Flint Prints Photography

A proper start to spring!

2011-03-21T06:07:00.001-07:00

Awake, thou wintry earth -
Fling off thy sadness!
Fair vernal flowers, laugh forth
Your ancient gladness!
~Thomas Blackburn, "An Easter Hymn"

We were all so lucky to enjoy such amazing warmth last Thursday and Friday and even though the temperature wasn't as high over the weekend, it was still perfectly sunny and once you started working, it was warm enough! :) Not to mention, it was sunny enough that I woke up this AM with a blush across my nose and cheeks.

My first sunburn of the season!

The word of the day, every day, was rake. RAKE RAKE RAKE. The spring beds were raked and now the crocus, daffodils, hyacinth and day lilies are all growing strong. The rose bushes were pruned back and everything else tamed. The forsythia were fought with and I finally won. Not only did I win but my prize was uncovering THREE lilac bushes that were being suffocated. It was a tough battle, but so worth it in the end.

There were more dead leaves and brush than we could carry but carry we did and dragged and pushed and rejoiced in our first on-going brush burning of the season. Three whole days of it.

I love the smell of bonfire in the morning.

The whole weekend was put in perspective by the rebuilding of Carole's greenhouse that started on Thursday. As you know there was SO MUCH fund-raising to help her out and much anticipation for the rebuild. I was honored to be there to take a few shots when the builders started the project. (Wicked nice guys BTW!)

I went over with the kids and Carole greeted them like family, showed them the pond where they hung out while I took photographs, then Carole took us on a tour of the swampy area at the bottom of one of the fields. I know why she loves that place. It truly is magical this time of year with the skunk cabbage dotting the leaf litter in a kaleidoscope of reds, purples and greens.

The kids had a blast!

Thomas was wet from the knees down and Aiden was fine until he wanted to throw "one more rock" into the pond... then fell in. Yup, this is my life. Luckily, the warmest day of the year so far and I had blankets in the truck. :) Good thing boys think that sort of thing is funny!

To see Carole, though, smiling the way she was... it just made me so happy. That was truly the best part of that day.

Friday was fantastic too! I ran into Sue Muldoon when I was at Carole's (again) and later on we had dinner at Zest in Tolland with Dot, Laura and Winter. (Fantastic food, you MUST try it out!!) While saying goodbye to Winter, I glanced at the setting sun, and as she drove away I took just one picture of the sky and knew, it was the perfect end to a perfect week and a fantastic beginning to a fantastic weekend.

Camera Geeks

2011-03-08T08:32:00.000-08:00

You know them, you love them, maybe you even are one.

I know I am.

I'm not talking about the modern digital rockstar photographer who is always buying up the newest gear and software. I'm talking about the "Let's kick it old school with some vintage camera equipment" sort of camera geek.

Hello, my name is Liss and I have a problem. Luckily some of my best friends do too.

Take for instance my dear friend David Cope. He is very committed to learning the newest techniques and being comfortable with the technical part of photography but what really draws me to him is his appreciation for "kickin it old school" and bringing out the pinhole camera. Two of my favorite prints that he has ever done were taken with that pinhole camera. He knows how to use it and for that, I will always give him a boatload of credit as a photographer. (and he is pretty awesome as a digital photographer too!)

On my recent trip to VT with my husband I brought two old cameras with me along with my digital gear. One is a 1972 (I believe) Minolta 35mm and the other is my grandfather's camera.

I was going to be shooting my first roll of film with the Minolta and so I was very excited about that but even more so to show off my grandfather's camera to Jayson who collects old cameras. His wife Rebecca, my good friend and writing partner, just started using her first Canon DSLR so it was going to be a BIG camera party. After a long day of touring Burlington we all went back to the Rivard-Darby's house where we dug out all the cameras.

While looking through the original case that held my grandfather's camera I came across a new find. Not only did the case include the original tripod and film plates but in the bottom were the filters. SCORE!

Jayson decided he would put together the tripod for me which hadn't been together for many many years since my mom last displayed it. It was incredible to see it together like that. Complete with the flash accessories and everything... Jayson went right to work with his helmet light and starting cleaning the dust and grit from my camera. I know that somewhere my grandfather was looking down at us smiling.

Enough about my cameras... Jayson had a GREAT collection of cameras of all eras and all companies. Here are just a few I took some snapshots of...

I would love to post a picture of every single camera he had but there were just too many! I just want to say thank you to Jayson for teaching me all he knew about that type of camera and for taking the time to give it some special attention.

Because of people like Jayson Rivard-Darby and David Cope the cameras of our past will forever be cherished and new generations of photographers will see and remember where the histories of our modern cameras started. I am grateful for them and the way they have become protectors of our photographic past.

Getting our eat on...

2011-03-08T07:01:00.001-08:00

There is no way I'd ever consider lying and telling you that food isn't my number one concern while traveling. It is ALWAYS on the top of my list. I especially LOVE finding new places to eat and will be giddy like a school girl when I discover a local place tucked into a corner (or a basement) and if they source their food locally... it's the JACKPOT!!

So let me start by saying that this most recent trip to VERMONT was not so much a vacation as it was FOOD EXPLORATION. We didn't intend on that but luckily that's what it became. Tommy and I were lucky enough to have the most gracious hosts you could imagine in Rebecca and Jayson Rivard-Darby. They have spent a lot of time actively seeking out or quite happily stumbling upon the same food venues that my husband and I appreciate.

They gave us a tour of Burlington and their favorite brunch spot MAGNOLIA. First of all, it WAS in a basement, possibly one of the coolest basements ever with level changes and stairs everywhere and local artist's work up on the brick and stone walls. The sweetest staff worked there and it felt like we were invited in to sit with family. Tommy and I both ordered tons of delicious coffee and both decided on the same breakfast entree, the VERMONT OMELET!

Oh yes! Imagine your plate heaping with fabulous seasoned home fries and giant pieces of whole wheat toast but like a beacon in a dark night that omelet of all omelets sits proudly... Maple sausage and cheddar cheese with... wait for it... wait for it... itty bitty APPLE pieces all warm and friendly together inside this golden creation.

IT WAS HEAVEN IN A BASEMENT

And I am spoiled forever. We figured the best thing to do was to get out and about in the gorgeous city of Burlington and walk some of that breakfast off so that maybe, just maybe we'd have room for dinner later. After a couple hours of window shopping and watching Mardi Gras celebrations we hunkered down into another basement, this time a fantastic coffee shop to enjoy a cup of WARM ME UP so we could continue our stroll through the city under the overcast and sometimes drizzling sky.

I didn't try the chocolate torte but they said it was EPIC, therefore, it's on my list for next time.

After a bit more people watching and exploring Jayson and Rebecca took us down to the waterfront for an amazing view of Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks on the other side. After many pictures were taken I realized the cold had sapped my battery life, I needed my memory cards and we all wanted a cold beverage. That is when our hosts/tour guides took us to another local spot called SKINNY PANCAKE. Yup. I guess they have another place called CHUBBY MUFFIN.

They won my heart right there. SKINNY PANCAKE is all about the crepe!! Anything you can put in a crepe they do it. From traditional to exotic. And in their own words they use "in-season, local ingredients". On the wall is a map of VT and all of the farms they get their ingredients from. They even make their own crepe chips. Yummy! They also sell the most fabulous Root Beer called Rookies that you can only get in a few places including the Burlington Farmer's Market. They also make their own french fries and I had to try them on suggestion of Jayson. Tommy had the STRAWBERRY SHORT CREPE and I'll admit, I had some of both, with a ROOKIES ROOT BEER. I am again happy to mention that they too had many works of art on the walls from local artists.

After another walk around the waterfront we finally decided to leave the city and follow Jayson and Rebecca to their home where we would spend the night. The night's entertainment will be talked about it the next blog because for now we are focusing on FOOD! :) Even way up in the upper reaches of VT Tommy and I were treated to an amazing dinner prepared by Jayson and Rebecca which again incorporated food purchased from a farmer's market vendor (my personal favorite farmer's market), HURRICANE FARM. They made us HOMEMADE MACARONI AND CHEESE! Complete with some of HURRICANE FARMS'S bacon.

Why do I have no photos of the completed dish? BECAUSE I WAS EATING IT!!

Before we finally made it to bed, stuffed and exhausted from the day's travels we had Jayson give us directions to a great local bakery/cafe they discovered in Middlesex VT which was a handful of exits down from them on our way home. We were up early, packed the truck, said our goodbyes :*( and were on our way to the RED HEN BAKING CO.

Yes, it was pouring rain and yes our wiper motor went and yes we were at a rest stop a half hour into the trip home with Tommy pulling the dash out and I was climbing over our bags so I could retrieve tools and parts from the back of the truck BUT... this is not about WHY we were so exhausted and starving when we go to the RED HEN... just that when we got there we were never so ready for breakfast in our lives as we were at that moment.

The RED HEN BAKERY is AMAZING! Not only do they make amazing bread...

They make great coffee and the most amazing pastries. Tommy has I were both persuaded by our hosts before we left to try the CHEDDAR BACON SCONE. Like it took a lot of arm twisting to convince me of that ;)

He also tried the BLUEBERRY DANISH...

While I also had a MAPLE WALNUT STICKY BUN... It tastes 3 times as good as it looks, I swear I would never lie about food to you!

And so now I sit, still dreaming about the VT people and VT food and appreciating most of all that there are places in CT that I can go to be around great people and purchase great locally grown and raised and prepared food. I'm looking forward to making the long trip back soon and I'll be sure to let you know which new places I've discovered along the way.

For now... go eat something! I'm sure you are hungry!

Dandelions

2011-01-26T05:58:00.001-08:00

Dirty, wholesome, grungy, NOFA, native, organic, CSA, gritty, fresh, MADE WITH LOVE... these are a few words or phrases that you won't just hear at the Coventry Regional Farmer's Market, you will see it, taste it, feel it. It's in the hands of those who bring these goods to you... it's in their blood.

There was another word floating around the market last Sunday.

Pesticide.

Usually, this word is only brought up as part of the sentence that states, "I don't want pesticides near my food, I come here to buy organic." It is very easy for us to say that we don't want to EAT pesticides.

Obviously.

The market did something AMAZING (again) last Sunday. They brought pesticides right to us. They put it right in front of our faces by daring to show a documentary that explained to us just how much pesticides were still in our environment. The market took an amazing step in its growth by showing a film, albeit a controversial film (they wouldn't have it any other way), that really made the viewer stop and think.

Well, I did anyway.

“A Chemical Reaction” The Story of a True Green Revolution.

"The lawn is where the American family meets the environment". Oooooh, that's good. True too! No matter how lazy we are on a summer day we do at least get as far as our yard. Our pets play there, our kids play there. Enough said? If we don't want our dogs and cats eating chemicals then why do we spray the lawn where they chew on grass? Ok, then your child, you really want your toddler putting their hands in their mouth after playing in grass sprayed with chemicals?

Gross.

Gross and possibly deadly. They say some people have a more severe reaction to these chemicals than others. They say some people have died from these toxins, that golf course and land scape professionals develop chronic illness, even cancer. All I know is that, if you don't want it on your food, why is it on your shoes heading into your house? I'm not a doctor or any other expert on this topic, I didn't take great notes.

You should watch it for yourself. I hope you do.

I think the point here is that for one hour, in a high school lecture hall, we gathered to be educated. We gathered together so we could find out why the chemical companies didn't want us to see this film. Most of all, we gathered together because we are like minded people.

We do give a flying crap (ya, I never understood the term either) about what is going on in the world that affects our families.

And you can tell what side of the fence I am on.

True, I don't like chemicals. I'm a bit of a nature freak. Proud to be!

I'm not going to go crusading for chemical free lawns but I do have my opinion of it forged in steel now. The film solidified what I already felt, gave me the information I wanted to know that it was a no-brainer to trade the green lawn for my kid's health.

One line in the film caught my attention though and put it all in perspective. One man in Canada who was fighting on the side of "caution" was asked what he thinks about being proven wrong, that there was no immediate danger from these chemicals.

He answered, "What's the cost of science proving us wrong in the future... We have a few more dandelions?"

Boo-YAH!!!

Seriously though, I have to give a huge THANK YOU to the Coventry Regional Farmer's Market, to the Coventry High School for hosting this, to the volunteers (too numerous to name) that made it happen and a giant THANK YOU to everyone who went and paid the ticket fee (that went to a scholarship for a student at the school... AWESOME! You see how this circle moves?) because if it wasn't for the people that went to see it, they might not have another showing.

So it is NOT my personal crusade to fight the chemical companies but, it WILL now be my personal crusade to make sure that the Coventry Regional Farmer's Market SHOWS MORE FILMS!!! Please CRFM!

Don't stop now! I want to see more documentaries, I want to be educated. I'm not alone. Right?

Please feel free to browse this site to gain loads of info on organic, SAFE care for your lawn!

Full Steam Ahead

2011-01-14T08:15:00.000-08:00

Never in my childhood did I ever think to ask my Grandfather (who I called Bumpa) about the war. It's something I was raised to believe was inappropriate. War was not an everyday conversation. Had I of realized that it was not the war but the years after the war that broke my Bumpa I would have asked him about it. Instead I saw the scar on his leg every time he was wearing shorts and assumed he had been shot on some battle field in Europe, I was so wrong.

The last time I saw him in the nursing home before he died he gave me his permission to find out what happened by asking me to get from his dresser drawer a book. (This book was a gift and has led me to so many truths about him.) He asked me to turn to a page in the book, a page that told the story of the day he was wounded, pointed out a discrepancy and said, "I didn't shoot back".

This was the last thing I remember him ever saying to me. It's my last clear memory of my Bumpa and the catalyst that began what has engrossed me all these years since he passed away.

In that book and the dozens I've acquired since I learned of a story of a man I realized I hardly knew growing up. Here I was a photographer and I find out my grandfather was a Navy Photographer in WWII. I found the pictures he took, I found the pictures his friends took of him, camera in hand. I saw the way he loved his family, the same way I do, by taking way too many pictures of them.

But, due to tragic circumstances years later the photos were hidden away, the cameras were given away. His past was never brought up, he did everything he could to never speak of it. Photos, letters, police reports... everything, packed away. Out of sight out of mind.

Then I come along. I had a camera in hand the last day I saw him. Did he realize then that his past might be of interest to his family? Was it ok to let his children and his grandchildren and great grandchildren know the role he played in history now that he was not going to be around to be reminded of how good his life once was long ago?

I thought I'd never know why he pointed that book out to me. I thought I'd never know why the Universe had his photos, letters and possessions put in my hands. How did he know I would care before I even knew I did? I'll never know how this all came to be, I only know that it did.

I spent the last years digging, searching, uncovering... Slowly but surely the pieces came together. I understood his role in the war, I learned that he was a man full of love and passion. I wanted to share this with my family. Not many of us knew him before his life took a drastic turn in the 60's. I wanted to show his vitality and life as not many of us knew it. I started to write a book about him.

Being a camera geek I was also obsessed with the pictures he took. I love them, I want to publish them,. I want to show everyone how proud I am of him. I cherish the photos of my Bumpa on the deck of a Navy ship, smiling with camera in hand. I also wanted to find his cameras. I could find a replica of his cameras anywhere. I wanted HIS cameras. I wanted to pass those down with his images to the next generation in my family to let the legacy live on. And I wanted to put a photo of that camera on the book cover.

I'm taking this excerpt right out of an email I wrote... "From the second I started the project I knew that if I could get my hands on his camera from back then I'd put it on the cover of the book. This Christmas after believing that it was missing and gone for good for so long, my Mom came over with a giant box... In it was an old black trunk with a faded serial number and old rusted latches. I opened it up and just couldn't breathe... It was his camera. Every piece of the old camera was there. The old slide plates, the wooden tripod, everything. I felt like a hole was filled in my heart, an ache that I never thought would go away just vanished. A piece that I thought would be forever missing from the history of my grandfather, of our family, my history... it was sitting in my hands and I knew right then and there that the Universe said, "Liss, stop stalling... get off your butt and do this before more of the history is gone forever."

So after so many years it had come to me. Again, I held in my hand a gift that could not be ignored. Long ago I stood in that room with my Bumpa with a book in hand and with one sentence he gave me the push to look into his past, our past, our history.

"I didn't shoot back."

Everything came full circle and hit me all at once. All those years ago he gave me the answer, I just didn't know it at the time. He had a camera in his hands! He was wounded with a camera in his hands! Of course he was!

I held his camera in my hands and knew that my Mom made the right choice. I would tell his story because he asked me to. I could hold his camera in my hands because my Mom kept it safe for me (Thank you!!!!). And I would stop stalling because the signs were too obvious to ignore.

Full Steam Ahead.

To give...

2011-01-05T07:01:00.001-08:00

I asked you to tell me who in your life amazed you, humbled you. Who did something for someone else without ever wanting anything in return. Who did something that took such sacrifice but would not accept doing anything less?

I was amazed at how many people have heroes in their lives. There are people all around us that give rides when they themselves can't afford to pay bills. There are people you told me about who donated so much time to their church so they could pass out food to the families that needed it most. Then there were the stories of the young helping the elderly... These are all honorable things.

I thought it would be so hard to choose a person or family to honor until I received an email that left me in tears. I ached for the lady that wrote it. I cried because as a mom, the one thing the matters more than breathing is making sure your children get the most basic of things that most of us take for granted.

These basic things are safety, food, clothing, shelter, medicine and then maybe even proper schooling. This single mom of 3 girls was put in the worst of situations. By a series of events (that will rename nameless for the family's privacy) this mom lost her home and her babysitter for her children in the same day. Since she had no day care she lost her job. Since she had no job she had no money... We all know the snowball effect that happens in this situation.

When the school started to inquiry about the situation Mom told the secretary at the school that she had no job or transportation leaving out the most embarrassing of details of the situation. Well, the little one's reading teacher overheard this conversation and immediately called Mom to offer her help.

As you can imagine, as any of us might feel the same, Mom was too embarrassed to ask for the help she needed. The teacher left the phone number and told Mom to call no matter what. Mom tried to do her best in the tough situation she was in but it wasn't long before she realized that her money was running out and she would not be able to afford to take care of the one daughter that she still had living with her.

With a broken and humbled heart she called the teacher and told her that she had sent her two older daughters to live with friends, was living in a hotel and that she had no way to even look for another job, her money was running out and that she didn't think she could take care of the little one anymore. (As a mom, I used to be a single mom, this was a heart-wrenching point in the story.)

Enter our angel...

The teacher didn't skip a beat. "I'll come get your daughter, she can live with us, I'll take her to school every day. Don't worry, it'll be ok."

And it was ok. After this family of Mom and her 3 girls had endured the most terrible year together, had to split up in the end, they were now being brought back together by this teacher as she invited Mom and ALL THREE GIRLS to live with her and her husband and her three teenage children!

Angel you say? The story isn't over yet.

The teacher and her loving family treated Mom and her family like... family! :) The teacher bought the girls new clothes, hair cuts and even took them out to Six Flags. Mom knew none of this really mattered to her, all she wanted was her girls to have a safe home where they were protected, food to eat and a warm place to sleep. But the teacher gave the children all the things that children want and dream about and Mom was ecstatic to see smiles on their faces again.

The most important part of the story lies here... The teacher gave Mom her dignity back. Knowing that her girls were safe and cared for Mom was able to look for work. And with the help of her angel, found work and was able to start putting money away for her girls and all the things they needed. The teacher wouldn't take a penny in payment. Anyone who has a child knows that the last thing you want is a hand out, you want to do it yourself, you take pride in providing for them and the teacher gave Mom that feeling back.

So Mom was finally going to be on her own two feet again. She was able to save enough money to find a place to live. She moved out of the teacher's house with her girls feeling like she had been given the second chance of a lifetime. She would never forgot what this teacher and her family did so selflessly for them. The two families had become very close and stayed very close.

You think this angel stopped there? No, she didn't.

The teacher and her family helped Mom and the girls move. The teacher's family took up a collection in their neighborhood and raised over $300.00 cash for Mom so that she would have a little extra if she needed it now that she was on her own. The teacher's husband took it upon himself to find them a used (but working and much needed) washer and dryer set and delivered it to Mom.

The teacher's family, like every other family, has had a tough year financially. We all have. They still found it possible though to reach out to this family in need going way above and beyond what most of us would do. They carry with them not only the spirit of Christmas but the essence of our humanity. There is no family in this world I can think of that deserves more this gift of memories but, you know what? If I give them this gift they will give it to the family they helped so much this past year. So, that's why I'm making sure that they know that the family they helped is getting a free photo session too. That way they can't try to give it away. ;)

Oh, and it doesn't end quite yet. Right before Christmas the teacher picked Mom up and handed her $250.00 cash. She took Mom shopping for the girl's Christmas gifts. At the register she didn't even want Mom to use all the money she had given her and paid for a lot of it herself. Even though she had her own family to take care of.

I was walking the other day with a friend (who was also a teacher for many years) and discussing religion and good/evil... I was babbling as I usually do but I blurted something out to her that I feel is so appropriate right now... No matter what we believe we can all agree on one thing. It is within us to be Angels or Demons.

So that is why my 2010 Angel is the Browne Family from Ellington. My gift to you is the gift of memories of your family. Please accept it knowing that it doesn't feel good enough for an honor considering all you've done. Just know that when Mom told me the story I broke into little pieces but by the end, because of your family's actions, I was put back together again, healed as that mom was because of your love and your strength and your commitment. It's not often in this world we can say we saved someone... You gave one Mom her children back, you gave those girls their Mom back.

All other things aside... that alone tells me you are angels.

Long Lost Friend

2010-12-09T09:39:00.000-08:00

My best friend from Kindergarten was Sarah.

My heart broke when her family moved... We stayed in touch for a few years but time and distance and life kept us apart all this time.

So many childhood memories included her, I think of them every time I pass her old house.

20 years later and I couldn't be more happy to have found out she is married, has a beautiful little girl and she herself still has that wonderful laugh.

I missed you Sarah.

Howling Cheese

2010-11-29T08:22:00.000-08:00

As I'm sure you've heard, I'm offering gift certificates this year. Actually one of the first to take me up on it was my good friend, Winter. She knew that her friend was scheduling a session with me and so she jumped on the chance to give her friend a PRICELESS Christmas present. The gift of MEMORIES.

So here is the story of my day out with the Askintowicz family...

It all started with a "How much do I owe you?" and a "I have something for you"... some sneaky little lady, (much like a Mrs. Clause) somehow popped a little Christmas bag into my truck and inside was the Gift Certificate.

The smile in this photo is for Winter, because it is truly a GIFT to give.

Kathleen and her husband had the fabulous idea of taking the kids to the local Cut-Your-Own Tree Farm nearby. I was excited and honored to be invited along for a family tradition.

Wouldn't you know? The girls spotted this fantastic little tree that wasn't even as tall as them and they fell in love. I mean, there is a reason that the Charlie Brown Christmas tree is famous and loved the world over! So, we took the candy canes that we brought (pink and colorful because I KNOW these little women wouldn't have it any other way) and the girls decorated the tiny tree. They did a great job and got mom and dad to help too.

Now it was on to cutting down a tree for the house. Dad was taken away momentarily from his duties as "tree-cutter-downer" when the girls wanted to play hide-and-seek in between the trees. I don't think he would have had it any other way.

Caleigh running through the trees...

I especially love this one of little Mallory being surprised!

...and of course this one was cute with Daddy sneaking up on both girls!

Dad must have done a good job because his ladies approved.

Dad put the tree on the roof and Mom and the girls played in the grass.

And the girls thought that Dad did such a good job that he should have some fun too..

And here is what I've learned from a couple of precious little girls...

I feel like that little Christmas tree sometimes, I might be short, I might not have grown to my full potential but I am special, just like these little girls are, because other people love them.

Mallory and Caleigh took time to MAKE that little tree feel important. They loved it like no other tree in the lot and for a few moments in its life, it was the most beautiful tree that ever was... all because they made the effort.

So, if anything this holiday season... please, make the effort.

Teri and Joe at the Lake

2010-11-29T06:45:00.000-08:00

So, as the fall foliage has faded and the mornings get a bit chillier it is truly harder to convince people that OUTSIDE is still a good thing. I have no problem running around freezing or caked in mud or dripping with water because I've learned to handle it. MOST clients I work with can keep up, some (especially with little ones) I go easy on because although I have no problem with the weather, I will not be the one to make a child sick.

This thought goes along with pregnant women too. I know how capable a woman is even in the home stretch of pregnancy but I wouldn't want to force any woman to do more than she felt HERSELF capable of.

Introducing Teri... she is a wonder of a human being!

On a super foggy day with patches of rain earlier in the morning, the time came to decide whether to do the maternity shoot indoors or out at the lake where we had done another earlier in the year.

It was cold, it was damp... she said she was game. Whoo! Maybe she saw the gleam in my eye when I told her how amazing the lake looked or maybe she and Joe are just two nature freaks like myself and couldn't imagine being stuck in doors on such a fantastic morning.

We did a few shots in Joe's parent's house like this image here of Teri...

We didn't stick around long though. The dogs and trucks were packed up and off to the lake we went!

They wanted the dogs in the pictures and like kids, they only do what you want them to do when it's something they already thought of. LOL They were very good girls though!

And Teri is gorgeous! She looks GREAT for being 8 months pregnant and she had no problem hiking around the lake with us, I LIKE this lady!!!

Not to say I don't like Joe, I LOVE Joe! We had a great talk about dead stuff... Joe's father is a taxidermist. (Hopefully that clears up any morbid curiosity). And he LOVES his girl, so I like him even more. :D

When we were all done and I was packing up, Joe asked if he could give me a hand bring the gear back up to the truck. I said, "No thank you, I should be okay..." Teri piped up, " You are going to stick around longer and take pictures aren't you?"

See?! THEY GET IT!!!

Love them! And here are some images I took when they left which I will include in their gallery of images because as Joe put it, "It's my favorite place in the whole world".

Perfect Autumn Days

2010-10-14T07:21:00.000-07:00

So it seems that although I am busiest this time of year more than any other I am less available online. I feel that I am missing out on all of the goings-on that are plastered all over FB and whatnot but the truth of it is... having an online presence is never as important to me as actually being a photographer. Which I think means, actually TAKING pictures. So as I wrap up the wedding season and have jumped head first into Holiday family sessions I thought I'd post just a few recent images from my favorite time of year that I've taken in between jobs. :)

My New Site!

2010-08-12T23:25:00.000-07:00

So after a very very long time I finally broke down and got myself a print site. I shopped them all for 6 months and finally decided on SmugMug. I think it is pretty user friendly and frankly, if I want people to browse my images I'd like it to be as pain less as possible. So introducing a site where you can purchase all of the images you've been asking about.

http://flintprintsphotography.smugmug.com/

That is all... have a good night!

Film!!!

2010-08-12T22:04:00.000-07:00

I love film... there is something about that grainy texture that makes me feel like I'm going through a box of old images from my parent's past. *Sigh*

So I've been shooting film for some time now but I don't have the rolls developed too often. I don't label them so when it's time to bring them in I grab a handful from the fridge and it's a surprise! I never know what each roll will reveal. I kind of like that.

So I just developed 4 rolls and felt like sharing a few images. Note, there is no editing except resizing and watermarking... if that.

Enjoy!

Evalee on a Tara Farm Pony, Opening Day of the Coventry Regional Farmer's Market.

Thomas on a Tara Farm Pony, Opening Day of the Coventry Regional Farmer's Market.

Opening Day at the Coventry Regional Farmer's Market.

Sunrise shot at the Hale Homestead. Home of the Coventry Regional Farmer's Market.

Cassi at Valley Falls on a photo outing.

Standing in the middle of the stream. Valley Falls.

Aiden, Valley Falls Photo Outing.

Thomas, Valley Falls Photo Outing.

Buttonwood Farm Griswold, CT. Sunflowers for Wishes!

Millix Family Farm and Bakery

2010-08-12T21:29:00.000-07:00

Thank you to Laura Stone and Dot Drobney for photographing and interviewing Patricia Millix of Millix Farm and Bakery for another segment of the "Market Roots" photo project for the Coventry Regional Farmer's Market.

Thank you Patricia for welcoming our team members into your home. I heard that there was much that I missed and much that I should be jealous about! :)

I'm going to let the images speak for themselves so that you can all be just as envious as I am :) Enjoy the sneak peek and remember, as always, we are saving the best for last so stay tuned!

Wow, did I miss out on a great adventure!

Images taken by Dorothy Mattesen Drobney and Laura Stone, Post-Processing by Liss-Flint Tischofer of Flint Prints Photography for the Coventry Regional Farmer's Market.

Did you see the furnace?

2010-06-16T20:51:00.002-07:00

There are certain people that leave memories that no time can erase.

I miss my Bumpa (Grandpa). He was a character but we were never close. I wish he were here now though. I may not know exactly what happens when we leave this earth but I do believe he is watching over us. The book I'm writing about him is actually humorous considering every thing in the book is written about what I learned after he died. (that's another blog) The few things I did know about him were mostly amusing stories.

My family still jokes about how we didn't know if he'd make it to heaven since he was so particular about having the lights off to save energy. We thought he may just turn off that big light at the end of the tunnel and never find his way there! Or the time my dad joked on tape about my grandfather showing EVERYONE the new furnace during one of the picnics.... but Bumpa was proud.

Sometimes it's the little accomplishments in life that make you most proud. My grandfather was the one who nitpicked about every blade of grass in the yard and took such good care of every bulb and flowering plant here. Pride can be bad but not when you are proud of your hard day's work.

My Dad made fun of him but, guess what my dad does? He does the same thing! haha. He constantly calls me outside to look at the woodchuck, the sunset, the bird's nest, the way the light hits Fox Hill Tower... He is just as bad as his father! Sometimes we joke to my dad, "Hey, did you see the furnace?"

It's ok though. You know why? I wouldn't be a photographer if it weren't in my blood. If my grandfather wasn't a photographer or my mother, or if my whole family before me had not been artists... I would not be who I am. And guess what else? All of these photos in today's blog were taken because my father told me to come outside, "Melissa you've got to come see this!" He is proud of his property and finds the uniqueness in the natural world we live in. Look at what I would have missed!

He is the reason I "see" half of what I see. My Dad is not artistic but he sees beauty. He appreciates what is around him and he is proud of it. And he loves me enough to hand me the key to a beautiful image, a beautiful subject.

My father and I can bore others back into the house but we can stand outside in our yard and talk forever about the trees, the flowers, the bugs, the deer... everything. I love him for letting me babble about the world we live in and he babbles right back. He tells me how nice my pictures make our property look and all I can think to say is "I'm proud of it". I got that from him.

So I find myself showing people things around the yard when they come by. People can back that up (Nate). I show them the rhubarb and the Dome and the birch grove. Why? Because maybe it's the way our family is. We are proud of what we have, no matter how little it is. Even if my sisters look at me now and say "Hey, did you see the furnace?" Wow, they are so funny!

We find beauty in the simple things and treat what we have like it's gold. Nature, land, the animals... my Dad taught me that. And because he taught me that, I am raising my kids the same way. And today, this is what I want to thank him for.

So on that note I leave you with one final image. A once in a lifetime image. I'll never see this again and if it weren't for my dad I would never have known it was happening. Best part is, he was standing right there when I took this picture.

Happy Father's Day Dad and THANK YOU for raising me to appreciate this world we were given! Love you!!!!

"Did you see the furnace?!" LOL

Topmost Herb Farm

2010-06-03T10:52:00.002-07:00

Just when I think the people can't get better or the locations more beautiful... we make a trip to Topmost.

Amy, another volunteer photographer for the Coventry Regional Farmer's Market and Lexie, an intern for the Coventry Regional Farmer's Market joined me for a morning trip to visit a Farm known in the region for it's exceptional heirloom tomatoes.

Amy

Lexie

We all arrived separately but were all greeted the same. Carole's collie came out barking and met our cars then "escorted" us into the property.

We enjoyed ourselves very much. Carole made sure of that. She gave us a tour, served us some lovely sun tea and well... that lady has quite the sense of humor and I like that!

I cannot wait to see her again on Opening Day of the Coventry Regional Farmer's Market on Sunday. I hope you will be there. In the meantime, please take a minute to view the sneak peek images from our visit. :)

Visit Topmost Herb Farm online or any Sunday at the market!

"Topmost Herb Farm, a grower of medicinal and culinary herbs, located in Coventry, Connecticut, is owned and operated by Carole Miller. Herbs are grown without pesticides or commercial fertilizers. The plants owe their robust health and vigor to organic potting mix, seaweed and kelp mixtures, herbal plant teas for insect and disease control, and additions of farm generated compost. They are available at the greenhouse in 3 inch or quart pots during the growing season from May through September." -Topmost Herb Farm website.

I'm a little jealous of the hammock!

Cato Corner Farm

2010-06-01T09:03:00.001-07:00

Cato Corner Farm is full of wonderful things. Wonderful animals, wonderful scenery and of course, the most wonderful people in the world!

Flint Prints was granted permission to visit Cato Corner Farm and to get a behind the scenes view of the work that goes into the cheese making there! If you've ever eaten cheese from Cato... well let's just say, this opportunity was like watching them build a national monument! It's that special!

Here are a few sneak peeks from the visit.

Don't we look lovely? haha

I was very excited to have Natasha tag along as she is involved with the Coventry Regional Farmer's Market project as well but on the writing side of it. We are saving the best of the photos and all of the writing until the end of the project. Stay tuned because all of the writers are doing a great job! I can't wait to read about the farms in their voices.

Natasha even made a new friend.

Mark giving us a tour of the cheese cellar.

The babies... Awwww!

Maybe the friendliest cows yet!

Straight off the Cato Corner Farm website...

"Cato Corner Farm is a small family farm in Colchester, Connecticut, where the mother-son team of Elizabeth and Mark raises 40 free-range Jersey cows without the use of hormones or subtherapeutic antibiotics.

From our cows' raw milk, we hand make a dozen styles of aged farmhouse cheese ranging from mild and milky to runny and pungent to sharp and firm."

Thank you again to Cato Corner Farm for welcoming us to your gorgeous location. We are looking forward to seeing you at Opening Day at the Coventry Regional Farmer's Market!

Sleepy Moon Soaps 4/08/2010

2010-05-04T10:33:00.000-07:00

Winter doesn't just do an amazing job organizing the Coventry Regional Farmer's Market and make AMAZING Sleepy Moon Soaps, she is an AMAZING person as well. No one will find it surprising that she lives in an AMAZING fairy tale land.

Did I mention it's AMAZING?

Anyone that has ever been to her home is blown away by the beauty of the property. I may never find a way to portray in my images how gorgeous it really it is. Here is a sneak peek of my visit, but remember, the best are yet to come!

I fell in love with the little details... the intricate design of the door handle and the old grinding wheel are just a few.

Sigh... can I move in now?

OH BUT WAIT! What special surprise lay across the street? Bailey's Ravine...

And below is just one small section of the ravine... It's one heck of a hike to the top but oh so worth it!

Winter offers soap making classes but they fill up fast so if you'd like to sign up for one you better keep your eyes and ears open! You can find Sleepy Moon Soaps here at Local Harvest or here at Coventry Regional Farmer's Market where you are sure to find Winter herself... working her butt off. :)

Thank you Winter for sharing this (yes I'll say it once more) AMAZING place with me! I can't wait to get out to see it again soon!

Rich Valley Farm/ Susan Parks Soap 4/21/2010

2010-05-04T06:29:00.000-07:00

While trying to make it out to see Susan of Rich valley Farm, we were finally able to meet up on a day that fell on my kid's school vacation. Susan said, "Bring them both up, they are more than welcome!" This is the way Susan is. They hold open houses at the farm so that grown ups and children of any age can get a hands on experience with the goats of Rich Valley Farm.

Here are a few sneak peeks of the farm.

Here is a photo of Susan leaning over the balcony and talking to my boys.

Susan stated that as they drove by this property they saw the boulders on the front field and thought "Wow, the goats would love those". Sure enough they bought the property and guess what... the goats love them!

A sneak peek at the most gorgeous barn I may have ever seen! Three floors of space with a cool basement where the female goats find shelter in the summer, a second floor work shop and garage and an attic with storage space and enough room to hold the hay AND a ping pong tournament!

How do they move all that hay? Well they have a dumb waiter elevator system! Didn't I tell you? This barn rocks!

Here they are the beautiful lady goats of Rich Valley Farm!

They were all pregnant at the time of our visit and I just heard off the newsletter that one of the girls gave birth to FOUR kid goats!!! I hope I make it out there again soon!

This is a view of the barn from the driveway, the boy goats' barn is there on the side and in the middle on the bottom is where the pond is being constructed. It's going to be beautiful!

Goat milk soaps, egg yolk soaps, cocoa butter lip balm, farmers’ lotion, all-natural bug repellant “Bug Buster”

Rich Valley Farm can be found in Stafford Springs, CT. Go to www.susanparks.com or
www.richvalleyfarm.com

You can also find them at the Coventry Regional Farmer's Market of course!

Hurricane Farm 4/14/2010

2010-05-03T12:02:00.000-07:00

This has to be the most inspirational location I've been to yet!

Wouldn't it be nice to know where your food comes from? From veggies grown to meat raised to honey and sap collected right outside your door... Erica from Hurricane Farm knows what she feeds her kids!

Here is a sneak peek at a farm which will inspire the "greenest" individuals out there!

Little tiny chicks and turkeys! A giant room full and Erica's husband makes chicken coops so you can get the coop and the chickens from the same place!

He also made the "sugar shack" where they boil sap. An outdoor boiling room! What could be better??

C'mon, you can't tell me this guy isn't adorable?

Ok ok... Erica is pretty adorable herself! Here she is with a new little lamb Vera!

Hmmm... here I am being nibbled on by two calves. Noticing a trend yet? LOL

You can find them at Coventry Regional Farmer's Market.

You can also find Erica and Hurricane Farm at www.localharvest.org/farms/M23866

Grass-fed beef, pork, kielbasa, chicken, turkey, maple syrup, berry-infused vinegar, eggs, woolzees (travel mug insulators), Green Cloths (cloth paper towels), wool watch bands, chicken coops, rabbit hutches, raspberries, strawberries, beans, eggplant, garlic, kale, peas, spinach, tomatillo, tomatoes, basil, parsley.

Ladies of Levita Road 4/08/2010

2010-05-03T11:14:00.000-07:00

The Ladies of Letiva Road! What fabulous ladies they are!

It was an extremely warm day when I arrived at the farm. Kim of Ladies of Levita was nice enough to show me around, despite the heat and show me all the ins and outs of facility. She made a point to tell me that although the baby calves are cute she, like most dairy farmers, loves to see a healthy old girl just as much, or maybe more, than the little calves. Un-fortunetly the heat kept the old gals indoors under the fans so the photo opportunity was not there but no worries Kim! I'll be back!

Here are a few sneak peeks of the calves and the Ladies of Levita!

While Thomas played with Kim's daughter and she showed him all things cow related, Kim was nice enough to show me the milking room.

And introducing the stars of the show... the Ladies of Levita!!

Ok, one more image of one of the darling calves because they really are cute. Look at that pink nose!

And it's not a true photo shoot unless I'm being nibbled on by some cute little animal as you can see again by this adorable calf trying to gum my jeans! I say, it's a good day if I leave smelling of hay, manure and am completely covered in animal drool!

The Ladies of Levita are located in Lebanon, CT. They provide pasteurized milk, yogurt, butter, fresh and ripened cheeses. You can find the Ladies of Levita Road at the Coventry Regional Farmer's Market!

Beltane Farm 3/31/2010

2010-05-03T07:54:00.001-07:00

It was a chilly day right after we got drenched by those massive downpours that flooded the entire state. Paul from Beltane Farm was kind enough to allow not just myself but my son as well to tour the gorgeous property. Here are some behind the scenes photos and a couple sneak peeks of Beltane Farm. Thank you Paul and tell the animals that Thomas and I said thanks too! We hope to see you soon as our project takes us out to Beltane Farm again for another season's shoot for the Coventry Regional Farmer's Market!!!

From the rustic barn to the giant animal pens, to the beautiful pond it was a paradise of sorts... for those that like that sort of thing. I like that sort of thing. My son likes that sort of thing as well. :)

We were welcomed not just by Paul but by the enormous "herd" of goats, the turkey that kept us in eye shot, the loving calves that wanted to come out and walk with Paul around the pond for their evening stroll and let's not forget the barn cat. The cat made sure we knew how loved we were because when we tried to leave, the cat climbed into the car with us. Well kitty, we didn't want to leave!! Beltane Farm has donkeys, chickens a pony as well and I'm sure I'm forgetting some thing!

This little girl grabbed onto the string of my jacket, smeared my lens and then tried to swallow the string! It was cute but made me rethink my attire when near goats.

The gardens were beautiful and filled with daffodils, the tasting house, not open yet for the season, stood next to an evergreen path that led to the pond where a quaint swing hung from a tree that sat on it's edge. Bird houses and ornamental garden pieces gave the property such character but were nothing compared to the two old porcelain bath tubs surrounded by a stone wall that sat side by side behind the greenhouse that looked out over the property.

Beltane Farm makes a variety of artisanal, farmstead goat milk cheese on the farm in Lebanon, Connecticut. Please visit them on their website, http://www.beltanefarm.com/ or at the Coventry Regional Farmer's Market!

Calling all Photogs!!

2010-04-28T06:17:00.000-07:00

If you have been following the Coventry Regional Farmer's Market's pages or my blog you will already know that Flint Prints is involved in a year long project to photograph the members of the Coventry Regional Farmer's Market.

This is quite an honor but I can not do it myself! The list of amazing vendors is overwhelming and I could honestly spend days at each location and not even eat or sleep! I need other like minded volunteers to help photograph all the opportunities that will be given us throughout the course of this project. Even if you do not live near Coventry, it's ok, not many of the vendors do either and they are scattered throughout the state.

I need people who:

1. Own their own camera equipment and shoot in RAW

2. Have their own transportation

3. Like to work with people and are respectful of other's property

4. Are not afraid of animals or mud!

5. Are able to send the unedited images via internet or snail mail to me.

Any photographer that is interested please contact me on FB or at LissFlint@gmail.com. I can answer questions and give more info that way. Even if you are only able to give a couple days in the course of the year or want to volunteer monthly your help will be appreciated!

And in any case, please remember that the CFM's opening day is June 6th and we hope you will join us! It's shaping up to be one heck of an event!

Coventry Regional Farmer's Market

2010-04-14T06:51:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again. The farmers are prepping soil, planting seeds and watching them slowly poke out of the ground. The newborn animals are everywhere, covering farms with fuzzy little chicks, bouncing kids goats and newborn calves. The trees are blossoming in the orchards (maybe this year a little TOO early), and are about to bring forth a harvest of delicious eats. And there are artisans all over the state gathering stockpiles of wonderful crafts and wares for you to enjoy!

It is officially spring. I'm officially EXCITED! As a photographer, the newly blossoming trees and tiny baby animals always provide fabulous photo opportunities but this year I'm even more excited because I've been asked to help out the Coventry Regional Farmer's Market in a year long project to photograph their members. The market wants to give you a look behind the scenes so that you can get to know the vendors and see all the hard work that goes into this huge event.

Although the list of great vendors is overwhelming in number, the opportunity to meet all of these awesome people and visit their gorgeous homes and farms is something I could not pass up. I wish I could post photos on this blog right now but we have big plans in store for them and you'll just have to keep on eye on the FlintPrints blog, Flint Prints FB fan page and the Coventry Regional Farmer's Market's site and fan page to find out when they will be released.

I'm going to steal a blurb right off their own website to tell you in their own words what they are all about...

Offering Connecticut-grown produce, as fresh as it gets, delicious things to eat, artisan ware, entertainment, and sustainable-living programs...the Boston Globe calls the Coventry Regional Farmers’ Market "one of the top ten things to do in New England this weekend."

This is the market you want to make it to this year. Not only will you find the best in produce and crafts but I think it may just be the most inviting group of people I've ever met. Focusing on healthy, locally grown food and support of the local business and farmers, Coventry Regional Farmer's Market is not a shopping trip, but a destination!

Please mark your calendar for June 6th. Opening day of the Coventry Regional Farmer's Market will again be at the Nathan Hale Homestead in Coventry with all the produce and handmade wares and many family friendly activities and live entertainment to celebrate the kick off of the season.

Please feel free to check out photos from the past seasons at the market in the Flickr pool put together by another of the market's wonderful volunteer photographers Dot Drobney.

I hope to see you all there!

State Line Pond

2010-03-25T09:21:00.000-07:00

I absolutely LOVE this place and have to say it is my favorite all time fishing hole! I may not catch many fish there but it's always beautiful, always good for photographs and come on, half the fun of fishing is just hanging out. My husband and I took a few trips in the past few years there and I'm always happy I bring my camera.

Yes, I bring my DSLR in the canoe.

This one particular time, which was most memorable, I discovered I have a great talent for catching big pickerel. They are beautiful and I wish I had photos to show off but as the nasty creatures they are... they broke through the line both times, heck, could have been the same fish twice. My husband has since restrung my pole with a stronger line.

Although I have no great photos to show off I know my husband was happy I had my camera too. I was able to document this largemouth he caught with a black speckled rubber worm near the mouth of the incoming stream. I am so proud of him, that was one BIG fish!

Stone Age

2010-03-17T07:06:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we were all bummed out that the rain was coming and the gorgeous spring weather was going back with the groundhog to hide again. No one really paid any attention to the weather here as we went about our usual rainy day activities and put the kids to bed Saturday night. Luckily for us what happened did so far enough away from us that no one was hurt, but just close enough to really ruin our weekend!

So, we woke up Sunday morning to no electricity which meant no heat or hot water and no running water since we have a well. Great.

So, after some initial grumbling and scrambling to get breakfast without opening the fridge and not being able to cook anything... ??? (That went well) We then decided to get some DnD to save us from our caffeine withdrawal and get a warm breakfast.

Then we realized why it sucks to have such a long driveway surrounded by woods.

So, here we were, no heat, no electricity, no hot water, no running water and NO WAY TO GET COFFEEEEEEEE! We had no other exit from our property! It felt like Doomsday!

We were lucky enough that my sister and her husband and kids drove up to a side street and we packed up our bags and Wii and trooped through the woods to her awaiting cars so they could bring us to her house where we were able to have running water and heat and showers and Wiiiiiii!!! Thank you guys!!!!

2010-02-26T06:47:00.001-08:00

In the rain... the freezing, pelting, stinging rain... I was so happy!

I'm always willing to get dirty for a shot and this was no exception. I went out yesterday to capture the gloominess and not surprisingly it made me calm, comforted and completely at peace. I'm happiest when wandering, exploring and enjoying the wonderful nature around me. Even when the weather is nasty. Especially when the weather is nasty because I know that not many people will be out there shooting.

It's me in my element in the elements.

Please view on my Flickr