I think it would be safe to say that Nate, along with his siblings, hase the creamitest complexion of any child in the state.  I may be wrong here, but I willstand by that until someone proves me wrong!   With such a soft complexion, I had in my mind a few images with soft muted colors almost matching his yummy skintone.  Of course, Nate is beautiful, but I love the tones and soft colors contrast with his blue hat and striking blue eyes. It helps them  pop off the image.

Now- if I could have talked  Tamarra into having some pictures made of her, I think I would have gotten tons of shots.  I feel like I have sort of let her down, coming away with a handful of images of her boy.  Admittedly, these pictures were tough for little Nate.  It was a last minute impromtu photo session that he didn’t give his consent for,  he didn’t really care to be sat down (ie: Nate really loves his mom and thinks her arms are pretty comfy) and in the end it never helps if you came away with a bruised forehead.    I faired a bit better than Nate and managed to out manuever his rolling and came away with a few gorgeous images of incredible blue eyes and those nice soft colors I wanted.    It also helps that Nate is baby perfection:  chubby, rosy cheeked and big blue eyes!

I was just looking back over my blog for the last year and I was really working last Feb.  That seems crazy to me, since 1. it’s really terrible looking outside  2.  it’s colder than normal  3. I haven’t seen the sun in, heck I lost count of how long 4. it’s really terrible looking outside!  Is this not the yuckiest winter ever?     I say “DOWN WITH THE GROUNDHOG”  and phooey on 6 more weeks of winter-  I am ready to see some spring around here!  

But I suppose the winter rain is good for staying indoors and I had all my babies home sick today, so why not force them into some pictures?  I have always been inspired by those gritty real life dark black and whites-  lately I have  happened upon some images from Haiti  as well as images from Chernobyl that really moved me.  The images were so emotionally bleak, but beautiful in their play with light and shadows.  I have really been thinking lately about what type of photography inspires me.   I love fun, funky avante guard work and I am often being inspired by other’s work.  In particular, there is a photographer that has always stood out in my mind as  excelling at having visual emotion in her images.  Her black and white images are dark, yet vibrant. While her subjects are children in very odd places, they are beautiful in their composition and with the light and shadows balancing each other  in perfect proportion.  I love light- and I love, in particular, one window in my house that lets in the most gorgeous light filtered through sheer curtains-  that room never lets me down.  So today, with my babies home and me wanting to  play around with gritty black and whites, I went to that room and focused my attention on nice sidelighting and my babies’ beautiful, soulful eyes.  I did come away with dark, gritty black and whites, but also a renewed connection with my children.  I can’t help but look in their eyes and see so much deeper than just a picture, and that will always inspire me.   

I will never cease to be amazed by how fast babies grow!  In one year they change so much and it’s really amazing  how rapidly they go from tiny newborn to a walking toddler- all in the spand of 365 days that whizzes by in a blur of sleepless nights, diapers and sweet smiles.  While I have to say that I completely understand the biological need for a child to grow so quickly, both for it’s own survival and let’s face it- the parent’s sanity, just one year doesn’t seem like enough time to soak in every memory, does it?

Happy Birthday Gracie-  and Congrats Mom!  I hope Gracie’s first year was everything you had dreamed it would be-

Here’s sweet Gracie one year ago-

and here she is celebrating her very first birthday!

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