What I Did this Summer

Well, I don't have a written down Bucket List, but there's a whole bunch of stuff in my head that I hope to do and experience before I die. I want to ride in a hot air balloon, travel to Amish Country, take my hubby to Four Corners, USA, see the Grand Canyon, eat super fudge chocolate cake and coconut cream pie until I pass out...stuff like that. This summer I was able to fulfil one of those wishes. Ziplining. It was pretty intimidating at first, signing a bunch of waivers, being harnessed up, safety lessons, and of course the sheer terror of jumping off a tall structure praying that a glorified clothes line will hold you up (at my size no less! - see the cake note above) .

Thankfully I have a friend who also had this desire, and we challenged each other to go through with it. We're both named Rhonda, maybe that accounts for our joint lack of good sense. Good for both of us that the first person in our group to fling themselves into the air was a 6 year old child--she was fearless! Us, not so much. ;-) But WE DID IT!

Gone Fishin'

I'm having so much fun photographing our "Gone Fishin'" Limited Edition event! I had a little guy this morning who just kept me laughing, I'd take a couple of photos, and then he would hop off to another spot. I finally decided he was a rabbit, but a sweet one.

If you missed out on this weeks sessions, we have some times open for next Thursday as early as 8:00AM or as late as 7:30PM. You don't want to miss this!

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Celebrate with me...

I just competed the last of the requirements to earn my Photographic Craftsman degree from the Professional Photographers of America. Special thanks to the folks at the Professional Imaging Group of Eastern North Carolina who had me speak for them in New Bern a couple of weeks ago, earning me the final "merit" in my journey. Woo-hoo!

I'll officially gain my new title and more alphabet soup to go behind my name next Spring. If you're having trouble knowing what title to use for me, I'll happily answer to either "Majesty" or "Hey You!"
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Photographic Craftsman, (Cr. Photog.) = One of the highest recognitions for speaking, writing, or mentoring on photography; positions the photographer as an authority in the industry. -Awarded in recognition of service to the profession as an orator, author, or mentor.

He's so sweeeet!

Nothing like a newborn baby to make you understand just how common miracles are. Little Gavin was so much fun to photograph, and this was hands down (some pun intended) my favorite image from the session. His mommy and daddy supplied the antique Coke box, and it was the perfect prop.

In case you don't already know, it does take a little fairy dust to get a pixie sized sleepy-head in this position for a photo. But not much. ;-)

And Baby Makes Three

Ok, you all know I love babies. The cutest thing other than a baby (or a mamma with a baby bump) is those itsy bitsy shoes. I don’t like to put them on the itsy bitsy feet, because those little toes are too cute to cover up, but I DO like the shoes. Cuteness!

This is one of my faves from a recent maternity session. Daddy loves sneakers, can ya tell?

For more, see my Facebook page: www.facebook.com/MemoryLanePortraits

Some Things Are Free

We hear it a lot, the old saying that goes "Nothing in Life is Free." I've said it plenty of times, haven't you? Well, I got reminded this weekend that sometimes that's not true.

I find myself doing a good bit of volunteer work with organizations that I believe in, and I'll be the first to say that some of it benefits my business. I'm not ashamed of that in the least, particularly since owning my business is what allows me the flexibility to volunteer as much as I do. But many of the things I give my time and energy to have nothing to do with bringing business in the door.

Every year I join a group of other volunteers and photograph "prom" pictures for a group of special needs folks at their annual "No Limits Formal Dance" in Winston-Salem. The attendees come from all over the triad, and they truly have a night to remember. I was told they had about 900 in attendance this year.

So on Friday night, we set up four photography stations, using volunteer photographers, assistants, and check-in staff. The equipment was donated for the night. Some wonderful folks worked for weeks making corsages and boutonnieres to give to the attendees. There were literally hundreds of neckties and bow ties available for the guys--again, free of charge. I don't even know all the other things that were donated to help make this a very special night.

What I do know is this, my co-volunteers and I did it for free. I had a great time, I enjoyed seeing everyone all dressed up and enjoying the evening, I got a lot of hugs and smiles, and I was reminded how blessed I am with my health. So maybe it wasn't free after all, looks like I got paid pretty well.

Wanna Pretend to be a Model?

Seems like I'm always getting some new idea that I want to try. Sometimes it's because I got inspired by a seminar or magazine article, or maybe I bought a new prop or backdrop, or sometimes it's just because I got some out-of-the-blue-hair-brained idea that I want to try. Or maybe I'm working on an idea for a painting or fine art photograph.

Now, I'm a portrait photographer all the way down into my heart. If I'm going to play with a new idea, it almost always involves having someone in the photograph.

So what do I do? Often I pull up my "Little Black Book" of people who are interested in being my models and call someone to offer a free session and a copy of my favorite image when we're done. Kinda like planning a play date. (By the way, that's also where I look first when a commercial client needs someone included in their shot with their product.)

Well--here's the problem. It's been two years since I updated my "Little Black Book" for models, and that's waaaay too long. I've got several ideas percolating, and it's just plain time to update things.

If you're interested, here's the plan. Tuesday, February 8th, 2011 from 10am to 5pm we're having an open casting call. No appointments, just pop in whenever you can. There will be a couple of forms to fill out and an model release to sign (must be 18 or signed by parent or legal guardian) and we'll do a quickie head shot for our book. That's all there is to it.

No need to dress up, no pressure. After you get called for a full-fledged session that's when we'll get all gussied up and stuff. Of course, there's no guarantee that you'll get a call to come, but if you don't get into the book it's a pretty sure bet you wont. If you REALLY want to be part of this, but you have to be outta town that day, call us and we'll fit you in some other time.

FYI: I might submit a favorite image to a background or prop manufacturer, and they could end up using it in their next catalogue or on their website. That would be super cool!

Models Needed for Projects I'm Working on Now:

Newborns 1-10 days old for new crochet snuggies, slings. (Expectant mom's can register their babies for our book with just a due date and a model release)

Babies 1-3 months old for new crochet baby hats and toboggans I'm making.

One through seven year old girls to show off our NEW COLLECTION of the cutest tutu's from Peach Tea Couture. They're adorable, and I have the entire collection, so I need a bunch of adorable girlies to come play dress up with me.

Families to pose for sample shots for marketing materials for our new division that offers Church Directory photography.

Princesses, fairies, or little boys who love frogs to be photographed in our castle arch outside. Our fab faux painter has painted us a wall to go behind the arch, and the vines are finally starting to grow up it a little, so it's ready!!!

High School Juniors from all the Triad High Schools: Trinity, Wheatmore, Randleman, Central High Point, East Davidson, Southwest Guilford etc. We're looking for Senior Spokesmodels for next years senior portraits. If you're part of the Class of 2012 and wanna earn some cash--we need to talk!

Teens with hip urban style, or toddlers with farm themed outfits for a new set we're getting ready to install. It's made of aged tin from an old barn roof. Rhonda risked life, limb, and husband to get that stuff, it's gonna be a really cool backdrop.

Expectant mom's with a sense of adventure. I wanna play with some ideas for maternity portraits that are different. ;-)

Pets of all kinds, housebroken, well loved. Working on a display and updating website photos.

Hats off to Plumbers!

The last 24 hours have renewed my respect for plumbers. Why, you ask? Well, I'll tell you.

We've noticed an odd smell in the water at the studio for a while now. It didn't smell bad all the time, but when it did the scent was getting stronger. Kinda a rotten egg smell mixed with home-perm ammonia. Sounds lovely doesn't it? Finally we figured out that it was somehow only associated with the hot water.

Yesterday our landlord's plumber came and got our problem fixed, yea! He was polite, thoughtful, explained things, did what he said he would do, and made it a pleasant experience all the way around. We're happy, yes, very happy.

But that's not the only reason I'm so filled with awe and respect for plumbers today. Nope, not at all. This morning I must have had an attack of stupidity, and took it upon myself to repair our leaky toilet at home. It started leaking last week, and we bought the parts, but my talented hubby has been working on other "Honey Do" projects and hadn't gotten to this one yet.

I was anxious to have it done, as I don't like either trekking to the other end of the house to use the guest bathroom or trying to remember to turn the water on and off for each flush. The kit came with instructions, and I figured it was probably a 15 minute job. Right? Wrong! I also figured my honey would be filled with awe when he found out what I had done. Ha, ha. Maybe, but only if I don't tell him the entire story.

My 15 minute project took an hour and a half. I won't bore you with all the details, but I will tell you that I have now had two bonus showers, and the bathroom walls are much cleaner than they were yesterday. So is the bottom of the towel cabinet over the toilet. FYI, if you've never tried this at home, you might be surprised to know that the water that fills a toilet in wintertime is very doggone cold.

I'm really happy to be at work now. I'm a pretty good photographer and artist, but it takes a special kind of talent to be a plumber. Keepin' my day job. Yep. Definitely!

Christmas Shopping...fa,la,la,la,laaaa...HELP!

Do you feel the same way about gift shopping that I do? Of course I enjoy shopping, hey, I’m a girl, it’s part of my genetic makeup. And I certainly enjoy making the people I love feel special and valued. Spending money, that's a mixed emotions kinda thing for me. Enjoy the spending, hate the counting up the totals afterward, he-he-he.

But (you knew there was gonna be a “but” in there, didn’t you?) I face the same challenge every year, finding thoughtful gifts that the folks on my list will enjoy and appreciate. Some years I feel like I do pretty good, others leave me feeling less confident. The real winners are gifts that get used, talked about or enjoyed long after the Christmas season is over.

That’s one of the reasons we started offering Gift Certificates at Memory Lane Portraits. Everyone knows how precious a great portrait is. It’s a wonderful memory that starts with the session and lasts for a lifetime. (You know something is valuable if folks are still hanging on to it years later.)Every year we get calls from folks saying their mother told them all she really wanted this year was a great family portrait for her wall.

Keep an eye out, tomorrow we’re starting a Limited Time Special on our Gift Certificates from Memory Lane Portraits by Rhonda Lester. If you’re one of the smart folks who signed up for our mailing list, you’ll get an email with details.

Also, if you're wondering, yes, we're gonna be taking sessions the week between Christmas and New Years--so get the gang together and let's plan a new family portrait for you. Growing, changing families often need new portraits every year, and everyone else about every 4 or 5 years. How long has it been?

Givin' Away Money - Wheeeee!

FREE MONEY--sort of. Tonight I'm thrilled and honored to help give away a total of $20,000 to a variety of charities who provide services in the fight against breast cancer.

My dear friend Karen started a non-profit organization called "Focused on a Cure" (yep, you guessed it, Karen is a photographer, hence the name) a couple of years ago and I've been able to contribute in a small way by helping to photograph their major fund raising event each year. It's always great fun, and raises a lot of money for the cause.

This year I was asked to serve on the committee that reviews the requests for funding by various organizations. What an eye-opener! I have never been involved in the world of non-profit grants, and it's much more involved than I imagined. Tough but rewarding, through this process the committee decided how to distribute the $20,000 that Focused on a Cure has raised. Tonight the recipients will gather for a small reception and receive their checks.

One thing I'm sure of, it's going to be a wonderful evening.

If you know a cancer survivor, or an active fighter...give him or her a hug. Special people, that's what they are, very special indeed.

Taste of the Town - Hospice Fundraiser

Headin' out to enjoy the Taste of the Town event at Showplace in High Point. Great food, huge silent auction (I've donated a $400 gift certificate) and beautiful surroundings. This is a wonderful fundraiser for Hospice, and they provide such a compassionate service to families in their greatest need. I'm honored to help them out!

Bestest Buddies

Every little boy needs a dog during his childhood, don't you think? It's the perfect friend, one who will love you, protect you, teach you how to stick your tongue out. Yep, the perfect friend.

If you've been around me much, you already know how much I love photographing babies. And you might know that as far as I'm concerned dogs are just children with four legs, and of course they are always welcome here at the studio. But even at that, I'll have to admit, when we got ready to for this part of the session, I wasn't sure how it was going to go.

You see, Cora's an active dog, and a big active dog at that. I had no idea how she was going to act when we put little Alfred up next to her. Well, she showed me a thing or two. She was amazing! Completely docile and sweet. What a great pup. Looks like the start of a great friendship.

Photo of the Day - July 31, 2010 - Mast General Store

The beautiful Mast General Store in Valle Crucis-built in 1883, and still in operation today. If you haven't been, you outta. They're bound to have something you need.

Photo of the Day - July 30, 2010 - Watch Your Step

Sometimes you just have to laugh. The carefully painted words on this flight of stairs warns "Watch your step, it hurts to get hurt." Just too funny!

Photo of the Day - July 29, 2010 - Let's Go For a Ride

Back to the bike shop--summertime and bikes just go together.

Photo of the Day - July 28, 2010 - Window Shopping

If you live in High Point, you're gonna recognize this. It's is the front window of Bicycle Toy and Hobby on Main St. at night. I always love driving by there at night and seeing all the bikes on display. And I don't even ride!

I took a little creative liberty with the colors--to add a little drama. http://www.bicycletoyandhobby.com/

Photo of the Day - July 26, 2010 - Magnolia Part 2

Here's the second photo in our 3 part series of close ups of a magnolia. This is the stamen (I think that's the right term, if you're a botanist or just someone who knows, feel free to correct me.) Anyhow, it's the doohickey in the center of the flower. And yes, I'm pretty sure that's how you spell doohickey because believe it or not it was in my spell check. And yes, I'm aware that starting my sentences with phrases like "anyhow" and "and yes" is driving you English majors nuts. But honestly, it's how I talk, and this aint an essay so I'm gonna have fun with it. Try to pretend I'm speaking with bad grammar instead of writing with it, maybe that will ease the pain. ;-)

Back to my flower photo. Sorry for the rabbit trail. The centerpiece doohickey reminds me of wild mushrooms we used to gather in the woods when I was a kid. I'm guessing you can't eat the magnolias, but they sure are pretty and full of textures.

Photo of the Day - July 27, 2010 - Magnolia Part 3

This is the third and last in the magnolia series. This petal had caught dozens of the little seeds in it's bowl, and it was just beautiful to me. I love the creamy softness of the petal against the rough but delicate texture of the seeds. I can imagine a summer storm coming through and either blowing them away or filling the petal with rainwater until they float and eventually weigh down the petal until they trickle to the ground.

Photo of the Day - July 25, 2010 - Magnolia Part 1

I've always loved Magnolia blooms for their beauty, but had never looked at them closely. For the next 3 days I want to share some close up images with you, starting with this flower bud. It looks like some poisonous thistle should be birthed with all those spikes. Nature never ceases to fascinate me!

Photo of the Day - July 25 - Feelin' the Heat

If you look, there's beauty in everyday things. This lovely fan is part of the vent work on the top of my air conditioning unit. Now that I think about it, having air conditioning is beautiful even if you're not looking at it with an eye for art. ;-) One of the many things to be grateful for in my life.