Looking for photography in the Coachella Valley and Palm Springs areas? 

 Julie specializes in documentary, lifestyle and storytelling photography 

serving the Palm Springs, Palm Desert, La Quinta, Indian Wells, Bermuda Dunes, Riverside County and Southern California areas. She is available for maternity, birth, newborn, baby, children and family portraits, 

documentary, and fine art photo sessions.

In today's Tuesday edition of G365, the theme is

SOMEWHERE

to be grateful for.

This was shot in my dining room and that is the SOMEWHERE 

I am grateful for today. It is the gathering place of my family.

We share meals, do research, schoolwork, art projects.

play games, and share our lives with each other. here

.So much to be thankful for in one small space.

Palm Desert Photographer- Project G365- Someone to be grateful for on Monday.

Looking for photography in the Coachella Valley and Palm Springs areas? Julie specializes in documentary, lifestyle and storytelling photography serving the Palm Springs, Palm Desert, La Quinta, Indian Wells, Bermuda Dunes, Riverside County and Southern California areas. She is available for maternity, birth, newborn, baby, children and family portraits, documentary, and fine art photo sessions.

Monday's menu for gratefulness turns the lens on 

SOMEONE 

I am grateful for.

G365 4/365 Someone to be grateful for on a Monday.

I could have started with my husband, kids, extended family

or friends,

but today I am actually thankful for a 

stranger 

we met at the park.

She was there with her kids

and they had ingeniously 

repurposed a cardboard box

into a makeshift 

multiperson sled

to speed down

the scalped grass hills.
When Ems asked to join in on the fun,
they were gracious and made room for her.

One of the reasons we personally

like this park is because of

how steep the hills are.

They are great for rolling too.

But I am not just thankful for the 

creative spirit of this mom.

Nope, I am thankful because

she put me in my place

and had every right to do so.

Since I am as old as I am 

and have had as many kids as I have

and have done as many things as I have,

I sometimes(mistakenly)

begin to think I know a thing or two

and feel compelled to share what I think know

with someone who never asked

to know what I know. 

It is actually a pet peeve of mine

when others do it to me,

and as old as I am,

it's been done a lot.

In fact one of my goals 

as a future mother-in-law

when it comes to advice,

is to keep my mouth shut

unless asked to do otherwise.

Even then, to keep it short 

and to the point.

You see, she was telling her somewhat

over exuberant child to run

each time he was disobedient.

Not a bad strategy,

certainly a much more positive one

than others I have witnessed.

Having taught in classrooms

a bit, and caring for other's kids,

especially ones with sensory integration issues,

I have seen how that strategy can backfire,

since cardio exercise will often 

perpetuate high energy levels.

So I pondered in my head for a while,

if I should say anything. 

I really wasn't going to say 

anything,

but my savior complex kicked in,

and I just couldn't help asking,

"So does the running thing work for you?"

She responded that it was something 

new they were trying

as an alternative to time outs.

This is where I should have left it,

but I didn't.

"Well,..." 

Because this type of unsolicited advice always starts with, 

"Well,..."

Before I could really finish my sentence though,

she responded that

 this was how they did things 

and thanked me for my "input".

Ouch.

It was warranted though, 

I truly believe I deserved it.

She didn't know me. 

I didn't know her or her child, 

and most importantly 

she had not asked for my opinion,

or "input".

Thankfully I had enough wherewithal to not keep talking.

As their little family left the park a few minutes later

(they had already been getting ready to leave

before my social faux pas, by the way)

I simply thanked her for her

wonderful idea about the cardboard box sled.

Little did she know I was thanking her 

for something far more significant:

a reminder to treat others,

the way I want to be treated,

to be the person I want to be

and think I am.

Usually, anyway. 

Oh, and if anyone wants to hear 

what my alternative to running was,

feel free to ask.

Palm Desert Photographer- Project G365~ 3.365 Sunday's Feelings to be Grateful For

Looking for photography in the Coachella Valley and Palm Springs areas? Julie specializes in documentary, lifestyle and storytelling photography serving the Palm Springs, Palm Desert, La Quinta, Indian Wells, Bermuda Dunes, Riverside County and Southern California areas. She is available for maternity, birth, newborn, baby, children and family portraits, documentary, and fine art photo sessions.

Today is Sunday and according to my daily themes, today I am finding a FEELING to be grateful for.

Conveying a feeling visually can be challenging. 

Thankfully in this project, I get to utilize words as well.

One of my 2016 goals is to play more 

with my daughter, 

so I was actually on the other end of this

piece of playground equipment.

It's a see-saw of sorts,

but rather than lift you high in the air,

the seat is attached to a spring at the bottom,

and the point is to bounce each other.

She wanted me to bounce as fast as I could,

which I gladly obliged,

while trying to keep a focus point.

I am grateful both for her feelings of exuberant joy,

and for the lesson this little experience

taught me about keeping 

a correct perspective in the midst of

turbulence.

Palm Desert Photographer~ Project G365 Saturday and Opportunity

Looking for photography in the Coachella Valley and Palm Springs areas? Julie specializes in documentary, lifestyle and storytelling photography serving the Palm Springs, Palm Desert, La Quinta, Indian Wells, Bermuda Dunes, Riverside County and Southern California areas. She is available for maternity, birth, newborn, baby, children and family portraits, documentary, and fine art photo sessions.

Today is Saturday and so the theme of gratitude is that of 

OPPORTUNITY.

Today I am grateful for a doctor's appointment where I felt

utterly judged as a parent.

It was last week, and I had brought Ems in 

to have her skin looked at.

She has had some pretty rough red scaly patches on her hands 

that get worse at night and in water,

so I wanted to rule out or confirm eczema.

While there, we saw the nurse practitioner for the first time.

We have always up until this time seen the pediatrician.

Normally I wouldn't have a problem seeing the nurse practitioner.

So often they are far more helpful than the actual doctors.

Not this time though.

All she saw was Ems height and weight 

and how they didn't look so good 

on a chart compared to other kids her age.

Because of this number I was immediately put into a

specific parent category type.

Instead of asking me 

what her diet and exercise routine looked like, 

she made assumptions and just handed me nutritional information pamphlets.

I am not saying Ems has the best diet, it could certainly improve,

but to make assumptions like that was both rude, 

medically presumptive and  possibly negligent.

I did speak up though and made known that 

I had asked the doctor about the weight issue before

and was told she was not concerned.

I am concerned though and I also let the nurse know

that I am confused because I see what Ems eats

and it doesn't line up with her weight.

Her diet isn't perfect, but we also 

don't eat a lot of junk food either.

Because of all the health issues we have experienced

as a family, I am concerned.

She seemed to listen, but to her I was still obviously that parent

stuck in that category. 

 She has ordered some blood tests

and in the meantime it is a wake up call

for the whole family.

I am thankful for the opportunity to really analyze 

what we are eating and to change it for the better,

all of us, not just her.

I am thankful for the sense of urgency it has instilled,

because letting it go another day is no longer an option.

So today we put down the devices and went outside,

to play in the front yard.

Not just her,

not just her and me,

but her, me, her daddy, and 

her brother (the one who rarely leaves his room these days)

all outside playing,

running, skipping, throwing,

and laughing

for an hour. 

I am grateful for this day's opportunity 

as well as hopeful for many more. 

Palm Desert Fine Art Photographer~ "Before the Water Ordinance"

"Before the Water Ordinance"

July 2015

This is part of the #urbanhiking series.

 It was from a little day trip to Palm Springs back before 

the California drought led to all the local cities turning off public water features. 

I am glad we got to visit before it went dry. 

Even though it saddens me that the fountains aren't available to us any longer, 

the desert areas did need to do more to conserve.

Of course, I do think they could have come up with some better options on how to do that. 

Palm Desert Fine Art Photographer- "Game Face"

"Game Face"

July 2015

Go Soak Your Head Series

Just around the time I finish a few images in a series I have undertaken, 

I get an idea for another series.

People often marvel at how eager my daughter seems to pose for me.

The secret is jelly beans.

When jelly beans are at stake, not only is she willing to pose,

she will come up full concepts for shoots.

This image is a product of one of those jellybean quests.

This child would live in the water if she could.

Though she doesn't swim yet, she will jump at any chance she has to get in the water,

even if it's just the bathtub.

In true fish fashion though, she decide that this would be the perfect chance to test out

her new goggles and swim floaties. 

Of course, because she is who she is, she tested them out in her own way.

"Circling the Drain"

July 2015

Go Soak Your Head Series

Palm Desert Lifestyle Photographer~ And Then We Snapped- 365 Blog Circle- 2015 Week 6

Another week has passed by super quickly! 

Tuesdays always seem to sneak up on me!

Actually it is late Monday evening here on the West Coast, 

but most people will be reading this on Tuesday 

when it becomes part of this week's blog circle

And Then We Snapped...

Just a lovely bunch of amazing women 

who share my passion for capturing ordinary everyday moments

in a beautiful and meaningful way.

One of the most horrible things about getting older is how our perception of time changes.

We realize exactly how fleeting it is.

Whole weeks fleeting by in the same way Tuesdays keep sneaking up on me!

A perfect argument for mindfulness.

Being thoughtful in as many moments as you can. 

The only way to slow down the relentless future is to truly be present in the moment.

Photography helps me to do that.

So I present to you another seven images documenting moments

from the week I have just lived.

February 1st thru February 7th, 2015

"Shrug"

Suck it up, shrug it off, and laugh about it. Life isn't about pleasing other people.

 It's about making yourself better.

 Unknown quotes  

This has been a trying sort of week. Dealing with personal health issues isn't easy and running into brick walls and eight week waiting periods for an appointment don't help. 

In the meantime, I am choosing to be proactive and try to address the problem at it's root-nutrition.

 It took a few days, but I am already feeling better.  I still need to see a doctor though. 

Feeling better makes waiting a whole lot easier though.

"Breakfast"

"I went to a restaurant that serves 'breakfast at any time'. 

So I ordered French Toast during the Renaissance."

Steven Wright

Though I am making big dietary changes in my own life, 

I am not making everyone in the family follow along. 

That being said, I am trying to sneak in good stuff for them where I can. 

"Slick and splat, girl and cat" 

Stains on the driveway make puddles especially interesting and ominous. 

They are very slippery though.

"Into the Light" 

"Education is the movement from darkness to light."

Allan Bloom

Always moving into the light and away from the darkness, 

though without the reality and presence of darkness, 

the light would blind us just as the darkness does.

Education is very important to me. Though not the kind that is spoon fed to you.

I believe in an education you must carve out and take for yourself.

Self directed learning is far more meaningful and much less likely to be forgotten.

"Ripple"

The impact of a conscious artist is necessary, and it ripples through the world.

Common

She wasn't quite as cooperative as I had hoped i

n trying to get a full body sharp reflection in the puddle.

 Making ripples was a far more pressing priority.

"Morning News"

"I wake up every morning at nine and grab for the morning paper. 

Then I look at the obituary page. If my name is not on it, I get up."

Benjamin Franklin

I was at my desk working on the grocery list and looked over to see this.

"Daydreamer" 

“A daydream is a meal at which images are eaten. Some of us are gourmets, some gourmands, and a good many take their images precooked out of a can and swallow them down whole, 

absent-mindedly and with little relish.” 

― W.H. Auden

I would love to know what she is thinking about in these moments. But I can pretty much guarantee those image meals are comparable with escargot and caviar. 

That's it for my week. 

I have just started a class 

with Lucy Baber over at In Beauty and Chaos, called Creative Insight 

so next week's images 

may a look a little different than you are used to from me.

I am so excited to take it too!

It's my first photography workshop ever! 

If you've made it this far, then surely you know you 

just have to head on over to see the brilliant work of 

Charissa Gilliland Photography 

Love and Blessings,

Julie

Palm Desert Lifestyle Photographer~ And Then We Snapped- 365 Blog Circle- 2015 Week 4 & 5

I really hate missing weeks in this blog circle. The only good thing that comes of it though are extended posts of oversharing. So if you're a fan of the little girl, you'll enjoy this post because she's all over it. The kittens also make an appearance, as do the camera shy menfolk in my family.

For the sake of expediency, I am going to sum up, rather than explain. Generally each image has a quote and a little story. My current story is making  that a little difficult though. I am dealing with some personal health issues. I am still shooting, but I am cutting corners pretty much everywhere else until I get some energy back. 

There are more than two weeks worth of daily images even though several are shots on the same days. It's okay to do that. It is still a representation of the weeks. We stayed home, went places, stayed inside, went outside, did regular things, and a seldom allowed thing or two.

Without further ado, I invite you to witness my 2015 365 project, weeks 4 and 5.

If you've made it this far, I implore you to head on over to see the brilliant work of 

Lynzi Berg Photography 

You will not be disappointed! 

Palm Desert Lifestyle Photographer~ And Then We Snapped- 365 Blog Circle- 2015 Week 3

Already three weeks into this new year. 

Tuesday has snuck up on me yet again!

In the midst of all my other responsibilities which are many, 

I admittedly did not shoot every single day, 

but I did shoot way more than enough to cull out seven decent images

 and these are the ones I present to you today! 

When you are finished here, be sure to head on over to the ever fabulous work of 

Kelly Jacobi  at My Light My Love My Own

It really is an awesome way to spend a Tuesday! 

 Week 3

January 11th through January 17th

"Siblings"

"If parents are the fixed stars in the child's universe, the vaguely understood, distant but constant celestial spheres, siblings are the dazzling, sometimes scorching comets whizzing nearby."

Alison Gopnik

I know it's hard to believe I have more than one child. I do though, and on occasion, they even make it into my images for the week.

----------------

"Capes"

I would wear a full-length cape if I could get away with it - I do love a good swirl in a fog.

Martin Freeman

A girl, a cape, a street, 'nuff said.

-------------

"Rainbow"

"It's a good thing that when God created the rainbow he didn't consult a decorator or he would still be picking colors."

Sam Levenson

Took a trip to the local farmers marker this week. I have no shame in admitting that I was wholly unaware of the existence of orange, purple, and green cauliflower. Consider me schooled.

--------------

"Compartmentalize"

“All definitions are a part of the intellectual dissection and compartmentalization of control.” 
― Bryant McGill, Simple Reminders: Inspiration for Living Your Best Life

Any small space, nook, or cranny must be explored. 

Such are the spaces in which small but valuable treasures may be lurking, 

be they philosophical,

or rodent in nature.

--------------

"Write"

"Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing."

Benjamin Franklin

Writing is drawing and drawing is writing and thus she is both artist and writer 

at the same time for hours each day.

Free lensed. 

I think the combination of free lensing and black and white 

makes it extremely difficult to capture an uninteresting image.

I am not claiming either are easy to do, but once you have gotten the hang of it, 

the images just kind of make themselves.

-----------

"The Audience"
"Personality is the glitter that sends your little gleam across the footlights and the orchestra pit into that big black space where the audience is."

Mae West

They may run from her when they see her coming, but it does not dispel their fascination with her.

---------------

"Escape"
“For a second I was almost jealous of the clouds. 

Why was he looking to them for an escape when I was right here beside him?” 
― Kamila Shamsie, Kartography

They are not really outdoor cats. But on occasion we either let them out for a bit, or they escape through our legs at the front door. I feel a little bad for them, but at the same time they don't realize that the freedom they covet would actually be the exact prison we rescued them from.

--------------

 "Engagement" 

"I think happiness is a combination of pleasure, engagement and meaningfulness.

Ian K. Smith

I didn't clean up the mess here. I don't believe it makes it less of a portrait and more of a snapshot though. This mess helps create a biographical and environmental portrait. Some might say it is distracting, I say it tells two stories about two different kinds of people. The first is of a little girl who is a whirlwind of energy and chaos, leaving evidence of the chaos wherever she may go, and the other story is of a man that loves that little girl so much that he doesn't even notice the chaos

 but instead only notices her. 

-------------

So another week comes to a close. Please join me again next time, 

but since that's a whole week away, 

please consider following the blog circle over to the amazing

Kelly Jacobi  at My Light My Love My Own

Blessings,

Julie