In March I went with my two sons and a few friends to see an exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art featuring photography by Zoe Strauss.

Only moments after entering the exhibit, my youngest child’s reaction was a mix of curiosity and horror. “Mom, look that guy is naked” my 12 year old whispered to me as he clung to my arm. “I know you said nudity is okay in art, but mom.” He was reacting to an image of an adult male, his naked body stretched across a bed in a dirty run down hotel room, looking more like a dirty old man than a model. Each photograph in the exhibit brought a new tremor of shock to my son, whom up until this moment had been sheltered even from the evening news.

The focus of Zoe’s work is on neighborhoods many of us would steer clear of even during the brightest part of the day. Her photos exhibit the everyday struggle of those that are often forgotten or ignored. After looking at Zoe’s photographs, many, including myself, will find it difficult to ever get the images of “Daddy Tattoo” or “Vanessa Philadelphia” out of our mind. Vanessa’s cigarette smoke or Daddy Tattoo’s black lip liner and tattoo will be forever remembered.

Zoe’s subjects are not glamour queens or movie stars, but instead they are the reality of what our city streets look like to those that inhabit them. Zoe doesn’t choose to capture a glorious gleaming white toothy smile, instead she shares with us the blackened eye of a young women who looks like she has seen more than her share of misery. “Cynthia” scowls at the camera while being photographed in her party dress and curls, the pretty of her dress out of place on the city street. This is their reality.

Zoe’s photographs are not always technically correct.  Her subjects are not restricted to the intersections of thirds or photoshopped skin softened to perfection.  They are instead raw, edgy and void of apologies or excuses. Zoe is not in pursuit of perfection, but instead portrays reality, the less than perfect part of everyday life we don’t want to think about. Zoe tells us their story, the real story of the life and death struggle. A struggle so many us often choose to ignore.

Moments I captured in Black and White….

Photograph of a Stranger

Something happened to me today that I just had to share. We all suffer from a bout of self-doubt and indecisiveness at one time or another. If you know me at all, you know I have been doing a lot of that lately. I have been questioning if I am doing the right thing, and if this is where I should be right now, if going back to school was the right decision, etc.

One of the classes I am currently taking required a photograph of a total stranger as part of an assignment. I was struggling with how in the world I was going to pull that off by tomorrow afternoon’s class with all the other “stuff” I have to do. For another part of the assignment I took a few shots of my son as he complained continuously about having to “model”. When I finished, I sat at my desk frustrated as I considered where to go to find a “stranger” that wouldn’t mind me photographing them.

My desk sits up against the front windows of my house and I happened to look up and out of the window as I often do while working. There, right in front of my house, not 150 feet away from me, is a complete stranger. He was riding his bike and apparently got a flat. There he was, on the lawn next to the fence that surrounds my front yard. I watched for a few minutes before realizing this “stranger” was just dropped right in my lap. What on earth was I waiting for? Well there was the initial concern about him being dangerous, but that only lasted a spit second.

I threw on my coat, grabbed my camera, and ran out the door to introduce myself. I quickly explained about my assignment and asked if he would mind if I took his picture. He smiled and said it would be fine. Initial introductions were exchanged and to my surprise, my stranger was the pastor for a local church not far from my home. He even worked at my current church up until the year before I moved here.

My Stranger: Father John

Wow… if that’s not just a lil’ bit of divine intervention, I don’t know what is. Sometimes when you ask for a sign that you’re heading in the right direction, look around you. The answer may very well be right in front of you.

Thank you Father John for your kindness and for allowing me to photograph you, my “stranger”.

Restore and Rejuvenate Your Old Family Photos

Restore and renew your family photos. Let Kelly Ann’s Photography create a collage of your favorite family photos, giving them a second chance to grace the walls of your home while restoring them!  Digital copy is included for future prints.

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If you haven’t done so already, please stop by and visit us on our FaceBook Page. While your there, why not like us too? Our Kelly Ann’s Photography Facebook Page Hope to see you there!

I don’t usually use my blog to complain, but for this I will make an exception.

My family and I lost our dog this past Sunday and I would like to pass on this warning to other families that value their pets as members of their family.

Our Annabel

I know we are all victims of our abysmal economy; but I was unaware, until now, of just what a toll it would take on human compassion and decency.

Sunday afternoon our beloved dog Annabel ran out into the street into the path of an oncoming car. The driver never even acknowledged that she had run down our dog; she simply drove off. Thankfully, another driver, who witnessed the accident, followed our injured dog to our home to make sure she got help.

I immediately called our vet at Cedar Brook Animal Hospital. An after hours message directed us to a number of emergency animal hospitals. The closest to our home was Regional Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Center in Turnersville, New Jersey.

When we arrived at the hospital, Annabel’s breathing was labored and unusually noisy. Blood ran from her mouth, with no indication of an oral injury, and she stared ahead unblinking. Even though we were aware the outlook was grim, we needed to know for sure and we put our faith in Regional.

I explained the circumstances of Annabel’s injury as the receptionist shoved paper after paper in front of me to sign. I signed them wanting nothing more than to get help for our pet and ease her suffering. We were told it would be $120.00 just to have her seen and as much as $500.00 to stabilize her.

The staff took Annabel in the back and thirty minutes later a staff member came into the waiting room to get us. She led us in the back and asked questions about Annabel’s allergies, food, and so on. Within a few minutes the doctor came in to tell us Annabel’s breathing was agonal and because we elected not to have CPR performed, she didn’t have long. She suggested we end her suffering; something we should have done before they inflicted more.

Annabel was breathing that way when we brought her in with blood running from her mouth, you mean a doctor didn’t know this before they did all of that to my already suffering dog? They had to know our 15 pound little wisp of a dog would never make it, but they chose to inject her with iv’s, catheters’, put her in an oxygen tent and more knowing it was doing nothing more than torturing our dog and would do nothing to save her.

It was obvious their efforts were not to save my dying dog or even to end her suffering, but instead to increase the fee they would later charge us.

After agreeing to put our dog down, the staff got right to the bill without so much as missing a beat. The total bill would be another $417.27 due now; in addition to the $120.00 we had already paid. As this was unexpected we were not prepared for the cost of this visit.

I have to question why no one came out to ask if we wanted all of that done? Why do all that to an already suffering pet knowing there was no chance of saving her? Where was their sense of compassion? We soon found out there was none to be found here.

It was explained to my husband and me, as we sat there with tears streaming down our faces, that if we chose not to pay, they would have no choice but to call the police! We were dumbfounded! We were not refusing to pay; we simply didn’t have an extra $417.27 in hand at that moment. Now not only did we lose our dog, but we also had a police report filed because we couldn’t pay them right then and there! No chances for payment arrangements, other than Care Credit, which we couldn’t do, just a police report and a court date.

What kind of veterinarian would choose to inflict further discomfort and pain on a dying dog simply to increase the bottom line? I will tell you, a heartless, inhumane excuse for a human being.

For the record, two days later we paid our bill in full without going to court and being forced to do so. This is not about getting out of paying our bill. This is to make you aware of what you may encounter should you choose to take your beloved pet to a facility like Regional Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Center. My family and I found out the hard way that they are obviously more concerned about getting your money than they are about the comfort and care of your pet.

Updates to Family Portraits!

Family Portraits Portfolio
Many More updates are coming soon so check back!

My Favorite Ornament

Wow…I can’t believe Christmas is only two weeks away! Well I just finished decorating the Christmas Tree with my boys. I just love going through all the ornaments and reminiscing with my boys about where and when we got some of the older ornaments. Of course when my youngest pulled my Photographer Mouse out, he quickly handed it to me and told me to hang that one, “After all it’s yours Mom”.

Of course this prompted me, not that it takes much mind you, to shoot it and add a little Christmas message. Oh the trials of being blessed with multiple obsessions, photography & design.

Penn State Prison Visit

Yes…thankfully just a visit. No photographer can resist the decay that is in every corner…what texture and character. I just wanted to share one of my favorite photos from my visit. Just couldn’t resist the leading lines that pulled you down this long corridor lined on both sides with prison cells. You can almost feel the desperation…

Williamstown High School Theater Photo Shoot

I had a wonderful time photographing the Williamstown High School Production of  The Man Who Came to Dinner. They are a great group of kids and they did a wonderful job! Here are just a few of my favorites from my shoot during the production.  I’ve also included a couple of the 16×20 Personalized Production Posters  I designed using the images.