2014
Read More
Rhiannon
August 2014
“Rhiannon” by Fleetwood Mac
“Rhiannon rings like a bell through the night and won’t you love to love her.”
This is the latest installment in my Rock –n- Roll Anthems series. What rock and roll list would be complete without representation by Fleetwood Mac, right? They say that when you hear certain songs they will take you back to a certain place and time in your life. That is so true. I credit this song as being the beginnings of three fibers that make up the fabric of who I am today.
The first is my love of folklore, myth and legend. It probably began with childhood fairy tales and matured into the much loved Arthurian legends. These broadened into the myths and legends of Great Britain that include the tales of Rhiannon, Robin Hood, King Arthur, Lancelot and Merlin. There is a magic in Camelot, Avalon, Nottingham, Wales and the Highlands that lives deep within my soul.
The second is my love of poetry. Thank you Stevie Nicks for showing the world that there is a beauty in the way we communicate and describe things…a way that has fallen by the wayside in this technology driven wasteland. Adjectives, adverbs, metaphors and similes blossom on my tongue like a well tended garden. Was I the only one paying attention in Language Arts and Lit classes?
And finally of course and obviously is my love for Fleetwood Mac. They’ve ridden the ups and downs that come from being a successful rock bank and they are still recording and performing when most in their age bracket have settled down into retirement. They are timeless. They are one of my favorite bands, and it is all due to “Rhiannon”, my very first Fleetwood Mac song.
* * * * * * * * *
These images are my first foray into composite images, the art of combining several images into one. The image “Rhiannon the Hill” was the first image to be completed. I am proud to say that all of the images used are my own. The stone cottage is actually the stone lookout at the top of Heceta Head. The mountains are one of many that I have taken of the Three Sisters from Old McKenzie Pass.RhiannonfolkloremythlegendHeceta HeadThree SistersOld McKenzie Pass
Rhiannon and the Pony
My final image, “Rhiannon and the Pony” should actually be re-titled. My original image included a welsh pony and I was happy with the end result but the creative voice that lives in my head kept telling me that something was “off”. I once again began trolling through the Public Domain images on Google and came across an image titled, "Knight at the Crossroads" by Viktor Vasnetsov. This image was completed in 1878 and shows a knight atop his horse examining what appears to be a stone marker or headstone. Skeletons lay at the base of the marker while crows hover nearby. According to websites the marker is indicating that should the Knight choose left, he will lose his horse. Should he travel right, he will lose his head. The image was very powerful and lent itself well to the overall feel that I was envisioning with this image. So, because renaming the image would entail more than JUST renaming the image (PSD files, prototypes, rough drafts, variations etc.) I determined that I would leave things as they are; hence that name.
Enjoy the Day to the Hilt!
July 2014
“Pick the day. Enjoy it- to the hilt. The day as it comes, people as they come…The past, I think, has helped me appreciate the present ~ and I don’t want to spoil any of it by fretting about the future.” ~Audrey Hepburn
This is such a beautiful quote by a beautiful woman. Despite everything going on right now it would be very easy to focus on the negatives in the world. There are so many things to be thankful for. I think instead I will make the conscious decision to enjoy the positives in my day. I believe that people come into and out of your life for a reason and events occur (or do not occur) for a purpose. So for this moment in this day, I will live as if I am the happiest person in the world.
My Favorite Month (continued...)
I found his eyes captivating! Yet somehow I can't help but be reminded of "Finding Nemo".
Happy Mother's Day!
May 11, 2014
One of the things that I try to emphasize in my images is the connection between the subject and the viewer. Connections make images so much more powerful. That is probably why I love this image so much. The way baby Noah's hand is resting on his mom's chin is pure magic. I'm reminded of the symbolic "circle of life" . The hand to the chin, forehead to forehead , hand to chin, repeat.
Noah's mama and I have so much in common. She is the brand new mama of twins, which took me back to those days when I was a new mom of twins. It is true what they say about the more things change, the more they stay the same. Noah's parents are full of wonder with their little boys and their house if full of laughter and love. Congratulations to the Bowman family. To all of the other mother's out there, have a happy and blessed Mother's Day!
Leather & Lace
May 1, 2014
I really love images that pair items that seem unrelated or opposite. In this case, leather and lace. I was inspired by an image of a beautiful woman wearing a traditional ballet tutu with a leather jacket and combat boots. Her expression was complete disdain for the normal status quo. I loved the attitude and the pairing of the unexpected.
This is my version of that inspiration shot. While we ditched the leather jacket in this image I think we still captured the unexpected. I always love working with the fabulous Lillian.
What makes a woman beautiful?
April, 2014
"When virtue and modesty enlighten her charms, the lustre of a beautiful woman is brighter than the stars of heaven, and the influence of her power it is in vain to resist. " ~Akhenaton
I have said on more than one occasion that I am very thankful that I did not have to raise daughters. One of the main reasons is because I don't know if I could have raised a confident young woman in today's ego driven selfish culture. The standards that we as a society measure beauty are trivial and unrealistic. How can any woman feel comfortable in herself if she is always measuring herself to a model or celebrity slathered all over a magazine cover?
Beauty is not your waist size, bust size or shoe size. Beauty comes from within. Beauty is how you see the world and what is in your heart. Beauty is personified in Christa and Samantha. Both are a little shy, have captivating smiles and personalities that are out of this world. Thank you Ladies for making my world more beautiful.
Sweet Dreams and Flying Machines
April 25, 2014
What have I been up to lately? That's a good question. I wish I knew how to respond. I have been trying to shake up my style a little bit. This batch of photos is my attempt to step out of my comfort zone a bit. First, I put away all of my photographic habits that I normally fall back on. This time I was going for an edgier darker feel so I shot this series as if I was using Tungsten lighting. As a result, my shots have a bluish cast to them which makes the photos feel cold and industrial.
Next, I briefly made friends with Photoshop and attempted compositing. This is my first attempt so please don't judge me too harshly! I wanted the image to look even less human and more industrial and thought adding something cold and mechanical to the image would do the trick. I actually really like the effect although in hindsight I would do a few things differently.
The goggles are borrowed and thanks to the local craft store I was able to find some battery powered LED lights to help the feel along. I do wish I had spent a little more time on the entire ensemble instead of concentrating on head shots.
Thank you to Kelsi Winsor for hair and make up. Thank you to Claire for stepping out of her comfort zone also and acting as my test subject. Thank you Ladies!
My Favorite Month (continued)
“It is the month of June,
The month of leaves and roses,
When pleasant sights salute the eyes,
And pleasant scents the noses.”
Once again, my favorite month has come and gone. I don't know why I love June so much. Perhaps it's because it's full of new beginnings. Beginning of summer, adventures (graduation), loves (weddings), families (babies) & memories (vacations). Whatever the reason, I seem to always find myself in a giddy nostalgic mood. Here are some of my favorite June images, shot during a recent celebration get-a-way.Junenostalgicgraduationweddingfamiliesbabiesmemoriesvacation
The Big Unveiling!
February 12, 2014
It is FINALLY complete (ish)! After nearly two years, several XHTML/CSS courses and LOTS of Google research, I have finally unveiled my new and improved website! It has been an overwhelming journey. I have said often and loudly (in my best Dr. McCoy impersonation) that I am a photographer and not a computer programmer. Thankfully I am stubborn, tenacious and unwilling to be bested by a computer. It took a couple of snow and ice days to get me to slow down and tackle this very big chunk of my "to do" list. Of course, it will always be a work in process and will evolve with me as I discover areas to improve. All ready I am thinking I need a specific "client log-in". That will be for another day though. In the meantime, please take a look around. And in case I haven't said it recently, THANK YOU! Thank you all for your support during this crazy wonderful journey I have undertaken. ~Tammie
Under Construction
February 8, 2014
It's almost here! After nearly two years or more of research, trial and error (mostly error) I am finally ready to unveil my new and improved website. It's been a difficult journey trying to decide what I wanted and how I wanted it to be displayed. At times I was so utterly overwhelmed that I couldn't spend another moment thinking about it. Thankfully I have a stubborn disposition.
It took a couple of snow days to force me to slow down and grab the bull by the horns. It's not quite perfect, but better than it was. I think my style is a bit more evident in these pages. It's more inviting. I hope you enjoy the changes and invite you to stop by often for more updates!
Flare
January 2014
"What is success? I think it is a mixture of having a flair for the thing that you are doing; knowing that it is not enough, that you have got to have hard work and a certain sense of purpose." ~Margaret Thatcher
Guess what. Even photographers get bored! When that happens, we break, bend and/or disregard the rules. Not the important keep society civil rules, but rather the rules of lighting and composition.
So in order to shake things up, I decided to add some "flare" to my work, as in lens flare. With Claire.
Connections
January 2014 - I always try to show relationships in my photos. It's very powerful when you can show the connection between your subjects. It can be anything, an expression or a touch, or the difference in a color photo or a black and white. Michelle requested that her final shots be in black and white which emphasized the visual connection with her family. I love it when I am able to connect with a client to draw out those expressions and relationships. Especially when it was with their imaginative, inquisitive and creative three year old! It took some elbow grease to get our schedules to sync, but we were finally able to get Michelle's maternity shots in. It's a good thing too, since she gave birth 5 days later!
Congratulations to Michelle and Jesse! You have a beautiful family!
Oh, and yes, that is a sticker and not a real tattoo. :)
And the Adventure Begins...
January 2014
"It's double the giggles and double the grins, and double the trouble if you're blessed with twins."
I was so excited to do Monica's maternity shoot. She is expecting twin boys! She took me right down memory lane, back to when I was expecting my own twins. Monica and her hubby Anthony are going to be awesome parents! Such a blessing. Congratulations to both of you! The adventure is JUST beginning.
Cabin Fever
January 1, 2014
"In the depth of winter I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer." ~Albert Camus
During a recent bout of cabin fever I was able to sneak away to one of my favorite places to shoot something peaceful and tranquil. I was so surprised and delighted to happen upon this herd of elk. I've been spending way too much time in the studio. It was a nice break to get out and discover beauty somewhere other than in a pretty face.
During a recent bout of cabin fever I was able to sneak away to one of my favorite places to shoot something peaceful and tranquil. I was so surprised and delighted to happen upon this herd of elk. I've been spending way too much time in the studio. It was a nice break to get out and discover beauty somewhere other than in a pretty face.
