Theres always more to a new adventure than meets the eye.
So when the newspaper asked for a photo for this blog, I knew I had to take action right away. Thats when I reached for my high school yearbook. But the 60s ponytail and strapless prom dress wouldnt work. The Tri-City Herald needed a color photo.
With a deadline looming, I headed to the mall for a quick picture, but the photo kiosk was occupied. Instead, I ended up at a photography studio that promised a business photo. What they didnt promise was that I would look like my mother something I hadnt pictured!
The shock of youth gone south was enough to turn a woman gray, but fortunately my hair salon had already taken care of that. Nevertheless, the fact remained: In the photo, the eyes smiling back at me my eyes had crinkly lines around them. And how could that be? Ive been rubbing miracle crèmes on my face for years! Obviously, miracles were needed in other places like the stock market.
But later in the day, an uplifting moment happened I like to call it an unexpected blessing that lifted my sagging spirit. I turned to the latest pages of Positive Thinking magazine, and it was filled with surprising facts about smiles and crows feet.
For instance, one item said that a study of 1960 womens college photos and interviews that followed over the years, found that the women with the Duchenne smile the one where the corners of your eyes crinkle and your mouth turns up had a greater sense of well-being. Information that made me realize wrinkles are really worthwhile!
But the best news of all was the fact that when we smile our genuine smile, it creates a halo effect for others that makes them feel more positive, more optimistic and more motivated.
So, Im going to forget about the crinkles around my eyes and beam a smile or two. In the big picture, its not important how we look, but it is important how we make other people feel.
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'Perfect' family photo
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The family Christmas photo displayed on a holiday card is memorable. It's a picture that speaks volumes about the ties that bring relatives together - the smiling faces, the arms linked together in a "Kodak moment" - a flash of history captured forever.
This was our year to snap the family clan on Christmas Eve. And if a picture is worth a thousand words, I'd like to add a few more.
"OK everyone!" I announced cheerfully as grown-ups and little ones gathered bleary-eyed at breakfast. "This is the day we'll take our family photo!" my enthusiasm lost on a crowd still waiting for hot chocolate and Starbucks caffeine.
Yani Tseng ready to begin encore to 12-win season
Yani Tseng ready to begin encore to 12-win season
Yani Tseng has a tradition on Chinese New Year to give her house a thorough cleaning. She decided to start with the trophy cabinet, which was no small project. A photo she posted on Facebook shows a cabinet crowded with crystal.
Report: Complaints about teacher made years ago
Report: Complaints about teacher made years ago
School officials questioned how an elementary school teacher suspected of taking bizarre bondage-style photographs of children in his class went undetected for years as new allegations of past and potentially inappropriate behavior by Mark Berndt surfaced.
Dejection Letter
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The crushing cloud of Black Friday carried over last week for the Mustangs and Braves as the pair of perennial pigskin powerhouses were punched out of the playoff picture during a doubleheader at Lampson Stadium in Kennewick.
A sunny, noontime kickoff for Prosser didn't have the dramatic flair the previous week's snow bowl between Kennewick and Kamiakin and Archbishop Murphy's 50-13 nails-in-a-baseball-bat spanking of Prosser continued that lack of drama .
Kamiakin looked ready to avenge their 38-0 shutout by Bellevue in last season's state championship game, going into the locker room at halftime with smiles and a 3-0 lead. The Wolverines showed why they've won eight of the last 10 titles, though, and ground out a 21-10 win .
Nasty Noon De-light
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High noon light is the bane of most photographers' existences. While the hard overhead light and deep shadows can yield some interesting photos, portraits at this time are especially difficult to handle. The angle of light creates unflattering shadows on the subject, and popping a little flash is the easiest way to handle it.
Before I put together my travel light kit, the only way I could add this flash was by holding the strobe off to the side with a three-foot cord, awkwardly working the camera with one hand while trying to position the light in a way that still gives the subject some shape. If a reporter was with me, I'd recruit him or her to hold the light.
I'd also try to soften the light some by bouncing it off a piece of foil I wrapped around the strobe, but sometimes the bright ambient light was too strong for that. Even with the foil, the light is pretty harsh.
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