Drive By Shootings

Since the birth of my daughter, I’ve had a difficult time getting out and taking photographs of anything other than the baby. Of course, you can’t beat her for subject matter. But I do enjoy getting out into the world and looking at it through the viewfinder.

The question becomes how do I do this with a baby in tow? Keeping her in the carrier is just cruel – I’m holding a shiny toy within her reach that I just wont let her touch. And getting her out and setting up the stroller at each different location became so cumbersome that I just stopped doing it altogether.

Wasn’t there a way to get a good photograph without unloading 20 pounds of squirming cuteness and another 30 pounds of stroller? Why couldn’t I just roll down the car window and shoot from there?

So I did.

Here’s some evidence of my drive by shootings along Highland Drive on Queen Anne Hill.

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PhotoStory Friday
Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

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The Hearse

Perhaps I’m channeling my inner goth when I say this, but I’ve always had a thing for hearses. Sure, they’re dark and macabre, with an air of mystery, but there is also an element of grace and elegance.

In preparation for Halloween, our local grocery store set up this antique, horse-drawn model. So beautiful.

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And here she is all dressed up for Halloween.

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Personally, I subscribe to the “less is more” camp when it comes to decorating, but I love the way the store is getting in the mood for the holiday.

What part of Halloween are you looking forward to the most? The candy? Babies in costumes? The parties? Or do you just endure until it all ends?

My Dad’s Photos

My Dad’s Photos

Out of the blue, my mother received a package from my dad’s office this summer.  It contained a CD of personal photos they had saved from Dad’s computer.  What an amazing and thoughtful gift from dad’s co-workers. What a reminder of the man we lost nearly two years ago.

The vast majority of the photos on his computer were of family members, and most of these pictures we’ve all seen before.  Pictures of each of us kids, weddings, and grandchildren – Including this picture of me, with my niece and nephew, at my wedding five years ago tomorrow.

Judy Schwartz Haley wedding 2004

But the really interesting photos I had not seen before.  These were photos of my dad from his tour of duty in Viet Nam in 1968.

Family Man

Family Man

Family Man

Family Man

It’s so interesting to look at the contents of someone’s computer.  There is so much evidence of who we are lying around in those files.  It would be easy, of course, to jump to conclusions about a person’s values, or who they are, based on their computer files.  But that wouldn’t be quite fair.  For instance, if a person wasn’t represented in photographs on the computer, that wouldn’t necessarily mean that the person was unloved, or unimportant.  But, like poking around in someone’s bookshelves, or pantry, or closet, maybe we can find a little extra insight.

The photo I’d really like a little insight on is this one.

Michael H. Schwartz

I would just love to know the story behind this.  I’m sure it involved a lot of laughter.

What’s on your computer?