A Little Photo Therapy

October 5, 2009

Colorful WM
It has been a really strange week....
I am not sure why, but I have been dealing with a multitude of things....well, not really things, more like emotions.

There is a lot going on right now between work and "real life" and I guess my stress-o-meter finally reached maximum capacity, so I have been scarce around here. I will explain later in the week, I don't think I have it in me to put all my feelings into words at the moment.

By the time Friday rolled around, I was thankful to have a couple days to recuperate from a long week. I was feeling physically and emotionally drained and in desperate need of some R&R.......and a little PHOTO THERAPY. Everyone has their vices, and for me, grabbing my camera and my kids puts me in a calm place.....and when that doesn't work, then it is time for a big glass of RED WINE.

Sarah was willing and ready to play "Camera" as she says. I wasn't sure where I wanted to take her, I just knew I wanted to try somewhere or something new.........

For months I have been dying to take one of my favorite livingroom chairs outdoors to use as a prop, but it is way too big for me to take anywhere, so we settled for the backyard. My neighbors must have thought I was totally insane as they watched me carry this big and HEAVY chair out to the cornfield that backs up to our property{Pat was working, so I didn't have any man muscles to help out}.

Sarah in the chair dark WM
Sarah was not thrilled to be this close to the corn.....It was pretty breezy and the sound of the cornstalks rustling in the wind scared her, so we had to settle for plan B.......

Kick Your Feet Up BW2 wm
HOORAY....this is MUCH BETTER MOMMY!!!
I brought the chair up onto our deck and placed it in a way that I could still get the scenery behind her without getting the railing in the frame.

Studio Shot wm
Looking so sweet and innocent.....kind of angelic!! Don't let her fool you though....underneath that halo are a couple of horns that do pop out from time to time.


Arms Crossed 1 wm
Something about this one just speaks to me......Maybe it's the attitude.

I also got some action shots at Nick's soccer game. I felt really guilty for not having the camera last weekend when they WON their first game, so I was armed and dangerous this weekend. Nick played his heart out and I caught some really great moments. Unfortunately, my camera must have been a jinx, because they lost by one point:( I am still going through those pictures and plan to post them in a day or two.

All in all, we did have a nice quiet weekend....just what the doctor ordered. Am I the only one who looks forward to the quiet, low key weekends? More often than not, I dread the ones that are action packed......

BTW, There have been more than a few readers who have asked questions about photography over the past few months. I try to individually address questions if I have your email or blog address, but this summer A LOT of these things slipped through the cracks and I am embarrassed to say that I never got back to some.....so not like me, SORRY! If you have questions, please leave them in the comment secion and I will answer them there as well.

Hope everyone has a great week. I for one, am happy to be starting a new week.....it has to be better than the last one.

53 comments:

Robin said...

I do hope you have a better week.


Hugs and blessings,
Robin

Love Letters To China said...

Your photos look amazing! We had a very busy weekend and I always look forward to the ones that are low key. Here's to a better week!

Anonymous said...

Lisa,

I hope this week is better for you...I have been wondering where you were :)
Life can be so overwhelming at times....(there must be something in the air...it has been that way here for a couple of weeks now! more on that to come...)
Thinking of you,

Many hugs,

Dawn

Missy said...

Sooo glad I waited to see these!!! :) Now, I must say my other favorite is the black and white! Her little grin and pulling at her feet is precious!!!
I do NOT believe there are any horns under that hat of hers! :)
Hope you have a much more relaxing week and that the stress level dissolves...if not, buy a bottle of red and sit back and enjoy!
Love ya, my friend!

Wanda said...

Well....you know I just LOVE your "insanity" (creative genius).

Gorrrrgeous captures, wonderful setting and I....ummmmm....want your chair!

I know exactly what you mean about craving a quiet week-end. We need to factor them in more often I think. Helps bring the stress levels down during the week I think. I hope this week is smooth and easy for you.

Alicia W. said...

I hope your days get better. I have had a pretty rough time myself and had to step back before the funk just drew me into deep. Hugs to you. :) Your pictures are beautiful. I love your editing skills. Simply amazing!

Jo said...

Love, love, love the photos ~ you are amazing!

We all have days, weeks, and months that just don't seem to "fit well." It's just life!

Hope this week is a better one for you.

Jo

Carrie said...

I always love all your pictures! You're making me wish I had corn fields in my backyard (and even half your talent with the camera)!! ;)

Kerry said...

Adorable, as always, Lisa! I am not sure I can imagine any horns on your sweet girl. She appears all angel to me. Beautiful shots. Hope it was just what the dr. order. And that you have a better week.

The same shirt came in our MJ box this past week too! I just love the fabric and G does too!
XOXO
Kerry

Jboo said...

Lisa -- I do hope this is a better week for you! Gorgeous photos of your sweet girl and that chair is quite beautiful too! I don't know how you do everything you do! Take it easy!

Janet

Lisa (Briana's Mom) said...

I love low-key weekends when it is just Doug, me and Bri. I dread jam packed weekends too.

Your therapy turned out beautiful!!!

Sorry you had such a tough week. :(

Gail said...

The action packed weekends are not always my favorite...I feel like we go from one event to another. I treasure the calmer ones too Lisa. You know Photo therapy is the best kind for myself!

These are all gorgeous Lisa, my fav is the bottom one I think. Love how inventive you got and moved her away from the cornfield. Grace has field 'issues' too...lol!

Hope your week goes well friend.

xo

Shari said...

Must have been something in the air last week - STRESS played a big factor in my life too. Hope we both have a better week...sun out two days in a row can't hurt either!

I love that last one - right after you mention her little horns it looks like she's willing them to appear:)

Kim said...

LOVE the photos..
looks like you are doing really well in the photography piece..
LOVE the last photo..Sarah is tooo cute..
Have a great week..
Hugs..

Patricia said...

That B&W photo is FABULOUS!!!!
But then again, your subject is ADORABLE! ;)
Hope you have a much better week!!
Big hugs!!

Dita said...

The colors are amazing...just fantastic. Sarah is such a good little model. I'd have felt the same so close to those corn stalks! YIKES.

I can just see all 100 lbs of you lugging that chair outside...it might as well have been Sarah taking it out there! He he!

Hoping this week is a MUCH better one and that your photo therapy worked its wonders......it did for me when I saw the fruits of your labor!

HUGS
Dita

Lori Lynn said...

Just visiting your blog and looking at your amazing pictures is theraputic for me. Now I am inspired to go lug one of my chairs out into a field.

I too, prefer the low-key weekends. There's always the chance for something spontaneous to occur.

Lori

Jodee said...

So sorry to hear you were in a funk last week! Hope this week is lots better! I enjoy more laid back weekends, as well.

Cute pictures! The black and white is my favorite!

Marla said...

I'm sure this week will be better! Keep your chin up. The pictures are great as always.
BTW, I made your apple cake for my moon festival and it was yummy! Have a great week. :o)

Michelle R Photography said...

You have a lot on your plate between your new job, two kids and a budding photography business. I am so glad you were able to get some R & R over the weekend. I am sure it was much needed and very well-deserved.

These pictures of Sarah are adorable. I just love the b/w one. Such a cute shot of her!

I hope you are off to a great week!

Donna said...

Wow! These photos are really beautiful! I wish I had a corn-field behind my house. Heck, I wish I had some diningroom chairs like yours too! And, while I'm coveting all of your stuff, can I just say that I wish I had some of your photography skills? Hmmm? Is that too much to ask?

I hope you're feeling better.


Donna
Our Blog: Double Happiness!

Lisa said...

I sure hope you have a better week, I'm sorry that you had a rough one last week. Beautiful photo's!

Colleen said...

Hope your week is going much better!!!!!
These are so gorgeous as all of your photos are!! What a gorgeous setting you have behind your home to work with!
Sarah is so cute...I don't think I would want to stand in corn fields either!!;)

Fliss and Mike Adventures said...

It has been a while since dropping by... life for me has also been a little crazy...
Just remember... you NEED to take time out for yourself from time to time... go grab that camera girl and have fun... I am finding that I need to do the same thing and I just may jump in my zippy mobile on Thurs/Fri and take off somewhere to take huge amounts of photos of nothing... just to get away...
Tons of hugs to ya...

Marla said...

These are some great shots, girl. Right there with ya on looking forward to the low-key weekends, they are so few and far between that I relish each and every one.

Hope this is a much less stressful week for you. HUGS!!!!

Anonymous said...

These photos are FANTASTIC. Please let me know if you ever decide to give an online tutorial on how to capture beautiful images! I will sign up~

Did you change your email address? I tried twice to send you an email regarding your offer for the Paula D recipe~ but it came back undeliverable??? Anyways I posted on my blog what I hope you were meaning~ let me know and please let me know if you have a new email address

Hugs,

Krista

Casey said...

BEAUTIFUL, stunning, lovely pictures!! I just can't say enough. I love them all!!! I love that you live where your house backs up to a corn field. That's awesome. Oh how I miss PA!!

I'm sorry you are having a rough time. I wish you more peace in the upcoming weeks. Hang in there!! And keep taking those photos!! Awesome!

Anonymous said...

I tried to send it again, and got the same message~ I will try it again tomorrow.

Have a great night

Sharon said...

Stunning!

Courtney said...

I love relazing weekends. The pictures are beautiful I wonder if any of your neighbors have a picture of you toting that chair around!!

Anonymous said...

Sorry to hear about the bad week Lisa! I hope this week will be better for you.
I love these pictures of Sarah. What a beautiful background and she is just too cute! That chair is fantastic too.

Our Complete Family said...

Lisa~ Lovin' all of the shots of your princess Sarah! They turned out GREAT chicadee!
So bummed to read you had a not so hot week. Lets catch up this week, o.k.? Hang in there... whatever it is, this too shall pass!
Love ya, Les

Kam said...

That's so awesome that you took your chair out...like PFP! I told Jase just this weekend when he said he wanted a pic of the kids on the sofa..."hey, let's take it outside!"...then he told me that he was going to cut out everything but the sofa so what's the point? lol!

These are stunning. I must say, she looks way too old! Where is her baby face? What a difference a year makes! Sad and sweet all at the same time.

You take it easy, lady! Hope you are having a better week!

Love and hugs~

fleur de lis cottage said...

Well that is some excellent photo therapy...just what the doctor ordered. Love all these pics and I also love your fall decorating below....so cute. I hope your stressmeter goes down. Have a great week

3 Peanuts said...

Oh these are beautiful......I got your e-mail and started to write back but got interrupted. I will finish it tomorrow. Thinking of you!!!!

P.S. I love the really boring weekend myself.

Kayce said...

Beautiful way to unwind! That last shot is precious, very innocent. Hope this week is a good one for you!

Unknown said...

You have an amazing talent...I sure enjoyed my visit. I hope you begin to feel better soon...it takes a toll on ya, I know we've been there. Thanks for inspiring me.

Deb said...

I love these shots Lisa!.....I have to tell you that the corn shot made me laugh out loud! Kids certainly have a mind of their own!....gotta say that the last one is my favorite too!

Rhonda said...

Hi Sarah,

I love your photo therapy! I would supply you all the red wine you could handle if you'd bring your camera to my house and point it toward my kids! haha! Beautiful! My little Macy Li has that little MJ set....so cute, don't you think?

Hey, this is random, but I remembered your neighbor and just wonderin' if she's about ready to put those decorations back up...haha!

Well, thanks for stopping by my very very very sad blog.....I really need a shot in the arm to get inspired again. We're just so busy and by the time I get home so late, I don't have it in me to cut into my sleep-time to catch up.

Have a great Tuesday! Love your pictures!
~Rhonda

Denna said...

Beautiful. The pictures are great. I like the last picture the best.

carolinagirl said...

Hang in there...I know those exact feelings all too well. The photos with Sarah are so vivid. I also love the last one of her...those eyes, such expression! I hope this week will be better for you. I am not afraid of a big glass of RED WINE from time to time though! Sometimes that is just what the doctor ordered. :)

a Tonggu Momma said...

Bad weeks are never fun... glad playing camera helped a little. And I hope you had a glass of red as well. That always helps!

Terri said...

AMAZING pics!

Your daughter is so beautiful and photogenic.... I LOVE your chair..it is beautiful as well, I love how you took it outside and took pics...

It's been awhile since I have been by, I love your new header too...the colors are great!

Hugs
Terri

Anonymous said...

Much cheeper than retail therapy and much more rewarding!

Jeni said...

I need to try photo therapy! If only I could have results like this. I LOVE the chair by the corn and just outside...neat look! Good luck for a good week this time...it's October too :-)

Faith Hope Love Photography said...

I have the same fearful kids as you:) We have an awesome old barn by my in-laws and they won't go there because they are too scared!! I love all these pictures...I really want to get an awesome chair like that. It really hadded a lot the the pictures, although you sure have an easy photogenic girl that any picture looks great!! She is just too cute!! And I love the one where she is holding her toes;)

Jennifer said...

Friend, I hope this week has been a better one :) I love the shots of Sarah-the black and white one is my favorite!!!

Kristen Chase said...

Great photos! Miss seeing your work on Flickr!

paige said...

hey sweetie...i hope you are feeling better & that things simmered down for you. i love the distraction of a wonderful photo shoot & a chilled glass of wine myself.
the images of sara are gorgeous, i especially love the last one. beautiful.
your action shots of nick are amazing. girl , you are so talented

xo

Nishant said...

Your photos look amazing! We had a very busy weekend and I always look forward to the ones that are low key. Here's to a better week!


Work From Home

jenbusymom said...

We all have our funks, hope you're feeling better. It seems when the cold starts to set in, we tend to want to stay in too!

I love the pics as usual, especially the angelic one!

Jen

Unknown said...

I just relate to this post 100%. The only thing is, my Kaish is not in a picture taking mood. I am in DESPERATE need of picture taking therapy : )

Ivy Shaffer said...

Oh so many beautiful photos! You really are amazing Lisa!

Well you probably know my fav is the BW kicking up her feet shot. then again, they're all so good.

Great idea, I could just see you hauling that big chair out in your yard LOL. too funny!

Love,

Ivy