In Motion Photography & Horses

I stood next to a man at a horse show once.

The meet was inside, the lighting was awful and I had to climb some hay bales to get a good vantage point of the girls. We shared hay bales so to speak.

The man had a camera as well.

I asked him if he was the official photographer.

He said no, “My wife rides and I take photos. How about you?”

I said, “My daughter rides and I take photos.”

“I hear ya,” he said.

“I”m running out of light,” he said, as he lowered his camera.

“I hear ya,” I said.

The collection above is the result of lighting and staging challenges but – it’s the stuff photography that I love. Not perfect, but captured and documented just the same. These girls make me so proud.

And they scare me too.

She’s alright, she recovered without falling off. And I thought that what I was doing was challenging! Yikes!

Gone To The Dogs

Starting to feel outnumbered?

From left to right – Mona, Gertie, Jazzie and Cado at center.

How about now?

From left to right, the dog, Tuk Tuk, the cat and Willow at center.

Contrary to what the idiom implies, I like it when my life has gone to the literal dogs. I love the unpredictability and the chaos.

Except for when I have to clean up the vomit . . .

January 4, Being Seen

Yesterday I showed you a little bit of Ella. Today we see a little more. We see the little girl who controls the big horse with the big will. It’s a wonderful show of power and control and I will always be impressed by those who can.

I – I will stay safely behind my lens.

Not In Our Home

The girl is an animal lover and on my way to yet another equestrian meet last month, she texted me, “I have a surprise for you when you get here.”

She never brags about her equestrian accomplishments – she leaves that to me – so when I read the text (at a red light), I knew exactly what she meant.

She fell in love with another animal that she wants to bring home.

I had an hour to reminisce about what animal I was going to say no to. Was it another donkey? Or perhaps a cat with only one eye?

When I got there, I saw this beautiful dog.

And I knew… he was a young dog and had a really sweet and gentle nature, you just wanted to hug him. He’s up for adoption and needed a new home – but not our home.

He was introduced to big horses for the first time that day and this is how he reacted.

“Hmmm…I wonder what that big animal is?”

“Yawn…boooorring…”

“Wait – is she going to fall off?”

“Oh well…how long is this meet going to last anyway?”

We’ve asked that question quite a few times ourselves! What a lovely dog – and no we didn’t bring him home.

January 1, Happy New Year!

This is a most wonderful occasion isn’t it? A new year!

My resolution? To be more centered in His will. To be more spiritual. And to eat less.

In that order…Happy 2012!

The Life Lesson Of Kitty Chemotheraphy

On one of the most emotional and busiest times of year there is this – our cat is sick. I know that non-pet owners find it difficult to relate. And I know that compared to many other losses and problems of the world, this doesn’t quite measure up.

Many people have lost loved ones very close to them and this time of year can be particularly painful for those left behind. We know – we miss our brother Dennis. He died far too young. We think of the friends we lost in the line of duty – flying their airplanes and doing what they love, but dying far too soon. I miss my Grammie and my sweet Uncle Jack who I adored as a child because I knew he loved me. He would show it by asking every single detail of my life. When I came home from overseas, he would ask about my work, my travels, my boyfriend. I would tell him and I never felt like he was nosy. His interest in me made me feel special. He would have loved my blog by the way.

I think of my friend Frank, who just passed away last August. He was found in his home, on the floor of his bathroom after he suffered a massive heart attack. We were a photography team and he had serving heart that inspired me to serve more and work harder. His photos fill my hard drive and I miss his presence every Sunday.

As much as we know it’s a part of life, it doesn’t mean it hurts less. So I try to shield the kids from the pain as much as I can while at the same time, letting them live through the experience. It’s a balance and the husband and I deal with our pain while attempting to stay strong for the kids.

But then the cat got sick and the kids are feeling the full pain of caring for a dying loved one. We know the kitty is old but somehow his sickness seemed sudden. We took him to the kitty hospital two weeks ago and there he stayed for three days. We didn’t think he would come home. He laid in one place for two days, his fur matted with his vomit. It was a horrible sight. The kids asked about him every day. I could see them struggling with his diagnosis of a cancerous tumor.

He’s home now and I force feed him his medicine twice a day. We keep a good eye on his food intake, his bowel movements and eye him as he slowly makes his way around the house. Every movement is watched carefully. The first thing I do when I wake is look for him. I don’t want him to crawl into a space and not ever find him again. And we never let him outside.

I admit, it’s been a great source of worry and distraction for me. Life has to continue on and Christmas had to come, in spite of our 24 hour vigil. I’m not going to state the obvious so right now, we’re just grateful for the little time our kitty has with us. And we’ll take care of him as best as we can.

December 23, Madness Is Relative

I love this horse though I think he was slightly mad. He kept poking his head out of his stall and neighing at me then immediately go back inside only to come out a few seconds later to do the same thing.

It’s the craziness of the Christmas season. It’s getting to him too!

Don’t let it get to you! It’s Friday but Christmas Eve is tomorrow night. Everything is still and bright. And it will be alright.

Madness is a relative term. Say Merry Christmas to someone today!

An Early Christmas Work Of Art

Between the windows and above the bed of the girl’s room is a spot that, unknown to the girl, I preserved for a special piece of art.

A wonderful artist, musician and friend, Daniel C Palmer painted this watercolor piece of art for the girl. It was a year ago that he offered to do it. And four days before Christmas, he delivered.

It’s beautiful! It’s the girl and jumping Joker and he captured the movement and power of Joker perfectly. I will frame it and hang it above her bed. The girl is thrilled.

Daniel also sings, and plays the guitar – and the piano – and the bagpipes.

And he’s also quite handsome. Here’s his website – http://danielcpalmer.com/.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Can’t See The Forest For The Trees

Last Sunday was one of those “rush” days. A calm Sunday is my most favorite day. A rushed Sunday is my least.

I spent most of my time getting ready for – everything – and I may have lost sight of the fact that it’s a day of worship and a day of competition and good sportsmanship. I was too engrossed in finding a hair net and programming a GPS that I couldn’t see the forest for the trees.

And all I saw were trees. They were always in my way.

- And fences too. This is the girl protesting my lens again.

I dropped the girl off with a friend for a ride up to the farm. Then I went to church for an extra special service with baptisms. After church was an hour drive to the farm where the girls’ were having their meet – therefore the GPS.

We got there just as the girl was starting her course. I didn’t have time to find the perfect vantage spot so I just started shooting where I was standing – apparently in front of a bush.

I couldn’t find any of the girls from the farm either. If I didn’t see the girl in the ring, I would have thought we were at the wrong farm – again.

After the meet was over, one of the trainers approached me as we were leaving and said, “There you are! We didn’t think you were here.”

Of course we were there. We were just behind a tree.

Ahhh…the life of a photographer mom. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Posted on Photostory Friday.

November 18, Jumping For Joy

It’s Friday! I’m jumping for joy. Though I’ve had a good week, the boy on the other hand had the week from h-e-double-hockey sticks.

So I’m glad for him.

I am turning my thoughts to Thanksgiving dinner. We will be traveling to my parents’ home but they won’t be there. They are in Thailand, where they don’t celebrate Thanksgiving and on top of it, there has been historic flooding. The last time they were in Thailand there was a coup so we’re looking on the bright side.

We’re celebrating Thanksgiving in their house anyway. Thanksgiving will come one way or the other, thank goodness!

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