Kari Douma Project 52

Week 4: Signs

2012-01-28T21:30:00.003-05:00

Well, the topic this week was signs. I had big plans on some signs that I was going to photograph. Well, the week got away from me, and I wasn't able to do some of the things I had planned. But, I was still able to photograph some!

ISO 200, F4, 1/2000 second, 105 mm lens

ISO 200, F4, 1/500, 28-70 at 68mm

ISO 3200, F3.5, 1/40, 28-70 lens at 38mm

ISO 200, F8, 1/125, 28-70 lens at 56 mm

ISO 200, F8, 1/125, 28-70 lens at 70 mm

ISO 200, F4.5, 1/2000, 70-200 lens at 200mm

Week 3 - New Orleans

2012-01-20T12:21:00.007-05:00

This week I was in New Orleans for the annual Imaging USA conference. So, I decided that the theme of the week would be "New Orleans", anything that I took in New Orleans. I didn't have a lot of free time to explore the city and get pictures of things you would associate with New Orleans. So, most of the pictures of of things that I saw as I was walking to the convention, or eating dinner. :)

ISO 800, F4, 1/125, 50 mm lens

ISO 200, F6.3, 1/160, 50 mm lens

ISO 200, F4.5, 1/1250, 50mm lens

ISO 2000, F2.8, 1/160, 28-70 lens at 70mm

ISO 200, F8, 1/160, 50 mm lens

ISO 500, F4, 1/100, 50 mm lens HDR

ISO 200, F5.6, 1/160, 50mm lens

ISO 800, F2.8, 1/125, 50mm lens

ISO 800, F2.8, 1/125, 50mm lens HDR

ISO 800, F2.8, 1/100, 50mm

ISO 800, F2.8, 1/160, 50mm

ISO3200, F2.8, 1/40, 28-70 lens at 28mm

ISO 400, F4, 2 seconds, 28-70 at 28mm

ISO 1600, F2.8, 1/40, 28-70 at 28mm

ISO 1600, F2.8, 1/60, 28-70 at 38mm

ISO 800 F3.2, 1/160, 28-70 at 70mm

ISO 1000, F2.8, 1/125, 50mm

Week 2 - Bottles

2012-01-13T20:50:00.002-05:00

This weeks theme was bottles! So, I bought some coca-cola bottles and played around a little bit at the studio!

ISO 800, F16, 1/160, 105mm macro lens

ISO 200, F6.3, 1/160, 28-70 lens at 65 mm

ISO 200, F8, 1/160, 105mm macro lens

ISO 200, F6.3, 1/160, 70-200 lens at 116 mm

ISO 200, F6.3, 1/160, 70-200 lens at 200 mm

Week 1: Lines

2012-01-07T21:59:00.002-05:00

As I was looking for lines, this caught my eye... I was thinking about the symmetry in the design of this register!

This is a shot I have been thinking about for a couple years. I thought I would shot the "lines" of the trails of the headlights and taillights of the cars with a slow shutter speed!
Lines on my front desk at the studio...
I took this one early in the morning at the studio.
Another angle of a line on the track...
These lines caught my eye today as we left Frederick Meijer Gardens.

Day 174

2011-11-08T22:45:00.003-05:00

Looking out our window over the Tuscan countryside...to see more of my images in Chianti, check out my Almost 365 Album on Facebook. ~Jayne

ISO 800

f 8

1/100

34mm

Day 173

2011-11-08T21:44:00.003-05:00

Tuscany! Today we drove through the gorgeous Italian countryside from (Rome to Tuscany) to arrive at our resort tucked away in the middle of nowhere on the Tuscan hillside. I have dreamed of this day for years, and I can tell you that I couldn't have even imagined the beauty that I see here. Photographs do not do it justice. We arrived at Hotel Le Fontanelle just as the sun was setting, and the staff took us on a tour of the grounds then to our suite where we found this waiting for us! ~Jayne

ISO 1600

f 5.6

1/60

50mm

Day 172

2011-10-07T00:38:00.003-04:00

I remember when I first learned about the Pantheon in an art class I had in college... I saw an ariel view of the building and thought it looked so strange to see an ancient building right in the middle of a bustling city. I had the same feeling as we walked around a corner and saw it in person today...

The original Pantheon was a temple built by Agrippa (who was the son-in-law of Augustus, the first Roman emperor) in 10 BC. That building was destroyed and rebuilt in 80 AD, then after a fire, this building was constructed in 120 AD. Now almost 2000 years old...it is amazing! See the Kari Douma Photography Facebook page if you want to see more of my images of the Pantheon! ~Jayne

ISO 2500

f 5

1/8 (handheld!)

28-105 at 28mm

Day 171

2011-10-07T00:19:00.003-04:00

I captured this image inside St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican. This is actually the ceiling of one of the coves inside the church. It was enormous and indescribable. The Vatican was the one place Derek (my husband) really wanted to see while we were in Rome. We are not Catholic, but were intrigued to see the interior of the "largest Christian church in the world". I won't even try to define it with words, just spend some time examining the image (this dome was probably at least 75 feet in diameter). If you would like to see more of my images from St. Peter's Basilica, you can view them in my "Almost 365" album... ~Jayne

ISO 2000

f 8

1/25

28-105 at 28mm

Day 170

2011-10-06T23:51:00.002-04:00

The Colosseo....we had our second walking tour of Rome today, we started at the Colosseum in Rome (built in 72 AD). I was blown away by the ancient ruins in Rome. We walked through areas where rubble from old buildings stood from over 2,000 years ago. It was surreal... we saw where Caesar was cremated. Where Paul could have walked..."When we got to Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with a soldier to guard him. (Acts 28:16). "For two whole years Paul stayed there (in Rome) in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance! (Acts 28:30-31) ~Jayne

ISO 200

f 11

1/160

28-105 at 34mm

Day 169

2011-10-06T23:07:00.004-04:00

It was so hard to choose which image to post today for my 365 project, we saw so many amazing places on our walking tour of Rome today! We walked from our hotel, The Exedra at the Piazza Republica (a "town square" is generally a circle in Rome, called a Piazza), to the Piazza del Popolo, down to Piazza di Spagna which is where I photographed the "Spanish Steps". These world famous steps were built in 1725 to connect the piazza to the Trinita dei Monti church at the top. We walked for hours and had a great tour of Rome! If you want to see more photographs from our walking tour, check out my "Almost 365" album on our Kari Douma Photography Facebook page... ~Jayne

ISO 200

f 8

1/640

28-105 at 40mm

Day 168

2011-10-06T22:46:00.002-04:00

ROME, ITALY! ~Jayne

ISO 200

f 11

1/500

28-105 at 28mm

Day 167

2011-10-06T14:03:00.006-04:00

Okay, I just have to say...this 365 project has not been easy! I'm half way through my postings for the year and I know many of you are wondering why my 365 project is so far behind (my posting that is, I am still taking my images every day!) and here is why...this is a BIG deal to me! I don't want to just snap any image and upload it. I am looking at this project as a photojournalistic record documenting of a year of my life. I don't want to look back and say "oh, I was tired that day so I just took any photograph and said 'good enough', no...I want to do my best.

So, without further ado...here is the first image from our trip to Italy! FYI, I was on a plane for an entire day (if you also count the 6 hours I lost changing time zones) so my choices were limited on June 16th! Oh, and it was quite torturous for me to chose ONE image for each day (are you kidding me, it was IMPOSSIBLE) so if you want to see more you'll have to check my "Almost 365" album on our Kari Douma Photography Facebook page ~Jayne

ISO 200

f 22

1/200

50mm

Day 166

2011-09-09T00:34:00.004-04:00

As I was walking into work at The Studio today I noticed these gorgeous flowers right outside our door (they must not bloom for long because I don't remember seeing them last summer). It was super windy today so I had to use a fast shutter speed to freeze these while they were blowing in the breeze! ~Jayne

ISO 250

f 4

1/640

50mm

Day 165

2011-09-09T00:30:00.004-04:00

We were driving home tonight and I saw this hot air balloon taking off (about an hour and a half before sunset) from a field nearby so I pulled over and grabbed my camera to capture this shot! ~Jayne

ISO 800

f 5.6

1/1600

28-105 at 105mm

Day 164

2011-09-09T00:19:00.006-04:00

Driving through downtown today I was admiring the clear the blue sky (as usual) and decided to drive over to this iconic downtown sculpture to photograph it for my image of the day! ~Jayne

ISO 200

f 22

1/160

28-105 at 48mm

Day 163

2011-08-03T03:19:00.003-04:00

One of the streams and gardens by the Cottages at Crystal Mountain ~Jayne

ISO 200

f 8

1/320

50mm

Day 162

2011-08-03T03:07:00.005-04:00

Beautiful bride, beautiful day! Feeling so blessed to capture these moments...this one is my favorite! ~Jayne

ISO 400

f 4

1/1250

80-200 at 80mm

Day 161

2011-08-03T02:57:00.002-04:00

Today we drove up to Crystal Mountain to prepare for Brian and Jesse's wedding! Whenever we have an out of town wedding, we like to drive up the night before to get unpacked and scout out the area. We've photographed weddings at Crystal Mountain before, so tonight we decided to walk around to look for the perfect location to photograph the bride and groom's first meeting on their wedding day. Kari decided on a beautiful spot in the gardens by the pond and bridge. As we were walking back to our suite, I stopped to photograph this scene all lit up just after twilight! ~Jayne

ISO 200

f 11

20 seconds

80-200 at 80mm

Day 160

2011-08-03T02:55:00.001-04:00

Gymnastics! ~Jayne

ISO 1000

f 3.2

1/160

80-200 at 145mm

Day 159

2011-08-03T02:52:00.003-04:00

My husband sent me flowers today :) ~Jayne

ISO 200

f 1.8

1/2000

50mm

Day 158

2011-08-03T02:49:00.004-04:00

"Be still..." Psalm 46:10 ~Jayne

ISO 400

f 4.0

1/30

50mm

Day 157

2011-08-03T02:42:00.002-04:00

Dinner at On the Border tonight...Grilled Mahi Mahi Tacos with mango salsa and onion straws. YUM! ~Jayne

ISO 1000

f 4

1/125

50mm

Day 156

2011-08-03T00:35:00.002-04:00

Today the message at our church was the Parable of the Sower: Jesus said, “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear...” Matthew 13: 3-9

This got me thinking about my daughters plant. She brought it home from school and has been caring for it every day. She waters it and sets it in the window so it can soak up the sunshine. Each day she makes sure the plant has water, and moves it around the house to a new window in the light. At first the seed sprouted one stem, then it sprouted and grew because of the constant water and light. The seed was planted in good soil, and with water and light, has all it needs to grow and thrive.

Matthew 13: 18: “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means... 23: the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

I used to think that good soil in this verse was referring to a "good person". Good people are blessed with an abundant crop. But now that I understand the word, I realize how mistaken I was. The seed falling on good soil does not mean "good people" are blessed with an abundant crop (easy life without problems), it means someone who hears the word (the word is God, John 1:1) and understands it is blessed. We are blessed when we know God. The seed falls on good soil and produces a crop. When we understand the word, we know Jesus is the light (John 8:12) and the living water (John 4:14) and we will bear the fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:22). ~Jayne

ISO 800

f 2.8

1/80

50mm

Day 155

2011-07-27T00:55:00.006-04:00

We are so fortunate to have a fabulous Farmer's Market here! Every Wednesday and Saturday local famers bring their fresh from the farm fruits, vegetables, flowers, and other homemade treats to the market. We love to go pick up fresh lettuces, zucchini, cucumbers, bell peppers, and all the local fruits as they come into season. One of our other local favorites is the Natural Apple Butter we get from Schroeder's Sugar Shack...it is delicious! They make it at their 40 acre farm about an hour down the lakeshore. Check out this article in Lake Magazine, you can read about other local markets, and see Gene and Marilynne Schroeder setting up in their "Sugar Shack" booth at our farmers market! ~Jayne

ISO 200

f 11

1/200

28-105 at 105mm

Day 154

2011-07-27T00:34:00.003-04:00

The Ottawa Beach General Store opened in 1938, and after 70 years in business, this iconic lakshore spot has been restored and re-opened, and is now better than ever! ~Jayne

ISO 800

f 5.6

1/250

50mm

Day 153

2011-07-27T00:30:00.001-04:00

And he's . . . SAFE! ~Jayne

ISO 400

f 4

1/500

80-200 at 200mm

Day 152

2011-07-27T00:28:00.003-04:00

This is the view (looking up) from the hammock in my back yard...ahhh! ~Jayne

ISO 400

f 11

1/160

50mm

Day 151

2011-07-27T00:19:00.004-04:00

My daughter loves animals. Anywhere we go, if there is an animal in sight, she will have it on her lap (if possible) within minutes. She is always snuggling with our dog too. Daisy is so sweet and patient, she gets this look in her eyes as if to say, "I am way to big too be a lap dog, but I will appease her..." Sometimes I find her in a "hug"with our daughter resting her head on our daughter's shoulder. This is their cheek to cheek hug...while the girls watch a baseball game :) ~Jayne

ISO 400

1/200

50mm

Day 150

2011-07-18T23:56:00.007-04:00

Memorial Day Poem --Author Unknown

"In World War II, he whispered, I was wounded by a blast. As he began his story, reminiscing of his past.

I was just a boy back then, I lied about my age. To get into the Army, and fight for the USA.

I love this country very much, it's still the very best. And I would fight to keep it free, and safe from foreign pest.

We won that war, and I came home, my wounds had healed enough, To reenlist with other men. The Army made us tough.

Then a little flare up, in Korea called us out. A threat against our freedom, spreading fear without a doubt.

There I caught a bullet, when I tried to save a friend. Another wound for Uncle Sam, they sent me home to mend.

"Soldier have you had enough?" my Sergeant said to me. "Or do you want another tour, if ever there's to be?"

We would train and fight again, if ever it need be, Because we love America, we'll fight to keep it free.

It didn't take too long, before my boys were off again. We were shipped off to a war, we thought would never end.

I didn't understand it much, if it was wrong or right. But, I was a US Marine, and my country said, "Go fight."

I never questioned orders, that were sent from up above. I did it for America, the country, that I love.

I fought to keep my country safe, again, in Viet Nam. Then, wounded I came home again, a victim of napalm.

My fighting days were over now, and, I had given all. But, some had given more than me, their names are on a wall.

I am now well up in years, a Marine old and worn. I could only sit and pray, as I watched Desert Storm.

So proud of our boys over there, who stood for what is right. Freedom is the battle cry, the reason why they fight.

Young soldiers fight for liberty, protecting freedom's bliss. Old Marines dream of by-gone-days, while fighting loneliness.

We were heroes in our day, he said, and then he sighed. Forgotten in some VA home, and all my friends have died.

I never ask for anything, just wanted to live free. But, if you read this story, there are many just like me.

Who fought to keep our country, safe and free from every foe. Only to come home again, and have no place to go.

Sadly, when the limelight fails, heroes fade away. Some men fight the silent battles, 'till their dying day.

Please remember what it took, and what we had to pay. And join with us remembering, on this Memorial Day.

Memorial Day is special, it is not just summer's start. The reason that we have this day, should be etched on your heart.

Lives were lost, and young men died, to keep this country free. So, take a moment on this day, to say a prayer with me.

Remember all those valiant men, and women who fought for, the lifestyle that you now enjoy, because they went to war."

This afternoon in the quiet of the cemetary...praying for the soldiers and their families who dedicated their lives to freedom. ~Jayne

ISO 250

f 4

1/2000

28-105 at 82mm

Day 149

2011-07-18T23:28:00.002-04:00

Every Sunday after church we have brunch. We always make some kind of eggs or omelets, and either french toast, pancakes or waffles. It's a tradition in our home. My husband and I take turns making brunch every other Sunday, and our kids always love to help. I am not a chef by any means (I make a few things well, so we have those often!) and I certainly don't put much thought into the presentation of a meals. But my husband LOVES to have fun when he makes a meal (and my daughter loves to help him). Today he carved our peppers and cheese into shapes of things we like (so each of our plates were different). Mine had a heart and a tulip (the cheese had started to melt when I took this so it's a little hard to see!) I think a meal always tastes a little better when it's made with love :) ~Jayne

ISO 200

f 8

1/200

50mm

Day 148

2011-07-18T22:55:00.003-04:00

We were in Lowell today visiting friends so we drove into downtown so I could photograph the Riverboat. The first summer after we moved to west michigan we came to Lowell for the Riverwalk Festival... it's a small town festival the weekend after the 4th of July. It was like stepping back in time. Friendly local residents offering free boat tours up and down the river telling stories of the history of their old logging town. "Pure Michigan" ~Jayne

ISO 200

f 5.6

1/250

80-200 at 80mm

Day 147

2011-07-18T22:08:00.003-04:00

We are hoping to sell our home sometime in the next year and move out to the country, so every once in awhile I drive out to look at a house that I found for sale. I was out in the country today looking at a house when I drove by this barn across a valley and a field. I love the bright wildflowers with the rustic barn in the background. I could get used to looking at this from my front porch every day! ~Jayne

ISO 250

f 8

1/160

80-200 at 200mm

Day 146

2011-07-13T03:17:00.003-04:00

I was driving in the country today and saw this tree with a tire swing and I had to pull over to photograph it! ~Jayne

ISO 200

f 8

1/50

50mm

Day 145

2011-07-13T02:54:00.003-04:00

Happy Birthday to my handsome husband today! Since we are planning a trip to Italy soon, I decided to give my husband a bottle of wine for his birthday from one of the wineries we're going to visit in Tuscany (and I love the label so I decided to photograph it, with his card, for my image of the day today)! ~Jayne

ISO 1250

f 3.5

1/100

50mm

Day 144

2011-07-13T02:48:00.003-04:00

My husbands birthday is tomorrow and he received this card in the mail from our church members (actually one very sweet friend from church does this as part of a ministry team). Anyway, as I was reading it I noticed how well it matches the colors in our dining room, so I decided to photograph it using a little backlight on my curtain panels like a backdrop...I like how it turned out! ~Jayne

ISO 200

f 5

1/5

50mm

Day 143

2011-07-08T01:42:00.002-04:00

Watching a storm roll in, I hurried to capture the rays of light before they were covered by clouds. ~Jayne

ISO 200

f 10

1/2000

50mm

Day 142

2011-07-08T01:01:00.006-04:00

Today we had Graduation Sunday at church, and each graduating senior is presented with a study bible as they prepare to go off into the world as an adult, either to head off to college, or a trade school, or enter the work force. I always know I am going to need tissues on Graduation Sunday... I always cry. Each year I think I'll be able to handle it without tears, but alas, the tears always come.

The senior walks up in front of the congregation, for the second time, to accept a bible and a flower. The parents come up to stand next to what was once their small 5th grade child that accepted a beginner study bible, now grown into an almost-adult, accepting their adult study bible, ready to head off into the "real" world. The senior hands his or her mom the flower and gives mom and dad a hug. That's when the tears come. I can't help but look over at my two (sort of still small) children and wonder, "will the years just fly by until it's me up there accepting a flower from my son, then daughter, about to head off into the 'real' world? Can I slow down time so that moment won't seem like it's here tomorrow"?

I've never really been the kind of parent that spends much time thinking about what my children will look like, or what they'll be when they're grown up. I am the mom who looks at my 10 year old running up the stairs and sees that day that he had to reach up as far as he could to touch the railing to hold on to walk up the stairs one step at a time. That was just a year ago, right? I see my long and lean (almost 8 year old) daughter running by, and remember when she had to hold onto her baby buggy to be able to chase her brother in circles around the house. Wasn't that just yesterday? Where did these tall, smart, sweet, self sufficient children come from? I have a baby and a toddler, right? I have to remind myself, it's been almost 10 years since my son had to reach up for that railing, and 7 years since my daughter had to have help to chase her brother. In 7-10 more years, they won't live in my house anymore. I will be that mom in front of the church holding the flower and hugging her children. How is that possible? ~Jayne

ISO 2000

f 2.8

1/125

80-200 at 200mm

Day 141

2011-07-08T00:42:00.002-04:00

Today our church held our third annual Community Impact Day! It's a day our church members serve by doing projects throughout our community. It's awesome to see what an impact one group of people can make when they all work together. Helping homeowners with projects, cleaning up parks, yardwork, landscaping, painting playgrounds at schools, helping mission organizations, I can't even begin to list all the projects that were completed today. It's amazing the organization that goes into planning for all the projects... assigning teams for each project, making sure all the supplies are available and ready, and equipping everyone to go out to serve in the name of the Lord. It's an awesome day. Each year we've had a different project, but every year our children finish a day of hard work (usually hard manual labor) with a sense of accomplishment and feeling of gratitude for being able to serve. It's a day we look forward to every year, and a reminder that we don't need a specific reason, or a special day to serve others in the name of God. ~Jayne

ISO 200

f 8

1/320

50mm

Day 140

2011-07-07T03:03:00.002-04:00

We have had amazing weather this week! This farm is picture perfect... I drive by it when I'm going to work sometimes, and I have been waiting to photograph it until the field was just the right shade of green, and the sky just the right shade of blue (the puffy clouds were a bonus!) Today I specifically went out of my way to drive by this farm to photograph it for my image of the day. ~Jayne

ISO 200

F 8

1/1000

80-200 at 80mm

Day 139

2011-07-07T02:56:00.002-04:00

I LOVE THIS IMAGE. I have been waiting and waiting for the right sky to capture this, and finally today was the day (and I'm not telling how I did it... and if you know, don't tell ;) ~Jayne

ISO 250

f 8

1/640

50mm

Day 138

2011-07-07T02:48:00.003-04:00

When I was driving home from The Studio yesterday I noticed this vintage robin's egg blue VW Bug parked on the side of the road... so I made a mental note to drive by today hoping it would still be here so I could photograph it for my image of the day! I tried lots of fun angles of all the different parts of the car, but I ended up loving the hubcap shots the best! ~Jayne

ISO 200

f 4

1/640

50mm

Day 137

2011-07-07T02:39:00.003-04:00

One of the things I love about Michigan are the amazing blue skies we get on perfect spring days. Today was one of those days! I also love flowering trees... so today I decided to try to photograph them together. I was trying to find a perfectly shaped tree in full bloom in an open field (or on a hill) somewhere that I could photograph the tree against the sky. I looked everywhere I could think of, but could not find what I was looking for. Then when I pulled up at school to pick up my children, here was the most gorgeous tree in full bloom! (I couldn't photograph the entire tree against the sky because the school is in the way) so I decided to photograph the blooms looking straight up into the sky... and I happened to catch a bee buzzing in at just the right time... I love it! ~Jayne

ISO 200

f 5.6

1/640

50mm

Day 136

2011-07-07T02:11:00.006-04:00

I am SO excited to post this picture of the day! PPWM (Professional Photographers of Western Michigan) hosted their annual Amateur Print Judging Competition on May 16th. This is the evening photography clients come to judge prints submitted by PPWM members. It's fun to enter this competition because clients tend to judge images much differently than professional photography judges, so it's always nice for us to hear what actual clients think about our work! (Of course the prints are all judged anonymously, the judges don't know who photographed the prints they are judging).

The categories this year were Families/Children and Seniors. Each photographer can enter up to 4 prints to be judged, so I entered four portraits of children this year. I won't go through all the details of how the prints are judged, but after the initial judging, all the prints with the top scores are brought back out to choose a "Best of Show" for each category. When the judges were narrowing down the finalists for the top pick in the Children's category, the top two prints were both mine...I would have been thrilled with the judges choosing either one! They ended up voting this image for "Best of Show" in the Children's category (and Kari was awarded the "Best of Show" award in the Seniors category) what a great night! ~Jayne

P.S. This was a little flower girl that I photographed at a wedding last summer. (She looked up at me during all the hustle and bustle while the bride was getting ready before the ceremony). She was such a cutie!

ISO 2500

f 3.2

1/125

50mm

Day 135

2011-05-24T03:06:00.002-04:00

"Jesus said, I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the father except through me." John 14:6 ~Jayne

ISO 800

f 4

1/20

50mm

Day 134

2011-05-24T02:57:00.004-04:00

When I saw the dimples on Luke's chubby little hands, I just had to photograph them! He is such a cutie, and I'm so thankful my friend let me hold him and snuggle with him today...I love babies! ~Jayne

ISO 400

f 2.8

1/160

50mm

Day 133

2011-05-24T02:50:00.002-04:00

I decided to photograph something inside since all my images have been outside this week! This is a lamp we have in our dining room... I played around with photographing just the lampshade, then just the shape and reflection of the light coming from the bottom of the lamp. I ended up liking this image the best for the detail in the texture of the silk shade ~Jayne

ISO 250

f 4

.8 second

50mm

Day 132

2011-05-24T02:40:00.002-04:00

The Tulips are Blooming in Holland, Michigan... ~Jayne

P.S. I have to thank my son who sat patiently waiting for me for an hour while I photographed the tulips this afternoon. I was a kid in a candy store...tulips in every direction, as far as the eye can see... they are my very FAVORITE!

ISO 200

f 8

1/1250

50mm

Day 131

2011-05-24T02:33:00.002-04:00

If you've never been to Holland for Tulip Time, you probably have never seen this before! The Dutch Dancers perform downtown every evening, and we always go once a year to watch. Be careful where you sit though, these curb seats can be dangerous... last year we were hit with a flying wooden shoe! ~Jayne

ISO 800

f 4

1/800

105mm

Day 130

2011-05-24T02:22:00.005-04:00

Today was a great day...a drive with your windows down to let the fresh spring air whip through your hair kind of day! I took the back roads home after work, and I was hoping to see a farmer in the fields, and I did! I pulled off the road to jump out and capture this image...I love the bright red tractor, the green grass, and the yellow dandelions growing in the field! ~Jayne

ISO 250

f 4

1/2500

80-200 at 200mm

Day 129

2011-05-24T01:55:00.003-04:00

Today is my anniversary! I have been thinking about this image of the day for a few weeks now! I knew I wanted to photograph something from my wedding, but in a new way, similar to what Kari and I do when we photograph weddings. There are so many cool new "gotta have" shots that photographers just didn't do when I got married. I narrowed down my ideas to either a wedding dress or ring shot. (Since my wedding dress hasn't been out of the bag since my wedding day, I decided to do a ring shot). These are some of my favorite images to photograph on a wedding day, and I was SO excited to create one with our rings! Here they are in the roses my husband gave me today... I love it that our rings are a little banged up after wearing them all these years...not as shiny and new as they were on our wedding day, but still as strong as ever... ~Jayne

ISO 500

f 8

1/200

105mm macro

Day 128

2011-05-14T17:11:00.003-04:00

Happy Mother's Day! My family spoiled me today with brunch at The Amway Grand (Sunday Brunch is my very favorite, and this was by far the best brunch I've ever been treated to)! While we were waiting out in the lobby they served punch with strawberries...yum! ~Jayne

ISO 800

f 4

1/160

50mm

Day 127

2011-05-14T17:03:00.002-04:00

We attended a pancake breakfast fundraiser for the Spring Arbor Volunteer Fire Department today! I was excited to capture this image of the back of the fire truck against the perfect blue sky...I love the contrast of colors. ~Jayne

ISO 200

f 11

1/250

50mm

Day 126

2011-05-14T16:53:00.002-04:00

My mother and father in law brought grapefruits back from Florida for us. I've been wanting to photograph one all week, and this is the last one left! When my daughter asked to have it with her breakfast this morning, I told her she had to wait for me to photograph it before she could eat it! They were delicious... ~Jayne

ISO 200

f 8

1/160

105mm

Day 125

2011-05-14T16:50:00.002-04:00

Mmmmm...I love the smell of the coffee beans in the grinder! ~Jayne

ISO 400

f 4

.3 second

105mm

Day 124

2011-05-14T16:40:00.002-04:00

Tonight when I was leaving The Studio, I wanted to photograph the lights downtown. It took some patience getting my camera to focus on the lights. On a few shots, I snapped the shutter while the camera was not focused. I took several different shots, and I ended up liking this one the best! ~Jayne

ISO 200

f 4.5

1/15

105mm

Day 123

2011-05-14T16:03:00.002-04:00

Today my parents flew home from Arizona. After picking them up at the airport, we went out for dinner, then I dropped them off at home around 10pm and headed back toward the highway to go home. The on ramp I usually take was closed for construction, so I had to take a detour. As I was driving, I passed my old High School and realized it's been a loooooooong time since I've been there. Really, I can't even remember the last time I'd driven by (it's been at least a decade!) I started thinking about how much has changed since then... ironically though, the school does not look different at all (at least from the outside). I was thinking about how much I've changed since then, but really, how much of that is obvious from the outside (except for looking older!)? I'm still the same me I've always been, but also completely different. Would others still see me the same if they hadn't seen me since way back then?

My class never had a reunion, and I thought if they did, I wouldn't have any desire to go. I don't spend much time or energy trying to impress others, and that's what reunions seem like to me. Actually, after going to college and moving to the other side of the state, I never saw anyone from high school. Ever. Until about 2 years ago when Kari and I were photographing a wedding, and the groom was someone I went to high school with (which I didn't know until showing up at the wedding), and most of the groomsmen were from our school also. I started thinking... when you run into someone you haven't seen for 10-20 years (yikes!) do we still expect them to be the same people they were...and are they? In my mind I think I expected people would be the same, but if I'm not, maybe they aren't either. Maybe it's possible that the mean girls in high school grew up and became nicer people. Maybe the guy who was a huge jerk in high school, grew up and matured to be a decent guy? Anything is possible.

Anyway, it just reminded me not to have preconceived ideas about who people are. I think if we treat others the way we'd like to be treated, and don't judge each person we meet based on who we think they are, the world would be a much nicer place :) ~Jayne

ISO 1000

f 5

1/4 second

105mm

Day 122

2011-05-06T01:32:00.001-04:00

This is the Easter Lily my brother and sister in law gave us when they were visiting for Easter. I had to wait until the bloom was just right to capture this image...I love it! ~Jayne

ISO 1600

f 4

1/160

105mm

Day 121

2011-05-06T01:22:00.003-04:00

Happy May! Today was the last day of Sunday School for our children at church so I decided to photograph this mural on the wall in the wing of church where their classes are held. We are so thankful for their Sunday School teachers who dedicate an hour every single Sunday to spend teaching the children of our church about the love of Jesus! ~Jayne

ISO 400

f 8.0

1/8

105mm

Day 120

2011-05-06T01:17:00.003-04:00

Our family's favorite pizza...pepperoni, mushroom, green pepper from Jet's Pizza! ~Jayne

ISO 1600

f 8.0

1/25

105mm

Day 119

2011-05-06T01:14:00.003-04:00

This is the 2" patch from my son's Little League jersey. I knew I wanted to photograph some kind of fabric that I could really show the texture, so this is what I came up with! ~Jayne

ISO 200

f 9.0

.3 second

105mm

Day 118

2011-05-06T01:01:00.003-04:00

Kari let me borrow her macro lens...yeah! So excited to have fun playing with some close up images! ~Jayne

ISO 200

f 11

.8 second

105mm

Day 117

2011-05-06T00:56:00.003-04:00

When I left The Studio this evening the sun was shining but as I drove closer and closer to the lakeshore, it got foggier and foggier. Here's what it looked like at the marina! ~Jayne

ISO 400

f 4.0

1/20

105mm

Day 116

2011-05-06T00:26:00.002-04:00

Today Kari and I went to September's Bride in downtown Holland to talk with Michelle about Wedding Planning. After chatting, and the grand tour of the boutique we walked down the street to have lunch at Crane's in the City. If you like Crane's Pie Pantry, you have to visit Crane's in the City! All the yummy treats from's Crane's...brought to the city! I had City Cristo...turkey, provolone, apples and spicy mustard toasted on apple butter bread...YUM! ~Jayne

ISO 2000

f 2.0

1/125

50mm

Day 115

2011-04-26T02:38:00.000-04:00

Spring is in the air... ~Jayne

ISO 200

f 4.5

1/3200

80-200 at 80mm

Day 114

2011-04-26T02:14:00.005-04:00

HAPPY EASTER

ALLELUIA...HE IS RISEN!

Psalm 103...

"I will praise the Lord. Deep down inside me, I will praise him. I will praise him, because his name is holy.

2 I will praise the Lord. I won't forget anything he does for me.

3 He forgives all my sins. He heals all my sicknesses.

4 He saves my life from going down into the grave. His faithful and tender love makes me feel like a king.

5 He satisfies me with the good things I long for. Then I feel young and strong again, just like an eagle.

6 The Lord does what is right and fair for all who are beaten down.

7 He told Moses all about his plans. He let the people of Israel see his mighty acts.

8 The Lord is tender and kind. He is gracious. He is slow to get angry. He is full of love.

9 He won't keep bringing charges against us. He won't stay angry with us forever.

10 He doesn't punish us for our sins as much as we should be punished.

He doesn't pay us back in keeping with the evil things we've done.

11 His love for those who have respect for him is as high as the heavens are above the earth.

12 He has removed our lawless acts from us as far as the east is from the west.

13 A father is tender and kind to his children. In the same way, the Lord is tender and kind to those who have respect for him.

14 He knows what we are made of. He remembers that we are dust.

15 People's lives are like grass. People grow like the flowers in the field.

16 When the wind blows on them, they are gone. No one can tell that they had ever been there.

17 But the Lord's love for those who have respect for him lasts for ever and ever.

Their children's children will know that he always does what is right.

18 He always loves those who keep his covenant. He always does what is right for those who remember to obey his commands.

19 The Lord has set up his throne in heaven. His kingdom rules over all.

20 Praise the Lord, you angels of his. Praise him, you mighty ones who carry out his orders and obey his word.

21 Praise the Lord, all you angels in heaven. Praise him, all you who serve him and do what he wants.

22 Let everything the Lord has made praise him everywhere in his kingdom. I will praise the Lord."

~Jayne

ISO 200

f 2.8

1/400

50mm

Day 113

2011-04-26T02:01:00.003-04:00

Today we have family visiting from Minnesota and planned a fun day full of Easter activities! We colored eggs, had an egg hunt in the backyard, and took turns reading the Easter story bible verses with our Resurrection Eggs (from Family Life). What a blessing it was to spend the holiday weekend with our cousins! Here are the eggs we made... ~Jayne

ISO 250

f 3.2

1/250

50mm

Day 112

2011-04-26T01:55:00.003-04:00

Maybe if you close your eyes and use your imagination, you'll be able to breath in the amazing fragrance of these Hyacinths! Ahhh.....my favorite scent of spring! ~Jayne

ISO 400

f 2.0

1/13

50mm

Day 111

2011-04-26T01:52:00.003-04:00

Baseball season begins... ~Jayne

ISO 200

f 3.5

1/2000

50mm

Day 110

2011-04-26T01:35:00.002-04:00

I was driving to The Studio today and so surprised when I looked up and saw this billboard on I-196 EB! This is one of the images Kari photographed during the promotional photo shoot we donated for the Kent County Great Start Parent Coalition Diaper Drive! We knew there was a billboard on SB 131, but didn't know of this one just before the intersection of M-6... what a fun surprise! I knew I had to photograph this for my image of the day (which really wasn't an easy task!) I had to get off at the next exit, turn around to go back, and turn around again to get back to the front of the billboard. I pulled off the side of the highway (of course!) and a police officer pulled up behind me to check to see if I needed any help! (Thank goodness he didn't give me a ticket because I don't think the highway officer would consider my photographing a billboard an "emergency"). Then I found out that photographing these digital billboards is like trying to photograph a television... you get lines and shadows on the screen (and they fade in and out between ads). Crazy! This was the best image I could get at this angle... ~Jayne

ISO 250

f 5.0

1/1250

80-200 at 200mm

Day 109

2011-04-26T01:30:00.004-04:00

GUMBALLS! ~Jayne

ISO 2000

f 2.0

1/50

50mm

Day 108

2011-04-19T03:20:00.002-04:00

Today we woke up to several inches of snow (and more falling)... 7 days ago it was 85 degrees! Only in Michigan... ~Jayne

ISO 200

f 2.8

1/500

80-200 at 200mm

Day 106

2011-04-19T02:38:00.002-04:00

Kari and I photographed a wedding today! I especially love photographing the ceremony and those precious minutes as two hearts join together to become one with God. During the vows I have to really concentrate to try not to cry (I'm such a sap!) The last wedding that we photographed (in March) the bride and groom recited the same vows my husband and I did on our wedding day...I was surprised how I remembered every word, even after (almost) 13 years!

It's so difficult for me to choose just one image for my image of the day (on wedding days) because I have so many favorites! Today I decided to choose this image because it has such sentimental value... this is obviously a photograph of the bride and grooms rings, but it's also the lace hankerchief that the bride's great-grandmother had on her wedding day, so it was very special (the brides mother specifically asked to have it photographed with their rings). It's a great honor to be able able to capture images of family heirlooms...and at the same time create new ones. ~Jayne

ISO 320

f 3.3

1/160

105 Macro

Day 105

2011-04-19T02:19:00.002-04:00

Kari and I attended a MWEP (Michigan Wedding and Event Professionals) Lakeshore event in Spring Lake tonight. The venue (Seven Steps Up) was staged beautifully so I decided to photograph the event for the hosts. This gorgeous floral centerpiece was created by Eastern Floral. ~Jayne

ISO 2000

f 5.6

1/10

50mm

Day 107

2011-04-19T02:08:00.003-04:00

It was such a beautiful, blue sky with puffy white clouds, sunshiny day...a perfect day for a drive along the lakeshore! So after church we decided to drive to one of our favorite brunch spots... Ida Red's! I can't wait for the warmer weather when we can eat outside in the garden... ~Jayne

ISO 200

f 3.5

1/1600

50mm

Day 104

2011-04-18T15:10:00.003-04:00

My daughter FINALLY lost one of her front teeth...she has been waiting for this day for soooo long! If children lose a tooth during the day at school they get to go to the office to pick out a tooth necklace (any color they'd like) of course she chose PINK. I think she had it all planned out! ~Jayne

ISO 320

f 2.0

1/160

50mm

Day 103

2011-04-18T15:06:00.003-04:00

Tonight we had sushi and edamame for dinner...yum! ~Jayne

ISO 800

f 2.0

1/100

50mm

Day 102

2011-04-18T14:51:00.003-04:00

My view tonight at twilight (10:15pm) looking out my kitchen window... ~Jayne

ISO 200

f 8

30 seconds

50mm

Day 101

2011-04-18T14:42:00.002-04:00

Spring in Michigan...as we adjust from an 80 degree day to a 50 degree day (with lows in the 30's) my hyacinths came up early and might be in for a few cold nights this week! ~Jayne

ISO 200

f 2.5

1/800

50mm

Day 100

2011-04-18T01:22:00.001-04:00

The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. ~Jayne

ISO 200

f 8

1/500

50mm

Day 99

2011-04-18T00:57:00.002-04:00

This weekend we decided to take a trip to visit the Henry Ford Museum (and IMAX theater). We are staying at The Henry Autograph Collection (with our Marriott Points!) in Dearborn. This hotel has beautiful woodwork and architectural details, and amazing artwork covering the walls. It was a tough choice deciding what to photograph with so many options! I decided to photograph this section of the hotel that leads to the ballroom because I love the symmetry of the doorways and chandeliers leading your eye to the artwork at the end of the hall. ~Jayne

ISO 2000

f 8

1/20

50mm

Day 98

2011-04-12T01:55:00.002-04:00

I was racing to the lake to capture this image at twilight tonight! Since my exposures were increasing from 10 to 30 seconds, each image was dramatically different as the light slipped past the horizon at the marina. The first image ended up being my favorite... ~Jayne

ISO 200

f 5

10 seconds

80-200 at 80mm

Day 97

2011-04-12T01:21:00.002-04:00

Today when we drove by a farm and saw this calf in the barnyard I had to stop to photograph it for my image of the day! ~Jayne

ISO 200

f 8

1/640

80-200 at 100mm

Day 96

2011-04-11T22:12:00.003-04:00

We are on spring break this week so my best friend came over with her four kids and we had a marvelous day playing together, going swimming at the Aquatic Center (with hundreds of other people) and then out to dinner. It was a fun, exciting day! After putting the kids to bed late, I was about ready to go to bed myself when I realized that I hadn't taken my picture of the day yet (pools aren't great places to take a camera!) I looked around and saw this basket in my dining room and decided to try to do something creative with it... here's my attempt! ~Jayne

ISO 200

f 8

4 seconds

50mm

Day 95

2011-04-11T21:43:00.003-04:00

This is our sweet Daisy girl (I wrote about her on Day 24). I've had this image in my head that I wanted to photograph with her head tipped sideways and her ears perked up. I tried it at home but I just couldn't get find light that I liked, so I took her to The Studio today. She sat patiently looking up at me wondering where were all "treats" I kept talking about, but she would not tip her head to the side and give me the look (that she usually has when she hears "treat" or "daddy"). Oh well, I think she's pretty cute anyway :) ~Jayne

ISO 200

f 8

1/160

50mm

Day 94

2011-04-11T18:41:00.005-04:00

I always see this on my way home from The Studio...it's in the backyard of someone's home in the country. I love that they have put so much thought into decorating their shed by adding the the milk cans and old farm style windmill. ~Jayne

ISO 400

f 5

1/500

80-200 at 116mm

Day 93

2011-04-11T18:09:00.009-04:00

We were visiting family in Medina, Ohio this weekend and decided to drive into the historic village after church today. I could have spent hours downtown looking at all the shops and photographing the buildings (but I had 3 boys with me who do not share my interests)! So, I photographed the park in the center of town (and the firehouse, but you'll have to check the Kari Douma Photography Facebook page to see that image, because I can only post one here!) I love history, so whenever I see one of these "Historic Site" signs I always have to stop to read it... which we've found can make trips take quite a long time if you're visiting a historical city like Washington D.C. or Philadelphia, but that's another story! Medina has a cute gazebo in the center of the park and I can just imagine how picturesque this town is when the trees and flowers are in full bloom. ~Jayne

P.S. Happy Birthday Dad ;)

ISO 400

f 4

1/640

80-200 at 80mm

Day 92

2011-04-04T03:11:00.002-04:00

Today we were visiting cousins in Ohio. The boys went to the Football Hall of Fame, so the girls decided to go to the athletic club! ~Jayne

ISO 200

f 6.3

1/6

50mm

Day 91

2011-04-04T03:08:00.001-04:00

ISO 250

f 2.2

1/250

50mm

Day 90

2011-04-04T02:59:00.002-04:00

My daughters class was having a "Reading Celebration" today at school. March is National Reading Month and this was their end of the month celebration. Her classmates bring their favorite book, a sleeping bag or blanket, and flashlights. They close the blinds and turn on a "nature sounds" CD to pretend they are camping and reading by the fire. Of course, if you're camping you have to have smores! ~Jayne

ISO 200

f 1.6

1/200

50mm

Day 89

2011-04-04T02:53:00.002-04:00

We had a family newborn session at The Studio today...Kari's niece brought her new baby to meet her aunt! Big sister Lila was feeling a little shy about having her picture taken when she first came into The Studio. Aunt Kari gave Lila a big hug to help her feel at ease :) ~Jayne

ISO 100

f 8

1/200

28-70 at 48mm

Day 88

2011-04-04T02:49:00.002-04:00

It was a perfect spring day in Michigan today! I saw so many things to photograph this morning that I was a half hour late getting to work (sorry Kari!) This was my favorite image that I captured today! ~Jayne

ISO 200

f 8

1/1600

80-200 at 80mm

Day 87

2011-04-04T02:45:00.001-04:00

My husband took me out for lunch to one of my favorite restaurants today! ~Jayne

ISO 800

f 5.6

1/125

50mm

Day 86

2011-04-04T02:21:00.003-04:00

Our pastor invited one of his friends to come to our church as a guest speaker the past two Sundays. Dr. Chad Pierce came from Pella, Iowa where he is a Professor of Religion, to speak to us about Guilt and Confession (he joked that our pastor called a few months ago to ask him to fly back to his hometown to preach, but didn't mention the topic until after he agreed!) It was really interesting to me because I had just had a discussion with friends a few days earlier about whether or not guilt draws us closer to God. He also spoke to our adult sunday school classes both weeks about the crucifixion of Jesus. These were deep topics, but Dr. Pierce handled them graciously and we were really engaged in the discussion and have been thinking about some things differently. I thought it was only fitting to photograph one of the crosses at our church for my image today. ~Jayne

ISO 1000

f 3.5

1/60

50mm

Day 85

2011-03-30T01:53:00.002-04:00

We live about 2 miles from Lake Michigan and I can usually see the sun setting from my kitchen window. Every once in awhile I'll notice the colors in the sky growing more vivid as the sun goes down. So tonight when I saw the sky growing more and more colorful as sunset approached, I grabbed my camera, jumped in the car, and raced against the quickly setting sun to get to the beach just in time to capture this image. The colors grow bolder just after the sun sets past the horizon, and I love this last bit of bright light before twilight takes over. ~Jayne

ISO 200

f 22

1/30

80-200 at 80mm

Day 84

2011-03-30T01:43:00.002-04:00

Feel the Zeel? Feel the Zeel! ~Jayne

ISO 200

f 11

1/500

50mm

Day 83

2011-03-27T02:28:00.004-04:00

Kari's birthday was yesterday (but we celebrated it today). I think birthday's are a pretty big deal, and this was an important birthday for her, so I started thinking about planning a surprise birthday party a few weeks ago. I came up with a plan...I convinced my husband to call Kari pretending to be a groom planning a wedding to set it all up. While my husband was out of town on a business trip he borrowed a co-workers phone and called Kari to ask to set up a meeting. He said he would be flying in from Indianapolis to meet his fiance and her parents at Cygnus 27 for dinner. Since he only had a few hours in town, they couldn't come to The Studio, so they wanted her to meet them at the restaurant for dinner. Kari agreed, and never suspected that it was going to be a party for her (she even spent all day Thursday preparing for her meeting). Kari was right on time and so surprised! We had a wonderful dinner as we watched the sunset from our table at the top of the Amway! After Kari's birthday cake, our waitress surprised us with a champagne toast and this chocolate fondue! Happy Birthday Kari! ~Jayne

ISO 800

f 2.2

1/6

50mm

Day 82

2011-03-26T19:31:00.007-04:00

Any ideas what this is?

ISO 200

f 8

1 second

50mm

Day 81

2011-03-26T19:23:00.004-04:00

ISO 200

f 8

2 seconds

50mm

Day 80

2011-03-26T19:16:00.004-04:00

Spring is coming...

ISO 320

f 2.8

1/800

80-200 at 200mm

Day 79

2011-03-23T04:00:00.002-04:00

Another view of the outside of our church, this is part of the new addition added in 2001. ~Jayne

ISO 250

f 8

1/250

80-200 at 80mm