Life Through the Lens

Long time no post

2008-04-08T11:26:00.002-04:00

Yep, way too long.

Here are a couple of Miss Katie.

And a couple not Katie pics.

More practice with Katie & a new blog

2008-02-23T21:56:00.005-05:00

So, I have a new website and a new business blog. Come visit and say hi at www.taramcglinchey.com/blog . I will still be using this one for my personal stuff.

My friend Erica gave me this scarf the other day. She found it on clearance at Kohl's for .99 cents. I think it's great.

Happy Birthday Dylan!

2008-02-23T21:52:00.002-05:00

Dylan is seven, how did those years fly by so quickly. For the third year in a row we had his party at one of those places with the jumpy castles and bouncy thing-a-ma-bobs. The perfect place for 20 seven year olds in the middle of February. They ran and jumped their hearts out.

Indoor fun and snow!

2008-02-12T19:12:00.002-05:00

We have had a lame winter in terms of snow. Well actually I should say that the kids think it's lame, I'm okay with no snow. Finally we have some today. :) The kids love it but I am not too pleased about having to shovel it all. We have a big driveway and a lot of frontage and no snow blower. Boo!

Look at that happy face, almost worth all the shoveling, almost. LOL

And some from indoors yesterday.

Stay warm!

Miss Katie

2008-02-03T01:07:00.000-05:00

A few from the school yard today.

Life around here

2008-01-18T00:13:00.000-05:00

Just some images from the past few days. We've been very busy and the weather has not been the best this week. I had to do snapshots indoors for the most part. I am finding the image a day challenge to be more difficult than I had thought it would be. My kids don't want to cooperate, or I won't have enough time to put a lot of thought into an image. Hopefully I will get a burst of creative energy soon. For now, here is what I came up with. :)

Katie and her buddy

Watching Cars on the television.

Me & my girl in the bathroom mirror

Katie & Issie

Katie's little friend

2008-01-14T00:42:00.001-05:00

This little one moves quickly. I want to have a real session with her soon because she is so cute! For now though just a few snaps on the fly. A few before Christmas and a few from today.

What a smile.

Katie teaching her how to be a princess. Apparently it is all in how you wear the tiara.

Bundled up outside.

A few mug shots

2008-01-13T00:34:00.000-05:00

Having a great time with this challenge. For today's entertainment, a few mug shots.

More of everyday stuff

2008-01-10T23:12:00.000-05:00

I have been taking a lot of photos lately. The 366 challenge has been good for me.

Here's some from the last few days.

:)

The 366 Challenge

2008-01-07T23:36:00.000-05:00

I am doing a photography project called the 366 challenge. It's an image a day for the year (this is a leap year). I like this because it means I need to stretch myself and get the camera out everyday instead of letting it sit for two weeks. It also meas that I will have plenty of pics of my children, well if they cooperate that is.

We have had fantastic weather here (for January) the past couple of days. Lots of outdoor play thank goodness. We love being outside.

Katie at her happiest, eating candy.

Two for today

2008-01-04T22:06:00.000-05:00

I got a new lens and made Dylan go outside in the freezing cold to let me practice. He so did not want to do that. I caught him mide sentence here saying "Just one Mom." Usually I can convince him to let me do a few more, but he put his foot down today by running back in the house. LOL I am sure I will have more to ost with the new lens after the weekend.

Here is on of my two little girls. Awwww!

One of Miss Katie

2008-01-04T09:53:00.001-05:00

I am attempting to do the photo a day for a year challenge. I am starting on day 3. I hope to be able to keep up with it.

Here is my first image.

Birthday and New Pup

2008-01-01T14:44:00.000-05:00

I have been battling a horrible cold and cough this holiday season. It's been tough because of all the activity (ie lack of sleep). I *think* that I am finally on the mend. I did not take many photos at all of Christmas. The kids got up before the sun came out and I was lucky that I was able to make it from the bedroom to the living room for the festivities.

Katie turned 4 and we had a little party at the house for her. Princess theme of course. I can't believe my baby is 4. Waaaaaah!

Here is one of the very few pics I took. She was in her glory with the candy, cake and all the kids to play with.

Dylan got a new puppy for Christmas. Her name is Jazzy and she is now 12 weeks old. She is an Australian Shepherd. Isn't she adorable?

Happy New Year Everyone!!! May 2008 bring great health, happiness, and love. :)

Merry Christmas Everyone!

2007-12-23T13:26:00.001-05:00

Taking a moment to share some recent images

2007-12-03T22:53:00.000-05:00

I've been very busy which is great on many levels, but not so great for updating the blog. :)

Here are a few recent images from the holiday sessions. Definitely more to come after the rush. :)

A candid smile

Happy Family

Santa Baby

Santa Girl

A cute toddler in a tree

Mini Session NYC

2007-11-08T20:10:00.001-05:00

I had a session yesterday with this lovely little lady. It was freezing and we were losing light fast. She was a great sport though and we had a fun time.

Here's a bit of what we got.

Halloween and Christmas

2007-11-05T23:22:00.000-05:00

Last week was Halloween. I believe this is Katie's favorite holiday. Anyone who knows her knows just how much she loves, lives for, candy. She had a fantastic time dressing up as Cinderella and participating in her school parade and show, though trick or treating was really the highlight.

Dylan was a soldier again this year and enjoyed his school parade and trick or treating as well.

Such a fun day.

Now of course the last thing my kids wanted was me taking pictures of them and wasting their valuable trick or treating time. Oh, and being hyped up on sugar already didn't help any. Just a couple of quick snaps.

and a few from a holiday shoot this weekend. Cute, cute boys.

The Always Animated Katie

2007-10-23T12:36:00.000-04:00

This little session cost me some candy, but I think it was worth it. :)

Welcome to the world Baby Cody!

2007-10-12T23:17:00.000-04:00

Wednesday I had the pleasure of photographing 10 day old Baby Cody. He is so beautiful and so loved.

Fun everyday moments

2007-10-07T10:43:00.001-04:00

I broke out my camera this week and got a few snaps of my kids having fun.

The always animated Katie at the park the other day.

Dylan doing 180's on his toy. He's had this toy for nearly 5 years and it is still entertaining. I can't really say the same for many of the other dust collectors we call toys in this house. Katie loves it too. Anyone who is considering getting one of these for their kids, do it. I decided not to go with this bike style so that height wouldn't be an issue (i.e. the knees).

Two Under Two

2007-09-27T21:39:00.000-04:00

Two kids under the age of two. They are two beautiful babies with the most amazing big brown eyes.

Urban Mamma to Be

2007-09-18T09:29:00.001-04:00

This is the incredibly gorgeous, glowing and very pregnant Clara. We spent time documenting her pregnancy as well as the fact that she is pregnant while living in the city. We had a great time together and came up with some cool shots. Looking forward to meeting the baby. My guess is that baby is a boy, but I am always wrong so you can put money on baby being a girl. LOL No doubt baby will be beautiful and as you can tell from the photos, it won't be long till baby is here.

Just one

2007-09-14T09:48:00.000-04:00

I took my camera out for the first time in over two weeks yesterday. This is what I got from Miss Katie.

I've been tagged

2007-09-05T22:34:00.000-04:00

By fellow photographers Joyce Smith and Sunshine Trout. I have been asked to list 8 random facts about myself and then tag 8 more photographers. Sorry to disappoint, but I am rather boring.

1. I love, absolutely love American Idol. I have a little crush on Simon Cowell, man boobs and all. LOL

2. This minivan driving mamma is a former student of Skip Barber Racing School. I went on a swanky corporate event there back in the "boom" days of the high tech industry. We had a lot of those fun trips back in the 90's. Hmmmmm, wonder why the bubble burst? LOL

3. I love Pringles chips.

4. I used to have super curly hair like my daughter but lost the curl (along with my sanity) after the kids came along. ;) Hormones? Age? Not really sure. It has been replaced by something that isn't quite curly and isn't quite straight. Frizzy waves would probably be the best way to describe it.

5. My husband and I were married in Ireland 8 years ago.

6. I avoid high heeled shoes like the plague. I can likely count on one hand the occasions for which I wore heels over the past year. I sport running shoes, Croc slides, Merrells and Uggs about 90% of the time.

7. I love perfume and my top three faves right now are Light Blue by Dolce & Gabbana, Very Irresistable by Givenchy, and Her by Narciso Rodriguez.

8. My favorite color is light, bright blue. It makes me happy. If I ever have a home with a proper office that I can call my own, I will paint it light, bright blue.

Okay, now to choose 8 photographers. As a sidebar, after checking out all these blogs I've realized that I need to step mine up a bit. I need to make a fancy banner for the top. I never bothered before because I use this just for family and friends. I often wonder if anyone even looks at it or am I just talking to myself.

Okay, back to task on hand. Tagging 8 fellow photographers. Please check out the links to see their beautiful work.

Gavin's 4 month session

2007-09-04T00:51:00.000-04:00

Baby Gavin is so cute and has the best expression. Big Brother Austin was there too. They are such handsome boys ad it was a blast photographing them. :)

A few of my faves.

I think this one is so sweet.

Gavin has a fantastic smile.

More from Ireland

2007-09-02T23:44:00.000-04:00

I saw this and had Susan pull over on the road.

Me

Love the sass and attitude here.

Katie helping GiGi fix her hair.

Natural Beauty

Back from Ireland

2007-09-01T07:49:00.001-04:00

We had a fantastic time in Ireland. I spent a month there with the kids. My bestfriend Sue was there for the first two weeks and then Scott joined us for the last two weeks.

We spent most of our time in Rosslare Harbour in County Wexford and one week in County Mayo. Ireland has had horrible weather this summer and we lucked out by getting the best of it. We spent many glorious days at the beach.

I did not use the Internet for the month which was quite liberating. I read a bunch books and at the top of the list is A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby. Fabulous, dark English humor. Absolutely superb.

And now for a few pics.

Port Durlainne, Ireland

Dylan with the locals, i.e. cousins.

Out at sea.

Back on Land

Rossport Graveyard

In Bellmullet, County Mayo. This is what we call Rock Beach. We go every year. It is the most beautiful beach I have ever seen.

Susan at Black Sod Bay, Bellmullet.

Portacloy, County Mayo

Katie windswept in Clairemorris

The Bing in Rosslare Harbour

Uncle John came over from London for a weekend. Katie loves him.

More to come. :)

Just a few

2007-07-28T11:36:00.000-04:00

I have not been the best blogger lately. Life gets busy.

We've been having a ton of fun this summer. I now realize that I need to have a small point and shoot to capture fun little moments in places where the big camera is overkill, for instance amusement parks and people's pools. I am missing a lot of fun shots. :(

Dylan and his best friend. Love these two images.

I had a meet up with some of my photography pals and here are a few images from the day.

Katie, the Pied Piper

And how about a few from the business side of things.

I am off to Ireland for a month. Be back in September with lots to share. :)

2007-07-10T00:43:00.000-04:00

Keeping busy and having fun this summer.

Rugby season is here!

My kids are gowing up before my eyes

2007-06-15T19:12:00.000-04:00

and it's bittersweet. :) :(

I Hope You Dance ~
Lee Ann Womack

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder,
You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger,
May you never take one single breath for granted,
GOD forbid love ever leave you empty handed,
I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean,
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens,
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.

I hope you dance....I hope you dance.

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance,
Never settle for the path of least resistance
Livin' might mean takin' chances but they're worth takin',
Lovin' might be a mistake but it's worth makin',
Don't let some hell bent heart leave you bitter,
When you come close to sellin' out reconsider,
Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.

I hope you dance....I hope you dance.
I hope you dance....I hope you dance.
(Time is a wheel in constant motion always rolling us along,
Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder where those years have gone.)

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean,
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens,
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.

Dance....I hope you dance.
I hope you dance....I hope you dance.
I hope you dance....I hope you dance..
(Time is a wheel in constant motion always rolling us along
Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder where those years have gone)

A self portrait. I do not enjoy being in front of the camera. Could be why you always find me on the opposite side. I took this one last weekend and I think it reveals a lot about me. If you know me you might agree.

Now onto the cute stuff!

That missing tooth is just now breaking the skin.

I think Katie looks so grown up here.

White belt, one stripe

Both kids had their graduation ceremony on the same day. I was able to be at Dylan's for the beginning but then had to leave to attend Katie's. I am sure this is just the beginning of schedule conflicts.

The kindergarten classes each did a group dance. Dyaln's group did the Mexican Hat Dance. It was absolutely adorable.

Here is my big girl graduating from the 2.5 year old class. She was so proud of herself and enjoyed the ceremony almost as much as the donuts they served afterwards.

Just my kids

2007-06-03T23:12:00.000-04:00

Enjoying the warm weather and having fun. :)

Just life

2007-05-23T15:31:00.000-04:00

Practicing with studio lights.

We went to Washington DC this past week and this one was taken on my friend's balcony.

The light in the hotel was beautiful and I had to get one of Miss Katie in it.

This was taken at Glen Echo Park on Macarthur Blvd., right down the road from my old apartment back in the 90's. Gosh, how did I get so old so fast. The park is very old timey. If I lived closer I would be photographing there a lot.

Dylan on the tracks in town.

This is behind an old building across the street from the train station in town. Urban decay.... or would that be suburban decay?

At one of the county parks on a sunny spring day.

A stroll through the little downtown area in a NJ suburb.

Something a little different

By the Hudson River, NYC is the backdrop here.

Kids being kids and having fun, life as it should be.

Sweet Baby Gavin, 11 days old

2007-04-30T22:36:00.000-04:00

I had the honor of photographing this gorgeous new baby. It was so much fun.

Busy, busy, busy

2007-04-26T14:44:00.000-04:00

Soccer, bushido, swimming, life, etc. The kids have a lot of activities which is great for them and I'm excited to have them busy after the long winter.

My big news is that I attended a photo workshop this past weekend. It was my first time way from the children. I learned a lot and had a fabulous time hanging out with other photographers. It was absolutely brilliant and I feel so amped up about photography.

I'll start with some images from the workshop. They hired models for us to shoot.

I will post more when I edit them.

And a few of Miss Katie

And one of Dylan. Lucky for him he is in school all day when I have my camera out. :)

Easter, Spring and a Birthday

2007-04-06T02:00:00.000-04:00

Lots to catch up on. First, an early Happy Easter!

We've had a few spring days interspersed among many cold days. It was actually snowing this morning and the near future promises more of the same. I am looking forward to the warmer weather sticking around for a while. I'm sure soon I will be complaining about how hot it is.

Enjoying the weather.

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Seriously Dylan

Moody

Still waiting for that tooth to grow in :)

Happy Birthday to me! We went out to a Japanese Steakhouse. The kids enjoyed the hibatchi, both the food and the entertainment. It was a great time.

Katie picked up the umbrella and sang rain, rain go away.

The Banzai Birthday Surprise, obviously my mom thought this was funny.

Fun with Katie and a Couple of Baby Evan

2007-03-25T12:07:00.000-04:00

Katie loves these bunny ears and her favorite song is Peter Cottontail. We sing it together year round. I have no idea why she loves it so much because she is terrified (as in cry in fear) of the Easter Bunny at the mall.

And here is baby Evan with his mommy from last month.

Housebound

2007-03-18T22:43:00.000-04:00

On Thursday night we had the biggest storm of the season blow through here. A big noreaster that left over a foot of snow covered by ice. School was cancelled on Friday and the storm continued on all day and night. I did get outside with the kids but left the camera inside this time.

Here are a few we came up with during our lazy days.

The bedhead series

Red

Blue (throwing one in from the summer archives)

Katie Poses

2007-03-09T22:55:00.000-05:00

I could barely believe it when my run from the camera girl asked me to take her picture today. I was on it immediately. Here she is posing.

Brother and Sister

2007-03-05T22:32:00.000-05:00

We had a short spell of less than freezing weather this past weekend and had a chance to get to the park. It was muddy and wet, but as far as my kids are concerned that makes it even better.

JUMP!

This is how you play in the mud Katie.

Dylan looks a little too happy here seeing his sister scared.

Around the house

2007-03-04T12:08:00.000-05:00

Me and Katie having some fun on a rainy day while Dylan is in school.

Watching for Dylan's bus

He's here!

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Chilling out

A Real Snow

2007-02-28T20:29:00.000-05:00

Finally we had a real snow. Unfortunately Dylan was sick and couldn't come outside to join us for some fun, poor little guy. He's all better now, but our snow is now slush.

Katie had a fabulous time.

Dylan's Birthday

2007-02-21T17:16:00.000-05:00

Dylan turned 6 on Monday! I can hardly believe it.

We had a birthday party for him on Sunday at one of those inflatable places. The kids all had a blast.

Here are some snaps:

Back home opening presents

His big surprise was the Wii game system that I searched high and low for. I finally got it just the day before. He was so excited!

Adventures with Dylan

2007-02-05T14:13:00.000-05:00

I got to spend most of the day with Dylan on Saturday. We had so much fun together. Let me brag for a minute and just say what a great boy he is, so polite and loving. I am very proud of my big boy!

We ended up at a fabulous spot for photos, but the lighting was a disaster. The bridge was incredibly bright compared to where I was shooting from. We will have to go back again when the sun is less harsh and it's warmer out. It's a fun little spot and I'm sure Dylan would enjoy playing there again.

This is what happened when I tried to get a shot of him exposing closely for his face with the bridge directly behind. We might as well have been in my backyard.

There is the blaring western sun behind him.

And finally a quick shot from the train station. Some western sun from the side here. Brrrrrrrr! It was mighty cold!

I've got my eye on you!

2007-02-02T23:39:00.000-05:00

Dylan has a science enrichment class afterschool on Fridays. The teacher gave each of the kids a magnifying glass today. We play outside of the school when the class is over and Dylan had fun checking out everything through his new glass.

I've got some motion blur here because I couldn't get the shutter up fast enough. It was gray and started raining just minutes after I snapped it. I love this capture though. Perfectly imperfect, a true slice of life.

It's f-f-f-f-freezing out...

2007-01-30T23:01:00.000-05:00

so let's go throw some rocks in the river!

The Illustrious Miss Katie

2007-01-19T17:25:00.000-05:00

Some images of my darling 3 year old daughter from the past couple of days.

A wee bit of snow... well slush actually.

If you are 3, you must taste it. It's the law. LOL

and off she goes.

A few from before the holidays

2007-01-17T11:58:00.000-05:00

I was very busy with sessions during the holiday season and am now going back to edit some from a session that took place then. Here are a few favorites.

'Tis the season

2007-01-16T11:20:00.000-05:00

The most wonderful time of the year! American Idol starts tonight.

I am not a big television person, but man oh man do I love this show. Being in a pool helps make it even that much more exciting. I hope to win big this year.

I saw this at the Euro Store (like our dollar store) in Ireland over the summer. It made me laugh and I of course had to take a snap. Today seems like the perfect day to post this image.

I can't stop blogging!

2007-01-07T11:21:00.000-05:00

Having some fun editing these Ireland images. Though they are not all perfect (far from it!), they are meaningful to me. Enjoy!

How about some Irish landscapes?

2007-01-07T00:03:00.000-05:00

East Coast

West Coast

Playing catch up

2007-01-05T23:54:00.000-05:00

I had a chance to start editing more of my vacation photos from Ireland this summer. Here are a few so far.

Just having fun

2007-01-02T16:39:00.000-05:00

A few recent snaps of my kids at play.

Got make-up?

Happy Birthday Katie!

2006-12-30T23:30:00.000-05:00

Today Katie turned three. I can hardly believe that my baby is 3.

We had a little party today and I am way too tired to get all the photos together just yet.

For now, here is one of my birthday girl from this morning.

Merry Christmas!

2006-12-25T09:29:00.001-05:00

Practice!

2006-12-14T11:23:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I was practicing with my studio lights. I would love to have a bigger house with an actual room for my studio. Setting up and breaking this down again, for maybe 5 minutes of modeling time that I can convince my kids to do, is a lot of hard work. I love that I learn more each time so really it is worth it. :)

I was attempting to do some shot of Katie and Bitty Baby in their matching jammies, but Katie wasn't cooperating too much. What do you expect from an almost 3 year old, right?

She really wanted to get in this basket. It was a lot of fun until she leaned back too far and fell out... ooops! No worries, she wasn't hurt.

Katie and Granny. I would have never been able to get this set-up without someone to help with Katie. My mom was not ready to be photographed, but she looks great anyhow, right? :)

When Dylan got home from school, he posed for me before we called Santa's hotline. Thanks Jeremi for the number.

And here's that toothless grin again!

New Lens Part Deux

2006-12-12T13:21:00.000-05:00

Seasonal Fun

Channeling Elvis

Cutie Katie

and Katie pushed too far (bad mommy)

Even the dog isn't safe from my lens.... muahahahaha!

Fooling around with my new lens

2006-12-11T23:37:00.000-05:00

I got a zoom lens! Yay!

Got teeth?

Snaps with Santa!

2006-12-10T22:39:00.000-05:00

Santa came to Katie's school on Saturday for brunch. Katie liked Santa from afar, but was scared when he got too close. Scott tried to bring her over to his lap, but she was kicking and screaming. Ah, well. Maybe next year.

Dylan on the other hand was thrilled to see Santa. He got up on his lap and told Santa that he wanted the new Xbox 360. Santa said, "I think I can manage that." Bad Santa! Wrong answer Santa! LOL

Katie playing with the kids before Santa arrived

This was Dylan's face as Santa entered the room. He was nervous, excited, and happy. Check out his missing teeth.

Santa coming over to say hi. I wish I had gotten the expression on Katie's face. Too bad I didn't give Scott my old camera so I could have had a second shooter (as if I don't already look enough like the crazy mom with a camera). LOL

Dylan on Santa's lap :)

And finally one of Dylan playing in the yard. I call this the treehugger.

New toys on a recent shoot

2006-11-18T18:54:00.000-05:00

I had a shoot on Wednesday where I got to use a few new things. My new camera (5D yay!), new backdrop, and a lightsphere for my flash. The children here are 9 weeks and 4 years old. Beautiful family!

No photos today

2006-11-16T14:33:00.000-05:00

I heard this song on the radio today that was so poignant and raw. It's called Hate Me by Blue October. I wonder what happened to this guy. It almost hurts to just listen to the lyrics. Intense.

Although I've never seen him, the lyricist is someone I would like to photograph. Yes my photos are light and fun and traditional, but the artist in me yearns to capture something deep and dark. Maybe I'll send him an email. ;)

hate me

I have to block out thoughts of you so I dont lose my head
They crawl in like a cockroach leaving babies in my bed
Dropping little reels of tape to remind me that Im alone
Playing movies in my head that make a porno feel like home
There's a burning in my pride, a nervous bleeding in my brain
An ounce of peace is all I want for you. will you never call again?
And will you never say that you love me just to put it in my face?
And will you never try to reach me? it is I that wanted space

Hate me today
Hate me tomorrow
Hate me for all the things I didn't do for you

Hate me in ways
Yeah ways hard to swallow
Hate me so you can finally see what's good for you

Im sober now for 3 whole months its one accomplishment that you helped me with
The one thing that always tore us apart is the one thing I wont touch again
In my sick way I want to thank you for holding my head up late at night
While I was busy waging wars on myself, you were trying to stop the fight
You never doubted my warped opinions on things like suicidal hate
You made me compliment myself when it was way too hard to take
So Ill drive so effing far away that I never cross your mind
And do whatever it takes in your heart to leave me behind

Hate me today
Hate me tomorrow
Hate me for all the things I didnt do for you

Hate me in ways
Yeah ways hard to swallow
Hate me so you can finally see whats good for you

And with a sad heart I say bye to you and wave
Kicking shadows on the street for every mistake that I had made
And like a baby boy I never was a man
Until I saw your blue eyes cry and I held your face in my hand
And then I fell down yelling Make it go away!
Just make a smile come back and shine just like it used to be
And then she whispered How can you do this to me?

Hate me today
Hate me tomorrow
Hate me for all the things I didnt do for you

Hate me in ways
Yeah ways hard to swallow
Hate me so you can finally see whats good for you
For you
For you
For you

Dylan's Best Buddy

2006-11-13T10:55:00.000-05:00

Anthony and Dylan are great buddies and I love his mom too. I went over to their house recently to take a photo for the Christmas card. Here is what we came up with.

This is the winning image

And a few for fun

A few recent photos of my kids

2006-10-28T13:09:00.000-04:00

I have been crazy busy lately so my apologies for blog neglect. Here are a few recents including my kids. :)

My three sons

2006-10-16T15:35:00.000-04:00

Well, not mine, but that's what came to mind when I went to do a shoot of Jeannine and her three sons; Luke, Jack, and Brian. What a great bunch of models they were. I had a friend in for the weekend so I didn't get much of a chance to work on these, but here are the first few.

Busy, busy, busy!

2006-10-09T00:04:00.000-04:00

It's been so long since I've made a blog entry. Life has been crazy here lately. I've been busy with photography which has been great and busy with some other stuff, not all great. Anyhow, here are some recent favorites that make me smile. Enjoy!

Little Girl in the Big City

2006-09-30T10:28:00.000-04:00

Monday I met my cousin Joanne and her daughter Emer for a little photo shoot in Central Park. It was a gorgeous day and we had a blast strolling through the park and taking some lovely photos. Emer was a fantastic little model. Really, it couldn't have gone any better than it did. Thank you Joanne and Emer!!!

Irish Girls

2006-09-25T11:55:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I did a practice session with Sarah and Ella and also did some family shots. As you can see, they are dark haired, fair skinned beauties. We had so much fun and I hope that shines through in the photos.

19 months of Serious Cuteness!

2006-09-19T22:39:00.000-04:00

Sunday I went to my cousin Donna's house to do a little practice session with her 19 month old son Declan. He is gorgeous, full of energy, and oh so serious. Dylan was helping me to get him laugh. We had a great time and I look forward to shooting with him again.

Fun with Friends

2006-09-17T02:23:00.000-04:00

Today we had a playdate with our friends we met in Gymboree back when the kids were babies. We try to get together once a month and it's always a good time.

We went to Barb's house today and then to the park for some running around. It was a lovely day weather wise and we all had a blast!

Lenore and Nuriel were kind enough to take a few minutes out of our day to do an impromptu posing session. They were great models. :)

Here are some "who cares" photos from the park. The lighting was spotty and crazy, but the kids were too adorable to not capture.

I spy a water fountain!

Dylan could barely contain himself here because a Corvette convertible was coming down the road. My son loves cars and can name more makes and models than anyone I know. He told me today that when grows up he is going to design a car for Toyota and call it a Suprema.

Just life

2006-09-14T15:46:00.000-04:00

Nothing fancy, just some everyday snaps. :)

This couple was a riot! I was focusing on getting a nice photo of Ruby's (located at the end of the Huntington Beach Pier) and as they got closer to me, the man said laughing, "Now we are even!" Fair enough. :D

Portraits from California

2006-09-12T13:34:00.000-04:00

Well I wouldn't be me if I didn't practice portraits while on vacation. I had a whole new crop of people to work with who were nice enough to indulge me.

Here is my niece Julie who will be 17 this month. As you can see, she is absolutely gorgeous.

Here she is again with her sister, beautiful, redheaded, college freshman Tiffany.

A beach photo of my sister-in-law Lynda and niece Meghan.

A family photo for our friends Steve and Michelle and their new baby Wilson.

Father and son

American Girl Place, Los Angeles

2006-09-07T23:56:00.000-04:00

My niece Avery turned 4 while we were in California so we took all the girl cousins up to LA to The American Girl Place to celebrate. What an amazing store! Although Katie has a Bitty, she is not too into dolls just yet. She still enjoyed the store and loved the tea party luncheon for Avery. The food was lovely and they even had special seats for the dolls.

At American Girl Place, girls can get a bitty baby (starter doll for the very young girls), character dolls, and/or dolls that look like them. They sell all sorts of clothing and accessories so that a young girl can dress just like her doll. They also have an American Girl show in their theater for the 6 and up set. The place is a gold mine!

Katie's Grandma bought Katie a crib for Bitty and two outfits for her and Bitty. The outfits are adorable and I will show photos of Katie and Bitty in them once I can rope her into sitting for photos for me.

For now, here are the photos from our day.

Riley with her doll

Jordan with her doll

Avery with her new doll Elizabeth

Even the "tweens" enjoy American Girl dolls. Here is Kelly with her doll and Carli with her new Bitty.

Would you like some tea?

Happy Birthday, Avery!

Katie LOVED dessert!

Huntington Beach Snaps

2006-09-06T20:32:00.000-04:00

Scott and I lived in Huntington Beach, CA before moving to NJ. Dylan was born there and it's interesting to see how much he loves it. I think he looks so "at home" in this pic which was taken about a mile from our old townhouse. He tells us that he wants to live there again when he gets big. :)

Here is Katie on the beach discovering the boogie board for the first time.

She likes it here too.

Southern California

2006-09-05T01:52:00.000-04:00

We just got back this morning on the red eye from California. Initially we were scheduled for a mid afternoon flight but it was cancelled and we were moved on to the red eye. (Heaven forbid they fly a plane these days with one empty seat) All went well and we arrived home safely with just a touch of jet lag. I can't complain about that.

California was fantastic as always. Oh how I miss the beautiful weather and the beach. We went to Legoland and Disneyland, American Girl Place, the beach, swam in the pools, and most importantly visited with family and friends. It was a fabulous vacation and we were all sad to see it end.

On the photography front I had a great time too. I have lots to post here but only a few for now.

My nieces Avery and Jordan from San Fransico were down to join us for the first part of the trip.

Boy do they make Katie look pale.

Niece Kellyn and her friend Carli from a balcony at the Hyatt Regency, Huntington Beach.

Niece Meghan taking a break from swimming.

Katie with Carli's dog CJ. I LOVE this dog, and so does Katie.

A hodge podge of stuff

2006-08-24T01:26:00.000-04:00

I got an email from my cousin Maggie today asking if I had some wedding photos to send. Of course I have many, but not nearly all edited yet. I quickly edited two for her this evening while procrastinating my packing. :)

Here is Maggie with daughter Lily, the youngest of her three girls. Lily, like older sisters Ruby and Jade, is a model in the UK.

Group photo of some of my Dad's side of the family (plus one random guy, I have no clue who he is).

Katie at the beach in Rosslare

Having fun before bed

The Irish Atlantic Coast (NW County Mayo)

Around the house

Scott wants me to get Dylan's haircut. I think he looks adorable with his hair a little long. Stay tuned for the winner of the hair wars.

Just hanging out

2006-08-22T15:51:00.000-04:00

After being in Ireland and England for so long, photography in the same-o, same-o New Jersey is not so exciting. Add two not so willing subjects and you see me with empty CF cards. *sigh*

I think the answer to problem is other people's kids and possibly road trips with my own.

Here are a few from our backyard.

I call this one "If looks could kill."

And to be fair, here is Dylan's "get that camera outta my face" look.

Our Lady's Island

2006-08-20T23:24:00.000-04:00

Yep, I am still editing Ireland photos. My kids are fed up with me taking their photos which is disappointing to me since I love to practice, but at least I still have oodles of photos from Ireland to play with.

One evening we went on a little adventure after dinner to Our Lady's Island.

I hope this link works for whomever is interested in reading more about it:

http://www.ourladysisland.com/History.htm

The light was incredible and using a polarizing filter, I was able to get some very colorful shots. These were taken at about 9:00 PM which is dusk in July in South East Ireland.

Summertime

2006-08-18T00:05:00.000-04:00

Some random summertime shots.

Katie in Ireland

My kids together. They are so over me taking their photos but they did oblige me for a split second this evening. The lighting was far from ideal but at this point I will take what I can get.

On second thought, maybe I should call this one "We need a bath!"

Aha! The black and white version hides the dirt better. :D

Now here's a shot with some nice light. This is my cousin Donna's son, Declan. I took this at a family BBQ this past weekend. He is such a cute little guy, and a busy one too. He reminds me a lot of Dylan when he was a baby.

And here is Eimer with Aunt Liz. Such a sweet shot. :)

Will I ever finish editing my vacations shots?

2006-08-14T12:09:00.000-04:00

Maybe by this time next year. That's the downside of being photo obsessed.

A few more of Claudia

2006-08-10T22:52:00.000-04:00

Claudia mini session

2006-08-09T23:21:00.000-04:00

Before I get started on my Claudia photos, I wanted to post one of my wedding photos. Scott and I were married 7 years ago today in Wexford, Ireland. Scott got me some flowers and a card and gave me the go ahead on a new lens purchase. It should be here tomorrow or the next day. Woo hoo!!! Seven years ago I would never have been able to picture what life would be like today...

Today my cousin Joanne came over with her daughter Eimer, and Lisa came over with Claudia and we had lunch and a playdate. It was a fun day which became almost comical when we got locked out of the house. The only door that was open was the one on the deck which is one story up. With the garage door locked, we had no access to a ladder. Lisa, who I affectionately call Martha Stewart, saved the day by shimmying the screen open. I guess she is more like Martha than I thought. Muahaha!

Dylan managed to have fun on his own making mud in the backyard while our little Divas were fighting over fake food, who got the red swing, who could come in the playhouse; laughing one second, crying the next, etc. What a bunch of drama queens we have on our hands.

The only photo I have on my computer from my wedding is one of me. It is a scan from a dinosour scanner Scott and I got as a freebie in our days of working in the computer industry. It even has a dog hair on it! I probably shouldn't have pointed that out. LOL Without further adieu, here is me prekids and pre gray hair and wrinkles. : >

And now on to Claudia.

Claudia is one of Katie's little friends. They ahve known each other since they were less than a year old. Her mom and I are very good friends too and she was kind enough to let me practice on Claudia. She is a beautiful little girl.

And even more snaps

2006-08-08T13:47:00.000-04:00

More random snaps

2006-08-06T01:12:00.000-04:00

Just a few from all over the place.

Fun on the beach

A Moody Kate

Fun with Floam

Susan

One more go at this tricky exposure

Touring London, Snaps at 50mm

2006-08-04T00:49:00.000-04:00

On Sunday while Scott nursed a hangover, Dylan, Susan and I headed out for a tour of London. We caught a doubledecker bus in front of the hotel to take us to the London Eye area. We decided to took a boat tour down the Thames as well. Just to mix it up a little, we took the London Underground back to the hotel. Dylan enjoyed all the modes of transportation that day. This was also the day that I decided I need a zoom lens. Seeing the world at 50mm isn't always practical. :/

Being Goofy Tourists

A few Irish landscapes

2006-08-02T16:13:00.000-04:00

These were taken in a very western part of County Mayo.

What's Dylan got?

2006-07-31T16:49:00.000-04:00

Now a break from the chronological snaps to bring a few that I like. These were all taken in Ireland.

First, can you guess what Dylan has here?

The rehearsal dinner

2006-07-30T01:28:00.000-04:00

Friday night we had the rehearsal dinner at Langan's Bar and Grill in Chelsea.

It's very close to John and Maribel's flat in the Earl's Court area. In England, instead of a marriage license, a couple has to be married in a civil cermony before having a religious ceremony in order to make the union official. John and Maribel had their civil ceremony earlier this day so at this point they are actually married.

Dylan, the car junkie that he is, spotted a Ferrari parked outside the restaurant and asked me to take a picture of him next to it. Before I had time to tinker with my settings, the owner walked over. He was super nice and let Dylan sit in his car and let me take a picture of him in it. Then he peeled out and made the tires burn for Dylan. He was quite impressed.

The World Cup was in full swing so Dylan enjoyed watching it at the bar sipping on his libation.

Katie thought the bar was nice too.

As we waited for eveyone to arrive, Katie played with my mom for a bit. Yes, she is actually sitting, at least for this nanosecond. LOL

Here is Maribel with her Dad.

Let's get those bottles flowing!

Ice cream #1

Ice cream #2

Scott took this shot and is very proud that he got the cab in the background.

And here is the happy couple. :)

Adventures in London

2006-07-28T23:00:00.000-04:00

I was thrilled to be visiting London for John and Maribel's wedding. I had been there twice before, but not for any decent length of time as an adult. Now having been there for 5 days, I want to visit again even more. Half kidding, I told John that I would love to stay in his and Maribel's flat when they take a vacation. There is so much to see and such a cool vibe there. I would love to spend a week there without the kids and just explore. Dreaming is fun. :)

We stayed in Kensington at the Hilton. The hotel was nothing special, just your typical Hilton. It was clean, the staff was great, and the location was convenient to both the bus and the tube.

Our first evening there, Scott and my dad took Dylan to be fitted for his morning suit. Katie was still a little wired from the time change so my mom and I decided we would head for a park. Our concierge told us that Kensington Gardens was about a 5 minutes walk from our hotel, so we headed out. About 30 minutes and a generous mile later, we arrived at this gorgeous park. The walk was not a bother either as the neighborhood and shops were lovely to look at.

Katie had a fantastic time.

Later that evening, we hung out in the lounge. Scott stays with Hilton on business and access to the lounge is the perk they offer. It was great to have somewhere other than the hotel room with the kids. And who doesn't love free food and drinks?

Here is the view. Nothing too exciting.

We liked Kensington Gardens so much that we went back the next morning with both kids.

It was very hot and the waterplay hit the spot.

Katie played in the water for a bit too.

True to form, my little monkey wanted to climb and climb.

We're back!

2006-07-28T13:02:00.000-04:00

We are back from our vacation to London and Ireland. We were in London for 5 days to attend my brother and now sister in law's wedding. It was absolutely brilliant! Next we went to Ireland for three weeks to my parents vacation home in Rosslare Harbour, County Wexford and for a brief sidetrip to visit my Granny and other family in County Mayo. I am tired and although I have tons of laundry to do, I had to check out my photos at least briefly before attacking my chores. Here are a few. These are not necessarily my favorites, just an overview until I get them all in order.

From the rehearsal dinner

From the wedding (no photography permitted during the ceremony)

Poor Dylan was melting in his ring bearer suit. It was nearly 90 degrees and for some reason, the Europeans don't believe in air conditioning. That's an ice cube on his head.

The reception was held at The Darmouth House in Mayfair. It was a stunning location.

Can't take her anywhere. LOL

The kids are with one of the nannies that John and Maribel hired for the wedding. It was heavenly to have help with the kids.

Me and my dapper little guy.

And some from Ireland

Dylan with my cousin Emer

Katie at the beach, I LOVE this one

Dylan peering through the window in the ruins of an old church. The lighting was stunning here.

More to come later. :)

And finally, Margaret's cake

2006-06-26T12:49:00.000-04:00

Here is the last group of shots from Margrate's big bash!

Without flash

Ready, set,

BLOW!

Christian's 5th Birthday

2006-06-24T22:37:00.000-04:00

Today we had two birthday parties. Unfortunately the second one, Parth's pool party, was rained out. We have been friend's with Christian and his mom Donna since Christian was a baby and we had a fabulous time celebrating his 5th birthday with him. His was supposed to be outdoors too, but his Mom was able to move everything inside at the last minute. I like to call her Martha Stewart. She is amazing in many ways.

Donna had 2 high school girls playing games with the kids and keeping them entertained. Here are the kids having fun.

Dylan winning a game of spoons!

Christain and Daddy

Blowing out the candles

Here is a close-up of the cookie on the cake. Christian's Aunt made this.

And finally, a break in the rain that lasted just long enough to whack the pinata open.

More Candids

2006-06-23T10:30:00.000-04:00

Just a few more snapshots of the fun day.

Candid Shots

2006-06-21T12:53:00.000-04:00

Here are some candids from the party.

Surprise!

2006-06-19T10:38:00.000-04:00

Saturday night my cousin Diane and her husband Brian hosted a Surprise Party for my Aunt Margaret's 60th Birthday. Diane and Brian are the most fabulous hosts ever. Their home is amazing and everyone always has a fantastic time there.

Diane & Brian

Now, the big SURPRISE! Margaret was called over to Gail's to babysit baby Evan while Gail and the girls were "at a birthday party". Meanwhile, Gail was helping Diane set everything up. When Margaret left Gail's, she phoned us to let us know the countdown was on and we all came into the house. Our cars were parked at the bottom end of the Cul du Sac way out of sight. Like they say, a picture is worth a thousand words, so without further adieu, here is the reaction.

More posts from the party to come this week. Just wanted to add one more of the 4 sisters here in the US. My mom is third from left in the polka dotted dress.

Sporty Squirts and a Gray Evening

2006-06-15T16:42:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was the last class of Sporty Squirts. Dylan loved this program. Coach Ian and Coach Paul are two English blokes in thier twenties who really like to have fun and the kids have so much fun with them. Sporty Squirts is a program offered through the town recreation center where the kids play a different sport each week. The did baseball, lacrosse, hockey, soccer, etc. There were four boys from Dylan's preschool class so that made it super cool for Dylan.

Here is the whole gang

Dylan shooting a goal with Coach Paul

Here are some from a gray evening around the house.

"Mommy, you said some FUN pictures"

One more "not so fun" one

Notice the stark change in expression here. Dylan likes to ride his plasma car down the driveway and crash into Katie's coupe, the empty garbage cans, or just make sharp turns around the van and come to a smashing stop at the steps. Because it was so gray I couldn't capture any action shots of him doing this. Don't fret though, he does this everyday so you will be seeing him in action in a future post. This is right after a smash into the steps. Could life be any better?

Here is Katie watching his crazy antics from higher up on the steps with horsey. This is her signature grumpy Katie expression.

Moving on to the backyard, here is Dylan pouring sand on his head. It was so much fun washing it all out in the shower that immediately followed this stunt. LOL

Old photos of my baby

2006-06-14T11:28:00.000-04:00

Katie (Kathryn Jane) is nearly 2.5 years old now. My colicky baby is now fiercely independent and a mamma's girl at the same time, or really whichever one suits her at the moment. She is clever as can be and loves to give mommy kisses and hugs.

She loves to play outside best. Much to mommy's dismay, she is an accomplished climber. Getting big pushes on her red swing while mommy chants "Super Princess" puts the biggest smile on her face. "Super Princess" is a name that she came up with, not me. She is a huge fan of the Disney Princesses, all animals, and loves to watch Pinky Dinky Doo and Calliou on television. She idolizes her big brother and thinks she can do everything he and his friends can do. The bruises and scratches are proof of this. Thank goodness for photoshop.

It's hard to believe that so much time has passed. I was going through old photos and came across these from the early days. These were taken with my old point and shoot, the one that Katie broke last year when she slammed it on the floor. That's what prompted me to get the Rebel, a blessing and a curse. Ha!

Just two days old

Also from the first few days.

Two weeks old.

With me at about 6 weeks old. When I first saw this photo I could hardly believe how much make-up I had on. I must have been trying hard to hide that tired mom look that we all sport in the beginning. LOL

Gummy D and Kate

2006-06-13T00:15:00.000-04:00

As mentioned in the previous post, Dylan lost his first tooth last week. He has another that is loose, so I thought I ought to get the official first tooth lost photo before there are two gone.

Serious swinging.

So the lighting is far from perfect, but she is sitting and looking at the camera. :)

My little monkey.

We saw these guys while on a walk up by the school yesterday. It was dark in the woods and I didn't have the opportunity to set my camera properly, but at least I got something before they bolted off.

The Graduate

2006-06-11T21:53:00.000-04:00

Dylan graduated from preschool this week. He also lost his first tooth. That's a lot of growing up in one small week. My baby, who I could have sworn was born ten minutes ago, is now officially a kid.

The two classes had a joint ceremony which consisted of singing, accepting diplomas, thanking teachers and class moms, and a few words from the classroom teachers and the principal. It was absolutely adorable.

On the stage being goofy with buddies Grant and Sarah

Spotlight small group singing performance (could they look any less thrilled?) The long haired girl is Dylan's girlfriend. They plan to be married someday. He is also planning to marry another girl in the class. I suppose when you have more girls than boys in a preschool class, polygamy is an acceptable practice.

Accepting the diploma

Congratulations Dylan!

Matt's little get together

2006-06-08T21:54:00.000-04:00

Sunday we went to my cousin Matt's house for a get together. Matt's Mom is my Dad's sister. They have a new baby called Matthew who is 10 weeks old. The poor little guy had a tough start in the NICU, but all is well now. Of course I couldn't let the day go by without suckering them in for pictures. :D

When I went to pick these up today (along with Caitriona's communion photos) I was asked by the girl in the lab if I was a photographer. I relpied, "Not a real one." It was so flattering to be asked. Awwwww!

Here is Matt with his son Jack (3.5 years old), Baby Matthew, and wife Maureen

With my Aunt Mary

Dad with Aunt Mary

This shot of Katie cracks me up

And one more of my little yoda cake girl

Dylan in Action

2006-06-05T17:33:00.001-04:00

Dylan is a very physical boy and is happiest when running, jumping, and playing outdoors. He loves to play in the water.

Recently we got a slip n' slide which is a huge hit here. Much moreso with Dylan than with Scott who is not a fan of what it does to the lawn. I say who cares, but you know men are about their lawns.

Dylan and Anthony playing in the sprinkler

Dylan testing out the slip n slide

First swim of the season in our neighbor's pool

Playing in the pool with Daddy at my cousin's pool party

And one of Miss Katie doing her favorite thing -- eating sweets! Just like Mommy. :)

A few more...

2006-06-01T10:30:00.000-04:00

from the Communion shoot. :)

As promised, baby brother Evan.