Playing with Everything You've Got

I really enjoy a good live music performance. And they're often good when someone is doing something they love. It's always easy to spot. You can see it and hear it. And if they're really good, you can feel it.

In college I was in two bands. One was super short-lived but we were the first band named after an antiquated medical issue to ever play on campus. So we had that going for us. We only played cover songs and we only played for others. And the other band... well we only played for ourselves. We actually recorded a CD, almost entirely of original songs. We jammed the loudest when we were pretty sure no one else was around. In fact, one day someone heard us through a door, knocked and told us she didn't even know any of us played instruments or sang but she really liked our sound and we should play in a showcase she was planning. We'd never considered exiting the cocoon of safety before.

It was in that shy, closed-door band that I wrote my first whole song. I say whole because I used to make up words for songs all the time to entertain myself and others. And there was actually a time before that I was supposed to compose an instrumental for a piano recital. I somehow convinced my teacher to make an exception and let me perform music from the original Star Wars trilogy instead. But with that band I wrote chords for the guitar, improvised something on the piano (and dictated it by yelling out what I just did as I was playing). There were even lyrics and backup singers.

Since that band ended, the song hasn't been played live. Every once in a while, it floats into my consciousness though. I'm reminded of how weird, yet good-feeling it is to have music of your own - something similar (yet different) than my photos. I remember what it feels like to go all in and just play with everything you've got.

And when I recognize that in another musician, I can't help but smile.

©2011 Kristin Serna This post and this photo should not be republished without my permission. Merci beaucoup.

Walk for Children's Memorial Hospital | Charity Event Photography

These photos are highlights from a wonderful event that raises money for Children's Memorial Hospital and the kids who need to go there. Everything fell into place this year for me to photograph this walk. I was in town and available. The skies got pretty dark at one point, but we managed to get away with just a misting of rain. And I was familiar enough with the area that the challenge of shooting an event on the move became a fun game of when should I run, when should I walk backwards, and who haven't I photographed yet.

Above all though, it was a honor to participate in this event -- due in part to the fact that this charity walk is in memory of a childhood friend who passed away too soon. I met her in dance class back when we were tiny ballerinas and tappers. As we got older, we eventually found ourselves moving in different directions. We were rarely in the same clubs and she'd moved away from the dance classes I kept taking. By the time college rolled around, we were at different schools and had almost lost touch completely. I think in the back of my mind I'd figured she'd always be there. And I guess in a way, she still is. She lives on in all the photographs we have of our little dancing group -- sometimes in the most ridiculous costumes (like the one time we were sheep). She lives on in my memories of a small but mighty energetic tap dancer. And she lives on through this walk -- where her desire to help a place that helped her as a child is still going strong.

©2011 Kristin Serna This post and these photos should not be republished without my permission. Merci beaucoup.

Little Bits of Happiness

I have quite a few photo events to blog, but this weekend I took some time for myself. So those posts aren't ready yet. And that's ok. Instead I had a really wonderful couple of camera-free days. And that's not to say they were wonderful because my camera appendage wasn't there. It was more like they were wonderful completely separate of that. In fact, I should amend that statement because I did touch a camera. It wasn't mine though. Someone was taking a photo and didn't like how it was turning out and of course I was instantly drawn to the situation...

Anyway, I was left drawing in happiness from wherever I could, taking in each little bit and celebrating it while it lasted. Yesterday I ate some grapes and one of them was connected to the stem by a curly vine. How often do you see that in grapes you buy from the store? I debated photographing it. I mean, it's a grape vine. Then I kept eating around the little curl. I wanted it to last as long as possible. And that's when I caved and took a quick cellphone shot.

Now as I write this, I see the metaphorical potential from all that. But in that moment, I was observing.
"That's neat-looking."
"That's natural, but rare... at least for me."
"Man, I want to go to Napa."

That's what I do. I look for the beauty in what's in front of me. I look for the rarities. I look for bits of happiness and I photograph it so everyone else can see it too.

And then I put on my to-do list "Plan west coast vineyard adventure."

©2011 Kristin Serna This post and these photos should not be republished without my permission. Merci beaucoup.

The Jerk or How to Shake Things Up

Sometimes it is easy to get caught up in a feeling and be unable to find a way out of it. Last weekend I was second shooting a wedding and the bride and groom were getting so wrapped up in their emotions that they could not stop crying... until the best man went to hand the groom the rings but instead accidentally chucked those rings down the steps of the stage.

They all laughed. And the minister expressed his thankfulness that this moment popped up and broke them out of their tears. Sometimes we need a little jolt like that to reset ourselves - whether it's breaking out of being unable to stop tears of joy (so we can breathe normally again), feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of something, or just when we're bummed. It's one thing to feel these emotions. It's another to feel stuck in them.

It's good to know how to give yourself a little kick too - in case life isn't providing it for you fast enough. Like how sometimes when I'm feeling bummed out, I know I can go watch Steve Martin in The Jerk. I laugh and things don't seem so bad. Steve Martin is one of my favorite comedians and if you haven't seen this movie... well it's sort of ridiculous. He plays a very uninformed man named Navin who sets out on his own for the first time and all manner of strange things happen to him, but he doesn't even know enough to know how strange the world he is experiencing is. He has the best of intentions but things don't always go all that well for him. Yet he keeps going. Ok. So maybe in it's own odd way it's a little inspirational too.

This week I stumbled upon this clip of Zooey Deschannel (duchess of adorable style) and Ben Schwartz (hey! it's Jean-Ralphio from Parks & Rec) singing "Tonight You Belong to Me" from the movie. And it reminded me that I had this pick-me-up go-to that I hadn't gone to in a while. Steve sings it with Bernadette Peters and it's sort of out of nowhere in the movie but really cute. In fact, they are adorably hilarious through a large portion of the film. I've never really cared too much for the lyrics of the song but I love the sound of it. Of course the Deschannel/Schwartz version is missing the part where one of them randomly pulls a coronet out and starts playing it, but it's still fun. :)

So here's the Ben/Zooey version, and then from the movie, an incredibly amusing soliloquy and my absolute favorite sequence. They're good fill-ins when you only have a couple of free minutes. And oh to have been the still photographer on that set.

 

Of course these video clips belong to their respective owners and I'm just using them as a reference here, but the rest... ©2011 Kristin Serna This post should not be republished without my permission. Merci beaucoup.

50th Anniversary | Event Photography

Nick and Gerry's children love them very much. So when it came to Nick and Gerry's 50th anniversary, their children wanted to celebrate them. The party they threw let their parents relax and spend time surrounded by friends and family. Smiles and hugs were not in short supply.

This interruption of your photo viewing is for the following announcement. I teared up while taking the next photo. I'm quick to notice an emotional moment, but I usually focus all of my energy into capturing it. This time though... this time energy leaked out in tiny tear form. I did attend a friend's wedding the night before so that definitely contributed to the full circle moment I was having, but...the way he was looking at her... the way she held on to him... the fact that he was carrying her oxygen tank for her...

Special thanks to Nick and Gerry's daughter Barb for asking me to photograph this special event. I know she wanted nothing more than for her parents to have a nice time and I certainly think they did.

©2011 Kristin Serna This post and these photos should not be republished without my permission. Merci beaucoup.