Photographer smackdown - Day 4!

Courtney picked "In the thick of it" today, which was HARD TO DO. I picked this photo, because I had to be in the thick of it, to get this shot. I carefully tippy toed through our second acre of weeds wildflowers. I was so scared I'd step on a snake. LOL.

Courtney might win this challenge all together. I'm going to be gone for a few days - kind of a spur of the moment sort of thing, so I won't be able to post until I get back. Well, I might be able to, but I doubt I'll have time or access.

Don't worry! I'll bring back gifts for everyone. I swears... promises!

Courtney, if you want to continue, I can finish up when I get back, or I can accept my humble defeat. *hangs head*. Let me know!

PS. Planning things at the last minute is exciting, but very stressful!

Photographer smackdown - Day 3

Day 3 of the photographer smackdown with photographer Courtney Paris.

I got to pick the theme for today, which was "This is what Life looks like" One of my favorite sayings. For me, right now, this is what life looks like:

Don't get some idea that I sit next to the pool eating bonbons and reading books all day. In fact, I didn't even get to swim yesterday.. or the day before... wahh. But more as a symbolism of summer, warm air, sunshine, tans, green "grass", flip flops, cold diet coke, books, outdoors, my clothesline, the crops (coming soon!) and my fav, photography.

Be sure to check out Courtney's blog "Ceece.net" (it's only a coincidence her blog name is close to my real name.. but it did get my attention), to see what she comes up with today, and what is our next theme Courtney!?

Photographer smackdown - Day 2!

Courtney picked the theme today of "'Round the house". This was a puzzler for me. Because to be fair, there are a lot of round things around here.

I really wanted to be clever and have a photo of a round house kick, but Ahem. I can't do one of those, it'd be more like a round hospital kick, and a back brace, and a trip to the emergency room. Now hubs, he can do a roundhouse but after a full day of wrangling windshields, I kinda have a hard time asking him to do 900 kicks in the back yard.

So, I went with plan B:

Around my house.

You'll find these about everywhere, on the coffee table, end table, my desk, the scrapbook room, kitchen counter, heck, you probably will find them in the bathroom. And they're never empty, they're always 1/3 full because I can't drink them fast enough to keep them cold. Once they warm up, they're icky. Every couple days I have a little diet coke scavenger hunt and round them all up for recycling day.

I have issues.

Theme for tomorrow?

"This is what Life looks like"

Courtney? Know anyone giving birth? Because that's a guaranteed win!

Summer Photo Smackdown - Day 1

Day one out of the gate, I chose the phrase "Color my World". I'm a color freak and find myself punching all my color. I have a VERY HARD time making soft photos with muted colors. Love them lots, mainly because I look at them like a monkey looking at a football.

I chose to make mine more difficult and add a little oomph to it by making it all summer images.

Be sure to check out Courtney's blog for her version of the theme. Her pick next. I'm anxious to see what torture she has in store for me!

Look ma, it's summertime!

The pool took like 12 minutes to warm up. I suppose those three 100 degree days probably didn't hurt much in that department, but on the other hand, my first sunburn wasn't all that bad. The one I got on top of that, now that one hurts.

Tanner is out there every day and has somehow mastered how to put the pool cover on all by himself. I need to watch because that has to be an amazing feat.


Yesterday, the wedding went really well. It was a simple and beautiful wedding. The officiant was the groom's brother, the site at a local park that's really beautiful, more like a reserve than a park (there's no swingset here), everyone wore nice clothes that you could wear again (we love non-bridezillas) and the bride, well, she had one of the most beautiful dresses I've ever seen in my life. It had a lace overlay that was all beaded and very heavy. It was GORGEOUS, but so was she.


Today, a little bit of rest, a little bit of swimming, and a commitment to Gene that we'd start working on counter tops. ERGH.

I have the WHOLE MONTH of July off, so I'm going to get caught up with every single solitary shoot that I have to get edited (and there are several). I have 2 that are almost ready to load, and I'll share those photos with you soon.

In the meantime, my lovely friend Courtney Paris (Courtney Paris Photography) and I have started a little challenge with each other. It's the photographer smackdown. Each day this week, we offer up a phrase for each of us (taking turns) and the next day we'll post on our blogs, the results that each of us come up with! I'm excited for what we each come up with. Courtney is a very talented photographer from Louisville, Kentucky. She specializes in weddings, kids, families and does boudoir, which I have never dipped my toe in that water! She's braver than I. She's also very active in an organization called "Now I lay me down to sleep", which is kind of sad, but a loving gift she gives to new parents that have just lost their new babies.

I got to start the smackdown with the phrase "color my world". I've got in mind what I'm going to do, and I have a big assignment ahead of me today to have for you tomorrow morning!

Game on Courtney!
Game. on.