I guess it's appropriate that the final post of 2013 is a photo of our grand daughter, Glenyce Jane, whose arrival on June 2 was no doubt the biggest event in the life of the Shephard/Brass family this year. As everyone who has a grandchild has told me, she has been a blessing and a true marvel.
This photo wasn't staged and is the result of a little luck, as is so often the case in photography. Deb was intending to read this book to little Glenyce but Glenyce decided she would rather taste it instead. And I happened to have my camera ready.
Having traveled only to South Dakota and back from her native city of St. Paul, Glenyce isn't yet a "global baby." But given the nature of the world and the inclinations of her parents, she will certainly be cosmopolitan, which literally means a "citizen of the world." The world is lucky to have her. She is, of course, smart, beautiful and everything else that grandparents say about their grandchildren. :-)
Canon 5DIII 1/100s f/2.8 ISO800 100mm
At the end of one of my photography classes the other day, I asked if there were any questions. During the minute or two that I waited, I was greeted with silence. I told the class that their silence may be due to their shyness, their total understanding of everything I taught, or their confusion. I did point out in a friendly way that "teachers don't drive the best learning; curiosity does."
Yesterday's photographic mission was to copy a photo that had been taken 59 years ago. The subject in the photo is Debra DeGeest (AKA Deb Shephard). The new subject for the copy was Glenny J. (AKA Glenyce Jane Shephard). The dress in both photos is the same dress - worn very little for the photo so long ago and worn only for a few minutes for the recent shoot. Both subjects are 6 months old.
A few years ago one of my photography students told the front office that there were several reasons I should be fired. As hard as it is to realize one isn't all things to all people, the one reason that made me laugh went something like this: "He should be fired because he doesn't like children and therefore we won't learn how to photograph children!"
We attended a party in honor of the 2nd birthday of my grand niece Evie DeGeest a few days ago. I wasn't going to take photos because most of these events are very well photographed. But I couldn't resist. Alicia, Evie's mom, is a designer by bent and trade and DeGeest birthday parties are always brilliantly planned and certainly photogenic.
The phrase "changing of the guard" can be metaphorical but at the Prague Castle in the Czech Republic it is literal. But the event is also a tourist attraction. Deb and I just happened to be arriving at the Castle when the three men seen here were marching to their post. Their baby blue uniforms are traditional but not particularly "normal" when it comes to military garb. Maybe the intent is to make the opponent feel happy and non-violent.
I can't help it. Here's a photo of Glenyce Jane Shephard striking a pose with her grandma Deb. Great faces. And wonderful catchlights in Glenyce's eyes.
I went looking for something that made me smile and this photo of father Brian holding daughter Glenyce upside down is the first thing I found. I used to hang him upside down when he was two feet tall and so Brian is obligated to continue the tradition. No children were harmed in the making of this photo. :-)
So it's been several days since I've posted a photo of our grand daughter, Glenyce Jane. So here you go. . . .
My friend, Scott, may dispute my choice of the word "hope" in the title of this post. I have no idea if he was hopeful when he took his rod and reel out into the gentle surf at sunset on a perfect October evening along the Florida Gulf Coast.