Self Portrait
Took a self portrait the other day…
The image helped me remember how our children are so often…for better or worst…a reflection of our successes, failures, fears, virtues and vices…
Let us pray we do well by them!
-ehw
The Cowgirl
My Cowgirl...
The title suits my baby Big Girl. Took this after a hot day, late summer birthday party with her friends riding ponies. I swear you can see her independence, sweetness, and sass all in one shot.
Some people say a good portrait is supposed to let you see more than the image of a person...it is supposed capture the essence of the person. I can use some more practice, but this captures Kelley....
The 35 Yard Steel Target
Joyful Fatherly Moment on the Range
Time is in very short around here. It is a constant race against time to get up, feed, cloth, clean, teach, maintain, and then get back to bed before it starts all over again. It seems at least half of the eight of us are always out of sync with the others....Too often our weekends are merely Groundhog Days.
Well in the midst of all this I was able to take advantage of a wonderful opportunity provided by the Cherokee Gun Club. I was able to spend over four hours with the two big boys on the range learning safety, good habits, and showing them what a fun lifetime hobby looks like under the guidance of an incredibly patient guide and trainer from the club. Look them up, and if you have kids who want to learn the same...contact them. You will not regret it, in fact you'll be trying to schedule another visit! The boys will not let me forget to...and Momma liked the confidence the boys came home with.
The key to the day was the tutelage of Mr. Richard. You will not find a calmer and nicer man to enforce safety while displaying the joys of shooting. He listens, coaches, and keeps the focus of boys in a way I wish I could emulate. He made my job of being an extra safety and assistant coach a joyous one. In fact he made it easy for me to come home and say I helped my boys grow up a bit today. So I got as much a gift from today as they did.
One message I always find myself returning to in this blog is why my photography is important to me...and it so much relates to life. You have to find the good moments and appreciate them. Today was one of those good moments to be a Dad. Thanks God and the Cherokee Gun Club.
-ehw
Gone Fishing- Photo Essay
Just a few shots from going out and about with Kevin after dinner tonight. This boy may have a hard time concentrating on finishing his dinner, but he focuses pretty hard out here with his rod and reel.
Walking his line down to lure the fish in...
Dad I had a steong nibble
The Tin Fish which got away today
My little fisherman
Lessons From the Road to Josiah Anthony
Yesterday we welcomed our newest family member, Josiah Anthony to the family. He is a wonderful little boy, and the family gallery moments are full of rich loving emotion. People viewing these photos would think we live in a wonderful version of wonderful TVLand where all is right in the world. In reality though, the photos reflect a grace filled moment resulting from a gutwrenching year of enrichment leading to it.
Over the last year as a family we faced many challenges. Our adventures extended not far from the house. Daddy led only minimalist excursions, Momma struggled with health issue after issue, kids got sick, we faced challenges at school, in discipline, and we all lost our marbles from a problem or issue more than once. NONE of those moments were the type of Rockwell images I relish to build in either my personal or photographic life. I certainly never captured those moments outside of own cranium.
Friends can't come over, Daddy is at work, and Momma is too sick to drive? Hope for tomorrow and play with your siblings. Tired of groundhog Saturdays with no adventure...shut up and finish a job you had not finished in the house. Tired of having to do more and more chores, lacking Mom's presence in your life because she is perineally sick, or the thought you now have bigger bills to pay? Pray on why your giving into vices, and hit confession to seek forgiveness.
In the valleys of life we always have a choice to help ourselves go lower, hold the course or begin to climb to the ridgeline again. I know the only way we reached this glorious moment yesterday though, was because of our collective responses to those low points. We only occasionally failed to stay at or gain altitude, and never went into a terminal decent. The key to our family response was our collective final decision always kept hope alive through acts of faith and charity. We also paid up lots of pennace to each other for our internal transgressions.
We had a moment in some glorious graces, and now we are back to reality. A huge tree fell in the yard, feedings every three hours around the clock, littles now need to re-establish the household order, health needs restoration, there will be more chores to do, and needs to meet. The reward though will be more lessons leading us to greater heights of love, and good photographic moments.
So off to work we go!
-ehw
