The Call: Look Closely — Cheryl

If you’re not paying attention, you might miss the spider in the center of this flower. I almost did.

The Response: Pages and Pages of Dolls and Their Accoutrements — Cheryl

The calendar marches towards December 25th, and the mailbox holds more and more excitement for my kids.

The Call: Come Here Puppies — Jessica

Not exactly the photo that I had in my head…but that’s what happens until you don’t start trying to get it until late at night. Gregory (you can see his feet) was holding the dogs by their collars and then releasing them when I called them. As I called them, I triggered the shutter with my remote and then manually tripped my flash. They came out a bit more ghostly than I thought (probably because of the long shutter time). I was hoping to catch more motion and then one frozen (flashed) moment that stood out more. Back to the drawing board.

The Response: Front Yard from Upstairs — Jessica

Trees can change a lot based on your perspective.

The Call: Dark and Light — Cheryl

The leaves on the trees in my yard are predominantly yellow, which might seem a bit boring, but when the sun hits them in the afternoon, I almost always grab my camera.

The Response: Doing What It’s Supposed to Do — Cheryl

It seems to me that a rosebush’s purpose is to produce roses. I’m quite pleased that this one is living up to its potential — fulfilling its purpose, if you will — especially now, when few other flowers are in bloom.

The Call: Gala Dinner — Jessica

There is always a nice sense of fulfillment seeing something that you have created on screen, printed and tangible. Last week was very hectic trying to get in all the edits and new additions to the dinner program, but we did it and it made it to the printer in plenty of time.

The Response: Afternoon Sun Through the Blinds — Jessica

I’m renting a Canon 35mm f1.4 lens for the weekend because I will be shooting a golf tournament and gala dinner/auction on Monday and I needed something wide and fast and lighter than what I currently owned for the evening interior shots. (It’s all volunteer — and if anyone purchases the photos the proceeds go to the Sisters.)

So, I put it on my camera yesterday and played around with it all day as I had a chance. Oh my! I can see why people love it so much. You can’t really tell in this shot because I was stopped down so far to get the starburst, but when it’s wider open, the bokeh (and I’m not really a big bokeh-nut) was amazing — so creamy!! Wow! If only I had a spare $1500 lying around… ; )

The Call: Take Me Seriously, Please — Cheryl

I finally ordered business cards from Moo, and they arrived yesterday. I love them, and will likely be giving them out like candy at a parade just so I can order another batch with different images.

The Response: Silver on My Wrist — Cheryl

I made the two chain maille bracelets and have been wearing them for years; I found the Citizen Eco-drive watch in the glove compartment of the A4 we bought in the spring; the Claddaugh is a gift from my sister; and the bangles are long-ago TJ Maxx purchases, but I recently started wearing them again, after adding the crystal and woven bead to one. I have to admit that I love the sounds my left wrist makes. (The way it gleams in the sunlight is nice, too.)

The Call: Mother Seton — Jessica

Well, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton actually. She is very popular around here since she was from just up the road a bit in Northern Maryland. I thought the metal had a gleaming quality to it. So, as I was waiting for the children to finish up an afterschool activity, Luke and I went over and took a picture.

The Response: Snack Time — Jessica

Potato chips make such a nice crunch — especially after school while watching TV.

The Call: Crunching Through Autumn — Cheryl

Stella and I love the sound of dry leaves under our feet.

The Response: Tranquil Scene — Cheryl

Looking at a scene like this makes me think that I could be indolent there.