Tampa Bay/St. Petersburg Family and Lifestyle Photography

I loved this session with a beautiful mother and daughter (and puppies!) -- taken on a sea breeze filled, sunny Florida afternoon.  Dawna wanted me to create photographs that she and her daughter can cherish forever.  Here are a few of my favorites...

The special mother/daughter bond was obvious.

I love to create photographs of everyday life - the "mundane" things that we do every day that, in retrospect, become the most special memories.  Like dog treat time in the kitchen!

Contact me about my special "Day in the Life" photography!

www.thislifephoto.com

This Life Photography - St. Petersburg / Tampa Bay Wedding Photography

"He's more myself than I am.  

Whatever our souls are made of, 

his and mine are the same."  

~Emily Bronte

In all the world,

there is no heart for me like yours.

In all the world,

there is no love for you like mine.

~Maya Angelou

Come live with me,

and be my love.

And we will some new pleasures prove.

Of golden sands and crystal brooks, 

with silken lines, and silver hooks.

~John Donne

"My heart is, and always will be, yours."  

~Edward Ferrars (Hugh Grant)

Sense & Sensibility

My mother always said I had my head in the clouds.  I admit it, I always have been, and always will be, a hopeless romantic ... and there's nothing more romantic than a wedding!  I would love to capture your special day!  ~Melinda, This Life Photography 

Contact:  thislifephotography1@gmail.com

The Sea in Black and White

Everyone who knows me knows that I love black and white photography, and I use it a lot in my portrait work.  I think black and white photograhy is very... soulful. One of my favorite quotes from Ted Grant is, "When you photograph people in colour, you photograph their clothes.  When you photograph them in black and white, you photograph their souls."   Yes, I have a special fondness for black and white photographs.  On the other hand, when I go to the beach, I enjoy taking in all the vivid, tropical colors, and the way the hues change with the time of day or the weather.

Well, I've recently discovered the timeless look of the beach in black and white ...

I can imagine the travelers who have come to this very spot throughout the years, to relax and have fun with their friends and family -- taking in the same sea, sky and atmosphere that we enjoy today.

These are a few favorite black and white images from a recent early morning visit to Clearwater Beach.  This beach has a great vibe - it gets very busy and crowded, with lots of activity.  It's the perfect place to either get in on the action, or just people watch.  I'll feature that side of Clearwater Beach in a future post :-)  This time, though, I concentrated on capturing some of the quieter moments - early in the morning, before all the activity gets under way.

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I love the look of closed beach umbrellas ...

Early in the morning, while all the tourists are sleeping ...

There was a lot of sea weed on the beach this morning - remnants of  Tropical Storm Debby.  

An open air shop with all the "beachy stuff" you need.  

At the southern end of the beach ... 

I leave you with one more closed beach umbrella - because I can't resist :-)  

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Lindsey's Modeling Session in Sarasota!

I recently spent an afternoon exploring the lovely city of Sarasota with Lindsey, creating photographs for her modeling portfolio.  She wanted fine art pieces -- something a little different -- and, as usual, I wanted to capture images that she can treasure for years to come.  Sarasota is a beautiful city, and there are so many great locations to shoot there.  On this trip, we visited artsy downtown Sarasota, hit the beach at Lido Key, and wandered the spectacular grounds of the Ringling Museum of Art.  Here are a few of my favorites from the day.... 

Lindsey is such a fun loving, sun-shiney girl -- and I think her

personality shines through in these images ... 

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Sarasota!

I've been thinking lately about a brief visit that I made to Sarasota about a month ago on my way back from Sanibel Island.  When we left Sanibel, my friend, Maureen, and I decided that, instead of hitting the major highway, we would meander liesurely up the coast from Ft. Myers back home to Clearwater -- and that we would stop whenever and wherever we wanted to.  It was so much fun!  Our route took us through gorgeous, artsy Sarasota.  A friend had told me about St. Armand's Circle, which is at the entrance to Lido Key across Sarasota Bay.  It's a large circle of fine shops and restaurants with a  European feel, in the middle of ... well... paradise!  I've read that the circle is named after Charles St. Armand, a Frenchman and first island inhabitant.  There are several courtyards and patios with lush plants and these beautiful, graceful statues based on Greek and Roman art.  I was fascinated with the statutes.  I loved them.  The sight of these beautiful works of art set against the blue sky was inspiring. 

Of course, my love for black and white takes over... when you strip away the color, all you see is the subjects.  I like the simplicity of this elegant lady and the coconut palm behind her. 

A few more of my favorites...

 



 

We only had a few minutes to explore that day, and I was only able to quickly get these few shots.  I can't wait to return with my camera, when I have more time to wander aimlessly (one of my favorite things to do!), soak in the atmosphere and capture more of the beauty of that place. 

 

Sanibel Island, Photography, and Surroundings by Melinda

I recently went to Sanibel Island and something unexpected happened....

I rediscovered my love of photography. 

It's not that I stopped loving it really, but what I didn't realize was that the passion that I first had for photography -- just for photography's sake -- had faded a little over time.  Photography for no other reason than having a feeling about a place, and wanting to capture that feeling forever. 

I wanted to capture a perfect Saturday spent in Sanibel. 

Sanibel is famous for its seashells, and I brought plenty home with me to remind me of that perfect day.  A day that started on the beach by the 120-year-old lighthouse located on the eastern tip of the island.  I could have stayed there forever.  The lighthouse is on a nature preserve, so there's not another building in sight other than the lighthouse and the caregiver's cottage.

So many things converge to make it a treat for the senses -- a constant seabreeze, the sound of the ocean waves, seagulls and pelicans flying overhead, the wind in the trees, majestic pieces of driftwood - and, of course, seashells as far as the eye can see.

Another place I visited during my perfect day in Sanibel was Surroundings by Melinda, which is a home decor shop that I've been visiting for 15 years or so - ever since it was located in Morgantown, West Virginia, where I used to live.  I worked one block away, and I remember it was the perfect place to relax on my lunch hour - especially after a particularly stressful morning :-)  I still treasure some things that I purchased at the shop all those years ago.  In 2008, Surroundings moved to Sanibel Island.  It is owned by Interior Designer Melinda Graham, who has appeared on national television shows, and whose home and shop have appeared in various magazines - and was most recently photographed for Romantic Homes Magazine.  It is truly a showcase.  Here's a peak at the "new" Surroundings by Melinda. 

Surroundings is off the beaten path, tucked in among art galleries, and is just a short walk to the Gulf of Mexico.

 Inside, it's filled with all sorts of treasures...

When you walk in, the air is filled with beautiful music, sea air and the scent of fresh flowers and potpourri. Old is mixed with new to create lovely vingettes.

I love the arrangement below.  The gentle curve of the pottery against the detail of the gold framed mirror that reflects the muted colors of the boutique ... the ornate shelf ...

this arrangement is like a work of art!

Lovely flowers spilling out of baskets...

 Bits of lace and pottery...

  

 

  

An antique bed with an inviting table setting ...

Ornate pottery...

Even little butterflies made of sheet music hang from the ceiling...

Melinda will also make custom wreaths, home decor and gifts.  We went around the shop and picked out a few things, which she arranged to perfection within minutes into a unique gift. 



My purchase, tied up with ribbon in a charming little bag...

Oh, and I can't forget to show you sweet little Peanut, who wandered into the shop one day and decided he was home.  You'll find him either sunning himself on the deck or climbing around the shop trying to get your attention. 

There are certain places you visit and you can just tell that someone has put their heart and soul into it.  Surroundings by Melinda is one of those places.  

I loved my visit to little Sanibel, which ended with a fabulous sunset...

I'll definitely be back...

Surroundings by Melinda main website:  http://www.melindagraham.com/

Online shop:  http://www.surroundingsbymelinda.com/
Blog:  http://www.surroundingsbymelinda.blogspot.com/