Black and White Wednesday - "Believe In Your Dreams"

January 27, 2010

Happy Wednesday my black and white lovin friends:)

I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to do this week and was looking for some inspiration......

After a few days of thinking and looking around, the lightbulb went off.... there is something that is of great interest to Nick right now and I thought it would be something cool for the "wall of fame"

Nick has not been the most cooperative subject lately.... you know, the tweenage years.....they just want to do their own thing!! So, I decided instead of putting him through the ringer to get the shot I had in mind, I would to dig through the archives to see if I could find something that I could use..........

Believe Rounded WM

This picture was taken at the park about 9 months ago....... he had walked right infront of the camera and I totally caught him off guard! I always loved this image, but never did anything with it. I guess it was one of those that got buried within a photo filled hard drive.

After converting the original picture to black and white in Photoshop, I decided it needed a little more.....so I put a barely there texture on it and I also decided to add some text or word art to dress it up!!

Here are a few helpful hints..... You can buy brushes or word art at most of the places you can find digital scrapbooking kits. My two favorite places to buy brushes are HERE and HERE. They are very inexpensive and if you have Photoshop.....they are LOADS of fun to play with!

If you don't want to buy brushes or word art, you can create your own..... Most programs like photoshop are preloaded with some basic fonts, but there are sites that offer some really cool free fonts.....all you need to do is download them to your computer. If you are looking for something new click HERE and HERE. You will not be disappointed!



Sorry, I digressed..... back to Nick.....

This summer, Nick had mentioned that he may not want to continue with Soccer. He thought good and hard about it and decided to stick with it for the fall season. I don't believe in forcing my kids to do something that they don't want to do, but I explained to him that if he signed up for a season, he must complete the season..... he could not quit!

He completed the season and had a great time playing, but he was positive that he was not going to be playing again in the spring. He wanted to take a break and really wanted to try something else.....something new.

We asked him to think about what he wanted to try........

The Guitar Rounded WM

THE ELECTRIC GUITAR!!!!!!

He was adamant that this is what he wanted to do........

Around Halloween, he started emailing me links to a few electric guitars that he was interested in. He wanted us to buy him the guitar for Christmas......it was the ONLY thing he asked for and really wanted.

After a little investigating, we got him the guitar that held the number one spot on his list. It came complete with amplifier and carrying case!! Let me tell you......it was a VERY LOUD Christmas! I guess it could have been worse.... he could have asked for drums!!

Next Tuesday, Nick will be taking his first lesson......and he is really EXCITED about it!

Of course like many other 12 year old boys, he is dreaming about playing in a band one day......or becoming a future rock star!!

I guess you really should believe in your dreams........... you never know where they will take you......or what the future might hold.

In the meantime..... I will be heading to the store to buy some ear plugs...... I think we are going to need them!! I have a feeling there will be a lot of practicing going on in between lessons.

Okay....enough about my Black and White Wednesday!!

I can't wait to see and read about all of yours.......

Create a link and/or leave a comment so we can follow the trail of beautiful photos!

Have a wonderful day!


79 comments:

Wanda said...

Beautiful shot of your Nick. Oh, he'll surely enjoy rockin' out with that guitar. (Really cool shot of the guitar. My Danny's kinda of a collector so I'll have to show him this picture.)

Your pictures are always so soft, yet crisp, clear and in such sharp focus. Give lessons....we'll pay!

I loved our phone chat today. Thank you. That was the fastest hour and some that I've ever passed. (I barely made it to pick up Dahlia.) We hardly scratched the surface of what we could gab about. Next time!

Happy Wednesday!
xoxo

M3 said...

Gorgeous. Love the photographs and the stories behind them.

Kim said...

Great shots of Nick..
Love it..
Have a great week.
I am thinking you should video him playing and put it on here..
hugs..

Formerly known as Frau said...

Gorgeous shot! So exciting about guitar lessons....I hope rocks it!

Valerie said...

I love the story of your support for his changing interests. I dabbled in the clarinet in school, for some reason I became fixated on playing Taps, over and over for hours on end. My mother came bursting in the room one day and said that was enough, she couldn't take it anymore. She pawned my clarinet and went to Vegas with the money. Who knows, I may have been a funeral director or something if she had just supported me more.

Here is to keeping the dream alive!

Valerie

Vida mía said...

Loved it! I really need to start taking pictures with a "story behind".
There's my B&W for today!

Vida Mia said...

Please help this family (link) to bring her little girl from China.
Thanks!

fleur de lis cottage said...

Great shot of Nick --- he is so handsome. And what a cool dream, I always wanted to learn to play the guitar too!

Thanks again for the crash course, I greatly appreciate it ;-)

Love Letters To China said...

Love your photo and story behind it. I too feel the same way about my kids joining any activity. If they commit to it they must at least finish the season. My daughter is always saying she wants to quit ballet right after we've spent a small fortune on recital costumes. I tell her she has to finish out the season and then she can decided on what she wants to do next year. This will be her fourth year so I think she just gets a little bored and then a spark of desire creeps back and takes her through to the end.

That just gave me a thought for another B&W session... You are definitely inspiring me! I agree with Wanda. I would love to learn from you. I love the way you take pictures and then turn them into beautiful works of art.

Speaking of photography workshops, have you ever heard of Amy Wenzel Photography? If so, what are your thoughts on her workshops?

Have a fabulous Wednesday!

Grace

Sarah Andrews said...

Gorgeous Capture! I thought that I would join in this week. Great meme and blog too. I love your story!

Donna said...

So beautiful! I especially love the guitar photo!

Donna
Our Blog: Double Happiness!

Shelly and Family said...

Hi Lisa! Finally I am able to get in on B&W Wednesday! Love the photo of Nick and I am sure he is loving that amazing Xmas gift he got! Hope all is well and if you have some free time today - give me a call!

Jodee said...

I love this picture of Nick and you know how I REALLY feel about soccer! HA HA! I am secretly hoping that Carson wants to play the guitar too. You will have to keep me posted on Nick's lessons.

Happy Hump Day!

CM said...

You actually caught a picture of a tweet boy!!! How did you manage that??? Just kidding. Love the pic, he looks so serious for his age.

My one suggestion for the guitar...I know they make headphones that plug in to the amp for him to wear.

Thanks for having B & W Wed. I linked up again today!

who said...

Hi Lisa

I'll participate, it will be fun!

But I won't be posting til next week.

Cindy said...

HI Lisa! I haven't commented in a while but you've been on my mind lately as it was abt 1 year ago that we all went to Debbie's workshop in Atlanta. Just amazing how time flies. So here's a link for me - one of my hubby inside on a rainy day. The weather has helped my photographic efforts these days. Love your work!

Briana's Mom said...

Beautiful photos!!! I really, really love the one of Nick.

Next week, you can post a black and white photo of you wearing earplugs. LOL!

I think Nick is going to love playing guitar. (Doug's older brother is in a band and actually has a CD on iTunes!) Way to go Nick!

carolinagirl said...

I love both of these photos!!!

Can these brushes and fonts be used with Photoshop Elements or just the more advanced Photoshop?

Great job!

Jackson a drum set and Brendan got an electric guitar with amplifier for Christmas - Lord help me!!!!

Half Gaelic, Half Garlic! said...

Corey,

You can use these brushes in Elements or CS3/CS4

OMG... you poor thing...drums and a guitar?? Maybe Emma can pick up the microphone and you will have a band right in your house!!

Jo said...

Love the photo of Nick ~ he's such a handsome young man.

Thanks for the tips. They are very appreciated by those of us that aren't as talented.

Jo

Lisa said...

Boy! This is fun! I am learning so much from this little game.

That picture is just beautiful. AND the shot of the gaiter very clever...

lisa

Maddy said...

Beautiful photos!! I wish I had an ounce of your talent! I think it's pretty cool that he actually wants to learn how to play the guitar (and not just some virtual variation of it w/ Rock Band or Guitar Hero). I think it's great that he's committed to learning something new & that he has wonderful parents who will support him in whatever he chooses to do:o)

Unknown said...

What a great photo of your son! It's awesome that he wants to play the guitar. I have the same rule for my kids. I don't force them to do any certain activities, but they must finish out a season once they begin. Something my mom didn't make me do!

Thanks for hosting B&W Wed. I can't wait to take a look at what everyone else has posted.

Dita said...

Nick is so heartbreakingly handsome I can just see him as a rockstar with his groupie mamarazzi mom as the official photographer for the band....Hey, the Jonas Brothers had to start somewhere, right?

Love the guitar too and the textures, very inspiring!

WonderBoy has an electric guitar that he got for Christmas 2 years ago and has NO idea how to use. I guess I know what to bring next time we visit your place!

Loved participating in B&W!

xoxox
Dita

Mandi said...

He is such a handsome boy, I mean young man. Our oldest just turned 13 and for Christmas all he wanted was an electric guitar. He loves it and is starting lessons next month.

Geezees Custom Canvas Art said...

Great pictures...my son is learning to play the acoustic guitar...i know what you mean!

Lisa said...

Lisa,

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU

You have made my day!

xoxo, Lisa

Robin said...

Hey Lisa!! I love that picture of Nick. I think the best pictures are the ones that are taken when they are not expecting it :)

I was just telling Ray not too long ago that I think it would fun to learn how to play the guitar ... I'm thinking more like for when we go camping to play by the fire. He said that I have been watching too many movies. Earplugs might be a good investment.

Have a great week!
Robin

Anonymous said...

Beautiful pictures! Especially love the angle on the guitar. From soccer to electric guitar is quite a jump, but hopefully he'll really love it!

Thanks again for starting this - I'm loving all the new blogs I get to visit every Wednesday!

Lucy said...

This is SO much fun Lisa. So glad I was able to focus on taking part this week. :) Love your photos, esp. the guitar, so cool! :) Hope you're having great week.

Don and Lisa Osborn said...

Hey Momma~

I'm going to tell you now that you better lock this guy up. He's THAT handsome, athletic, and now will play the guitar???!!! That's a pretty lethal combo to a girl, my friend.

I applaud you for helping Nick find his passion and helping him pursue it. I hope you'll hear many happy notes coming from that guitar.

Love~
Lisa

Lisa said...

Hi Lisa~

I'm giving it a try this week, but I'm having trouble linking my blog?? Grrrr...I'm sure the tech snag is on my end! LOL Savvy I am not!!

But I sure tried & enjoyed every minute of it ~ AND can't wait to return to see everyone elses' contributions!

YOUR photos are simply stunning and so inpiring to me! Your son's eyes are simply amazing and just pop in that first photo and love the guitar pic too....big fans in this household.

Thanks for the welcome and sharing your talent!

Ooops...think I just figured out what I did wrong...gonna go try to correct it! :)

Lisa said...

Ack...now I'm listed twice. The first one is faulty and second one works! LOL I'm so sorry....it won't happen next time!! :)

MollyinMinn said...

Absolutely gorgeous photos! I don't shoot in black and white enough. I keep meaning to do them more. But love these, so thanks for the inspiration!

Marla said...

I love these shots girl, and the brush is just perfect! Good luck to Nick in his endeavor (and good luck to your hearing as well, LOL), maybe you can post a video of him playing sometime! :)

Unknown said...

That's such a beautiful picture of your son, and the guitar, too! I'm sure we will see shots of him playing soon enough.

Unknown said...

Really cool shot on the guitar! Love the bokeh! And you're son is so handsome! My six-year-old is already going through the, 'I'm too cool to have my photo taken,' phase. Ugh. Very talented work as always Lisa :)

The Gang's Momma! said...

I have no B&W to share. But as the mother of a self-taught drummer, who practices every morning for at least a half hour in the basement, right under my computer in the NON-INSULATED section of our home, I can tell you that drums are truly NOT the worst thing he could pick up.

I'm loving it! Okay, so some days I am really ready for that half hour to be done but most days? I LOVE IT! He's so good and so consistent. And when he blasts his praise and worship music so he can hear it and play along? Well, I get a good old fashioned dose of HOLY SPIRIT HAPPINESS thumpin' thru my floorboards :) Even my wall hangings are dancing along :)

Maybe the bagpipes would be worse, no?! ;) LOL!

Mom2Isabel said...

Sooo glad you unburied this gem. Your son is stunning. Those eyes!

The guitar shot is really interesting in its perspective.
Love it.

Laura L. said...

Very nice photos! He's a handsome boy. :)

Melis said...

Your photography is totally inspiring - thanks for this meme - I love that it's pushing me to learn more every week!

http://gallagherfam.blogspot.com/2010/01/black-and-white-wednesday_27.html

Ashia said...

great photos of nick and the guitar!! the acoustic guitar was on my list of things to learn before the baby came along! maybe one day! =)

thanks for the help with the word art, brushes, etc.!

kerri said...

Nick is such a handsome young man.
Can't wait to hear how much he enjoys learning to play the guitar!
We will need pictures. ;)

Mrs. Dunbar said...

Don't you just adore the moments you capture by accident? It's a great picture you caught.

With two boys myself, we are bound to have a rock band in the garage one day.

Thanks for the tips with the brushes, I love (appreciate) all of the photog tips.

Gail said...

Stunning my friend. Many times those 'accidental' pics become my very favorites. Nick's eyes are gorgeous and you can 'see' so much of who he is in his eyes. A sweet young man.

And those guitar playing days...get some ear plugs, would love to see you do a follow up post on this one, and maybe more pics of your rock star.

xo

Krista said...

I love both pics and how they complement each other and really tell a story. Too cool!

Sandra said...

Beautiful, Lisa! Mine is up as well :-)

Unknown said...

Hey Lisa...I accidentally linked to last weeks entry on my first try {#36}. I don't know how to delete it. Oops. But I just linked again correctly {#42}. Sorry! Ugh.

LivingSimply, SimplyLiving said...

Absolutely love your photography..It definitely is inspiring...wishing I had more time to perfect mine...
Maybe soon...oh how I wish soon!lol...
Annmarie

Anonymous said...

What a great idea! Love the texture you added. I dread the tween days when my girls aren't so easily presuaded to let me do a "photo shoot."

I just linked my post!

Laura said...

Ugh, my first time joining and I messed up, liked twice, sorry. :)
Your pictures are beautiful!
Happy Wednesday! :)

Tutus and Choo-Choos said...

I always tell my kids to believe in their dreams and that no matter what they do I will always be proud of them if they do their best!

Definitely buy the ear plugs!!!

Two Kayaks said...

Hi! I'm here from Sandra's blog and participated Black and White Wednesday for the first time today!
Your pictures are lovely!

Katy said...

I love the texture and lighting on the first black and white photo! So cool! My black and white photo kinda goes a long with your second photo, rock star theme! Love the pictures!

Lourie said...

Beautiful pictures!! I am not so talented but every once in a while I get a good one.

Denise said...

Great pics Lisa! He is so handsome. I keep trying to talk one of the boys into trying the guitar, but I haven't had much luck. Thanks again for starting this and giving me something creative to do!

Unknown said...

I am so excited for him to chase his dreams! And I am excited for your ears!

a Tonggu Momma said...

Love both of the photos and your stories about them. And the electric guitar, hmm? Maybe the Tongginator can play the drums in Nick's future rock band. (She's actually REALLY good.)

These Are The Days said...

Great photos as always. I am slowly learning how to use my new Nikon D200. In other words, I figured out where the memory card goes, learned how to charge the battery and take the lens cap off. :) Seriously!

Chasing Dreams Photography said...

Beautiful Lisa!!!!! Great picture of Nick. he is so handsome : ) Look at all these gorgeous black and whites...wow!!! This really took off...so wonderful!!!!! : )
Nick will love the guitar. My two older boys play...Chris actually recorded with a bad years ago LOL

Colleen said...

Lisa,
First off I am laughing so hard because my 12 year old DID choose the drums to play! lol He decided to play percussion in the school band and is really enjoying it. We are setting the drums up in the garage at our new house!:) I'm sure Nick will really enjoy the guitar!
This photo is stunning! He is such a handsome guy. I love the b & w!
I also wanted to say that our 12 year old played baseball for several years and he really had potential to do well. His heart just wasn't in it and he told us he no longer wanted to play. Yes, we were sad to see him stop playing, but we too are not the type to force our children into activities they do not want to do. I think it is great for them to try different activities and have different interests. He has also tried golf lessons this past summer and will probably do that again.
I will try and get to my photo tonight....still knee deep in boxes and packing!!!

Becky said...

Love the pics, my friend! Good luck with the guitar playing. My hubby plays anything out there well except the drums but thankfully he has headphones to plug in so I don't have to hear him! LOL He will do great I'm sure!

xoxo

Unspoken said...

Lisa, I love your work and your hints!

Brandi said...

Nice pic of Nick, and I love the way you added the word art.

I know what you mean about it being hard to get them to let you take their pic at that age. I feel kinda guilty that my entire blog is filled with pics of my 2 year old, but I can't get my 13 & 11 year old to let me get any good pics of them. Gonna have to force the issue a bit, I guess :)

Missy said...

Great pic of Nick! His eyes always draw me in...what a handsome, handsome boy!!!
The guitar pic rocks (pun intended :) I know he will do a great job!!!
Love the brushes, too. Thanks for listing where to find them...i've needed some. Hope your week has been great so far :)

Lacie said...

Thanks for hosting this great feature! I just submitted my first photo! I look forward to getting to know everyone through your lovely photos!

Kathy said...

Hi Lisa,
Enjoyed the photo's and the fun of Black and White Wednesdays.. Thanks for creating it!
Kathy (#52)
P.S..Bear w/ me while I try to add my comment bar on my blog..
P.S.S. Read thru your earlier posts..sorry to hear you had such a difficult time and happy to see you're a true survivor (I admire your strength!) :)

Maude Lynn said...

What a gorgeous, unguarded shot!

Mamí♥Picture said...

What a beautiful post...♥

Kim said...

I LOVE how that first shot turned out!! Awesome! Handsome boy you have there :)

jenbusymom said...

What a great shot of Nick, he's so cute! Hope he enjoys his lessons and you can tolerate the practice!

Michelle R Photography said...

I can't wait to join in again next week! Such a great picture of Nick and the guitar. I love the subtle texture in both. You are a star at post-processing!! Oh, and getting the shot. Oh, and queen of cuisine. Oh, and ..... I could go on and on. :)

I hope you have a great weekend!!

Unknown said...

What what a wonderful idea! I'll have to start doing this along with my other Wednesday posts I am going to do! :) Kim @ pairslices sent me to you! I'm glad she did! :)

3 Peanuts said...

Great photos and great stories about your Nick. I hope he enjoys his lessons.

I so want to participate but I am never prepared. I need to try to work on one for this coming week.

Kim

Elle said...

Your children are beautiful, and your photography is spectacular.

Nick may dream of being a rock star, but one thing he definitely will be is a major heart breaker. Hollywood handsome.

Mimi said...

Lovely shot of Nick, Lisa, and the words you added are a good mantra for a tweenager.
You know the saying "hold fast to your dreams for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly". I believe that too. And I believe in mighty dreams!
Even if ear plugs are needed in their execution!Way to go, Nick!

Jeni said...

Man this is like a HUGE blockparty! You sure are having a good turnout for the black and white.

An electric guitar...Nick "Jonas".

freckletree said...

um-- i think your mr. linky hates me.

i keep getting deleted.

i even left a comment and don't see it (from this morning when i was #38??)

if i'm getting deleted, so are others-- just wondered if you'd noticed?

Unknown said...

I just love black & white photos and Nick is one handsome guy