The Grass *Is* Greener

Reesie and Daddy mowing lawn

Summer seems to have arrived.

My little boy watches out the window as I mow the lawn yelling, “Daddy, Daddy, non newew!”(that somehow means lawnmower).

So we bought him a toy lawnmower. When I got back from work we “mowed the lawn” (My lawnmower was off, so no parenting advice thanks).

Adrienne and I took some photos and I used the “Dooce/Blurbomat Method” to make them ‘dreamy'(as in dream-like, not 1950’s girl-talk for cool).

I am normally a little uncomfortable manipulating photos in Photoshop in ways I couldn’t do in the darkroom. I guess I worry that it is somehow “cheating”.

This arbitrary line really only leaves me dodging, burning, cropping (I almost never crop for some reason), and upping the saturation a little bit. Since I can’t defend this former photographic position in any way I am going to get a little more experimental I think.

If you know how to do this in the darkroom please tell me.

Reesie and Daddy mowing lawn

6 responses for The Grass *Is* Greener

  1. Martin says:

    It is refreshing to finally see a picture of quintessential Americana, your Amish connection notwithstanding. A father and son enjoying the simple pleasure of pretending to cut grass is a timeless image – made MORE timeless my modern technology. The irony is that such a seen would occur in Utah of all places. Well you know what they say – you live long enough, you’ll eventually see everything. (j/k) Seriously, that looks like fun and it’s nice to see Adrienne make a cameo. I assume your grass is not quite THAT green, but it still looks like a lawn to be proud of. Reese is adorable and appears quite active and agile. Also it’s encouraging that Reese is calling you Daddy.

  2. josh says:

    Are you accusing me of using lawn steroids!

    My lawn competes in the drug-free division thank you.

    (Ok, I may have pumped the green just a touch in photoshop, you caught me).

    Oh, and I have already had one person ask me, “Your lawn mower wasn’t running was it?!”

  3. adrienne says:

    The reason you almost never crop is that you have a freakish ability to naturally frame every picture perfectly, so that you never need to crop. The only reason you cropped here (and you know this is true but you were too nice to say it) is that I took all the pictures with you and Reese in them, and I have NO ability to compose an interesting picture.

  4. Martin says:

    Adrienne, simply because others do not realize the sly genius of your photography, and thus are compelled to crop it, does not invalidate the artist (you) but the rather the critic. (Josh) I think what you mean to say is that life is not always interesting or neatly framed. Your photographic style is bold enough to embrace the dull, harsh, reality of Central Utah suburbs. You challenge the observer to analyze your statement, rather than to simply gaze upon a loud, obvious, quaint portait of innocent bliss. Think of you self as the anti-Ansel Adams. (That’s a fun phrase!) Or rather to make you feel better – the anti-Thomas Kincade.

  5. Norah says:

    I think you have the cutest little boy I have ever seen.

  6. Nancy says:

    I’m going to agree with Norah on this one. Your son is cute.