our new camera is here.

“You don't make a photograph just with a camera. 

You bring to the act of photography all the pictures you have seen, 

the books you have read, the music you have heard, 

the people you have loved.”

― Ansel Adams

Source: dailydoseofstuf.tumblr.com via Brenda on Pinterest

Our new camera arrives today.
We have been anxiously awaiting her arrival for what seems like months
and I can hardly wait to go home and take her out for a spin.
 -----------
 We will be putting our Canon Rebel XTi up for sale...
it's a little sad to part with it though.

The Loveliest Day

“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, 

while loving someone deeply gives you courage.”
― Lao Tzu

 These pictures are making me smile today. 

Our photo session with Amber of Live It Out Photography 

is featured on The Loveliest Day and I wanted to share!

-----

The other thing bringing me great joy today

is the realization that finding peace and letting stress wash away - 

with current struggles fighting to cloud the day -

is simply an act of trust and faith.

Even when Mr. D has a lot weighing on his mind,
he takes such good care of our little family
and never stops making me smile and laugh....
something about my husband that I am so grateful for.

as we are.

"We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are."
— Anaïs Nin

Amber just posted the photographs from our shoot onto Live It Out Photography.

I am so in love with them.

Thank you, Amber! 

here's to the work week's timely end

"The need for change bulldozed a road down the center of my mind. "
— Maya Angelou

 This week has been especially tough in the world of editing and office walls.

My red pen seems to have leaked all over my hands and 

thick stacks of paper have made for impassable halls.

But the fact that its Friday and I get to spend the weekend with Mr. D

has me feeling a little more at ease...

however slightly lost in dreams.

-----

We are headed West for the weekend...

a small respite - camera in hand -

with my clever and handsome man.

"When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs...." - Ansel Adams

"There we did begin, Cloisterd in the waterfall, 

Our summer discipline."
— Bashō

 

Everything paused for a moment when I first saw this photograph.

As if in answer to what I'd been writing and a summation of my thoughts...

there is so much about it that I love.

 And of the man by whom I am sitting...

an indescribable joy that I am the one who gets to travel all the days alongside him.

And Amber, 

so thankful that we met.

You inspire me and our walls, no matter where we call home, will forever show it.

------

Photograph by Amber of Live It Out Photography.

There is a sneak peek from our shoot on her blog! 

scenes from the first of spring

I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where. I love you simply, without problems or pride: I love you in this way because I do not know any other way of loving but this, in which there is no I or you, so intimate that your hand upon my chest is my hand, so intimate that when I fall asleep your eyes close.

— Pablo Neruda

We had so much fun on this shoot with Amber and Jon of Live It Out Photography. 

Cory - my very favorite hairdresser in the area - pulled my hair up into a vintage style-do

and we drove around the Virginia countryside in my great-grandmother's green Ford.

Be sure to go here and here for more!

Amazing work Amber!!!

through a lens

"Art is not what you see, but what you make others see."
— Edgar Degas

 Mr. D and I had the honor of being photographed by Amber and Jon of Live It Out Photography

a little while ago and we have since become friends with the talented pair. 

We did another shoot with them a few weeks back 

and can't wait to see how the all photographs turned out. 

But in the mean time...

you can see shots from our first shoot. 

I'll post the link tomorrow!

Photography by Amber taken with her holga

cherry blossoms and jane eyre

"I have for the first time found what I can truly love–I have found you. You are my sympathy–my better self–my good angel–I am bound to you with a strong attachment. I think you good, gifted, lovely: a fervent, a solemn passion is conceived in my heart; it leans to you, draws you to my centre and spring of life, wrap my existence about you–and, kindling in pure, powerful flame, fuses you and me in one."  — Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre

 I cant believe its already cherry blossom season. 

The festival starts this weekend and runs through next and it is one 

of my very favorite things about living in the District.

We took these pictures last year --

looking back at all of them makes me so excited to go take pictures this year...

as a little family of three!

---

Has anyone seen the new Jane Eyre film in theaters right now?

Sometimes I daydream about going on a movie date in the middle of the week,

in the middle of the day with Mr. D ...

in my dream we go out for really good Mexican food after. Surprise, surprise.

Married!

This is one of my very favorite pictures - 

We are still on our way home from our honeymoon, 

but I wanted to share some of Carin's amazing photographs from a week ago today.

I cant wait to see the rest of them, but in the meantime I cant stop smiling at these...

We have loved the past 10 days, but I am so excited to get back

and finish making our new little home homey.

Here's to a wonderful new year!

sneak peak

Over Thanksgiving we were so lucky to have Carin take a few pictures of us.

Seriously cannot thank her (or our little crew of supporters) enough 

for braving a literal blizzard to capture some really wonderful photographs. 

She is such an amazing photographer.

Turns out giant red balloons, sparklers, lights and lanterns 

are a pretty perfect little concoction

even in thick falling snow and freezing temperatures...
maybe especially.

Annette.

Annette Pehrsson has completely captured my mood today. 

Her amazing photography has me no longer searching for words, 

but content simply feeling.

originally spotted on SallyJaneVintage

South of the Border

Letters from Rilke.

As you unfold as an artist, just keep on, quietly and earnestly, growing through all that happens to you. You cannot disrupt this process more violently than by looking outside yourself for answers that may only be found by attending to your innermost feeling. 

Paris, February 17, 1903

Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet

Oh how I love Rilke's Letters to a Young Poet. The minute I started reading it I grabbed a pen and began underlining and jotting down notes in the margins. It is full of excellent advice, not only for writers and artists of all breeds, but advice for life in general. Advice that I am still trying to grasp as I read its lines over and over again learning something new each time. It's also the perfect size for carrying around with you every where you go. 

I ordered this Baggu backpack a couple of weeks ago. Perfect for carrying around Rilke and the many cameras I'm accumulating...

Spotted first on For Me, For You

instant gratification

This weekend the newest member of my 

growing camera collection arrived! 

I simply love this Fujifilm Mini Instax Instant Camera....

I don't think it will ever fully replace our Polaroid Camera, but

it has a lot of the same look and feel - plus the film is MUCH 

cheaper and easier to find...so its definitely worth it.

This weekend we took it to Eastern Market and

a Saturday afternoon picnic along the Potomac. 

 

 

diana update!!!

 

 I have almost finished my second roll of 120 Diana film and

I will be posting the results early next week! 

I am excited to see how they turn out 

(and to try out the new camera place I'm developing them at)

Also, I am excited about two new additions to my 

camera family coming this weekend...

Pictures and info coming soon!

So glad its the weekend!!!

Happy Holi.Days.

 First of all, Happy Earth Day! I have spent mine riding my bike

around Old Town and plan to continue this new little 

routine of mine...

AND Happy almost Worldwide Pinhole Day...

I have to admit that 

I didn't know such a day existed, but I will happily play along

For some pinhole inspiration check out the pictures taken

on past pinhole days...

Also, here are a few inspiring me today ...

by Naomi

 by Naomi

by Diana

Photo one is from here.

Meet Brownie

My mom gave me her first camera- a 1953 Brownie Holiday. 

It takes 127 film and sold for $5.00!

The back of it reminds me a lot of Diana. 

I love everything about it and would love to see what would 

happen if I put some film inside...