It has really been a difficult year.

1. Wife recovered from double mastectomy
2. Daughter went to CD treatment
3. Wife and I separated.
4. Daughter started using almost immediately after leaving treatment.
5. Mother died just before Mothers' Day
6. Daughter moved out of the house and lived on the streets.
7. Work kept getting intense - but in a really not good way.
8. Goddaughter moved out of the house.
9. Daughter dropped out of HS.
10. Goddaughter broke up with boyfriend.
11. Goddaughter moved back to her bio-mom's home.
12. Co-workers abandoning ship - gets worse yet.
13. Wife declares she is happier without me in her life, but is not ready to get a divorce at this point.
14. Miss the dog.

There were some great things that happened in the midst of all this.  

Learned to be by myself again.

Spent some time walking and getting comfortable in the city again.

Rescue/Adopt another dog.

Started telling people what I can/can't do. 

Spent more time reading and becoming a better photographer.

Started thinking about my own future - retirement living, etc.

Began letting go of those people/things who can't/won't support me. 

Beauty Shot

JDo
Originally uploaded by lucienphoto

Sometimes you get a chance to photograph a truly beautiful woman. This was just such an opportunity. Jamies is talented. Her face is expressive and she has great rapport with the photographer. If you are in the Twin Cities to Red Wing area, take advantage of the opportunity to work with her. You will be surprised, but pleased.

Shot in Minneapolis, the day before Mothers'
Day. The background is a corrugated steel wall, with ample rust. I used an AB400 with 40" white reflective umbrella. She posed under a diffuser as this was shot mid-day.

deck chairs

deck chairs
Originally uploaded by lucienphoto