So what if Prom was back in May? I'm simply trying to get back into some routine of blogging and these photos were a lot of fun to take.
First of all, my son and his girlfriend were super late to the designated photo venue. Like last year, they opted to gather at the University of Illinois' Main Quad. Traditionally, the senior class takes photos at the local country club, but I think something transpired a few years ago which led to the students no longer being welcome on the golf course's 18 fairway (probably because they tore it up).
Serious Photo. The girls are so tall with their high heels, it's hard to see the guys. This group, with the exception of my son and the boy on his right are juniors.
So I asked the guys to get up on the edge of the stone banister, but then one of them slipped and Chaos ensued!
This is my favorite outtake photo!
It’s the end of May and here in the Mid-west, May ushers in Prom Season, Graduation Season, the end of school and the start of summer.
My son went to Prom a few weeks back. Prior to this year, the prom experience involved my daughter and I can say things are very different with a son. Some elements were easier - for example, hair, ie, no elaborate updo’s for my son! Choosing and renting a tux was fairly painless, although I don’t recommend waiting until the week before to complete that task. Surprisingly, the cost to rent the tux was higher than what my daughter spent on her dresses, but at least I don’t have a tux taking up space in my closet.
Here’s the main reason for this post – Prom pictures!
My son and his lovely date, A:
Each class designates the location for photos and for the Class of 2018 it was Foelinger Auditorium on the south end of the Main Quad at the University of Illinois. All the couples and their families enjoyed the lovely spring weather. We felt lucky as the previous weekend's prom goers endured torrential rainstorms.
Red was a popular color this year. You can't really tell from the above photo, but the two of them are wearing the same dress. The nice thing is neither really cared.
My son with his date's family. Aside note - I learned a few days after Prom that A's family lives two blocks from us!
With friends:
Brian with his long time friend, E. They have known each other since they were both three years old. They are all grown up now....
I first met Evan at a Cross Country banquet - when he was in middle school. He's still running and plans to continue in college, at the College of Charleston in South Carolina.
I'm friends with Evan's mother and she prefers black and white photos, so I converted the ones she liked.
This one is also a favorite of mine, and happened to be one of the last photos of the day, when I could tell he was tiring of the whole posing / smiling process (that modeling thing is hard work!). I loved the how the light was catching in his eyes, so I took "just a few more". Evan was so polite through all my crazy requests!
Some photography details:
Shot with my Nikon D600 DSLR with a 70-200mm f/4 zoom lens, aperture set to f4 for all the photos. I have been using this set up for all of the portraits I have been taking over the last 3 years. I get great depth of field and nice bokeh. Post processing done in Lightroom 5.
To sophomore year - the cusp of sixteen - a young man - about to get my driver's license which will drive my mother to an early grave:
Taken at the paintball field, a day before his 16th birthday - no better way to celebrate such an occasion that with your good friends, in the woods and the mud:
A week later, he had his license and unlike his sister who simply drove back and forth to school, the horse barn and home, this boy has been going everywhere - friend's houses way across town, to the Wal-Mart, to the Target, the movies and to the mall. I realize this is normal teenage behavior, but why does it stress me out so?
Because I still remember him on his first day of kindergarten...
Congratulations! Today is your day.
You're off to Great Places! You're off and away.
You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. OH! The Places You'll Go!
You'll be on your way up! You'll be seeing great sights!
You'll join the high fliers who soar to great heights.
And Will you succeed? Yes! You will indeed!
(98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed)
KID, you'll move mountains!
So... be your name Lindsay or Jack or Aiden or Bray,
Or Amira or Erica or Ariam or Jay Today is your day
Your mountain is waiting, So..... get on your way!
And we'll be there to support you if you need it - come what may.
We survived the holiday weekend, complete with the Girls' graduation party.
A party for these three - friends since freshman year - hosted by the parents, held in our backyard.
The party scene, well before the party. I should have taken a photo once everything was set up, but I was too tired...
The tent was a must-have, and it even withstood the 40mph winds from the weekend.
At least 100 people attended, it was a great time with great food, great friends, great fun. We lucked out with the weather, as the 50% chance of rain never materialized.
I love it when you just don't care
I love it when you dance like there's nobody there
So when it gets hard, don't be afraid
We don't care what them people say
I love it when you don't take no
I love it when you do what you want cause you just said so
Let them all go home, we out late
We don't care what them people say
We don't have to be ordinary
Make your best mistakes
'Cause we don't have the time to be sorry
So baby be the life of the party
I'm telling you to take your shot it might be scary
Hearts are gonna break
'Cause we don't have the time to be sorry
So baby be the life of the party
Together we can just let go
Pretending like there's no one else here that we know
Slow dance fall in love as the club track plays
We don't care what them people say
We don't have to be ordinary
Make your best mistakes
'Cause we don't have the time to be sorry
So baby be the life of the party
I'm telling you to take your shot it might be scary
Hearts are gonna break
'Cause we don't have the time to be sorry
So baby be the life of the party
Come out tonight, come out tonight
There's no one standing in your way
Come out tonight, come out tonight
We don't care what them people say
We don't care what them people say
We don't have to be ordinary
Make your best mistakes
'Cause we don't have the time to be sorry
So baby be the life of the party
I'm telling you to take your shot it might be scary
Hearts are gonna break
'Cause we don't have the time to be sorry
So baby be the life of the party
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Life of the party
So don't let them keep you down
Oh you know you can't give up
'Cause we don't have the time to be sorry
So baby be the life of the party
My senior daughter's high school prom was held this past weekend - it is so much fun to watch them in their fancy gowns and formal ware. Getting ready can be a bit stressful (read - I was responsible for braiding my daughter's hair, so that's the main source of stress), we always seem to be running late, but in the end, the kids have a great time.
The Seniors always meet at the Country Club for pre-prom photos with their classmates. It was a bit rainy, thankfully just a light on-off drizzle. It's a great time to see the parents of the kids, meet the parents of your daughter's date and catch up with those students you have known since they were little.
These two have been friends since first grade.
And these four, can't you tell they are troublemakers?
I seriously don't understand these poses, whatever happened to silly bunny ears?
A great group of friends, who will remember these times fondly.
For some reason, I love this photo - such a sign of the times, the constant capturing of the moment using your cell phone camera.
Five things from this past week that made me smile
The fact that my kids completely demolished the pasta dish I made on Wednesday night – pasta with roasted red pepper sauce, artichoke hearts and grilled chicken. In the past, such a combination would have elicited complaints and general “food drama”.
Discernibly longer days, ie glimpses of the sunrise at 6:30am and daylight past 5pm! Here's proof - a photo taken at 6:30, on the cusp of daybreak:
Winter Morning
Serendipitous radio play of two songs from The Soundtrack of my Life – Father Figure by George Michael and Sweet Sensation by INXS. Felt like I was in college again
Hubby, who just started going to yoga class with me, mentioning he wants to go early so we can “get a good spot”. Hey, maybe I’ve converted him to this yoga thing.
My daughter’s tweet about me: “Mom yelling downstairs: ‘Louie what outfit should I wear?’ (louie is our cat)”.
Yeah, Creeping on my Daughter
I want to clarify that this tweet isn’t 100% true.The exact quote was ‘Louie, what YOGA outfit should I wear?’
Seriously, don’t we all ask our pets what we should wear? After all, they don’t judge, give unconditional approval…
... and make the best post-run napping partners.
Hope you have a great Super Bowl Weekend!
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I'm interrupting the Black and White Days to post a couple photos of my kids and their high school's Homecoming. The Homecoming Dance happened to fall the night before the Chicago Marathon, so I got to witness things from afar. Thankfully, I have really great friends who serve as second parents to my kids - I don't worry when I have to be away.
And as a bonus, I get real time scoop via text:
Can you spot the big trend amongst boys right now? It's the bow tie! My son was very specific when we shopped for his Homecoming outfit - there had to be a bow tie. Now he owns two of them and even managed to tie it himself (YouTube saves the day again).
Then there is the sibling selfie, taken after I incessantly texted both the girl and the boy, requesting photos.
I hadn't seen my daughter's dress prior to this photo and without even trying, sister and brother are perfectly matched! How serendipitous! And their expressions are, well, just classic.
They had a great time at the dance and didn't burn the house down. We might survive this school year, yet.
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I am often asked questions and comments about my photography - what location, what camera, what settings, etc. The camera question aside (i...
Words to Live By
“Be aware of wonder. Live a balanced life - learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.” --Robert Fulghum
About Me
A chemical engineer working in IT, Wife to Scott, Mom to two great kids + two cats, one horse and numerous fish. Photographer, marathoner, musician, yogi and gourmet cook. I don't think there is time for more, but I'm sure I missed something!
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