tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63180127958724542122024-03-12T18:42:13.046-05:00monika michelle photographyMonika Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04806422965704346122noreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6318012795872454212.post-57938354449588122622010-04-12T12:40:00.012-05:002010-04-12T12:49:27.967-05:00••••• NEW BLOG HOME! •••••<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you are reading this...</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You have found yourself at the historical blog home of monika|michelle photography. </span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While you may be looking for a piece of nostalgia, I assure you that the posts found below live on at our new home (accompanied by current posts) as well.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Swing on over to </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://blog.monikamichelle.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">blog.monikamichelle.com</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">!</span></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">••••••••••••••••••••••• </span></b></span></span></div>Monika Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04806422965704346122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6318012795872454212.post-9518976723445782312010-04-12T09:36:00.001-05:002010-04-12T09:36:00.991-05:00A quiet moment<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">All wrapped up in my (makeshift) winter gear I headed out early in the morning to find a quiet spot in the snow. As I drove across the lake I saw the wind off the boat dock blowing the snow across the ever-so-flat field. Even up close with the wind roaring off the waves I had one of the quietest moments I'd experienced in a long time. Here's hoping you find a quiet moment too...</span></span><br />
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</div>Monika Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04806422965704346122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6318012795872454212.post-12120733068247217352010-04-04T15:45:00.001-05:002010-04-04T15:45:00.375-05:00Wildlife...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Okay, so not really. But practically. Milli is a rare breed of cat who upon the presentation of a camera (phone, point-and-shoot, or DSLR) will take it upon herself to automatically look away or run out of the room. She's quick, smart enough to play catch, and loves to be with me every moment of the editing process (either on my desk or the back of my chair). I joke that's she's a photog-cat. Now that I think about it, I don't like being in front of the camera either... so maybe it makes sense.</span></span><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I recently snapped this shot of her in rare form. Every time I look at it I see the "will you point that thing somewhere else please" look that I have grown to love. I guess if nothing else, she's part of my wild life.</span></span></div><div><br />
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</div>Monika Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04806422965704346122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6318012795872454212.post-24889733957542886272010-04-01T10:05:00.011-05:002010-04-01T10:05:00.139-05:00I'm no fool.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">There are things in life I find insanely funny and then there are things that make me chuckle, stop the car, and take a picture. The following is merely a chuckle. I am in Texas which makes me somewhat unfamiliar with the whole snow thing, but doesn't it take a different type of precipitation for swimming to occur?</span></span><br />
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</span></span>Monika Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04806422965704346122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6318012795872454212.post-31753160356293463352010-02-04T15:26:00.000-06:002010-02-04T15:26:00.585-06:00All you need is your fourth grade notebook...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I remember it vividly. Mrs. Dame's fourth grade class. Learning my multiplication tables via flash cards and "time tests". Making friends in a new town. Recess on cold days was filled with laughter at the outcome of our Mad Libs workbooks (filled with adjectives we could barely spell). And then there was creative writing time. Each week Mrs. Dame would start a simple drawing on a page in our notebook. Maybe it was a series of triangles or perhaps a squiggly line but she gave all each of us the same start. Then it was off to our seats to finish the drawing in whatever way made sense to us. The catch was that once it was finished we had to write about it. Some days the story came before the drawing and at times it was the other way around. It's not unlike the way photography comes to me. Sometimes there is a story in my head when I go to take a picture and other times I take the picture and find a story. The latter is true today.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here is my drawing for the day. I'll let you write your own story...</span></span>Monika Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04806422965704346122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6318012795872454212.post-36080082274008139122010-02-02T22:32:00.000-06:002010-02-02T21:18:07.745-06:00Up before the dawn<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've always admired those people who rise in the morning before the sun's first rays appear over the horizon. My parent's are early risers and they claim that it gets earlier the older they get. After 33 years of living I can honestly say that I wasn't blessed with that habit. There are only a few things that can pull me from a deep sleep in the hours before dawn... the chance to travel (red-eye), the promise of a great iced tea, and my camera. Here is a shot of what Nags Head, NC had to offer this early riser...</span><br />
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</div></div></div>Monika Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04806422965704346122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6318012795872454212.post-18848971730124395072010-01-22T18:30:00.000-06:002010-01-23T15:20:25.094-06:00With new eyes...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>My dad recently took on the job of remodeling a house. This is no ordinary house. It was built in 1867 and is on the national historic registry. Marble fireplaces, ornate cornices, beautiful wood handrails, and several pieces of furniture that were original to the house. I spent half a day wandering around and photographing the place and what a treat it was. As I made my way to the stone basement I came upon a series of windows covered with iron work and was captured by the cold winter light filtering in. Just as I raised my camera to my face my dad said "yeah, I've been meaning to clean those things up". I pressed the shutter and turned to show him the display on the back. "Why would you want to do a thing like that?" I said. He looked at the image and replied "maybe it's not such a priority". <br />
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</div>Monika Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04806422965704346122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6318012795872454212.post-41864774543836714242010-01-19T18:00:00.000-06:002010-01-23T15:18:15.888-06:00Bedknobs and Broomsticks<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Or, in my case, benches and doorknobs. I learn a lot about myself when I am behind the lens. Since I was young I've always had a fascination with the way things were arranged right down to the smallest of details. Well, you know what they say, it's all in the details. It wasn't until I started shooting pictures that I found trends developing in my photos. Like putting together a wardrobe or furnishing a house, the images you choose to collect start to reflect your life, your character, your thoughts. It wasn't until I began to rework my catalog of images that I noticed the frequency with which my lens falls on benches and doorknobs. Benches and doorknobs. Benches or doorknobs? I think this past year was more about the doorknobs.</span><br />
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</div>Monika Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04806422965704346122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6318012795872454212.post-10695936754062575632010-01-16T18:00:00.000-06:002010-01-16T19:23:15.990-06:00It's all in the eyes...<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That's what they say about portraits. I think I believe them. Perhaps one of my favorite shots to take (of kids especially) is the nearly full-frame face shot. It breaks some of the rules of traditional portraiture in that it makes for an oversized version of the child when printed larger than an 8x10. I love it none-the-less. There is something special about the way eyes sparkle that draws me right in. I have evidence of this habit because it causes me to show up in the picture too! Can you spot the photog in this shot?</span><br />
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</div>Monika Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04806422965704346122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6318012795872454212.post-4548572192835784412010-01-14T21:00:00.000-06:002010-01-14T21:00:02.032-06:00Capture it all!<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One of the things that I dearly LOVE about photographing kids is that there really are NO RULES. Unlike us adults who have the "sit here and smile" rule engrained in us from years of traditional school pictures kids typically have no problem showing us just what they can do in front of the camera. From frowns to grins, from pouts to giggles, from serious to just plain goofy... I think it all deserves a little camera time. Besides, some of the stuff we do as kids we won't be able to pull off later in life. Thanks to Gabe for pointing out that picture taking can be wildly energetic if you just give it a chance. ;)</span><br />
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</div>Monika Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04806422965704346122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6318012795872454212.post-32961470008788001322010-01-10T22:04:00.000-06:002010-01-10T22:04:56.473-06:00The Cat and the Camera Bag...<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Not too long ago I introduced you to my cat Milli who loves to rest atop the back of my chair while I edit photos. She must be a kindred spirit as she fell in love with my new camera bag as quickly as I did. I'm not certain her purposes for the Tenba Messenger are as designed by the manufacturer but she definitely uses it as often as she can! PS - Only if the camera has been removed and the bag turned over. Gotta love her.</span><br />
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</div>Monika Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04806422965704346122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6318012795872454212.post-66876284777693000542009-11-28T17:24:00.000-06:002009-11-28T17:26:05.701-06:00Let's go to B'Donalds....<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">... for some chicken NUN-gets. Then we can stop by TOYS-for-US! It seems like only yesterday that I met this little one. Looking back, it's actually been over ten. Yikes. I've been taking pictures of her since day one as she has always been animated, inquisitive, and just plain fun to be around. With a great range of expression she taught me very early to love the not-so-smiley photograph. There is something so character revealing when you refrain from the "say cheese" and just shoot. When I look at these images I am reminded that time passes quickly. Thanks to my beautiful little Rachie for patiently letting me capture "just one more" frame.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At school they told us that when you are photographing a child that you should plan for one minute of focus-time for every year that the child is old. Based on those statistics I was looking at seconds! Instead I got two solid hours of playtime amongst the pumpkins with this little one (and his parent's of course). </span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One of the hardest things in the world for my Type-A personality is not being able to plan exactly how a photo session will flow. At the same time, the thing that I end up cherishing the most is that I can let the action take place and capture it frame-by-frame. I find that the smiles that shine the brightest on a little ones face are always prompted by the simplest of things... a song sung by a mom or dad, a chance to play in the leaves, or perhaps just the freedom to "army-crawl" across the lawn without constraint! It was a pleasure to capture just a few of these moments.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">PS - Thanks to the Zaruba's for making the afternoon SO MUCH FUN! And a special birthday wish for the little guy who, as of Thursday, is the ripe old age of ONE!</span><br />
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</div>Monika Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04806422965704346122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6318012795872454212.post-83223884922380392822009-09-18T16:43:00.000-05:002009-09-18T16:45:09.305-05:00Does your blog need a facelift?<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Hey you happy bloggers. Do you have blogger.com account? Have you looked over the list of default templates so many times only to feel like you can't find the one that fits your personality best? Perhaps you are simply looking for something that integrates well with your website design? I actually had some luck today finding a simple template that integrated easily into my current blogger account. <br />
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</div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">It looks like there are several websites that cater to blogger layout designs. This one has hundreds and was super easy to switch out. In case you are interested...<br />
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</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://btemplates.com/">http://btemplates.com</a><br />
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Keep in mind that you may have to tweek the html to get exactly what you want. Maybe add a gadget or two. I spent about 30 minutes and now have something simple and clean. Maybe you'll find a style that suites your needs.</span></span></div>Monika Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04806422965704346122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6318012795872454212.post-89172986365783025322009-09-12T19:47:00.000-05:002009-09-18T15:52:03.374-05:00Meet Milli...<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So there are a few things in life that constantly bring me laughter. One of them is THIS little one. She came to me from the shelter, looks exactly like her somewhat more substantial brother, and is the smartest most ornery cat I know. Guess I can't blame her, she was named for a unit of the metric scale by her nerdy math owner. She has her own agenda, cleans herself incessantly, and plays fetch like a dog.<br />
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Not long after bringing her home she started doing funny things like lining up toys on my bed. When I would wake up, there she was... ready to play! She has evolved from toys to socks. Yes, socks. She has a radar for socks that rivals the dryer's ability to lose them. In fact, if she could open the dryer I am certain that she would steal them from there as well.<br />
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Perhaps my favorite Milli moment came after a weekend of cleaning on my part. I had washed, dried, folded, and put away every item of clothing in the house. EVERY item. When I woke up the next morning expecting a sock-free bed, I got it. However, in their place nicely arranged was every receipt in the house. Guess they were the only "little white substitute" she could find. It reminded me of a line of validated parking tickets... each certified with a special Milli tooth punch. That, or she was confessing to her closet shopping addiction.<br />
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Since returning to Texas she has found some really interesting ways to get my attention. The sock habit is still intact but she now spends the bulk of her time searching for ways to spend time with me. Since the computer is where you will find me most often, you'll find her as well.... carefully balanced on the back of my chair.<br />
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Now worries, I'll let you know when she learns to color correct prints. Maybe you'll want to hire her for the back of your chair!</span></span><br />
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</div>Monika Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04806422965704346122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6318012795872454212.post-5619863176103675702009-08-31T19:34:00.000-05:002009-09-18T16:01:41.269-05:00Observations from an Overstuffed Chair...<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I had the a rare opportunity today to sit.... sit in a bookstore and peruse every section of my mind that needed insight. Okay, so not everything, but I was certainly there a while. From creativity boosters to diet from fashion to business I explored it all, sitting in an oversized chair with a large cup of ice (with tea). Every once and a while I would look up to see who was meandering the aisles. Mom's with little ones, students, retirees, the unemployed, the independently wealthy, the vacationers, and the self-employed are my guesses. The photography techniques section was heavily frequented. I almost wanted to hand out a survey to those who pulled books off the shelf... hobby or career? :) No worries, I refrained. <br />
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I managed to learn a few things today. Perhaps I'll leave you with an interesting passage I came across was in a book entitled "The Encore Effect". It talks about the differences between performing well and performing remarkably... you know, that top five percent? Here is some food for thought. Take one area of your life that you'd like to perform well in and rate your commitment based on this list of "I's". Photogs, which "eye" are you?<br />
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I.nterested<br />
I.nformed<br />
I.nvolved<br />
I.mmersed<br />
I.nvested<br />
I.nnovative<br />
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Now how are you going to get to the next level?</span></span><br />
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</div>Monika Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04806422965704346122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6318012795872454212.post-65294596447373329582009-08-24T21:05:00.000-05:002009-09-18T16:02:39.125-05:00Within walking distance...<div><span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', -webkit-fantasy;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So I've made my way back to Texas. It's amazing how being gone for a year can really throw you for a loop! Am I who I was when I left... no. Can life be exactly as it was in Massachusett's... no. So where do I start? <br />
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Well, I decided to take a walk. See the neighborhood with new eyes. Here's a few things I found "within walking distance"...<br />
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</div>Monika Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04806422965704346122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6318012795872454212.post-59202824802284639062009-07-10T22:37:00.000-05:002009-07-11T11:34:32.916-05:00If I were a supermodel...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__PtOKm8WVKU/SlgPyr1l0UI/AAAAAAAAAGI/C8xgvjSsKcU/s1600-h/supermodel.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 202px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__PtOKm8WVKU/SlgPyr1l0UI/AAAAAAAAAGI/C8xgvjSsKcU/s320/supermodel.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357049120192581954" /></a><br /><div><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">... my shadow would look like this ALL the time. Funny, huh? Can you imagine?</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Just thought I'd drop in and say "hi". I spent the day on a random road trip. I woke up this morning and decided I'd drive somewhere. Little did I know that the somewhere would end up being Cape Cod. Me and my trusty GPS had some laughs... I'll save those for later since I've been on the road all day.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana, fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Oh, and that model thing. No worries. I had "Cape Cod" chips in the Cape today. I'm sure they went right to my hips.</span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__PtOKm8WVKU/SlgQSCg4d-I/AAAAAAAAAGQ/qTRf_p0Gl0E/s320/chips.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357049658855684066" /></div><div><br /></div>Monika Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04806422965704346122noreply@blogger.com0