Terri Beloit PhotoBlog

Week SEVEN of Fifty-two | {a walk}

Terri — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 10:00:39 +0000

This past week my theme was “a walk” so I grabbed my camera as we headed out the door for an afternoon walk. It was a cloudy day, but dry and around here, on the dry days, you have to take advantage of them and get out! My hubby and I headed to Chambers Bay, which is in Tacoma and not only a golf course, but they have a restaurant, a venue for weddings and parties…and they have some amazing trails for walking, running, dog walking and more…it’s a great area for many activities! We had a great walk, enjoyed the views of Puget Sound, got some good exercise and appreciated the opportunity for some fresh air and quiet time while we appreciated the beauty of this part of the country!

From the top, the view of the property and the Puget Sound is amazing, even on a cloudy day…oh, I love living here!

The start of our walk…there was a bit of everything along the way!

I’m not a golfer, but most of my family is…so this isn’t very appealing to me…but what great views you would have on this course…and on a beautiful day here in the Pacific Northwest, I’m sure it would be even more amazing!\

The photos above was the same scene as the one below, just a change of focus…can you see the fence grid below? Look closely!

Once we made it to the top of the hill (close to where we started) a drink of water was very refreshing…I’d be certain to bring water with me on a warm day for a walk here!

If you need to rest, there is something for you, or your pooch needs to relieve it’s self…there are bags to help pet owners keep it clean and “land mine free” for those on the trails…something for everyone!

The end of a fabulous walk on this cloudy day…I must say it was a wonderful walk and I always enjoy getting out and soaking up some of the great beauty of the Pacific Northwest!

Brylee turns TWO | {Bremerton Family Photographer}

Terri — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 02:45:14 +0000

What a TREAT it was to see sweet little Brylee again…although I must say, she’s sure grown since I saw her a year ago! This darling turned two last month and I’ve had the pleasure of photographer her since she was born! Watching little ones grow into toddlers (and beyond) is the most amazing thing and to think that it’s part of my job…how lucky am I! Besides watching this beautiful little one grow up, I’ve also thoroughly enjoyed getting to know her parents…they are the such delightful people and incredible parents…and I’ve loved creating the relationship we have over the past two years! Talk about a blessing…on the day we were going to do Brylee’s photos, the forecast was for SUN…yes, I said SUN…and if you are at all familiar with the Pacific Northwest in January, February (March and April for that matter)…sunshine is a rare thing, especially when it comes with some mild temperatures and this day we had both…it was 60 degrees! Holy smokes, that doesn’t happen often, and we were all so happy…and welcomed the opportunity to get Brylee outside for some photos…it was so much fun! Bubbles and her new bike were the highlight of our time outside, oh, as well as a bit of “yard work” that she was working on, pulling a bit of grass and some of the dormant plants that were in the beds…Brylee enjoyed the outdoors as much as the rest of us! I’ll tell you, this beauty grabbed my heart as well as my husband’s when we were there, she was so sweet and wanted to make sure we were included in everything she did and we got the biggest hugs when we left…oh, that’s the best bonus ever from a session!!

Brylee showed us how she likes to dance with her Dora doll…this girl has got great moves!!

There isn’t much sweeter than a little girl and her daddy…love this photo of them…and you can see where she gets her beauty…from her mom!!

The smiles just kept coming…she was amazing and such a great little “model” for her session…she just kept shining through the entire time!

Her new bike, she’d just gotten and wow, she knew just what to do on this, she took right off pedaling….what a pro!

Brylee was also great with the bubbles and even shared once in a while with her parents! And, like any girl, she wanted to check out the photos…so she got a sneak peek from the back of the camera!!

Such a happy little girl, smiling and chattering away through the whole session!

What a delightful family…and the exciting part is that in July, they will be adding to their family! I’m so excited for them and CAN’T wait to meet the newest family member…I know that Brylee with be a great big sister!!

She was quite the hostess…and offered both my husband and myself tea as well as little cakes and even gave us refills…SO much fun!!

This beautiful and precious smile says it all…she is a very happy and fun two year-old who made my job SO much fun on this beautiful winter afternoon! Thank you, Brylee, Rick and Jessica…you are all awesome!

Week SIX of Fifty-two | {red}

Terri — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 22:02:14 +0000

Six weeks are behind us and six more weeks until spring…it’s sort of the time of year, where we are wishing for nicer weather, or maybe some more snow and real winter. Kids in school are getting a bit “antsy” wishing for spring break and of course, nicer weather. As a photographer, living in the Pacific Northwest, I am looking forward to some more consistent dry weather, but also, thankful for the dry (and occasional warm) days we do get this time of year. It seems we have to be a bit more creative, in trying to figure out when and where to photograph outside, if we have a session scheduled…it challenges us and pushes us…so it seems that when we are thinking we can’t be as creative as we would like to, we are pushed to think beyond our comfort zone and in the end, we learn and create more than we imagined possible! This past week, I chose RED for my theme, of course, given the time of year, it seemed logical with Valentine’s Day nearly here! When you look around and think about the color, red, you will see that it’s out there, even more than we think…hearts and stop signs might be the first things that pop in your head, but if you look around, you’ll find it just about everywhere! I enjoyed “looking” for it and seeing what I could capture and share with all of you!

I wish for all of you a wonderful Valentine’s Day…shared with those you love…husband, wife, children, significant other or even good friends….it’s a day to be enjoyed and appreciate the relationships with those we care about…as they are such a HUGE part of our lives and happiness…I do appreciate all of my family and friends and love them all…can’t imagine not having them in my life…they are truly a blessing!

Happy RED!!!

Week FIVE of Fifty-two | {sun flare}

Terri — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:34:48 +0000

My apologies for being a day late with this post – between the Super Bowl yesterday and some errands and a fun session with a darling two-year old on Saturday – my computer time was limited…so now, I’m finally getting around to posting last week’s theme. I chose “sun flare” for my theme…which might seem a bit odd since it’s winter here and just two weeks ago we were covered in a thick layer of ice…on top of several inches of snow! Around the Pacific Northwest, we are sometimes blessed with a gift from Mother Nature during the winter months…and this past week has been just that! Sunshine and warmer temperature…and dry!! When we get days like that around here in the winter, it brings people out to their yards, in anticipation of spring (which could be months away), out for walks, kids are either coatless or even some wearing shorts and t-shirts. One of my favorite parts of the sun, is capturing some sun flare or my favorite…the sun star!! It’s funny as technically, you are suppose to avoid this sort of thing in photos by either shielding your lens by your hand or a lens hood…but, I LOVE using it as part of my photos. So here is some of what I captured this past week…to me, it’s a gift from nature – something that I love capturing it’s beauty….year round!!

Lens flare occurs when non-image forming light (usually the sun) enters the lens and hits the sensor. This often appears as a characteristic polygonal shape, with sides which depend on the shape of the lens diaphragm. It can lower the contrast of a photograph significantly and is often an undesired artifact, although some kinds of flare may actually add to your artistic meaning or vision of the photo.

Couldn’t share photos without a sun star…which, if you know me, you know that I OFTEN capture sun stars when the opportunity presents itself!!I even had the opportunity to add a bit of lens flare during my session on Saturday…this adorable little girl had so much fun when we got outside…as did I!!

Oh my, it’s me…something that many haven’t seen in quite a while. After my self portrait 365 from last year, I’m sure many were ready to take a break from my “mug!” I couldn’t resist adding some “flare” to myself on this sunny day last week!!

Week FOUR of Fifty-two | {detail}

Terri — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 23:23:24 +0000

Is it possible that we now have four weeks behind us already this year? Thankfully, the past week has been MUCH quieter and calmer than last week…we had more of our “typical” winter with just rain and even a couple of days when the sun peeked out, just for good measure! I must admit that after the storm last week, I sure appreciate our usual winter weather much more…even though I’m really a warm weather person…I’ll take the usual rainy winter over the snow and ice!

This week, the focus has been just that, very precise with my theme being “DETAIL” and I shot all of these with my macro lens. With macro lenses, you can really isolate details and parts of a photograph and blur out the rest, but you also must be “spot on” with the focus, or it just doesn’t work. The best way is to use a tripod for macro photography, which I did with most of these photos. So, here’s a series of detailed photos….

For each of you, I wish a week filled with happy times, good health and lots of laughter…and I’ll see you next week, with a new theme!

Week THREE of Fifty-two | {cold}

Terri — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 06:00:36 +0000

The third week of the year is behind us and besides having one more week in the project completed…I must say that I’m happy to have the week behind me! Normally, that’s not something I would say, but it was a rather crazy and unusual week in the Pacific Northwest, specifically, the Seattle area. We started out with snow and then a bit more snow, then a little wet snow and finally, ICE….which was not a good thing. Granted, snow in the area is not that normal, but we can deal with some snow, but when you add the ice on top…well, that isn’t exactly something that mixes very well around here…or anywhere for that matter! The ice caused some severe devastation in many areas, bringing down branches, trees and power lines…which caused power outages….for MANY! We weren’t exempt from the power outage, about a day and a half, which compared to many, who were without it much longer, or still are…that wasn’t bad, but it certainly is not something I’d wish on anyone…it’s not fun, nor is it easy to deal with! At our home, power is back on, the yard cleanup has began (we had a lot of trees and branches down) and we are warm and happy to not be seeing dark wherever we look in our neighborhood at night…it’s great to see the street lights and house lights at night and hear the furnace kicking on….and I pray that for those still without power, it returns SOON!!!

As for my theme, it was cold and some have said I “jinxed” the area and brought it on…if only that were the case, I’d pick sunshine or warmth for the week ahead’s theme, but I’m not so sure it would work! So…I have WAY more photos than I would have expected for the week and even limiting it to what I am posting was tough…despite the cold and devastation, it really was beautiful….so if you were affected by the crazy winter storm of 2012, I hope you are able to see that in all things, there is some beauty…

COLD

COLDER

COLDEST!!

Week Two of Fifty-two | {texture}

Terri — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 00:31:31 +0000

Okay, it’s official, I’ve completed two weeks now, only fifty left to go! Phew, that sounds like a lot, but when I think about last year and the fact that I shot daily for the whole year, 50 is easy…no problem…and I am looking forward to it! So…week two is texture…and here is what I gathered this week to share with all of you! Boy, is there texture EVERYWHERE…all different kinds and to limit it to just a few photos was a challenge…so many options, it was tough!

On to week three…so a new theme next week and new photo(s) to share…until then, have a great week and if you happen to have some cold and snowy weather (which we sort of do right now!)…stay warm and safe!!

New 52 Week Project ~ {Week ONE}

Terri — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 01:38:49 +0000

Wow, we are already a week into the new year and I’m inspired and motivated to start and maintain a new project for the year. If any of you follow me personally on Facebook, you know that last year I did a 365 Self Portrait project, where EACH day I took a photo of myself…that was a real challenge, but quite a learning and growing experience. Wanting something different and yet, something to keep me shooting often, just for myself and fun…I decided to take on this new project. With the 52 week project, I will have a theme for each week and have to shoot according to the theme…and try and come up with something to represent it. Now, it might be a single photo, or a collage, as I did this week, but there will be at least one photo. I have a list of ideas, but if anyone has some suggestions, I’m always open to adding to my list, so please feel free to suggest if you have something you think would make a great theme.

FRESH…given that we started a new year, I figured this would be a great first theme…so without further delays…here’s week one!

Merry Christmas….

Terri — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 22:00:43 +0000

It hardly seems possible that Christmas is here already…it seems like just a short time ago we were enjoying some sunshine and summer warmth…what happened to the past six months? I must say, this time of year tends to sneak up on me, but oh, the joy of spending time with family and good friends during the holiday season is truly the highlight. Dinner with friends, baking of goodies, decorating, listening to Christmas music, watching some of the classic Christmas movies…oh, it doesn’t get much better than this!

One thing that is tough is getting together with everyone at the same time…with family spread around the area, it’s nearly impossible to be with all of them at the same time. I’m sure that most of you can relate to this dilemma. This year we celebrated Christmas a week early with our kids and their families – and what a wonderful evening it was, just hanging out, catching up on what’s been happening and sharing a great meal!! Of course, there were some gifts to exchange and unwrap…and I must say that our granddaughter, Jayden, made out quite well!! And next year…we will have two granddaughters as our daughter and her husband are expecting a girl in the spring…and let me tell you, we couldn’t be more excited – oh, we can’t wait!!! Our meal…oh my, it was delicious…with the highlight being prime rib…and I must say, we cooked it nearly perfectly this year…yum!! Dessert consisted of some homemade molasses cookies (family tradition) as well as some homemade caramels…another family favorite!

Here’s a highlight of our Christmas…I wish for all of you, a Christmas filled with love, joy and lots of wonderful memories to last a lifetime! My husband and I will be with my family and good friends over the weekend…how lucky am I that I get to spend more of the holiday with more family and friends!!

Jess and Sean…both showing off their cocoas they got…I foresee some evenings enjoying hot cocoa in the next few weeks!

Jayden sure loves her new pillow pet,which she quickly named “Pink!”

Oh, we couldn’t resist…little “Miss Perry’s” first Carhartt outfit…almost as much as for her as her daddy!

Josh got his girlfriend, Amanda, a new coffee mug, in honor of a Facebook page that she follows!

When you are six years old…something like this is about the best thing in the world you can open!!

Our daughter, Jessalyn, is a teacher…with a frog themed classroom….I couldn’t resist!!

Okay, maybe the Justin Bieber doll is a tad step above the princess dolls!!!!! She LOVED this!

My wonderful husband, Rick…some new clothes for a near year!

Josh’s favorite wine…and a cheese tray made out of the bottle to serve when they have some of the wine!

Is it Rudolph…or maybe Dasher…or maybe it’s just Sean…he’s looking pretty good with those antlers!

Aren’t they a GREAT looking couple!!!

And, here, is the newest member of our family…with an ETA of May 2012…we are all anxious to meet her!

Oh, Jayden sure loves playing with her Uncle Sean…they have so much fun together! And, sweet Maddie loves her Jayden…they are pretty darn cute together!

Josh, Amanda and Jayden…they look quite stylish and could work as models!!

We couldn’t leave out Maddie…she loves being in family photos!!

Oh, the LOVE of my life…can’t imagine how my life would have been without him…nearly 30 years of marriage!!

Our beautiful children…all grown up…we are very proud and blessed!

Merry Christmas…from all of us…to each and everyone one of you! I hope that Santa is good to you!

Small Business Saturday | {SPECIAL OFFER}

Terri — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 17:17:30 +0000