Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Alexandra Elizabeth

Alexandra is my first born daughter.

She is four months away from turning 18 and venturing out into the real world. Next month she will graduate from high school and enter the world of higher learning, making money and paying her own bills, sort of.

She has been a blessing to me since the day I found out I was pregnant with her. Together we have been through good times, bad times, hard times and easy times. We have sung, danced, cried, and most of all laughed together. She turned from Allie into Alix (which I'm told is how the last Queen of Russia spelled her name) and became a clever hilarious adult at some point when I must have been looking at something else.

Over the last 17 years I've watched my little "Hootsie-Tootsie" grow from a little powerhouse in dress-up clothes with unlimited energy into a strong and determined young woman. I'm not going to lie and say it was always easy and these teen years have almost killed me, but we're making it.


Alix


Alix is an artist, writer, dancer, and humorist.

When Al was 15 she enrolled in OCC's photography program. She was the youngest student in the program and got an A in the class. This was all film and darkroom work. Since then she was taken graphic art in photoshop, and digital photography.

Below are a few images she took of her sister Amanda and Chelsea, her best friend since 5th grade. Her assignment was to use filters and photo editing tools. I thought they were pretty cool images and wanted to share them. I really like that she shoots and edits differently than I do. I like that we have always been so much alike and so very different all at the same time.
















I'm super excited to see what happens in Alix's life over the next 17 years!

I love you Baby girl!

7 comments:

  1. Hi Kelley,

    Nice to see another posting from you and one that’s close to your heart. As you say bringing up kids is never easy and those teenage years filled with angst and rebellion are hard but I’m sure it’ll be nice to get through the other side of them and see your daughter become the adult. I can empathise with your words – my step daughter is 18 in July this year.

    Alix certainly has a natural artistic flair both graphically & photographically – my favourite has to be the first mono image from the selection you’ve shared. Is this what she’s pursuing into college?

    Kind regards,

    David

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  2. Hi Kelley,
    there is nothing quite like photographing those you love, especially when they co-operate1 Great series of shots here Kelley. I especially like the '70's' one with the flare and the yellow tinited one. Just fab and a great subject record for later years...

    Alexandra has a flare for it, does she take after her Mum? I think so...

    Thanks for posting

    All the best
    Noel

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  3. Thanks for you comments guys! Alix was planning on going to beauty school in the fall. She even won a 3,000 scholarship this year. This week she announced she no longer wants to pursue that because she fears it lacks substance. LOL. SO, on to junior college to study philosophy and sociology. I know in my heart she'll never be happy without some form of art in her life. I love the pictures she takes of her sister because they have a view of "equality" as a person-interesting.

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  4. Yet again a wonderful read Kelley.
    I always find your posts not only get me thinking but also have a calming feel to them. This is definitely one of your strengths.

    I wonder...have you ever thought about offering 'documentary' photography to your clients? What I mean by this is photographing a child/family member on a regular basis over a period of time and then producing a book of some kind which says by the images you've taken what and who that person is. Thinking about it, how wonderful would it be to be able to provide a client with that kind of 'keeo sake' when in years to come they can look back through a series of beautiful photographs showing their loved one doing all things that they enjoyed in their life...priceless!!

    Just a thought but being a regular reader of your blog I feel that you have a real talent for documenting people.

    Glyn

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  5. Hmmm, Glyn, that was a wonderful comment. I need to think about that. I think what it is with me is a passion for people and who they are? Maybe? I've never really been one who tries to make people fit into my view of who I think they are but one who is fascinated by who they are on their own. As a parent its a fine line of directing a child in the way they should go, while nurturing who they were designed to be...

    PS Alix approved of the post :-)

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  6. I think Alix is just like her Mum. A pssion for seeing what people are in themselves - you do this with your photography and Alix will with her philosophy and sociology. Philosophy is fascinating; if Plato or Socrates were alive today I am sure they would be photojournalists with a bit of the Green Party thrown into the mix.

    Giving direction as a parent is very tricky, but you seem to be doing a good job, Kelley (and Steve)

    slainte
    Noel

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