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April 14, 2017April 11, 2017

Artists Inspired Blog Circle | April 2017 – Black

Scottsdale Photographer | ©CeriHerdPhotography

Oooh it’s colour inspiration blog time! I love how these themes make me think more about what I shoot and also make me share things I might not otherwise be driven to put “out there.” This time however I’m sharing images that I planned to blog all along, not necessarily as part of a blog circle, but perfect for the theme and (as I mentioned in a previous entry) a location worthy of it’s own spotlight:

Carlsbad Caverns : World Heritage Site : New Mexico

Our Spring Break road trip took us to Texas via New Mexico, from the soft white dunes of White Sands National Monument to the rugged desert landscape of Big Bend National Park and the big cities of Austin and Dallas, to the deep dark caves of Carlsbad Caverns. Or “The Bat Cave” if you’re aged five or six and obsessed with superheroes. And it is {black} down there. Really {black}!

I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t do some in-cave in-camera double exposures, would I?

I can count the number of times I have handed my camera to a stranger to take a picture of us all on approximately two fingers. This is one of those fingers. Here we all are, adjusting back to the light! It was definitely harder for those without their sunglasses, poor little munchkins!

This blog is part of the Artists Inspired Blog Circle series. Click here to continue the circle and see how talented photographer, Channon Williamson, interpreted this month’s theme. Be sure to follow the links all the way round to complete the full circle.

The Artists Inspired Blog Circle is made up of an exceptionally talented group of photographers from all walks of life, from all over the world. They are wives, mothers, friends, daughters and visual storytellers who draw from their own experiences to create art that is inspiring, unique, beautiful and thought-provoking.

April 12, 2017April 17, 2017

Life Unscripted | March 2017

Massachusetts Photographer | Share Six Collections | ©CeriHerdPhotography

Welcome to the next edition of the my month Unscripted!

March has been a bit of whirlwind around here, I feel like my feet haven’t touched the ground. We’ve taken a week long road trip to Texas and back, spent a weekend in Page to visit Antelope Canyon, and at the end of the month we headed to Boston. If I’m honest, almost everything about those trips was really far from Unscripted. For literally very minute I was thinking about capturing the incredible destinations, the iconic scenery, and so my photographic expectations were soaring high. There were nights I barely slept because I was anxious to see what I had captured the previous day or nervous about my self-imposed pressure for the following day. But between all the big moments, there where also plenty of little ones. I hope you enjoy a few of our Unscripted moments from March:

April 6, 2017April 6, 2017

Share Six Blog Circle | April 2017 – Connection

Connection | Scottsdale Photographer | ©CeriHerdPhotography

Connection: A physical connection between two subjects; the connection between the subject and their surroundings; eye contact; a special bond.

When I think about {connection} or special connections, I instantly think of my children and in particular the first day my youngest little one went to school with his big brother. They insisted that I drop them off at car line instead of walking them in. Whilst I choked back tears I respected their wishes and admired the little one’s courage. I glanced back as I drove away away and saw the big one put a supportive arm around his brother’s shoulder to support him and gently steer him in the right direction. It was the sweetest most tender moment, I knew immediately he was in safe hands and my tears turned from ones of sadness (for they grow so fast and don’t seem to need their mama quite so much) to ones of pride and gratitude for their special bond.

I may not have a physical image of that moment 18 months ago but the picture of it stays in my mind as clear as day, and I do have countless images of that sum up their relationship, of the times they love each other, support each other and hate each other in equal measure!

If I ever ask them to stop what their doing for a picture (which isn’t all that often, because it normally ends in the 5-year old objecting somewhat angrily) that supportive arm quickly swings over the little’s shoulder.

Here they are taking their “pictures of the day” (just like momma) of a view from a hotel room and admiring each others work:

I think this was actually in the midst of an argument but it looks like there is love in there too, don’t you think?!

Their happy place. Barnes & Noble. Comic books. Side by side.

“Smell my armpit!” That is love!

OK, I think that was more than six. Sorry not sorry.

Please click HERE to see the talented Kathy Ledbetter of KG Ledbetter Photography’s interpretation of this months theme.

Join us for this month’s theme by posting your {connection} images on our Facebook page at Share Six and to our Instagram gallery, by tagging #sharesix and #sharesix_connection. A new theme will be posted on 6th May.

March 21, 2017March 21, 2017

White Sands National Monument | Documentary Photography

White Sands Photography | Scottsdale Photographer | ©CeriHerdPhotography

Spring Break has a wonderful habit of coinciding with my birthday, so lucky me has a habit of making celebratory road trip plans. This year, somewhat selfishly, I decided we should visit Texas. I’d be lying if I didn’t say the entire purpose of the trip was to go to Waco, the home of Chip and Joanna Gaines of Magnolia Market and of Fixer Upper fame. BUT that also meant I searched out all the places to visit on along the route that we might never have otherwise seen. I’d also be lying if I didn’t say that many of our destinations, regardless of the trip, are chosen on their photographic merits. Oh boy, did I have had high hopes for our first port of call!

The first day of our Texas Road Trip 2017 didn’t actually get us to Texas however; it was nonetheless a long day of driving, from Arizona to White Sands National Monument in New Mexico. When I mentioned this plan to my dad he said, “oh, they test missiles there!” (yes, White Sands Missile Range is nearby) but there is more to it than that! Here’s how the National Park Service website describes White Sands:

“Rising from the heart of the Tularosa Basin is one of the world’s great natural wonders – the glistening white sands of New Mexico. Great wave-like dunes of gypsum sand have engulfed 275 square miles of desert, creating the world’s largest gypsum dunefield. White Sands National Monument preserves a major portion of this unique dunefield, along with the plants and animals that live here.”

We arrived shortly before sunset, just in time to play on the dunes and watch the sun dip below the distant Organ Mountains.

Taekwondo on the dunes

We spent the night in Alamogordo and returned the following morning to do some sledging. The Park Service sell used sledges and buy them back from you once you’re done; you have no time restriction and can keep them if you have so much fun you can’t bear to part with it. There is no restrictions about where you can go on the dunes so we had plenty of space and our choice of dune despite the other visitors in the park. Although there is no photographic evidence that I joined in, I assure you I did! Despite my reservations about the height and acute angle of the slope, it was so much fun!

We had such a great time and we were still picking sand out of deep dark “places” a week later!

After the sledging we took a walk along a boardwalk to see more of the ecosystem. I imagine the area looks quite astounding when the wildflowers are in bloom and is unbearable in the heat of the summer.

Understandably, the kids were exhausted after all the sledging. Walking up sand dunes is a tiring business, let me tell you!

If you’re ever in New Mexico I would definitely recommend a visit to White Sands. Whether you’re a photographer or there just to have fun, there is so much beauty to be seen and enjoyed.

After our morning at the dunes we visited the Space Museum in Alamogordo (just the outside of the museum actually, but even that was worth it) and then hit the road again. The next stop on our trip was Carlsbad Caverns; a place worthy of it’s own blog post!

~Ceri

March 14, 2017March 13, 2017

Artists Inspired Blog Circle | March 2017 – Green

I had a plan for this month’s installment of the Artists Inspired blog circle. A clear and concise plan. 10 days before publishing the blog we would be travelling to Texas for Spring Break (which happily coincides with my birthday each year) and I was bound to find lots of {green} there. Surely!

…except I had it in my head I was looking for orange and made no attempt to search out green at all!

Anyhow, no matter. A day at Big Bend National Park presented me with plenty of green to share with you.

…but then, two days after we returned home from our epic road trip, having already selected my {green} images and with only 2 days until I have to post my blog link, as I was enjoying a dog walk at dusk, I was struck by just how much green there is in the valley at this time of year, more so than either of our previous years here thanks to winter rain showers. One week away and the valley has exploded with colour and life in our absence; the air is thick with the smell of blossom! I couldn’t not share it with you! I hope these few images, taken in somewhat of a hurry, capture a sense of that life.

These first two may not look like much but there is grass! Grass where I’ve never seen grass growing before! Green where normally there is brown! How cool is that?!

Ok so this last one isn’t actually from my dog walking route; it is from my original blog post with images from Big Bend National Park. I’m including it here because I loved the juxtaposition of the small and delicate wildflower being threatened and yet protected by the prickles of the spiky prickly pear.