Saturday, July 2, 2011

Sweet afternoon

I woke up early, remembering there was no half & half for my coffee. So I made a quick list, got dressed, and headed up to the grocery store. We have no plans for the weekend other than some chores at home, and then I’ll sit by the pool. Ok, I know that it’s only a kiddie pool but I don’t care. It’s wet. And I have a float.

I had my first photo shoot yesterday, not that I plan on doing this sort of thing all the time. I wasn’t exactly sure what the client (my friend, Charles) wanted, but I am hoping he’s happy with the results. Here are just a few photos to share with you.


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Charles builds guitars and his work is exceptional. I loved this antique-looking banjo.


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And the colors of this electric guitar.

I shot these photos in a small workshop in the backyard in low light using no flash and my 50mm lens.


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But it wasn’t until a couple of the guys began to play that I really got into the groove.


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The music was pretty darn good.

And the guys were pretty cool, too.

Afterward, I went for a walk with Charles’ wife, my friend Margie. You may remember her as the art teacher at our school, and the person I’ve taken trips with to NYC to see my son. We took Zorba, their beautiful dog, and headed to the water.


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Havre de Grace, Maryland at low tide along the boardwalk. That’s North East across the water there.


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Margie is in a cast because she fractured her wrist. It’s a long story but I will just say that my friend has known more sadness in her life than anyone I’ve ever met, yet she still exudes such joy.

The beautiful dog you see here is Zorba, who was inherited after the dog’s owner, a dear friend of Margie, passed away. It’s so good to see them together.


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We drove around to the Lock House and walked around the pond there. It was such a beautiful afternoon and I captured this little moth using my 70-300mm lens.


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There was also a carnival set up in town, and we pulled over for a few minutes so that I could jump out and grab some quick photos. Margie pointed out this one to me.

All in all, a lovely afternoon. I even got to bring home some hydrangeas from their neighbor’s yard. Unfortunately, I left them in the back seat of the car when I got home and it wasn’t until a couple of hours later that I remembered and ran out to rescue the now-wilted blooms. I re-cut their stems under water, then put them in a vase, hoping to salvage them.

When I got up this morning, I was glad to see that they’d completely recovered from their near-death experience, which made me glad.

Hope your weekend is wonderful ~

123 Signature

Thanks, as ever, for stopping by to visit me here. It’s always a pleasure to have you come by.

41 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh how I love a 50mm lens... I wish everyone could have one! And what a perfect group of photos you shared with us today. :-)

Di

TexWisGirl said...

i love that they adopted their friend's dog and are giving her(?) a good life... :)

Brandy Marie said...

Gorgeous shots of the guitars! I love them. & I hope your friends wrist heals well. Having to wear a cast for any reason is a bummer, especially in the summer time. Thank you for sharing.

Mrs Catch said...

Good photos. Those guitars are so cool!

Mary Lou said...

Wonderful post. I love the banjo photo. What a fun time!

Alli said...

You did an excellent job! I really love the focus on the electric guitar.

That water looks amazing. It's my dream in life to live by some sort of water be it a lake, ocean, or river. How lovely.

(The carnival looks fun too!)

Ashley Sisk said...

That is a really lovely afternoon and beautiful images. So great!

Donalyn said...

Hey Kate - came by to catch up a bit and wish you and the hub a happy 4th weekend. We too, are sticking close to home for the most part - the next town over has fireworks tonight so we will go park next to a road into town and watch. My ambition for the weekend is to figure out how to take good photos of fireworks. And you thought your life was exciting ;)

Jo said...

The first photo looks like a space ship. Wonderful picture!

Happy Fourth of July. :-)

Cait O'Connor said...

Gorgeous pics. I adore the moth.

A New England Life said...

It sounds like a perfect Friday to me with some nice images too! I tried to photograph the same type of moth yesterday but it was rather elusive.

*Try and keep your head above water ; )

Daryl said...

Love these .. and please wish Margie well from me, I am sorry she's got such a hurtful boo boo .. xo

A Scattering said...

Awesome job on the guitar shoot - you have such a special touch.

sharon said...

what a nice time with your friend. glad you shared it with us. wish I could have heard the jam session. great photos!

tj said...

...This post is perfect from beginning to end, as well as the photos which are always darn awesome! :o)

...Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

...Blessings

Anonymous said...

Wonderful blog... I'm a first time visitor, I'll be back again...

{ T G L } said...

GREAT guitar shots! As a guitarist, I appreciate the eye-candy! :)

Blessings,
This Good Life

Hilary said...

So that's what you meant about the guitar......I couldn't figure that one out.
Hydrangeas are my favorite flowers....so glad you saved them.

Donna S. said...

Ahh, pretty laid back weekend here also. Had the 3 grands all night last night & cleaned house, washed sheets after they left. Ran to meat shop, local farmers' market & have been pretty lazy since then. Read a library book on my ipad. :)

Loving summer!

barbara l. hale said...

Interesting reading and wonderful photos!!

beth said...

that was totally my kind of day....thanks for taking me along !

although, if i had really been there i would have reminded you about the flowers, preventing their near death experience....just because i'm nice like that :)

xo

becky up the hill said...

love all the pix and that little butterfly has the cutest green eyes! So glad your Hydrangea perked up too.

Mary said...

Love the guitar shots, Kate. And that last one of the carnival -- faulous vintage processing!

Have a wonderful holiday! We're having a lazy one, too.
xoxo

wayne15575 said...

Kate, you did a wonderful job on your first shoot.
I hope it isn't your last.

alphabet soup said...

Love that moth!!
Ms Soup

Sheila said...

Beautiful pictures, have a great holiday!

Deb said...

cool guitar shoot....sounds like a fun day...

(GBS) NewsFromTheHill said...

Great day... but.... George didn't get to go on the beach romp? :(

Country Girl said...

To GBS ~
No, not this time, he didn't. I left from work, and going home to get the dog would have taken much longer. He and Zorba are friends, though. I'll take George another time.

~ C.G.

ELK said...

love love the guitar shots //and the antique silver is amazing ...



and oh by the way mine would cappuccino chunky chocolate :)

Unknown said...

Kate, I beg to differ....that was no where near your first photo shoot...no, my dear, you are as professional as anyone I have watched.....happy 4th....smiles.

Bluebird49 said...

Sure would have loved to have been there for the guitar shoot! I wonder if Charlie has built an 8-string resonator guitar instead of a banjo? Never seen a banjo that had 4 wound strings like that...so I'm wondering about it! Usually a banjo has 4 or 5 strings--6 at the most. Good pictures anyway, and the moth is wonderful.

Mental P Mama said...

So glad you have had such a nice weekend!

Anonymous said...

really?

Sarah said...

Great photos of the guitars! Wish I could have been there to watch you work and hear the music. And thanks so much for the lens information - I actually have that one, so I don't have to go all green with envy.

Kerri Farley said...

Oh Kate - your images always have so much "feeling". And in my opinion that makes a FANTASTIC capture!

I'm sure you friend will be "over the moon" about the shots!

Lili said...

Great job on your first photo shoot Kate! That is so exciting, I bet they were thrilled with your captures. Makes me want to hear some music along with them. ~Lili

The JR said...

I left one in water and it rooted once.

GailO said...

Love those guitar photos!

Looks like your weekend was relaxing...and that is just the way it should be:) Incredible photos!

Caroline said...

WOW!! Gorgeous photos!!! All of them!

Bluebird49 said...

Would you do me a favor and find out from Charles for sure that the first one IS a banjo and what kind it is?? I have never seen one with a head on it like that, nor with that amount of strings--plus the shape of the head to a banjo is usually round, and that looks almost guitar shaped. Sorry to bother you--I play and so does my husband...it's just interesting!!