I found something special walking in the woods. No it wasn't the baby, it was the hollow tree.

The baby came later. In fact, over a year later.

I found the hollow tree during a walk in the woods and thought to myself that it would make a great place to stash a sleeping baby. I took a picture and waited for the day that a family member or friend would be able to supply me with the second part of the composite.

Problem was, he wasn't asleep.

He was asleep for the family shots and awake for the sleepy ones.

But what do you expect from a one month old?

But after much rocking and singing quiet little songs and a bottle, he finally drifted off to chase rabbits, even though he had to have his Mother's arm for solace. I was able to get the pose I wanted before he finally decided enough with the rolling around in the cold air.

Sorry buddy, but thank you for your cooperation!

Once again, it is that time of year when you look back down memory lane.

Graduation.

Another family member has grown up fast! 

Where does the time go?!?

Just yesterday she was tiny!

A bundle of fun!

But this graduate got to do what brother and sis didn't get to do when they graduated during the pandemic,

wear a cap and gown to a ceremony!

College comes next with plans of business and music!

Happy Graduation 2023 Senior! Best Wishes on your life journey ahead!

The years from preschool to high school are gone in a snap, they just flash by!

It seems like just yesterday I was taking this graduating senior's toddler pictures,

growing up,

along with his big brother.

But now he has mountains to climb, with his love for the great outdoors and new adventures into adulthood.

Good Luck Senior 2022! Here's hoping your viewfinder is filled with great memories ahead!

Spring is my favorite time of year. A time when all the little newborns come out to play.

And this spring, I got to meet the newest member of our family.

All decked out for the holiday!

He is a sweet addition to his Mom and Dad,

inside...

and out!

Enjoy the season everyone!

It is time for cooler weather and falling leaves and bundling up in toasty sweaters. It is time for pumpkin spice and everything nice.

It is time for football and tailgate parties and rooting for the home team.

It is time for bringing the people you love closer.

It is time for gentleness and peace.

It is time for moving from summer into fall.

Enjoy the seasons ahead!

Last fall, when we were taking these senior pictures of members of my family, we had discussions of whether they wanted to take more photos in the spring, closer to graduation. Never would we dream that graduation would come during summer instead. Normally I would write about the kids' plans for after graduation, but how do any of us make plans anymore? We just have to go day by day for now.

I have been taking pictures of the young man below before he was even born (at his mother's baby shower). He was always a perfect subject to photograph.

And later he was joined by a little sister who was just as cute!

Now he is an adult! Where does the time go?

The next young lady joined our family just last year. I didn't know her to be able to take pictures of her when she was little, but just looking at these photos, you know she had to be a beautiful baby!

Congratulations to my seniors and to all seniors out there who had to put up with the uncertainty of the past year. Whatever may come, we can only wish for good health and happiness.

You would think with all the spare time going around that I would have had time to update the blog with posts of paintings I have worked on the past few months. Each should have deserved their own in depth explanation of how the painting was composed. However I decided to throw them all into a hodgepodge to view together. All but the first painting were made from submitted photos. I have not included them except for the snapshot that I took myself of the dog. 

Last year, a friend passed away. It was requested not to send flowers, but donate to your favorite charity. I decided that my favorite charity was the earth and I did want to send flowers. I wanted to remember my friend with flowers every year. As luck would have it, I was finally able to track down a variety of daffodil I had long been trying to purchase. The variety name is Rip Van Winkle pictured below. The funny thing was I had to nudge my friend awake at a meeting we had attended. He gave me a sideways smile when I bumped his foot with mine to wake him from approaching slumberland. So I will remember my friend every year when spring awakes with my favorite flower.

I spend a lot of time and effort on my daffodil flowerbeds. I have lost track of how many hundreds I have planted. I will admit that I have an addiction to daffodils. So much so that I have requested when it is my turn to go back to the earth, I want my ashes spread out in my daffodil bed. I spent too many hours in the darkroom printing pictures. I want to be in the sunshine in my eternity.

I enjoy daffodils the most in the field. I don't like cut flowers. I tell people cut flowers are against my religion. The only time I will cut a flower to bring indoors is if they have fallen over in the wind and rain. A flower likes to be outside enjoying nature just as much as any living being. Who am I to deny them their time in the sun?

.....it is this one.

Sure, he looks all sweet and innocent. But he is a ramblin' guy. His adventure outside of the gate for a week contributed to me allowing the group to have their Christmas pictures made. See, I know this trio well. I knew they were going to be a tough group to pin down. But as it turns out, the troublemaker was the easy one.

The next guy is used to the camera and is a minor celebrity, but out of about 20 images I made of just him alone, just one was the money shot. It only takes one though, and I mean, please!

And the next guy was just going to go wherever there are tater tots. Which, tip to the wise, they are under the snow!

I'm not here to tell tales (or tails). We won't mention some things that happened that might earn them coal instead of doggie biscuits. But all in all, I will go ahead and say they were good boys, for the most part. And I think they enjoyed themselves too. I know their Mom and her friend the photographer had a few good laughs.

Girl in motion! Don't slow her down!

Frilly purple dresses are great and all that, but sometimes you just have to get in touch with the pirate side!

And after counting all of treasure, it was time to check in with nature. She is a girl who likes to garden and check in on her chickens, so this was the perfect setting.

I want to remember a friend by remembering his friend. My friend just recently passed away and his best friend in the painting below passed away years earlier. This was one of the first digital paintings I created of a pet. I was very happy that my friend was pleased with my creation. I am very sure that they are at this moment enjoying each others company once again.

It's the end of an era! I took senior photos of the last siblings in their family to graduate high school. I have taken all in the family and each and every one was a pleasure.

And in the case of these twins, I took them at a young age as well. It is so fun to watch kids grow up before your eyes.

They are super students, both graduating with honor. And now they will be moving on to higher learning. She has plans in nursing, he has an interest in biology. 

Congratulations St. Joseph 2019 Graduates!

This 2019 Conway High graduate plans to pursue a degree in music. Obviously! He plays the bassoon, clarinet, saxophone and piano. He is a one man band! 

And I have been witness to his talent for a long time!

 He also has skills in the big brother department.

I can't wait to see what the future holds for him!

Scores of Good Luck to you 2019 CHS Grad!

Usually, when I create a baby sleeping composite, I build with several different images. I piece together different layers to create the larger image. This time I actually built a nest. It started out with me first knitting a dress to match the scene that I had in my mind. And then the baby had to be born. Once I had the picture of the baby, I set off to build her nest. Luckily I had a warmer day, but it was a bit more cloudy and gloomy than I had hoped. A couple of times I got ready to put it all in the wheelbarrow and move it out of a rain shower, but after 3 hours and moving the nest to three different locations, I finally got the shot I wanted. Since her parents wedding had been at a wooded location and I had taken their photos, I thought this scene went along with their outdoor lifestyle.

But hey, you've gotta be girlie sometimes too!

We are blessed with the start of a new family!

Here is a quick painting I did of a friend's pet. Lately, I have been doing more sketching and trying different methods. Experimenting can be fun! Have a Happy New Year!

When it comes to babies, I like to take a different approach to making images. The newborn bound in linen swaddle just doesn't speak to me. They look like Harry Houdini. If you have seen one, you have seen them all. The same could be said for knit suits as well, if you don't add a little imagination. A lot of a baby's personality at this young age is in their fingers and toes. In the past I have put newborns in the cabbage patch, a nest of hay and a bed of daffodils. But they were all newborns. They were all sleeping. Their arms and legs were all still drawn up tight to their bodies. This boy posed a challenge. He was far past newborn. The fox outfit was nearly too small, and as you can see, he was not sleepy. He was all stretched out and ready to go.  While editing his session I saw the sly eye cut and came up with the idea for him to sneak into the henhouse. I took the chicken and rooster pics at a family member's pen. I had to stand on a bucket for nearly 2 hours. Seventy-five pics later I had six shots to use for the composite above. For the image below, I just added some leaves in Photoshop to give a nice fall background.

We can't leave big sis out of this process. She is an old pro. She was the newborn in my cabbage patch composite a couple of years ago. As you can see, they make quite a pair!

You can tell from the name of this blog website that I Love flowers. I especially Love the sugar flowers pictured below because they were created by my supremely talented friend. She also made the frog, nuts and seashells at the bottom of the bouquet. We have known each other since middle school. She is a baker and decorator above all others in my book. Everything she makes tastes as scrumptious as it looks. I was so excited when she asked me to come take pictures of a project she was working on before it traveled for judging. She made a perfect score by the way. I mean, how could she not! She is a fantastic artist and seamstress as well. I wanted to share the beauty on my blog and brag on my friend I Love!

I recently had a close encounter that I felt was magical. I was cleaning out a birdbath that sits in front of our porch. I was about a foot away and eye level from our hanging hummingbird feeder. I was standing, waiting for wasps that I hoped to get rid of that were bothering the birds. Suddenly, I heard a buzzing of wings right behind my ear and knew a hummingbird was at my side. She flew to the feeder and started eating just inches from me. She went around to all sides, eating and looking up at me. Then with a zoom, she flew straight in front of my face. She was so close I couldn't focus on her. I closed my eyes because I was afraid we might startle each other with quick movements. She flew so close to my nose I could feel her purring wing beats and she got caught up in the flying strands of my hair. She then flew down to the fly swat that I had at my side and looked at it almost questioningly then flew back up to me and then away. It gave me quite a smile.

I painted the image above a couple of years ago from a photo reference I had of a hummingbird outside the studio window visiting a host flower. It is always a delight to watch these fascinating birds.

I did not, however, get the groom aside. To make up for the lack of photo for this post, I will offer up an image I took from his youth with faithful horse if not polo pony.

Congratulations to our much loved couple! Thank you for letting us share in your joy!

Where does the time go? I have been asking myself this question time and time again when I put together another senior post of kids I have known since they were knee high to a grasshopper.

Seems like just a minute ago I was posting this lovely girl's big brother and his graduation. They make for quite a pair. I always love to hear of their adventures on family vacations or home movie projects they produced together.

I got to witness all of her sports accomplishments. She is an all around talent with brains and beauty.

Congratulations 2018 Graduate! I know that you have a great life ahead and much to give to make the world a better place!

One day they are waiting for Santa

and the next day they are graduating from High School!

or so it seems!

This graduating senior is family of family, so I consider that family to me.  When we started talking about senior pictures, everyone knew we had to include her late Granddad somehow. He had worked for the railroad and she wanted to have her picture made with the caboose downtown. Using old snapshots and wedding photos, I put together an image to make a sort of logo. I then tried to make it look as if was graffiti spray painted on the side of the caboose.

I also used a photo that I had taken on a photowalk in 2011 to put train tracks behind her in a composite.

I used images from the same photowalk shoot to add different looks behind her instead of just gray photo paper.

 She is a great girl getting on track to become a pharmacy tech.

Congratulations Senior 2018! The future is bright ahead!

I like having large pictures. My pet peeve is seeing tiny 4x6 prints framed on a wall all alone. The photo below shows how the prints look now grouped on the mantel.

 The other images show photo groupings throughout the house. Most are printed no smaller than a 11x14 and going up to 20x30.​​​​​​

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No matter what you put on your walls, photos or paintings, Think Big!

If you are like me, you were as busy as a bee over the holiday season. And now it is so cold outside it makes me long for warmer days. I decided to post this image of a little ray of sunshine that was working in the okra patch. It was homing in on our home garden so I decided to title it Okrahoma. Forgive me, I have been indoors too long and have a bit of cabin fever. Spring can't come soon enough for me.

If you read the blog post in August, you recognize The Twisted Purl's shop dog Loki. I took a picture of him and was able to create a painting just in time for the annual yarn crawl event last month. Loki is such a sweet mascot. It was so much fun creating an image of him.

I must admit though, first place in my heart belongs to Miss Kitty who will always be my favorite store minder. She kept a watchful eye at the gone but not forgotten That Bookstore at Mountebanq Place.

Miss Kitty was a great reader of books and customers. She knew just the right amount of attention each visitor needed. She hosted a lot of great authors including knitting superstar Debbie Macomber. It was Miss Kitty's store partner, That Bookstore Lady, who taught me how to knit.

I will be forever grateful to Miss Kitty, That Bookstore Lady and That Bookstore Hubby for their kindness, friendship and love. They have enriched my life in so many ways!

So be sure to visit your favorite small business and make new friends to bring joy to your life!

If you have been to the studio you have been past this house. Four generations of my relatives have lived in it. When it was time to take bridal photos for my second cousin's upcoming wedding she mentioned that she would like to have her picture made with the corner road sign. The problem is that this corner is one of the busiest in Conway. It wasn't going to happen. But I liked the idea and decided to create a painting instead of a photo so we wouldn't be squished under a speeding vehicle.

Out of the studio we took a lot of the session photos at the house on the corner. The stately oak made a grand photo to add to the guest book table.

The bride's mother, my cousin, had her clematis in full bloom at the time and it made a great background.

I feel like I have come full circle with weddings. Her parents' wedding was the first wedding I ever shot and her wedding will most likely be my last. It was a beautiful day for a wedding at Petit Jean with a gorgeous happy bride and a handsome groom enjoying nature and family and friends.

Best Wishes and Love to The Happy Couple!

People will be looking up at the sky today to view the eclipse. I had an opportunity for a cute composite idea fall from the sky two weeks ago. Before the start of school, I took pics of two brothers. Sometimes I take snap shots of kids just being funny but not particularly something parents would want an 8x10 of for the wall. When I was editing the sitting, an idea started to come to me for the composite above. Below are the images I used to make the composite.

I showed the boys the work in progress and they approved with belly laughs. They asked me if I was going to make any others and I admitted that I had a few more ideas flying around my brain. I thought of them sitting on the runway promoting their wagon rides with a sign and airplanes in the background. I decided I should go out to the Conway Municipal Airport at Cantrell Field. Nearly every day I made plans it was either foggy or rainy and time was running out to get this blog post up when I wanted. I started thinking of ways to improvise. I looked in my Hallmark Dreambook of Christmas ornaments and found the Travel Air Model R "Mystery Ship" plane ornament , 21st in the series that I would later purchase at Cherry's Hallmark at Elsinger. I figured an empty tin can might make a believable airplane hangar. Fortunately there was a bright sunny day at the end of the week (although it was hot and humid) and I made my way out to the airport. The friendly staff gave me permission to go out and shoot the images I wanted. They graciously told me to come back any time I needed. It was a beautiful facility with a welcoming atmosphere and paintings provided by Art on the Green. It's a nice place to spend the day watching planes take off and land. It's like a cool oasis in a shimmering field of soybeans.

Following, I thought I would offer up for viewing pictures I took in the same Lollie Bottoms area the airport is located. I took these photos with film for a project back in 1986.

On my drive this week I looked for some of the same landmarks but didn't come upon any I noticed but the ridge and levees. I didn't expect to see the dog since he would probably be over 200 years old in a dog's age.

 After the airport, I did use the trip to the west side of town to visit my favorite yarn shop, The Twisted Purl, where therapy dog in training, Loki, co-owns the store. If you are out on Prince Street, drop by to learn how to knit, crochet, spin and weave. The store is filled with a large variety of yarn, some locally produced. Loki will be very happy to greet you with a smile!

So I have just got to thank the two wagon flying thrill seekers for sending me on a small adventure of my own to make a fun composite!

I came up with the idea for this composite after this senior had graduated. I was taking images for another project I was working on and happened to be in the area of the high school. It was a beautiful day and I had just the right lighting and no cars in the parking lot or the street. The sky was just perfect. When I looked at the image on the back of the camera I was surprised that the building looked rather majestic. I knew just the images to use of a senior I took this year to work with and got what I think is a striking result. What makes this photo shoot even more special is that I took this senior's parents pictures when they were graduating. Have I really been doing this that long?! It's even the same cap and gown I have had all of these years. Choir robes hold up great! We chatted it up talking about future college plans that could lead to teaching. The most fun though was trying to catch the flag action in the studio and outside. Anyway, it was a privilege to take the graduation portraits for this family member as well!

Good Luck Conway Senior 2017! 

School is out for summer and high school is out forever for seniors.

This senior comes from a super family. I meet each member by taking their graduation photos. She happens to be an honor student, an athlete and she loves working with kids.

We took these images early in the school year last year and had a fun time outdoors among the rocks and trees at the studio.

Congratulations to an awesome young woman with a fantastic future ahead of her!

This past weekend I was lucky to be a guest at a most beautiful wedding. The bride is family in my heart and I got to witness perfect moments that will stay in our memory forever for all who attended. I have been taking her picture since she was a tiny tot and she has been in earlier posts to this site. I had started thinking about doing this painting before I even got to see the dress. Months before, I started taking images that I might use as a backdrop. A very important part was taken years ago when I took her senior pictures with her horse. Her wedding was going to be outdoors and would include a horse and carriage, but I wanted her's to be with her on that day as well.

The rest of the background I used images that I took in the yard around the studio. I took the column photo at a local church that was attended by some of her family.

I used a picture her mother had sent to me of the bride trying on her dress to figure out how I would need to pose her when she came to my studio for a bridal portrait. I took several different poses, but this one fit perfect into the painting.

Finally I put together all of the images to create a photosketch that I used as reference for the digital painting. I took a little liberty with her bouquet, not knowing how her fresh arrangement would look for the wedding day. I added a few daffodils from the painting even though she didn't actually carry any in hers.

I didn't tell her that I was doing a painting partly because I wanted it to be a surprise and partly because I was unsure if I would be able to finish it on time for her wedding and that it would look like I wanted. All things worked out and it was used at the reception next to the couple's cake. 

I am so happy that the weather turned out perfect for the day of their dreams and wish the couple a wonderful journey ahead!

Let's offer a tip here though. When buying a birthday smash cake, even if you love Mickey and Minnie Mouse, don't get black icing. After a short while of eating we had to pause and clean up a bit since the comment was made that she was starting to look like a creepy clown wearing rubber gloves. It was a whole lot of fun to watch even if it did get a little too messy!

She got to take a bath in the kitchen sink and then we went outside to take pictures of her really in the daffodils. She had a great time that warm day, that is until the last photo when she realized she had a ribbon in her hair. The question is was she letting her hair down or pulling her hair out? Whichever, she soon was distracted by the wind in the leaves. Happy Birthday little One!

Don't you wish you had this much energy? I know I sure do!

I love making this type of composite. There is so much expression in movement. This guy takes after his big sister. I took her pictures for her first composite a few years ago when she was two years old.

I took her again later at four years old. She still had the moves!

I took the next images last summer, but waited to post them here until February when it is usually cold and we are dreaming of spring. But this has been a crazy weather season and it feels like spring already. Daffodils are already blooming and plants are already starting to bud. Hopefully we won't have a hard freeze that will put us back at square one. 

Here's to Spring! Jump and Jive!

The idea for this composite came to me as I was taking pictures in our pasture just after the hay had been cut the last time for the year. Some of the tops of the sage grass were still left, not picked up by the rake and baler. I thought that if I were a bird, I could make a great nest out of the leftovers. So I gathered up as many bunches as I could find and carried them back with me to take pictures of them. I took images over two different days and different lighting conditions. I had in mind that I might be able to use them in a composite when my friends' new baby would arrive. I went to work looking for yarn that would fit in the scene and started knitting a dress for her based on her projected weight. Lucky for me, I finished it just in time!

At the beginning of her session, I took pictures for her GrandDad's Christmas present. He coaches football and both her Dad and Uncle played on the team a few years ago so I was able to use their jerseys and helmets for props.

I also took the opportunity to use a Christmas cap and scarf that I knitted last year for a session but the baby was fussy by the time I got around to using them. This time the subject had no problem being sleepy!

Really Sleepy!

But she was awake for at least one!

I was asked to do a painting for a gift but was first only given photos of the dog and the yellow cat. I added the beach background because I was told that the owner had lived near a coastline. The gift giver however didn't know there was a third cat. After the gift was received the pet owner asked if I could add the gray cat. I didn't want to have the gray cat looking directly at the viewer. So since the gray cat and the dog had passed away, I decided to have them both looking in the same direction with the yellow cat continuing to look forward. I understand they were all the best of friends.

I was asked to paint the pet portrait above for someone to give as a gift. The owner supplied the photo to the friend but was unaware that a painting was being done, so I was unable to get a background to add to the painting that would have some meaning to the owner. 

I searched through some images that I had taken to use for backgrounds. A flat rock provide what I thought would be just the right angle for the painting.

The images combined to create the painting at the top of this post, giving the viewer a brief stop during a walk in the woods during a cool autumn day.

Hope you have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!

I used images that I had taken myself as the background and took a photo of our old cast iron pot for the foreground. I made a brush out of a cloud for the smoke and used a fence post for their stirring sticks. I used a path render filter in photoshop to create the wisps coming out of the pot.

I put together my own collage of the rest of the photos that we had taken for her card design. The flying candy is not a photoshop trick. We actually threw candy at her!

I used an image I took of a stone building in Enola for the background and a image of a flat rock covered in moss for the floor.

I put them all together for my final take on a bewitching Halloween trio!

"I See a Worm in Your Future"

Check Your Candied Apples and Have a Happy Halloween!

When my friend showed me a picture of her new kitten a couple of months ago and told me his name was Hamilton, it made me want to paint his picture. I mean, look at this face! Just look at it! It's just the cutest!

So here is what I came up with!

This little American Beauty is all dressed up in the outfit she wore to celebrate her first 4th of July!

And she is a picture of the hard work ethic!

Most of this image was made in Photoshop. Originally the logo for the company her Dad works for was printed on the onesie and the hard hats, but I substituted a logo of my own design instead for this blog post. The blueprints behind her were printed up by an architect but were designed by my Mom. I just took a photo of them and enlarged it behind her. She is not sitting on a concrete floor, but a soft spongy foam pad and being held by her Mom. The hard hats were taken during the session, but were from a different image. They are sitting on the tutu that she didn't enjoy wearing because it was so scratchy. I added the extra tulle with a brush I created in Photoshop from a scan I made.

The idea for this design came from a postcard I received from a relative a few years ago. She was visiting a family member who was studying a term in New Zealand. Having not long before taken up fly fishing, she used the opportunity to practice in one of the most beautiful countries known for the sport. When I read the post card she sent from her trip, one short line stood out that made me laugh. "Got my purse wet." Who takes their purse fishing with them? It made me envision her out standing in a stream with a large leather handbag hanging from the crook of her arm. Queen Elizabeth in hip waders. As it turns out, she later explained, it was a small tote. In New Zealand the lakes rise and fall with the ocean tides. She had just put her "purse" on a stump jutting up out of the lake and the water level gradually rose before she realized it got to her tote. Little did she know that it would spawn a catch phrase for me. Now any time I bid farewell to a friend I tell them, "Don't get your purse wet!" But for the design the opposite matters. Get your purse wet. Get out and enjoy nature. Just leave it as you found it. And don't forget to pay attention to rising water!

Some people wish they knew how to play the piano. I wish I could sew. I have many great friends who can put together fabulous designs and I wish I had their talent. Maybe that is why this past fall while I was taking pictures of the last flowers in the garden, I started seeing skirts. An upside down bloom looked a lot like a ballerina tutu. I took a couple of images with the idea in mind of using it to make a costume. The holidays came and I got busy, but kept the idea in mind. I am lucky to have a large family with lots of extensions. When I come up with a crazy idea, I can usually find someone who will help me out. The model I had in mind though looked more like winter than autumn. The original costume of fall flowers would have to wait. Daffodils were in bloom. My model was very patient and I had two great wardrobe assistants who braided the ribbons on her feet in two different styles and wrapped material over her tank top and shorts. I had in mind a winter princess waking up from an icy slumber to start her spring metamorphosis. As art imitates life, we had to use a space heater in the studio to keep our model warm. Three images were put together of her body, one for the crown, one for her upper body pose and the last for her pointed toes to look like she was hovering above the frozen pond.

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The background for the composite came from a picture I took during the last snowfall early this year. The picture at the top is the original image and the one below it is the image flipped horizontally and blended together with itself. I bowed the trees out for the composite background and extended her dress to give a round feeling like being in a snow globe.

I still have the images ready for the autumn composite. But by the time I am able to get around to working on it, the seasons may have changed again!

Sometimes good luck comes when things don't always go the way you hope. This composite came out of one of those times. The daffodils just started to bloom the week before the late March storms. First it rained for an entire week. As I was looking out the window of the studio, I was sad to see the tiny blooms that were lying flat on the ground. But then the wheels started turning and I could see that I might be able to use them in an image later on. Having put a baby in the cabbage patch, I thought I might be able to do the same with the flattened daffodils. So I went outside during a brief break in the rain and took some photos at different angles. Only a couple of days later the storm brought hail that covered the ground like snow and pretty much battered the remaining blooms that had been drenched during the week. The beautiful blooming season was cut short. However, on St. Patrick's Day, this wee little lass came to have her first studio portrait made. I took some images of just her by herself. I knew in a few days she would be coming for pictures with both Mom and Dad. I went searching through my yarn stash and started knitting a fitting dress for just this composite. I didn't have any measurements, just seeing her the day before. I made a pretty good guess if I do say so! 

The images below were used for the composite. The four leaf clover was real. I had grown some shamrocks to include in cards I was sending out years ago and pressed some of them to keep for myself. I scanned the best ones and used it for the little bow in her hair.

Just a couple of weeks before we were anxiously awaiting her arrival!

And it wasn't too much longer of a wait since she came a little early. Guess she knew Easter was coming soon and wanted to prepare to see the bunny!

The emotion in this image says it all! "Hooray for Spring!"

It was a blustery day. But we had fun all the same.

This little girl was a bundle of energy, happily chattering away. The lilt in her voice had the expression of a good storyteller. If only we could understand her words. It didn't matter, because we laughed along with her anyway.

Spring is ahead of us with longer sunshiny days! Hip Hip Hooray!

Happy Spring!

I took this sitting before Christmas. We took all sorts of family groups with Great Grandmother, Grandmother and the grandkids. When they were leaving, Grandmother wanted Great Grandmother behind the wheel of her daughter-in-law's Hummer parked out in the studio parking lot. It was a quick shot and it wasn't until later when I had the idea for the mountain come into my mind. The family had the same idea, because they asked me if I could do it and I was already two steps ahead.

All of the images used in the composite were taken along the hillside across the street from the studio. Most of these elements are pretty small but look larger in the perspective of the composite. I used two different images of the kids to add a little more excitement of movement.

To take the image another step further, I decided to add a group shot in the studio with the most serious expressions I got. Pretty much Great Grandmother was the only one who fit the theme.

There was a different changing of the season during this sitting taken just days before Christmas. This couple was in town for the youngest son's college graduation. Their schedule was tight with holiday plans and the weather that week was rain, rain, rain. The day of the session there was sun, but by the time they made it to the studio there was only a fleeting minute left. We just didn't get the outdoor photos they had hoped for. Besides the faded sunlight, the trees were all bare of their leaves having lost the last few remaining to the hard wind and did I mention the rain?

Luckily a few weeks prior I took pictures of the leaves changing colors around the studio. I was able to take an image from inside the studio and drop in the colorful backgrounds behind them. You can hardly tell they aren't really outdoors.

And at the very end of the session there was enough time for some fun with big brother front and center.

I enjoyed every minute with a much loved family! Congratulations College Grad!

The idea for the cabbage patch didn't come until a couple of days after I took the original image of this sleepy little bunny. Luckily, this is cabbage season and I just needed to go out to the garden to take a couple of background shots. Easier said than done. I had to take over 100 shots over three different days to get the right angle and lighting of different cabbages. There are about 10 different images used to make up the bed of cabbage leaves. It does look pretty comfortable though!

She didn't even have to move to get a different background.

​As for the rest of the photo shoot, there were various stages of asleep and awake for this sweet girl.

And to think, it was October 2013 when I took a picture for a painting that would be the starting place of this happy little family.

​I am sure there will be many more beautiful images to come in their future!

You might recognize the sleigh driver from the previous Wild about Harry post on this blog. I took the snow picture in my neighbors driveway across the street with the intention of using it as a background without the posted speed sign. It was perfect for this composite so I left it in. I created the sleigh by 3D model in Photoshop. The bells, lights and packages were photos that I recolored. I painted the reindeer tail from scratch in Corel Painter. All the images together make a wild ride to bring in the holiday season!

Have a Happy and Safe Weekend!

I took the opportunity to use some of her poses in composites. I knew I had a couple of images that I had already taken to create what would look like a trip on an African safari. She had a suitcase that belonged to her grandmother and I had old cameras given to me by a friend. I took the grass pictures in the front yard of the studio. The sunset was snapped from the parking lot of Julie's Bakery through my windshield.

The resulting composite has a warm romantic feel to it. The fun is in the experimentation. It's great to have someone who is involved in the creative experience.

Her aviator glasses make me want to go out and get a picture of an airplane to use for a future composite. But for the last image I used a couple of shots from a photo walk at Hendrix village to add a background.

​The soft focus and color treatment gave it a look straight out of an old movie.

I have other ideas in mind and am glad to have such a talented subject to use as my muse. Looking forward to more projects in the future!

The images taken in the studio let you see the sunny sparkle in her eyes. She loves to write and has the goal to publish a novel. Can't wait to be one of the first to stand in line to get a signed edition! 

Whenever this fun and creative family shows up at the studio, good times and laughter follow. We only took three quick shots of the zombie walk. Little did we know what would come out of it. I had to do a little stitching to put everyone's spookiest face together.

The pieces started coming together starting with the clouds used in the previous Harry Potter blog post. I also frequently pass a spooky looking tree off Museum Road on the Williams Farm. It has since lost many of it's eerie branches. 

The real zaniness started when the goofy hats came out. We laughed until there were tears. If we had been drinking milk, it would have came out of our noses!

Hope everyone has a fun and safe Halloween!

It was too hot to wear his costume, but later he gave me a trick or treat preview. I spiced up the photo with a stormy sky. An arriving cold front over the back of the studio provided rolling angry clouds.

Add some extra drama and you've got the perfect Harry Potter!

Here are a few more examples of how different backgrounds can be added. They are all the same image. The smaller green image is the original background. Photos of a rain soaked sidewalk and reflections from a lily pond were altered to use as some of the backgrounds.

It was a beautiful day and we made use of nature just outside the door of the studio.

The last image in the series below was taken inside the studio and has a background added. It was a blue metal  texture discovered on a photo walk tour. You never know what is going to catch your eye to use for an interesting addition to a texture library. Anything is possible!

The painting shows the end of a great summer day!

Have a Happy and Safe July 4th Weekend!

The rest of the photo shoot was all about calling those Hogs! Go Razorbacks!

Her Mom was the first to have her picture made in the dress in this submitted photo.

 Her three cousins were next to have their picture taken by our studio. The first two little ladies are sisters. The third pictured sweetie is the daughter of the baby pictured in the middle. A Photoshop collage brings them all together.

As you can see, this dress has been very good to this family! Hope it looks just as good for the next generation as it did for the past two generations!