Thursday, March 31, 2011

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

New to the Shop


I recently came across this alternate version of "Giant Burgers," and decided to add both this version, and the original, to my shop!



Also new to the shop...Limited Edition prints of "The Juice." I just received print #1 from the Metallic Edition and it's gorgeous! I can hardly wait to see prints on both the Premium Glossy and Superglossy photographic papers. Colorfully delicious!

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Friday's Found



I intended to share these with you yesterday, but where did the day go?
Have a Spectacular weekend everyone...!



(Each Friday I'll share a found photograph with you, in hopes of further celebrating how photography can enrich our lives. Whenever I visit thrift stores or antique shops, I really enjoy looking through bins and boxes of photographs and paper ephemera. Found photographs have an air of mystery about them, and whether they incite laughter, admiration, or a gentle heartache, they spark a sense of curiosity and wonder that makes me feel in-the-moment alive and part of a common humanity. And I like that.)

Friday, March 18, 2011

Friday's Found, Adventure 1954


"On top Pike's Peak from elevated stand. July 54"


(Each Friday I'll share a found photograph with you, in hopes of further celebrating how photography can enrich our lives. Whenever I visit thrift stores or antique shops, I really enjoy looking through bins and boxes of photographs and paper ephemera. Found photographs have an air of mystery about them, and whether they incite laughter, admiration, or a gentle heartache, they spark a sense of curiosity and wonder that makes me feel in-the-moment alive and part of a common humanity. And I like that.)

The Hideaway House

Decided to have some more fun with the Hideaway house ...
I can see "Welcome to Palm Springs" scrawled across the top, can you?

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Elvis, Marilyn, and Liberace



Elvis


Marilyn




Liberace


It's no secret that Palm Springs has some beautiful houses. Among them, the former homes of Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, and Liberace.

Marilyn's home reminded me of a cozy Hollywood bungalow, and though charming, Liberace's home displayed a subtlety I didn't expect.

I've never seen a home quite like Elvis' "Honeymoon Hideaway" and I hope next time we can take a formal tour or get a group together to rent it out for a night (how fun would that be?!) The home was built by the Alexander family, and has a fascinating history which I encourage you to read. It is said that the Alexanders "lived life to the fullest," and I believe it -- the exterior alone is a celebration.

As the story goes, Elvis and Priscella originally planned to marry there, poolside, but as press began to gather they slipped out and flew to Las Vegas to wed. Elvis and Priscella returned to the home to begin their honeymoon, and lived there for many months.

One of the things I love most about the home is that it simply sits at the end of a "regular" neighborhood cul-de-sac. Not perched high on a hill, not hidden behind a large iron gate... as if reminding us that "regular" people are entitled to an imaginative life too.

I recently heard a quote by John Cheever, that I can't seem to shake --

"The uptown slums are being demolished but the rectangular tenements that replace them have not a trace of invention. Their bleakness is absolute. No man has ever dreamed of a city of such monotonous severity and there must be some bond between our houses and our dreams."

For me, words to live by.




Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Give, receive




Now through next week,
I'll be donating 30% of proceeds from all sales to Red Cross relief efforts in Japan.

Limited Edition "Tokyo Garden" prints are new to the shop, at a special price of $15 for an 8x10 Metallic print.

Shop Roadside Photographs on etsy, or Able And Baker,
and know that your purchase will truly provide a gift that keeps on giving...

A number of artists and organizations are trying to raise funds for relief efforts.
To name a few:

Monday, March 14, 2011

Searching for Sunshine



This week, I'm hoping to find some time to revisit my Palm Springs photos. There are still at least a few I'd like to work on and share with you. I figure a little extra sunshine can do us all some good, yes?

Friday, March 11, 2011

Friday's Found - A Home

Today marks the beginning of a new feature on this little photography blog - Friday's Found (err, you know, that's the working title anyway.) Each Friday I'll share a found photograph with you, in hopes of further celebrating how photography can enrich our lives.

Whenever I visit thrift stores or antique shops, I really enjoy looking through bins and boxes of photographs and paper ephemera. Found photographs have an air of mystery about them, and whether they incite laughter, admiration, or a gentle heartache, they spark a sense of curiosity and wonder that makes me feel in-the-moment alive and part of a common humanity. And I like that.



I discovered today's Found photograph in an antiques shop in Northern California while on a daytrip with family (a daytrip that brought me this, this, and this.) At the time, Josh and I were several months into our new vagabond life -- a transitional period that would last one-and-a-half years. Who knew...

Though I enjoyed staying with family and friends (and hope to never forget the warm beds and generosity they provided us) some days I secretly wanted to press fast-forward and arrive at a day when we would share a home of our own once again. As I stood in the antiques shop looking at photos of families, and homes, and families in homes, my heart did ache just a bit.

Josh and I had just sold a home that we built together, and I quietly feared that we would never have an opportunity like that again. And then...I found this photograph. The heartache turned to feelings of excitement mixed with a romantic notion of just starting out, together -- the kind of feelings that suddenly turn a life's adventure into a life's grande adventure... Why not put the fears aside and go forth faithfully, capably and confidently? Like a friendly voice that says go ahead, go on, give it a try or a hand that gently waves you on, this photograph offered me reassurance.

I don't know anything about the people in this photograph, but it appears to document a markedly joyful moment in their lives together. The couple might have been much like me and Josh, at least that's what I like to imagine. I see the "For Sale" sign and I think of two people finding a perfect spot to build their lives. And if they really were anything like us, they would find themselves covered in sawdust and paint so many times that when they actually lived their days in this home, they couldn't help but to occasionally see past the walls and ornament, and recall the supportive structure they had formed together.

As it turns out, more than one year after that memorable moment in the antiques shop, Josh and I will be moving into a home of our own this very weekend -- and we are as thrilled as that couple standing under the For Sale sign. I look forward to sharing pictures, and telling you more about our new home soon.

I love that in this photograph, the sun was at a spot to prominately cast the photographer's shadow. Josh and I have had loved ones with us every step of the way, and our picture would not be complete without them, either.

I hope you all enjoy a wonderful weekend...


(P.s. It's somewhat bittersweet to share my excitement about our new home on this particular day, while so many people in Japan have suffered such sudden destruction and loss. I wish everyone love, warmth, and shelter, and can't help but to think that, although we often expect it to, shelter as a basic need does not always come easy. It seems that on each day we have been provided with it we are blessed, and I hope to always remember to remember this.)

Thursday, March 10, 2011

The Missile

3-2-1...

blast off!


(P.s. Thanks to those of you who commented on "Possible Pairings" -- #2 it is! I really enjoyed your comments.)

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Possible Pairings - What do You Think?

Every once in a while, a client will ask me for suggestions on which photographs to pair together. I really enjoy the process of finding just the right pair, trio, or quartet for a specific room or environment. Depending on how the photographs are paired, the overall color tones can go a variety of directions. Sometimes, simply the way the photographs are arranged on a wall can dramatically change how they play off of each other.

When working on photos, I discover that certain ones work together naturally -- usually they were shot around the same period of time or are part of a series. However, one of the most exciting things for me is to see what You pick out, and how you choose to pair or arrange my work. Sometimes You discover a combination that had never occurred to me, and I love it!

Yesterday I started working on a new promotional postcard, which essentially has four photographs on the front, and my contact info on the back -- basically a postcard sized business card. If you've ever purchased photographs from me, one of these postcards might be hanging on your fridge or bulletin board (or shuffled in a stack of papers) at this very moment.

So, here are a couple of versions of the new card-- Before I send one off to the printer, I'd love to know -- Which is your favorite? They're all similar, but different!









Thanks for your input, I hope you've enjoyed being a part of today's creative process...!