It doesn’t take much to amuse me and this combination made it pretty high on my list.  In fact, it’s possible I even begged just a little to let me go back and play again soon!

I’ll chase kids and chickens over stiff and stuffy posing any day!

As much as I love the holidays and everything they encompass (friends, family, birthdays, my wedding anniversary and a whole lotta hockey!), I also look forward to taking a deep breath when it’s over and digging in to the new year.  January is a month of planning, inspiration and a lot of catching up!

This year I decided to do something that I’ve always wanted to do…a 365 Project (366 this year!).  A photo a day, for ME, every day.  In the past,  I’d start out with good intentions and then on January 4th I’d realize I’d already missed the first four days and, well, what was the sense in starting then?

Well, I’m happy to say that this year is different!   I picked up my camera on January 1st, took a photo for me, and have maintained it every day so far.  (yeah…I know…I’m only 8 days into it but I’m still feeling pretty good about it!)  It’s made me pick up my camera again for me and for my family.  I was at a place where I would, more often than not, choose to leave my camera behind when it came to my own family experiences.  I hate to admit it, but bringing my camera with me made me feel like I was ‘working’ and I just wanted to be present and part of whatever activity we were doing.  I am still mindful of that….of being a participant and not just the photographer….but I am also documenting our family more.

Oddly enough, it’s already had another effect on my family.  My kids, who are typically the first to turn away from the camera and groan, are now anxious to see which photo I pick for the day.  :)

Here are my photos from the first week (yes, I cheated twice….there are two photos represented on 2 different days.  I’ll work it out later!)  At this time of year most of my photos revolve around hockey.  With 3 kids playing on 2 teams each and a backyard rink it’s all hockey all the time for us!

My current process is a simple one….I shoot, pick the image of the day, save two files (one for print and one for facebook/blog).  Then I print a 13×19 image on my Epson Stylus Photo R3000 (a fabulous printer…particularly for b/w prints!), date the print along the bottom and add it to an archival storage box.  I have some other ideas when the project is over (a coffee table book, etc…) but for now, I’m doing the two things that I think are most important….saving a digital version and immediately PRINTING one so I have a hard copy.  (something I feel very strongly about…..it’s important to have PRINTS, not just files….of your images).

Check out the following links for more info on 365 Projects…

365 Project

365 Project Blog

photojojo

Flickr Group – Project 365

Digital Photography School – 52 Weekly Themes

If you haven’t started but wish you had, please don’t be like I was and throw in the towel because you didn’t take a photo on day one.  It’s NEVER too late to document the times, places, people, things, etc….that make up your daily life.   I highly recommend it!

Have fun!

I’m pretty sure I had a grin plastered on my face for the ENTIRE shoot!  A big thank you to the family for letting the kids be kids because THAT is what I believe is what is most important to document.  An even bigger thank you for reminding me again how very much I love what I do.

Mairzy and Alex could not have wished for a more perfect day!  The morning hours brought some rain and, for a bit, it didn’t seem as though it would clear up.  However, not long before the ceremony it did just that….the sun came out along with a striking blue sky and it set the stage for a great event!

Here are a few (well, more like a BUNCH!) of images from the day.

Best wishes to you Mairzy and Alex!

Wet weather wasn’t enough to dampen the mood and spirit of this wedding.  It went off without a hitch and the rain stopped long enough for Corbin and Tim to walk their marriage license over to the Town Hall (easy to understand why the word ‘quaint’ is associated so often with Vermont isn’t it!?).

The dancing started the minute people finished dinner and only slowed down for a great show put on by Corbin’s dad and Tim where they dueled out the song “My Girl”!

Here’s a peek at Corbin and Tim’s day….

One of my favorite commercials during the Stanley Cup Finals featured interviews with players just after winning the Stanley Cup.  Every one of them stammered, stuttered and just stared at the camera because it was simply overwhelming to them.  The ad ended with “there are no words”.  That ad is 200% correct.  There really are no words at all that can adequately convey just what it was like to be there at the parade celebrating our hockey heroes and seeing the Stanley Cup right in front of us.  It gave us goosebumps, filled us with pride and was an experience we will never forget.

So, instead of words, here is my photo tribute of the rolling rally in Boston celebrating the team we absolutely adore….the 2011 STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS!!!….the BOSTON BRUINS!!

The next two photos mean so much to me.  The first is of my daughter, Devan, when she first spotted her hero coming down the street followed by the MVP of the series, the Bruins’ goalie, Tim Thomas! (Devan is also a goalie!)

Congratulations Bruins!  You worked hard and you did it….you brought the Cup home!   We couldn’t be prouder!!

From fire dancers and a release of doves to massages by the pool and fireworks…their event was wonderful!

Here’s a peek at their wedding weekend…

Wendy and Fred….thank you so much for inviting me to share this special time with you!  I wish you both a lifetime filled with wonderful memories and lots of laughter.  (And definitely try to fit a zip line tour in there as well!  It’s a blast! )

And to everyone at Playa Fiesta…  you all were a pleasure to work with!!  Thank you for making me feel like I’d known you all forever.  It’s always sad to leave a gorgeous location such as yours but this time I was also very sad to say goodbye to such a great group of people.  (It’s no wonder you are #1 on TripAdvisor !!)