Boston Photographers Guild last stand at the Milky Way

Boston Photographers Guild members laced up their bowling shoes last week at for a last chance to bowl at the Milky Way lanes in Jamaica Plain.Guild founders Enna and Matt Grazier have a bowling ball moment.
Christine Ferullo and Lori DeSantis keeping score between strikes and gutter balls.

Tracy Bulger and Brian Greene's Atlantica Wedding and Reception Photos - Cohasset, MA

Remember how nice late summer is? I thought you'd enjoy seeing Tracy and Brian's wedding photography collage and slideshow from their late summer wedding at Atlantica in Cohasset. The weather was rainy and windy, but everyone was together and warm inside.

Click here or on the above collage to view the collage.

Click here to view Tracy and Brian's slideshow

Still loving this winter, through the love of photography

Anyone not tired of shoveling or otherwise sick of the snow? Despite the tired rotator cuff I've found a way to keep enjoying the season with a series of morning photography safaris via snowshoe at the Arnold Arboretum in Boston. Here are just a couple of the results:

As my snowshoes feathered through the snow in an apple orchard, I couldn't help but notice the twisted shapes of the trees' shadows. The shadows were still especially blue that time of day, being lit by the blazing blue sky rather than the sun. I loved the texture of the snow surface, and how the shadow of the tree becomes more fuzzy the further it falls from the tree.

One of the trees was circled by a thick band of woody stems, and as I circled the circle I noticed these two stems that had tied the knot. I layered the image with one of my snowy window screen another of ice on the window. What do you think?

"Animalia" gallery opening with photographer Henry Horenstein

Last evening I experienced the joy of attending Henry Horenstein's opening at the Foster Gallery for his collection "Animalia". Henry's images of animals are full of mystery and surprise and detail. Viewing the images, I felt a strong, primitive resonance, as if the images were also very human in some way.

Here's a quick portrait of Henry with his work. Did you notice the ant crawling on the antelope's head? It's a reflection of, well, an ant portrait on the opposite wall of the gallery.

Here's a self portrait of me at play with Henry's portrait of a seal.

Here's Henry with me and a few photography pals, left to right Jennifer Nourse, Carol Lundeen, Henry Horenstein, Gretje Fergusen, and our favorite framer, Kathy Skarvan of Ava Art. Thanks to Gretje's husband, Bob, for snapping this one.

Henry is a professor of photography at the Rhode Island School of Design. The show is scheduled to hang at the Foster Gallery at the Noble and Greenough School, 10 Campus Drive, Dedham, MA, through April 7th. Check it out!

Getting to know...me...about to...SNEEZE

Thought you'd enjoy this video introducing me and my work. I've had a big hair cut since the filming, but I'm still my good old self. Sorry about the about-to-sneeze, half-blinking sleepy-head still shot that shows on the screen below. It's just the dumb luck of the Google draw. I'll be smiling in a second.

A Little Nap in the Grass

I had the joy of having a little time off last week, much needed medicine for the stressed adrenal glands after a health scare. (Everything's OK, by the way). Beth and I went to CA, where she had some leadership development work for a couple of days. But before her work we had a little play time at Point Reyes National Seashore. Here's just a few of the fabulous sights we saw:
This elephant seal fallumped itself up away from the beach onto a little patch of nice soft grass. Turns out it was in the grassy gulley on the edge of the paved path that went down to the water, and thanks to the distracting view of Drake's headlands ahead, we walked right past this adorable, once nearly extinct wonder of the natural world while walking down the path. We didn't notice it's soft eyes (or enormous girth) until we walked back up the hill.
The seemingly miles long fence on the road to the Point Reyes Lighthouse.
In Marin, it's best to stop to say hello to the cows.
A fun piece of tens-of-millions-of-years-old Point Reyes conglomerate (that's geology-speak for neat rocks).
Me catching some rays during a sun shower - thanks to Beth for the photo!

DOWNSIDE up?

This past Monday, the day before it snowed all day and night, I had the pleasure of leading two workshops for the Professional Photographers of Cape Cod. In the early afternoon I led a discussion and demonstration on album design, and in the evening an experiential creativity workshop.

One of the activities that generated the most intrigue in the creativity workshop was to view a painting upside down, then draw it right side up with your non-dominant hand. It's such a hoot to see what happens when you ask all the professional artist brains in the room (and your mom and sister, who also participated) to do something that's completely new visually, something that's downside up?... or is it upside down?... or is it left to right?... or right to left?

One of the things we discovered is that all of us, even when we're feeling like a zero on the creativity scale, can, with a little nudge and a little willingness, find that spark again, or at least find laughter in trying. Thanks again to the talented, creative, Sarah Thornington of Studio by the Sea in Hyannis for hosting the workshop, and thanks to everyone who joined the fun!

P.S. Missing from the downside up group shot is Deb Troyanos, President of the Professional Photographers of Cape Cod.

Happy Holidays from Carol Lundeen

I invite you to join me in doing the Snoopy dance of joy as we say goodbye to 2008 and welcome 2009, and I challenge you to spend more time doing the things that mean the most to you. Think about it: what experiences would you most value next year? What will you do to make it happen?

Jen and James' Wedding at the Copley Plaza Hotel, Boston

Jennifer Macauley and James Anderson, lovers of French cafes, bivalves, and each other, married at historic King's Chapel in Boston on December 6th, 2008, followed by their elegant celebration at the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel. Jen glowed and flowed all night in her one-of-a-kind Daniel Faucher gown bedecked in Swarovski crystals and James couldn't take his eyes of her. While they're off having a ball on their honeymoon, here are a few of the best images for the rest of us to enjoy:

View Jennifer and James' wedding slideshow