Parents, if you want wonderful pictures of your children, never teach them to say "cheese"! Please learn from my mistake or you will have thousands of photos just like mine - squinted eyes, scrunched up noses, clenched teeth, and an image that just screams "say cheez!!!". Join me while I search for that one perfect shot that doesn't conjure up images of dairy products. Oh, and unless you like that *messy* look, you'll probably want to clean their faces before you snap away. I never seem to remember myself.

An imporant sidenote is to make sure you document your life! Recording the little details of the who, what, where, when, & why makes for wonderful stories and captures your life for years to come. Because if you are like me, you'll forget it all 5 minutes later!

Monday, December 29, 2008

Favorites of '08

It is so hard to choose just a few favorites! There are many different reasons why I may like a particular photo - maybe it is the composition, the lighting, a happy accident, technically good, or just because I like the subject. But often, I'm not sure exactly what it is that I like in a photo except for the fact that it just speaks to me. I love capturing the moments of our life and the world around us. I love freezing a moment in time, to be remembered forever. Most of all, I love the emotions that photos can evoke.

These are the photos that, for whatever reason, really touch my heart and make me happy. These are the photos that may not be technically perfect, but hold much meaning and feeling for me. These are the photos that tell some of our story this year. These are {some of} my favorites of '08.

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On the ferry after visiting the Statue of Liberty. This was a wonderful family outing, my kids really seemed to get the meaning of Lady Liberty, and the ferry ride back was serene.

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Visiting Letchworth State Park in NY was so much fun. The sights were gorgeous and we all enjoyed camping, hiking, and hanging out as a family. My husband made sure that I got time to explore and photograph the area - our world is beautiful!

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I have a deep love for the ocean and the rocky shoreline we have here in the Northeast. This was another trip where I was able to spend time photographing our world. I could just sit and listen to the waves crashing on the shore for hours - it is so relaxing and meditative for me! Montauk doesn't disappoint. {Neither do wide angle lenses :-)}

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Fortunately my family loves the ocean as much as I do! They can skip rocks, search for sea glass, and chase waves for hours. And I just love watching them so carefree and content.

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This was such a special day. We went to Vermont for skiing and sightseeing. I couldn't ski because I was pregnant so my husband wanted to make sure I was able to have a photo journey. The weather was bitterly cold and the snow was piling up, but my husband insisted we still venture around the area...and it was glorious!

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Birthdays are so special...as are the secret wishes one makes.

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A happy smile from my beautiful daughter makes me want to stop time forever.

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Children & bubbles...a match made in heaven.

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She is a wonder through and through. She can be so girly yet so headstrong and tough. She loves dressing up and exploring. Getting her to pause for a moment is a treasure!

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My baby came early and reminded me once again how incredibly special life is and how deep love can be for someone you've only just met.

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They are my world and I love how tender she can be with her brother.

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There just aren't words to describe how much he means to me.

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Two of my favorite boys. My husband was a real trooper putting up with all of my ideas for capturing pictures of the two of them!

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A huge moment in this six year old's life...he lost his 1st tooth! After all, he and been waiting FOREVER for it to fall out!

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Getting a photo of one child smiling is often challenging, but all four?! A treasure so rare that I will totally look past the technical flaws here! Gotta love mommy goggles. :-)

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This shot sums up a happy Christmas morning...being in the moment, loving the surprises, and finding joy together.

I hope that 2009 is filled with much more living in the moment, lots of happy surprises, daily delights, and total carefree joy for all.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Your photos are beautiful. I can see why they are so special to you. :)

Rachael said...

These are all beautiful. Thanks for sharing your favorite memories from the year! Your family is gorgeous :)

Michelle said...

What wonderful photos! You've got some real awesome work there.

Becky said...

These are all absolutely gorgeous. What a beautiful summary of your year!

Amy said...

Gorgeous shots...I especially love the one of the Statue of Liberty.

Krista P said...

All I can say is "oh Wow!"

Your family is so lucky to have you to capture these memories.

Reds said...

Wow! Those photos are BEAUTIFUL!! Love them - the places, the people, wow!

Sharon said...

These are beautiful captures!

Angela2932 said...

Wonderful set of photos! Is your statue of liberty photo an hdr photo? You chose really incredible masterpieces in this recap of the year!

Unknown said...

Such a wonderful collection. I'm having a hard time picking a few of my top fav's. I really like that snow photo. TFS!

Mom2Drew said...

ACK, we got a Wii for Christmas and i can't wait to play it:) How fun and all these pics are such a great glimpse into your life, thanks for sharing.

pat said...

Great shots! That third shot, of the rocky shoreline, just made my heart sing. I can hear the waves retreating through the rocks. Sigh.

--sme said...

Wow, those landscapes are showstoppers! These are all great!

Anonymous said...

You have a beautiful little family!!! (little?) The pictures are beautiful, makes me want to go to NY!

Lori said...

Thank you for sharing these - they're wonderful! That first one took my breath away!

Jason said...

Oh those are great! TFS, it is fun to look back on the year!

Bobbi said...

These are all so beautiful and special, I can see why they are your favorites.

Jess said...

You had such an amazing year! WOW, I loved that journey through the past 12 months in your photos. You got a lot of keepers, that is for SURE!

Anonymous said...

I wasn't prepared to shed so many tears this morning... amazing.