Crowd Fund Raising

My children have organized a fund raiser to help me with the cost of cancer, of not being able to work, for day to day expenses, and eventually to move into my own place. More than anything.... I want to be independent again. I want to live in my own little house with Logan and the dog. I want to go to work everyday. I want to take people pictures and make $$$ while I do. I want to finish college..... but my life is on hold.

First, I have to be cancer-free. I have to be well again. I can do this. I can. I can. Just not today. Not yet and I need help until I can reach the level of independence again.

If you read this--and I doubt I have very many people following me here--please, share the go fund me link with your family and friends. Please. The more shares we get, the more people it will reach and the more chances there are that we will raise the amount of money we need to achieve our goals.

Thank you.

GOFUNDME Link :-)

 The Boy. The Mom. And the dog.

Thank You!

Pink For Breast Cancer Awareness

We all wore pink t-shirts for breast caner awareness month and went out to try and get some fotos of us as a family. 

I had to turn the camera over and let other family members shoot a few times. I can be very picky about what is worthy to post and most of the other fotos just didn't make the cut. I have a lifetime of photo making experience. The others were only humoring me.

Here are a few that I like.

Last Day of Summer in Riverdale, Utah

School started over a week ago for El Jay, but Labor Day was a holiday and we all stayed home. For me, Labor Day weekend marks the end of Summer each year. I do not go out often--it just takes so much energy--however, it seemed important to do something and to take pictures of us doing something. 

Close to home and free were two of the requirements. We decided the Riverdale Splash Pad would be a good choice. This park in Riverdale with the splash pad would make an excellent location for a family or child photo shoot. 

Check out the fun EL Jay had.

Jeddy & Delaney came along on our adventure and they brought something they enjoy doing which would also give them an interesting prop. When I do sessions I always encourage my clients to bring props. I have to admit that the hula-hoop was a bit of a challenge to get the timing right--but I'm glad to say that I did learn a few things about motion on this shoot.

An Offer You Can't Refuse

 I've said this before, but I have breast cancer. Plus, life has been complicated. I now live in Riverdale, Utah. I've  had to put photography on hold, but I am ready now to persue one of the things i love to do most. Take pictures. Specifically, portraiture.

The following is an offer from me:

Dear Utah Family and Friends,

I am giving away FREE mini-foto sessions. I need to get out of the house and do things and taking pictures is my forte. I need to find good foto locations. I need to meet people. And I need to decide if opening a photography business in Utah is what I want to really do. I need your help.

This is what I am offering.

1)      One (1) hour of on location photography. Could be an individual (baby, child,  adult—anyone, any age.) Could be a couple, family or a group—preferably fewer than eight individuals. It could even be a session with a pet—or include your pet in a session.

2)      You will receive a CD (or supply me with a USB-drive) with 6 to 8 edited images and the printing rights to those pictures. (If you want to buy all of the unedited images from the photo session—approx. 25-35 jpg files—you may purchase them for $35. If you would like additional edited images they are $15 each.)

3)      I will go to a location of your choice. I am willing to travel as far North as Logan, Utah and as far South as Mapleton. East and West is limited by the mountains and Great Salt lake. I am letting you pick the location because I want to discover the best photo locations in Utah.

I am limiting the number of sessions to twelve (with only one (1) per family) and they must be taken between September 1, 2014 and October 16, 2014. I may decide to schedule more photo sessions starting October 25^th, but I may not be able to promise to have those images processed in time to print for Christmas. 

Please feel free to contact me (Tina Gardner) either privately on Facebook or email me at gardner@unm.edu to set up your free photo session.  You may share this with your own  family and friends.

Thank You!

 Candid images of EL Jay with Beardo and Emma with Beardo taken while in Monterey. Beardo is Emma's furbaby--thus my furgrandbaby. Beardo is a tiny, spirited tough dog who loves to play with My Little Ponies and act macho. He was recently attacked by a pittbull and survived.

 El Jay at our favorite beach on the Monterey Peninsula--Lover's (of Jesus) Point.

A Journey Back into My Past

All of these images were scanned from portraits I took. 

I took most of them between the ages of 16 and 18--back in the 70's.

I made the self-portrait of myself with my then fiance in July 1983--at age 21. I made the last picture in this group in about 1987--at age 25. 

I am a classically trained film photographer who fell in love with digital photography and haven't looked back yet. I post these to show that even as a teen I had natural talent and earned skills as a photographer.  

I discovered photography at the age of seven. 

I knew then what I wanted to do with my life. I knew back then that I really was good at what I dreamed of doing. 

Just Sayin'

A saying a day keeps you smiling. A few of my images I that I attached quotes to.

A Bra Named Indigo

A BRA NAMED INDIGO. 

Some of you may follow my blogging at The Sisterhood of the Traveling Bras. It began as a simple photo project for a class and a little bit of a protest and was a lot about ME and where I was in my life five or so years ago....but it was not about breast cancer. This little projectt grew into something else with a mind of it's own. And then.... I discovered a lump in my right breast and everything changed. 

I don't think I had a choice. I doubt the Sisterhood would have let me pretend life was normal and fine. The girls declared we would document my cancer experience. I would take my camera to every doctor's appointment and infusion and whatever else and I would take pictures. I would blog my experience. Yet, I needed a companion to help me... and Indigo the Bra was born. Indigo is like Jennifer the Traveling Bra. She craves BLING! The idea is for people to send me pins or charms or key-rings, etc.... instead of a get well card. The BLING! represents love and prayers and well wishes. I pin the BLING! to Ms. Indigo and she flaunts it in her medical related photo sessions. 

That is how it works. I love Indigo.

If anyone reading this would like to contribute to Indigo the Bra's BLING! It On! Project, you may send us some BLING! at: 
Tina Gardner
4094 So. 950 W.
Riverdale, UT 84405.

Thanks!

Ogden Utah Photo Location

The Boy and I went on a location scouting excursion. The Ogden Union Station and surrounding area is perfect for an urban themed location photo shoot.

The Boy pointed out that this Little Engine has a big smile :-)  This Little Engine and myself have the same mantra, "I think I can, I think I can.... I can.... I can...." As I battle cancer I have had to limit my activities, but I know I will beat this and heal and then I plan to be a well known photographer.