"The Venetian Garden" - Tracey Capone Photography

I’m so happy to be a photographer for many reasons, one of which is that, if I can’t remember certain aspects of a trip, I can always go back and revisit it through my photos. Good thing too because halfway through the last trip to Italy I came down with one of the worst flu bugs I have had in quite some time and was basically walking around in a haze. (possibly in part to the wonderful over the counter medications that they sell in Italy… perhaps a bonus to not having an FDA?)

Given the fever was wreaking havoc on my head, it’s been wonderful to be able to go back through pictures from the visits to Rome, Florence and Venice and relive some of what I missed at the time. (thankfully, fevers don’t prevent the shutter finger from working)

Today’s Photo of the Day, “The Venetian Garden” is one of those photographs that really sums up the experience in Venice and helps me remember just how beautiful it was. Of course, Venice is surrounded completely by water and has canals running through it so backyard gardens that you may see in other parts of Italy aren’t really happening here. Many of the residents work with what they have, namely in using beautiful window boxes and terrace gardens to make up for what they lack in yard. I loved this arrangement against the beautiful stucco of the home and the rustic shutters.

I will definitely go back to Venice one day soon just so that I can (hopefully) walk around in a less partially comatose state but, in the meantime, I have my photographs.

Enjoy!

*tracey*

Roasted Tomato and Asiago Cheese Focaccia Bread

Not long before my dad was diagnosed with cancer, and well in to his chemo, he became a bread baking fiend; so much so that we used to joke that he should open up a bakery in my parents’ apartment. He was so meticulous, so precise, that he would try a recipe over and over and over some more until he felt that it was perfect.

One of his favorite things to bake was focaccia. He would top the rustic bread with everything from roasted peppers to caramelized onions to plain old pepperoni.  No matter what the topping, by the time he perfected the recipe, you couldn’t get enough of it. (OK, I admit, I avoided the anchovy topped focaccia like The Plague!)

My father has been gone for several years now but we’re left with a fabulous three-ring binder full of  recipes that he took great care in typing up, laminating and preserving. Today, I decided to bake up some focaccia as a tip of the hat to my dad. This is actually my own recipe, but it’s inspired by the many great culinary moments in Papa Caponie’s Bakery. I hope you enjoy it!

Roasted Tomatoes:

What You’ll Need:

• 3 or 4 medium sized, very fresh, ripe tomatoes. (I use organic vine-on tomatoes as I find them to be the freshest)
• Good olive oil (I highly recommend a ship here in Chicago, Ta-Ze, they have free shipping anywhere over a certain $ amount… check them out!)
• Approx. 1/4 c. of finely minced fresh herbs (I use a mix of basil, thyme, rosemary and oregano from my herb garden) You will want to set about a tsp of each aside for the focaccia dough!
• Garlic (garlic, garlic and more garlic, I use about 4 cloves, finely minced)
• Kosher salt and Fresh cracked pepper (add to your liking)
• Balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

1. Cut the tomatoes in halves and take out the harder middle using a paring knife. Lay all halves on a baking sheet lined with parchment or aluminum foil and drizzle with olive oil until all the tomatoes are coated.
2. Mix minced herbs, salt, pepper and garlic together and sprinkle over tomato halves and add a bit of additional olive oil on top to coat the herb/garlic mix. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar (don’t go too heavy… balsamic vinegar, while fabulous, is strong, you don’t need a lot)
3. Bake in oven for 30-40 minutes or until the tomatoes flatten and crisp a bit on the edges. Don’t overcook! You’ll lose too much of the wonderful flavor and, trust me when I tell you this, you don’t want to do that. Once cooked, let sit to cool. As they cool, the tomatoes will continue to flatten until they resemble sun-dried tomatoes. They look ugly but they taste fantastic!

Focaccia Bread

What You’ll Need:

• 1 package of dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp if you’re using the yeast in a jar)
• 1 c. warm water (not hot, just warm… about 110 degrees or so)
• 1 1/2 tsp of salt
• 1 tsp of sugar
• 1 tsp of garlic powder
• 1 tsp each fresh herbs (see above)
• 2 to 2 1/2 c all-purpose flour
• Roasted Tomatoes (ultimately, you’ll use enough to cover the focaccia. If you have some left over, they’re great in pasta dishes or when used to make homemade spaghetti sauce!)
• 1/4 c asiago cheese
• 1 tsp grated Parmesan cheese
• Optional- If you love cheese like me, you can also use a four cheese blend. Trader Joes has a fantastic Quatro Formaggio blend of Parmesan, Provolone, Asiago and Fontina)

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in the warm water and add 1 Tbs of the oil, salt, sugar, garlic powder, herbs, and 1 1/2 cups of flour. Beat together until smooth. (I actually use the dough hook on my Kitchen Aid and it works perfectly) Stir in remaining flour just until it forms a soft, sticky dough. (if you’re using a mixer, it should create what looks like a cyclone and stick slightly to the bottom of the bowl)
2. Turn out on to a floured surface and knead the dough for about 7 minutes until smooth and elastic. Don’t overknead! You won’t get the airy bread that you’re ultimately looking for.
3. Form dough in to a ball and put it in a greased bowl. (I use olive oil) Flip it once so that the entire ball is coated. Cover and allow to rise in a warm place for about an hour.
4. Punch down dough then cover and let rest again for about ten minutes. Shape in to a rectangle in a well oiled 9×13 baking pan, cover and allow to rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Once doubled, gently tap with your fingertips to create dimples all over the top of the rectangle.
5. Brush dough with the remaining olive oil and arrange tomatoes over the top. Sprinkle the cheese over the sough and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove immediately from the pan and allow to cool on a wire rack (a tip- cooling on a wire rack rather than a solid surface prevents the bottom from getting wet from condensation)
6. Cut in to squares and enjoy!! This can also be sliced in half for fantastic sandwiches!

Don’t hesitate to drop me a line if you have any questions!

*tracey*

Jennifer is all about vectors as her blog will detail. It provides a host of excellent tutorials, and all are marked very clearly with their difficulty level. You’ll find everything from creating basic vector illustrations to preparing them for sale to iStock.

The tutorial I chose to do today was one of her beginner tutorials, “Drawing a Face Using Simple Shapes.” It took me a little while to get the hang of it and, admittedly, I had trouble with the hair, but, after several deletions and recreations, I got it to where I like it. I even pulled mine in to Photoshop to try adding a few brushes. Why not right?

If you’re just starting out using Illustrator, this is a fantastic tutorial to test your skills while learning some of the basics of Illustrator. Don’t be afraid to experiment! What do you have to lose? Jennifer’s excellent tutorial can be found here. Check it, and others, out on her wonderful blog and definitely check out her fun portfolio!

Enjoy!!
*tracey*

Taken in Venice, along the Grand Canal, the blue door was what caught my eye first. If I owned a really cool, old home, there are a list of must-haves, one of which is an amazing door in a vibrant color. Most of Venice’s homes along the canal not only have amazing colors but also this beautiful patina from being along the water. Color abounds in Venice, not only along the Grand Canal but along the back canals as well. Given my love of color, I can only imagine seeing such beauty on a daily basis.

Let’s try something new… how about a poll?

“Patina” as well as the “Day in Venice” print set can be found here in my online gallery.

Enjoy!

*tracey*

"Patina"

Whoa! I finally updated my portraiture page, check it out…jeesh! Took me long enough right?

I love portrait work, especially when kids are my subjects. Now, mind you, not every child goes to a portrait session willingly; dare I say, most won’t. Even those that do may prove to be a challenge greater than Everest so it’s important to be armed with a few tools to save the day, not the least of which is a sense of humor. Here are a few of my tips for making the most of your time when photographing children:

1. Let’s face it, most kids have very small attention spans, anywhere from thirty seconds to a minute, especially when they’re doing something they consider “boring.” Before you even begin a session photographing kids, know the layout of the location of the shoot and try to visualize the types of photos you want to take before you get there.  If you need to, write it down, maybe even sketch out some shots and poses. That way, you’re spending the bulk of your time on the actual shot, rather than setting up the pose where you’re guaranteed to lose their focus.

2. I mentioned it before and I can’t say it enough, maintain your sense of humor. I don’t have children of my own but I’ve been around enough to know that, at times, they can be exasperating. This exasperation leads to frustration which is sure to kill the entire shoot. Try to maintain a sense of humor while at the same time maintaining control of the situation and directing the children. (If all else fails, in the absense of humor, visualize that wonderful glass of wine waiting for you when you’re done… that might make you smile) If kids sense you’re frustrated, you’ll lose them rather quickly.

3. For smaller children, do yourself a favor… bring props. Sometimes all it takes to get a fussy two-year old to smile is a toy. Now, I would suggest bringing props you don’t mind having in the picture. There’s nothing worse than giving Little Johnny a toy and then snatching it away right before you take the photo because you’re afraid it will kill the aesthetic. If you’re going for “Screaming, Red Faced Child” you’ll be right on the mark… if not, let him hold the toy during the shot.

4. Posing kids… Ok, they’re not Gumby. As pliable as kids might seem, you’d be surprised at how difficult it is to get a child to get in to the pose you want, let alone maintain it. Keep it simple. Give them poses that are easy for them to process and understand and even go so far as to demonstrate the pose. That way they can see, first hand, what you want them to do. The chances of getting a child, especially the younger ones, to maintain one of those complicated, editorial poses you see adult models doing are slim to none. I can’t say it enough, “keep it simple.”

4. If you have multiple children in a shot, let them “pose off one another.” Put them back to back and face the camera or have a smaller child sit on the lap of the older child. You’ll get closer to those “oh so cute” editorial shots you might be aiming for and, the bonus, the older child can help corral the younger one.

5. Don’t be afraid to make a complete fool of yourself to get a child to smile. (Remember what I said before? Maintain a sense of humor.) Make funny faces, noises, whatever it takes to get their attention and make them laugh, all the while preparing for the shot. (You’re going to have a very small window to get the shot you want, be ready!)

6. If you’re able to, take multiple shots of the same pose; that guarantees you’ll have plenty of photos to work with later. If you’re using a camera that has a Sports mode on it (which allows for a continuous burst of shots until you release the shutter) go for it. Kids move, they blink, they make faces, you name it. I’ve had photo shoots where I’ve taken upwards of 200 shots and only about 30 turned out to be “the perfect ones.” If you have the opportunity to take multiples, grab it.

7. Lighting- I prefer to do portrait work outdoors, in a natural setting as, how many times have you heard it, natural light is better. This is especially true of  the light during the “magic hour” just before sunset. When the sun is at it’s highest, during the middle of the day, you run the chance of washing your subject out (in other words the picture will be too bright) and I will tell you, it’s easier to add light to a photo in post processing than it is to remove it.

I hope these few tips will help make your photo sessions with kids a little easier. The bottom line? Have fun. If you have fun, the kids are more likely to and, in the end, the pay off will be a fantastic set of photographs you and your family can enjoy for years to come.

Want to know how I did the collage on the portrait page? Check back in and one of my upcoming posts will be all about creating collages in Photoshop!

Enjoy!

*tracey*

Now through March 31st, all large format prints (16×20 and larger) are 20% off.  As always, prints will be printed on premium archival metallic or lustre paper, depending on which print you choose.

Concerned about buying art online? See what others have said about my work, here.

Check out my online gallery here for more details about the sale!

Hope everyone is staying warm!

*tracey*

pssst– Guess what? I have exciting news coming… be sure to check back in for an upcoming post in the next few days!

I am so very pleased that this print was purchased in the largest format I offer, 24×36 as while I love any picture, no matter how small, I especially love to see my favorites large and in charge in all their glory. Just last week I shipped off another large format print, of “The Barn” and was so pleased that my buyer absolutely loved it (feel free to check out the feedback here).

This and many other prints can be purchased in all sizes in my online gallery. I absolutely love custom orders whether it be large format prints, gallery wraps or framing so, if you don’t see it, definitely send me a message!

"All That Glitters"

Last night, as I was sorting my recycling, I started to think about my post for today and some of the amazing upcycled finds I had come across on Etsy. Now, you may ask yourself what the difference is between upcycling and recycling and, admittedly, the line can be a little blurry.  I think an example would prove to explain it better.

Take an empty glass jar. You have two options as to what to do with it (well, really three, but sending it to a landfill should not be an option). You can upcycle it; use it as a pencil holder or in the garage to hold this or that. Or you can recycle it, where it will be melted down completely and turned in to something  new. Basically, upcycling is repurposing an item without completely breaking it down from it’s original form. This prevents uneccesary items from ending up in landfills and ultimately helps the environment; and you get a wonderful new item out of it!

There are a lot of really great upcycled pieces on Etsy and I want to highlight three of them here. MintyFreshFusions takes that which was already beautiful, a wonderful dark green wine bottle and turns it in to an even more beautiful serving dish. Savagesalvage gives us hauntingly beautiful earrings made from repurposed, spent 22 gague brass shell casings and beautiful jagged crystals. And how about woolywooly‘s one of a kind laptop sleeve made from an upcycled sweater? Simply click on the picture of each for more information.

If everyone does their part to upcycle and recycle, we’ll leave our kids with a much better, healthier world to live in. Check out the shops of each of these amazing artisans for more great repurposed finds! Thank you to all three for your beautiful work!

"Refraction"

Green Wine Bottle Serving Dish

Upcycled Wool Laptop Sleeve

As a photographer, I pull inspiration from many sources, O’Keeffe being one. As a child I remember going to museums with my mother (yes, kicking and screaming),  seeing her beautiful flowers and wishing I could create something as wonderful. While I know there are insinuations as to why she painted what she did, it doesn’t take away from the fact that her pieces were amazing. Today, I find myself tending towards nature photography as I truly feel each flower, leaf, even a blade of grass is a work of beauty and art all on it’s own.

Today’s new creation, simply named “Georgia,” is an homage to one of my favorite artists. This is a wildflower you’ll see almost everywhere during summer months, typically surrounded by butterflies and big, fat bumble bees. I captured this one on a walk through the Chattanooga Nature Center about a year ago. I layered it, not only to age the photo, but to highlight the beautiful orange of the pistil of the flower. This is one of my favorites to date and I truly enjoyed creating it.

This print is available for purchase in my gallery. Please feel free to click on the link for more details!

"Georgia"