Category: Through My Lens

At the end of this post is a special poem inspired by my mother. My mother has always loved flowers. When I was around seven, I went in our backyard and picked a flower to give her. I came in with a big smile and handed it to her. Her face lit up as she [...]

Here is a special poem to my oldest and newest friends.  Happy New Year! The Count Begins Never count your friends on sunny days for they all will be around, Count your friends on the rainy days when the clouds are grey and lightening shakes the ground. It is then you painfully see the type [...]

I took away from this experience that when tackling a new project, use something personal so when you finish you’ll have knowledge and a product you can share.

My 9th grade son Alec had a homework assignment; write a letter to a US Soldier.

My only sister (Maria) turned 50 September 9. She has been a huge influence in my life especially after our mother died when I was very young. For months I’ve been trying to find a perfect present that would show her how much she means to me. I mentioned my dilemma to Mike Kubeisy when we [...]

Our lives, good or bad, have been shaped by past events. I have been blessed with loving parents, great siblings and a wonderful son. The day my parents chose to be one, they unselfishly committed to share their endless love  with their children. They sacrificed their needs and wants for ours. They taught us the [...]

A poem inspired by the life of my older brother Tony Vanelli

The shoot was years in the making, we just didn’t know it. A few friends; Michelle Tricca and Renae Bruce, came to town for a collaborative lighting class. I called in a few of my students to pose as models. We spent the day tweaking the lights for a dramatic effect. I’ll post the full [...]

I’m a big fan of Larry Becker’s blog. I love his ability to observe a simple situation and then, with his unique writing style, make a lesson out of it.  Recently, he wrote a post called “Dissecting the Work of Others“. In his article, he suggests three reasons to try recreating someone’s style. It reminded [...]

When times are tough and disappointments get me down, I can see your shadow next to me reaching out before I touch the ground. As a thank you is about to be said you disappear without a trace, you never look for glory or fame just a simple smile filling my face. You are my [...]