a quick preview: take #2

A Quick Preview: Take #2
October 2008

My iTunes: You Opened Up My Eyes by Martyn Layzell

I still don't want to give too much away, because the bride still hasn't see the pictures (unless she's seeing them here!), but I had to post another for today.

Have I mentioned lately how much I love Totally Rad Actions? Literally cut my editing time for Saturday's shots at least in half. Maybe more. I like the title of the one I used for this: "Old Skool."

Tomorrow's rehearsal is the piano dress, and the first time we wear the full costumes and the body paint. We'll see how it goes...

old-fashioned

Old-Fashioned
September 2008

My iTunes: Au Fond Du Temple Saint from Georges Bizet's Les pêcheurs de perles

You'll all have to put up with another shot of cupcakes... sorry to keep making everyone hungry :) I thought this shot at least had a different feel than the previous two.

The opera was wonderful -- I'm so glad I was able to go. The tenor-bass duet, which is playing on my iTunes now, was simply gorgeous. Even though I only saw a dress rehearsal performance, I thought the opera was superbly cast, from the principals right down to this one fantastic member of the chorus (who also happens to be my voice teacher). The baritone who played the role of Zurga was actually one of my teacher's former students. He did a really amazing job, I was very impressed.

I'd write more about it here, but I doubt many of you want to read my operatic gushings (and I know a certain faithful reader of mine would just roll her eyes -- you know who you are...), so I'm going to write a paper on it instead. I'll get to hand it in for three of my classes -- talk about multi-tasking... Then I'm going to bed at a decent hour for once. I think my voice teacher is right -- sleep and food really are essential...

flower bed

Flower Bed
August 2008

My iTunes: Mon Cadavre Est Doux Comme Un Gant by Poulenc

Yesterday I had time to kill (when does THAT ever happen?) while I was waiting to see the inside of the house I'll be living in next year, so I walked around and snapped some pictures on campus. I love brick, so this shot called out to me. I wish the flowers had been facing me, but oh well. I'll tell the gardeners to fix it for the next time :)

The song that I'm listening to is one I'm working on this summer. The whole cycle is gorgeous. Can anyone translate the title? (It's a fantastic title -- I'll share in tomorrow's post what the translation is.)

old-fashioned wedding

Old-Fashioned Wedding
July 2008

My iTunes: What I Like About You by Lillix

This is one of the shots that semi-turned out from the wedding. The lighting was pretty dark, but I like the editing I've done with this, making it seem like an antique photo.

But guess what came today? My Nikon D80! Now all I need is a memory card so I can take some pictures. Perhaps I'll finish writing the paper first -- somehow I made it from page 12 to page 23 today!

the back

The Back

July 2008

My iTunes: The Mermaid Song by Haydn

Quick post -- I still have work to do and have to be up early in the morning...

The bride loved the back of her dress, and wanted to make sure we had a shot of it.

half-portrait

Half-Portrait

July 2008

My iTunes: Violon by Poulenc

Hmm, which picture of Betsy do I post today? Since several people (not just on the blog) have commented on the striking vibrancy of yesterday's shot -- one person said it made his eyes hurt, and I'm not quite sure he meant it jokingly or negatively -- I thought I would post a monochromatic shot today.

This shot came out of a desire to do some fun angles and framing. I found that I had a lot more difficulty taking shots with good angles than I used to before my back surgery. I don't bend the way I used to, and it's harder to get my eye to the viewfinder for certain types of shots. (I feel so old now!) But the more I've learned about the physiology of the back and how it's supposed to work, the more I've realized that few people treat their back properly. After learning so much about how our bad habits affect our back, it's little wonder that low back pain is one of the leading causes of disability! So perhaps it's good that I'm learning how to care for my back, even if I have to be extra cautious about my mobility.

And in closing, a big congratulations to Robert, who has taken some giant leaps toward making his photographic hobby something more professional! See some of his shots from a recent wedding here!

old window

Old Window

June 2008

My iTunes: Dirty Dancing Soundtrack

I'm trying to sort through pictures from Italy tonight, so it's going to be yet another short post. Tomorrow is my "little" brother's 18th birthday and I'm taking him out for breakfast, so I'll be up early...

SHEAR Mellon 2008

SHEAR Mellon 2008

June 2008

My iTunes: In Uomini, In Soldati by W.A. Mozart

Although the seminar is not officially over, it feels like we're all done. The last of the presentations were this morning, we have happy hour this evening, and brunch tomorrow to celebrate. We wanted to surprise the group leaders with a photo of all of the fellows. They're being printed as I type.

My presentation went amazingly well -- the professors kept coming up to me afterward and saying what a wonderful job I did presenting. The professor who is usually the most critical was the first to respond to my presentation and all he could do was suggest a secondary source and say how eloquently and articulately I spoke. The professor who I've most connected with (not my own, incidentally, which is sad because I can't bring her back with me) kept making eye contact with me and grinning ear to ear. Afterward she said she was just trying not to cry and how proud of me she was, and she felt like she had two students at the conference. And the best part -- I didn't prepare for the presentation at all. Some days I'm just lucky, I guess!

I've really enjoyed my time here -- having a chance to be in the archives and get to know other students and professors from across the country has been so rewarding. I really hope to keep in touch with them.

I'll see what I can do about recording tomorrow's performance and posting it somehow so people can hear it. I guess that means figuring out youtube...

my little scholar

My Little Scholar
November 2007

My iTunes: When Love Came Down by Point of Grace

I'm listening to one of my all-time favorite Christmas albums now: Point of Grace's A Christmas Story. Now I know it's Christmas time!

This is Chloe. She is 12 years old, almost 13. She is one of the people who brings me the greatest joy every time I see her. I've been her Latin teacher since she was in 3rd grade and she's become like a little sister to me. One evening in late October after we were done our tutoring session, I put her hair in sponge curlers as she started her reading assignment for the night -- Homer's Odyssey. Yes, 12 years old and reading The Odyssey. She's a smart one and I'm so proud of her. Incidentally, the baby whose picture I posted a few days ago is her youngest brother.

gerber baby

Gerber Baby
November 2007

My iTunes: March from Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Ballet

I just love babies. One of my good friends has a little boy who is just over 3 months old named Jackson and he was baptized on Sunday. As I had some free time over Thanksgiving, I got to spend some time with their family and do a little photo shoot of the little guy. Something about his eyes is absolutely captivating. And I love how his eyebrows are raised as if he's in a perpetual state of curiosity. In this shot, I think he bears a close resemblance to the famous Gerber baby. What do you think?