Kelley's Photography Trip to Miami

I flew to Miami with the hopes of ditching my little bout with bronchitis, finding warmer temps and being inspired.  I got the latter of the three and really, I think that was probably the most important and rewarding.  For a four day weekend, I was surrounded by five other women just as passionate about their families and photography as I am.  I packed light with only one little suitcase and my 50mm lens and started shooting the sunrise over Atlanta shortly after take off.

We were on the go non-stop, carrying heavy bags of gear and step ladders with us.

We were all photographers and the subjects, depending upon the time, location and vantage point.  And depending upon the time, location and vantage point, I learned more about how uncomfortable it can be being the primary focus and how to help alleviate that awkwardness.

We photographed sunsets.

And birds.

Architecture and fancy malls adorned with girls in short skirts and furry boots carrying their dogs in purses.

We photographed night and day.  Without any flashes (although I had brought mine along).

Did I say we photographed birds?

There was dancing and laughter.

And art in the Fairchild gardens.  Chihuly's work makes me swoon.  If only because I would love to work on this scale, but my torches limit me to work smaller than a child's fist.

I photographed lunches other than my own.

And was thankful when I returned home and was welcomed by smiling faces belonging to both strangers and my family.

My home is slowly being put back together, floors are getting mopped and my cough is disappearing as Atlanta reaches for the 60s this weekend.  A wedding has been added to my schedule in May 2012.  Life is good.

Kelley's Trip to Utah - Day 1

Kelley flew out to Salt Lake City for a 3 day photography workshop with Blue Lily.  One of the other attendees rented a car and picked her up at the airport.  We drove around to find a scrapbook store for Marti and enjoyed the mountain scenery.

This is looking back towards Wasatch Blvd at the base of the mountains.

Here is the house Kelley lived in in the second grade.  The swamp cooler on top of the house was already covered up for winter.  The yard looked a little overgrown, but the same light post still stood out front.

At some point, the wooden privacy fence was replaced with this plastic white one and the roof over the deck outside the kitchen was removed.

We took the scenic route up through Little and Big Cottonwood Canyons to get to Park City and stopped along the side of the road countless times to check out the streams.

Here is Marti, my chauffeur.  ;)  She lives in Washington DC with her husband and two boys.

We swapped cameras, so here is a rare shot of me in front of the camera.

We didn't stop just for streams, but also for flowers.  We kept saying how thankful we were that we decided to ride together, because neither one of us would have stopped so many times by ourselves to see the beautiful sites alongside the road.

We felt the water and it was COLD! 

This is how close the road was to the drop off on the side.  Sometimes the drop was hundreds of feet.  We were amazed at no guard rails.  Utah must not have many idiot drivers!

There were so many Aspen trees as we climbed up higher and higher.

We got a little lost when we reached this ski resort and were thankful there were still cell towers near enough to get a signal and use our GPS on our phones (we didn't have any printed maps with us!).

Looking out away from Snowbird and saw a Mickey Mouse head on the mountain.

Brighton is another popular ski resort less than 45 minutes from Salt Lake City.

One of the few people on motorcycles we saw who was actually wearing a helmet.

Before we even got to the top of this hill, we knew by the parking lot that we were in for a great view!

And we were not disappointed.

This hill looked (and felt!) much taller in person.  We hiked up to just under this group of trees.

These weren't the best hiking shoes, but they did get me to the top without falling.

It was so gorgeous on top of this hill and we really didn't want to leave.  But a storm was moving in and we wanted to get to Deer Valley before we got hit with the rain.  The roads were a little two twisty with steep drop offs for our taste to be driving on wet roads with low visibility.

The sun was setting, so my shadow looks like I'm a giant!

We saw this teepee and wagon in a field shortly after we made our climb back down to the car.

The rain never hit us, although we ended up driving for another 30-45 minutes before we made it into Deer Valley just before sunset.  There wasn't any food (yet) at the workshop house, so Marti and I drove into Park City for dinner and to get groceries.  An all around awesome day!

A Day in Philadelphia

Kelley's friend Nancy, from an online photography class, picked her up at the hotel and drove her downtown.  We saw all kinds of wonderful, historic buildings and landmarks.  Including the Liberty Bell.

We realized a little later this wasn't the REAL Liberty Bell and was just a mock up.  The real Liberty Bell had a wait line that looked to be 30-45 minutes long.

I think this was the courthouse and it was under renovation.  There was fabric surrounding the scaffolding that showed a picture of what it should look like which was neat.

I tried to take a picture from the street of the arched doorways and window, but a security guard walked into my frame and then yelled at me to get out of the street.  I mumbled I wouldn't have been standing so long in the street if I wasn't waiting on a certain security guard to get out of the shot.  Oh well.

These tall and curvy trees were filling a courtyard behind this building.

Some had bark that looked like it was painted.

Another view of the building under construction with the covered scaffolding all the way to the ground.

We walked on cobblestone streets.

And on cross-hatched bricks.  I love these shoes.  They have been on my feet every day for the past year.  Well.  Maybe all but four or five days.

Everywhere we turned, there was beautiful architecture that had been in place for a hundred or more years.  So awesome!

A little self portrait.  Do you see Nancy and me?  Not sure how I didn't get any real shots of us, but this is as good as it gets.

This was a little museum with paintings and sculptures of famous Philadelphians, many of them our founding fathers.

The domed ceiling was so detailed.  I think my bedroom as a child was this same Pepto-Bismol pink.

Good old Noah!

I wonder what he would think of his current editions now that are filled with slang.

George?  Is that you?

Nancy was a fabulous tour guide and I was so happy to have met her in person!  She drove me back to my hotel and I crashed for a long nap.  After too many late nights with work over the last couple of weeks, my body had had it with me.  I was running a fever and so worn out.

After getting some rest, I took a shuttle over to Bead Fest and walked around seeing different vendors and some friends.  What normally takes me all day when walking with friends was footed in less than 30 minutes.  I could only think about getting back to my hotel to sleep some more.  Here are my friends Nancy (a ceramic bead artist and potter) and Andrew (a jewelry designer).

My friend Diana organized a bead swap and then a dinner at Legal Seafood for over 20 of us.  There was a TON of talent sitting at this table with very well know bead artists and jewelry designers.

Nancy and Lisa raising a toast.  Lisa flew up from Florida and this was the first time we got to meet her in person.

My girl Lori.  She's just the best and I wish she didn't live so far away.  I'm thankful I get to see her once or twice a year.  Just wish I had been feeling better this trip as I only saw her for a few hours over the whole weekend.  :(

This is Anne, another lampworker whose work I have admired for years.  She lives in upstate New York and made the 5+ hour drive down to Philly.  Was so glad I got to meet her in person, too.