;) The ice cream was courtesy of one of the sweetest guys out there, Randy Kupp, who bought ALL of our kiddos(including his adorable toddler girls) the frozen loveliness from the Soda Fountain. I just wish I would have had my camera out in time to catch the image of him traipsing through the park, holding at least 6 drippy ice creams while jumping over the many lounging concertgoers. Priceless.

Cheers...and for the love of God, turn up the heat and eat some ice cream. It will make you feel better!
Jen

love the madness....

2011-01-06T22:44:00.000-08:00

New Years...the proverbial day to change your life, yourself, your body, etc. BLAH BLAH! For me, all inclusive decisions like that prove to be disasterous simply because of my colossal degree of inability to maintain any and all forms of self control. Hmm. So I give up carbs. Immediately following I have the most insatiable desire to eat the entire bread basket at zesta cucina, where I have specifically ordered what I have told myself is the least fattening thing on the menu, the soup. Then I decide to go "RAW" oh thats a brilliant plan in winter, when everything is so freezing and the only thing I look forward to is eating COOKED food and drinking HOT coffee (not allowed on the raw plan) FAIL! ...hmm. Oh, and my favorite, "I WILL BECOME ORGANIZED" this is just not something you can say..because unfortunately when you say that, you start to do something that you think is your pathway to organization, and that is cleaning. But when you do that, it gets WORSE. Stuff is out everywhere, you have no idea where it even came from, you go from this puffed chest, "I can do it" cape flapping in the breeze on the mountain peak girl of wonder, to looking around yourself in utter horror. Truly questioning why you are even allowed to exist, for fear of your mess spreading out to the masses and taking over the world, inch by frightening inch, piece of crap by hideous piece of crap. I must interject into my own interjections that this has already started to happen. Just ask my incredibly tolerant friends how much of my stuff is at each and every one of their houses...its like the Gremlins, as little pieces of myself start to multiply every time they even see me or I run over for ANY REASON. This little problem has become worse as of 10 years ago when I decided to procure offspring that carried my genetic material within them, now they do the same thing. We are totally the Gremlins. Jennifer and Larry Gremlin, and their lovely offspring, Gremlin 1, Gremlin 2, and baby Gremlin. ( this is not to mention the stinky beasty gremlindogs.)
Sigh. Ok so this morning I have been folding laundry while watching Modern Family. A show that gives me incredible happiness and joy. Meanwhile, pondering how I must combat my shortcomings as a housewife (home executive, what is the PC term?) wanna be artist, picture of health, workout maven and of course, hardbody. I have concluded that before making drastic changes I must embrace and be at peace with my life the way it is, and work toward what I will be in the future, not just be like " TODAY IS THE DAY I WILL BE DIFFERENT!!!!!" (insert large booming echoous top of the mountain, girl with rippling cape voice here..) Maybe I need to be okay with who I am and what I have done so far..and not just feel like I am in a race to do more, and be more. I am going to try to do the stuff I do a little better, or with a little more thought and creativity each day, know some days I will suck, and then the next day suck a little less. No its not monumental, but I hope its realistic. I re discovered this series by one of my favorite photographers. So I will re share it with you. And also a few more I love where people are not afraid to be in the moment. Cheers!

(copied and pasted below)
When a photographer named Sacha Goldberger realized his grandmother Frederika, age 91, was lonely and might be suffering from depression, he proposed an unusual course of therapy: a superhero photoshoot. "Super Mamika," as Frederika is now known, became an internet sensation thanks to the costumed photos, which show her in all kinds of exaggerated heroic poses. She's the grandma everyone wants to have, and she now has thousands of fans on MySpace.

Frederika is a hero in real life, too. Living in Hungary during World War II, she sheltered 10 Jewish people she knew from the Nazis. Later in her life, when Hungary was run by a communist regime, she fled to France under threat of execution. This is one granny who has definitely earned a superhero alter ego!

Below, check out some of the most awesome photos of Super Mamika.

CHEERS!

If you blog about me, I'll blog about you! (or Kalea's E-session)

2011-01-02T00:47:00.000-08:00

Snow, Snow, Don't Go Away...

I have been so excited to finally post this for my adorable friend, blogger and Event planner Kalea Harrison. She was so awesome to me and blogged about some of my photography on her amazing and well followed Seattle based wedding blog Love Made Visible Events. We decided that a snowy engagement shoot was the look they were hoping for and this past week over Christmas break, she and her fiance Nate and I hiked through the snowy, freezing woods and found an abandoned swiss chalet just waiting for us. Magically, It was stocked with wine and provisions for a week! Ha! Just kidding!...no, actually we heard good old Camp Roganunda was abandoned, and for sale, so we went there and hung out by the sweet old cabins for their Shoot. Yes we froze, and got really wet and cranky (not really) but I think we got some fantastic photos of the lovebirds. I couldn't wait to post them for her privately, so I will just take my chances that she won't be mad...you aren't mad Kalea, are you?

Happy New Year! Peace and much happiness to everyone! Jen

The Kids Need Knits too!

2010-12-26T00:11:00.000-08:00

I am so excited to show off my friend BJ's newest knits, which just happen to be for some of my favorite photo subject matter, kiddos! I was noticing that the parents were throwing the vibrant colored knits on their offspring anyway, so after mentioning this to the knitmaster, do you know what he had piled very soon in his basket? Ummm, yep, you guessed it, kidswear prototypes! Of course these photos were just to see if they looked good, and to be sure that it would be a good idea for him to keep making such experimental pieces. After the kids repeatedly RAVED about them, I am thinking, BJ, yes it is safe to keep pumping out these lovelies! They are super soft and luscious, and of course organic cottons and other skin loving fibers your kids will want to have on all the time. And because he is BJ, he custom makes these to suit all tastes and personalities! Never two exactly the same. I love these, they are super special for your special little creatures. Stay tuned, for lots more from BJ, I love photographing the happiness, and the color, as always!

Link up here people...

http://www.facebook.com/pages/BJ-Wolfs-Mercantile/193378593333

Email:

bjwolfmerc@gmail.com

Photography by Me, Jennifer Dagdagan, its all copywrighted...oh yes! By me, of course......

Milk.

2010-11-25T00:34:00.000-08:00

I have always loved cows. Like, I want a cow for a pet, not to eat or sell or anything, but I want it to be my pet forever. I know with the husband I have, this dream might never come true..(he is a farm boy, and extreme meat enthusiast) I simply just adore these sweet beings. I love them at the fair in the barns, I slow my car down and say hi to them when I am driving out to my parents house...That being said, I have taken them for granted. I have eaten their products, gulped down latte after latte..not thinking about the being that gives us the milk that makes up 99% of coffee lover's morning start. I don't think about where they are living, who is caring for them, farming them, and producing their by products. Until a couple of months ago I was able to just buy my jug of milk, lattes, steaks, burgers, etc. with little to no thought. Yes I knew grass fed was better for ME, organic was better for ME- but what about them?

One fateful night we decided that Food, INC was the movie of choice. I am a freak for documentaries..I love them. This one however was different. I have never watched one where I was made starkly aware that every choice I make pertaining to my food, clothing, habits, etc..truly affects someone or something else either positively or adversely. You think it is just a jug of milk..nice fresh lovely milk you are giving your kiddos. And maybe it is..but in our conventional American dairies, and feedlots, these animals are suffering. And truly, our health is too, right along with them. No, most of the time we get off easy, we have no ill effects immediately. But the rude truth is that it is not going to get better unless we demand better quality, and better treatment of these animals that truly we need to survive.

Ok enough soapbox for now, I am not here to rant. Well not really rant...I just loved this place and want to tell all of you about it..

One dismal Wednesday afternoon, My friend Dawn and I decided to scout out any and every "organic" or free range farm within driving distance and we were so thrilled to discover that yes, here in Central Washington we do have an alternative. There is a wonderful farm really close by, called "Pride and Joy Farm" that is under the larger corporation Organic Valley. We made the trek down to see what it was all about...is this place really as amazing as their website said? Are the cows truly happy, and unstressed? Grazing all day to their hearts content? Well let me tell you. Yes they are. You see the bales of hay just ready for them, and the expansive green pastures spread out in every direction, dotted with hundreds of blissful meandering beasts, allowed to stroll leisurely (not pushed or jerked) out of the milking barn at their own pace. Back out to the emerald green pastures to graze.

We each purchased our Gallon of milk.. (we couldn't buy meats that day because the guy in the barn didn't have the key to the freezer- it was Veterans day) Yes it is unpasteurized, raw milk. Don't be scared... you only have to worry about milk being pasteurized when e-coli is even a FACTOR which it is not when milk is produced in this method. These cows are not grain or corn fed, they are raised the way cows are meant to be raised. And it is $9 a gallon. You say yikes- I say ok, well so we aren't going to guzzle down milk, and have a bunch of half drunk cups of milk.

So I gave my kids what they needed for cereal, and a little to drink- it lasted 5 days. A normal gallon in our house survives only about 1.5 days. Humans do not need LOADS of cows milk. But it was absolutely wonderful, creamy, full of enzymes and probiotics, the things that pasteurization kills. Apparently this company is now on the Yakima food Co-op list..I encourage you to visit the site- I will link it. I am also posting some fun pics of our trip there. So much fun and such a responsible, healthy business. Support these when you can...they are amazing, and worth saving. Stay tuned for my next pictorial on Chickens.. (chicken coops are one of my deep seeded obsessions... so prepare yourselves )

Links are below!!

Yakima Food Cooperative

Pride and Joy Dairy


These guys had a blast..

life dust...it must have a purpose

2010-11-06T23:44:00.000-07:00

The pictures below are not meant to be beautiful or even interesting

scroll down for the detailed explanation. Think pieces, and glimpses, and life ticking away.

These are my phone pictures from the past couple years.

I love trying to remember why the heck I took each one.

I am not sure what I was aiming for, my awesome sweats, or my feet-

I am sure I saw something fascinating on the ground? Dirt? Grass?

The ghostly white foot again or the dog being doglike to the other dog...Sheesh. Fascinating.

Ghostly images at the Gorge-this was pretty cool. Shadows. Sunset. Can't

go wrong.

A typical out the windshield pic by me. It was like the blanket of nasty

had an abrupt end in the distance. I liked that thought I guess..safe driving? Probably

not.

Feet again. Half boat, half ocean. My first ferry ride by myself.

Famous windshield pic again. Amazing clouds enhanced by a

thrilling in phone editing app. Yee haw!

Its all about the pen. and light. who knows.

Precious pink and white cadillac- and my lame shadow- not what Iwas hoping. But contrast and shadow. Important.

My original sketch for BJ's and My sculpture..which I drew in the car, and sent him this for a visual of my mental plan.

Feet, Kankles, and mint. Mojito's anyone? My garden pics that no one cares about but me. Joy!

Sad little pink oasis of advertisement for a green salad in the midst of a blinding white blizzard.

Dagdagan fireworks craziness. July 4. I thought they looked like falling stars.

Love this pre bloom state. Just waiting for the next morning and you know they are just waiting for that moment, the one I always miss.

Scrumptious Mike Hiler mug that was shamefully at the Goodwill! I, rescuer of all discarded treasures, snatched it up in horror and took it home for a MERE 99 cents. Disgusting! Mike- at least you know it has a DECENT home now where no
one would even think of sending this to a thrift store. Good grief.

Sweeping up the dust.

I have been really pondering lately the purpose of certain events and transpirings in my recent history..oh my am I thankful for most, but others I have yet to determine my thoughts on. Such as, "why would I" "how could they," and "I wish I never..." These things I guess I will never really know I guess, they are the unknown, the grey area of life.
Anyway, for business purposes, mostly, I seem to always be documenting visually things that make impact on me. Whether it is someone I am commissioned to photograph, or something that just randomly causes my attention deficit mind to linger on long enough to think, "oh! I need to remember this!" I credit the wonders of the iphone for most of the things I have been able to catch in this way. Without that little device, I may have missed my beautiful birthday cupcakes, or the wheelbarrow by Mel's house that someone was growing onions in, or my children's first day of school escort, Ironman!(aka their little brother)..(well I would have gotten the beast out to take a picture of that, I have to think..) But now I can keep a running log of things that make my eyes happy. I synced my phone to my computer this morning and rolled back through the seemingly countless images that are consuming most of my phone's now well outdated 3g memory space. I noticed that I have a strangely large amount of photos of my feet, laced throughout crazy blurred out the car window cloud patterns..and every living organism sprouting in my yard for the last 3 springs. The images have covered most of the last 3 years. How amazing to see what has affected me in that time, and to think back I realize there was a lot going on outside the frame of these frozen seconds. We had a hospital stay, surgeries, my Grandparents passing, amazing new friends come into our lives to stay, and others go away in haste, philosophy shifts, financial stress, successes, failures. But throughout all this, there are the lasting images, the ability to look back and see what are the things that make us stop and want to remember, and largely, through photos or even paintings, whether you are a professional or amateur or just out grabbing the here and there photos with your phone, you are remembering what was important..aside from all of lifes ridiculous curveballs. I think you are inadvertently proving to yourself that you KNOW and want to REMEMBER what is important and that is the little things, and on my phone they are children, our truest friends, flowers you see on walks, something crazy you've never seen, expression, and even just light streaks. My favorites, though, are when my kids steal my phone and take pictures of just anything and everything, truly, they find everything cool- even the fact that mom has some phone they can run around taking pictures of whatever they want, and I find them later...what I wont post is the ones they catch of me when I have no idea. Looking dazed, confused, and usually on the phone. Ha.

texture and light...and learning to see.

2010-10-04T20:57:00.000-07:00

An artist friend of mine who I deeply respect recently told me that art is just learning to see. Everything we do is just learning, and practicing for the next time we create. We pass things everyday that we just run by, never stopping to notice. But these things are there, they catch light, contrast with their surroundings, and every hour their shadow stretches to a new length. And we miss them. It seems as though when you feel like you are out of ideas that you are empty. But there truly are ideas all around us. This is why I try to approach photo shoots with minimal props or preconceptions. Sometimes I have this picture in my head before I go...I think that there is a path I will follow during a session, which is kind of a comfort if I am nervous or don't know someone, these little things are like ice breakers to me- portals to the unknown..people usually will respond with their true spirit. I must say though, I am always so shocked when these photographs I couldn't have planned just jump out at me, I have a kind of giddy excitement just not knowing what I will find or discover, I love the new or seeing the overdone and overused in a new way.
Every family, individual, child..tells me a different story in pictures. Even the most reserved, conventional "portraits" tell me so much. I search for the little something that lets me inside that person's personality for a second. I love seeing how light hits people, how they finally warm up to me and we make that connection, between photographer and subject. This is the same experience when I see something inanimate that I hadn't noticed before. Something mundane that has caught the perfect shadow, or a ray of an orange sunset. Ok enough. Here are some examples of surprises....

These images above copywright 2009, 2010 Jennifer Dagdagan Photography

its all a little blurry...

2010-08-03T23:24:00.000-07:00

Being a photographer, I guess the thing that has been the biggest pain is the blur. I get these en masse sometimes and it makes me feel like a complete fraud! I am like "Ok if these people really knew the truth!"
I guess as things have gotten better with cameras and my hand might be a bit more steady, the blurs have become less and less, and now I am mostly working on perfecting my lighting and framing, I kind of enjoy a good blur now and then. Not when its a picture I care about, of course, but the random surprise that comes out and is mostly color and texture, but possibly has the mood of the rest of the series. It occurred to me that real art sometimes is what you can't explain perfectly, or decipher right away. It leaves you with a feeling, a question, something that lasts longer than just the "its pretty" response.
My theory culminated in truth for me this weekend at the Mighty Tieton Juried Art show. So many things you couldn't just look at once. They drew me deeper, and I have been thinking about them ever since. It was inspiring to know that its ok to just make something out of nothing, and there is no real definition for art. No one can tell you really what is good or bad..you just have to do it for yourself, you can perfect a medium, or technique, but no one can really teach you to be artful, it is just inside you. That is what makes it so special when others are able to see what you see, or "get it". Its like letting people into your make- believe world for a second, and letting them play around. My favorite thing is when people see things in my work that haven't yet..and I agree with them!

Ok well- now I will just post up some pics of good blurs I have conjured up over the past year or so. Yes- I actually have a folder of "blurs".

Trees by Oregon coast. Nothing more beautiful at sunset.

Something at a farmers market..something shiny, perhaps?

I think this is my counter..could it be a wine bottle to the left?

From a senior session. See what I mean about the mood?

Bad framing led to a pretty happy little shot..

I have no idea where this came from..it just showed up.

new bike obsessions..

2010-07-28T00:28:00.000-07:00

Bicycles and such.

Well I might have a bit of a new obsession..bikes. Not any new fancy ones, but well worn, big seated, ungodly heavy, beautiful hunks of metal. I see them and its kind of like the reaction I have to old trailers. Its old, it has wheels, and you can put baskets and horns on them, and as I tried to convince my friend dawn, you could even get a little flag to hook on the back, to avoid any unfortunate encounters with a faster moving vehicle. What can I say, they make me immensely happy and now I am hunting all over to find one, including my parents 150 degree shed filled with I am certain many large and intimidating spiders..because I just SWORE that I saw my moms old cruiser in there not too long ago. My mom then clued me in that it was only like, 10 years ago that they got rid of their awesome vintage (pieces of crap) bikes. Darn it!! Well the search is on..soon I hope to see you out on the streets of Yakima with my blinking headlight and a large wire basket filled with baguettes and cheese. It is going to happen!! Until I find my new fun generating wheeled friend, I have just been photographing them.. oh well.

Bike from Harold's shed

Seriously..what is more awesome than a banana seat bike.

mmm. bike and lunch.

A little green.

2010-05-23T00:11:00.000-07:00

So I love the color green. I know, so does everyone, blah blah. That is the most obvious color to like. Especially right after months of seemingly endless grey and cold. Green is life, green is happiness, green seems to be hopeful. My problem has always been that I use too much of it in everything I do..from buying washcloths of the most perfect chartreuse, to suddenly finding that I have used it in over half of the rooms of my house unintentionally. An art teacher told me once...you have different subject matter in all of your paintings, but they are all the SAME COLOR!! GASP! I had no idea until I lined them all up. Later, I was lamenting over this problem to another artist..and she said in complete contrast to my well educated teacher, "well if you feel the green, you have to just go with it. Get it out of your system." Hmm. Novel concept, but I had to wonder, could it be possible, can I escape the all entrancing properties of such a marvelous color? Well..after about 2 years of attempting,I haven't accomplished this feat in anything else besides my wardrobe. Where in complete rebellion, I now own almost everything black. Maybe a hint of red here and there, you know, the opposite on the color wheel. I now am under the suspicion it may never happen. I know. Totally unoriginal, unimaginitave, but I am learning to accept it. Even embrace it willingly again. To prove it I found a couple green things I like and took their pictures. Here you go. Green is good.

Babyness...

2010-05-19T12:17:00.000-07:00

I have been so busy printing, designing, and laying out new promotional materials I kind of have forgotten to announce some of the sessions I am adding for children..one that I have finally decided on is a Baby's first year package. I have created similar things for clients in the past and they have LOVED them..because they automatically have the sessions set up, and I am at their doorstep, instead of putting things off and suddenly your baby is 2! I know all to well that this happens quickly! And it offers some savings as well as an incentive to sign on to the photo bliss.

Basic Package is $1275
and includes 4 sessions, plus a complimentary Belly session
or Family photo at a year
( if you missed the belly..as some of us do..)
all images uploaded to a shareable gallery
rights to images

Here are some of the sweet little guys I have had the immense joy of photographing
in their first year of life!!

Call me with any questions!! Summer is such a great time to get these guys on film,

if its warm, they are usually happy, and we have so many opportunities to get them in

some amazing light. Thanks for looking..I will be posting more session ideas for bigger kids in a little bit...so many really fun options for those guys... I can't wait.

Jen

Dandelions

2010-05-03T17:20:00.000-07:00

I have frequent moments when I think I am completely dried up, out of inspiration, my creativity has receded into a complete blob of nothingness.. I feel like I need to not do anything anymore. I get frustrated, and I think I am done, and maybe I need a real job. So for awhile, I walk away from my screen and my easel, away from the glue fumes and paper pieces..usually in a huff. But luckily for me it's spring and there is the option of some nature to distract me..little beginnings inching up from the seemingly dead dirt and crispy brown leaves. I run around the yard, coffee spilling all over me, flip flops sqwashing in the mud, checking out what is new..if things are a little bit taller, a little thicker, better than last years specimens, etc. To my Husband's delight I shreik at him from the yard "COME HERE!" He runs out panting, ready to take on the evil forces that have invaded our property, or apply pressure to my gaping wound, and call 911..(like any decent husband would..) only to see me gawking and pointing goofily at the tiny blue iris my friend Anne gave me 2 years ago that hadn't bloomed yet..before this very moment. For some reason his excitement usually is a bit less than mine...I probably need to be careful what I call him out of the house for, or the time I actually have a tomato stake impaled in my ribcage or a serious garden hose injury (yes, those are actually VERY dangerous) he will just pretend he dosen't hear me and turn ninja warrior up a bit louder to drown my screams.
Anyway..aside from all the great things in the yard are some things I don't like at all. They are called Dandelions. This irritating species starts as a teeny seed, and in the time it takes to mow your lawn and get the mower put away, they can grow exactly 12 inches. You walk out to inspect your newly sheared grass of glory and there it is, happily bobbing its furry delicate head, ready to blow its spawn of evil throughout your yard.
Last week I visited my friend LeAnne who has just purchased a new house and after looking through it and marveling ... she took me to her pasture..and to my shock it was breathtaking. You have NEVER seen so many dandelions. This creature I loathe was actually beautiful, fully within its element. Thousands of tiny yellow suns waving around in the wind. . Ok, so Garden magazines always say mass plantings make a statement. Well nature did this and when this happens it is always so much better than what we could try to create. Humbling yes. Inspiring yes. I love those moments.
I asked LeAnne if I could bring some little girls I was photographing the next day. Of course she said yes! Here is the result. A long story leading, but nevertheless one of my many lessons. Enjoy!

Seeing in a wierd light...

2010-04-26T15:28:00.000-07:00

My friend and client Dawn Garland, that owns a sweet clothing boutique here in Yakima and I were talking a couple months ago, we were discussing the fact that our (now blooming and gorgeous) town here was not so photo friendly, and we NEEDED to photograph parts of her spring collection. After a lot of moaning and groaning about ugly trees and brown grass, etc, we kept just putting it off. Until I was picking up my daughter from acting class at Melody Lane in the Nob Hill Plaza, and lo and behold what did I see? Um..folded up carnival rides...parked sadly in the empty space filled with tumbleweeds and trash that used to be the lovely Montgomery Wards. Could it be? Could they be setting up rides? Hmm. Well I drove slowly past and to my sheer delight most looked like they were somewhat aging fair rides. Perfect. I called Dawn, who screamed, and we were sitting with our models a week later ready for photos despite the knifelike, arctic wind that was howling through the vacant carnival. The company was amazing, ( I will credit them when I figure out the name..) they let us have free run of the place for the whole morning before they opened. They turned on rides, let the girls have old cotton candy and cold curly fries, play the duck hunt game, and ride the ferris wheel, which terrified me beyond my ability to even put into words. What great people with wonderful hospitality. I can't show all of them, but here are my favorites. Oh, and go into Wild Lucy's... Dawn has great clothes, works from local artists (jewelry shown on models), makeup, accessories and more. The brilliant scarves pictured were made by the amazing BJ Wolf of Yakima. (More to come featuring BJ.)

Scarf: BJ Wolfs Mercantile

Dress BBDakota

Dress: Lovestitch

Scarf/Snood: BJWolfe Mercantile

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Yakima-WA/BJ-Wolfs-Mercantile/193378593333?ref=ts

Dress: BBDakota

Shoes: Model's own

Jacket and Jeans: Flying Tomato

   Jacket: Flying Tomato

Tank: Flying Tomato
Red Heart Necklace:hand blown-Jacob Strader, student artist

Visit wildlucysonline.com for a more complete look at her current selection.

Where to begin

2010-03-28T23:26:00.000-07:00

In the last couple of months I have been just feeling trapped, not only because I am sometimes too lazy to go outside in the cold, but because I think know everything there is to know, I've eaten everywhere there is to eat, I have seen it all. After all I am 33 years old and I have lived in Eastern Washington, uh, Yakima, for that entire time. (Well, except for a small stint in Albany, Oregon, but we will talk about that later. Much later.) I truly was under the small minded opinion that there is just not much else to do here, so the only option was to take the occasional day trip to the west side, eat some sushi, visit a Whole Foods and call it a day. . then come back here and whine and moan that there is just nothing cool and nothing interesting to do here.
Then I met someone who was not from here. A photography client of mine that was from the midwest and had just moved here. To hear her go on and on about how amazing everything was, and how culturally rich made me think that she had possibly come from a house alone on the prairie, maybe Laura Ingalls style. But, alas she revealed that she had moved here from the tiny town of PHILADELPHIA, and had grown up on the outskirts of Cincinatti. Um Okay, so she was just crazy? Delusional? As time would tell, she became one of my greatest friends and helps in opening my eyes to the way people that AREN'T from here see this place. After much pondering I decided that the things I was finding, and new places I am now open to are on the edge of magical, and almost every day I am finding something, someone, or something I hadn't noticed, or even allowed myself to notice. People are doing awesome things here! And yes, trust me we do still need to get out of here, to expand our horizons, but lets bring that stuff back here and put our own stamp on it. I want to visit and love the new, undiscovered and forgotten places here.. before they are gone. Ok. So I had to write a first post. Tomorrow there will be photos. There.