Oh, how I love Fall ~ let me count the ways . . .

I love the smells of dying leaves, the crisp air scented with the smoke coming from wood stoves.

I love the fact that there are no annoying bugs and that I am 99.9% sure we won’t have another hot, humid day until next year!!

I love the quiet, less hurried days, the feel of flannel sheets, the comfort of warm soup.

I love to be able to bake again – rarely does my oven get turned on in the summer; I would most likely suffocate from the heat in my house if I did.

I love the colors.  I have always been drawn to the warm side of the color spectrum and Autumn permeates warmth.  The following images are glimpses of the warm beauty all around.

I really love old graveyards, and this one is a beauty, especially surrounded by the gold of morning.

A different angle of all the giant pumpkins in town.

Maine Lifestyle Photographer in Bristol - Children's Photography, Family Photography, Weddings, Events, Portraits

This is my favorite time of year for so many reasons.  The crisp, cooler air is only one, the colors and smell of fallen leaves are another.  Doing photo sessions during Autumn is the best reason of all, especially when I get to photograph beautiful people, such as Jasmine!  We wandered through the fields, went to Damariscotta Lake and then to a near by rail road track, where the sun was perfectly golden, casting the most gorgeous light.  Of course, having one lovely lady to photograph most certainly compliments the atmosphere!  Thank you, Jas, for the great adventure!  Hope you like what I’ve done so far.  I can’t wait to finish the rest!!

Maine Lifestyle Photographer in Bristol - Children's Photography, Family Photography, Weddings, Events, Portraits

Everything is blooming most recklessly; if it were voices instead of colors, there would be an unbelievable shrieking into the heart of the night.  ~Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters of Rainer Maria Rilke

No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow.  ~Proverb

And Spring arose on the garden fair,
Like the Spirit of Love felt everywhere;
And each flower and herb on Earth’s dark breast
rose from the dreams of its wintry rest.
~Percy Bysshe Shelley, “The Sensitive Plant”

Spring has returned.  The Earth is like a child that knows poems.  ~Rainer Maria Rilke

If you’ve never been thrilled to the very edges of your soul by a flower in spring bloom, maybe your soul has never been in bloom.  ~Terri Guillemets

People ask me what I do in winter when there’s no baseball.  I’ll tell you what I do.  I stare out the window and wait for spring.  ~Rogers Hornsby

Maine Lifestyle Photographer in Bristol - Children's Photography, Family Photography, Weddings, Events, Portraits

Typically February can be frigid and full of snow storms here in Maine. Not this year. We had heavy precipitation once this month. It began on Wednesday and it escalated into a raging storm by Thursday night. I heard we got 6 inches of rain as the winds screamed and slammed through the trees, tearing down anything too weak to hang on. We were without power for 2 days.

Life, as we know it, comes to a halt when the power is out. The silent aftermath can either become a time to complain about not having the creature comforts we are used to having or we can make use of less distractions and notice the beauty around us.

In all honesty, I did a little of both but I especially loved having my camera out to photograph the simplicity of nature as it lay dormant. Spring is so near right now, a bit too soon, though. How this year will unfold as the climate shifts remains a mystery.

By your own soul, learn to live.  And if men thwart you take no heed. If men hate you have no care. Sing your song, dream your dream, hope your hope and pray your prayer. - Parkenham Beatty

Maine Lifestyle Photographer in Bristol - Children's Photography, Family Photography, Weddings, Events, Portraits

This post is inspired by the Shutter Sisters.

I love all the seasons as each one offers its own beauty. Color is everywhere, even in the dull gray of winter.

There is something so endearing about horses in their winter coats.

There is a certain glow in the early morning during the winter months. It makes everything warm and magical.

Even though this isn’t focused, I still love the action and the light.

And I love the colors during a snow storm found happily playing in the pasture. They are, of course, in the form of four-legged furry creatures!

Maine Lifestyle Photographer in Bristol - Children's Photography, Family Photography, Weddings, Events, Portraits

It is so easy to get comfortable with a certain way of doing things. In regards to photography, post processing in particular, I have found myself seeking new ways of bringing to life the images I take. I visit hundreds of blogs. I sample hundreds of tutorials. I read hundreds of “how to’s.” But in the end I found myself slinking back into a familiar way of presenting my work. Maybe it’s my “style” or my “signature” – a way for people to recognize my images. For them to be able to say, “yep, that’s Darlene.”

But I want to grow. I want to feel expressive in a multitude of ways. I don’t want my post processing to be my signature. I want the emotion conveyed in the images to say “this is Darlene’s work.”

The following images are from a session I did towards the end of November. I’m still working on them. The good thing about taking so long is the images and I are evolving together. I am stepping outside my “photography comfort zone” with the intention of being open to many forms of expression. These images below have been treated with a vintage look. The hardest part about this change is when I put the original image and the vintage image side by side. I have to let go of the fact that the colors are different, especially skin tones. But what I’m loving is the energy shift. It really brings to life the feeling of the moment.

The direction of this post was inspired by the latest post on Shutter Sisters.

This image represents such a sacred moment.  I just love the synchronicity between Lea and Spartacus.

Maine Lifestyle Photographer in Bristol - Children's Photography, Family Photography, Weddings, Events, Portraits

I have been waiting for Christmas to come so I could post these images.  I photographed Justine and her horse, Emma, in November with the intention of documenting their connection.  The resulting images were to be used as gifts, so I didn’t want them to be made public until they were given.  I love how they turned out.  We had less than an hour before the sun disappeared, and during that time the sun was in and out of the clouds.  And Emma was a bit antsy so I just watched and clicked away.  No poses, just pure moments.  A lot of love going on between these two!  And such beauty!  (I will be doing a post of her sister and her horse later in the week, so stay tuned!)

This is my personal favorite.

And this one, too.

Yes, the colors were that vibrant!

And this is a picture of her other horse, Otis, that I made into a poster.

Maine Lifestyle Photographer in Bristol - Children's Photography, Family Photography, Weddings, Events, Portraits

I absolutely LOVE the Fall season!  For me, the colors signify accomplishment and a brilliant end to the busy, full days of Summer.  I love the turning maple leaves, but even more, I love the opened pods of  milkweed.  For the past month as I drive to and from town, I’d scout the roadsides for the first signs of this amazing plant.  And today, on my way home from a massage session, I actually had time to stop and photograph some.  I was hoping for the sun to be shining because I love how the light illuminates the cottony white.  The sky was overcast  but I love the results anyway.  The problem I’m having is choosing a favorite.  One may wonder, how many images of a milkweed one can take?  After all, a milkweed is a milkweed, looking just like the last milkweed. Wrong! I’d love to hear from you which image you like best.  Just leave a comment at the end of this post to tell me.  There are 16 images and I’m going to post them in the order that I photographed them, so you won’t think they are in order of preference.  Enjoy!!

Maine Lifestyle Photographer in Bristol - Children's Photography, Family Photography, Weddings, Events, Portraits

The Round Pond 4th of July Parade is most likely by far the most well attended parade in Maine.  “Anything goes” seems to be the flavor of the parade.  It’s usually quite political, but with no elections on the horizon, there was no evidence of that this year.  A lot of local businesses tastefully and patriotically marching through the street, proudly showing all the many thousands of onlookers who they are.  The colors and costumes and floats and, of course, the children were all fabulous!

If anyone knows any of these people, could you please contact them and let them know about the pictures.  I am having a special on portrait sessions for any of the people I happened to photograph during the Round Pond parade (as well as those I photographed at the Pirate Rendezvous.)  They will get  25% off any portrait session package.  Offer good through July 31, 2009.

Editors Note: I am extending the 25% off any portrait session package to EVERYONE!

To see all of the photographs from the parade, click HERE

To see the rest of the pictures from the parade click  HERE!

Maine Lifestyle Photographer in Bristol - Children's Photography, Family Photography, Weddings, Events, Portraits

Utilizing available light is one of the most precious joys I find in photography.  Normally I prefer to shoot pictures during the two different “golden hour” times of day, which are early morning, just after sunrise, and evening, before the sun sets.  Yesterday, however, I was at a friend’s house in the afternoon while the sun was blazing high in the sky.  They have a magnificent field of lupines and I just couldn’t resist photographing them.  I adjusted my camera settings to ‘spot metering’ and I decided to shoot towards the sun so the lupines were back lit, creating a magical feeling with the glimmering light in the distance.

The following images are from the lupine field.  The first one I did a color treatment called Golden Vintage.  I really like the effect – very ethereal.

This next image is the original, which I also love.  The colors are more true, but I like the above image for its magical qualities.

Maine Lifestyle Photographer in Bristol - Children's Photography, Family Photography, Weddings, Events, Portraits