May 1, 2021
While doing my revamped photo of the day project this year, which was originally intended to focus more on small businesses and local places this time, I added a couple sub series. The main and most tastiest one is dining at (or at least ordering carryout from) every single La Grange restaurant in 2021.
As places have opened back up as we approach post-pandemic life, I have been able to actually dine in many places again. I would prefer to "redo" photos that were takeout from earlier in the year, especially if the restaurant has a good ambiance, but we will see how it goes!
I guess this sub-project started with my thinking of, Which La Grange, Illinois restaurants have I never had food from? Or, which ones have I never actually dined in? Plus, there was also a lot of places I had not been to in a long while, the pandemic closures only increasing that time; so I felt like I had a lot of catching up to do with old "friends." As a small business owner myself, I wanted to do my part in supporting my favorite local eateries – or new ones I have discovered along this delicious journey!
This being a part of my 2021 View Before Dawn Photo Project has given the goal an extra meaning. It's not just someone taking a food shot from all these restaurants; it's my miniature camera keychains in every shot, visiting each establishment right there with me. In a sense, the Cameras have become like a done in-camera watermark, indicating it is my photo project!
Although I am photographing retail and wellness small businesses at times, too, and may end up visiting places I am not considering to be part of my La Grange restaurant list anyhow, I did decide on a set of rules.
A "La Grange Restaurant" is defined as:
I referenced the restaurant directory on both the village website and La Grange Events page, updating it with newer places through Google Maps, to make sure I didn't miss any place I wasn't familiar with that would fit the first three of these rules.
You can see me eating away at "All La Grange Restaurants At Dawn in 2021" on my Facebook page.
Currently, I have 14 "official" restaurants left that I have not taken either a dine-in nor carryout picture of for my 2021 View Before Dawn photo of the day project featuring "Kwanon and Vollenda Camera," as well as two new places in town that have not yet opened. There is around 10 additional places I would like to redo with a better composed dine-in shot, if possible before year end.
I also am in the process now of creating a new separate Facebook album to hold only the La Grange Restaurant Photo-of-the-Day's. Follow my Facebook Moments Before Dawn to see when it posts, or check back here later for an updated link. Until then, check out the hashtag I just started using for new entries made in this sub photo-of-the-day series: #AllLaGrangeRestaurantsAtDawn2021.
Today, I updated my categories in the project to reflect changes in the service type of a couple restaurants, as well as to better group local restaurants without full table service that I decided I still prefer to take a dine-in photo at, in order to make my ongoing count of re-shoots/re-eats easier to maintain the updates for.
The definition of what a restaurant is remains the same, but my new category breakdown for the 53 restaurants in La Grange is as follows :
As of July 17th: 43 of La Grange's Restaurants have been photographed as a part of my 2021 View Before Dawn Photo-of-the-Day Project, with either a carryout OR dine-in photo. Restaurants with dine-in and carryout photos are currently tied at 28, with 13 places that have had both.
Currently, there are 8 open-for-business restaurants in La Grange that have not had neither a carryout nor dine-in photo taken during my project this year (the count does NOT include the two new restaurants coming soon). Additionally, there is at least 4 places I would like to redo a dine-in photo at, since it is my goal to do dine-in photos for all local Table Service and Casual Dining restaurants.
Last month, I created a special album on my Facebook page to hold only the "All La Grange Restaurants at Dawn in 2021" sub series images. Click here to see all my current photos in the project.
January 14, 2021
In 2016, one of my photo of the day projects featured two miniature cameras. Eventually named "Kwanon" and "Vollenda," the adventurous pair captured scenes around La Grange and Chicagoland for 366 days straight without fail (it was leap year). I have often thought of doing something with these mini cameras again and decided 2021 was a good time to reintroduce the pair for a 5 year reunion.
Thus, I began a new photo-of-the-day project featuring the camera duo on New Year's Day. I am intending for this series to have a slightly different theme than the previous 2016 version, while also preserving the heart of that original project. There, of course, will still be a lot of local photos, especially of La Grange, with more emphasis on the location where they were taken.
I also decided to do more of a "photo every other day" project, since life just isn't as interesting these days given current events, and I don't want to be taking boring shots just to be dedicated to the project. We shall see how it frames out. I have already added an extra day when a photo opp was available, so the rules will be flexible.
Click here to see my Facebook album for this new photo-every-other-day project: 2021 View Before Dawn — The 5 Year Reunion of Kwanon & Vollenda Camera.
Read on if you would like more explanation about the original project and how these little cameras came to be my subjects for a whole year.
I had been wanting to do a photo of the day project where I put the same object in the picture each day, but I could never find anything I felt passionate enough about to photograph for 365 days straight that would also fit in a variety of scenes. Right before 2016, I received the black camera keychain as a gift (that's Kwanon), and it hit me: Why not put a camera in the photo, kind of like its mirroring my eye's view?
The mini cameras were small to take with everywhere for whenever I saw the shot I wanted to take for that day, not overly fragile if they fell while posing, and much easier than having to carry two cameras with in order to just photograph one of them.
I ordered the gray DSLR-looking camera because it had more detail in back (meet Vollenda), but she didn't arrive in time, so I started the project with just Kwanon. It didn't seem fair to cut him out then LOL so I alternated cameras based on which fit the scene of the day best.
That's probably what really contributed to our story that pursued in my daily captions, as I personified the cameras often in a humorous hyperbole of the life of photographers. I'm telling the story and taking the pictures; of course it ends up being partially my story!
Having two cameras for subjects is also what inspired me to go back and name them. Kwanon was named first. Since I shoot Canon cameras, he honors the first Canon camera made. I wanted the second camera's name to mean something to me as well, but also wanted a name that sounded good like her partner's! I decided on Vollenda, a Kodak camera model. Although she does not at all resemble the real camera, the namesake pays tribute to my first digital camera, which was a Kodak brand, as well as my Kodak Advantix APS film camera I loved.
If you would like to see 2016's 366 day project or refresh your memory, click here to view my Facebook album A Dawn's Eye View: 366 Days Focusing on my Cameras.
January 8, 2021
For the second year in a row, I did a New Year's Eve photo countdown on my Facebook page of my Top La Grange Moments Before Dawn of 2020. Posting every half hour from 6pm to midnight, the second annual series featured new restaurants, local views, and noteworthy moments, including scenes only found in 2020. Some of the 12 posts contained images I never before posted.
Click here to see this La Grange Edition featuring 12 Top Moments Before Dawn of 2020, all from La Grange, Illinois.
The first full week of the New Year, my main/complete countdown of the year in photo review was spread out from Tuesday to Friday, revealing five photo moments each day. The Top 21 Moments Before Dawn of 2020 featured my top moments from most shocking to most accomplishing, memorable eye-catching views, the best depictions of 2020 life, and my most favorite photographs I captured last year.
Click here to see the countdown posts on Facebook of my Top 20 + 1 Moments Before Dawn of 2020.
(Number 21 was a bonus post: an important moment that happened in 2020 but represented by old photographs not taken this year).
December 1, 2020
As much as I am a photographer and photo retoucher, I am also a graphic designer. When I haven't done any one of my multimedia tasks in awhile, it is so enjoyable when I have a chance to! I loved returning to strictly graphic design for a few weeks and creating these La Grange 2020 gift items for Photohraphic Depot. I used all of my own photography and even some freehand designs of mine (I took the advertising photos below as well).
Items available for grab 'n go purchase include La Grange-themed ornaments, coin purses and cosmetic bags, bookmarks and pencil cups, and an assortment of beverage-ware from insulated mugs and wine tumblers to water bottles and standard coffee mugs. Additionally, I designed some mugs and tumblers with 2020 humor, as well as a Merry X-mask ornament. Most of those are also my own artwork and ideas for phrasing.
November 15, 2020
I am excited to announce my "Seasons of La Grange" Fine Art Photography Calendar for 2021 is now available for purchase at Photographic Depot! As shown in the La Grange Holiday Wish Book, it features all my own photography and artwork of iconic La Grange views in seasonally appropriate scenes.
I have been wanting to create a La Grange calendar for the past few years now. Most people may not know I have been creating photo calendars annually for well over 15 years, designing multiple editions each year. But, this is my first ever entirely La Grange calendar. Thus, it's special in that I didn't just decide a calendar would be something to "La Grangify," but photo calendars are my thing! I combined that seasonal tradition with my love of La Grange to create this one-of-a-kind fine art photography calendar.
You can have your choice of Chicago calendars to purchase or any other big city or vacation destination. But, a small town like La Grange doesn't have that luxury without local artists like myself looking out for it. And, our village is just as calendar-worthy as any travel destination!
It's very often my goal with my photography and artwork to create pieces like these that aren't mass-produced or readily available for our very own La Grange. Just as I strive to show people different perspectives of a familiar view in my local photography, I love to create multimedia and works of art that you've never seen of La Grange before.
And now, is your chance to see LaGrange, Illinois in calendar form! Some of the 12 month images are ones I have previously posted to social media (and hopefully your favorites), while I also added some new shots. The calendar is made special by the inclusion of various photographic techniques; such as a long exposure of our fountain, an HDR holiday scene, and the digital art cover; as well as my specialty Pixel Perfect Retouching of every single photograph.
Head over to Photographic Depot today to purchase your 2021 La Grange Calendar before they are gone (or to arrange shipping or curbside pick-up, contact the store directly).
The last two of my calendars were purchased today. Thank you, La Grange, for supporting a local artist and shopping at a local business this holiday season! I hope your calendars make 2021 that much brighter.
September 2, 2020
I posted a special "Lenscape Wednesday" feature on my social media in memory of the Millbrook Bridge. Built in 1897, the historic bridge located in Millbrook, Illinois was demolished on August 25th.
For my feature, I posted photographs I have taken of the bridge over the years, including similar compositions from different seasons. I also researched the bridge's history, as well as how it met its ultimate demise.
Click here to read my blog post and view more pictures of the Millbrook Bridge on my Facebook page.
August 10, 2020
With social distancing precautions in place due to COVID-19, and all events and festivals canceled for the summer, it was an opportunity to try some photographic techniques I've been wanting to do. This was the first time I ever photographed star trails to amount to anything.
Over a span of 3 hours, I photographed multiple long exposures ranging from 15 to 45 minutes each. I then compiled the images using Photoshop. The result is below.
I chose this as my number one favorite photograph of the year during my Top 21 Moments Before Dawn of 2020 countdown. Read the post explaining why on my Faceook page, which is the platform where I shared my year in photo review.
June 1, 2020
After the popularity of Restaurant Week Before Dawn, as well as having more places I would have liked to feature in that two-week special, I decided to launch a subsequent weekly series. Debuting on the day Restaurant Week ended, Friday Foodograph highlighted a different restaurant in the Chicagoland area every week.
The delicious series posted to my Facebook page every Friday through May (at which time it became more of a monthly topic). Posts include photos of food, drinks, and even decor, along with an occasional review of the restaurant. I feature a lot of eateries in the La Grange and Joliet areas, but to date, I have also featured places in:
At least one selected picture from each featured restaurant is also shown in my Instagram story on the same Friday. If you visit my Instagram bio, there is a highlight called "FriFoodograph" with all these accumulated weekly stories. Click here to watch that highlight now, or simply tap the highlight circle named "FriFoodograph" when you are on my bio page.
When a photo is extra foodesque, I also post it to my Instagram feed with the caption a shortened summary of my main Facebook review. Search the #FridayFoodograph hashtag on Instagram as well to see the images that were pretty enough to be in my feed!
Although I haven't had time to continue the series on a weekly basis, Friday Foodograph still makes an appearance occasionally, usually when I have had an incredibly tasty dish, taken an extra picturesque foodograph, or been to a special restaurant that I want to share. I also like to resume it when local restaurants need extra support, as with the mandated closures returning in October due to COVID-19 infections.
Watch for my Friday Foodograph feature to post on my Facebook page on Fridays!
If you have a suggestion of a place you would like to see featured or a recommendation of a restaurant you think I should eat at for this series, send me a message. I shoot to support other local businesses as much as possible!
May 4, 2020
Some of my photographs taken during the "2020 La Grange Business Thank You Tour" were featured in the La Grange The Doings newspaper article about the parade.
On April 30th, local businesses in La Grange, Illinois decorated their vehicles with signs and balloons as they drove around the streets of La Grange honking and waving to thank the community for their support during COVID-19 closures.
Click here to read the online article on the Chicago Tribune website.
Note: The Chicago Tribune typically gives you a few free reads a month without a subscription. If you cannot access the article due to already reaching your limit, try again at the beginning of next month.
April 15, 2020
Did you know I do so much more than just photography? In addition to digital art and multimedia, I also enjoy mixed media and creating art with found objects. These centerpieces, which are available to purchase, are an example of the non-digital artwork I create.
My synthetic floral centerpieces with light-colored blue, purple, turquoise, and white flowers are perfect for a spring decoration or tablescape. They also make unique gifts for photographers or found object and vintage art lovers.
I am working on product shots on white to show each side of each centerpiece and an aerial view, along with individual dimensions. In the meantime, if you are interested in a particular piece and would like to see more pictures of it, let me know the product number from the image below, and I will send some more images to you.
Send me an email or Facebook message to purchase one of these centerpieces. They will be available for pick up at a store in downtown La Grange, Illinois. Currently, I am not shipping them due to the high cost of packaging and shipping.
Centerpieces are now currently on display and available for immediate purchase at Photographic Depot in downtown La Grange. They may be viewed and purchased anytime during business hours.
Please refer to Photographic Depot's website for hours and directions.
April 12, 2020
Like many photographers and artists, the coronavirus outbreak inspired me to make memes for a dose of humor. With the Stay-At-Home order extended until the end of April in Illinois, we were to continue social distancing and only spend Easter with our household. So, I celebrated Easter-in-Place by setting up the studio and taking photos for Easter memes!
With the supposed hoarding and shortages, toliet paper became a common theme of memes. I made my own photographer's version.
These images were posted to Instagram on a Monday for my new Moodivational Mondays series.
Search the hashtag or click #MoodivationalMondays to view more inspirational and humorous posts.March 31, 2020
A Facebook feature during the Illinois shelter-in-place mandate of COVID-19, this series ran from March 20th through March 31st. Highlighting my favorite state parks, forest preserves, and wilderness areas in the state of Illinois, it was intended to provide ideas for close trips after the Coronavirus, as well as offer relaxing nature photos to look forward to everyday.
Click the image to view my Facebook album containing all the photos in the series.
This series also ran on Instagram, featuring a few different images.
Click here to view my #IllinoisHikingWeekBeforeDawn hashtag on Instagram.
February 14, 2020
Running on Facebook (with highlights on Instagram) from January 31st to February 14th, 2020, "Restaurant Week Before Dawn" featured a daily post of a Chicagoland restaurant that I ate at for the first time in 2019.
Click the image to view a Facebook search of my hashtag #RestaurantWeekBeforeDawn, which will show you all the posts in the series.
Read my note about the making of the series by clicking here
December 31, 2019
Click the image to view the album on Facebook with images from my New Year's Eve countdown
Click here to view the Facebook post with the runners up images that didn't make my top 20
July 6, 2019
March 25, 2019
My current project has surprisingly not been new photography, but organizing my existing photos! I have set down my camera the past few weeks and am refreshing my memory on HTML and coding.
Being Mrs. Multimedia, of course I have to design my own website! Just like with my photography not following current trends but doing my own thing, those popular and trendy, non-coding design sites are not for me. ;-) It may not be the best of code, but I pride myself in knowing it is my own work.
This Website has already undergone major changes in design and will continue to be updated. I am also working on making my site more mobile friendly for cellphone and tablet users.
Additionally, I will finally be adding more samples of my work, including portraits, weddings, and product photography. I also plan to give further information about my focus as a photographer and what I strive to accomplish in my images for all my clients.
I am really excited about my Website's redesign, as well as the rebranding of my photography business. I can't wait to share more of my photographs with the world! I look forward to working with both past and new clients, as I shoot to capture the images you envision.
If you have any questions or have time to report any website issues you may encounter during the rebuild, please send me an email.