ghosts of summer II :: trunks

In the wake of summer, I still have images to post even though Autumn is in full effect and the temps (thank God) have finally started to drop. I took along an old Minolta film automatic camera on a visit to the neighbors and their new pool. This shot is taken at the curb right outside their house before the kiddo stripped off his shirt and plunged right in. I just wish they made shark shoes like that for adults, I would totally rock those.

ghosts of summer

Summer isn't my favorite season, especially in Texas. The dry, dry heat literally zaps your energy and in the wake of this past summer I pray I never see 100 degrees ever again for the rest of my life, but I love the images summer evokes. Even the word conjures up beaches, pools, sand, sun, drinks, bathing suits, water parks, and the list could go on. The images of summer I really enjoy and I recently processed a roll that I had taken during the thick of the summer and had just been sitting on for a while. Well, here's one of my favs from the role. These were taken with an old minolta I had found at an estate sale, so these are more about memory than technically beautiful photography-but isn't that what photos can be sometimes, and ought to be, if not carefully preserved memories.

monkey squared

With the summer heat drying Texas out more and more each day, I do best by staying inside out of the heat. Lately I haven't been shooting much, but been reading and writing and making the most of my summer! In need of updating, here's a pic taken at the last trip we took at the zoo. I'll try to get more pics up soon but in the meantime I've become addicted to Instagram, the coolest way to share pictures taken on the run. Please feel free to download the app, find me under 'artbrand' and follow along. Until then, stay cool.

slip and slide

I love these shots of the boys. Every summer there's this unofficial ushering in of the season when we turn on the sprinklers, or break out the slip and slide, or whatever, and just let the kids do what they do best, which is have fun. I take pictures like this every time, but every time they're great. In just one frame of the boys I capture everything summer is supposed to feel like: being outside, the hot weather, cooling off, relaxing or playing... Well, everything that Old Navy commercials tell you what summer's supposed to feel like.

island living

Here's more from our beach vacation! The scenic shots were taken at different times during our trip. But, the photo of the seagull was taken right in front of our little tent/shelter from the sun. I hope everyone is enjoying their summer as much as I am! Take care.

souvenir shop

Why does America come equipped with tourist photo ops such as these? I don't know, but I'm a sucker for them like the rest of us. This is outside a souvenir shop about twenty minutes or so outside of padre island. Yes, we stopped there and went inside...they had dinosaurs on the outside! Who wouldn't!

beach house

Here's another cool beach house right off the coast of South Padre. Not too crazy 'bout the pink...

happy fourth!

No cool fourth of July pics, but here's some more from Padre island. I took so many pictures while down there, the ones you guys are seeing here are just a small pinch. A lot of them I took with film, so I'm just playing the waiting game until I can get those back from the lab. Anyway, enjoy your holiday everyone!

sea butterflies

After some self family portraits we took one morning, I got Ash to pose for me with some shells we found nearby for this shot. More later...

i'm home

Been back from vacation to South Padre Island for a few days now. We had a blast! Lots and lots of pictures coming your way so be prepared... Here's a little taste: one of the beach houses a person can rent. More coming soon...

so serious

No one takes playing in the sprinklers on a hot July afternoon as serious as this guy. Just look at that face...are you talking to him? Are you talking to him!?

the new 'do!

So, if you haven't noticed, I blog a lot of photos of my kids. Why? Well, they look great, are usually easy to photograph, and I typically get some great stuff. Today, though, was monumental. Why? Well just look and see...it's a boy! Ewan got his first official haircut-one in which he was long overdue (no pun intended).
Cute!

Mr. Jerry

Probably one of the most honest portraits I've ever taken, this was photographed with my mamiya c330, processed and scanned, about three years ago. It remains one of my favorite photographs. It's composition is simple, it's subject matter is relatively the same, but if anyone has spent any time with the man, this is a scene that is familiar, from the front stoop cigarette to the yard work shorts, this photo captures the essence of Mr. Jerry, a.k.a. 'Papa' to my boys.

poolside

A friend of mine invited us over for some fun in the sun. I slapped the boys in their swim shorts and we hit the road. Some three hours later we dried off, said goodbye, and got McD's but not before I helped orchestrate this shot. Ella (on the left) didn't want any part of it, so her arms are folded in defiance!

pirates!

Another photo I'd put in life's photo album: What does it take to be a pirate? 1. get a handkerchief (preferably one with a skull and crossbones or some sort on it). 2. tie it around your head. 3. run around saying "argh!" 4. die when you're stabbed by your little pirate brother and his plastic sword. That last step is when I took this picture.

boys will be boys

This was taken a while back when I first got my Lensbaby-a lens that lets you focus just on one part of the image. The chalk drawings are actually my son's, but I placed his shoes there in order to get the play set in the background. At the time my thought process was to capture images that reminded me of summer, and this image pretty much does the job.