Cans for Comments stop-motion video December 19, 2008

Yep, just when you thought you’d heard the last of the awesome Cans for Comments campaign, here’s another little treat for you!

Rebecca Peters posted about our shopping trip and attempt at making a stop-motion film with the cans! After a few photos of me looking so cool (err… so cold is more like it!), you’ll find the video at the bottom of the post.

Don’t miss it… click here to check it out on her blog!

If you don’t know what stop-motion is, read this Wikipedia entry, or watch one of those claymation Christmas movies! It’s so cool, and really hard to do (especially in sub-zero temperatures…)!

Cans for Comments – Shopping Trip! December 15, 2008

This afternoon, I met up with the wonderfully talented Rebecca from Rebecca Peters Photography for a fun-filled can shopping extravaganza. :) Rebecca also participated in the Cans for Comments drive on her blog, and between the two of us, we purchased a total of 188 cans!

We were able to snap a few photos in the store before we were asked to put our cameras away. We probably would’ve had more time to grab photos in the store, if I would’ve taken a smaller lens with me… after getting a strange “what are they doing taking photos of canned goods?” look from an employee walking by, he came back a few minutes later to ask us to put away our cameras. Oops! :)

Here are a few that I grabbed. For my fruit-loving blog readers, who requested that I not leave out the fruit — 12 cans of tropical fruit salad were donated in your honor:

So after we bought all of the cans (with a few comments from fellow shoppers — things like, “wow, you girls sure are hungry for canned goods!”), we had the brilliant idea of doing an outdoor photo shoot in the freezing cold weather. My car temperature gauge read “11″ — yeah, not fun. Yet we set out, determined to capture some unique images of canned goods, and possibly create a stop-motion film. We found our perfect location behind Price Chopper (where there’s a drop-off for Harvesters). If Rebecca makes our attempt at stop-motion filming actually work out, I’ll show you the finished product here. :)

Setting up the shot:

What the line of cans looked like when we were (finally) done setting them up one by one and taking a frame after each can was in place:

And a few testing out the new video capabilities on the MarkII5D!

Needless to say, after all of this, we couldn’t feel our hands or our feet, which required a Starbucks chai tea remedy. :)

Thanks again for your participation in the Cans for Comments drive! You are awesome, and I’m excited to see your name in the Comments section of my posts more often. :) Rebecca, thanks for a super fun — although freezing cold — afternoon!

Cans for Comments: Final Count!

The total comment count during our Cans for Comments campaign was 86!! That means I’ll be shopping for 86 canned good items later this afternoon…stay tuned!

Thank you all for participating and doing your part to give back! Now that you’re pros at commenting on the ericamay photography blog, keep it up! I’d love to hear from you more often!

#1: Buy a House December 13, 2008

It’s moving day!! :) If you’ve been reading for any amount of time, you know that I have a list of 101 things to accomplish in 1,001 days. Well, I’m excited to say that I have crossed off (among others) the very first item on the list: buy a house.

When I wrote this as one of my goals, I didn’t know it would be coming just months after I started the list — but I am so, so excited. We closed on our very first house last Friday and the big move-in is this weekend! Now we’re joining the ranks of homeowners who worry about things like cleaning the gutters, shoveling driveways and bathroom remodels. :)

Our first home:

:)

The move means a few things for my photography clients. First, I’m thanking you in advance for being a little patient while we get settled. I’ll make it a priority to still respond to your e-mails and phone calls as quickly as possible, but just know that I might be out for a while. Also, my mailing address has changed, so if you were planning on sending anything, please e-mail me to get the new address! And the best news of all: I’ll now have an in-home showroom, perfect for wedding consultations, viewing samples of albums and prints AND just hanging out with your favorite photographer! :) I know you’re excited!!

 

Cans for Comments is still happening and it’s so easy to get involved – you leave a comment (just click on “Comments” at the bottom right of this post), and I’ll donate a canned good to the local food bank. This fantastic idea began with Chris+Lynn, and has spread throughout the country! You only have until Sunday at midnight so leave me a comment! Any advice for a first-time homeowner? :)

“Prom” Night December 12, 2008

Jeff’s company Christmas party was tonight (yep, the night before we move!) and although it didn’t involve any Secret Santa gift exchanges, egg nog or caroling… it did include a giant-sized cardboard castle, a hot pink balloon release, the crowning of a king and queen and a live band. Yep, the theme this year was a throwback to prom. :)

So in the midst of packing, hauling, packing, cleaning and packing, we got dressed up and headed off to “prom.” I must say, I would have thorougly enjoyed the adventure if the whole time I wasn’t thinking about what else to box up when we got home. And, since our entire home is filled with boxes and furniture in all the wrong places, we couldn’t even get good photos. So, you’ll have to settle for these iPhone versions of our prom photos (it just wasn’t the same as having our parents pose us in front of the fireplace!). I’m sad to say I don’t have any cooler photos to share, but let’s just all agree that we looked awesome, no matter the quality of the iPhone-produced images. :)

I’m pretty sure my parents wouldn’t have let me out the door on prom night with a guy as bearded as my husband is right now… hee hee. :)

Yeah, we’re cool! :)

Hey, don’t forget the Cans for Comments drive is STILL happening…you have until Sunday at midnight to leave comments, and for every comment, I’m donating a canned good to the local food bank! So leave me a comment! Did you go to prom in high school? Did you wear something hilarious (on purpose or otherwise)? :)

Cans for Comments Update! December 11, 2008

As of right now (8:15 a.m. on Thursday), our can total is at 48!!

Thanks so much for all of your comments, and for coming back each day to leave more! Keep it up! We’re going until Sunday at midnight.

I apologize for the lack of photos — as you can imagine, we’re in the middle of packing everything and doing the million last-minute moving-related tasks that keep popping up. :) But stay tuned for Jeff and I’s prom night (yep, that’s right. I said prom!), a family portrait session, photos of the new house, and some fun can-shopping-themed photos next week! :) You won’t want to miss it!

While you’re in the commenting spirit, head over to some other Kansas City photographers’ blogs who are participating in the drive: Rebecca Peters and Josh Solar. You’ll love their work, and they’ll love your comments!

Cans for Comments December 8, 2008

I love reading your comments on my blog. Everything from questions to compliments…it warms my heart to know that you’re reading, and that I’m sharing things worth reading. :)

I can’t say where this actually started or who came up with this genius idea, but several of my photographer friends (like Justin and Mary and Rebecca Peters) are participating in a fun little giving-themed game — cans for comments. We’ve already established that I love comments. But you know what I love more? Helping out. Giving back. And the joy in giving that the holidays seem to ignite in each of us.

So, here’s the deal: between right now and Sunday at midnight, I’ll be donating one canned good to my local food bank for every single comment left on my blog. Never commented on here before? Now is your chance to make it count! :) A regular commenter? Keep it up!

The comments don’t have to be left on this post. So go visit past posts you haven’t viewed before, or wait for some fun new house-related posts I’ll surely be blogging later this week. Share something about yourself. Send me a funny quote. Compliment my beautiful clients. :)

Let’s do this together — I can’t do this without you (and your witty, thoughtful comments!). Merry Christmas. :)