LaPierre's family photos

For many people, taking family pictures is something that can be pushed down the list of priorities. Scheduling can be difficult to coordinate between mom and dads and the kids schedules.  I had the opportunity to photograph the LaPierre family in January.  Deon was traveling out of the country on a regular basis and so they wanted to have updated family pictures because you never know when something can happen to a family member.  I had photographed their family a few years ago and they were due for updated pictures.

We went to a park on a beautiful Saturday afternoon and we were able to get some great family pictures.  As we took various poses and groupings, I could see Karin, the mom, getting more and more tired as our time progressed but we just brushed it off.  On Sunday, she laid down to take a nap and her husband couldn't wake her up.  He ended up taking her tot he emergency room where her blood pressure was dangerously low.  Deon ha been scheduled to leave the country on a work trip earlier in the day, but his trip was unexpectedly canceled.  The doctors were able to stabilize Karin's blood pressure and she was sent home.  She ended up back in the er the following week with blood pressure that was extremely high.  This time she was admitted to the hospital and eventually ended up being diagnosed with thyroid cancer.  Surgery was finally scheduled and she had to have her thyroid removed.  With everything going on with her health, we weren't able to meet to go over their pictures.  Finally, after several months she is now a cancer survivor and their pictures were delivered.  Take the time to enjoy your family, you never know what curves life will throw your way.

Harman Ruth

Meet Harman Ruth, he was born July 4,1846 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and he's my great, great grandfather. He served in the Civil War in the 10rth Pennsylvania regiment, entering the war as an under aged young man.  After the war, he married Kate Vandergrift, had about 8 children (we're working on verifying his children, our records have some errors) worked as a farmer and moved west.

I love this picture, but to me it's a little dark.  I'd like to be able to see some of the details in his face. So I lightened it up and I really like the way it turned out.

 I have been learning about my family and through the wonders of technology, I have been able to meet some distant cousins.  Harman has been a man that has created confusion in our family because different records show different first names.  Some records show Herman and others show Harman.  One of my goals is to try and correct errors in my family history, but I was stumped which name was correct.  Finally, an answer was found when I was researching old newspapers. I found an article in the Montana Roundup newspaper dated November 16, 1933 in which Harman actually answers the question.  The article says "He is sensitive about his name. Most people insist, he declares, on calling him 'Herman'.
It isn't 'Herman.' It's 'Harman, no 'e' in it. And the middle initial is Y, don't forget that."

Here's to Harman Ruth.  I can't wait to discover more history about my ancestors and along the way maybe find more pictures that I can restore.  It has a special meaning when it's your own family you're working on.

Father's Day

Pictures are a great way to preserve family history, showing our posterity how we lived.  We are able to capture moments in time that will be forever etched in our memories and those those times and stories at later times.  Father's day is the opportunity to show our dad's how much we love and appreciate them.  Often times, the pictures we have of our dads are faded, damaged or just need some tender loving care to restore them to their original quality.

The dad is Ed Kaye and his son Derek.  The picture was taken about 1988 when Derek about about 1 year. The smiles on their faces show the love they have for each other.  Fast forward to present day, Derek looks so much like his dad and now Derek has a son of his own that he can create new memories of his own.

Removing the shadows gave the picture a whole new life and brought the focus to their faces.  One dad will be receiving a special father's day gift.

Happy Father's day to dad's everywhere.  If you have photos you want restored and brought back to life, please contact me at cherisphotos10@gmail.com for a quote.

Prom

Prom season is an exciting time of year for most high school students.  I love the pictures of Jonathan.  I've know him since he was a little boy and now he is so grown up.  He looks so handsome in his tux. Hope you have a great time!

Arne Hendrickson

Family history is something that has become more important to me as I've gotten older.  One of the regrets I have is that I didn't take advantage of opportunities I had to learn more about the lives of my grandparents while they were alive.  Both sets of grandparents lived through the depression and lived hard lives.  They also saw some amazing advances in the world during their lives.  Think about the changes the world has experienced in the past 100+ years. I remember my grandpa reciting a poem about a purple rose and I heard it so many times that I stopped listening.  Now I would love to be able to share that poem with my children and help them learn more about their ancestors.

I have worked on my own family history from time to time.  I've had some information given to me and I always say that I need to sort through it and find out what I really have.  I have found some gems for my ancestors through the internet and I'm very grateful for that information.  So imagine my surprise when I'm looking at familysearch.org and I see a wedding picture of my great great grandparents.  I didn't remember ever seeing the picture and so I contacted the person who submitted the picture.  It was in pretty good shape, but there was some wear on it and I wanted to make it look better.  What a thrill it was today to receive the file, and I couldn't wait to work on it.  While I love working on other people's family pictures, there is a special feeling when it's your own family. So here's Arne Hendrickson and Gustava Martinson and there were married about 1888 in Norway.

Do you have any old or damaged photos that you want preserved or restored, contact me at cherisphotos10@gmail.com for a quote.
 

Unexpected Surprise

I had the opportunity of being one of two photographers for the Evergreen State Fair in Monroe, WA last August.  It was an amazing experience and afterwards I submitted some of my favorite photos for a fair photographer contest.  I didn't hear anything and so I thought that I didn't do very well.  So fast forward to April 2014 and I've been hired to be the photographer for the Spring Festival at the Fairgrounds.   had to take my contract out to the fairgrounds and while I was there I was looking at the pictures in the display case.  I realized that one was mine so I started looking a little closer and that was when I saw the little blue ribbon on the information card.  I took a minute for me to comprehend that the picture I took of my little girl won a blue ribbon.  My boss thought he had told me but he hadn't.  Seeing that ribbon completely made my day.

Here's the story behind the picture.  I took my 2 youngest to the fair and they wanted to try and win a stuffed animal.  They choose to throw darts, even though neither of them had ever done it before.  Laura popped the balloon with the very first dart, I was shocked.  She couldn't wait to pick the red and pink giraffe, she still loves that little animal.  I love the joy that is showing in her face. 

I can't wait to take pictures this weekend and hopefully I'll be able to capture the joy and excitement for the people at the festival.

Fanny Elizabeth Dudfield

I love hearing the stories behind the pictures that I'm asked to work on.  We all have our own personal and family histories and we never know when we may find a connection with someone.  I had restored some pictures as a surprise, and when the new pictures were given as a gift, the mom went and pulled this picture and asked me if I could fix it.  Her daughter had never seen the picture and so a dialogue was opened up about family history.  Oral histories have been a way of passing down stories from one generation to another, and hopefully at one point the stories will be written down to be preserved.

Here's the before:

And the after: