Perfection in a Photograph?

What defines perfection in a photograph?

It seems that the photos I am most proud of or cherish the most are never “technically” perfect – at least not in the conventional measurements of composition, focus, clarity, story, art or whatever.  However, they are perfect in a way that those measurements could never describe.

This image of Multnomah Falls was taken on a whirlwind trip to Portland, Oregon to watch my daughters synchro team.   Continue reading “Perfection in a Photograph?”

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Tressie Davis is a blogger and photographer located in Chelsea, MI.

Breathe Yoga Chelsea

Breathe Yoga ChelseaRecently I braved the frigid cold of Chelsea Michigan on a Saturday morning with an adventure pal of mine to take our first class at Breathe Yoga Chelsea.  I say adventure pal, because this whole yoga thing is a stretch (pun intended) for two fluffy, non-bendy old ladies.   We were not sure what to expect, and were a little nervous – were we wearing the right thing? Would we be faced with judgy flexible yoga people who were appalled that we could barely get our jackets off without breathing heavy, let alone touch our toes?

Walking in the front door, the immediate greeting from desk personnel was a warm smile and encouraging words, and I thought…this might be ok.

Matt was our instructor, and he assured us that there would be modified poses for those of us who were a little “challenged” by the moves in his class.  He was kind, and very understanding of our limitations.  Before class we discussed the alternate moves and what we could expect.

And then we got started!

Those who know me in person are most likely aware that I am an “out loud observer”.  So throughout the class, I had an extremely difficult time listening, as I was expending so much energy simply trying to keep my mouth shut.  Don’t judge, we all have traits we need to work on.  I will proudly say, that only ONCE did a “yeah, sure we will” escape my filter in response to the instruction.

The class was certainly challenging, even in the modified poses – but I know that very often things that are difficult for me are things that I just need to practice more.  And I definitely need more flexibility – in mind, body and life in general.

One thing my adventure pal and I agree on, is that we will arrive much earlier for our next class at Breathe Yoga Chelsea – because the only thing worse than being a fluffy, non-bendy old lady in a yoga class, is doing it in front of the rest of the class, right next to the instructor. (kind as Matt is, I’m pretty sure he didn’t enjoy my “yoga face”. Gah.)

Bottom line?  Breathe Yoga Chelsea was a warm, inviting and challenging environment – exactly what this fluffy lady needed, and I can’t wait for round 2.  Thank you for that Breathe Yoga staff!!

(Image by Burrill Strong, courtesy of Breathe Yoga Chelsea, used with permission)

Breathe Yoga Chelsea
Breathe Yoga Chelsea Instructors
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Tressie Davis is a blogger and photographer located in Chelsea, MI.

Sea Life Michigan Aquarium

Sea Life MichiganIn May of 2015 my family made a visit to Sea Life Michigan, at the request of my girls (ages 10 and 13).  Having been to many aquariums in many cities, we were not sure what to expect, especially since this one is located at a mall (Great Lakes Crossing).

We ordered our tickets in advance, as that is what is recommended on the Sea Life Michigan website to ensure entry.  It is a very new attraction, and due to the size they let in a limited amount of people at one time.

As we walked in, the kids received a “DIVE Log Book” with a question on each page.  Once they find the answer to the question, they are to collect a “stamp” at the dive station.  They present their log book at the end of the tour for a prize.

Creatures at Sea Life Michigan

The tanks were well laid out, and there were a ton of interactive displays including “bubbles” they could stand up in to be “inside” the tanks.  The touch pool was very small, but the attendants were knowledgable, and very interested in helping the kids understand what they were touching, as well as how the animals eat, live, and interact with their environment.

Enjoying the Touch Pool at Sea Life Michigan

I really enjoyed this aquarium a lot, and even my big kids had a great time.

Big Kids having fun at Sea Life Michigan

The tank displays are amazing, including this one at the end of the tour – my favorite!

Tank Art - Sea Life Michigan

Bottom line?  If you are looking for a huge aquarium attraction with everything under the sun and a full day of viewing, you may be disappointed with the size of this cozy aquarium.  However, it packs in a ton of interactive fun into a small space, and I liked the fact that it was not an all day event.  My kids LOVED it.

Se Life Selfie (Groupie?)

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Tressie Davis is a blogger and photographer located in Chelsea, MI.

Things I learned in Washington DC

Better late than never – here are the things I learned in Washington DC when my family and I visited in July!

1. If you leave your Facebook locations on and post a photo of your kid making a face at Applebee’s, a friend in the area might message you and say “hey, I wanna come see you!!”  Excuse the crappy phone photos – I loved catching up with Sarah 🙂

2. If the White House is going to have an event that dictates tourists can’t get anywhere near it, it will be on the only day we are there to visit it.

3. Secret Service men are not allowed to pose.  They will however, pretend like they don’t see you while you take their picture.

4.  If a friend recommends a museum that you have never heard of, you should go – it may end up being the highlight of the trip! At the National Museum of Crime and Punishment you will see the history of crime, current crime, how to commit crime, famous criminals, how to investigate and solve crimes, and the history of punishing crime.  You can look for clues in a “crime scene”, sit in on the “autopsy”, and crack a safe…as well as sit in a driving simulation, and hold a gun in a shoot out simulation.  I probably shouldn’t tell you that I shot at one of the victims….oops.

Also, heat seeking cameras may expose you.  We’ll just make this picture real small.

5. Don’t ever visit landmarks without taking at least one forced perspective shot.  I found these gems on the camera that Riley was using.

6. The Lincoln Memorial is a great place for a photo of daddy and Robby.

7. The water is a lot dirtier than I expected it to be, but if you change the color in photoshop you can still get a pretty reflection.

8. The National Museum of Natural History is pretty awesome.

9. No matter how much history or how many monuments, your kids may just want to take pictures of ducks.  Or in the case of Alex, rocks.

Which one of these rocks captures your attention?  Just curious.

10. I like to take pictures.

11. Regardless of where you are, it’s a great place to make memories, and no matter how much time you think you have, it will go much, much too quickly!!!

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Tressie Davis is a blogger and photographer located in Chelsea, MI.

Things I learned in Virginia

At the end of July, my family and I made a trip to Williamsburg, Virginia to watch my older daughter play in the 2014 NSA B East World Series.  In addition to LOTS of softball fun and World Series activities, we made time to hang out and visit some of the tourist attractions in the area.

As I always do, I learned some things while we were in Virginia.  Below are some of them…

1. There is something pretty special about going on vacation with a whole BUNCH of your favorite friends.  This is our third year traveling for a Softball World Series, and yes, we are ALL making memories.

2014 NSA World Series

2. People from Ohio are confused (those are Michigan colors)

3. Robby likes Roller Coasters.  Alex, not so much.  Busch Gardens was a super fun day!

Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, VA

4. The plantation house at the Powhatan Resort in Williamsburg is haunted….the kids went on a ghost hunting excursion inside.

Powhatan Resort, Williamsburg, VA

5. At the Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum in Williamsburg, I learned that the tallest man in the world was a LOT taller than my husband, you really CAN build a gorilla out of nails, and if I don’t pay attention Robby might get eaten by some random teeth.  The 12 foot transformer and shrunken heads were pretty awesome, but by far the best part was the Impossible LaseRace where you had to navigate through a web of green lasers without breaking the beams of light.  The kids had a blast!

Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum, Williamsburg, VA

6. At the Nauticus museum in Norfolk we saw a log book from May of 1951 with Riley’s name in it,  other artifacts, and super cool models.  Riley stuck her head in a cannon.  I learned more than I ever wanted to know about boats. And stuff.

Nauticus museum, Norfolk, VA

Also there was this.  (Battleship Wisconsin)

Battleship Wisconsin, Norfolk, VA

7. From the museum to the boat tour of the Norfolk Naval Base, I learned how much my dear husband likes boats and military stuff.  Me…not so much.  But here are some of them, cause it was cool for the first 15 minutes or so.

Norfolk Naval Base, Virginia

8. If I get tired of taking pictures of ships, I turn the camera on my family.

Well that’s it.  8 things.  Profound, huh?  After Virginia we made a trip to Washington DC for a couple of days.  I learned stuff there too, stay tuned.

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Tressie Davis is a blogger and photographer located in Chelsea, MI.