Christina McCall

Diesel | East Texas Husky Photographer

christina — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 23:53:29 +0000

The many faces of Diesel …

[ contact Christina | CMP on Facebook | Sit.Stay.Snap. on Facebook | read Christina's tweets | subscribe to the blog ]

Week 4 | 52 in 2012

christina — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 23:31:21 +0000

This week: Texture

Detail shot taken with the 100 mm f/2 macro lens (non L series version)

PS … I’m still working on writing up the how-to post on the motion image from week 1 … hopefully I’ll finish that sometime in the next week or two in between editing images and reading for my grad class!

[ contact Christina | CMP on Facebook | Sit.Stay.Snap. on Facebook | read Christina's tweets | subscribe to the blog ]

2012 Self Portrait Series: January

christina — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 19:48:29 +0000

A few years back I started a 101 in 1001 list (shared on my personal blog that’s sadly neglected for the most part) … and one of the items on there was to take a monthly self portrait. I did good for over half the first year then slacked off. So, for 2012, I decided to resume the self portrait series … buying a much better tripod (that’ll support the weight of my heavier lenses!) and a remote that actually works with my 5D will make it a lot easier this time around!

The other thing I decided to do with this year’s series was to base each self portrait off of a quote that *speaks* to me … this month’s quote is …

“Life is eternal; and love is immortal; and death is only a horizon; and a horizon is nothing save the limit of our sight. Rossiter W. Raymond

This one is dedicated to my cousin Chance … who I hope is resting in peace and having a wonderful time catching up with his little sister, grandparents, and great-grandparents in Heaven.

[ contact Christina | CMP on Facebook | Sit.Stay.Snap. on Facebook | read Christina's tweets | subscribe to the blog ]

Spring Quick Snap Mini Sessions | East Texas Pet Photographer

christina — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:10:56 +0000

While I’ve had the information posted over at Sit.Stay.Snap. for a few weeks and have had clients booking since late December, I’m just getting around to posting about the spring round of pet mini sessions over here at CMP. Right now only one more morning appointment time is left, once it fills, two afternoon appointment times will become available for booking. Visit sitstaysnap.com for full details and to set up a session appointment!

[ contact Christina | CMP on Facebook | Sit.Stay.Snap. on Facebook | read Christina's tweets | subscribe to the blog ]

Week 3 | 52 in 2012

christina — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:30:32 +0000

This week: Imagine

Because of the shallow depth of field, most of the image is out of focus … including the end of a pine needle that looks a little bit like a person standing next to another pine needle … here’s a close up with it marked (just use your imagination to *see* it)

[ contact Christina | CMP on Facebook | Sit.Stay.Snap. on Facebook | read Christina's tweets | subscribe to the blog ]

i {heart} saturday

christina — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 16:46:26 +0000

Found this image via my top time-sucker, Pinterest …

(wish I knew who created this image originally … inspires a few ideas for my pet clients!)

1) My life is likely to last 10 to 15 years. Any separation from you will be painful remember that before you get me. …
2) Give me time to understand what you want of me. …
3) Place your trust in me—it is crucial to my well being. …
4) Do not be angry at me for long, and do not lock me up as punishment. …
5) You have your work, your entertainment,and your friends. I only have you. …
6) Talk to me sometimes. Even if I don’t understand your words, I understand your voice when it is speaking to me. …
7) Be aware that how ever you treat me, I will never forget. …
Remember before you hit me that I have teeth that could easily hurt you, but I choose not to bite you because I love you. …
9) Before you scold me for being uncooperative,obstinate,or lazy, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I might not be getting the right food, or I have been out too long, or my heart is getting to old and weak. …
10) Take care of me when I get old; you too will grow old. Go with me on difficult journeys. Never say: “I cannot bear to watch” or “Let it happen in my absence.” Everything is easier for me if you are there, even my death. Remember that I love you.
(found here)

[ contact Christina | CMP on Facebook | Sit.Stay.Snap. on Facebook | read Christina's tweets | subscribe to the blog ]

three six three two … and a half

christina — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 23:45:12 +0000

One of these years, I’m gonna come across a row of mailboxes somewhere rural, in a variety of colors and sizes and full of character … that’s not located on the frontage road of an interstate I’m unable to exit in order to photograph it. I saw a few of those in Colorado … as well as this one:

Manitou Mailboxes – May 2010

Now, on a side note that really should serve as a safety notice to female photographers: when you venture out alone from the motor inn you’re staying at to take photos with an expensive DSLR and lens, always take your cell phone with you. Even if it has a low battery. And wear running shoes rather than flip flops … especially considering that sketchy people will eyeball you from the balconies of slightly sketchy motels you’re walking past. Its possible I may have not taken my own tips to heart in the process of photographing this and a few other rustic/vintage sights … no worries, nothing happened to moi!

Week 2 | 52 in 2012

christina — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 19:45:45 +0000

This week: Perspective

I tried a number of ideas to capture “perspective” … this bug eye’s view looking up from the ground in a wintering flower bed was the one that kept pulling me back. In all honesty, I wasn’t looking through the viewfinder when I shot this image … was instead crouched on the ground next to the camera so I wasn’t in the shot as well.

i {heart} saturday

christina — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 16:45:39 +0000

In just a few days, I will be stepping foot back into the classroom for the first time in *counting on fingers* four and a half years to pick up an extra grad class I need for resume purposes more than anything else, aside from the fact I’m a nerd. I’m taking a class that I didn’t have the opportunity to take in grad school (because it wasn’t an option back in the day) that the topic interests me greatly (its within the criminal justice realm for the curious). So, after I begrudgingly forked over a very significant sum of money (my one full time semester during grad school was only about $150 more than this one class is costing me!), I figured I should treat myself to a new bookbag to make up for the mental anquish of pressing that submit payment button. After all, I haven’t bought a bookbag for school purposes since some point in undergrad … way back in 1999 or 2000!

And this is the one I chose …

I’m eagerly awaiting its arrival from Turkey right now!

I actually own a smaller aqua version of this bag that’s purse-sized. Love it. While its obviously not made in America (trying to buy more stuff made here at home in the good ol US of A), it is handmade by a three woman operation (a mom & her mother and sister) known as Bayan Hippo over at Etsy. Its machine washable and the purse I currently possess has held up for over a year now with very little signs of wear … so I’m pretty sure this one will hold up as long too.

PS … speaking of the class above, that means my pet clients need to check the contact page over @ Sit.Stay.Snap. to see what nights I’m unavailable for responding to calls/emails as a result of being in class & downtime/paper writing/researching/cramming for exams!

oh how I wanna go back …

christina — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 23:44:38 +0000

Texas born and Texan till the day that I die … but I left part of my heart here in 2009 and again in 2010. Must figure out a way to make a 2012 visit possible to Colorful Colorado …

Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs, Colorado – May 2010

Week 1 | 52 in 2012

christina — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 12:45:44 +0000

Here goes year 3 of an image a week … this time around I’ve even sat down ahead of time and decided what theme I’ll shoot each week rather than coming up with something spur of the moment each week like I did the last two years!

This week: Motion

The idea on what type of motion to capture this week came from the Understanding Shutter Speed book by Bryan Peterson … I was trying to think up something outside the *norm* for a motion shot and this was it. For those wondering what the actual scene is of, it is a hillside of oak trees taken just before sunset on New Year’s Day.

Want to know what I did to create this shot? Check back later this month for the January edition of How To Wednesday where I’ll explain how I got this shot and a few others that didn’t make the final cut for this week’s image.

i {heart} saturday

christina — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 16:20:39 +0000

For those that have been viewing the CMP site via google reader and are a bit behind on blog posts, pop on over and take a look at the recently revamped & rebranded christinamccall.com … as well as the splash page.

Over on the Meet Christina page I added the collage below featuring just a few of my favorite things …

from top to bottom: my parents, my brother, Miz Pokie, Tater; books, cameras/photography, travel, roadtrips, running, snail mail; the Olympics, VW buses, Glacier National Park, beautiful blooms (like the ranunculus featured), Dr Pepper, Texas Longhorns; strawberry cheesecake, viewfinders, hot chocolate, vespas; Ford Mustangs, London, England, soft cozy blankets; mittens on cold/snowy winter days.

For what its worth, if anyone can procure that knit blanket from Anthropologie for me without spending a small fortune, you’d be one of my favorite people

Image credits … only the top four + the viewfinder image are mine, rest found via Pinterest & Google Image Search, (c) their respective owners/creators.