i was one of the lucky photographers chosen to participate in matilda jane's "photo love" contest. 

http://matildajane.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/10/photo-love.html

a group of about 45 photographers from all over the world were sent the same exact dress, and we were to photograph it with our "spin" on it.  yesterday we had to submit one photo from our efforts, and soon the judging will begin.  i wanted to post my entry so you could see it!  such a fun contest!  i will be posting more shots from the various mini shoots i had with my lovingly cooperative daughter (she was quite the trooper as we trudged through tide pools, back alleys, and neighbor's gardens.)

stay tuned for voting information!

orange, yellow, browns, reds and golds...none of which i could choose as a favorite combination as they all make my heart sing, but the two colors together that set the mood for me each year are black and ivory.  it's old, worn, vintage autumn.  vintage autumn....positively delicious, don't you think? i dream of an old house, stained with history and memory, old mantles holding up pumpkins and gourds, wind shuffling the leaves around outside, cider mulling on the stove, while the old black clock ticks away the time....i live in an old house indeed....1926....however, it's spanish in style and located in sunny southern  california, where even on the "stormiest" of days in the fall...the only rustle i hear is the trash blowing down the alley.  so there are moments when i get to visit places that hold above said treasures, and i was lucky enough to meet a new friend who let me into her surroundings and photograph away. thank you linda - your treasures are my treasures too.

i had the pleasure of photographing a sweet and spunky little girl by the name of ava.  we met at the seashore with her beautiful momma, kelly, on a lazy and warm california afternoon.  the two of them had flown in from the bay area that morning, and ava was ready to PLAY!  we scampered through the waves, made sand castles, gathered shells and searched for mermaids in the tide.  these two beautiful ladies swept through the water in gorgeous vintage dresses that caught the light.  sounds so romantic, and it was....and then the tide came in and pulled us all in, vintage dresses, sand buckets, and all.  i'm not sure what i enjoyed more....the beautiful light filled images, or the incredible time i had with these girls laughing,  playing, and lamenting our soggy plight.  thank you beautiful kelly and ava for such a wonderful session.

The gates of summer, once open wide like the arms of absent friends begin to close, haltingly, with rusty hinges creaking in cool mornings.

Summer's End by Holin Kennen

one of my last shoots of the "summer" was of a darling little girl named haddie and her baby brother ryder.  i drove up to their farm and gasped when i saw the rolling meadows of purple thistles, weathered farm gates, tire swings, birch trees, and oh....the horses?  did i mention the horses?  this was more of a playdate than a session, as i followed haddie around while she showed me her playground.  we caught the wind on the tire swing, gathered flowers in a bucket, looked at new kittens in the barn, fed her beloved horsie, and skipped down the gravel road in mismatched socks and a tutu.  i met her new baby brother, ryder, who we gleefully "stuffed" in an old trunk and antique quilt.  he was just as pleased to be there as we were to have him there in all of his 3 month old glory. 

dee and family, thank you for such a wonderful afternoon.  "playdates" such as this remind me as to how really blessed i am to have the job that i do.

as i wrap up all of my summer sessions, and move into fall and holiday sessions, i sometimes miss the warm and carefree days gone by. it's hard to believe how the "season" takes hold and how busy we all become.  septemeber marks the beginning of the holidays for photographers, school resumes, homework begins, alarm clocks, laundry, dinner........

it's nice to "lose myself" again in this particular session with sweet elly and her brother austin.  it was a day filled with summer peaches, watermelon, dollies, barley fields, and sunlit fields of wildflowers.  one of my favorite sessions, i wanted to share some of the beautiful images from our day together.