Giving Thanks

Nanny's Thanksgiving Dinner, 1990
Nanny’s Thanksgiving Dinner, 1990

This week, we give thanks. First, let me say thank you to my family and my friends. These are the people in my life, who have supported my photography, and these are the same people who continue to give encouragement, provide me great feedback, they are my biggest critics, and my biggest fans!

The shot I selected to share this week is a rookie shot. This was taken by a 20-year-old-first-year-photo-student-learning-to-use-chrome-film, so needless to say, not the quality I might like to see when I think of a stylized food shot. No, this shot was simply made at my grandmother’s Thanksgiving table 25 years ago. I shot this with my trusty Nikon FM SLR on Fuji chrome film. And, if my memory serves me, I was in a studio photography class where we were learning to shoot tabletop arrangements.

This shot brings back a lot of memories, and plenty of laughs! I love her Blue Willow china that always came out for special occasions. And, those oddly shaped green and red items? Well, they are a food group all of their own, if you live in the South! That food group is called congealed salad. The name is even appetizing isn’t it? Needless to say, I didn’t, and still don’t, partake in those food oddities!

Speaking of congealed salads, in the South they come out for every family gathering and special occasion. If you’re lucky enough, you’ll witness one style of said salads where fruit arrives in suspended animation!

Back to my original thoughts…giving thanks. I am thankful for all the wonderful things I have in my life. Family, friends, the ability to do what I love for a living, and for my students who provide me a great source of inspiration with their creativity, drive and fresh eyes! I am thankful for my dogs, the joy and happiness they bring, and their knack for giving me a soft place to land when stress becomes too much. I am thankful for my husband, Randy, and his support of my loony ideas, like this website that really doesn’t do much, other than give me a place to express myself!

Okay, enough with the Academy Awards speech, just remember to give thanks for all the blessings in your life and reach out to someone who might need a smile.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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