Plaza Lights in Kansas City

We took our niece, who is interested in photography, on a photo shoot of the Country Club Plaza lights tonight.  We got there in time to get some twilight photos.  Twilight, for you photographers, is the half hour before sunrise and after sunset.  No matter the weather conditions, the sky will photograph a brilliant blue during those times.

Below are some of the pics I took.  Of course we took a Topsy's popcorn and Starbuck's hot chocolate break mid-way through the photo shoot!

My niece

My brother-in-law

Twilight sky

Twilight sky with slow shutter speed showing
the "streaming" headlights and tail lights.
Note the stationary car which
did not move when the shutter was open

Reflections in the partially frozen stream, taken
about a half hour after twilight 

An interesting shadow on a textured wall

The below images are my niece's.  I love the creativity she shows.

Intentional camera movement while the shutter is open makes
for interesting photos

Nice balance with camera movement.  These are difficult to do!

Looks like a bow on a package

   

Store window - wonderful colors

Interesting light and camera angle

One of the Plaza's horses.  Horse drawn carriage rides are a favorite
during the holiday season.

Our Pups 2010 Christmas

We enjoy sharing Christmas Day with our furry friends.  Each Christmas, we loosely wrap a couple of toys for each pup in tissue paper.  Our pup, Camden, who crossed the Rainbow bridge two years ago, knew when we placed the dog presents under the tree.  Whether Camden smelled the toys or knew that tissue paper wrapping meant TOYS, we don't know but he literally would stake out the tree when the presents appeared, patiently waiting for the DAY.

We have never had a present "opener" like Camden.  He got the hang of freeing the toy the first year he lived with us.  Our other pups let him do the honors and then would steal the toys.

Our new little puppy, Kauffman, kind of got the hang of it this year but Fenway and Rosa didn't.  They let us and Kauffman do the honors.

We missed having Hanny with us this year but know she and Camden were watching from the other side of the Rainbow Bridge.

I hope you had a great holiday season and have a happy 2011!

Bob, Kauffman, Rosa & Fenway

Kauffman guarding his critters

Don't take my ball!

Rosa in her holiday collar

Yours truly with Fenway & Rosa

My 14 year old "heart dog" Fenway.

Border Terrier Fenway & Santa

Okay, okay,  I admit I'm the kind of person who puts a holiday collar on my pup and takes him to visit Santa.  However, I have an excuse this time.  Fenway participated in a fundraiser for the Humane Society, so it was for a good cause.

Fenway is my "heart" dog.  He turned 14 years old in October and we are so thankful we have had the privilege of being owned by him for all these 14 years.  He was my agility dog in his early years and he had a blast running through tunnels, jumping over hurdles and just plain running fast.  He was very fast.  But being a terrier, he thought for himself and there were days he'd stray off the course looking for mice or chips of horse poo (most of the agility competitions were in horse barns).  I never figured out what the allure of the horse poo was - but he loved it!

My trainer used to ask if Fenway was going to run on any given day or was his "evil twin" present.  The evil twin was slow and always ran off course but brought lots of laughs.

Fen is a lot slower these days and spends a lot of time snuggled in his bed.  However, he loved his visit to Santa where he got lots of attention.   He's a very amiable dog and nothing fazes him.  We walked around the Plaza after the Santa visit and were even invited into the Kansas City Store to buy a barbecue cookbook.  The store is "dog friendly" and has amazing merchandise.

https://www.thekansascitystore.com/

Fenway and Santa December 2010

Cookie Party!

Kids at Christmas - does it get any better?  These little ones love the annual Christmas party at their aunt and uncle's house.  It's a night of excess in the sugar department but well worth it for the smiles it brings to those of us who are young at heart, if not in age.

The musical reindeer kept the kids entertained all night.  It's a season of simple pleasures.

Does it get any better than a snuggle with grandma?

Four out of five isn't bad.  The fifth never slowed down all night.

Happy Holidays!

Senior Photos at English Landing Park

I don't do many senior photos but a friend asked me if I would photograph her son.  We were about 6 months past due for the photos session for many reasons but were able to take advantage of the beautiful and unseasonably warm late November day in Kansas City.  My friend's son is now a university of Kansas Jayhawk and was wearing his team's colors.  We had a blast.

Overland Park Arboretum Luminary Walk 2010

Today was the first of four nights for the holiday luminary walk at the Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens.  Despite a winter chill in the air, the event was well attended by families who bundled up, including lots of little ones in their strollers.  I heard more than one family saying they have made this a tradition.  I've been photographing the event for three years now and it gets more and more beautiful each year.

There is a lot for "big ones" and "little ones" to enjoy - including a lit maze and tunnel, a gingerbread house, hot apple cider and caroling in front of a bon fire.  As you walk through the lighted woods, you may hear the melodic sounds of the flute player and the carolers.  

Come on out - the event will be held tomorrow night, November 27th and next Friday, December 3rd and Saturday, December 4th  from 5:00 - 8:30.

Also, for you photographers, you can get the beautiful cobalt blue sky by using a tripod and shooting within the first half hour after sunset (about 5:00-5:30).

Cute, cute, cute!

We've had an unseasonably late fall in Kansas City.  Here it is mid-November and we still have beautiful fall foliage.  What a surprise and delight!

I've known this little boy since his birth -  literally, since I had the privilege of photographing his birth.  I can't believe how much time has flown.  He's nearly 19 months old and cute as a button.  A daredevil too - he climbed to the top of the slide and was fearless!

His sister is such a cutie too.  Her curls are all natural and just beautiful.  Plus, her smile lights up the room.  What sweet kids!

Another Beautiful Fall Day

We had a fun photography session in Loose Park on a beautiful fall day in Kansas City.  These kids were such good sports.  In fact, the little guy ran from place to place wanting his photo taken.  He chose good spots!

Brothers 

Can I climb the tree?

What a smile!

Too, too cute!

T 

Boys' best friend

Fall Foliage in Kansas

I had the pleasure of photographing a multigenerational family yesterday. We took the photos in fabulous Antioch Park which is showing its fall colors.  The kids were great during the photo shoot, looking forward to playing in the park's playground afterwards.

It was so much fun taking photos of mom, dad, the kids, their uncle and grandma and grandpa.  Photos are are so important for lasting memories and I was privileged to photograph this fun family.

WHAT FUN!

The Splendor of Charlottesville, Virginia

We attended a family wedding in Charlottesville, Virginia last weekend.  What a fabulous area of the country!  We flew into Baltimore and drove down Skyline Drive in the Blue Ridge mountains.  Although it was supposed to be peak season for fall foliage, we only saw a sprinkling of reds and yellows.  Nevertheless, the drive is always stunning.





















One of the scenic overlooks on the drive intersected with the famed Appalachian Trail.  We were shocked to see how narrow the trail is, plus, although you can't get the full sense from this photo, the trail is exceptionally rocky and steep.  We had a friend who was going to hike the trail a few years back and he had to quit after a day because his feet could take the rocky pounding.
















Since we got into Charlottesville a day before other family, we visited Thomas Jefferson's home of Monticello (on the back of the nickel).  The plantation tour was fascinating.  To think that Jefferson believed that all men are created equal but only freed about 5 of his hundred slaves, three of whom were freed in his will.  Putting the slavery issue aside, though, he was a visionary.  The features in Monticello were many years ahead of the time.

Plus, Jefferson was famed for his knowledge of gardening.  The gardens were immense and the vistas were stunning.  We purchased some Monticello seeds for lettuce and a few other vegetables to grow in our garden next year.  (Note, the color temperature change in the photos.  The top photos was was taken in the morning and the lower one was taken as the sun was lower in the sky and more golden.)

The morning of the wedding 10-10-10, we strolled around the campus of the University of Virginia, also designed by Jefferson.  The campus is idyllic with an immense center lawn.  One fun factoid - the dorm rooms that face the lawn are highly sought after, even though the students who use these rooms have to go outside, around the building and down one level to shower and use the restroom!

I couldn't pass up the opportunity to photograph the spiffy pink bicycle, no doubt owned by the captain of the football team.

The late afternoon wedding, the first of the next generation, was lovely.  It was help on the grounds of Ashlawn-Highland, President James Monroe's estate.  While not nearly as grand as Monticello, it was still in a beautiful setting.  The weather was perfect and a fun time was had by all.  Of note- the bride and groom, who met at the University of Virginia and love the area, which was hosting an apple festival the weekend of the wedding, chose to have freshly prepared apple donuts as their "wedding cake".  I have to admit, they were the best donuts I've ever tasted.

Beautiful bride with her proud dad!