Tuesday night out on the town...

Me, a new friend from Sedona, and my 1D MarkII...
It's amazing what a $1000 will buy...

Virginia

The colors keeping her warm were what originally attracted me to ask if I could take her photo... I didn't know she had Altzheimer's. Her son was navigating her wheel chair around; I asked him first for permission, then I asked her whether I could take her photo... She just looked at me a bit puzzled. I snapped a couple, and thanked her for letting me. I told her how beautiful she is... she just looked at me. I touched her hands; she kept "working" the end of the material on the cover. I stayed close by, she continued to look at me in wonderment. At one point I smiled at her, and she smiled back really BIG! Her daughter said that they hadn't seen her smile in a long time. What a gift to me!

After twelve children, maybe Atlzheimer's is the gift... I know that can't be easy for any of the children, I was just thinking out loud, not making a joke.

Addendum: This photograph won the THEMED contest for the Brentwood Camera Club monthly contest. The theme was to photograph a stranger.

the Joker Tween

I had a family portrait session today [or so I thought]. It started out normal... but it turned into something really surprising... Tomorrow my subject turns eleven. He wanted to do something in the vain of "the Joker" from "the Dark Knight" movie. We didn't have any make-up, but I have plenty of creativity and patience. I like this (about to turn eleven years old) young mans dramatic make-believe character. This part of the shoot took only ten minutes after the family stuff was done; it was fun to let this kid create. The affects I've applied in Photoshop took almost two hours... I think he is going to slightly freak out when he sees himself.

Get up and get moving for National Start! Walking Day Buzz up!

Today, April 8, is the American Heart Association's National Start! Walking Day. The association urges all employees to bring their sneakers to work and walk 30 minutes today, preferably with their coworkers. The AHA points out that walking is good for your heart, blood pressure, blood sugar, weight and sense of well-being.

A recent study found that people who wear a pedometer walk about 2,000 more steps a day or about another mile than those who don't. That burns about 100 extra calories a day. If your goal is to lose weight, you probably need to work up to 12,000 or more steps a day.

How to get a pedometer

The non-profit America On the Move is offering USA TODAY readers a special deal of two pedometers for $14.95 at dietchallenge.usatoday.com and americaonthemove.org or by calling 877-866-8663.

To increase your steps:

• Take 100 steps around your office or home about every hour. Program your computer to remind you when it's time to take a break.

• At the office, don't e-mail or call anyone within 400 feet of you. Instead, walk to that person and give him the message or information.

• Take the long way to the restroom.

• Take a couple of quick laps around the mall before you start shopping.

• Walk one city block, about 200 steps.

• Take a brisk walk during your lunch break for about 20 minutes or so, about 2,000 steps.

• Walk four laps around the track at a high school, 2,000 steps.

• Play basketball game for 30 minutes, more than 4,300 steps.

• Low-impact aerobic dancing for 20 minutes, more than 2,500 steps.

• Play soccer for 60 minutes, equal to 8,000 to 10,000 steps.

--By Sue Kelly, USA TODAY

The Earth Laughs in Flowers - RWE

Belle Meade TulipsCheekwood MagnoliaHome Grown DaffodilsI recently created a work of "art" that will be auctioned off at the 13th Annual "Chair-ish the Kids" benefiting "Kids on the Block." It was an exercise that stretched me artistically; I never thought about it taking about forty hours to complete. It get's auctioned off on April 30th of this month.

The chair I worked on is titled, "The Earth Laughs in Flowers" - a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson. Here is a picture of the final piece of work. My dog Lucy just had to be in the photo... actually, she wouldn't move...I painted the chair with four different colors of green to give the flowers a proper background, and then also hand painted vines up the legs reaching to the flowers.This is the cover of the brochure from the "Chair-ish the Kids" event.