What a Ham!

Wishful Thinking

Miss Coral Maple

You all remember my favorite little tree, don't you? I think I have photographed her over this past year in all the seasons. She is quite a little beauty with her red trunk and limbs. Miss Coral is putting on quite the show at the present moment with one last leaf display before the November winds showcase her beautiful red trunk. I wish I could have y'all over to meet Miss Coral Maple. She is a sweet little Southern Lady and always dazzles her guests with amazing beauty!

Leaf Fun!

Since Halloween night, November has swirled in as rapidly as the leaves falling all around us here in East Tennessee. This has been a glorious fall and with the mild temperatures, sunny clear blue skies and beautiful foliage, it is no wonder that this is one of my most favorite times of the year. Posts have been scarce this past week, but as always I will catch up. The 365 finish line is here. I can see it and I am thrilled! Here is a little of the fun we have been having this wonderful Fall!

Fall Fun!

One thing I have learned from my 365 Project this year is that the camera you use and your lenses are of course of great importance. But sometimes you may not have your best equipment on hand, so then the important thing becomes just using what you have and documenting the moment whether it be with a point and shoot or your camera phone. this past Saturday, I went on a trip with the Kids choir to the pumpkin patch. My battery was not charged so I made use of my camera phone. The plus side of using my phone to document our trip was that I got to instantly send photos to parents who were not able to go on the trip of their children in the patch. We had an awesome time, and although I was unable to use my best camera, these camera phone photos still came out pretty nice!

 Standing in the Sunflowers.

Surveying the pumpkins!

Half Way!

Today marks the half way point in my 365 Photography Project! Taking note of each and every day of the year seems overwhelming at times, and amazingly fast at other times. It is hard for me to believe that 1/2 of 2011 is already over as it seems it has just begun. But yet, as I look back over the blog posts I have written from January until now, I am amazed at how much we all actually do in a year's time. Here's a  short look back at the past six months

Ocean Soul!

This sweet little thing was all smiles for me while I did her family's beach photo shoot. I just love this shot of her. Sweet girl!

Beach Feet

I told y'all last night that I am away on a Christian Ed retreat for the next several days. While I was editing my friends beach photos, I couldn't help but want ot be right back there on that beautiful South Carolina shore. I couldn't resist posting these sweet little beach feet.

Retreat

Y'all it is 11:35pm on Sunday evening. I just edited 1700 photos for a family I took photographs of while we were in Charleston. It has been a long day but a very spirit filled day. Tomorrow I am off to go BY MYSELF (woo hoo) for a spiritual retreat near Ashville, North Carolina. I am actually going to a conference on Children's Christian Education and I could not be more thrilled. I have never been away from my girls by myself since they were born so this is a big deal to me. While I am gone, I will be staying in a mountain retreat where there is no tv, no internet, ect. I am happy about this because it will be a nice change of pace. In lue of that, I am banking several blog posts for Monday through Wednesday. I am leaving you with one of my favorite photographs from the beach photo shoot I edited tonight. Have a peaceful evening!

Charleston Gates

When we were in Charleston, I really don't think I got my fill of the beautiful iron gates that odorn most of the homes and churches there. I LOVE them all! Here are a few of my favorites.

H*O*T!!!

We are back in Knoxville and boy is it H*O*T!!! I mean really, do we have to go from 50 degree weather in May to almost a 100 degree weather the first of June? Now who went and made Mother Nature mad enough to yo-yo us all in the South with weather like this? It's absurd! No offense Mother Nature! We are starting VBS at our church tomorrow and I am one of the core committee members. This year I am responsible for being the official photographer of VBS. SCORE! No really I am actually VERY excited about photographing all the wonderful little friends who come to VBS this week. It is so much fun and I look forward to it every year. That being said, I'm gonna be up to my eyeballs in photos this week, so I am going light on the blog posting here at the old Avery House. Today's photo that I am posting is from our last day in Charleston. This photo was way over exposed as I clicked it before looking at my light meter. But this just goes to show you that a little editing can salvage any photo. Usually Sophie's eyes get washed out when I try to put her in black and white. But because the rest of her face was over exposed, her eyes popped in the color version of this photo. I put it in black and white and adjusted the contrast and it turned out pretty well I think. Stay cool y'all! This week is supposed to be another scorcher.

So Long, Farewell!

Today is our last day at the beach {sniff!} We have had a glorious time and will spend this last day soaking up all we can of the beach and Charleston. I am certain, though, this will not be my last post of this beach vacation. I still have so much that I need to post not only about the beach, but also about my favorite city, Charleston. Until then we will say, "So long, farewell, Auf wiedersehen, goodbye!"

Palametto Sun

When I was a teenager and through my college years at the University of Tennessee, my dad and step-mom Pam lived in Charleston. Pam was originally stationed at the Naval Hospital in Charleston and stayed on even after the naval port was closed. We spent many a day on the Isle of Palms and in Downtown Charleston. I even worked in Downtown Charleston during some summers and grew to love it. How could you not?  Each time I come here, it feels like home. I love the familiarity of the beaches and Charleston itself. I could live here and be very happy. I have taken great opportunity to photograph this beautiful place and to practice some photography tricks, like capturing sunbursts.

I think being able to know how to use my camera and to take photos of Charleston has really been the highlight of my trip. Sounds silly, I'm sure, but really it is these photographs that I will look back on to recall our wonderful time here, so I am thrilled to be able to have them. I love these sunbursts that I captured on the beach and in Downtown Charleston. It's always wonderful walking under a Palmetto sun!

f/25, 1/250, ISO 200

Sharing with Patty for Photo a la {M}ode.

Beach Family Portraits

This beach vacation has been such a wonderful time for all of us. We would all be remiss if we didn't take those quintessential beach family portraits. This years photos do not disappoint for either family! You may be seeing one of these for the Christmas card this year.

Beach Fun!

It's just too much fun being at the beach to want to sit down and write a long blog post. Thant's not to say I don't want to share about the fun we are having on this vacation. But as they say, "a picture's worth a thousand words," so hopefully these will speak volumes!