Wait. I need to prepare my speech...

You can now call this an Award Winning photograph:



The votes were tallied this morning from the Art @ Work exhibit held here at work yesterday afternoon and I won the best in show People's Choice award for First Place! I had even been griping the other day because they changed the way the voting would be done. Since we didn't have enough entries for each of the 6 categories to vote for best in each, they just had everyone vote for their top 3 favorites in the whole show. So, photographs were pitted against fiber art, sculpture and paintings. We had 34 entries total for the firm. And I feel even more surprised and proud that I beat out all the other entries...and there were some really great things! I had convinced myself last night that I didn't stand a chance and that a painting would win for sure because that's all anyone seemed to be making great comments about. I heard maybe a few (I was a co-chair of the event so heard everyone as they came & went for the duration of the exhibit) comments about my 3 entries, so I was just preparing myself to not win so I wouldn't be disappointed. But after all that, I ended up winning, which I feel even better about winning because it wasn't voted by category, but rather overall favorites.

My photograph above, titled "Live Oak Sprawl" received 43 votes. 2nd place was also a photo and got 34 votes. And there was a tie for 3rd place, each with 24 votes; one was another photograph and the other was a glass mosaic plate. No paintings won at all which really surprised me. Someone also took a picture of me by my tree photo yesterday at the end of the show so I'll get a copy of that from HR & post it here also.

So, in August my work will go to the Art @ Work exhibit at Union Station for judging by a panel of well-known artists and members of the art community here in Kansas City. A lot of other corporations and firms here in KC participated also so I'll be anxious to see all their People's Choice winners too when that time comes. The first place winners at the Union Station exhibit will go on to be in a booth at the Plaza Arts fair in September. Wahoo! :o)

Saturday's portrait shoot

This past Saturday I did portraits at Loose Park of a co-worker's two kids. The girl is 3 1/2 and the boy is 18 months, just one month older than Afton. So, right off, I pretty much know what I'm dealing with with the 18 mo old since I am shooting pictures of Afton constantly and I know how difficult he is. So, I felt like I was starting off on a bit of a good foot. But, then the weather intervened. I had checked the weather forecast the night before & it said no rain. Then as soon as we pull up to Loose Park... you guessed it, it starts sprinkling. Then rained the entire time. We were confined to a very small space under an arbor by the rose garden. We also had to share this tiny arbor with 3 other photographers who were doing very grown-up engagement shoots. And here I am running around after a 3 year old and an 18 month old, trying to stay out of the rain, while also attempting to get a picture of the two little balls of energy together looking at the camera and smiling nicely. I didn't have the advantage of being able to sit them down anywhere because everywhere was wet. And getting an 18 mo old to stand still is like....impossible. But I did my best and I think I got some pretty cute ones of them in spite of the weather. I think they're cute & very relaxed looking.

Here they are:

"Z" is for Zoo

The Kansas City Zoo. Saturday May 19th. Afton had a blast seeing all the animals and loved the meerkats, tigers & kangaroos. We also went on a train ride & he loved it! We went to PetSmart last night and saw the birds & little rodents. He got SO excited, he ran in circles around all the cages going "Ooo! Ooo! Ooo!" I think he thought we were back at the zoo!

Red Panda

A really cool car in "Australia"


My personal favorite: Tiger in black & white








Wallabies kissing

Black Swan

Meerkat






Afton pouting (past his naptime). He was having fun, he just doesn't like to show it for the camera. ;o)

I'm back!

Well, not that I went anywhere but it has been a while since visiting my own blog to check in with all you fine folks. I don't feel like I've been all that busy, but I know I have been. Just the everyday stuff keeping me from barely checking my e-mail these days. So, I may disappoint with this post since I haven't exactly been on some grand adventure lately and don't have all that much interesting to chat about. I DO have pictures however.

We went to a Native American Powwow Saturday, May 5. It was very hot & humid that day once the sun came out but it was a lot of fun and Chris got me a really pretty turquoise necklace. And if you've never had a buffalo burger or Indian Taco--you're just missing out on your country's roots!

Julie & Joe's Engagement

My sister-in-law, Julie, & her fiancee, Joe, were in town over the weekend from St. Louis and stayed with us. I had a great time taking their engagement pics while they were here. It was fun for them too because it was a completely new experience for them. Julie said later that she'd never had professional photos taken like that before, not even senior pics! I worked on the files Sunday and Monday and they are on Pictage now for viewing (you can see the rest by clicking here.)

Here are some of my favorites from the shoot. It was freezing, btw, and windy so I'm glad they stuck it out with me for an hour. Hopefully you won't notice any blue lips! ;o)