ElizaD Hill: The Art of Recollection

Love Is...

2012-01-23T16:08:00.000-06:00

It was 1933 and he was 24 when they got married. That is young by today's standards when marriages are delayed until we graduate from college, begin our careers, and check a variety of things off our to-do-before-we-have-children lists.

They never had children of their own. No one in the family seems to know exactly why, but they were greatly loved by their nieces and nephews, by their brothers and sisters.

This picture was taken in 1983 for their 50th wedding anniversary. In a photo album that no one knew about, it was recently discovered in his sister's attic. And what a marvelous discovery! Converted into a high resolution digital format, it can now be shared with all those nieces and nephews and with their children as well.

In addition to the beautiful vintage photograph, here is a photograph of their wedding rings. Notice how the shadow of the rings forms a heart. It makes me smile.

It reminds me of what love is to be: patient and kind. It does not envy, nor boast. It isn't proud, or rude, or self-seeking. It isn't easily angered and doesn't keep a record of wrongs. Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. (taken from 1 Cor 13).

Love. A commitment. A promise. More than a feeling, true love stands the test of time.

Fabric Box {Toot}

2012-01-18T13:33:00.000-06:00

In good conscience, I can't really call this a tutorial, since so many details are missing. That's why I titled this, "Fabric Box {Toot}". Get it? It's almost a "tutorial"! Details are missing, not because I want them to be a secret, but because I didn't create this project with the intent of also providing instructions.

However, I am honored that enough of you have asked about the project for me to respond by at least giving you a general idea of how to proceed with a box of your own.

It begins with a sheet of acid-free, heavy weight book board, available at arts and crafts stores in the matboard section. Each of my projects is custom sized, but the basic dimensions of this box are 5"x7"x1". There's the top, bottom, and four sides that have to be cut. I use an Exacto knife for the cuts. (I love Exacto knives. Not sure why, but I have a pretty sweet collection.)

The fabric is a tightly woven cotton, medium weight. Since the fabric will be glued to the box, it's important to prepare the fabric by adhering rice paper to the back before you begin the construction of the box. That will give the fabric/paper time to dry. The paper backed fabric is now officially "bookcloth". And the paper backing is to prevent glue from seeping through the fabric when glued to the box.

I used a hot glue gun to attach the bookboard sides to the bottom. The rest of the construction is done with a clear-drying glue like the LineCo product pictured below. I put the glue on the bookboard and spread it with my fingers. It's cooler to use a paste brush, but my fingers wash up rather well :-)

In addition to cutting the bookboard with a craft knife, I also use one to cut the fabric. The knife and a metal ruler gives you very accurate cuts - essential for a project like this. Another very important tool in the construction of a box like this is a bone folder. I use it to ensure the fabric is thoroughly attached to the bookboard, as well as using the point to create precise corners.

After the box was covered with fabric, it is time to line the bottom. You can use either fabric or paper. In this case, I used a lovely handmade scrapbook paper, attached using the same glue and the bonefolder to ensure any bubbles were pressed out.

Ta-Da!! Finished box:

And final presentation:

I like presenting photographs I've worked on in a unique, handcrafted kind of way. Whether it's a restoration project or photography, I want the presentation to both reflect my personality as well as be keepsake-worthy.

(For additional information about this or other projects, don't hesitate to email me at elizadhill@gmail.com)

Gala, Indeed

2012-01-17T12:04:00.002-06:00

It truly was a Gala in every sense of the word. And, as always, I learned a great deal by photographing the people that make an event just that - an event. This one was sponsored by the City of Arlington's Senior Center. And what an event it was!

I was honored to be invited to be their photographer this year. Even more honored as I had the opportunity to interact with those attending. Their smiles and laughter were infectious. Their friendships and support of one another - inspiring.

The center had been transformed into a winter wonderland filled with the sights and sounds of Christmas. But the warmth wasn't limited to the decor. To the contrary, the real warmth came from the people. They live life well. And it shows.

Thank you, Arlington, for allowing me to be a part of your Christmas Gala! And a special thanks to each of you who became the subject of my camera's lens. You are truly wonderful!!

To see the rest of the pictures, go to Proofs/ElizaDHill

(You will need a password which you can obtain by contacting Betty at the Senior Center)

The Year of Light

2012-01-08T14:58:00.002-06:00

I've dubbed 2012 as The Year of Light and this photograph is as good place as any to begin.

The afternoon of New Year's Eve, Tim made a fresh pot of coffee, poured a cup, and set it on the kitchen counter as we talked. Unfortunately for quality conversation, the bright sunlight coming through the window and the steam from the coffee were irresistibly distracting.

I grabbed the closest camera, adjusted exposure, and fired off a couple of shots. The purple light in the background is not added, it is the result of the bright sunlight from the window hitting my unprotected lens which was neither a wise nor an intentional choice.

I'm planning on lots of experiments with lights in photography this year, especially with off-camera lighting. Gary Baldwin, a local professional photographer, took time from his business in October to tutor me in the basics of off-camera Speedlights. Now I'm hooked.

I love natural light photography, but on-location natural light isn't always conducive to quality photographs. It just isn't. I'm hoping to gain enough experience over the next few months to handle speedlights creatively.

To accomplish that, I'll be looking for folks who would be willing to sit in front of my camera and be my lighting guinea pigs. I promise.....no animals will be harmed. :-)

Little Ladybug

2011-12-28T12:30:00.000-06:00

She wasn't too sure about me, and I can't blame her. Two days after Christmas, all dressed up in her new ladybug dress and then meeting a strange woman (that would be me) with a camera.

But what a beautiful little girl. What gorgeous eyes. And what a delightful personality!

She wanted her daddy close by - at all times. Warmed her daddy's heart, I can tell you that. (Warmed my heart, too. Reminded me of when my daughter was this little and her daddy was her big, strong protector. Actually, more than 20 years later, he is still her big, strong protector).

Daddys and their little girls.....nothing like it in the world.

Joy and Stuff

2011-12-13T13:25:00.000-06:00

Today was simply crazy fun. This brother and sister team are so good about being willing to try some poses that are just a bit outside "the box".

And for that, I credit their mom.

She has taken them for fun Christmas card pictures in the past, so they are accustomed to a mom-type-person with a grand idea holding a camera and bossing them around. She has turned out some lovely cards in the past - and she's in for a bit of surprise this year. We did all this while she was at work. :-)

Sandy, hope you like this little preview.....the remainder should be completed tomorrow!!

Katrina

2011-12-13T12:00:00.000-06:00

2005. Hurricane Katrina was one of the five deadliest hurricanes in our nation's history. It caused over $80 billion in property damage.

This wedding photograph was just one piece of history, severely damaged during the storm, but lovingly salvaged and now carefully restored.

The original was a 16x20 framed print, hanging on the wall in a home ravaged by the storm. This couple's son-in-law and his friends traveled from Memphis to help in the rescue and recovery mission. He found the wedding portrait and brought it back home with the plans to someday have it restored as a surprise for his in-laws.

The print was stuck to the glass, so the scan had to be done through the glass. Not acceptable. So.....

A second attempt at creating a digital image was a vast improvement. This is a combination of photographs of the original, along with scans. This digital composite that gave me the best possible source to work from.

While I was working on the photograph's restoration, the son-in-law was working tirelessly on restoration of the frame - a lovely gold-leaf ornate frame too beautiful to throw away.

The project took longer than anticipated, but the end result: Totally worth every single minute.

Tomato Cage Christmas

2011-12-09T10:37:00.001-06:00

I've been seeing so many Christmas tomato cage ideas on Pinterest, I decided to share how we've been creating tomato cage topiaries for nearly 15 years.

I first saw the idea of twisting a garland around tomato cages in Southern Living. Loved the fact that it is beautiful both during the day and at night.

To duplicate this look:

1. Find tomato cages. (easier in the South - we lived in Chicago when I made the original. My brother found the tomato cages for me in Kentucky.....these are 15 year old-imported cages)

2. Purchase 9 inexpensive garlands.

3. Twist 3 garlands end-to-end to create 3 long garlands.

4. Twist those three garlands together to create a fuller garland that won't appear insignificant when hung over an entry.

5. Add strands of lights. I've lost count of how many strands we now have.

6. Hang the garland, center first, arranging it around your door and around the tomato cages. (Be patient. Wear a reindeer antler headband......it helps......along with eggnog.......and cookies :-)

7. Add ribbon. About 50 yards of red velvet. The brown and green ribbons are satin, 30 yards each.

8. Add ornaments. (or not....It's perfectly lovely with just ribbon)

This year I added the cute little Santa buckets (thank you, Hobby Lobby) which I filled with candy canes. My son's friends will think that is a grand idea!

At the end of the season, I remove the ribbon and ornaments. I leave the garland and lights intact. I store it all in a large roller bag designed to hold an artificial Christmas tree. I include the ribbon, ornaments, even the extension cords, timer, etc. in the same bag. That simplifies assembly next year.

Maybe I should add my reindeer antlers to the bag, too. And maybe eggnog. And maybe cookies. (Just kidding about the perishable items. But next year, I'll have them on hand before I start assembly!)

Sneak Preview

2011-11-29T14:59:00.001-06:00

OK.......I can't resist....our Christmas card is in the works and I had to give you just a little sneak preview. Jokingly, I claim that we have a fan base for our Christmas cards. Therefore, each year I try to design a card that trumps previous years. And an unwritten (till now) rule is that I can't repeat any card.

Two years ago, my mother declared that I wouldn't be able to top that card. Maybe not, but it sure doesn't stop me from trying. I'll post the completed card AFTER Christmas (don't want to disappoint our fans by letting the cat out of the bag before the mail arrives. :-)

PS The cat, Chloe, was completely uncooperative - bag or no bag.

Seek the Welfare of the City...

2011-11-04T15:43:00.003-05:00

"Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you..."

Jeremiah 29:7

We were involved in a wonderful community service project on Saturday in which churches from all over the city joined together to clean up vacant lots, buildings, streets, and to share the love of Jesus with everyone we met.

To see photos from the day, click HERE.

Little Picture - Big Job

2011-11-04T13:39:00.001-05:00

Some projects are easier than others. And some that don't seem to be big are actually huge. That's the case here.

The original is only 2" x 1.5". The size, along with the amount of damage, made this photograph one of my tougher restoration projects. I'd love to actually breathe a sigh of relief, but I have another project in the works that makes this one look like child's play.

I don't want to tell too much about it now, but I will give you a hint.....It was a victim of Hurricane Katrina. I expect to be finished with it next week. You won't believe the transformation!

Something Different

2011-09-20T17:44:00.000-05:00

Tim and I just returned from 10 days on the coast of Oregon + Redwood National Park + Crater Lake. For something just a little different than my regular restoration posts, here's a link to some of our pictures. I will be writing about an experiment I'm conducting regarding vacation pictures. First installment should be available later tomorrow. See you then :-)

Soulful Eyes

2011-09-20T17:22:00.002-05:00

Some stories are happy. Some are sad. Some are silly. Some are completely make-believe. And unfortunately, sometimes, the stories are nothing short of tragic. So it is with this young boy with the deep, soulful eyes.

As I worked to uncover and brighten his young face, I kept wanting to rescue him. To make it better.

But I can't. His story is from many years ago and his life now rests in the arms of Jesus. Thankfully, in His care, no more pain or heartache can exist. Thankfully, with Him, these young eyes are beholding His glory.

And hopefully, this photograph, restored and returned to his big brother (as a surprise birthday gift) will also restore some light in their memories of this young boy....the boy with the deep, soulful eyes.

Home on the Range

2011-09-05T19:45:00.002-05:00

I wanted to be a cowgirl. You already knew that. But my time as a cowgirl was, in reality, just dressing like a cowgirl. It was make believe.

You see, I lived in town. Even though Granddaddy bought a couple of old horses and a pony for the grandchildren to ride, there weren't any bandits or stagecoaches or herds of cattle to drive across the range. We had no tumblin' tumbleweed. We weren't cowpokes. We were just kids.

Not so for this young boy....

He is the real deal. An honest-to-goodness cowboy. He grew up on an actual working ranch. With cattle. And horses. With cowboy hats and string ties and boots that were part of the clothing they wore while doing the work of a rancher - not part of a costume.

Here he is sitting with his mother on a real fence on their real ranch. No sitting in front of the black and white television watching Roy Rogers on Saturday mornings for this little guy, pretending to ride the range. No, sir-e-bob! He was actually riding the range.

He still has the saddle he used when he was a little boy. He still has the branding irons they used on the ranch. What treasures.

I'd never met a real cowboy before. (To be honest, he isn't a cowboy anymore. He is a highly successful businessman, which makes these pictures all the more special.)

His Home on the Range looks like an amazing place to grow up........ a place I could only imagine.

"Happy trails to you, until we meet again......" just couldn't resist :-)

In the Meantime...

2011-09-01T14:56:00.002-05:00

I am working. Really I am. It's just that the projects I'm currently working on are all to be given as surprise gifts. So I can't post them. Yet.

One post will be entitled, "Home On the Range". Another will be "Just a Little Bit". A third project remains unnamed, but the story behind the image is one of the most touching I've heard.

In the meantime.....

Here are a few of the pictures from an event our church recently hosted for local seminary students. All items are donated by church members, sorted, and then set up in the gym by our volunteers for a no-cost "shopping spree". I didn't hear a final count of the number of participants. Let's just say....a lot!

Taste of Chicago

2011-08-19T15:24:00.000-05:00

Chicago. Just got back from a wonderful week visiting what was our home for 6 years. (Ok, technically, we lived in a suburb of Chicago, but we like to claim the City as our home).

We stayed downtown so we were able to walk to whatever we wanted to do. It has been four years since I was there, so I wanted to revisit some of the things I love most.

That meant walks on the beach, time at Navy Pier, an architectural tour, lots of wonderful food, and then, just for fun, sailing out on Lake Michigan on aThe Lynx, a privateer schooner.

There's so much to see and do there, I'm completely convinced you could never do it all. But just in case you haven't been to Chicago, here are a few photos to encourage you to take time and go play.

This is the Chicago River. Like the rest of the city, it has a very interesting history.

Capturing the magnitude of the city is very difficult. I thought the reflection of skyscrapers in a skyscraper came about as close as any of my photographs to communicating just how spectacular it is.

Navy Pier - always fun.

And Buckingham Fountain - breathtakingly beautiful. (wait....just discovered there is an underground Buckingham Fountain tour.....!!! Guess I need to go back....)

And finally, all Tall Ships "sailaway" tours were sold out by the time we got to the ticket booth....that is, all except the 5:30pm tour. I was excited, anticipating the lovely late afternoon light. It didn't disappoint.

PS. The first picture is of the Old Water Tower - one of the only structures to survive the Great Fire.

Like Father, Like Son

2011-08-05T18:00:00.001-05:00

I love days like today. First of all, after so many days of excessive heat, humidity, and unrelenting sunshine, it rained. A cool, refreshing rain that was heralded by glorious thunder and lightning.

Second, this football picture project is nearing completion and has been a total delight.

The first photo was taken during a game in about 1920. This young man eventually went on to play semi-pro football.

I love the original picture. The uniforms, the determination on his face, the efforts of the other players: elements all working together to tell a story about this part of his life.

This picture is a good illustration of what to me is the most basic part of creating a photograph that inspires. A truly captivating photograph not only engages our eyes, but also our hearts.

This photographer captured the moment perfectly. He captured it in such a way that it ignites our imagination. It makes us want to know the outcome. We want to be one of the people in the photograph. We want to be cheering his team on to victory.

Then there is the picture of his son, taken about 40 years after his father's football career. He looks so much like his father, it's amazing! And although the son's photo is staged, there is a determined expression on his face that causes you to assume he was a formidable opponent.

The original photograph was rather large: 20x30; too large to easily incorporate into a home's decor (unless of course the decor was vintage sports bar). So the task here was to downsize so that it could move from underneath a buffet to a place where it can be appreciated.

The grandson also played football and they are hoping to find a photograph of him to add to this collection. They will all be matted and framed and will remind everyone of the common interests of this father and son.

We're Melting!!

2011-07-26T12:45:00.010-05:00

It was truly exciting - not the melting part, the photography part! Recently, I had the opportunity to be a "second shooter" at a wedding at the Brooks Art Museum. The venue was absolutely beautiful. Or maybe breath-taking would a more accurate adjective....

'cause the wedding was outside....late afternoon....temperatures in the 90's.....humidity off the charts....it was hard to breathe......yet in the midst of a hot Memphis summer evening, an artistic, sweet, young and patient couple sweltered in the heat, and yet somehow managed to always keep their "cool".

I, on the other hand, was simply thankful that black doesn't show sweat. :-) Thanks, Mindy, for allowing me to shoot with you. You are absolutely terrific!!!

I always love a photograph that captures the subjective element of mood. This is one of my favorites from that hot summer afternoon. I think I can speak with confidence when I say that all the guests were very thankful for the fans - quite a thoughtful gesture from the bride and groom.

Volunteer Orange

2011-07-22T10:44:00.073-05:00

Volunteer. It can mean "one who enters into or offers himself for a service of his own free will". It can also mean "growing spontaneously without direct human control or supervision". It could also refer to the University of Tennessee sports teams.

Tennessee Vols Orange. It's bright. It makes a statement. It's just not the best color cast for a photograph. Especially considering that these little boys are from Kentucky!

In photos like this, the cooler colors have faded, allowing the warmer tones the opportunity to "volunteer" to become the predominate colors. This gives the photos an unattractive orange cast. Not good, even if these boys had been a Vols fans!

I correct photos like this with a combination of corrective Photoshop layers, relying heavily on both Channel Mixer and Color Balance. These tools, along with Curves and Levels can return photos like those on the left to their former condition.

Definitions of "volunteer" are from Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary.

Fabulously Fun

2011-07-20T17:45:00.005-05:00

It's fun to pretend. Seriously. It's also fun to be the one behind the lens. Truly seriously.

The best part of these shots is that I didn't stage them. We had done some of the stand-and-look-at-the-camera-shots. Next thing I knew, they were making a story up all by themselves.

My camera and I simply played along.

'Twas A Fabulously Fun Afternoon!

Because we were playing on and around a vintage train, I converted some of their photographs to a soft black and white for a vintage, somewhat timeless feel..

Welcome Back, Baby

2011-07-11T12:16:00.002-05:00

It's pretty amazing how much a photograph can change over time. It's also amazing what you can do with patience and Photoshop. In this case, this little baby girl has practically disappeared due to yellowing and fading.

But now: Welcome back, little one.

Happy Birthday

2011-07-10T13:48:00.017-05:00

First, it was The Home Show. Now it's HGTV and Food Network. It would be fair to say that I've spent more than a few hours watching TV hosts who are capable of instilling in the unsuspecting viewer an overabundance of confidence.

Confession: I am one of those unsuspecting viewers.

Over the years, we have torn out walls, built a kitchen island from scrap wood and leftover cabinets, stripped miles of someone else's wallpaper, hung a quarter mile of our own wallpaper (and later stripped it, too).

But this week, it was Cupcake Wars that created in me the desire to boldly go where I've never gone before. On that show, I've watched them produce thousands of creative cupcakes. Thousands. So for our birthdays this week, I decided to try my hand at cupcakes that require a little more effort than Open the box, add water.....

During the quest, I was delighted to find Mary Carter's (recommended by a friend who is a marvelous baker/confectioner). I left there with absolutely wonderful black gingham cupcake papers and the decorating tips needed to fill cupcakes (or any other pastry).

Presenting for your snacking pleasure, clad in black gingham: Fresh Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Buttercream. In the hot pink leopard wrap: Pina Colada creme filled white cupcakes topped with Rum Buttercream. Verdict: Both delicious.

PS Happy Birthday, Sarah! Oh, and Happy Birthday to me, too!

Oh, Beautiful!

2011-07-05T11:32:00.005-05:00

We've had a wonderful week celebrating our nation's freedom.

Each year, our party begins the last Sunday in June with Starlight Spectacular. The estimate is that this year, 15,000 people attended and were served by 400 volunteers.

My husband, Tim, volunteers parking cars. For 3+ hours. On the blacktop.

In near 100 degree temperatures. With the sun beating down. That means the ambient temperatures must be approaching 1,000 degrees. (Ok, maybe I'm exaggerating just a bit.)

I'm a member of the photography team for our Communication Department. My assignment is always to mix-and-mingle, photographing children and their families enjoying the event.

(While, I can't boast the black-top volunteerism, I can tell you that stepping in a wad of fresh chewing gum in the grass in flip flops in this kind of heat = gum flipped and flopped from the bottom, around the side, and finally over the top of my foot.)

Our family's party peaks on the Fourth with the city of Germantown's fireworks display.

But, the end of our party is yet to come. My daughter and I celebrate our birthdays in just a few days. So the blackberry cobbler and ice cream will soon be replaced with birthday cake (and ice cream).

But until then....here's a small sample of our celebration of America the Beautiful!

Let the Celebration Begin!

2011-07-01T16:22:00.006-05:00

I absolutely love Fourth of July celebrations!

Maybe it's the parades. (I am a fan of streamers, flags, marching bands, patriotic music). Maybe it's the food. (Seems like Mama always made a fresh blackberry cobbler for the Fourth. I'll be making one, too.....and homemade ice cream.) Or.....

Maybe it's the fireworks. (My favorite spot is so close that you get some cinder fallout). Or maybe it just touches my heart to celebrate the freedom we have in our country because of the service and the sacrifice of the men and women in our armed forces.

Whatever the reason, I'm ready! Let the celebration begin!!!

Playing the part of Japanese tourist at the WWII memorial in D.C......I will never again hesitate to pop open an umbrella in the sun.

And while in DC, I was able to verify that we have multiple ancestors who served in the Revolutionary War. Yep, that's the Daughters of the Revolution building. My sisters and I are excited....application in process :-)

Hawaii Circa 1970

2011-06-30T14:14:00.003-05:00

This turned out to be quite a project. I merged three images taken in Hawaii over 30 years ago. The color was so distorted in the originals that I had to decide on an artistic direction.

I could have kept the colors muted, but since I doubt that the water was actually the color of our Mighty Mississippi, I opted for a an over-saturated, vintage postcard look.

I like the end result. It definitely has a vintage feel to it, and since the owner of the photographs is a avid scrapbooker, I'm thinking this version of the image will work really well in the layout she's planning.

Try, Try Again

2011-06-29T15:00:00.006-05:00

My great-grandmother always used to say, "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again." Regarding the topic of successfully utilizing on-camera flash, I've tried and tried, but up till last weekend......it just hadn't worked for me.

However, in the spirit on Maudie's advice to continue to try, I am currently on a quest to, once and for all, learn to use flash creatively.

I was thrilled to be able to utilize some of the techniques I've gathered while shooting at a huge outdoor venue. Happily, I can report that for the first time ever, I felt that I was in control of my flash unit, getting shots that matched my vision.

Fill flash is actually a simple concept, but for several reasons I had not been able to achieve my desired outcome. Determined to figure out what my problem was, I have been reading and practicing what I've read. It was Neil van Niekerk, in his book, On-Camera Flash, that finally began to get through to me.

While I have several shots that demonstrate the effectiveness of creative fill flash, these two clearly illustrate what shooting with natural light looks like compared to adding fill light. I was testing a new diffuser-contraption as well. I'll give you the information on it soon. I want to do some more testing, but so far, I'm a big fan......a really big fan.

I'm sure you are wondering just how much I Photoshopped the first image. Very, very little. I used a curves layer to add a bit of black which made the sky more dramatic. Removed the light on the right side of the image. Sharpened a tiny bit and that's it!

Maudie, Thank you for always reminding me to never give up.

Trash to Treasure

2011-06-27T11:08:00.008-05:00

It was $15. The perfect size and shape. You know you either have a great vision or that you've lost your mind when the woman at the check out counter looks at your newly found treasure, then at you, then back at the treasure.... and finally while shaking her head "no" just says, "Um....um....um".

I told her I had a vision. With raised eyebrows, she replied, "That's a good thing." I promised to bring her before and after pictures.

I needed a table for my new desktop PC to perch on. It had to be small, but also very sturdy. I was hoping to figure out a way to contain my multiple power strips (being a gadget-girl does add more than a few design challenges).

Rescue: Little piece of junk/treasure. In its' original life, it was likely one of two drawer towers from an dressing table. In its' new life: a wonderful table for my new PC.

Before and After


Work in process......the power tool part of the job is handled by my husband

Welcome Guests

2011-06-24T15:03:00.004-05:00

Finally. Done. Seems that there was always something that claimed priority over this project, but finally it is complete. We made the headboard using scrap lumber, batting and foam from Johnson's Fabrics in Bartlett, and this lovely fabric from Premier Fabrics in Germantown, TN.

The picture over the bed was the "inspiration piece" for this room. The colors are perfect and the price even better...it was scavenged from a pile of trash. Yes. Seriously. From a pile of trash.

Now that this room is complete, I can focus more attention on an ongoing project of decorating another bedroom in the retro style of Dick and Jane. {makes me giggle to even think about this}

And yesterday, I added a project I hope to have completed this weekend.....converting an apparent piece of junk I snagged at a local thrift store into a stand for my new PC and a sneaky place to hide cables.

Pillowcases embroidered by my husband's great-grandmother. They are absolutely perfect.

Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer

2011-06-20T12:20:00.049-05:00

This year there were about 3,000 children and 800 workers.

Whatever happened to the lazy part of the Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer? So far, this summer has plenty of hazy and crazy, but the "lazy"? Not so much.

Vacation Bible School: a week of high energy, fun, games, and the love of Jesus shared with children and their families.

The weather was "cooperative" meaning no rain, but the temperatures were in the mid and upper 90's each day. Thank goodness for refreshments, water games, and a delightfully air-conditioned building!

A little imagination during Family Night celebration, had me wishing, just for a moment, that the confetti was real snow! (Just a little snow..... in June..... in Memphis ....now that would be truly extra-outrageous!)

Happy Retirement

2011-05-19T18:33:00.001-05:00

This is just one of the faces in town last weekend to celebrate her granddaddy's retirement. I hadn't met the family until just a few minutes before the banquet began. But what an incredibly sweet family they are. The love, honor, and respect they demonstrate toward one another was inspiring.

During the shoot, I had a back stage pass to be with a family who live out love, patience, gentleness.....this family and their friends celebrated a lifetime of service. They celebrated the life and work of a truly faithful man. BTW: Could this little face be any cuter??! I think not.

Rain, Rain, Go Away

2011-05-02T18:02:00.038-05:00

Lots of rain then. Lots of rain now. Lots.

The year was 1979. I had purchased my first SLR (Pentax K1000) and was in a photography class at Bellarmine College in Louisville. Eager to practice what I was learning, I headed out with friends to The Great Balloon Race which kicks off the Kentucky Derby {cue My Old Kentucky Home}.

But morning came early, and it was cold. And it rained. And rained. And rained.

However, I watched and waited. After a while the sun broke through and the balloons soared. But before the sun, before the soaring, I noticed this lone little boy watching the giant balloon.

This one child, standing in the cold rain, quietly watching the giant balloon come to life captured the mood, the feeling of those cold, gray, rainy early morning hours in which we all waited for the Rain, Rain [to] Go Away.

Upper left is the original print. By today's High Def standards it lacks clarity, contrast, and pizzaz. Bottom left has more pop, but it doesn't communicate the mood as well as the original - it's too clear, too cheerfully saturated with color. A soft black and white was my favorite version. This has an understated, classic feel.

When I Grow Up

2011-04-27T15:26:00.007-05:00

Somewhere I read that when we are toddlers, we interact in our world in a more genuine manner than we do as we get older. As a toddler, we don't hesitate to laugh, to cry, even to have a tantrum - emotions perfectly appropriate for our current situation.

I also read that at about the age of three, we begin to understand that the important people in our lives expect us to behave in a certain way. We want to please them, so we try to conduct ourselves in a manner that we believe will make them happy.

I love the laughter on the face of this little girl. She's holding her Granddaddy's hand, probably at Easter. I have no idea what was going on that was so funny. But she laughs - and her Grandaddy smiles at her.

I've decided this is what I want to be when I grow up. Someone who isn't afraid to laugh with abandon. Someone who is genuine. Someone who finds the joy in the moment.

Hoping that someday, as I grow up, I can be more and more like this little girl; because when this little girl grew up, she became me.

Freshness

2011-04-22T19:01:00.005-05:00

I've been painting. First was a guest room. Was in the mood for a blue ceiling. So I did it. It's a Benjamin Moore paint: Spring Mint. The walls are a soft yellow: Concord Ivory. And somehow this was the beginning of wanting everything I see daily to look fresher, cleaner, brighter.

elizadhill reflects me and currently "me" is wanting an update. It began today with the new header and background. There's much more to come. More freshness.

This ad was the inspiration for the color in our guest room. See, like I said.....Freshness.

What's the Point?

2011-04-20T16:39:00.028-05:00

When you look at this image, it's hard to imagine it began as....

.....the picture with the dark, harsh background. It's a matter of personal taste, but this baby's family wanted a softer, high key look. I agree.

Your eye is always drawn to the area of greatest contrast in a photograph. In the case of this "before" your eye is drawn to the contrast between the dark background and the vintage christening gown. It is a beautiful gown, but if this were your little 4 month old, what would you like to be the focal point of the photograph?

The antique gown, or the baby's face?

My vote: Julia's sparkling eyes and adorable baby face.

Before and After: The New 'Do

2011-04-13T14:09:00.004-05:00

The big reveal for the haircut was Sunday afternoon. She was at our house for her brother's birthday dinner and after cake, I snapped these pictures of her new hairdo. As soon as I uploaded them, I was reminded of a toddler version of my daughter with bangs and a bob haircut and a perky headband.

Of course, I realize this is my daughter, and that I'm not entirely objective, but how absolutely cute!!

Before: 2 yrs old. After: 24 yrs old. She has always had long hair. Gloriously thick, shiny, healthy long hair. She recently moved into a house, shared with three other young women, one of whom is an intern at a rather prestigious salon in Memphis. Sarah was last week's model. The cut to demonstrate: Invented Bob. The result: Fabulous!

Just a thought: creating a compare and contrast layout using photographs from the past along with photographs taken today tells a story that otherwise couldn't be told.

Grandpa's Cream Route

2011-04-06T20:59:00.007-05:00

The original picture is from the late 1800's and was printed on a postcard. It has been stored in one of those "magnetic" albums, but fortunately, there was no adhesive on the face of the image.

As I've said before, I really have a thing for photographs of horses and the carriages and wagons that served as actual transportation, not as a novelty or as a tourist attraction.

Sweet Smiles

2011-04-06T20:20:00.022-05:00

I've had the opportunity to meet some really wonderful people through my business of restoring vintage photographs. This little baby with such a sweet smile is now a mom whose son who has a personality and imagination that reminds me of my son.

As she tells about his latest antics, my mind replays scene after scene of my son at that age. I smile at the similarities. I smile because my son is now a senior in college and I can see the light at the end of a tunnel filled with imagination, light sabers, capes, friends, tall tales, and debate after debate. Hang in there! One of these days, you'll look back and smile, too!

Color Adjustment (2)

2011-04-04T17:16:00.003-05:00

Like my last post, the greatest challenge in this restoration was the color.

Moderately simple changes in tone and contrast began to reveal details lost in the original. The best surprise in these details was her eyes. They are spectacular!

Soon it was time to re-work the color. The color in the original was now more of a suggestion rather than clear, distinguishable colors. By adding masked Color Balance layers at varying opacity, I was able to create understated colors that I feel are in keeping with the tone of the original.

This is one beautiful lady. I would have loved to have known her. To grow up under the watch-care of these sparkling eyes and lovely smile....priceless experience......priceless memories.

Color Adjustment

2011-03-29T15:19:00.027-05:00

Honestly, I find color to be the single most difficult element to restore. I've tried one technique after another, but recently developed a combination that works for me.

So here's a tip: try using a series of masked color adjustment layers, varying the opacity of each layer and "painting" the image where you want specific color to appear. I'm liking the result.

PS This is not the only technique I used on this 30 year old photograph, but it was the one that created the greatest improvement.

Horses, Carriages, and the Derby

2011-03-09T17:39:00.005-06:00

I have a special affinity for horses and carriages. Maybe it comes from my little girl dreams, fueled by Saturday morning westerns, of becoming a cowgirl. Or maybe it comes from growing up in Kentucky where once a year, the stage is set to watch magnificent thoroughbred horses compete in the Kentucky Derby.

Regardless of the reasons, I love vintage images of horses.

This original is so faded, it was practically non-existent. Because there was so little detail in the original, the restoration does have a bit of "noise". However, for the owner of this image, just being able to see the horse, the carriage, and the driver means mission accomplished!

The young woman is wearing a hat that seems to be covered with roses. Since the Derby began in 1875, who knows... maybe... just maybe, she was on her way to a Derby party. (Not really, this lovely lady lived in the Midwest. Not likely she was headed to Kentucky, but I like to pretend.)

To add to the horse and carriage theme, the image below is one of mine. The original was recently shared by one of my cousins and what a family treasure. This team of horses belonged to our Granddaddy and although he had retired them long before we were old enough to remember, we do remember playing on and around this carriage, which was stashed in the back of his company's garage.

I Recently Learned

2011-02-25T14:16:00.000-06:00

Lessons learned in making an oversized birthday card:

1. Think about how you will ship it. Not only think about it, but check to see what size boxes and/or shipping envelopes are actually available in your area.

2. Keep the dimensions "standard". (see number 1).

3. Don't procrastinate (nor keep adding on to the project so that it doesn't get completed in time to mail)

4. Bite the bullet and ship it anyway. (see number 1, 2, and 3)

This card, for a surprise birthday party, turned out to be about 16 x 18 inches. The face of the card is a 12 x 12 digital image using photographs I copied from my aunt over 10 years ago. The background is created from a photograph of my grandparents house. I converted the photo of the house into a digital sketch and then layered the photos and text on top.

The card itself is a piece of water color paper, 18 x 24, that I folded and trimmed to the size I wanted. The deckle edge on the card and the mats was made by folding and tearing the paper.

An 80th birthday is special. Vintage images used creatively are special, too. Paying Fed Ex to ship a piece of paper in a ridiculously large box.......oh well, Happy Birthday, Aunt Vena!

Something Creative

2011-02-24T13:21:00.000-06:00

If ever there was a phrase that reminds me of my mother, this is it. To say she was creative is a bit of an understatement. She was a talented musician, a gifted artist, and I like to think that I inherited some of her creative way of looking at the world and at life.

These wonderful stamps are from The Paper Source. This is actually part of their trademark and what a delightful trademark it is. So while The Paper Source owns the rights to the saying, my heart is completely on board with the idea of doing "something creative every day".

The day is early......it's not too late to do something creative today!

Happy Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T11:03:00.000-06:00

Thanks to Jessica for a great Valentine's photo and to Florabella for the Valentine's Card download.

Update

2011-02-08T15:30:00.001-06:00

I've spent most of the day today, revising my personal blog. While I am liking the changes, I do wish my mother could see it.....well.....maybe she can....

Gone Fishin'

2011-01-21T16:47:00.000-06:00

One of the best parts of today's technology is that it allows me to enhance an original photograph, bringing out details and features so that the story is more clearly told.

In the original 2 x 3" snapshot from about 1945, the young woman displays a remarkable grace even while hauling in her catch of the day. From what I understand, this was likely the one and only time she ever went fishing. Her passion, then as well as throughout her life, was art - certainly not fishing.

Using a variety of digital tools, I was able to bounce digital "light" back onto her face, illuminating her features while preserving contrast in the remainder of the scene. The finished print is 8 x 12, and in it, you can clearly see the little fish, the stripes in her dress, as well as her wonderfully fashionable shoes.

This photograph makes me long for warmer weather.

Florabella Valentine

2011-01-14T14:21:00.000-06:00

She's done it again - and offering such beautiful card templates for FREE! Florabella: check it out!

Takin' It To The Streets

2011-01-09T19:02:00.002-06:00

It's a cold Sunday. Snow in the forecast. A few flakes have begun to fall. Have Cincinnati-style chili simmering. Decided to convert some of my old vinyl albums to put on my EVO so I would have some fun "walking music".

This particular album is such a wonderful color and with my monitor in the background.....couldn't resist a shot or two.

I used a digital filter to add a bit of simulated Kodak Ektachrome 400 color and grain. Seemed appropriate considering the era from whence this album originated - 1977.

It is a remake of big band music with (dare I say it) a disco beat. Should be a good for walking, don't you think? That is, if I can just resist the urge and avoid "Dancing' In the Streets" (wonder if we have THAT album in our stash, too....)

All we need is music, sweet music

There'll be music everywhere

They'll be laughing, singing, music swinging and dancing in the street.

Life's a Trip

2010-12-31T14:28:00.000-06:00

2010 was a trip. Literally. Although not a trip on a train. It was a year in which we celebrated events from the past, and a year that brought home the stark reality of the present.

First, the celebration. We celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary with a trip to Hawaii. It was an absolutely perfect trip.

Unfortunately, 4 days after we returned home, we received a phone call from a health care professional, informing us that my father-in-law required relocating into a facility that was better equipped to provide care for his escalating Alzheimer's disease.

About two weeks after that, another phone call, this time from my sister, to tell me that our mother had suffered a devastating stroke. My father-in-law now lives close to us and my mother in a skilled nursing facility (where she receives wonderful care).

Life, forever and undeniably, altered for us all.

So to close out the year, we decided on some fun (maybe even a bit silly) photographs of ourselves.

The suitcase originally belonged to my mother-in-law. Her parents gave it to her when she went to college. When you do the math, you learn that the suitcase and I are the same age. hmmmmmm

When I opened the suitcase, not only was it filled with Tim's great-grandmother's sewing supplies, but there was also this fantastic tie in it! I persuaded Tim to wear the tie (he thought it too skinny - I thought it most marvelous) The coffee mug? I always am sipping coffee when we travel. The guide book? Tim is always the planner/organizer of our trips.

In case you are wondering: yes, these train pictures were made in a public place and yes, we posed like this in front of people who were just strolling by. It was surprisingly fun. (The beach pictures were shot during our anniversary trip by a talented young photographer on Oahu)

The point here is that the past, the charm, even well-worn patina can be beautiful. It adds texture, interest, to what would otherwise be rather boring. The other point is that sometimes, life causes us to travel a road we would never, ever choose. What we can choose, however, is HOW we travel. And to the best of our ability, we are choosing to trust God and to travel with Him....wherever He leads.

So, to bring this, my last post of 2010, to a close, we would like to wish each of you a very HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Bend, Don't Break

2010-12-27T18:01:00.000-06:00

What a splendid "last minute" Christmas project! Serendipitous, actually. I had just finished my last work project and had a couple of days before Christmas when I received a call from the little girl in this picture - a little girl who is now a mom with children of her own. This photograph had been stored for about 30 years, had never been framed or displayed.

Long ago, life circumstances for these cute children changed, but before those circumstances separated these sweet little ones, this photograph was made - a photograph that captured a time of sweetness, of love and happiness.

The original was a large photograph - 16 x 20 and was printed on a heavyweight, textured paper. As you can see, the damage was significant with tears through both children's faces.

The photograph was torn on opposite sides of the photograph which puzzled me at first. Then I realized that it had torn where you naturally place your hands to pick it up. While the paper is a beautiful paper, over time it had become hard and brittle. I found that even the most gentle handling threatened to cause additional damage.

It reminded me of people. Of real life. It's important that we retain a degree of flexibility in our lives. It's important that we be willing to bend and flex as we encounter external circumstances that apply stress to our lives. Without the ability to bend, to flex, to change, we become stiff, fragile, and altogether too easily injured.

So here they are now. Those sweet little faces smiling back at us as we admire their bright eyes...their little hands....their engaging smiles. The computer, Photoshop, and a lot of patience can return photographic images to a condition in which they can be shared and ejnojed. However, brittle people are not quite so easy to "fix". When we become hard and brittle in life, true restoration can only take place by the loving touch of our Heavenly Father.

See, I told you, this truly was a "splendid" Christmas project!

Joy to the World...

2010-12-24T16:44:00.004-06:00

The Lord is come...

We hope that you and your family find much joy and love for Christmas and throughout the New Year.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

PS Check back on Monday. I've got a wonderful restoration project for you to see! IF I can wait till Monday to post.

The Night Before Christmas...well, not quite yet

2010-12-20T15:53:00.000-06:00

The "Night Before Christmas" book belongs to their mother, who is a dear friend of mine. I'm wondering if the reason "...not a creature is stirring, not even a mouse..." might be due, at least in part, to the lovely Maggie-kitty.

These are some of the pictures from a "To The Point" mini-shoot for their Christmas card. Ya'll were loads of fun! Hope you have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy Facebook profile pic!! :-)

Christmas - Sneak Peek

2010-12-13T10:44:00.000-06:00

From a mini shoot for a Christmas card.....just a sneak peek.....and just maybe peeking is part of the fun :-)

Little Faces

2010-12-01T15:11:00.001-06:00

Here is another project for the assisted living apartment we were setting up for my father-in-law. The image I was working from was about 3x5 and was printed on an consumer grade ink jet printer several years ago. Even the scan was better quality than the original image.

I wanted these two little faces to be the first thing my father-in-law saw when he walked into his new apartment. After cleaning the image up and changing it to a soft black and white, I created two images, enlarging just the little faces of my husband and sister-in-law.

I tried two sizes, one 16x16 and the other 12x12. While I originally planned for them to be canvas gallery wraps, I didn't like them standing away from the wall that much. The apartment is just too small for that. Instead, I found these frames at Archiver's in Memphis. They are unfinished pine frames, designed to be embellished. However, for my use, a semi-gloss black spray paint was not only quick, but also just perfect.

And yes, these little faces were the first thing he noticed when he walked into his apartment....

Coming Home from WWI

2010-11-29T10:50:00.000-06:00

These are scans of a postcard (about 3x5) from WWI. The soldier, having served in France, returned to the United States on this ship.

I combined the two images to create an 20x30 image for as assisted living apartment for the soldier's son. I chose not to repair the creases and discolorations of the original. I also chose to leave the soldier's handwritten note at the bottom, "I came home on this boat". I wanted it to look like the vintage piece that it is.

Matted, framed, and hanging in the apartment, this was quite a surprise to the new resident. A unique piece of art that brings back memories and creates a sense of "home".

Sometimes Life is Crooked

2010-10-27T13:15:00.000-05:00

I could have straightened this photo. But I like it crooked because it tells an unintentional story. We had spent part of the afternoon with a wonderfully talented photographer on the North Shore of Oahu. We had planned to have her do a 25th Anniversary shoot with us.

As soon as our meeting was over, Tim and I headed south to Papa'iloa Beach, where some of the LOST television show's beach scenes were shot.

We arrived slightly before sunset. There was only a very narrow alley leading to the beach and from where we parked, you couldn't see the beach at all. We jumped out of the car and raced down that alley. When we spilled out onto the beach, it was an amazing view. LOST. We could envision the crashed plane on the beach. We recalled the dazed, confused expressions on the characters' faces as they came to terms with their reality.

I didn't have my Nikon w/ me - I only had my little point and shoot. And to top it off, I had failed to put the camera card in from uploading pics the night before. So here we are on a LOST beach. The sun's about to set. A total of 5 pictures can be held in the camera's internal memory. So I quickly plopped that little camera right down on the sand, set it for fill-flash, set the self-timer, and ........ ta-da.....a crooked photograph.

In retrospect and in the light of our current life stage with our parents (my mother and Tim's dad), seems that this photograph communicates a bit more than originally intended.

Sometimes life is crooked. Sometimes it squeezes you down into a narrow alley where you cant see the end. Where you rush and hurry to get through the narrow spot only to find yourself crashed. Dazed and confused.

Life is a process. A process of change.....so we sometimes cry, sometimes become angry and frustrated, sometimes laugh, sometimes sit stunned.

But we trust.

God.

In everything.

Do not Squander Time

2010-10-27T12:37:00.002-05:00

Tuesday, October 19, 2010:
My mother had a stroke - a debilitating, forever life-altering stroke. Left without the ability to swallow, speak, completely unresponsive on one side of her body, she is now living her worst nightmare.

An incredibly artistic woman, the past several years had been overshadowed by the pain and frustration of fibromyalgia. Her creativeness was an infrequent guest as fibro made himself a constant, unwelcome presence.

And now a stroke. Airlifted to a hospital equipped with stroke specialists, she received the best in medical care. They stabilized her, and last night transferred her to a skilled nursing facility with a rehab wing.

Time.

Time will tell.

Time flies.

Time is precious.

"....do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of."

Benjamin Franklin,

Poor Richards Almanac 1746

On the Move

2010-10-27T12:37:00.001-05:00

Monday, September 27, 2010:

We received a call that my father-in-law can no longer stay in the independent living facility he moved into just one year ago. His dementia has progressed and is affecting his mobility so that he is no longer safe without additional assistance.

He doesn't want to move. We wish things were different. But they aren't. So Tim asked his dad if he would please consider moving here - to Memphis - to be closer to us. And he liked the idea.

More than 900 miles on the road, many hours meeting with care center administrators, taking tours, asking questions, making arrangements.....a target move date has been chosen. Coincidentally, our target date is the same date as the National Alzheimer's Association sponsors it's annual Fall Memory Walk.

This year they've named it "On the Move..." and if all goes well....Moving: that's what we'll be doing that day, too.

We've heard that Tim's dad is telling everyone he's moving here. Like he's proud to be moving closer to his son. It chokes Tim up. Me too.

What a crazy time of life.

In the Mood

2010-10-27T12:37:00.000-05:00

Once upon a time, in a photography class at Northwestern College in Naperville, IL, we were asked what we liked to photograph. Going around the room, each student was to share their name along with our particular photographic interest. "Landscapes.......people......animals........nature......." Then it was my turn.

I took a deep breath and said, "Feeling. I want to be able to capture the feeling of the moment." There was a long pause and our professor said, "That's the most elusive quality of all to capture....."

That's probably why it's not especially important to me to have the subject of my photograph look straight at the camera. It's why it doesn't bother me if I don't have a row of smiling faces in my photograph.

I find that I revisit photographs that give me a sense of what the person, place, or event was like. A photograph that communicates "feeling"

"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.....and it was good..."
Beauty. Wonder. Music. Feeling. Mood.......is good.

Lake Barkley

2010-10-12T20:49:00.000-05:00

Holiday Discount

2010-10-04T14:10:00.000-05:00

Very often I meet people who have pictures they would like to have repaired, but they are reluctant to arrange to have them restored due to anticipated cost. However, the cost may be less than you think.

I am committed to providing this service to my clients at an affordable rate. The actual cost varies based on the degree and type of damage, but you just might be surprised....

I am offering a 30% holiday discount for off the price of one photographic restoration project to the first 5 new clients who contact me within the next 5 days......starting......NOW!

Hawaii

2010-09-25T16:01:00.000-05:00

Where do you start with pictures from nearly 2 weeks in Hawaii? Or, with over 800 pictures, more specifically, where do you end?

The first pic is of THE BEACH in LOST. We didn't find it until the sun was setting. There were two pro photographers there, shooting wedding pictures. We (well, mostly me) scurried around the pros to grab some pictures of this scene we had seen so many times during the LOST series.

But, Hawaii isn't simply the tropical scenes we all think of when we imagine being there. Thanks to the volcano, there are 11 of the 13 microclimates all on the Big Island itself. There is the rainforest, alongside the scrub brush, the lava beds...cactus down the street from coconut palms. It was a fascinating place - absolutely fascinating.

to put this scene in perspective.....IT WAS AS HOT AS THE DICKENS!!!

More later......

Practice What I Preach

2010-09-10T10:20:00.000-05:00

We are preparing to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary with a trip to Hawaii. We are sooooo excited, I've already started packing!!

After years of practice, I've become pretty good at setting my camera on a tripod, using the self-timer, and dashing around to pose w/ Tim and the kids before the shutter fires. But sometimes, it's simply wonderful to have someone else behind the camera.

Case in point, Jessica from 503Photography, did a mini photo shoot with us 2 years ago. I could have never captured the same look and feel like she did.

I often suggest hiring a professional photographer to folks - even when there isn't a significant life event, like a wedding. So to practice what I preach, I've made arrangements with a wonderful photographer in Hawaii to photograph us celebrating 25 years together.

Her name is Natalie Norton - I love her photographic style and her approach to post-processing. Those of you who know me know I have some rather strong opinions about this topic - ok, I can just hear you saying, "....really? Beth has a strong opinion....??" lol. Anyway, I'm here to tell you that planning for the shoot with Natalie has added to the fun and excitement of our trip.

Yes, I'll be posting pictures... Aloha!

Texture-ized

2010-08-31T10:43:00.000-05:00

Here's what's crazy about this.....the great-granddaughter, one of my regular clients, looks JUST LIKE HER GREAT-GRANDMOTHER!!!
I wish I had a picture of her so I could post the two of them side-by-side.

After I cleaned this up, I went back and added some background texture - just for fun. I'll give my client both versions.....she's an artist, so I have a feeling she may like the one w/ the added texture.

Captured Feeling

2010-08-23T20:03:00.000-05:00

Not every photograph that needs to be preserved is a studio portrait - not at all. Photographs capture the way we look at any given moment in time. I think the best photographs are the ones that capture the feeling of the moment and this one certainly does.

This was about 1993 on the Beast at King's Island. It was one of those images snapped by the automatic cameras designed to catch your expression at a sudden drop, twist, or turn. Those images are not made to last a lifetime - the paper, the ink - it's really just a way for the amusement parks to make a little more money.

But these expressions are priceless. That automatic camera caught each one of us being ourselves. And although the image has faded, our memories of that afternoon haven't....and now, the kids can share this picture with their kids and tell them about the time we went to King's Island....and rode the Beast....and squealed and laughed and laughed again!

The Final Cut

2010-08-15T14:04:00.000-05:00

It was a very hot and humid day. Wait.....hasn't every day this summer been hot and humid? Yes. Yes, it has. It was so humid that, as soon as we stepped outside, my lens fogged up....Not quite the look we were going for....soooo....

After cleaning off the lens (more than once), and looking for the remnants of sun to backlight her hair, this is the result.

Many of you have been asking to see Sarah's hair after the cut. And although the humidity put a quick end to these curls, for the moment, they were lovely! (Ps notice her eyes match her dress and no, I did not Photoshop the color)

Making Faces

2010-08-11T17:46:00.000-05:00

Ok, first of all, don't you love his hair?!?? It's such a great color and then has just a touch of curl. I suspect he will fight that curl as he gets older, but as a three-year-old, it's just perfect!

We took pictures of his brothers and saved this guy for the end. It was unmercifully hot, but he managed to play "make faces" with me and we didn't even have a "I'm-sad-cause-it's-too-hot" face. (To be more accurate, he didn't wear the "it's too hot" face.....can't say the same for me, however :-)

His expressions were priceless....especially the ones he made up himself!

Thanks for playing, LOVE your animals! They are just too cool!

Related posts:

Love
Imagination
No Longer a Child

Joy from the Heart

2010-08-09T11:19:00.000-05:00

What a happy little girl! Unfortunately, the original snapshot, from about 1960, was stuck inside a plastic sleeve from a wallet.

This little girl, all grown up, now provides home health care - a service that enables senior adults to live independently a bit longer. When I first met her, I discovered a delightful personality. She is warm, caring, and inviting - perfect for the home health industry.

As I worked on this image, I observed that the woman today reflects the same joy as we see on her face when she was a little girl. This joy, flowing from her heart to her face as a child, is now shared on a regular basis with her home health clients and their families. Joy comes from the heart, and is seen clearly in this little face.

Where the Heart Is.com

Locks of Love

2010-08-05T11:03:00.000-05:00

First of all, I love these locks :-) I never managed to grow my hair this long. Sarah wins!

However, it's time for a change. The record-setting, blistering heat in the MidSouth sealed the deal. Sarah has an appointment this evening to cut her hair and donate it to Locks of Love. But before her hair was cut, we decided it would be fun to photograph it in it's entirety.

So here she is with her "Locks of Love":

And here she is just after the first cut. Wait till you see the final result......she came home, dried her hair in a blink of an eye, changed clothes and was off to show her friends.

It looks absolutely terrific! We will take "after" pictures this weekend. Stay tuned.

Tough <<<< Love

2010-08-03T10:14:00.000-05:00

He had a tough time at first. He was born with a rare type of diabetes that kept him in the hospital his entire first month.

He's now four months old....blood sugar under control.....thanks to God for providing a most excellent medical team of professionals right here in town.....and if that isn't enough to make these eyes shine....he's got THE BEST Mama and Daddy. He will grow up with parents who are giving their lives to a ministry that seeks to improve the quality of life in a part of our city that desperately needs it.

Love. Isn't that what you see when you look at this little face? Love. That's what his parents give to each other, their family, and their neighborhood. Love.

Skye's Giveaway ---------> Opportunity

2010-07-28T10:13:00.000-05:00

Once again, Skye Hardwick and Jodi Friedman are teaming up to offer tools that help photographers produce better images.

Skye is giving away:
* One Workshop Workbook {theworkshopworkbook.com}
(comes with free Posing Guide & More – read about here)

* Two $50 Gift Certificates to MCP Actions

MCP Actions { http://www.mcpactions.com/ } is not only a fantastic resource for Photoshop Actions, but is also a great place for Photoshop tutorials {http://www.mcpactions.com/workshops.html }. The "Blog It Board" sample above was created with MCP's free action "Try It Blog It Board".

And, optionally:
* Skye will critique 10 of your images

Check out what others are saying { raves }!!

Imagination

2010-07-27T10:16:00.000-05:00

When I look into these eyes, what I see is imagination. I love it! I loved the story about how the Lego motorcycle guy's hand was cut off....I loved his ideas about what kind of pictures we should take and where we should take them.

Imagination - priceless in any generation, but with so much imagining done for us through the media available at every turn, it is truly a priceless gem.

Gemstones sparkle, imagination sparkles, and these eyes sparkle.

No Longer a Child

2010-07-24T13:24:00.000-05:00

The last time I saw this young man, he was about 8 years old, and was a avid video gamer. When I saw him again last week, I was amazed at how much he has grown up. No longer a child, he is incredibly intelligent, confident, handsome, and yes, still a gamer. :-)

As much as I enjoyed taking photographs of him, I loved his questions about cameras, photography, and talking about "stuff". He is a terrific oldest brother to three young boys. They are certainly lucky to have him to look up to.

(And yes, I'd be honored if you used the pic as your FB Profile pic....)

GIbson Girl

2010-07-19T17:55:00.000-05:00

Charles Dana Gibson (1867-1944), an American illustrator, drew the famous "Gibson Girl."

From Wikipedia: "The Gibson Girl was tall and slender....
she had an exaggerated S-curve torso shape achieved by wearing a swan-bill corset. The images of her epitomized the late 19th- and early 20th-century Western preoccupation with statuesque, youthful features and ephemeral beauty. Her neck was thin and her hair piled high upon her head in the contemporary bouffant, pompadour, and chignon ("waterfall of curls") fashions...The most famous Gibson Girl was probably the Belgian-American stage actress, Camille Clifford, whose high coiffure and long, elegant gowns that wrapped around her hourglass figure and tightly corseted wasp waist defined the style."

I just completed work on this photograph. On the back is written "Wedding Day of..." I would say it was the wedding day of a true "Gibson Girl".

Me and My Brothers

2010-07-17T21:50:00.000-05:00

Just me.....

..and my brothers.....

....strollin' down the avenue.... (or gravel road as the case may be :-)

... to see more click here

Fifty Years of Cowboy Boots

2010-07-07T19:50:00.000-05:00

Maybe it's a bit silly, but this week, I'm celebrating 50 years of cowboy boots. My birthday is Friday, and it just seemed appropriate to have a couple of photographs to illustrate that although time is passing, some things never change. I love boots. I love fringe.
Even though I'm now very, very grown up.

Disaster Averted

2010-07-07T19:35:00.000-05:00

This is another photograph from a terrific client whose family photo albums all sustained water damage. She and her grandmother had created the albums which included her grandmother's handwritten notes on the album pages.

As soon as she had discovered the damage, she tore the albums apart, laying pages flat to dry. Mildew has begun to develop on some of the pictures, but all in all, she did a fantastic job of recovering those precious family photographs.

One by one she and I are taking the photographs from a single print of varying quality, and turning them into images that she will be able to share with her children and they with theirs. Disaster averted.

FloraBella and Skye: Double Giveaway!!

2010-07-01T21:16:00.000-05:00

Skye Hardwick has teamed up with Flora Bella for a fantastic giveaway!

These actions and textures are incredible! Check out the details on Flora Bella's website {http://florabellacollection.com.

Skye's Giveaway

2010-07-01T20:54:00.000-05:00

Once again, Skye is giving away a copy of her fabulous workbook. Check out her blog for details about her workbook, her posing guide, as well as some really exciting changes in the works.

Ready to be inspired? Visit her website, http://www.theworkshopworkbook.com
and grab your camera!!

What's the Point?

2010-06-29T19:28:00.000-05:00

A friend recently asked me for a quick tip on improving her photographs. While there are quite a few factors that have to work together to produce a pleasing image, I honestly feel that maybe the most important is answering the question, "What's the point?" Making that decision before you press the shutter will cause you to more carefully examine the scene, looking for images that will communicate best.

This shot is one of many I took at a local community celebration. It is a very large event, thousands of people in attendance, and it can be difficult to effectively capture. I chose to post this image because viewing the crowd from the boys perspective gives you an idea of the size and scope of the event. Also, now that I look at it, I wonder how in the world this boy managed to wear his jacket??! The temperature was about 97 with a heat index of 107. I didn't even notice he had a jacket on - I was too busy trying to not die of heat stroke!! And yet there he stands, looking all cool.....amazing.

First Father's Day

2010-06-20T18:11:00.000-05:00

The first time a young man gets to celebrate his role as a father -it's just an incredible moment. The wonder of that little baby....the love....the responsibility....a day to pause and realize that...

Happy Father's Day!!!

21 Years....

2010-06-16T16:17:00.000-05:00

1978. The year I purchased my first SLR. I had a 50mm 2.0 lens, the camera was manual, and it produced fabulous photographs. This photograph of a sweet little boy was shot in 1990 with that Pentax K1000.

What to say? Time passes. This sweet little boy is now 21 and has become a wonderful young man. He is someone I can trust, someone I love, someone I admire.....he is my son.

Daddy's Girl

2010-06-11T20:35:00.000-05:00

They aren't this little for long. The sleepless nights become a vague memory, although that may be the result of months of sleep deprivation rather than the dreamy passage of time. I have to laugh. When my daughter was a baby, I asked my Mama when I would get to sleep through the night again. As I waited for her response, hoping for encouragement, she replied, "Never."

Mama was teasing. You do get to sleep the night through again, but never quite like you did before there was a sweet little bright eyed lady like this one in your house. A tiny infant who has generated more love in you than you ever imagined possible. Someone who holds your heart in her tiny fingers. Even when she sleeps the night through, you don't. You wake up and slip into her room just to watch her breathe.

What a delight when we took these pictures. I got to hear this little miss Laugh Out Loud! Music heard all the way to Heaven! LOL, indeed, little one!

Don't Forget "Place"

2010-05-25T10:00:00.000-05:00

This a bit of a different project for me. Rather than a photograph of people, restoring a place was also an interesting project, especially since this is where I went to school. I was not able to work from the original photograph. Instead it was from a low-resolution scan, so the end result is much more pixelated than I would like. Nevertheless, it is still a marked improvement over the original, which had lost all of the original color information except for blue.

I wanted the result in black and white so that it would be a nice companion piece for a retrospective storyboard I'm working on.

If you are considering which photographs to have restored, don't neglect the environmental.

Cat and Mouse

2010-05-23T10:00:00.000-05:00

This is my home version of cat and mouse. Chloe is my near constant Photoshop companion. She has her spot on my desk, under a lamp that she uses as if it were a sunlamp. I have concluded that after two years of regular Photoshop use, she has settled on a favorite "action"......sleep :-)

To Chloe, my little Photoshop friend:
This wouldn't be nearly as much fun without you.

Workbook by Skye Hardwick

2010-05-22T11:30:00.000-05:00

Check it out!

I recently discovered Skye Hardwick, her beautiful photography, and fabulous workbook that is jam-packed with valuable information for photographers.

Her photographic images are a masterful combination of elegant images with textures and embellishments that cause me to slow down and examine the details. Inspiring.

Incredible work, Skye. Thank you for making this information available to all of us.....

http://www.theworkshopworkbook.com

Father's Day

2010-05-12T13:44:00.000-05:00

Father's Day is June 20. For a unique gift, check out the "Storyboard" on my Products page.

Catchlights

2010-05-07T16:48:00.000-05:00

You've heard the saying, "The eyes are the window to the soul." Well, in photography, not only are the eyes windows to the soul, but you can sometimes SEE the window IN the eyes!

To the left is a small selection from a restoration I've just completed. The original image was badly faded and discolored and very tiny (only 1.5 x 2"). When you looked at the original, you saw the little boy, but couldn't discern any of the details.

After bringing some of the original detail back, I found that both eyes had light streaks across them. While you couldn't see this at all in the original, in the restoration it became a major distraction.

The catchlights captured by photography are always in the shape of the light source. If your subject's face is illuminated by a rectangular window, the catchlight will be rectangular. If the light source is round, the catchlight will also be round. If you use a flash, you will most often notice a single very bright spot in the center of the eyes. (not the most attractive catchlight, in my opinion)

I couldn't see any visible scratches in the original image that would have caused these light streaks, so I have to wonder if these streaks are actually the shape of the flash the photographer used. Regardless of the source of the streaks, they had to go.

Remember to look at the eyes of your subjects. Watch for the catchlights. A window with diffused lights creates beautiful light in the eyes as does light coming under a porch or other outdoor structure.

By the way: sometimes, you will find yourself reflected in your subject's eyes. (Look carefully at the little boy's eyes at the beginning of this post.)

It's going to be a beautiful weekend here in the MidSouth. Take your camera and a favorite person and practice finding and capturing the light in their eyes.

Those Eyes....That Smile!

2010-04-28T18:44:00.001-05:00

Those Eyes....That Smile...put them together and what do you get???? A priceless expression!

This little baby and her mom (and dad, too) are so absolutely special....she will be dedicated to God on Mother's Day. Could that be any more wonderful?

All her pictures are posted in the "Slideshows" tab. Enjoy the many expressions of this sweet baby....

(PS Her expressions in the slideshow tell quite a story - and make me laugh out loud - LOVE this little girl!)

"Do You Scrapbook?"

2010-04-24T13:55:00.000-05:00

When asked if I scrapbook, the simple answer is, "no". It's rather ironic, since I had the opportunity to spend two years working at Archiver's, a fabulous paper-crafting and scrapbook store. The ladies I had the pleasure of working with at the store, both employees and customers, create the most wonderful and inspiring scrapbook pages. I admire their work and appreciate the time, effort, and love that went into each layout.

Although I do have a few completed traditional scrapbooks, my primary interest has always been the photographs. Add to that my long term interest in computers, along with the need to generate multiple copies of my ancestry pages, and digital scrapbooking is a perfect fit.

Here is an example of a double-page spread I did recently of some of our family photographs.

I create each of these pages as 8x10's and upload them to a site where all my family members can print their own copies. This way, any work I do can easily be shared.

Whether your pictures are being preserved in a traditional album, a beautiful hand-crafted scrapbook, or as digital images, I encourage you to get those photographs out of boxes and ready to share.

Tell your story....

1920's Baby

2010-04-13T19:53:00.000-05:00

The original image is very small - only 1.5 x 2.25 inches. The finished image is 5x7. I chose not to change the black stripe down the side or to crop the image. I kind of like the "not quite perfect" composition. Maybe I find it reassuring for all those shots of my own that I didn't get the composition quite right. Maybe someday someone will appreciate my slightly off center shots.

Look at that smile! Look at the sparkle in the baby's eyes. Who would ever guess that this baby is now a Grandfather! I am helping his daughter with a project for her dad. She is scrapbooking all his vintage photographs. Unfortunately, after her first compilation, which she had worked on with her grandmother, the scrapbooks suffered water damage. She has taken all the photographs out of the damaged books, and little by little she and I are restoring the images for a new book she is creating.

She is a wonderful daughter and has embarked on a marvelous labor of love. (Wait till you see the pictures of her dad's favorite horse....)

'Twas The Day Before Easter

2010-04-05T15:34:00.000-05:00

Lucky! That's what I thought when I went "way out in the country" to photograph these girls and their mom. First of all, they are lucky to have each other. These three love each other with a mightly, unshakable love.

Second, they live close enough to their grandparents to be able to spend lots of time at their house "in the country". Their grandparents love them like crazy, too.

It's not as if everything is easy in life, but spending an afternoon with them, watching them, taking pictures of them, and laughing with them, I came away thinking, "Lucky!"
(Not to mention these tiny bunnies at their grandparents home!)

These are two of the sweetest girls I know.

(Now a word to their mother: you are doing a FANTASTIC job!)

Accordion Books

2010-03-26T14:47:00.000-05:00

Check out the latest offering on my "Products" page. These sweet little photographic accordion books are so versatile - use them to highlight people, events, vacations, the school play, or even vintage images. They are a perfect "Brag Book" size - 3x3. I'm really excited about these little books. Can't wait to create one for you!

Vintage Beauty

2010-03-21T18:39:00.000-05:00

I thoroughly enjoy working with vintage photographs. However, I also enjoy having my camera in hand, capturing images of today. Both require conscientious effort to produce images that communicate the feeling of the moment and that can be shared with future generations.

Isn't this a wonderful photograph? In addition to the broken frame, there was mold and mildew on the photo, along with the obvious discoloration. It's exciting for me to see the original image come back to life. Oh, and check out the youngest child. When I removed the discoloration, I immediately noticed that this little squirt was very busy pulling up his (yes, his!) stockings!

Here's a take away for all of us: Looking perfect in our photographs really isn't very important. This one wouldn't have had nearly so much personality if this young child had been sitting there perfectly straight and still. As it is, it captures his personality.

Before

During

Completed

BTW: Have you watched "Who Do You Think You Are" on NBC on Friday night? Not a bad way to spend an hour and may just help you re-think keeping all those photos on your computer. Sitting in front of a computer monitor simply doesn't compare to turning pages in a 100 year-old-book,or holding vintage photographs with names written on the back by your great-grandmother. The computer is a fantastic tool, but let's not neglect print.

(The reminder is for me as well. With digital cameras, it's altogether too easy to upload and then add more and more and more without ever creating any printed photographs. "Easy" does not aways equal "Good".)

Baby Emily.....Edited

2010-03-18T18:21:00.000-05:00

Baby Emily edits are well underway....

I'll continue to add photos to this album. so check back on Monday
(have a restoration job to complete tomorrow)

Anniversary Album

2010-03-17T15:21:00.001-05:00

Thank you for allowing me to share in this wonderful celebration!
For information about prints, books, or albums, please email me at elizadhill@gmail.com.

Then and Now

2010-03-15T14:57:00.000-05:00

The original photograph is the only picture they had from when they got married, March 1940. The original is about 2.5 x 4.5" and had some mildew, creases, and one large crack running nearly the length of the image.

For their 70th wedding anniversary, their family wanted it enlarged to display. Unfortunately, I didn't have time before the event to scan and restore it.

With the reception starting in less than one hour, all I could do is take the original to an instant-print-kiosk, scan, use the machine's editing features, and print. (Gasp and Cringe! the crack also enlarged to a huge white streak!)

I brought it home with me to "fix" it. It is now cleaned up and re-sized as an 8 x 10 - crack gone. Mildew gone. Detail returned (check out her really cool hat and purse).

And to have the honor of both restoring a wedding picture AND photographing their 70th anniversary - priceless!

I Love Granny

2010-03-15T11:19:00.001-05:00

Restoring a photograph can mean repairing damage resulting from physical issues like creases, tears, mold, or mildew. But it can also mean bringing back some of the original tone, contrast, and color.

In this case, the orange color cast was removed while improving tone and contrast. I also softened the background color transitions, making it less distracting. Now we can see that this sweet little 1 year old loves her Granny :-)

His First Buck

2010-03-12T14:05:00.000-06:00

Just before these two went deer hunting, they paused for a photograph. On the first shot (with my camera, that is) they grinned. Then I asked them to "look serious" - hunting is serious business, after all.

Then they were off for their own kind of shooting.....

Later in the day, a phone call from an excited young man brought the news that he had shot (with a gun, not a camera) his first buck! I wasn't around for the return of the hunters from the field, so I have no photographs of their conquest. (Just as well, I can be a bit squeamish).

This image illustrates that solemn expressions can truly capture who we are and the feeling of a particular moment in time.

CONGRATULATIONS, HAYDEN!

My Grand-friend, Emily

2010-03-11T20:29:00.000-06:00

Oh my! If a picture is worth a thousand words, then this one is worth about a million! Had a most marvelous afternoon with my friend, Ari and grand-friend, Emily. These pictures are straight out of the camera - no editing. I just couldn't wait to share them with my sweet, sweet friends.

Miss Emily, thank you so much for being such a trooper through all the wardrobe changes and camera talk. You just kept smiling, squealing, and delighting both your mom and me. What a treasure you are!

Celebrating Seventy Years

2010-03-10T16:48:00.000-06:00

Eighty-nine and ninety-four. That's how old they will be on their next birthday. But this day was not a birthday celebration. It was a marvelous celebration of their 70th Wedding Anniversary! SEVENTY YEARS!

In today's world, seems that just getting to SEVEN years of marriage to the same person is a cause for celebration, but SEVENTY is absolutely amazing. These two are such an inspiration to everyone who knows them. They are dearly loved, admired, and respected by their family and friends alike.

Beautiful cake...

Beautiful silver....

Beautiful music....

This was a wonderful day.....
Note: Sometimes even Baptists dance! :-)

Congratulations Mr and Mrs. Mac!!! You are the best!!!