Daydreamer

I dream of a day I can spend the day dreaming.

“Daydreamer”, Nikon D700, ISO 200, f/2.8 at 1/2500th sec., 155mm

=^..^=
Private appointments available
Kissimmee, St. Cloud, Orlando & surrounding areas

Photographing people, places, pets and ponderings throughout Central Florida.

Let It Go

When your mind is numb and frozen from grief, it’s normal to want to smack those who summarily insist, “everything happens for a reason.” And there are probably some instances where it’s healthy to actually do so. Let it go.

“Silk Silence”, Nikon D700, ISO 200, f/2.8 at 1/250th sec., 200mm

=^..^=
Private appointments available

Photographing people, places, pets and ponderings throughout Central Florida.

With Hope

“I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge. That myth is more potent than history. That dreams are more powerful than facts. That hope always triumphs over experience. That laughter is the only cure for grief. And I believe that love is stronger than death.”
― Robert Fulghum, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten

“Waiting with Hope”, Nikon D700, ISO 200, f/2.8 at 1/800th sec., 200mm

=^..^=
Private appointments available

Photographing people, places, pets and ponderings throughout Central Florida.

Empty

“We hear only our own voices, still echoes returning to our emptiness.”
—Dejan Stojanovic, The Sun Watches the Sun

James and I should be celebrating 23 years of life together today. Instead, I just feel the emptiness of grief.

“Empty”, Nikon D800, ISO 400, f/8 at 1/160 sec., 17 mm

=^..^=

Photographing people, places, pets and ponderings
throughout Central Florida.

Another Day

The heart doth recognise thee,
Alone, alone! The heart doth smell thee sweet,
Doth view thee fair, doth judge thee most complete,—
Though seeing now those changes that disguise thee.
— Elizabeth Barrett Browning, A Dead Rose

Today’s photo is one I shot downtown earlier this year, but hadn’t gotten around to editing until just recently. This is one of those cases where I knew exactly how I wanted to process the photo or, rather, how I wanted it to look once it was processed. More precisely still, I had a good idea of what I wanted the photo to communicate, paired with a stanza of Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s beautiful, reflective poem, A Dead Rose.

“Another Day”, Nikon D800, ISO 320, f/1.8 at 1/6400 sec., 50 mm

=^..^=

Photographing people, places, pets and ponderings™
throughout Central Florida.

Many of the photos on my blog are now offered on Etsy.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider sharing it.

You Are My Sunshine

You are my Sunshine
My only sunshine
You make me happy
When skies are grey
You’ll never know, dear,
How much I love you
Death can’t take my Sunshine away.

Remembering my husband, James Cantrell, on this 1st anniversary of losing him to cancer.

“James” [Click the image to enlarge/reduce its size.] Nikon D800, ISO 100, f/2.0 at 1/5000 sec., 50 mm

Windows of Time

And I was a constant example to you in helping the poor; for I remembered the words of the Lord Jesus, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
—Acts 20:35

We are only given so much time in life, and I’ve learned the hard way in the last year that none of us knows how long that is. I have concluded it is foolish to waste the time we have on purely selfish pursuits. Selfishness goes against the principle upon which life has been designed and built: Love. In all Creation, we can observe circles of love, circles of giving: the rain waters the earth which fills the rivers, lakes and oceans, supporting life, and then evaporates and gives back again. Thanks to the plants and trees, we have the gift of fresh oxygen. By putting Self first we effectively remove ourself from the cycle of giving, and we become damaged. A pond which has no exchange of water quickly becomes unhealthy and stagnant. All life consists of “wheels within wheels within wheels”, interdependent and inwardly dependent. If we determine to exclude ourself, those we are linked to will adapt and keep on turning, but our choice will inevitably lead to our own death. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of Love is eternal life…” (Romans 6:23)

Oops. I got preachy, didn’t I? Hope you enjoy the photo anyway. Please leave your thoughts.

“Windows of Time”, Nikon D800, ISO 640, f/22 at 1/80sec., 28mm

=^..^=
Photographing people, places, pets and ponderings.
Booking family, personal, business and pet portrait sittings throughout Central Florida

If you enjoyed this post, please consider sharing it.

Roses and Thorns

“The world, though fallen, is not all sorrow and misery. In nature itself are messages of hope and comfort. There are flowers upon the thistles, and the thorns are covered with roses.”
— Ellen G. White

And on those days when the thorns outnumber the roses, we must have hope that tomorrow will bring new blooms.

“Stone Roses”, Nikon D800, ISO 200, f/3.5 at 1/500 sec., 28mm

I’m embedding a link for a song that James and I both shared a love for, by an artist who was also taken far too soon from this life. When James and I first discovered our mutual admiration for this song we had no idea how relevant it would one day become for us. The answer to its question is simple: “We do; for only then can we love forever.”

=^..^=
Photographing people, places, pets and ponderings.
Booking family, personal, business and pet portrait sittings throughout Central Florida

If you enjoyed this post, please consider sharing it.

All of Me

“These wounds won’t seem to heal
This pain is just too real
There’s just too much that time cannot erase”
— Evanescence, My Immortal

As you can see, I spent some time at the local cemetery again, pondering and perusing the grave decorations. I came upon a few decorations I wanted to photograph for inclusion in my series A Grave Image, and will share those in my next few posts. There is something oddly cathartic for me in the making of these images; something that makes losing James take on a broader context among so many other monuments and tokens commemorating life, friendship and undying love. I find community and understanding in these visual testimonies placed here by fellow members of the fraternity of grief into which I’ve been involuntarily swept up and irrevocably indoctrinated.

I’m pretty happy with the way this turned out. She seemed to take on a life of her own during post-processing and the final image emerged without any forethought of creative intent on my part. I hope you like it.

“The Third Angel”, Nikon D800, ISO 320, f/2.8 at 1/2500 sec., 28mm
Click the image to view larger size and available print options.

=^,,^=
Photographing people, places, pets and ponderings.
Booking family, personal, business and pet portrait sittings throughout Central Florida

The Comfort of Sorrows

“Those who have suffered understand suffering and therefore extend their hand.”
–Patti Smith

“The Comfort of Sorrows”, Nikon D800, ISO 320, f/3.2 at 1/4000 sec., 27mm
Click the image to view larger size and available print options.

=^,,^=
Photographing people, places, pets and ponderings.
Booking family, personal, business and pet portrait sittings throughout Central Florida