Gretchen

Photographing young people is one of my favorite things to do.  Most have such an open spirit and a fresh optimism that’s contagious.  Gretchen is beautiful both inside and out and was a joy to photograph!

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A brother and sister accompanied her for the shoot and helped me with the props and eagerly threw leaves on her when requested…

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She will be twelves years old soon and these photographs were to celebrate that milestone.  This was the last photo I took.  I saw a children’s slide and had her bolster herself on it while I stood above to capture the shot.

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We went down by the creek for some photographs.  She forgot shoes to match her other outfit and went barefoot although it was quite chilly out.

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I hope to retain the qualities that children possess!

Beautiful Woman

I had the opportunity yesterday to photograph a beautiful woman.  Her name is Carrie Kondor and she was referred to me by the Yoga instructor that I recently took photos for.  Carrie is starting her own business.  She teaches meditation, yoga, and some type of healing; wherein while the person is lying down, she beats a drum to open their chakras.  She reminds me of a cross between Carly Simon and Seane Corn (whom she admires).

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Doesn’t she have a great smile…so full of life!

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She arrived with a variety of outfits and colorful scarves…

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The Search for Autumn

My latest assignment for Cincinnati Refined was to find the most colorful “leaf popping” streets within selected Cincinnati neighborhoods, so off I went, on a 40 mile journey and was amazed that I only found a few colorful trees!  It seems that Autumn is arriving late.  This was the most vibrant tree…

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A peek at a bit more of “the” tree…

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On the way home, this bean field and sky shouted for me to stop…

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So…I’ll be going out again next week hunting for Autumn!

Foggy Morning

I woke before dawn and made my morning coffee.  Peering out the window, everything was encased in fog.  I hastily threw on a jacket over my pajamas, grabbed my tripod and camera, and wandered down the lane in my house slippers to capture the beauty.

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Do you have a favorite?

Yogi Photo Shoot

A friend on Facebook gave my name to one of her friends, Pamela Quinn, who was looking for a photographer to do some work at her yoga studio, Elemental OM.  There were some specific guidelines as far as how much free horizontal space was necessary and how large the photo needed to be before it was cropped, but I also took some fun photos.

As you can see, my job was quite easy with such a beautiful subject…

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I didn’t give her any direction as far as poses, and our time together flowed really well.  She would do her thing and I would capture it…

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Love this one…

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Pamela wants me to come back next week to take photos during one of her classes and one of her friends saw her photos on Facebook and wants me to take photographs for her.  Technology definitely has its advantages!

Travel Diary: Washington, D.C. – Day 7

I had originally planned to go to the US National Arboretum, our last day in Washington, D.C., but after a relative told us not to miss the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, I changed our plans.  After a leisurely morning at our Airbnb, we hopped on a Capital Bikeshare bicycle to explore the Museum.

But first I have to share a photograph from the Sculpture Garden of the National Gallery of Art.  This tree is entitled, “Graft”.  My husband waited on a park bench while I wandered through the Garden.  At 45 feet high by 45 feet wide and weighing 16,000 pounds, this piece by American sculptor Roxy Paine is marvelous!

According to Earl A. Powell III, director of the National Gallery of Art–“Graft presents two fictive but distinct species of trees—one gnarled, twisting, and irregular, the other smooth, elegant, and rhythmic—joined to the same trunk. Among its rich associations, this sculpture evokes the persistent human desire to alter and recombine elements of nature, as well as the ever-present tension between order and chaos.”

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A friendly squirrel, looking for food, stood still long enough for me to snap his portrait…

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Travel Diary: Washington, D.C. – Day 6

Having only two days left of our seven day visit to Washington, D.C., we left our Airbnb bright and early and picked up our Capital Bikeshare bicycles for the 3 mile trek to National Mall.  We didn’t have time to go inside the Lincoln Memorial the day before because of our scheduled tour of the Capitol, so we returned and checked it out.  The view looking towards the Washington Monument was striking…

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A stark and compelling truth is conveyed at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial

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Paved sidewalks lined with trees border the Lincoln Reflection pool and after all of the walking, the park benches appeared quite inviting…

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I was surprised by the number of statues and water features that comprised the Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial.  Spread over 7.5 acres, with four outdoor rooms, one for each of FDR’s terms of office, they represent the challenges he faced as our President, beginning in 1933 and ending in 1945, upon his death.

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Travel Diary: Washington, D.C. – Day 5

Having seen Arlington National Cemetery, Mount Vernon, Adams Morgan & Georgetown neighborhoods, and a couple of the Smithsonian museums within four days of our week-long visit to Washington D.C., it was time for my husband and I to check out some of the monuments at National Mall.  Riding our Capital Bikeshare bicycles over to the National Mall in late morning, the chill long gone, vibrant emerald colors beckoned me for a photo at the Constitution Gardens Pond

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Although there weren’t any reflections in the Reflection Pool looking towards the Lincoln Memorial, the brilliant azure water was spectacular!

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Travel Diary: Washington, D.C. – Day 4

Washington D.C. has a diverse population and my husband and I were fortunate to be in the right place at the right time to join the throng of spectators gathering to watch a Hispanic parade.  We bicycled to the Smithsonian Institute of Natural History to begin our tours of some of the wonderful and free of charge (kinda…taxpayers pay for it) Museums.  As we walked along National Mall, we passed people gathered in groups, putting makeup on and making last minute adjustments to costumes, preparing for the parade along Constitution Avenue.  The mood was festive and the costumes colorful!

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Travel Diary: Washington, D.C. – Day 3 continued

Washington D.C.’s Adams Morgan neighborhood is colorful, vibrant, funky, and fun!  We started our day bicycling from our Airbnb in the Bloomington neighborhood on the East side of D.C. to the quaint neighborhood of Georgetown on the West side and finished in Adams Morgan, having drinks with a former 2 Star Admiral Navy Seal!  After docking our bicycles at the Capital Bikeshare station on 18th Street, we walked down the street in search of an outdoor bar for some afternoon refreshments and met Chuck and his dog, Bravo.  Having been in the military myself for four years, it was fascinating to listen to Chuck’s amazing lifetime experiences as a former high-ranking officer.

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With puffy white clouds, blue sky, and mid-70’s temps, we relaxed for a couple of hours, talking with Chuck and people watching.

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Travel Diary: Washington, D.C. – Day 3

Exploring the quaint neighborhood of Georgetown was a refreshing start to our third day in Washington, D.C.  Filled with shops, bars, restaurants, and interesting architecture, there’s much to see and do.  Georgetown was originally part of Maryland until 1871 when the U.S. Congress created a new government for the District of Columbia.

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My husband and I stopped at a Capital Bikeshare station around the corner from our Airbnb to pick up a bicycle for the 3 mile ride.  It’s a great way to wheel around Washington D.C. above ground and budget friendly.  You can purchase use of a bicycle for 24 hours – $7.00; 3 days – $15.00, or a month – $25.00.  I purchased the month membership because I knew we would use the service for more than 3 days.   I ordered a key for both of us to make it as simple as possible.  Once you’re at one of the 300 stations, you insert your plastic key in the slot of the bicycle you want and then just pull the bike out.  If your trip is 30 minutes or less, there’s no extra charge.  If it’s between 31-60 minutes, there’s an additional $1.50 tacked on; and between 61-90 minutes – $4.50.  You can download their app to your Smart Phone and check to see where a nearby station is to drop your bike that has a dock and/or if bicycles are available.

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Travel Diary: Washington, D.C. – Day 2 continued

George Washington’s former plantation, Mount Vernon, offers a variety of interesting and historical sites for all ages!  After touring the Mansion and gardens, my husband and I stopped at one of the outbuildings on the grounds where a woman portrays Martha Washington and stays in character, answering questions from the crowd.  She was very entertaining and knowledgeable!

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At one point in time, there were 316 slaves living at Mount Vernon.  They were freed after George Washington’s death, which he directed in his Last Will and Testament.

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Travel Diary: Washington, D.C. – Day 2

Bike and Roll has a fun and educational bicycling adventure that begins in Alexandria, Virginia, where you pick up a bike and cycle 9 miles along a scenic path beside the Potomac River, to the historic and beautiful Mount Vernon, George Washington’s former plantation.

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Before touring the Mansion and grounds, we had lunch at the Mount Vernon Inn.

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I recommend the Shrimp and Grits and the Root Beer is pretty darn good!

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Unwind and uncork a bottle at these 3 Local Wineries

Meranda-Nixon Winery

If you’re lucky, like I was, when you arrive at the Meranda-Nixon Winery, you’ll be greeted by one of the proprietors’ friendly dogs.  You may even see one of their beautiful horses as you gaze at the lush vineyards.

Vineyards at Meranda-Nixon Winery

Horse at Meranda-Nixon Winery

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Nightlife at Put-in-Bay

Feeling like Cinderella with less than an hour or two left, our day at Put-in-Bay was going to end at 9:30pm (our Jet Express ferry return time) so we knew we had to squeeze out every bit of fun we could in the time remaining.  Walking down the street, the sound of a musician belting out a foot tapping tune from an outdoor lakeside venue, led us to take a rest and listen for a while.

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The colorful umbrellas and people up ahead were incentive enough for me!

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While my friends relaxed, I did my thing…take photographs.

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