Under the Sea

Becki and I spent our last day in Atlanta at the amazing aquarium.  We had more fun than most of the kids there, I think.  And, yes, there were LOTS of children there.  Becki took this one of me petting a shark, which was very soft.

This guy was one of my early favorites, and man did he like to have his picture taken.  He posed for me for several minutes.

This photo was taken while walking through the tunnel that leads under the world's largest tank.  

This guy was kind of eerie.  Maybe he thought we were all there for his amusement.  Well, what else is he going to do all day?

Of course, it wasn't long before I became more interested in the people than the fish.

And finally, Becki and I felt that we needed a photo of ourselves that fit the theme of the day.

New Friends

Another photographer and a good friend of mine, Becki Dickinson, drove down to Atlanta with me over the weekend for a business seminar.  We made some great new friends, including Melissa, a photographer from West Virginia.  That's me on the left, Becki in the middle, and Melissa on the right.   

We hated to say goodbye to Melissa at the end of the weekend, but Becki and I are planning a road trip to West Virginia this fall so she can show us around the state and we can all photograph the beautiful fall foliage.  

While out to lunch one day, we ran into a group of performers making a videotape to submit to America's Got Talent.  I'm not sure what their talent is, but they seemed to be having a good time regardless.  

And, of course, what good is a road trip if you don't risk being arrested by being photographed on some kind of abstract art?  This lion sculpture was one of two outside a business in downtown Atlanta.  Stuart Hill, another photographer in our seminar, was nice enough to take this photo of Becki and I.  

Before driving home, we stopped off at the Atlanta Aquarium, which was great fun.  Photos from that adventure coming tomorrow.

Snow Day!

Two nights ago, there was the most gorgeous snow storm in Greensboro, North Carolina.  I'm from the midwest, and I have never seen such a storm.  The snowflakes were huge, and they swirled around my yard in such a way that I felt like I was in the middle of a snow globe.  It was incredibly beautiful, and I couldn't wait to get outside the next morning to take a few photos. Here are two of my favorites. 

Hello and Welcome

Hi, and welcome to my new website and blog.  I am so excited to share my work and my life with you, and I hope that you'll check back often to see what I'm up to.  I'd like to use this first blog entry to acknowledge some of the amazing people in my life.  You see, this has been an incredible year of growth, and with that growth came a few growing pains.  Now, I don't get all mushy too often, but this time I have to make an exception.  If it's all just a little too sappy for you, then I'll spare you the details by telling you the gist right now:  I am the luckiest person I know, and I am constantly awed and humbled by how loved and supported I am.  

First and foremost, I need to thank my amazing husband, Phil.  This is a man who, when I told him years ago that I wanted to be a photographer, told me that I needed to quit my job immediately and follow this dream.  Mind you, we didn't have much money, and the prospect of quitting my job was terrifying. But he was so sure that I would succeed, I felt I couldn't fail.  And his support of me hasn't waned once in all of this time.  Whenever I begin to doubt myself, he encourages me and convinces me that I can do anything.  I have never felt so loved or so supported, and I am forever grateful that this extraordinary person is in my life.  

Okay, stick with me if you can, and I promise to keep the rest of this as short as possible.  I am grateful for my parents, who are always just a phone call away to tell me that I am loved.  I am continually amazed by the wonderful friendship of Renee and Jonathan McCardell, of McCardell Photography, who have been the truest of friends.  I cannot thank Cyana enough for taking the time to teach me when I had no experience as a photographer, and for cheering me on to this day, years later.  Thank you to Becki, who is the very definition of a natural artist, and who continually challenges me to see things in a new way.  I feel blessed to count Jarvis as a friend, someone who picks me up when I stumble.  Thank you to Elise, for a friendship that I continually appreciate.  And finally, thank you to everyone who gave me permission to use my photographs of you on my new site.  I loved working with every one of you, and I cherish the friendships I have with you.