Oh, give us pleasure in the flowers to-day (Robert Frost)

"I believe in pink." -Audrey Hepburn

Seriously?  How is it possible that we’re a week into March already (and that’s it’s been 2 MONTHS since I last posted)?  I can’t believe it.  Though, I suppose January and February kind of disappear when you’re sick for 5 weeks.  Can I just say that bronchitis is NOT fun?  Luckily, January and February usually tend to be kind of blah months for me anyway.  Once Christmas is over, I’m ready to leap into Spring.

I guess, in a way, I kind of got my wish–glossed over February and straight into March.  The other morning I awoke to the birds chirping outside my window–truly the first sign that winter is coming to an end– and driving home from work yesterday I saw the tiniest pink cherry blossoms peaking out of some bare branches.  A joyous sight if ever there was one!

Emily Dickinson wrote:

A Light exists in Spring
Not present on the Year
At any other period —
When March is scarcely here

A Color stands abroad
On Solitary Fields
That Science cannot overtake
But Human Nature feels.

There’s “a little madness in the Spring,” a carefree euphoria that seems to come this time of year.  And with it, longer, warmer days, brighter colors, and the promise of new life.

Who can’t help but be cheered by Spring?

Magnolia Tree in full bloom.

(At Long Last) Impressions: Paris

Happy New Year, Blog Readers!  I hope that 2012 is a wonderful year for all of you.

I realize this blog post is long overdue.  I got back from my trip the 1st of December and was planning on posting the first of my Parisian adventures a few weeks ago, but between work responsibilities, holiday festivities, traveling, and family weddings something had to give, and blogging didn’t make the cut.

But, I’m back home now, my Christmas decorations are put away, the newlyweds are on their honeymoon, and I’m dying to share some of my photos of my first trip to Paris!

Let me start by saying every good cliche you’ve ever heard about Paris is 100% accurate.  The light is soft, romantic, and constantly changing.  The food is mouth-wateringly good.  The history and charm is rich and full.  The architecture, art, and grandeur was literally breathtaking.  And to top it all off, I awoke every morning to the bells of Notre Dame and heard an accordionist play La Vie En Rose while walking the bridges of Paris on a Sunday afternoon.

I’ll have more in-depth anecdotes later on, but for now I give you just a few impressions of the City of Light.

Musician playing along the Seine

I will dedicate a whole blog post about the music of Paris.  So many skilled musicians all over the city, from the metro stations to the churches and along the river.  On one memorable night we were serenaded by a clarinet as we dined at a street cafe near St. Germain des Prés.

Dawn on the Ile de la Citie

I had to get up early to capture this shot.  It was totally worth it.  After I shot pictures for about an hour I sat near the river and watched as Paris woke up around me.

Notre Dame

This view of Notre Dame was a two minute walk from our hotel on the left bank.  Seeing it every day just added to the fairy tale of being in Paris.  I blended the image with an aged paper to give it a vintage feel.

Approaching Twilight: Eiffel Tower and Pont Alexander III

One of my favorite bridges in Paris was the Pont Alexander III.  I fell in love with it when I first saw Julia Ormond (with her apple) write in her journal here in the Paris montage of Sabrina.  

That’s all for now!  But now that the new year is upon us, I hope to be able to start making regular updates now!  May you all be blessed with a wonderful and exciting new year!

In November the Snow Starts to Fly…

Well, not in Seattle it doesn’t but in my old stomping grounds back in Boston it sure did!  I have to say, I was a little jealous of all my friends back east when I saw all their pictures on Facebook last weekend.  Though not so envious of the power outages–I’m very thankful for the blessing of electricity.

I was supposed to post some of Brent & Michelle’s wedding pictures a couple weeks ago, but life suddenly got ridiculously crazy.  Between work (I put in more than 60 hours at the office last week), the upcoming Paris trip (17 days for those who are counting with me), photos to develop, and holiday planning, life just seems to be a whirlwind right now!

I do have my priorities straight, however, and took time last Saturday evening to get out my Christmas tree and ornaments.  It was up and decorated on October 30th!

I know there are many people out there who believe that Christmas needs to wait until after Thanksgiving, but I’m of the persuasion that the season should be enjoyed for as long as possible, so my tree goes up very early, and I start buying eggnog as soon as it hits the shelves at the grocery store.

This does not mean that I ignore the other holidays, though (okay, that’s a lie, aside from dancing to the Purple People Eater song a couple times, I completely ignored Halloween).  Thanksgiving is still one of my favorite holidays for a myriad of reasons–family, friends, great food, and a chance to reflect on all the many, many blessings I have in my life.  And while my observation of Thanksgiving this year will be slightly untraditional, I still feel it’s important to remember to give thanks for the people and opportunities that enrich my life.

And speaking of enriched lives, I think it’s high time I shared some of those wedding pictures!  Congratulations to Mr. & Mrs. Brent Gunnell!!!

 

It may have been a blustery day, but the wind sure did pretty things to Michelle's veil!

 

Just Married!

 

Michelle gets a hug from her new mother-in-law.

 

The Wedding Party: Our variation on the "So Long, Farewell" pose.

Autumn Romance

I can’t believe October is already half-over!  How is that possible?  The past few weeks have been so busy and have flown by.  In some ways it’s good and in others not so good.  I have so many exciting things that I’m looking forward to, but at the same time I hate to see the season go so quickly.  I’ll be off to Paris before I know it!

My big event this week is Brent & Michelle’s wedding!  I had a fantastic photo shoot with them  yesterday, and I can’t wait for you to see how beautiful they are!  (Feel free to skip down to the pictures, I won’t be offended).  Their wedding is on Saturday, but in order to take just a little bit of stress off the big day, we did the bulk of the portraits ahead of time.  I highly recommend this to all wedding photographers and brides & grooms.  It’s so nice to be able to take time with the pictures and not worry about trying to fit it all in with everything else on the actual wedding day.  Plus, it gives the couple the option of having “wedding” photos displayed at the reception!

These were taken at Point Defiance Park in Tacoma, WA.  We had a gorgeous autumn afternoon.  There was even sun (those of you who have ever lived in the Pacific Northwest know what a rarity that is this time of year)!  We were able to shoot during the magic hour–the hour just before sunset when the light is all warm and soft and glowy, so that made me very happy.  Hopefully the weather will be just as cooperative on Saturday!

 

 

To quote one of my favorite movies: "Is this a kissing book?!?"

 

Yes. Yes it is.

Even the roses seem to change color in the autumn! I love the orange-red. It's so perfect for October!

I really loved this tree. They didn't seem to mind it either!

I love it when I can capture sun rays in photos. So soft and romantic.

 

Thanks for stopping by!  I’ll see you next week, hopefully with some pictures from the wedding!  Provided I don’t collapse from exhaustion first.

Impressions of the Masters

“People discuss my art and pretend to understand as if it were necessary to understand, when it’s simply necessary to love.” -Claude Monet

I didn’t really gain an appretation for fine art until I was an adult, and even now I can’t claim to be any great authority on the subject.  I can’t hold intellectual discussions about the artist’s technique or the symbolism of a particular piece.   My basis for judging art is very subjective and personal: do I like or not?  Does it move me or not?

Sometimes this makes me seem quite uncultured.  For example, a friend of mine was appalled when she learned I was going to Paris but didn’t have any plans to see the Mona Lisa in the Louvre.  It’s shocking, I know, but I’m confessing it now: for being one of the most famous paintings in the world, the Mona Lisa doesn’t do much for me. That’s not meant as a criticism to Leonardo DaVinci, it’s just my own personal taste.

Instead, I’m much more intrigued by the D’Orsay than the Louvre.  I’m thrilled by the prospect of seeing Monet’s Impressions of a Sunrise, and Blue Dancers by Degas.

One of the things I’ve learned as a photographer is to seek out things that inspire you, no matter what the form.  I gain inspiration from artists, photographers, people, music, films, nature, and literature.   And it turns out that while I still have a great respect and admiration for the great masters such as DaVinci and Rafael, their work just doesn’t inspire to my romantic sensibilities as much as some other artists.  I freely admit, I like pretty things!  :)

My favorite art museum that I’ve visited thus far is the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.  It’s such a beautiful building filled with centuries of art from all over the world.  …And best of all…they let you take pictures (just keep your flash off)!  So now when visiting the MFA I like to take my camera so I can quickly capture things that inspire and delight me, and I wanted to share a few of my discoveries.

Movement:

Renoir’s Dance at the Bougival is one of my favorite paintings at the MFA.  I love the color and the movement of this piece, the flow of the woman’s skirt, and the flutter of the ribbons on her hat.  It’s almost like a candid photograph.  When taking portraits of individuals or couples, I try to also incorporate movement.  I feel more candid pictures better capture the essence of a person.

I didn't realize it at the time, but I think Renoir may have influenced this particular shot. What do you think?

Texture:

One of Monet’s classic water lilies.  I loved the texture of the paint, which made me wonder, could I create the illusion of texture in a photograph?  Turns out you can!  By using layers and masking in post production, I’ve been able to add depth and textures to photos.

This was taken on a cold day in early March. Texture added a rugged grittiness that seemed to suit this deserted Nantucket pier.

Softness & Light:

Monet strikes again!  Hey, there’s a reason why I’m looking forward to visiting the Impressionist galleries in Paris, you know!  

I love the soft, misty quality of this painting.  It’s light and serene, and the softness alludes to the landscape without giving away every detail.  Thanks to Monet, I stopped being afraid of soft focus, and started to embrace it.

Martha's Vineyard. I chose a soft focus because I wanted the photo to have a dream-like quality. Standing on the cliffs that day, it felt so perfect it was almost surreal.

Flights of Whimsey: 

The inspiration here is not deep or earth-shattering.  I just really liked this woman’s hat!  Hats are awesome, and I really think they need to come back into vogue! Sometimes something needs to be nothing more than what it is to bring you joy.

So, dear blog readers, I’m interested to hear, is there anything particular that inspires you and helps get your creative juices flowing?

And the Award Goes to…

                  

… me, apparently!

I’m sitting at home, all cozy and warm, enjoying a wonderful dinner of pumpkin pancakes & dutch honey, and in a bit of awe of the new world of blogging.  You blog readers are the nicest, most wonderful people in the world!

This must be my good blog-karma week!  (And who knew there even was such a thing?)  The delightful Miss Erin Recht of Seventh Story Studio recently bequeathed me with not one, but TWO  blog awards!  I am very flattered, though I’m pretty sure featuring some of her engagement pictures may have had something to do with it.

From what I can tell, still being relatively new to the blogging community, these awards have been created by other bloggers as a way of networking and getting to view new blogs and content.

And on that note, I want to thank WordPress for choosing Gatsby Nouvel’s “All the Delights of the Season” as one of it’s Freshly Pressed features.  I’m so grateful to all of you who left such lovely comments about the photos, and your love of the season with me!  You are all so kind, and I appreciate your thoughtfulness more than I can say.  And because I can’t get enough, I decided to post another favorite autumn photo.

Autumn Foliage at Walden Pond

In 2007, I was studying photography at CDIA in Boston, MA.  One day in October our class took a field trip out to Walden Pond and spent a few hours walking in the footsteps of Thoreau.  The colors on this particular tree were brilliant, standing out from amongst it’s less colorful friends.  The image that I finally finished  felt somewhat like an impressionist painting.  So here it is, Impressions of Walden.

Now, on to not-so-serious business!

As one of the stipulations for receiving the Versatile Blogger award, I’m supposed to share 7 interesting facts about myself.  You have my sincerest apologies.

But, here we go:

# 1: In my journal is a list of places I want to visit.  It gets modified and updated regularly.  Brigadoon is on that list.

# 2:  I like squash, but only if it’s in something sweet: butternut squash soufflé, pumpkin pie, zucchini bread, chocolate zucchini cake, pumpkin cookies…  In fact, 90% of the time I’d prefer it if my vegetables didn’t taste like vegetables. The other 10% of the time I get a weird craving for salads.

# 3: I find cravats incredibly sexy.  For some unfathomable reason they appeal to my girly flutterishness (yes, I made up that word).  And while I’m making things up, I’ve decided to call this condition  Thornton-Wentworth Syndrome.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

# 4: I deliberately left out Mr. Darcy when naming the above Syndrome because I find Darcy references too cliché.  My apologies to Mr. Colin Firth.

# 5:  I have the weirdest, most random dreams of anyone I know, and I like to share them with my friends and family.  Sometimes they find it amusing and sometimes they find it annoying.  I’m contemplating starting a dream blog so I can inflict the madness on an unsuspecting public.

# 6: I start getting anxious for Christmas in September.  My tree was up before Halloween last year, and I have every intention of doing it again this year.

# 7: Sometimes, when I’m alone in my car listening to music, I lip-synch and pretend that I’m Ella Fitzgerald or Rosemary Clooney .  And sometimes when I listen to George Winston I pretend that I’m a famous pianist and that I’m playing in a ski lodge and Hugh Jackman walks in, finds my talent breathtaking, buys me a hot chocolate, and slips extra marshmallows in it.

Oh, I’m sorry.  Was I over-sharing?

I’ll stop now.

But not before leaving you with this image:

Sweaters also make me happy.

All the Delights of the Season

HURRAY!!!

We have officially entered into my favorite time of the year: October 1st through December 31st.  I just love the arrival of fall.  The brilliant colors, the cool temperatures, cozy sweaters, apple cider, hot chocolate, crackling fires, fat pumpkins, crock pots, harvest festivals,  and all the homey-happy things that make autumn so wonderful.  It’s the beginning of shorter, colder days that are just perfect for snuggling in with a favorite book (Little Women) or movie (Anne of Green Gables–though actually both of these are great books AND movies–how awesome is that?!) and lazing the day away.

This year is particularly exciting because I get to celebrate a wedding of two dear friends in a couple weeks, take my first trip to Paris next month, and celebrate my niece’s wedding in December.  Plus we have Christmas and Thanksgiving in there too.  So, with all these happy memories about to be made, I took a trip down memory lane and dug up so some favorite fall photos from days gone by.  So raise your mug of spiced cider and toast The Season with me!

 

 

Beacon Hill, Boston 2007

One of my favorite places in the world is Beacon Hill in Boston, MA.  I love strolling along the cobblestone streets of this quiet neighborhood, the frenzy of the city just a few blocks away.  In the fall orange, gold, and red mums fill the planters, leaves scatter the streets and walkways, and stoops are decorated with pumpkins and colorful gourds.

 

 

Central Park, Late Fall 2007

New York’s Central Park in late November is magical.  The fall colors are striking against the light dusting of snow.  This was my first (and only, to date) trip to New York.  A friend and I took a Friday off from school and took a bus from Boston to NYC for a long weekend.  We had an absolute blast taking in all the sights around Manhattan, buying souvenirs in Chinatown, and window shopping along 5th Avenue.  Added bonus: we got stopped on the sidewalk outside a hotel and mistaken for paparazzi just as Josh Groban emerged.  Both of us photographers, neither of us got the shot.  He was in his car before we realized who he was.

 

Cider Squeeze, Puyallup, WA 2009

My second year in Washington, some friends and I went to an old-fashioned cider squeeze at the Meeker Mansion in Puyallup. And if you haven’t been to an old-fashioned cider squeeze, your life is not yet complete.  We each pressed our own gallon of cider, ate donuts, and had a great time!  And doesn’t this look like a fall catalog shot?  And we didn’t even plan it!  We’re just naturally amazing.

Nathaniel Hawthorne Statue, Salem, MA

On a brilliantly gorgeous Saturday, just a week before Halloween, I took a day trip to Salem, MA.  In addition to the famous witch trials, this town was also home to the author Nathaniel Hawthorne.  The bookworm in me just couldn’t let this photo-op go by!  Oh, and a tip for fellow travelers: if you want to experience a quiet, peaceful New England hamlet…DO NOT go to Salem in October.  On the other hand, if you want to experience the madness of Halloween at it’s puritanical finest, this is the place for you.

From the Pens of Poets…

I have loved books and reading all my life.  I have fond memories of  Christmases spent curled up in the corner of the living room, devouring the new books I’d received.  In fact, I remember one Christmas Mom telling me to slow down and savor them so I would still have something new to read come New Year’s.

Recently I have begun collecting old and rare books–not really for investment purposes, simply because they make me happy.  My newest acquisition is the complete five volume set of Les Miserables, published in English by Little Brown in 1887.  I’m so proud of them that they currently hold the place of honor in the center of my mantle, alongside my copies of Hamlet, Twelfth Night, and Longfellow’s collection of poetry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While taking pictures of these old books the other night (because, indeed, I am that much of a nerd), I got to thinking about the relationship between photography and poetry: how each gives an impression, but leaves the reader or viewer to fill in the blanks and create their own interpretation.  This quote says it very well:

“The still photograph is to moving pictures what poetry is to prose – less comprehensive perhaps, less literal even, yet somehow capable of expressing a deeper truth.”       -Anonymous 

With this in mind, I began going through my archives, and favorite lines of poetry began to play in my head.  So for tonight’s blog, I thought I’d share a few of my impressions with you.

"I will arise and go now, and go to Inisfree, And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made; Nine bean rows will I have there, a hive for the honey bee, And live alone in the bee-loud glade." -W.B. Yeats

"O Ocean vast! We heard thy song with wonder, Whilst waves marked time." -Victor Hugo

"Out of the bosom of the Air, out of the cloud-folds of her garments shaken, Over the woodlands brown and bare, over the harvest-fields forsaken, Silent & Soft & Slow descends the snow." -Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

"And at the closing of the day she loosed the chain and down she lay; the broad stream bore her far away, The Lady of Shalott." -Lord Alfred Tennyson

So, there you have it.  Just a few snippets into my imagination.  As we come on upon fall, my favorite season of the year, I get in the mood to read poetry and literature, light a fire (’cause my new apartment actually has a real fireplace!), and let the words and imagery spark my imagination, give me new ideas, or revise ideas that have already formed.  Plus, it’s just a good excuse to get into my pajamas and drink hot cider!  

Music & Imagery

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love good music.  Now this might not be the world’s most earth-shattering confession, but there you go.  Now, my love of music isn’t really restricted to one particular genre or another, and my tastes are pretty eclectic (though I must confess, I’ve never found any rap, hip-hop, or heavy metal that I’m really fond of).

My iTunes has everything from classical, jazz, & opera to show tunes, rock, & pop.  Oh, not to mention a HUGE collection of Christmas music.   I was particularly proud last weekend, when driving back to Washington, I had AC/DC, Alfie Boe, She & Him, Dean Martin, and Keith Urban all playing back to back.  Yes.  I’m awesome.

So, what does this have to do with photography?  Well, not much.

But, I have found that while visual arts and music are both beautiful and enriching on their own, together they are even more powerful.  Beautiful images combined with the right song are even more poignant.  To that end, one of my practices as a photographer is to create a musical slideshow for each of my clients as the first impression they get of their photographs.

Here’s a little insight into my workflow.  After I’ve finished retouching and doing the artwork on the photos, I upload them into a program where I arrange them, create the visual effects, and choose the perfect song.  Sometimes the song choice is very apparent and easy, other times it takes a little bit of searching.  Other times I’ve *thought* I knew just the right song, but when I put it with the images it didn’t gel.  Nevertheless, I’m tenacious about such things, and eventually I end up finding the perfect fit.  I love it: organizing the photos and telling a story with both with the images and music makes my creative process that much richer.

Conversely, there have also been a couple of times when music or a song has inspired the photography.  Last December I was listening to some new music by Katie Melua, and heard the song “Red Balloons.”  I got a vision in my head of my nieces standing in snow covered lawns, dressed in red and black, holding dozens of red balloons, with a final shot of them floating away.

I called the girls, and they agreed to do the shoot when I went home for Christmas.  We had so much fun (despite the cold)!  Though we didn’t get to shoot at the Daly Mansion as I had originally intended, we did get to go to Riverside Park, and had a grand time.  As I was shooting, I had the song running through my mind, which helped me design the photos I wanted.  When I got back to the studio for developing, and put the final project together, the result was awesome!

I’ve recently created a YouTube channel to showcase the videos from my various photo shoots.  So far, I’ve posted the Red Balloon video, the videos from Erin & Trevor’s shoots as well as Brent & Michelle’s engagement session.  To see them, please visit my YouTube page at:

http://www.youtube.com/user/GatsbyNouvel?feature=mhsn#p/a/u/2/QVggHBvxrd8.

What do you think?  Does the music make it a little more special?

A fair is a veritable smorgasbord orgasbord orgasbord…

And while I totally agree with Templeton, turns out it’s also a pretty good place for a fun, romantic photo shoot too!

Last weekend I had the chance to go home to Montana for a few days.  Not only did I have a great time visiting with my family and meeting my new nephew (I’ll post bragging pictures later, because he is the CUTEST first great-grandson ever to be born into our family), I also got to do engagement photos for my beautiful niece, Erin, and her wonderful fiancé, Trevor.

Erin and I started planning and talking about wedding ideas a couple months ago (even before she was formally engaged!) and in discussing engagement photos, I  realized that the most likely weekend I’d be home to take them would also be the weekend of the Ravalli County Fair…well, it was just too good to pass up!  Erin loved the idea, and Trevor loves Erin, so on Saturday evening the three of us spent several hours at the fairgrounds taking pictures.

I am so pleased with how they turned out!  Lots of color, lots of atmosphere, and I even got them on a camel together!  Now Erin can say with the upmost of authority, how difficult it is to kiss while riding a camel.  In editing and developing the photos I chose to do some of them with a more aged/distressed finish, as Erin has chosen a vintage theme for her wedding.  Check out a few of the samples below.

A summer evening, a ferris wheel, a candy apple, & a kiss. Does life get much sweeter?

"Wow, it's really hard to kiss while riding a camel!" -Erin Recht

It might not be a magic carpet, but a ferris wheel is still a classic!

And of course, who can resist a smooch on a carousel?