What does summer taste like to you?  If you close your eyes and imagine yourself bathed in sunshine, a warm breeze messing your hair, and with your feet in water, what would be the best thing to go with it? I think of cherries.  And strawberries, warm from the sun, freshly picked in the garden.  I think of rosé too.  Or mojito.  Yes, mint and lime… Everything seems to taste better in the sunlight.  The more summer goes on, its taste changes.  There’s ripe tomatoes, corn on the cob and basil.  Blueberries and blackberries. My mind gets carried away with all the thoughts of fresh food I can enjoy in the summer.  I’ve always preferred fresh dishes over roasts, soups or stews, the more autumnal or wintery dishes.  What food is your favorite, and what does the season taste like to you?  Do tell.

It’s fair to say I have a major crush on peonies.  Some may call it an obsession, but you got to capture these ephemeral beauties while they last.  A rainy day, a little wind, and poof!  They’re gone!  What’s a girl to do then?  Shoot with a passion and make the most of them.  That’s what I did.  Every spring, when the peonies are about to bloom, the first thing I do in the morning, even before coffee, is to go in the garden and check on them, are they ready yet?  As soon as I see the first bloom, fever hits.  I cut and create bouquets, from which I will select the flowers for my photos.  I protect them from the nasty weather and treat them like precious babies.  I’m always on the lookout too for new peonies to add to the garden, maybe next year I’ll have yellow ones, fingers crossed X

It’s not breaking news if I tell you I’ve been enjoying shooting with my iPhone lately.  Since I use it so much, I went ahead and ordered a waterproof case so I can take photos underwater this summer.  I got the Nuud case by Lifeproof.  I was terribly excited to get my hands on that case, but when I opened the box, doubt crept in…  The case looked sturdy enough but it doesn’t cover the screen!  I could not imagine using a case that leaves so much of my precious device open to elements.  I made the test with the dummy phone provided, no leaks.  I still wasn’t feeling very confident about it so I took another test, that time leaving the dummy underwater for a long time, I went to run errands and forgot about it.  When I came back, everything inside was dry as a bone.

Yes,  I do shoot people.  I actually love to shoot humans.  I didn’t choose florals or still life because it’s easier.  It’s not easier at all.

I’m not shooting portraits mostly because I hate the sales pitch, and the prints and derivative products pushing.  Emails twice a day to check if the gallery is up, deadlines.

In fact, I hate constraints, of all sorts.  I like to think I’m a free spirit but the truth is maybe I’m more of a rebel.  Authority gives me a hard time. Especially in my creative work where my process takes some time. I would never have made it in the army.  I’m not much of a “yes sir”, “no sir”, “right away sir” woman.  So, portraiture probably consists in less than 20% of my work.  I could use models, but then I’d need releases.  Models would want copies for their portfolios, make-up artist would want some too.  Hassle. Too much time spent not creating. Don’t like it.

My oldest son granted me the privilege to take some photos of him on Mother’s Day.  I had some ideas in mind, which he agreed on.  I wanted him to play the teenage rebel, the runaway, in trouble kid.  I know this bike tunnel here in town, which has great light since it’s a very short tunnel, so we headed out there.  My boy is a very fine young man, who never gets in trouble, and is not attracted to anything dark.  He’s an athlete and lives for action, of the good kind.  So, he was a bit out of character, but he had fun, especially with the lighter.