I Heart Faces Challenge - Slice of Life

Whatever you call it--candid, photojournalistic, lifestyle photography--I've always been drawn to it. I don't like fake-looking props or frozen say-cheese smiles. Maybe it's the writer in me, but I want a photo to tell a story. I want a photo to look like I pressed the PAUSE button on life, freezing a moment in time.

For this week's I Heart Faces Challenge, I chose a photo of my sweet daughter. It seems she might be taking after her writer Momma. There's just something about her intensity when she gets a pen or crayon in her hand that takes me back to those first days when my own obsession began to take shape. Perhaps, one day, I will have the pleasure of reading her stories.

I Heart Photos Challenge - Sun Flare

If there is one thing that there is plenty of in Arizona, it's sunlight, and while that can make for an absolutely unbearable summer, it can also be a photographer's dream. One day, while taking advantage of the late afternoon light and getting some shots of my daughter in the backyard, I managed to capture this image, and to this day, it is one of my favorite photos of her. 

Try to explain it rationally all you want--sun flare on the lens, a bird or airplane capturing her attention at just the right moment, a mere coincidence--it's photos like this that just have a way of rekindling our belief in guardian angels. And perhaps, that day, Cadence and I caught a glimpse of ours.

Bravi Tuscan Kitchen

During my recent visit to Arizona, Bravi Tuscan Kitchen in Glendale was on my list of restaurants to visit. Bravi Tuscan Kitchen is an example of the new fast-casul dining craze, which combines partial self-service (ordering at a counter and having your food delivered to your table) with delicious, homemade gourmet food at a fraction of the cost of most full-service restaurants. From the stone oven pizzas to the freshly made pasta dishes, Bravi has something to satisfy all your Italian cravings.

Here are a few of my favorite photos from the day:

I Heart Faces - "People's Choice" - Best Face Photo From February

What a coincidence that my daughter would learn how to give kisses just in time for Valentine's Day! I did a quick photo shoot with her as she opened her gift from her Grandma and Papa Luethje--a box of chocolate covered animal cookies. I just couldn't resist this photo, and thought it was perfect for my Best Face Photo From February entry. Pucker up! Here's your chocolately kiss from Cadence!

**Update** This week, the I Heart Faces Challenge is a People's Choice. Click HERE, and then click to vote for your favorites (up to 10). Cadence is #36, but be sure to browse through the rest of the entries because there are sooooo many gorgeous photos.