Finn is (almost) a big boy now ...

Lucy

Photographing Maddie and Lucy was such fun.
Watching the growth of a new family is an amazing gift, and the girls of this family are a true treat.

Lara

Poetry and Photography: The New Traumbilder Book is out

Traumbilder by Silke, Tristan | Make Your Own Book

Ahhh the Adventure called “Easter Bonfire”

In Germany there is a tradition of lighting bonfires the night before Easter Sunday. The really big ones are organized by the fire department, but you can also find many small ones for smaller groups of family and friends.

 

 

No matter how big or small these bonfires are big with the kids. Boys and girls alike are fascinated by fire. And the play options are plenty. You can bake your own bread on a stick – which requires patience. Or you can light sticks on fire and swing them around for cool photographs – which requires caution. … just to name a few.

I am three months old now ...

... and Grandma's Aran Jumper is like THE BEST. It makes me feed like a real Irishman.

THIS is what summer nights are for

When all my Saturday plans got messed up and I ended up with a free afternoon, I scooted over to the neighbors for some s'mores and stories.

Little did I know: It was story night with Stevie. I wonder how his stories will change as he gets older, and I really hope he meets people on the way who nurture his gift. For the rest of us there will always be melted gooey sugary goodnes between graham crackers ... and chocolate ...

In the Monster, etc. Workshop

One fine summer afternoon - actually it was on several fine afternoons - we set up shop in the yard to make a monster. At first we created something more along the lines of a monster-mess, but eventually with each session we came closer to our goal.



Today there is a beautiful monster with the name of LuLiLe somewhere in Germany watching over either Lukas, Lina or Leo while they're sleeping. Because every kid needs a monster to watch out for them at night.

... and while monster needed drying time there was always room for some more creativity.
(Yes - just in case you were wondering - there was glitter everywhere. I swear I saw the squirrel glitter the entire next week.)


If you want to learn more about making monsters check out Dan Reeder's website for ideas and instructions.

Nothing says Summer Fun like Corn on the Cobb

Puck

In a Puck-ish fashion he was dashing thru the park.

Jumping from rock to rock.
Avoiding eye contact with the camera.
Too fast to catch on film.
... or so he thought.

But I cought him anyway.
:)

A Walk with the Pond Fairy

This weekend I went on a walk in the park with the Pond Fairy.

She showed me how difficult yet graceful it is to choose the appropriate attire.


She showed me how to fish for Pond Stuff in fairy fashion without falling in.


And she showed me that she can balance on stones, and that she is wise enough to hold on to mom’s hand (so that she won’t fall in, in the unlikely event that she should slip.)

Quite a handful

Yes, summer is here!
He's very young still but he has definitely kicked spring out. And with summer came the neighbor's kids. They have taken to visiting us in the evening. We watch birds and flowers, discuss lifecycles of butterflies, play badminton or ball, or admire newly acquired gymnastics skills. … until mom or grandma put an end to it.
Uh well, there is always tomorrow …

"Water's Edge"

Remember, a little while ago, one of my prints was accepted into a Poetry & Photography Art Book project called "Water's Edge".
For a limited time only, the book is available as a pdf file for download.

Click here if you are curious.

Peekaboo

I was in the garden with the camera. I had gone to take photos of the toad lilies that had just started to bloom, at a time when everything else started to die or at least seemed to have stopped growing for the year.
That's when a little voice started talking from the other side of the fence: "Hello." "Zachary, I can't see you. Where are you?" A little hand showed up thru the crack in the fence where a falling tree limb had damaged a plank a couple of months ago.
We were right in the middle of a conversation when it struck me: The light was beautiful and you could just see enough of him to know it was Zack and to know that he really wanted to come over. And I had my camera right there ... what was I waiting for?
Took the picture, and asked him if he wanted to come over to see the flowers ...

Playing around with Photoshop

I am playing around with Photoshop and I am discovering stuff I really like.



I love how this filter works with the energy in Esk's face (above) or with the textures below.

Oh when the saints go marching in ....

... they may get sand between their toes.

The Studio of Life

I have had a long and beautiful summer, and I have not been as creative as I had hoped.
However, I have been taking pictures of my peeps - not in the studio but in the studio of their lives.
I think you all know what I photograph the most!