dana foley photography

It’s hard to believe that it’s been a whole year since this blog circle has started… and as our year together comes to a close, I can’t help but think of all the events of the past year.  There has been triumph and sadness… but all in all, it has been a good year, full of love and laughter.  My camera allows me to save memories for my family that they might not otherwise remember, like a little boy that would stay in his pjs all day long over the summer if I would let him… or my daughter’s communion pictures, taken in my grandmothers “Queen Anne” chair… that no one could sit in except for little people, that was Nani’s rule.  Or my little athlete who excels at any sport he tries, and in each sport, I have captured the determination in his little face while he is playing.  These are the little things, that might otherwise be forgotten if it weren’t for photography.

When I think of 2013, I think I will be reminded of two things,  the first being our  vacation this summer to South Carolina.  It was just so much fun.  The kids played with each other all week.. they swam in the pool, they swam in the ocean, they played on the beach.  They didn’t need rides or slides or anything to entertain them…they had fun all week…. it was just the best time.  The kids ask constantly when we can go back… they want to go back to South Carolina this summer too, and so do I.  It was definitely a highlight of 2013.

The other event that I am reminded of this year, is the passing of our dog, Scout, this past week.  She was 13 and our first “baby.” It was a very hard and emotional experience; if you knew our Scoutie, you knew she had her fair share of “issues” but her issues were outweighed by her sweet demeanor and the unconditional love she gave to her family.  My husband bought her for me on a whim before we were married because I wanted a black lab.  So one day he looked in the newspaper and called up someone who had placed an ad, and that night, he surprised me at the door with Scout (who was named after Scout Finch… from one of my favorite books – which is why I was always annoyed when people would assume she was a boy, because if they read the book, they would know Scout is a girl’s name….. but I digress).  She had all sorts of quirks… was deathly afraid of vacuums, or card board boxes…. or change of any kind. She really drove me crazy for years…. but then we had our kids, and time calmed her down and all of the sudden we had this god who would lay around and let the kids chase her and sleep on her and poke at her, all with such a gentleness, I never worried when the kids played with her, the worst she could do would be lick them to death.  I will miss my sweet Scoutie, she was one of a kind.

Please follow the circle to my insanely talented friend, Lisa and see how she views 2013~

This month’s theme for our monthly blog circle  is Thankfulness, or rather How I View what I am thankful for.  I am truly thankful for so much.  I have three healthy, happy children, a roof over my head, good people surrounding me.  There’s a lot to be thankful for.  What I decided I would post about is my photography.  I am so very thankful for it.  I am so thankful for all the people along the way that have helped me on my journey.

My photography journey started out like so many people as a Mom, wanting better pictures of my kids.  But, even before I had my kids I always loved photography.  I always had a camera in my hand, I just didn’t know how to use it.  I have taken courses, and done challenges and projects, all of which have pushed me further along in my photography.  It’s no longer about the nice smiling picture, but something deeper.  I want to capture who they are.. the angry moments, the sad ones, the frustrated ones and everything in between.  I like to think that when my children are grown, they too will be thankful for my photography (I know they are not right now), for documenting their childhood.

This is a very recent image.  I took my kids out for smiling, happy Christmas card pictures, but this right here was my favorite out of all of them that day.  Their faces aren’t needed to sense their personalties, this captures them perfectly, and I am thankful that I have it.  I am thankful that my photography journey allowed me to see this image, because three years ago, I would have never dreamed of a picture like this, but it may just be one of my favorites that I have of them.

Please follow the circle around and see how my very talented friend, Kristen, of Kristen Ryan Photography Views Thankfulness