a great read

Possibly the best book..............................................ever! I absolutely loved this book and couldn't put it down. It's a quick read, but very interesting in it's approach. I LOVED it!!! Run out and get it. Great read for spring break! xo

new location

Recently I tried out some new locations for my modern teen shoot. Love the way the sunlight hits under the bridge. The railroad tracks were a little scary-need to make sure my schedule is correct before shooting again!

speechless

I..........am...........speechless.

Here I am being a bit selfish lately, worrying about how my family forgot my birthday this year....wallowing really........only to find out that a friend of mine who thougtht she'd out smarted cancer...........hasn't.

Puts a few things in perspective.

And reminds me that no matter what "level" your friendship is with someone, a phone call can make all the difference in the world.

Remember to call those you love, hug those you care about, and tell someone you love them often. Life really is too short.

delicious waffles

Spring is finally in the air here in the Northeast. It was an epic weekend as far as weather goes, and also for the waffles we made.

Recently, I purchased some lavender honey. I have thought about making something with it for awhile, but was not sure what to do with the sweetly scented nectar so it just sat on the shelf. I came across a recipe marrying lavender and lemon and thought I could also include some raspberries, blueberries and strawberries as well. A recipe was building. Here's what I came up with:

Lemon Waffles with Mixed Berry Compote and Lavender Whipped Cream.

The flavors were so subtle, yet delicious and spring-like. Here are the details:

Use any home made waffle recipe. I use the one in the red and white checked Betty Crocker cookbook. It has you separate the egg yolks, whip up the egg whites and fold in for extra fluffy waffles. The only variation is I add a tsp of good vanilla, and 1 1/2 tsp of lemon extract.

For the lavender whipped cream I heated the honey because it had crystallized a bit. I let it cool , then whipped heavy cream in a cold bowl in high adding about 2 tbsp sugar and 1 or 2 tbsp of the lavender honey. You definitely should taste as you go. Keep in fridge until ready to use.

For the berry compote I added 1/2 cup each: blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries with 2 tbsp sugar and 1/4 cup water and simmered until berries were soft.

To serve: make waffle and plate, spoon compote, add berries and use some fresh maple syrup, slightly heated. Then add whipped cream and eat. DELICIOUS!

Serve with champagne topped with splash of ST. Germain liqueur.

chilean wine

Two weeks ago, we finally bottled our first wine. It is a blend of Chilean syrah and malbec. And it's pretty good......it's nice to see the work paying off. We really enjoy every aspect of wine-making. From the punching down of the grapes, to the pressing of the juice, to the testing of the wine (and of course tasting along the way!), it is an amazing journey that doesn't end when you bottle.....you are able to remember the journey each time we open a bottle and share it with those we care about.

new project

I am working on a new project: The Modern Teen. Todays teens are not really kids anymore, but not quite adults either. They have personality and their own idea of what is artful. Unfortunately all too often they are "stuck" with a portrait based on locations that are more suitable for young children and families.


For the Modern Teen, I use locations and settings that create an urban, modern feel and include things that your teen feels is important. By including what your teen is passionate about I am able to tell a story in my photographs. Is it the guitar? Is it skate boarding? Swimming? Horsback riding? Using these things, I compose a photograph that really speaks about the subject: them!


To get my portfolio started, I have reserved a small number of photo sessions exclusively for teens age 14-17, within the Fairfield County, CT area. If you have a son or daughter and you are interested in a free photo session please email me. The session will last approximately 1 1/2 hours. For your time, you will receive a $25 gift card to be used for prints, gallery wrapped canvases or the latest for high school seniors: the senior announcement card-this new trend is sweeping high schools throughout the country. You can see a sample below:



To see see samples of my work please go to my website.

spring is in the air

I know it's been awhile since I've posted. There's been a lot cooking here, but I can't say I have a ton to show for it. Last year, we promised the kids that we'd get their rooms organized, painted and freshened up....so I guess that's what I've been focusing on-and getting my photography business off the ground. I have the website up and running: www.shawnkahalphotography.com Stop by and take a look. I am booking already for spring and hope to be really busy snapping beautiful, smiling faces.