Vintage Cameras

On my 35 before turning 36 list #2 was to start collecting vintage cameras.  I received the first from my favorite for Christmas last year (Kodak Tourist II) and then my Mom gave me the second (Brownie No 2C) which belonged to my Grandmother so it has special meaning to me.  At a recent garage sale/junk foray trip I stumbled upon a super cute shop and had such a great time browsing the wares and found the third (Brownie Bullet), not to mention a few super cute props (a post for another day....especially after I've had a chance to use them!)  Over the weekend I dragged my favorite to our local flea/antique market and struck gold!  I didn't buy every one I saw but I did purchase five more cameras.  Pretty atypical I thought since when I usually am on the lookout for something I can never find it.  I purchased a Brownie Target six 16, an Ansco box camera, an Agfa Trolix, a Polaroid Land camera 160, and a Pocket Premo.  After a little bit of research I was able to identify what I had purchased along with the dates they were manufactured.  Now to get a display case to store these lovelies!

Kodak Tourist II

1951-1958

Brownie No 2C

1927-1934

Brownie Bullet

1957-1964

Target Brownie Six 16

1941-1946

Ansco

1925

Agfa Trolix (The Box 14)

Germany 1936-1940

Polaroid Land Camera 160

1962-1965

Pocket Premo

1906-1907

Holstee Manifesto

Just stumbled across this via a blog I follow and I couldn't love these words of inspiration more!

The Savvy Photographer

Just recently stumbled across this blog/store by following who knows what rabbit hole of links I clicked on to get there...but I love all of the creative ideas I've found there.  Not to mention they have a store!  Here's the link  http://www.thesavvyphotographerblog.com/  Take a look they have some great stuff =)

Will you be my muse?

I need a favor.....

It seems as though there are no original concepts anymore (either that or I am incredibly unimaginative).   Take my blog name for instance (sure I like it now but it took a day and half to come up with something), in the end it wasn't even me who picked it, that credit goes to my favorite.  I'm having the same problem with coming up with a domain name and this time my favorite's best pick was "photosbyjen.com" (don't even get me started on it).  Every time I think I've found something great, brilliant, original it's taken.  Even the funky stuff you'd swear no one would think to use, yeah they used it.  I've tried anagram makers, I've made lists, I've tried this neat little site called http://www.nameboy.com/ & now I'm stooping to bribery.  Yep, it's true.  I've enlisted my good friend Maggie to run a contest with the students she teaches (90 eighth graders should be able to come up with something).  The best part is it's only going to cost me a candy bar....if I pick one of their suggestions and it's not already in use. 

So my dear ones this is where you all come in!  Yes there's bribery in it for you as well and no it's not candy...I need a domain for my photography site.  I have tried jalphoto, jal photography, jalimages, lookinglass, naturalight (that's a beer by the way a nasty one at that!), availablelight, capturedlight, jalight, amomentinlight, bestillphotography, clementinephotography, and countless others I can't recall.

Here's the nitty gritty:

1. I would love for the name to have JAL in it somewhere, somehow (my initials), variants can be JAB (maiden name), JA, J, JL, Jen, JLaz, etc.  If you can't work with that try to include one of the following: photography, photo, image, images, light, or any other word you think relates to photography.  If you need some more specific info about me here's a bit of help: favorite color is blue, I love the ocean, my dogs, nature, flowers, trees, water.

2.  Things to avoid: cutesy or schmoopy names, obscure endings (would like it to be .com).


What's in it for you:

1.  If you live in my immediate area (state of IL to be exact) you will win a photo shoot at the location of your choice with all of the images taken burned to a cd.

2.  If you do not live near me I will gladly ship to you your choice of  (a) one 16x20 image of your choice (b) two 8x10 images of your choice or (c) three 5x7 images of your choice (all from my blog posts).


 As stated above you will win if your domain name is chosen and is available!  Much love! 

10 random things

I found this neat post on a blog I follow and thought what the heck let's see what I can come up with!  Here they are off the top of my head......

10 random things about me

1. I'm happiest when I'm near the ocean.

2. Sometimes I think my husband is right when he accuses me of loving my dogs more than him.

3. I think trees are really old souls and are heralds of days gone by.

4. I love the smell and feel of a book and will never trade that for an e-reader or kindle.

5. I could live off of cheese, crackers, & wine if I had to.

6. Good cutlery (Wusthof) & good cookware (Calphalon) makes cooking more enjoyable.

7. I am brutally honest sometimes to a fault.

8. I never lie (seriously).

9. My husband makes me laugh everyday & it's a good thing since my main emotion is anger (I'm working on it!).

10. When I grow up I would love to have a cottage by the beach, own my own photography studio, foster great danes, and still be married to my favorite person.

Universal Truths

No photos today (three days in a row now my apologies, but I promise tomorrow will bring the final catching up).  I'm behind by 10 days if my addition & subtraction skills are working correctly...I'm such a procrastinator sometimes and others I just can't find my muse for the day =(  Here are some fun little tidbits I borrowed from this fabulous blog I follow.  I had to share since they made me laugh & giggle & snort more than once and I think you may get a laugh or two out of it as well.  Enjoy =)

Universal Truths


1. I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.




2. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.




3. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.




4. There is great need for a sarcasm font.




5. How the heck are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?




6. Was learning cursive really necessary?




7. Map Quest really needs to start their directions on #5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.




8. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.




9. I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.




10. Bad decisions make good stories.




11. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.




12. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray? I don't want to have to restart my collection...again.


13. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten-page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.


14. "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this - ever.




15. I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello?!?!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What did you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?


16. I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.

 17. I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.




18. I think the freezer deserves a light as well.




19. I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lite (or wine or Margaritas) than Kay Jewelry.




20. I wish Google Maps had an "Avoid Speed Trap" and “Avoid Bad Neighborhood” routing options.




21. Sometimes, I'll watch a movie that I watched when I was younger and suddenly realize I had no idea what the heck was going on when I first saw it.




22. I would rather try to carry 10 plastic grocery bags in each hand than take 2 trips to bring my groceries in.




23. The only time I look forward to a red light is when I'm trying to finish a text.




24. I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.




25. How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear or understand a word they said?




26. I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars team up to prevent an ass from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers and sisters!




27. Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever.




28. Is it just me or do high school kids get dumber & dumber every year?




29. There's no worse feeling than that millisecond you're sure you are going to die after leaning your chair back a little too far.




30. Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, finding their cell phone, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey - but I'd bet my behind everyone can find and push the snooze
button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time, every time!


31. Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.

Website names

So I've been thinking about a website for sometime and a possible name change.  I've watermarked all of my shots with jal photography (my initials) since my name maiden or married doesn't really lend itself to a roll off the tongue moniker.  The problem I've run into is unless you pay for a specific domain (which at this point I'm just going for a free site) you are stuck with their site included.....case in point.  But I've noticed when I google Jal photography several things happened....my deviant art portfolio sort of showed up (meaning it found it but it was someone with the same initials) or it found everyone else who has those initials and a website with them. 

So......do I come up with a variation of what I already have been using?  I don't mind my watermark although eventually I would like to add an image to it.  I had thought of using my Grandmother's maiden name since it's a nice common easily pronounceable name.  But I also am kind of drawn to photo studios that aren't just the persons name.  I like the idea and I don't.  I think just a name is more professional and I'm definately NOT one for cutesy.  I've even gone so far as to try an online anagram maker using words that define me and things I love.

Help me people!  I need your thoughts, imput, ideas, suggestions....anything =)

How much I love my dogs.....

No I can't take credit for any of this I received as an e-mail from my Mom, but I really liked it =)


TO ALL NON-PET OWNERS WHO VISIT AND LIKE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT MY PETS:


(1) They live here. You don't.

(2) If you don't want their hair on your clothes, stay off the furniture. That's why they call it 'fur'-niture.

(3) I like my pets a lot better than I like many people.

(4) To you, they are animals. To me, they are adopted sons/daughters who are short, hairy, walk on all fours and don't speak clearly.



Remember, dogs and cats are actually better than kids because they:

(1) eat less,

(2) don't ask for money all the time,

(3) are easier to train,

(4) normally come when called,

(5) never ask to drive the car,

(6) don't smoke or drink,

(7) don't want to wear your clothes,

(8) don't have to buy the latest fashions,

(9) don't need a gazillion dollars for college,

(10) if they get pregnant, you can sell their children!

Book Review- The Elegant Gathering of White Snows

I really liked the premise of this book.  The idea of just picking up and leaving with your closest girlfriends and going out to "find yourself, heal yourself".  It started out kind of weak and I had a really hard time figuring out who was who and what was going on since there are eight main characters and no disernable narrator. 

The book is broken up three ways, each chapter has the background story of one of the eight friends and their reasons for walking.  The next after that persons story is told is an article from a newspaper about the the women walkers and the effect it is having on the communities.  The last part before starting a new character is a section called the walker effect and it goes into detail of how the women have inspired someone somewhere to make a change in their life.  Great idea....but

I could have seriously done without the newspaper article sections they were only about one page long and lacked any real depth or detail for me to really care about what was written.  Sadly I agree with one http://www.goodreads.com/ review that said they couldn't really relate to any of the characters or care about them since there wasn't enough substance to go on.  I found myself being more drawn into the small five pages dedicated to the inspired woman sections and wanting to know how it turned out for them than really being drawn into the main story.  The last thing that just made this an "ok" book as opposed to a "good" book was the overwhelming in your face reoccuring instances of Sisterhood, sisterhood, sisterhood, the sickenly sweet mother daughter bonds ALL of the characters had with their daughters, and the rampant use of lesbianism.  Great I'm all for love your friends, love your kids, love whoever you want (man, woman, green person, purple person who cares!)  I just got very tired of it showing up each and every chapter. 

Phat Straps

One more shameless plug for the day...I blogged about ooohing and aaahing about this before and it's most likely going to be my next purchase (with April's allowance of course!).  I absolutely love, love, love paisley and think this would cover the obnoxious yellow nikon tag on my strap perfectly!

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=36104798

Epiphanie Bag contest

Here's another shameless plug for an Epiphanie bag....wish me luck!

http://www.phatstraps.com/

http://www.fidosfashioncollars.com/

www.designaglow.com

Shameless plug incoming to try to win one of these darling bags!

Have you seen all the beautiful new products & contest for pro photographers on http://www.DesignAglow.com?

On my mind @ the moment......

• new books to shelve & update the lists
• excited about a website & postcards
• can't decide if I should read, scrap, or shoot
• dreading the pile of photos that are waiting to be labeled and put into albums...maybe just 20 a day will do it
• can't wait to grill brats for dinner
• impatiently waiting until I can give people gifts I found today
• thinking it would be nice to open the windows and let the fresh air into the house
• trying to pick a walk about local for tomorrow
• wishing I was on a beach somewhere warm but will have to settle for the hammock in the backyard with a sans umbrella drink

On my mind @ the moment:

• irritated by the weekend forecast
• annoyed with the new 2" long hole my dogs put into the wall while i was at work
• hoping i get to see one of my favorite gal pals tonight
• wondering why tonite isn't used more than tonight seeing as though (can't it be tho?) grey & gray are both accepted
• how much i hate my dirty house....could someone please Un-invent dust?
• happy my favorite will be home an hour earlier than usual
• disappointed with the buttery garlic popcorn i made for a snack
• enjoying the phrase "morning yawn" when referring to Spring Crocus like these beauties

• elated to see two boxes from my wine of the month clubs had come
• wistful for Spring, despite the first day of it being tomorrow the weather will argue
• reminded by how much i love pandora.com and the new artists it has introduced me to
• sad that my next disc of weeds season 5 won't be here until Monday =(
• anticipating laughing my ass off at my favorite and e.s. playing ddr @ dave & buster's

On my mind @ the moment

• there's always time for one more cocktail
• looking forward to my photo shoot this weekend with some of my favorite peeps....here
• in addition to giving Malts the nickname "Bubba" I've decided it also works for animals in general as well as small children

• I really want to try my hand at this project
• glad I finally found the blog I was looking for to suggest to a friend
• inhaled 3 bugs on my walk tonight with my favorite & it was GROSS
• tossing ideas around for my Macro Friday project
• watching my dogs wag their tails in their sleep makes me smile
• wishing I could find someone willing to do a diptych or abstract thought project with me, like this one or here

Book Review-Down River

So after my initial struggles to get through The Story of Edgar Sawtelle I was a bit hesitant to pick up another book.  I have been reading a lot of young adult fiction (thanks to my friend Maggie who is a middle school Language Arts teacher).  Not to slight YA fiction but it is extremely easy and so leisurely to read!  So after having read titles such as Hunger Games, Catching Fire, Shiver, and The Mortal Instruments series, I found myself thinking maybe it's me.  Maybe I ruined my reading capabilities by going the easy route with YA fiction.  I am an avid reader you could even say voracious....my favorite (#100 in my 365 project) is often amazed at how quickly I read.  By the way I highly recommend any of those YA quick reads just as a side note.

So having returned all of my checked out library books (since having a deadline to read them doesn't often encourage me to get through them because of the renewing option), I decided to actually pick up one of the many books I have laying around my house.  When I say many, I mean a whole room dedicated to my books.  Seeing as though it also shares space with my scrapbooking supplies and is only about 10x12 it can't really be considered a library.  I call it my reading room or if I'm feeling crafty it becomes my scrapping room.

I decided on Down River by John Hart (never heard of the author or title before) but Maggie lent it to me so seeing as though I can't really renew through her I figured I should read it and return it.  What a great little find this one was!  I found I can enjoy reading, it isn't me, and damn I'm fast.  I started this one around noon on Sunday and finished it up right before bed Sunday night at ten.  Quick read, nice character development, and fun little unexpected twist at the end.  I won't say it left me thinking about it after finishing it (as the book reviews on the jacket said I would) BUT it did it's job.  It entertained, it wasn't labor intensive, and it got me back into my reading mode.  I have such a bad habit of reading like crazy....anything I can get my hands on, a book a day or every other day especially if I'm on vacation and can spare the time...but I also tend to fall out of it and not pick up a book for months on end.  I tend to find myself doing this with food, alcohol, and hobbies as well.  Hrmmm I'm sensing a personality trait here. 

Book Review-The Story of Edgar Sawtelle

I wanted to like this...I really truly did and I kind of do, sort of.  Let me explain.  The back story:  I came across this book the way I usually find new books to read through The Book Page, a literary magazine my library gives away for free.  Every time I pick up a copy of that magazine it seems I have four or five more "to reads" on my goodreads.com list.  Ask Melissa she often takes cues from what I've added (although I can't explain that since she's the librarian and it should be me taking cues from her "to read" list)....but I digress.  So needless to say I found this book through Book Page and it sounded interesting (nevermind that it found it's way onto Oprah's book club list).  I should have known once I saw on the book cover who recommended it.....Maya Angelou aside every book I've bothered to read (or should I say waste time reading) that Oprah has recommended-SUCKED.

I check it out..I read some of it.  I find the story interesting, the writer's style incredibly laborious.  It was work to read through the first 50 pages.  That's all I got through after having it for a month and renewing it once.  Returned!  But it stayed with me, so like a glutton I checked it out again.  And again I found myself dreading wanting to work to read it.  I enjoyed the story, the characters (it was about dogs for one and a boy with special needs for another).  But the work I had to put into it-EGADS!  I managed to get to page 270 after once again having it for a month and renewing it again.  Returned!

I have yet to decide if checking it out a third time would even be worth the effort it would take to finish it seeing as though even at page 270 I'm still only half way through it!  Thoughts?  Anyone read this all the way through and liked it?  I hate to go off of the goodreads.com star rating since I find I often disagree with people's reviews or star ratings.

Small scale full frame & results

Ok ladies...here are the full frame shots and results.  Believe or not we have another tie with two people getting 7 out of 10 correct!  The results are as follows: Maggie 5 out of 10 correct, Kristine 2 out of 10 correct, Melissa 5 out of 10 correct, Val 7 out of 10 correct, and Meredith 7 out of 10 correct.  Congrats Ladies and thanks to everyone for playing along =)  Mer let me know what print you would like a copy of and I'll ship it out.  Val you have two picks now....just need your choices and your address. 

Until next week...

  Love, Jen 

For the love of color week

This past week I participated in a creative challenge posted at this blog that I recently started following.  I can't wait for Spring and this was a great exercise to focus my eye to look for that "something specific".  Here are the photos I choose to use for the love of color week......

Thursday-green

A hint of healthy or so I called it....also the first picture I took with my new macro lens.

Friday-pink

An accesory I found at the Jaclyn shop in downtown Oswego.

Saturday-orange

A row of tea bags in the shop at the Village Grind.  For a supposedly friendly place I was pretty much yelled at by the lady working there for taking pictures of their precious items.

Sunday-yellow

Gorgeous prom dresses arranged by color in The Jaclyn Shop.

Monday-blue

An island off the coast of Belize that is a bird santuary for the (don't laugh I swear this is what they are called) Red Footed Booby.

Tuesday-purple

My fabulous $20 shoes from the fancy French store Target.

Wednesday-red

A red rose from my garden from last year....with a baby grasshopper.