Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Round and Round

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I think I'll end the month with another picture from the Santa Monica Pier. This is the world's only solar- powered ferris wheel. It gives riders a panoramic view of the Southern California coastline from more than 130 feet above the Santa Monica Pier.

“I see nothing in space as promising as the view from a Ferris wheel

E.B. White quotes (American writer 1899-1985)

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Bradley

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The other brother of Kylee, Bradley is all boy, loving baseball. He has very impish eyes. He always looks like he has a secret and somehow you want to know what it is. He laughs easily and loves life. He's fun-loving and happy. I like him a lot.

I'm convinced that every boy, in his heart, would rather steal second base than an automobile. Tom Clark

Monday, June 28, 2010

Gavin

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This is one of Kylee's brothers, Gavin. He is a smart cookie. I just heard that he was accepted into a really cool gifted and talented program where he got to spend time in the mountains of Colorado. He's also an entrepreneur. He makes and sells masking tape wallets. I'm so impressed with him. He's very nice, well mannered and a real cutie! Oh, a couple more things....he plays baseball and is a great athlete.

" Attitude reflects leadership, leadership reflects attitude."

Author Unknown

Friday, June 25, 2010

Beautiful Kylee

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Since I haven't posted any pictures for the last 2 days I thought I'd post 3 today to make up for it. I think that I've decided to do that from now on if I skip any days. I loved the photo shoot I did with 3 of my favorite children last year. In the next few days I'll post the boys. Today it's Kylee's turn. She's a natural beauty with the most amazing eyes. What a sweetie.

"The world is as many times new as there are children in our lives."

Robert Braul

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Palm Tree Silhouette

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I just love California!

“Watch me at the window from your place on the couch, watch me pretending that I am really looking out. You say 'come here, I can't see you in this light,' but I'm much safer beside the moon tonight. 'Cause when I am a silhouette/ I have no fear, you”

Monday, June 21, 2010

Pink Ocean

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I did this Photoshop piece for a video project in school.

But more wonderful than the lore of old men and the lore of books is the secret lore of ocean.

H. P. Lovecraft

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Tranquility

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I think this looks like the perfect spot on a perfect-like day.

"The fruit of silence is tranquility."

Arabian Proverb

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Lonely Lamp Post

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This is a lamp post at the end of the Santa Monica Pier. It was a perfect day without too many people on the pier that day.

“Asking a working writer what he thinks about critics is like asking a lamppost what it feels about dogs”

John Osborne quotes (British Playwright and Producer, 1929-1994

Friday, June 18, 2010

Comfy Reading

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I took this photograph from the Santa Monica Pier looking down at the beach. He looked so comfortable with his face in the shade. Now, here's an interesting way to get a suntan

"If you look at the research that's published, it's always 'Research says that such-and-such will happen if you suntan,' and attached to that is usually a demand for more research money. That's how the fear market is created."

Frank Furedi

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Teenage Surfer Boy

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This surfer ran to the beach just as the sailboat was in the perfect position. What luck. Sometimes things just work out!

“You can't stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.”

Jon Kabat-Zinn

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Little Surfer Boy

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This has to be one of the cutest things I have come across at the beach. This kid was into it, checking out every part of the surfboard. I could see him dreaming of the day he would be big enough to use a surfboard that was this large. He looked like a mini surfer, attitude and all.

“There are some people who live in a dream world, and there are some who face reality; and then there are those who turn one into the other.”

Douglas H. Everett

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Cover 'Em Up

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Ok, so now it's time for some beach pictures since it is summer! I saw these two little girl playing in the sand and I thought they looked like they were having so much fun. I think we all remember the days we had at the beach when there was nothing to do but have fun! Ah, the carefree days of summer when you're 12, no bills, credit cards, jobs, house payments, car payments, boyfriends, husbands, wives, children, etc., etc, etc, etc.......

The things which the child loves remain in the domain of the heart until old age. The most beautiful thing in life is that our souls remain over the places where we once enjoyed ourselves”

Kahlil Gibran quotes (Lebanese born American philosophical Essayist, Novelist and Poet. 1883-1931)

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Well-Worn Moccasin

These moccasins look like they've danced in many Pow Wows. Did you notice the large jingle bell toward the end of the moccasin?

“Don't judge any man until you have walked two moons in his moccasins”
Indian Proverb

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Two Little Indians

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As I made this photograph I could see that these young boys were coming into their own. They were starting to get the swagger that all boys get when they reach puberty. They were beginning to strut their stuff and their costumes made it all the better. I feel like I captured the feeling in the photograph.

"As kids approach puberty, parents should talk about sex and set up the right kinds of guidelines for social interaction."

Lawrence Cohen quotes

Friday, June 11, 2010

Roach Headdress

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I love the headdress on this boy. I wanted to run my hand over it to see how it felt. Apparently they're called "roach headdresses." Porcupine roaches can be commonly seen at powwows, where they are still worn as regalia by male dancers from many different tribes. They were not generally as spiritually meaningful as warbonnet headdresses, though a boy earning the right to wear a roach for the first time was an important ceremony in some tribes. As I look at this photo, it does not appear to me that these are made of porcupine quills.

“A crown, golden in show is but a wreath of thorns.”
John Milton quotes (English Poet, Historian and Scholar. Ranks second, only to Shakespeare, among English poets. 1608-1674

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

This Little Indian

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There was the cutest little boy in his Native American costume who kept wanting to get his picture taken. He just kept looking and grinning. What a happy little cutie.

I wish with all my heart that you may be the most lovable prince in the world, and I bestow my gift on you as much as I am able.

Charles Perrault

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Native American Close-Up

I used Photoshop on this photograph to turn it into a painting. I liked it better because I thought the original photograph was too harsh. This man's face was so compelling in the way it was painted with a mask instead of wearing one. I've included the original photograph so you could see both.

Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.

Oscar Wilde

Monday, June 7, 2010

Native American Dancer

I like this photograph because you can see how much movement it takes the dancer to move all the feathers and accoutrements of his costume. It seemed to me that this costume might have weighed a lot. The dancers had lots of energy and stamina because each dance lasted about 10 minutes. Each tribe had their own drummers and all the tribes' drum beats were completely different.

To watch us dance is to hear our hearts speak.

Hopi Indian Saying

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Indian Princess

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A few years ago I had the privilege of going to an authentic Indian Pow Wow. I was in Oklahoma City and I believe this happens every year. Many tribes come together and compete with their own tribe's dance and music. Their costumes are amazingly detailed. Each tribe is distinctive in dress and dance. I haven't ever done anything with the photographs so I thought that maybe I'd put several of them up on this post this month. It's worth looking at these photos up close to see the detail of the costuming. I can only imagine the hours it took to put these costumes together, along with the expense of the materials. I hope you enjoy!

Certain things catch your eye, But pursue only those that capture your heart.
An old indian saying

Friday, June 4, 2010

Reach for Eternity

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How many times in a lifetime does a person get to experience this kind of a view? I must say, this Bryce Canyon adventure left me breathless. Wow.

People are so wonderful that a photographer has only to wait for that breathless moment to capture what he wants on film.

Weegee