breaking the blogging ice

And so the blog begins… the blog that I have been writing in my head for years has finally found its cyberhome.  Welcome!  And since I believe the first page of any story to be a rather intimidating one to write, I’ll just get right to it:

I can’t remember a time in my life when I wasn’t taking photographs.   When I was little, my parents were kind enough to see that I always had my own little camera.  They also were generous enough to let me have all the film I ever wanted and to pay for the developing costs that once used to go along with taking pictures.  I started bringing my camera with me to class in grade school and still have those photos that I took of my friends on field trips, weekend retreats, and just sitting around the classroom learning.

I have this memory from a family party when I was about nine-  my dad was setting up to candidly take a photo of a few family members talking to one another.  When they realized he was pointing the camera at them they all immediately turned and gave him a big smile.  “No, don’t look at me!  Pretend I’m not here!” was my dad’s reaction.  And without realizing it at the time, my own style of photography was born.  While I do love taking group shots of people smiling, I very much prefer capturing moments just as they happen, without direction from me, or my camera’s presence being realized.

Over the years- through high school, college, parties, weddings, and now, the birth and growth of my son and my friends’ children- my camera has stayed by my side.   If you have known me at any point in life, I can confidently say, I have probably taken a photograph of you and it is probably still sitting in a box somewhere in my home (or, if taken in the past ten years, sitting on my computer or a photo-sharing server somewhere.)  Something that has always made me feel kind of good is when friends tell me “I was going to bring my camera, but didn’t because I knew you’d have yours.”  Because ultimately, for me, sharing these photographs is the best part of the whole process.

And with that- my photoblog is born:  a way to share with you, not only the simple, daily adventures of my family in our candid moments, but also those of the families kind enough to let me peek in and capture theirs.

So here we go, a little bit of photo-joy for my first post starring none other than my very favorite little guy to photograph- out in the real first snow of this winter.  Oblivious to how soaked his pants and mittens are, to the freezing cold temperature, or to how much ice is caked inside his boots, he couldn’t be more happy.  He’s been waiting months for this and it’s just pure bliss!  And as his mom, there is no better feeling than watching him take it all in and have the time of his life.  While these wonderful moments of his childhood are fleeting, I cherish the fact that I have the chance to capture them forever.

 

and my favorite… having a snowball fight with himself:

 Of course, the only way to top off playing in the snow is to warm up with a cup of hot chocolate, complete with tiny marshmellows: