Week 2 - Backyard or Bust

My cousin is expecting twins. She's in for an adventure. And I was so proud and honored that she let me be a part of it by shooting some maternity pictures for her. It was a challenge. She's on bedrest, so we had to stay close to home ... which meant ... home. I'm not a lithe as I used to be, which is saying a lot because if there's one thing I'm generally not it's "lithe." My kid was running around, her husband was brewing beer, her kids were running around, the DOG was running around...it was wild, but you'd never know it to see the serene look on her face here. I think she was thinking "come out, come out whoever you are!" We are all very excited to meet the new babies and I'm excited to share her pictures with her.

July 28 - Weathering the Weather

We waited out the rain today to finish up our maternity shoot, and we were rewarded with sunny skies and then pizza. That's a great day, right?!

July 27 - Inner Peace Is For Wusses

Have I mentioned how many things we have going on right now? It's a you-name-it kind of month. We have my brother-in-law's wedding next week. And doctor's appointments - everyone needs a checkup! And birthdays birthdays BIRTHDAYS! I don't see a break in the clouds until 2011...or is it 2012? I know I say this a lot, but how did I ever do all the things I do and WORK?! No wonder I was always tired. Heck, no wonder I'm always tired now. At least I have time for my creative outlets ... this blog with these pictures, knitting (a hat that I might be knitting until winter or next winter) and a little bit of this and that whenever the mood strikes. And for my guys...one of whom is waiting for me so we can go to bed, the other who will be waiting for me when the sun comes up. So ok, it's not ALL crazy, just most of it...

July 26 - Have a Good Summer!

Friends forever. I think we've all probably written it in a yearbook and completely believed it was true. But really, how often are you friends with someone FOREVER? When Me, Jessie and my BFF Maya graduated from high school, I was sure we would be friends forever, but much to my adult surprise ... we ARE! First came the husbands ... I got married and Jess and Maya were there. Maya got married and Me and Jess were there. When Jess got married, me and Maya sat at the table and marveled at the fact that 13 years and 3 weddings and we were still all friends. Now the babies are coming. First Owen. It appears that I'm pioneer in all this. Now Jess's baby. Hopefully Maya will add a bundle to the bunch soon enough.

So, from late nights obeying our Whoppertunities on top of the hill in "pregnant park" to taking pictures while being pregnant in a park, we've done it all ... and I'm looking forward to the next 14 years and the 14 after that and the 14 after those.

July 25 - Another Friend, Another Belly

I'm surrounded by preggos. So this is week two of the great Belly Blog. I'm editing shots from another maternity shoot - my very good friend since high school, Jessie. It was raining. And why do all husbands hate cameras?! C'mon guys, just smile! It was a challenge for sure. We will finish the "just girls" portion of the shoot when it's not pouring outside. But we captured the hubs, so he's off the hook.

July 19 - Last One

And I'm done editing...now I'm gonna have to go back to taking and posting pictures of my every day life. I did very few with the vintage filter...you saw two of maybe six. And I only B&W on one in the middle (it was an accident, but I liked how it came out) and this series at the end - my favorite pictures of all of them. This was a fun, creative endeavor that I get to repeat in a few weeks when I try it again with a different friend! I'm so grateful to Rachel and her husband Bill for letting me and my camera capture their special time. And it was fun hanging out with them.

July 18 - More editing, more belly

There is regular-color version of this, but I love the aged pinky tones. Apparently I'm the only one ;)

July 17 - And Belly Makes Three

July 16 - Still editing...

I mentioned it was gonna be all maternity shoot, all week, right?

July 15 - A Belly and a Poll

I did a maternity/belly pics shoot for a friend I've known since she was 16. She and her husband waited and waited and waited and FINALLY this baby decided to join them. I'm so excited for them and to express that excitement, like the little drummer boy that I am, I played my proverbial drum. So here's a picture from the shoot. I'm probably gonna post them all week because I have a zillion to go through and edit. I took 360 ... that's like a picture a day, right?

And now you get to weigh in. The above picture is edited but not really "treated" ... and the picture below has a vintage filter. Since I've only edited this one picture, I'm curious what you think about the filter vs the nonfilter. Of course there is the "give her both" option and that's probably what I will end up doing, but what do YOU think? Is the vintage wash to 2010 photos what acid wash was to '80s jeans?