Why Photography? The Days are Long, but the Years are Short.

Although my presence in this particular corner of the internet has waned lately, I think it's fairly clear that I've got a new hobby that's been absorbing me lately.  Someone asked me recently how and why I got into photography, and I thought I'd write about it a bit.

My interest in photography has everything to do with my children.  I hadn't been a mother for long before I experienced for the first time that mix of poignant love and fear that the moments in their precious lives and in our life together are so rich yet so fleeting.  That maybe you missed something; that perhaps there's something precious that you have forgotten.

I value this blog so much because it's our family record of a precious set of years when my oldest kids were very small.  There's no way I'd remember so many of these marvelous details if I had not written them down in detail (e.g. Noah loved hot tea as a toddler and asked for it every day; his expressions are the same and will probably never change, etc.).  And I've found that photography is very similar; that I can catch moments that I'd otherwise miss (I'd probably even forget to blog them or run out of time to do so).  Also, like writing, I can compose and edit a photo to reflect the feeling with that particular memory, or to show off/emphasize an aspect of that child or that event.

So that's why I began learning this new skill: it's all an effort to remember the little things that are so very delightful to look back on later.  And I'm enjoying it thoroughly!

My First Attempt at Backlighting

Y'all Remember?

Y'all remember when I used to write words on this blog?  Like, full sentences strung together in coherent thoughts? 

Yeah, me too.

:)

I actually have a post rolling around in my head.  If I ever get to it, I'll write it out.  In the meantime, I just wanted to drop in and say hello! 

The First Bike Ride

 The training wheels came off!

 Their faces crack me up.

In fact, Noah has a lot of amazing faces.

Faces, I'm telling you.

He's had super expressive facial expressions since he was an infant.

 Frustration/concentration.

 Sometimes he's a thinker. :)

 And believe it or not, this is not an extreme face for him. We see this one almost daily.

 Nathan went up and down the driveway dozens of times.

  "Mom! Take a picture of my feet off the ground!"

 Everybody. :)

Clara's First Ponytail

Clara's First Ponytail

(And my first attempt at properly editing a photo!)

Bluebonnets!

Well, I may be too busy to post pictures, but I am taking them.  Here's some proof from yesterday.

Texas bluebonnets!

These were taken in a patch of bluebonnets near our house, with some careful framing in order not to include the cars and street which were 15 feet away or the ugly buildings in almost every direction.  I was pretty proud of the framing, actually! 
I took these a little after 4:00, and the sun was still very strong.  Next time, I'll wait another hour or two until the light is more diffused and softer, which will help with the deep shadows and the squinty children. :)

Authored by a Girl Who Has a Brother

Jane drew a bunch of pictures the other day, declared it a book, and asked me to tie it together for her.  I then asked her to tell me what was happening on each page and just wrote down what she dictated.  The result is hilarious.  And I think it is quite clear that this is written by a girl who has a brother.

 The Princess and the Castle

by Jane Elisabeth Benesh

The fire is exploding on the castle!

The firemen put the fire out, and the princess is smiling.

The princess wears a pretty dress.  There is a fire in the fireplace, but it doesn't explode.

This is the imaginary prince in the princess's mind.

These are hearts made of letters that are exploding.

This is a person who is thinking in his brain about chewing 100 pieces of gum.  Actually, he is an alien.  With one leg.  Actually, he is a tadpole.

The End.