Things are back in perspective now.

Today I received an email about a co-worker of mine.  His wife was 5.5 months pregnant with their second child.  Over the weekend, she went into premature labor, the baby was born, and passed away after being on the earth only 3 hours.  He was just too early.

As I read the email, my heart sank.  I remember when our girls were born, and the fear that I had for the last few weeks that something like that would happen.  It wasn't something I could think about too much, but it was always there, looming in the back of my mind.

I remember having a conversation with the co-worker on Friday afternoon, about funny stories of having pregnant wives.  How the men usually gain as much weight as the pregnant moms do, and how his other child was having fun calling his wife "Big Momma".

So, when I read about their loss, I felt it too.  That fearful feeling came back, and I immediately felt how lucky my wife and I are to have been given two healthy baby girls.  Even though the first couple of weeks were tough, they made it and are doing great now.

I had forgotten that feeling.  That lump that swells up in your throat when you think about these things.  Now things seem to be back in perspective.  I think I'll call my wife in a little bit and see how she and the babies are doing...and be thankful for what we have.

Wedding Season!

Well, it's officially wedding season! I shot my first of the year (as second shooter) yesterday. I didn't shoot a lot...I mainly observed and helped with lighting. I need to learn more about how to pose groups of people, so watching Debby work is the best use of my time. She's brilliant...she just points and people fall into place, where I try to talk people though it, and I get looked at like I'm some kind of alien. I sometimes wonder if I'm not speaking English! I guess since she's been doing this 26 years, she knows how to non-verbally direct people. But anyway, I always learn something on these assignments, so it's time well spent. I did take some photos, and this morning while the girls are still sleeping I took a few into photoshop and played with them. Here are some results!

Come on JULY!

I have to take a second out of this day to write about some fun stuff coming up in July that I am super excited about.  We're going back to Maine, and we're taking the kids with us!  I can't wait to show them where mommy and daddy were married, and to let them crawl through the halls of the old house Lauren's family has been returning to year after year for a very long time.  Hopefully they'll continue to go back each year to experience Maine for what it really is...a beautiful place.  The best part, too, is that we'll be there over the 4th of July...so New England will be full of all sorts of activities to take part in.

I'm also making it a personal goal to shoot photos for the last 3 units I have to finish up for my photo class before they are due on August 31st.  So, I've got two cameras ready to go, and just need to find a few more items to get ready.  I know they are there somewhere...in boxes or in storage...they are there....

I'm also planning a solo excursion over to Monhegan Island to spend a day shooting the island and it's artists.  I've contacted one local artist, the only one I could find with an email address, about stopping into her studio and shooting some portraits.  She said I could, and wondered if in return for an interview and photos, that I could make a simple website for her work.  Seems fair to me.  She's also going to let the other artists in town know I'm coming, so hopefully they will open their doors as well and I can get some really interesting photos about the lives of artists who live on Monhegan Island, where there are no cars, and you have to take a ferry boat to get there.  National Geographic did a story about the island not too long ago, so I'm hoping my story will be different and not cliche.  I'm just doing it for myself, to put in my portfolio, but who knows.  If the right person sees it maybe I'll get offered a freelance gig to shoot other features someday.

If nothing else, I'll come home with a ton of memories of our girls on their first summer vacation, and loads of photos to use to finish up my photo course once and for all!

Anyone else have good summer plans that you're working for?  Comment and let me know!