show me your moves, I know you got em

I was online shopping with lucy at Jcrew kids this morning trying to figure out what on earth that kid wants to wear.

Everyday she asks me where the clean clothes are. and everyday I say in your closet

which is about the time she collapses on the floor in a heap of whiney letting me know exactly how she feels about the clothes in there

NOT A SINGLE CUTE THING.

I swear. everybloodyday.

So I'm clicking around on some silly looking get-ups.

she hates them all.

and then we get to these...



What about these?

no. those are curtains.

well atleast we know she doesn't want to wear curtains :)

woot.

note: She actually does have two dresses she likes to wear. and she would happily wear those two dresses every day till she's too big for them, except that I occasionally hide them because I'm mean but more because I get sick of seeing her in the same outfit every day when I can assure you her closet is brimming with pretty things to choose from.

pastels + sugarcoated chickens

or in other words

EASTER!

I'm such a dummy. I ran flat out of time on Easter this year. It was just so busy. Didn't get any candid shots of the kids enjoying their easter goods.

but I did get a couple stand over here and look pretty ones :)


They all sat their with their fierce looks for a minute and I was like uhhh whats wrong? It's Easter be happy! Oh yeah, and you're allowed to smile for these :)

haha they've gotten so used to me shooting for school projects that they forgot they can occasionally smile for the camera.


As soon as we got home from church they asked... did the easter bunny hide our eggs yet??

Not yet.



and then again before we went to grandma's house... Did the easter bunny come back yet?

nope, not yet.


And then when We got home from grandma's house... now? Will the easter bunny ever come back to hide our eggs??

*looks at fake watch on arm* I don't know it kinda late... go get ready for bed.



But then at 9:11 pm it finally happened for them! The easter bunny had come and it was a egg hunt by lantern light.

Do we have the best easter bunny or what?!

note: clearly our easter bunny is in cahoots with our tooth fairy, neither one seems to be very prompt.

6x7 times the fun

I got myself a new weapon for self defense...


yeah I know... you can't tell from the photo how massive this baby is but believe me when I say this camera is taking you down like a ninja.

think about it for a second. The pentaprism says ASAHI on it.

Say it out loud... ASAHI

Did you picture a ninja when you heard it aloud? Yes, I thought so.

Maybe next time I will plant my mug behind it so you can see how humongous it is. The camera, not my mug :)

I've shot 2 rolls so far. I get 10 exposures per roll and the negatives are a thing of true beauty. big. like the camera.

I decided the first shot should be a really ugly photo of myself. It was a brilliant plan.

... till I saw the photo.


I was unprepared for the ugly I beheld. Ha. Not such a brilliant plan after all.

There are very few photos I bother to give a title to. This one I fondly refer to as 'Ugly Me'

I love hate it.

Hate it because I really do look like that sometimes. Love it because I really do look like that sometimes.

I was talking to my teacher about photographing ones self and he brought up an interesting point that I hadn't previously thought of. It was the notion that people have a perception of them self and a certain way they want to be presented. perhaps the problem I have photoing myself is that I see myself as 'me' too much and not just a subject to work with. And I know he's right because I feel very uncomfortable when I look at this photo of myself.

That is something I will surely struggle with forever. How can I not?

Would you like to see something a little prettier now?

yes, lets.


I love that face.

This next image came from my last assignment. I was using the nikon to meter for the Pentax. I don't quite trust the meter on the Pentax yet. I have this one on film as well :-)


This assignment was quite interesting. We chose a poem and tied our images to it. Perhaps I will share what came of it when I get it back.

Other things you should probably know...

Today I climbed my grapefruit tree. Got the ones off the top. YUM.

also, set the smoke alarm off. Which makes Lucys legs shake, like when she sees a big dog. Is she afraid of dogs? Well I am so that would make sense I guess.

nighty night.

Let's play

you might be a photographer if...

ok begin.

You might be a photographer if you've ever stepped out mid shower to grab your camera...



k, now you go.

or if you'd rather you and a friend can reenact this mornings dialogue between me and Lu.

will be good times I tell ya.

(she/he who plays Lu must use a most pathetically tragic voice. She/he who plays me can use any voice but an Australian accent would be the preferred choice)

L: I need a drink of water, I feel like I might barf.

J: Are you going to be ok? Should I take you to the hospital?

L: I don't know. I've never had a paper cut before, I might have to get surgery or stitches.

J: I really don't think so. Would you like some toast?

L: I can't eat toast, thats the hand I eat with.

(sipping her water she uses all her fingers to grip except the one tragic finger, which of course sticks straight up.)

L: will this top of my finger fall off?


... insert defeated stares and blinks here ...


J: I'm quite positive it will.


:) see. good times, as promised.

Happiness isn't real unless shared

Sometimes when I see people walking alone, usually kind of homeless looking, definitely friendless looking...

I imagine myself walking beside them listening to their story.

and I think how annoying that might be for them and how lucky they are that I'm driving really fast past them not affording either one of us the opportunity.

but even still...

I want to hear it.

Life moves too fast. I just want to corner people into wasting time with me.

Nothing weird about that.

When the evening pulls the SUN down

I hate it when the old fella at costco charms me into buying 4 pounds of jelly bellys. And how? Did you know Ronald Reagan used to keep a dish full of these on his desk his entire presidency.

Oh man I'm such a sucker for old people. Seriously I heart them.

but then the real trouble comes when I break that seal and make it my personal quest to come up with new and exciting jelly belly recipes. all. night. long.

I do alot of testing.

I hate jelly beans btw.

HATE!!

It's a strong word... and that would be why I chose it.

Later I will tell you my favorite flavor, which is tutti frutti so if your only here for the super rad jelly belly convo you may now be excused ;)

but if you want to talk about film, come on in, stay for a while :)

I'm always surprised when people ask me about film because...

A. They talk about it like I'm crazy for going near it,

and B. They think I'm making movies!! haha! You guys make me laugh.

remember 35mm film? you'd load it into your camera and click the shutter button until you reach the magical 24 or even more magical 36 then it would rewind and you would drop it off at costco and see it in a few days, or an hour if you're super spendy?!?!?

yes,yes. I thought so.

Hello... My name is Jill, I shoot film.

for now.


When you look at the above photo do you see that her arms are stretched out long and dainty as if mimicking the long delicate tree branches? And/or are you thinking it looks like a bad hallmark card? If you were in my class for critique you just might.

And I'm ok with that for arts sake. But for my purposes (me being the mother of that adorable child) I kinda love it.


I saw a couple of film shooters at WPPI last week. Something they both seemed to keep mentioning is how film slows you down. It's true. I can attest to this fact.

And that is one of the things they like about film is that it does make you stop and think a little more.

For me it's been good and bad. You have no idea how many shots I missed because I metered it for the ump-teenth time just to be sure sure I got it right before I click that shutter. Oh yeah, I totally pulled out the ump-teenth card. Because that is exactly what I do. For real. come shoot with me, you will see.

With digital you can shoot like 90 miles a minute, a little glance to the lcd screen on the back tells you if you're in the neighborhood of where you want to be and if the expression stinks, it's cool you got 20 more JUST like it... minor variances only. You can move quick like and the person standing before you doesn't end up looking at you like you're an idiot when your still standing there ten minutes later getting your exposure and or timing right, because you're not still standing there ten minutes later!!!! And with sky's the limit cards you never have to worry about whether or not what you just captured matters. And what matters when it comes to photography anyway?

That is something I ask myself every bloody day.


Today while I waited for my prints to wash, I expressed to my teacher the disappointment I feel about not really having direction in my work. (honestly this is a true source of frustration for me, wanting to have images that mean something but coming up short)

and then he said something that made alot of sense. This is not a quote... don't not, I repeat, do not insert air quotes here :)

He said that I will come to learn that the most interesting photographs aren't really about photography at all. It's a person that has an interest or love for something and they use photography as their story telling medium.

He said it better. Next time I will record it. haha. just kidding,, that'd be weird.

It was a DUH moment for sure. Not that I didn't know that already but sometimes I get so wrapped up in getting my assignment done I forget what I'm shooting for which ultimately is myself. What I love. What I see and dream. My own interpretation of what is.

occasionally it happens to be a thicket of tree branches dipping it's tendrils into the glassy drink below.


{ this is the first time I've told anyone that the tree is dipping into water. It's not super obvious just by looking, but without that little element this photo would just be a bunch of sticks }

The good thing about slowing down is the contemplation that goes on. I still get plenty of stinky shots and to tell the truth I don't usually love what I get on film so far. I feel frustrated, like alot. But that is ok. I like it. If theres one thing I've come to know, it's that working through frustration pays dividends!

I've been here before. It's a good place.

now pass me a tutti frutti jelly belly would ya. I do also like the peach ones.

RECIPE:

vanilla bean + berry blue + cinnamon + island punch = vomit.

definitely not a keeper.

We bring the sun...

I feel like I've been gone for ages. Like gone gone. A distinct disconnect from what is usual.

Have you noticed?


I spent some time at wppi in Las Vegas last week. A divine experience!

I had been planning on attending wppi since October. I was dying to hear from one of my favorite photographers Jesh De Rox and seeing as how his workshops are upwards of $2000 I knew this was my chance!

Probably my one and only chance.

I also got to finally meet in person some wonderful girls I have bonded with online. I met them through a workshop we all did in 2009. It was the best $350 I ever spent. I can't tell you how amazingly supportive this group of girls are! Forever blessed to have met them!!!

And maybe it's just that I've been lucky, but I have found the photography community to be of such a loving sort. Love people, love life, love creating, love capturing, are you getting the love vibe here?????

Love your photographer because I guarantee they love you. If they don't, maybe they just haven't realized that photography isn't their calling. All in good time.

I totally went off on a rambling rant. oh well atleast it was a love rant. My intention here was not to tell you all the goings on in Vegas but really just one.

the We Bring the Sun concert we went to at sunrise out in the las Vegas Desert.



I call this one | The One That Got Away

We saw Jesh speak Monday afternoon, and then we got to see him again at sunrise the next day, only this time he was singing to us :) Standing there in the gorgeous morning light, surrounded by beautiful earth, listening to Jesh was such a surreal experience.



more moments like these please :) !!!!!!

I couldn't be more in love with life right now.


I missed my family alot while I was gone. And maybe it was pure lack of sleep Tuesday but I was close to breaking down for all the missing.

I am almost ready to put up some images I've been working on at school. I will talk about some of the things that I found relevant at wppi that reinforce things I've learned through the practical use of film.

yes, film.

I'd like to give some linky love to some of the people that touched me most last week so you can discover them too if you so desire.

First the fab Carly Mitchell. She's always there for me when I need to gchat her up! A tender soul doing great things with her camera!

Roweena Timson, a darling girl with impeccable taste. She shoots both digital and film! Flew in all the way from Australia!

Kati Gross Spunky and full of life, she definitely kept us entertained!

Kristy Milton Beautiful as can be! We got to see each other briefly at brunch Monday morning. She thinks I should start a cooking blog... what do you think? haha someone should tell her I do post some of my recipes on this here blog ;) !!

Jesh De Rox, someone that inspires me greatly. You can see some of his work here, or if you click here you can listen to him singing a duet with Amy Seeley.

Jose Villa, immediately fell in love with his work. He shoots wedding on color film. I am dying to shoot color. I hung onto his every word. What I wouldn't give to have won the workshop he gave away at his seminar! I did win 9 rolls of film though :) not too shabby!

And I can't not mention Jane Kovash! She doesn't have a website to link up to but I had fun chatting and getting to know her better! Plus she won $750 worth of web design from Jose Villa so go Jane!

ah, and now I'm off to Sunday dinner with the fam!

<3 Jill

neither can be bought nor sold.

Please tell me if you can relate to this at all!

you're walking through goodwill. You see possibly the ugliest chair on earth. It is smothered with doggie hairs and the the handles have clearly been gnawed on for years. Not to mention it's just ugly.

You think to yourself... That dog probably died in this chair. I bet thats why someone got rid of it. I mean besides the obvious ugly factor.

But then you buy it.

Thats what happened to me.

I bought the ugliest chair on earth.

and oh how I wish I had taken a photo before I tore it apart. but I didn't.

this chair has been siting bare bones on my back patio for close to a year. or more than a year. I can't really remember.

I'd like to mention that I also failed to get a photo of it's bare boned-ness.

What you're about to lay eyes on is a chair that has been heavily worked on, though is in no way completed.

...


We worked on this till about midnight last night. I LOVE that Chad helps out. Ok he probably does most of the hard labor but we agreed long ago that we need each other for just about every project that goes down over here.

I usually have a pretty clear vision of what it should look like in the end. Chad puts it all together and makes it work. Sometimes I have to explain it to him like 1000 x's and draw a picture, which if you know me very well you know my drawings are barely decipherable. But he somehow gets it :) !!


details, details!

I wanted it to look homespun to some degree, that is why I hand stitched the corners. Also... I have no clue what I'm doing.

The original fabric was wrapped all the way around the bottom of the chair on every side. This being our first attempt at actually reupholstering ( please note: this ain't the first chair I've un-upholstered ;) we decided we should put it back the way it originally was.

butbutbut... I like the wood! Why can't the wood show?

It has staples in it.

I know, I like the staples.

it doesn't meet up nicely with the legs.

I see that and I am very accepting of it.

* best exec. decision ever made on this chair! *


and you know that black stuff under all your chairs and ottomans that your kids rip halfway off so it hangs and looks super dumb?

Do your kids do that?

Mine do. I hate it.

I wondered why it must be black. Wouldn't it be fun if it were surprisingly pretty underneath?

indeed it would.


This is what's going on the bottom. I know it doesn't match. it's not supposed to. Its a splash of unexpected gorgeous that you only get to see if you're lucky.

I know, Quirky huh.

Chad surprised me by admitting he LOVES what I chose for the bottom. Never thought this day would come. All this time I thought he hated fabric, which for a fabric addict like me it came as a huge blow. Turns out no, he just hates fabric stores :) !!!

And what chair would be complete without a pretty pillow to grace it. I have to tell you I am just in love with Anna Maria Horner's 'innocent crush' line. it is so so pretty and it comes in so many fabric types. Home dec, quilting weight, voile, and velveteen!

I opted for the velveteen!


once again Chad LOVED it. I swear it's like I don't even know who he is anymore... but I do so giddily approve!

one problem though...


my chair has no back. I'm not gonna lie. I'm stumped as to what to do.

I need help!

Who can help me?

I have a couple ideas I'm throwing around but I am not for certain what will work best.

We are currently accepting help from anyone who may be willing.

Pretty please :) !!



You don't want to see this baby head toward the dump any more than I do.

Was this blog just a long elaborate plea for help?

Why yes, yes it was :)

<3 Jill

Where I like to be

It's no secret, my kids dress themselves.

Sunday is no exception.

I can't deny I was a little surprised upon exiting the vehicle when I discovered lucy's Sunday shoe of choice...


oh yeah. We wear combats boots to church AAAAAALLLLLLLLLL the time. haha! Sometimes I think Chad gets bugged at how little I care what my kids wear. He tells me like it's a travesty and I just kinda shrug and move on with life.

It's really of no consequence.

But I should have known then that lucy was in firecracker mode.

chitter-chatter, snicker sniff laugh... getting louder and louder and LOUDER.

Finally about half way through I leaned over to Lu and first gave her the look... followed by a little hey, you can play as long as you don't make noise. You think you can do that?

to which she responded by leaning forward, pulling her arms back in tight fists, closed her eyes and wrinkled her nose up then squeezed out a smelly little blast of gas which echoed off those dang metal chairs we were cursed to sit on for an hour.

Uh gee thanks.

haha. Not gonna lie. We probably laughed for a good five minutes after that. Not super reverent if you ask me.

What's not to love????...



I rest my case.

p.s.- it's my sister's birthday. Happy birthday Lolo!!!! love you :) !!!