Flunker Family ~ Gainesville Family Photographer

A nice drive on Sunday morning? Yes, please! A gorgeous resort overlooking the ocean? Sure! A quick drive to a nearby state park, with a beautiful beach full of great rocks and pretty surf? Absolutely! But the best part? Spending my morning with a large, boisterous family that absolutely adores each other!

Jared and I drove over to Palm Coast to photograph the Flunker family - all 22 of them - during their family vacation at the beach. Their family is scattered throughout the US, but was spending the week in the sun and the sand. They were staying at the Hammock Beach Resort, but we took a short trip up A1A to Washington Oaks Gardens State Park. Let me tell you, the Atlantic side of this park is AMAZING! (Any of you that ever want beach photos, take note - this is the place to go!) I had so much fun photographing everyone in this family, despite the heat (hey, we had the ocean to cool off in!). Some favs:

Walkin'

I spent Saturday morning walking through Micanopy, for Scott Kelby's Photowalk. I'll leave my thoughts on the photo walk for another day, but it did give me an opportunity to tour this beautiful town. So quickly tonight, since I've got a few other things to get done, are some of my favorites:

His and Hers?

Saint Theresa

Saint Theresa's Prayer

May today there be peace within.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be confident knowing you are a child of God.
Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.



This prayer was part of an email I received today and it really struck me as being so right for my life right now, as being exactly what I need to hear. This summer has been one of upheavals and changes, and sometimes I feel like my life has taken a trip through the rabbit hole and flipped upside down.  So today I'm taking a deep breath, saying a good prayer, and knowing that I am where I am for a reason. His reason.

Some blog lovin'

I've got a lot of stuff to post in the next few days, but for right now, you'll have to suffice for some blog lovin'... here are some of my favorite places to go for great inspiration:

Deb Schwedhelm Photography

Justin & Mary

Mary Beth Tyson Photography

Blue Lily Photo

What are your favorite blogs??

Baha-ing in Arizona

I'm in Arizona right now... and it's hot, the kind of hot that sucks every little bit of moisture out of you. I'm out here for work, for a conference this week whose managers were kind enough to give us an entire morning off today. There were a few options for organized activities, but when I looked online at the hotel earlier, I saw that they offered horseback riding/trail rides at sunrise and sunset... umm, yes please!  Sooo, this morning I got up early and headed over to MTM Ranch in Cave Creek. Patty (the owner and my wonderful guide) was great! After she found out that I ride, we chatted like old friends about this horse and that. She took me on an hour and a half ride through the mountainous desert that borders the Tonto National Forest. The weather was actually great -- cooler than it had been and just the right amount of clouds in the sky. I have a few photos -- just from my little old point and shoot, so forgive me if they're a bit grainy or blurry (no amount of anti-shake can help from the back of a horse!!). I'd love to go back, but I'm not sure if my schedule for the rest of the week will allow it (back to the real world, I guess!). But hey, if you're ever out near Cave Creek, Az, MTM is the place to go!

There were cacti everywhere (I know, I know...desert and all of that).

More cacti and scrub brush.

We even saw a few mule deer!

Nothing like some amazing scenery.

"Champion" was my ride, and such a sweet boy! And yes, I know, the hat is hot. ;) That's what happens when you forget a ball cap and are going on a ride with Patty -- you get a Chinese coolie.

Can you beat that view?? Even Champion likes it. :) (Note: Patty took this and as she was telling me where to stand she said "Stand between those two cacti, but whatever you do, do NOT back him into that bushy one behind you -- he'll come un-done!")

Fix-it Friday

So, I just found (or re-found) the coolest little (okay, not so little) blog, iheartfaces.com. Each Friday, they post a photo that needs a little "fixing up." For the sake of forever improving my editing (and because these are photos that I can play around with, with no judgements!) I'm making it a point to participate! So here goes, for my first one.

The orginal photo:

This photo screamed vintage to me -- the chair and the colors just cried out to me!! And who can resist this adorable little girl?

My edit:

What I did (all editing done in PSCS3 Extended):
Cropped tighter to emphasize those eyse and that smile!
Touched up some light/dark areas with MCP Actions Touch of Light/Touch of Dark action
Ran MCP Actions Burnt Edges II
TRA Troy action
TRA Dirt bag texture
Sharpened with TRA Sharp Like a Ninja

What do you think??

To check out other "fixes", check out iheartfaces.com!

Introducing...

Some of you that already know this news probably think I've just been remiss about blogging it. Allow me to explain... I became an aunt (again -- I already have a a beautiful niece, Emma) a week ago today, to two precious babies. Yes, twins! My little brother (okay, he's not so little anymore, but he's always going to be my little brother), Brian and his wife, Jen, were blessed with twins that were born at 6:08 and 6:09 pm on Friday, July 2nd. Mason Samuel and Kirra Lynn (don't you love the names? Modern first names, with family names as middle names?) made their appearance several weeks early, but are very healthy for their age and size! A few quick photos, stolen from my Dad, since, living over 1000 miles away it will be a bit before I get to meet these two little munchkins (although not too long, since Jared and I are heading home for our summer visit the end of August) (and yes, I'm enjoying the parentheses today... don't hate).

Internet, welcome Kirra!

And Mason!

So while I'm incredibly excited to be an aunt again, events like these are always a little bittersweet for me. It always reminds me just how far away from home I am, and coming from a very tightly knit family, that's hard.  It always makes me question if I really need to be this far from home, and although the answer is, right now, yes, I am ever so hopeful that soon (a relative term in academia) my career will bring me closer to my family. But that doesn't fix everything, because being here, Jared and I have encountered and become close to so many wonderful people. As Miss Barbara so wisely put it the other day "We're your family now." And it's true. I have my family. And I have my Florida family. And I am ever so much better because of all of you. So while right now, I am far from "home," I am also home. And I will get home to meet my new niece and nephew. Soon. And I will spoil them rotten and take in all of their baby smelling goodness.

And I promise lots of pictures. :)

A big, heartfelt Thank You

to all of those who have served and are serving our country, protecting our freedom. As we celebrate our independence day, I am very much reminded that the freedoms we take for granted in this country do not come free. Happy Fourth of July to everyone!

I don't have any firework photos from this year, but I do have a few older shots. For a great primer on how to photograph fireworks, check out Darren Rowse's article over at Digital Photography School.

Recovering...

I've been down with my normal summer cold (why are summer colds so much worse than winter colds? In winter, I expect to be sick... it just sucks to be sick in the summer when it's nice out and there are so many things to be doing!! Ok, back on track now...) and have had some car trouble, which has really gotten in the way of my shooting lately... But, I'm slowly getting better (almost made it through the night last night without waking up to a coughing fit!) and we're getting the car fixed for the last time and going new car shopping this weekend, so hopefully things will be settling down a little bit in those areas, at least.

I'm excited for July! I love fireworks (hopefully will be able to get some photos) and there are a lot of things coming up this month. We're having a bonfire on the 4th, complete with smores and mountain pies. The in-laws will be visiting for about a week the mddle of the month, and directly after that I'm headed to Arizona for a week for a conference (and hopefully some hiking or other cool things). I have a large family photo shoot the end of the month (shout out to the Gammages!), which will be a blast. These are some cool cats! (yes, I just said that. I know what you're thinking.) And hopefully, I will be an aunt before too long. Yes, the twin buns are still cooking (thankfully) but I can't WAIT to see them (and get to meet and snuggle and spoil them when we go home to PA in August!).

Speaking of August and Pennsylvania -- for any of my peeps up there, I'll be home for about a week, so if you're interested in some photos, let me know and we'll set something up!

And since I can't post without adding in a photo, here's a quick shot from the Day After shoot Sara and John did on the beach in Mojacar, Spain. The sun was bright and the wind was blowing pretty good, but Sara and John were troopers.