Photo Friday: Eat

It is such a gorgeous Friday right now. If you haven't been outside yet, I suggest you go now. Go on, I'll wait. **twiddles thumbs** **checks Pinterest** See?! Nice, isn't it. If only it were sticking around for the weekend. It would have been a great chance to finally go for a picnic. Oh well...North Carolina weather is a fickle thing.

The Photo Friday challenge word for this week was "Eat" and I have the perfect photo. You see, a couple of weeks ago we celebrated our dogs 6th birthday (Rhea and Gunnar's in January and Masi's in February) by baking them a birthday "cake". Which was really just a loaf made from carrots, flower, egg and peanut butter. The look on their faces when they realized the loafs were for them was priceless. Gunnar picked every tiny carrot piece out before gobbling the whole thing. Masi tried to eat hers in one gulp but before she did, I managed to snap this photo:

Maybe she thought the camera wanted to eat her birthday loaf and that's why she gulped it soon after this photo. 

Yes, we spoil our dogs. I'm OK with that. They work for what they get. They keep the neighborhood murder of crows in line and I swear, one of these days Masi will catch a squirrel  and we'll have squirrel stew.   

I hope you all get out of work early today and enjoy your Friday before the rain and cold(er) air gets here. Thanks for reading!

Liz DiNatale
www.oakcityphotographync.com

Photo Friday: Husband and Asheville: 5D style

Ha! I never thought that getting married would help me with a blog post. I knew I did it for a reason!! 

Welcome back to Photo Friday! Where I attempt to remember to post a photo by the contest deadline and forget to just about every week. Today is no exception. Now, if I had been on my toes and remembered to post a photo in time, this is the one I would have submitted. 

Now, this might not seem to be a very flattering photo of my beloved but it does illustrate one of the reasons I love him: He's a goof. Which expertly compliments the fact that I'm a goof. This was taken on a bitterly cold day in Asheville as we were on our way to a park for some doggy exercise. We didn't last long; the wind was hallowing and pelting us with snow/ice. 

Another reason I love this photo is...it was taken with my new toy! My new (to me) Canon 5D. Oooooh I'm in love (with the camera...and my husband...of course). I never knew what I was missing with my cropped frame Rebel camera. Don't get me wrong, it was a powerful camera and exactly the right camera to have when starting out. It would have been ridiculous to drop the money for a full frame at that point. I'll always cherish my little Rebel. Not only because it got me started in this fantastic hobby/profession but it was also one of the awesomest gifts Steven ever gave me...besides my engagement ring. 

But back to ooing and aahing. 

I must have looked like a tourist as we walked our dogs around my new favorite Asheville neighborhood (Sunset Mountain is amazing). I was snapping pictures of just about everything just to see what I could do! For instance:

I've never seen tiny pine cones look so cute. I could never get this DOF with my Rebel. Le-swoon. For the most part I did restrain myself from taking photos of every house we saw. They were all amazing but I didn't want to end up with a bunch of photos of random houses that, once back in Cary and on my computer, would have 0 meaning. I couldn't' resist this though:

I have no idea who the Edwinn family is but their house was cool and their little concrete sign on their little rock wall was cooler. Oh that's the other thing, this neighborhood was covered in English Ivy. It's like they all got together and decided to plant one plant and it's gone wild since then! What really wowed me about this neighborhood were the views! This mountain is perfectly positioned to the north east of Asheville. The neighborhood is built on the west slope of the mountain and most of the houses face west. Therefore, the houses have a pristine view of downtown Asheville with the mountain range framing it in the background. So you're within walking distance of downtown yet far enough way to get a gorgeous mountain view and to feel secluded. Yes, please. 

I am looking forward to spending another week in Asheville in March. I'll be attending the 2nd level of Dave Rosgen's Stream Restoration classes. Thanks, SEPI Engineering & Construction! 

In the mean time, I'm going to go play with my camera! Hope you all have a great Friday and thanks for reading!!

Liz DiNatale
www.oakcityphotographync.com

Anne and Allan in Raleigh

Two weeks ago Chrissy and I had the pleasure of witnessing and capturing the momentous occasion of Anne and Allan becoming the Paul's. These guys have been together since high school, meeting over a shared interest of swimming, and have grown up together to be two awesome people. Since we've been working with them I've really enjoyed getting to know Anne. She's the most organized, easy going a and thoughtful bride I've had the pleasure of working with. Then on the other side, Allan is the funnest, most quippy (is that a word?), easy going groom I've worked with! I really couldn't ask for a better pair. To top it all off... the guys were wearing KILTS! Epic. 

And they were all so fun about it. Sometime into the reception I dragged them all outside to get some funny groomsmen-only photos in the street. Everything was going well and then the wind started blowing. I've never seen the expressions on the faces of 5 men change so drastically so quickly. 

Anne and Allan were serenaded by bagpipes as they made their way to the pulpit at their church. Anne's dress was absolutely beautiful and everyone looked so nice. Even the bagpiper brought his fancy pipes. 

Oh also, Anne had some killer red heels peeking out from her chapel train dress.

It was a lovely ceremony that I enjoyed from my vantage point at the rear of the sanctuary. 

After the ceremony we all headed straight to 230 Stockroom in downtown Raleigh, NC. Anne and Allan shared a sweet first dance. 

  

Followed by a game where everyone who was married went to the dance floor and years of marriage were called out (as in "everyone who's been married less than 10 years, sit down"). I've seen those games before and usually the dance floor clears out after about 10 years. But in this case, there were several couples going strong well into the 40 year cut! Apparently this family has staying power. 

I'm so glad to have met Anne and Allan. I think I might have to keep them. 

Thank you to the newly wedded Paul's for letting us capture your incredibly evening! 

Such a cute couple. 

As always, thanks for reading!

Liz DiNatale

www.oakcityphotographync.com