MindyK's Photography Blog

November 3, 2009

Competition…Comraderie…Committment

This past weekend I was in North Carolina to attend a high school band competition, the Crystal Coast Band Classic.

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As each High School Marching Band entered the field, there was a real excitement within the stands.northcarolina10.31.09-124

It was a delightful experience watching so many of our youth, versed in music, the creative arts, team spirit and competition.  West Carteret High School’s  performance was based on the theme of the musical group “Journey”

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The Marching Patriots  are the Grand Champions and the People’s Choice of the 2009 Crystal Coast Band Classic!!northcarolina10.31.09-065

Following all of the high school competition performances, the Military Exhibition Band, The 2D Marine Aircraft Wing Band MCAS, Cherry Point, NC  prepared as they got ready to enter the field to perform for the crowd. 

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The accolades were evident as the crowd stood on their feet and cheered and clapped for these young Marines, committed to their performance, their team, and their country.

Even as they exited the field, the applause and praise for these young men and women remained.  

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This event left me with an incredible sense of pride, privilege and gratitude. 

October 26, 2009

Color Me Bad…

What a beautiful Autumn we have had.  It’s a dream for any photographer to capture the colors this time of year and I feel blessed to have the opportunity to really enjoy my photographic passion.  These last few weeks have been amazing and colorful!

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Johnson’s Farm is across the street from my son’s high school so I wanted to capture the beauty of the harvest outside their country store  as this is a busy time of year for them.  The children come to play in the corn mazes and they have hay rides and pumpkin picking. 

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Five feet and higher are these beautiful SunFlowers. 

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I had no idea what a Sunflower looked like prior to bloom but even in their early stage, they are beautiful!

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While out riding yesterday on the motorcycle, I traveled through the countryside of Maryland.

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I also got over to the beautiful landscape of Delta Pennsylvania where the Amish ride in their buggies up and down the streets enjoying the peacefulness of their countryside and their lifestyle. I can see why they enjoy their surroundings so much.

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I feel so blessed to witness the splendor of  so much beauty by nature.

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Have a safe and Happy Halloween!

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October 23, 2009

Art and Architecture…

My trip was so brief in Italy, therefore I made sure to capture all of the moments I could while visiting there.  Hence wanting to share more of my photographic love of this beautiful country and countryside. 

I captured more than 130 photos between the cities of Venice, Verona, Montecchio Maggiore and Vicenza.

Here are some more of my favorites from the trip.

Some of the beautiful residences among the Rialtine Islands within Venice.

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There are more than 400 bridges throughout Venice. I can’t imagine visiting them all in one day…although I wished I had.

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Welcome to Piazza San Marco, main square for tourists from all over the world- home to the Basilica, Companile, the Clock Tower and the Doge

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and some of the beauty down by the Lagoon which is part of the Grand Canal and leads into the Adriatic Sea. 

Here you can also catch the Servizio Gondole and take a romantic ride around the Lagoon.

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Arrivederci!

October 13, 2009

Bonjourno….Venice Italy…

This past weekend I traveled to one of the most amazing and romantic cities in the world.  My boyfriend is currently working over there to support our troops and he had a long holiday weekend hence my making the trip for 5 days.  Fortunately, USAIR flies direct to Venice from Philadelphia.  It was well worth the 8 + hours of travel to get there.

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It was a magical place and anyone who is lucky enough to visit should do so and take in all the sites they possibly can while visiting.

We started the morning in Vicenza on Saturday.  In the afternoon we traveled up the mountain to Montecchio Maggiore to see Romeo and Juliet’s Castle.  There was this wonderful old man inside a doorway…he handed us the key and we were able to go up inside the tower and explore all on our own.  To view the landscape of Italy from a 1,200 foot elevation is surely a sight to behold. 

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Following that Castle, we walked up the mountain past the vineyards and headed to another Castle which was redone into a beautiful restaurant and bar surrounded by outdoor seating an area for open air shows and music.  They often cater to weddings there as well and I could certainly see why.

I sat for a moment and enjoyed some of the home made wine from the city of Verona which is nearby.

The end of the day was followed by a wonderful dinner of pasta and drinking Prosecco.  Later we headed down to the square in Vicenza where friends and lovers meet to drink Sangria, dine and listen to the sounds of the city around them.

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On Sunday, we woke up to a picture perfect day to sight see in Venice Italy.  It’s convenient by train or by bus, however we chose to drive down there, park in the square and begin our journey through Venice…

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The best way to see Venice is by foot.  Plan on doing a lot of walking because you won’t want to miss a thing.  There are literally hundreds of little streets and alleys leading to quaint shops, pastry shops  designer clothing, artists’ crafts, jewelry and of course shoes.  You can smell the Italian pastries in passing as you walk by some of these beautiful store windows.

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Glass jewelry is abundant by local artists and to see the craftmanship and artistry is a sight filled with beauty. 

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We made our way through Rialto Square and headed down to St. Mark’s Square which was yet another mystical place filled with tourists from all over the world.  The painted architecture was something you only see in books and paintings. It was very surreal walking through the square and looking up at the beautiful arches, painted walls and sculptures.

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The Gondola rides down the canal can be quite expensive but you can always catch a Water Taxi as we did and enjoy the views for a small fee.  Rates are for the time you are on the water, not the location to which you are going.

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As the sun began to go down across Venice, we dined at a wonderful cafe along the canal…Ristorante Florida.  For 14 euro, we enjoyed the most savory lasagna to start, followed by delectable Calmari and finished with a Salad.  That’s how they dine in Italy. This way, should you feel full toward the end of your meal, you have already enjoyed the best part of it which was the main entree.

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I will forever hold the memories of this truly magical international romantic getaway in my heart for all time.

To enjoy all of my photography from this wonderful little weekend getaway visit mindyktravel.shutterfly.com

Arrivederci!

October 5, 2009

Fall Family Fun and Festivals…

I love this time of year.   All of the leaves have started changing color and the air is crisp and fresh every morning.  Traveling to my client’s home involved getting around the traffic of the Apple Orchard Festival of Harford County.  Not to mention this is Pumpkin season too!  I really enjoy this time so much.

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I had a great experience photographing the Hiob family this past weekend.  They live in a beautiful countryside property in Maryland.  Aside from that, about a mile from their home is this delightful camping area that is provided for the Boy Scouts.

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Additionally, there are x amount of acres that will remain as part of the natural preserve of the land here.

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It was a most wonderful location to capture family and individual photos.  They are as pleased and as excited with the results as I.

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Once we finished over at the camp ground we headed back to their wonderful property so we could include Jake and Gunner (the family pets).

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This coming weekend I am headed to Venice Italy for the long holiday and hope to share some magical photography upon my return.  Look for an update later in the week next week.  Ciao!

September 22, 2009

OC Ocean and DelMarva Bike Week 2009

This past weekend I spent time with an amazing group of people for another annual Bike Rally, DelMarva Bike Week 2009. 

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This event brings together people from all over the country, whether hauling their beautiful bikes to Ocean City Maryland or riding but all come to gather for a week of events, catching up with friends, riding the country roads and sharing in great times.

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The weather could not have been more perfect for riding, for sharing great times with friends and for cultivating new friendships along the way.

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While it’s always exhausting by the end of the trip, the memories of the great times always remain in our hearts…and then of course there are photos to prove just how eventful and exciting the time was making those memories.

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See you next year!!!

September 17, 2009

Are You Ready for Some Football?

This past weekend I had the good fortune to attend the home opener for the Baltimore Ravens Football season.  These are exciting times!  RAVENSOPENER2009-296This weekend, the Baltimore Ravens played the Kansas City Chiefs.  There was definitely Raven excitement in the air all through Baltimore.

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The game was as exciting from the opening introduction of the new season’s players to the last two minutes of the game when the Ravens scored their final touchdown to win over the Chiefs. 

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A 38-24 final for the Ravens first week in NFL.

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September 8, 2009

My Canine Muse…Woof!

Filed under: Female Photographers, dogs, pets — mindykaye @ 6:24 pm
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This week I decided to share my canine muse with the world.  A client of mine just recently lost her 15 year old Cocker Spaniel and it immediately alerted me to the beautiful photos I captured of “Princess” Riley. 

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I met Riley 3 years ago when I relocated to a new community from my single family home life.  My pet Milou immediately fell in love with her, as did I. 

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Her mother and I often get them together for play dates, little canine parties and the like. Yes, we really do that!

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They all get along so well and have the best time together.  It’s true canine affection…all the way around.

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Most of these were captured in Riley’s comfortable surroundings…

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Riley’s Fall photo session is in October and I am really looking forward to capturing her loving nature, yet again..

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September 3, 2009

Backyardigans…

When I was called to schedule the Krever family, it was a very short notice, however I am always up for a photographic challenge!

Mrs. Krever was out of town and this was a surprise for her Birthday from Mr Krever.   Mrs. Krever loves her kitty cat too so we made sure to include him in the surprise gift.

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Mr. Krever wanted to really have some special photos of the children and even send Mrs. Krever one through the email while she was traveling so she could have something to look forward to upon her return from her business trip.

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I headed down I-295 to their lovely home in South Jersey.  They have this wonderful back yard for the children to play and the weather was perfect for capturing those little faces. 

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We photographed a bit inside as I always love to spend time in each child’s room but the best results came from their enjoyment out in the day’s end of sushine.

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August 26, 2009

Fan-Fare and Everything that Rocks…

Some of my most favorite photographic moments and most memorable are the rock concerts I enjoy attending throughout the year.

Jon Bon Jovi
Jon Bon Jovi

I travel to various venues in Maryland, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Delaware and have even traveled as far as Saratoga Springs NY for some of my favorite shows.

Rob Halford - Judas Priest
Rob Halford – Judas Priest

Certainly a dream job for anyone who appreciates music and their favorite musical artists and has a passion for photography would love the opportunity to be in the pit with a professional camera to really capture these amazing talents on stage.

Brent Smith - Shinedown
Brent Smith – Shinedown

Unfortunately unless you have a press pass to do so, you have to work with the equipment you are allowed.

Chad Kroeger - Nickelback
Chad Kroeger – Nickelback
Aaron Lewis - Staind
Aaron Lewis – Staind

I recently bought myself a Nikon P80 just for concerts. The P80 allows me to capture my favorite rock groups up close and personal even if I am not right where they rock.

Pop Evil

Pop Evil

I think I capture these amazing rock stars pretty well despite the lack of professional equipment  with me.  I still have a keen eye for great talent!
Dan Adair - Nickelback
Dan Adair – Nickelback
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