BACKCOUNTRY NEWSLETTER OCTOBER 30, 2009

Hello All,

You are receiving this email because you have bought something from me, thought of buying something from me, stopped by my booth at a show and chatted, or are friends and family. Please let me know if you wish to be removed from this list. Thanks.

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Well some of you may be thinking to yourselves, “that Suzanne, she’s been mighty quiet with the emails, blogging, facebook and phone calls lately”. You would be correct (and rather observant). Yes, I did drop off the face of the technological world for the past week while traveling again with the Meteorite Men TV show crew as the production assistant and location photographer. We were in an area with no internet access and poor (at best) cell phone reception. When I did get reception it was because I was facing north while standing on the wall in front of the hotel with my right arm at a 45 degree angle and balancing on my left leg. And I had to be holding something disk shaped – a satellite dish worked best. OK so that bit is a little exaggerated; sometimes I could face northwest.

But anywho…I had a great time, yet again, and took many, many photos. Again. The shoot was extended, so I just returned home yesterday to pick up my girls from the most hospitable and gracious couple one could hope to know. They watched my 3 hounds for an entire week. Which placed the number of greyhounds with the potential to get into trouble at their home to 6. Mine, of course, were the instigators and encouraged their 3 to get into things they wouldn’t normally do. There they were hanging out behind the garage, scarfing dog biscuits, rolling snacky treats, betting cans of wet dog food on the ponies. I believe there was even a black market trade of one stuffed squeaky toy for 5 bully sticks. It was ugly.

But anyway…back to the point of the newsletter. I was gone and now I’m back and I have a show this weekend to invite you all to. I will be participating in the Big Brother Big Sister Annual Fair-A-Flair at Plaza Palomino (Ft Lowell and Swan) this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday the 30th – 1st. Hours are 10am – 5 pm.

It is a huge show with hundreds of talented artists. A portion of the proceeds go to the BBBS program. So I expect to see you there and carrying bags containing purchases; even if the items are not from me, (though, of course, that would be best).

I have new fine art prints to choose from AND a new line of cards. That’s right, just in time for Christmas, birthdays, and the ‘missing-you’ card you have been meaning to send. It is the greyhound line. No not the bus, the dog breed. As you know, I have been shooting photos of greyhounds for a while. What you may not know is that I have incredible amounts of photos that when printed and attached to a piece of heavy weight card stock make spectacular cards that your friends and family will be honored to receive. In fact, you should carefully consider the number of individuals you will be sending them to so you are not faced with answering the question “are they card worthy” if you don’t have enough: as one of my friends does.

That’s all the new information I am going to spring on you in this newsletter. For now I am going to sign off with one last bit for you, your newest desktop photo. I was going to send out a photo of greyhounds to mark the launching of my new line of cards. Then I opened the door this morning to take the girls for their daily walk and was hit with air so cold, my lungs froze. Froze I tell you. I could feel the crystals starting to form with each breath. I had to check to be sure I was in Tucson. I thought for a moment I might have been teleported to Flagstaff. Nope, tiny white and green house, gravel drive, broken mailbox (Lisa’s to blame for that. Though in her defense, it was a big U-Haul). Yup, Tucson. Hello! What happened to seven shades of hell hot? So I’ve decided to send a photo that captures the cold suffered this morning by this desert rat.

Oh, I’ve added a number of posts to the Backcountry blog and will be soon (that’s a relative ‘soon’) adding the photos of the greyhound cards. Keep checking back.

I hope this finds you well.

Suzanne Morrison
Backcountry Photography
http://www.backcountryphotographyaz.blogspot.com/
http://www.backcountryphotographyaz.com/
backcountry_photos@yahoo.com

THE DAY

You know you haven’t had nearly enough sleep when you wake up and you can still taste toothpaste.

It was a late evening last night, following a long day. I didn’t think it was possible to cram so much into a 24 hour period. Like the proverbial 10 pounds of rocks in a 1 pound bag. Yesterday’s velvet bag was straining the seams, bulging at the sides and spilling over at the drawstring closure.

It started out with an early wake up to complete last minute preparations for the 3rd Annual Rotary Club of Tucson Classics Car Show that I didn’t finish before dragging myself into bed late the night before. I headed down to the show early and was pleasantly surprised and overwhelmingly grateful for assistance from Phyllis in setting up the booth, (whom had come over the evening before to help put together my new line of note cards, but more on that in a later post).

Setting up the booth was unusually difficult due to the distractions that kept driving onto the field in the form of some of the most beautiful cars I have seen. Ever. I’m not much of a car person, and even I realized I was witnessing something incredible as these works of art purred into their assigned parking spots. During a small opportunity to walk the rows of cars I managed to leave a huge puddle in front of the 2 Shelby Cobras as I paused, gaping and drooling in wonder at my all-time favorite car. The grass won’t need to be watered for at least another year.

Liz and Kent Vaughn, booth sitters extraordinaire charged with not only covering my booth for the latter part of the day but breaking it down as well, ON THEIR ANNIVERSARY, arrived so I could run off to my sisters wedding. (Thank you, thank you, thank you)

Then it was off to Beth’s wedding after a detour at home to change. Yesterday was hot. 7 shades of hell hot and dress pants and long sleeve shirt was like pulling up a chair at Satan's table, but again notice – no dress for me. Heh.

We met at Beth’s sister-in-laws: the girl’s command center and did make-up, hair and dress for all. Everyone looked absolutely spectacular in their wedding finery. Though the cloud of hairspray was thick enough to double as San Francisco fog. It was then off to Agua Caliente Park for an outdoor ceremony on the lake shore. Though Beth specifically directed to me I was not allowed to even pick up my camera during the ceremony, at about minute 2 I had to retrieve it from its resting place so I could capture the occasion. After the short ceremony, Leigh Anne, dear friend and second photographer, and I did the photo shoot. Then it was off to the reception at my sister Lisa’s house. With incredible food, ambiance filling every corner, and friends and family enjoying their time together it was a party to remember. It was early morning as we said good night to the last of the guests and Mom and I cleaned up before I drove the happy couple to La Paloma for the beginning of their new life together.

Here are some of the photos from the day.

BACKCOUNTRY NEWSLETTER OCTOBER 14, 2009

Hello All,

You are receiving this email because you have bought something from me, thought of buying something from me, stopped by my booth at a show and chatted, or are friends and family. Please let me know if you wish to be removed from this list. Thanks.

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Just a few updates for you all today. (Boy, can you tell I was just in Texas for 2 weeks?)

I have finally returned from the Big Travel Trip as the location photographer with the Meteorite Men TV show, which went from a planned 1 week, to a “really? More travel? Ummm, Yes.” 2 weeks, then to a “holy crap, can I be gone that long?” 3 weeks in the field. I did and I was and I had a great time. And I, of course, took many, many photos. On the order of: It was a good thing I brought an external back up with me – many photos.

Now that I have taken some time off (I know I will hear the collective gasp once that line is read) I am back to the grind. Coming up on the Backcountry agenda…my most important gig yet to date. This Saturday I will be doing photography for my sister, Beth – at her wedding.

And, you ask, how could she be photographer at her own sister’s wedding, shouldn’t she be in it?

Well, for one, I volunteered.

Then, once that was agreed upon, I negotiated the apparel requirements and there were promises made that I wouldn’t have to wear a dress. Heh.

This will all be taking place after my participation in the 3rd annual Tucson Classics Car Show.

http://www.tucsonclassicscarshow.com/

No, I don’t have a classic car, but I do have photos of really fast...err... dogs, well and nature, etc. I will be at the booth in the morning, then my good friend and extremely talented artist Liz Vaughn and her husband extraordinaire, Kent, will be taking over the booth for the afternoon so that I may get ready for the wedding. By not donning a dress. So when you come out to visit be aware I will be disappearing early afternoon, but the booth will be open for the entire time.

And why should I come out to a classic car show you ask? Well aside from seeing me, which is reason enough, a portion of proceeds go to the charity The Reading Seed which helps teach kids to read. Not enough? OK, the entry fee is $5 and you are entered into a raffle to win a Corvette. So…see you there. St. Gregory’s High School, Saturday October 17th from 10 AM to 5 PM, 3231 N Craycroft Rd.

Please check out the Hope Animal Shelter Barkin’ Ball, http://www.hopeanimalshelter.net/, Saturday, October 24 6-9 PM and the St Philips Plaza. There will be an auction and I have it on good authority there will be a number of great items to bid on. One of which is a framed 11 x 14 photograph of a translucent white flower from an outstanding local photographer. (Ahem, that would be me, thank you very much.)

And an early notice, so don’t say I didn’t warn you, I will also be participating in the Big Brother Big Sister Southwest Fair-A-Flair October 30 – November 1, 10 AM to 5 PM at the Plaza Palomino, Fort Lowell and Swan, space 79 in the east parking lot. There will be a follow up to this little announcement in the near future. Something for you all to look forward to.

But enough promises of future enjoyment, now for the immediate gratification - your desktop photo. This is for those of you who won’t get to see the changing of the leaves this year. I was reminded (hi Karen, welcome back) the Aspen leaves on the Peaks (in Flagstaff) are just starting their final blaze of glory for the year. Here’s a little remembrance of my trip last fall. Enjoy.

I hope this finds you well.