Pesto Fest Guests (and other delights)

Okay…so I’m two months late posting a recap on the 3rd Annual Pesto Fest (it took that long to clean up!—okay, that may be a bit of an exaggeration). If I must say so (and I must), this was undoubtedly the best Pesto Fest yet! Thanks to Tom for rigging up an almost-authentic Italian restaurant lighting setup (I write almost because it was a mishmash of twinkly Xmas lights, restaurant-style globe lights, and other mutts)…thanks to Cam for helping decorate and fashion our lovely table floral arrangements out of store-bought flowers and fodder from my garden (not to mention all the table set up help, creative advice, and antipasta offering—oh, and the Sambuca—which Michael grew a little too fond of by evening’s end)….thanks to Regina for her annual contribution of her wonderful gorgonzola sauce (is it not otherwordly in taste?) and veggie pasta sauce…..and thanks to everyone who came, contributed, and celebrated! We had a really great crowd: Dana & Gordon, Keith, Gina, Elsa and her family from Colombia, Sudha, Vicki, Karen, Nanda, Judy/Paul/Matt, Barbara, Cam, Elizabeth, Kathy (and her 4-legged guest, Casey), Natasha, Regina & Jeff, Amy & Jeff, Norma, Dick & Michael…I do hope I haven’t left anyone out! The weather was heavenly, too…and I do believe the only way we can top this year’s event is if we hold next year’s in Italy! Any takers?

Pesto Fest Guests….. 

…and other delights! 

Taking advantage of that perfect light

This time around I brought a family to the mix. One of my favorite families, in fact—the Kelleys. The weather and the light were perfect! In less than an hour, we got these shots. I still can’t believe how yellow the background trees were. I haven’t noticed this intensity in past years. Maybe it was the drought and odd weather we’ve been having. A foliage anomaly, perhaps?

© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.

Cover kids

These are some covers I shot for the National Head Start Association several years ago. I didn’t think I’d have much patience photographing kids (since I don’t have any of my own), but I found that I was actually not half bad at it. I guess the years of practice on both of my sister’s kids did give me a foundation (of some patience) on which to build. I’ve learned (from my younger sister) to shoot until they get too restless and then just let it go. Great advice, Kelley. I also learned that you can’t get too comfortable in one position because those kids can move!

© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.

Cover girls (and one cover boy)

I design and produce the bimonthly publication, Hearing Loss Magazine, for the Hearing Loss Association of America (www.hearingloss.org). My editor, Barbara Kelley, allows me so much creative freedom (thanks, Barbara!) and I get to shoot covers whenever our subjects are easily accessible, such as the ones in these covers. We’re trying to profile more baby boomers and younger people with hearing loss (anyone out there interested in sharing your story, send e-mail me at dyerdesign@aol.com).

© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.

That perfect light

Fall has finally come to northern Virginia, albeit much later than normal. Today the light was so beautiful that I just had to get out and shoot some foliage around my neighborhood. Looking at these photos, I find it hard to believe that this area is just off the beltway and not in the Vermont countryside!

© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.

Revisiting the stairs

Finally! Today I was able to replicate the “Jasper on the Stairs” shot with our other cat, ZenaB …however, ZenaB (right), being a few years older, has a more suspicious, aloof and jaded look in her eyes than her sweet, wide-eyed, optimistic brother, Jasper.

© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.

Jay D. Henley, The Music Man

My latest really fun project was photographing an up-and-coming country singer, Jay D. Henley, for the bimonthly Hearing Loss Magazine, which I also design and produce.

My friend Ed Fagan (www.columbiaphotography.com) has photographed and designed Jay’s three self-published CDs. When Ed recently told me that Jay had a hearing loss (a condition called aural atresia), I knew we just had to interview him and feature him in the magazine. Barbara Kelley (editor of the magazine) and I got to hear him and The Stone Broke Band play at the Carroll County Fairgrounds in August. I got the performance shots of him then (www.cindydyer.com/Henley). Barbara interviewed him afterwards and I shot the cover and feature photos near Jay’s home in Woodbine, Maryland last month. He was a pleasure to photograph and I wish him the best of luck in his musical endeavors (and hope he remembers us when he hits the big time)!

To learn more about Jay and hear his music, go to his Web site: www.jayhenley.com.

Order his CDs online at:
http://cdbaby.com/found?artist=jay+d+henley&soundlike=&style=&album=

The magazine is on its way to HLAA members this week. The magazine is available for download at http://www.hearingloss.org/magazine/latest.asp (click on the far right link to download). Barbara and I hope this exposure to a reading audience of 40,000+ will open doors for him in the music business (and result in a few CD sales in the process)!

© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.

Siamese twins in my garden

© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.      www.cindydyer.com/GardenPhotos

New friends at Half Moon Bay

Sue (that’s her in the pink shawl) and I met Wendy and her family on the beach at Half Moon Bay, California in August. They live not far from this area and had never been to this beach. I’m not sure how we got started talking but I think Sue may have asked them if they wanted their photo taken together. I got this wonderful shot of her photographing them. I was happy to see them throwing their hands in the air and not just standing, arms down, like a grip-and-grin-family-at-a-wedding shot. That photo sums up their energy, I do believe. Wendy sat with us afterwards and I photographed her family while they built moats and dams in the sand. And could a photographer ask for a more colorful and energetic family as subjects? Her daughter’s sweater really livened up photos taken on an overcast, slightly gray day. When Wendy learned that Sue and I were avid gardeners (and botanical garden fanatics), she recommended that we visit the Huntington Botanical Gardens. We’ve now added that to our growing list of “gardens to see before we die.” Now, thanks to the wonderful world of e-mail, Wendy and I have reconnected and are sharing photos of our travels!

“There are no such things as strangers, only friends we haven’t met yet.” — Anonymous

© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.