M4H 1/52 “Reflective” Eye Candy

I am so excited to share our very fist Eye Candy post of 2014! I am still trying to figure out just where it is 2013 went, so I am sure that this year will fly on by. I am so pleased to see so many returning members from our past Project 52 sharing images both in Flickr and Facebook. Our new Facebook group has really taken off and we are nearing 1,000 members already! The images that have been shared just for the first week alone blow me away. Not just because there are many beautiful photographs that have been shared, but also because of the depth and meaning behind so many of them. The stories alone make it so hard to choose. I thought I would start the year off with a bit of a disclaimer so you all know how Eye Candy works.

You absolutely need NOT be a Professional Photographer or even a seasoned photographer to participate in this project. More importantly I want you to know that Eye Candy is nice but it isn’t the purpose of this project. I share images from all skill levels here. This project is meant to be not only inspiring but uplifting. It is about your images and your memories. It is also about your journey and personal growth because if you stick with this project you will indeed grow. This project is about love and encouragement. This group’s purpose is community. Community to help hold us accountable and also to help us grow.

Another thing to keep in mind is I am only another photographer in our bunch. I head up this project and help it stay organized. I am here for you though. The images that are chosen are merely just a few of many that will inspire me every week and if I could feature everyone I would. If you aren’t chosen for a week it isn’t because your image isn’t amazing, or your story wasn’t touching or that you weren’t seen or appreciated. Whether you photograph nature, people, indoors, outdoors, landscapes, animals or anything else under the sun there is a place for you here. You can photograph anything and everything you like. You do not even need to use the themes if you like.

Your only requirement to qualify for Eye Candy is that the images be taken that week for the theme. You have until Monday when these posts go up to submit your images for the prior week’s theme. You can share on Flickr, Our Facebook Group or my Fan page. If you share on the fan page I will absolutely be sharing some of our project 52 group images there as well from time to time so if you want to share for the sake of sharing there that is absolutely okay.

Lastly if you are the main Winner (not eye candy) please contact me if you like for a $40.00 Gift Card to my shop. These gift cards can be used towards anything of your choosing. You can reach out to me via my email (Sayhello @ Myfourhensphotography (dot) com.) or via the blog contact forms or messaging system on my Fan Page.

Once again here is all the pertinent links for our project.
Info on Project 52 HERE.
My Four Hens Photography Fan Page HERE.
My Four Hens Photography Group. HERE
My Four Hens Photography Flickr HERE

Here we go! ( I picked two winners this week. Couldn’t help myself!  lol!)

Winner: This photo grabbed me. Completely intrigued. SO beautiful! And I love all the possible interpretations and how many ways it can relate to the theme.

By: Suzie Ziemke

Caption:
M4H 1/52 | reflection

My daughter’s reflection in a steamy mirror. The diffused reflection, somehow, makes her seem so much older.

By:

Amanda Sheehan

Caption:
Hi all! I am Amanda. I am so excited to join in! As soon as I saw the prompt this week I was struck with an idea..but it is a bit personal so here is a little backstory. In the middle of August my husband had an aortic tear that changed our lives forever. He should have died but didn’t thanks to some amazing docs at the Cleveland Clinic. Anyway, he went from being perfectly healthy to needing to have his entire aorta replaced and be monitored closely because of genetic connective tissue disorder. After 3 major open heart surgeries in 5 months he is the proud owner of a new aorta. And can finally return to a more normal life! 2014 is going to rock! Here is the caption for the image: Week 1/52 Reflection: When I look at Kevin I see a reflection of all we have been through this year. But I also see what an amazing fighter he is. And how much we have learned about eachother and how much stronger we are together. And then there is our children. They look at him and reflect back their super hero. The source of so much unending joy and love. I am still working on putting all this behind me for the new year. But I can’t wait to find a new normal! Setting up for this took some doing, but it helped me reflect on how far we have come. Thanks Sarah for the push to do it! I am loving all the amazing images in here so far! I look forward to more fun!
(Little Tootsies Photography)

And so much Eye Candy. You have been warned lol!

By: lindy.pfaff

Caption:
4 | 365 – 1/52 reflection

He licks my slider to death when he sees his reflection. My window is constantly covered in dog goo.

By: Suzy Hanzlik

Caption:
Romeo and Juliet Indian Mound

Finally stopped to read the road plaques here and take a photo this week… such a beautiful place.. had no idea the rich history here

1/52 Reflect
Helen, GA

By: bushel&apic

Caption:
1/52 Reflective

Final inhale of 2013…

By: Louice Nilsson

Caption:
M4H P52 1/52 Reflective
I actually uploaded my photo for this week’s theme already. But when I woke up this morning the sun and my kitchen lamp created this awesome reflection on the wall.

By: therustylens

Caption:
Project 1:52 | Reflection
San Antonio River Walk, NYE

New Year’s Eve is the best day for reflection. As the year comes to a close and we add another tick mark to our wedding anniversaries it’s bittersweet to reflect on the journey. Not just in the year that has passed, but in all the years. Time is precious. 2013 was a year of great change and progress, and I am looking forward to 2014 being a year of great quality and fulfillment, the reward for all the pushing and striving done to get here.

By: simplymegan

Caption:
Week 1 | Reflection

By: beth.oliver

Caption:
M4H Challenge/”Reflection”
As I “reflect” on how this man has helped me grow and heal into the person I am hungry to be, I am grateful. He supports, loves, cares and lets me live my dreams beside me. I am blessed… He is even beautiful reflected in a mud puddle 🙂

By: hartman.271

Caption:
p52 week 1 reflection
I was able to buy my first dslr in fall 2013! I will be one of the beginners in this group, but I can’t wait to grow with everyone else.
I was finally able to propose to my girlfriend of 6 years this past summer. While a lot of our friends have had their weddings or are planning, we are waiting for Ohio to give us the chance to legally wed. We are not letting it slow us down, though, and have a lot of big goals on our list for 2014!

By: ::Sandra Edwards::

Caption:
Week 1 – Reflection.
As this theme triggers alot in me, I find that I must keep it simple. I wish to reflect on 2013. A year filled with a lot of challenges for my little family. Having to move from our home, having a daughter who has struggled, finding a new home, having to move from that too, finding yet another place to live.. it has all been rough. BUT we are together. As a family, as a unit, we are strong. We have taken on all of our challenges and won.

When my daughter gave me this little Christmas-trinket that she made for me and told me that is was angels and stars watching over us, I just knew that we’ll be fine. 2014 will be our year. I am so grateful for my family and I am so grateful for this little trinket that shows me that all the love we need is in angels and stars put together by small, loving hands and a fantastic heart.

By: leahartmanphoto

Caption:
1/52 “Reflective”

By: photos=happiness – I am

Caption:
1/52 – Reflection

By: Sheryl Salisbury

Caption:
1/52 Reflection (M4H)

At first, I had a different idea for the reflection theme. However, as I sat here going through my 2013 project 52 prints. I realized that this was exactly the kind of reflecting I wanted to capture.

By: BirdsDream Design

Caption:
Reflecting on this past year as a whirlwind, shaking off doubt and looking forward to being free to make new mistakes and experience everything 2014 has to offer.

By: *libba*

Caption:
1/52 “Reflective”

What’s one more weekly photo project, right? This one with weekly themes that I don’t have the pressure of participating in choosing. The first theme is “reflective”. So here is a reflection of my life right now; laying in the middle of the living room floor, surrounded by a bunch of toys and a toddler having an epic meltdown because I would not let her stick pens in her ears.

By: shutterbugamar

Caption:
reflective (1:52)

I love smoothies. And I especially love making them at home. So I always go out to buy frozen veggies and fruits so that I can pop them into the blender at any time and make smoothies.

On the first day of 2014, I decided to make smoothies bright and early in the morning. I felt so inspired for some reason.

And then, for the same reason, I saw that there was perfect light falling on my kitchen island, so I ran and grabbed my camera with my 35mm lens. The photos came out so bright, and I loved them.

Because of that, I made this post on a new website I found, Exposure:

Making smoothies

Do check it out!

Also, to reflect on the past year, and how much I’ve grown as a student and as a photographer, I made another post:

2013

I’m not much of a “deep thoughts” person. But sometimes I feel like reflecting. I guess this wasn’t the week for it. Probably because my mind is caught in the midst of my graduate school applications, as well as a lab report and presentation that I have coming up in the next week. Lucky me, going back to school. My last semester of undergrad. This is exciting. I just want it to be over with though.

Anyways, wishing myself luck on another Project 52!

Thank you all for always inspiring me and for your sweet sweet comments!

Cheers.

By: Cass Kiggins

Caption:
M4H Project 52/1 Reflection
As a parent, you spend countless amounts of time reflecting upon and worrying about how every little decision you make will effect them emotionally, physically and spiritually.

This photo is a reflection of the best decision we made together as a family! We all yearned for a better and simpler lifestyle!

Last year brought about huge, huge changes for my family and I, but especially for my little girl. Her little world was turned upside down, literally! Her daddy quit his job, we were separated as a family for approximately 6 months while I was away working and within that time she moved (with her daddy) to another state … cross country! She started attending a new school with a very different and much harder curriculum! With any transition, she had her struggles and had to work extremely hard, but she did it! I feel like she is in her (rocky) victory dance and is much stronger & shining brighter then ever! The fight is over and we all turned out winners with genuine smiles!

Facebook Cass Kiggins Photography

By: Lifeexpressionsphotography

Caption:
M4H Week 1/Reflection

Here’s to a new year of goals, less self doubt, more creativity, pushing myself, listening to my voice, staying positive and having FUN. And of course my beloved cup of coffee.

By: Kelly Maher Poynter

Caption:
1 | 52 | Reflection
I was sitting at my desk yesterday beating myself up because it was our first week and I was already struggling with the theme. I even thought about cheating (LOL!) because I have some beautiful reflective shots from my duck’s eye, our pond, the sky, etc. Then my 7-yr old daughter said she wanted to show me something. She had been coloring and cutting and had created a hospital room for her Barbie’s. She laid the pieces out and explained them all to me ~ I labeled them for you so you can understand what you are looking it. My daughter is a survivor of stage IV Wilm’s Tumor (kidney cancer in kids). Her last round of chemotherapy was on January 6th, 2010. She will be a 4 year survivor in a few days and I always get emotional this time of year and absolutely “reflect” back to that terrible time of our lives…..but it hadn’t occurred to me to try to photograph this “annual reflection”…until she showed me her work. The interesting thing is, the doctors/nurses/therapists/cancer families all said she would most likely have no memory of her cancer or her treatment since she was 2 and 3 years old when it happened. But as you can see, she remembers everything quite clearly.

By: Carri Thomas Martinez

Caption:
“my baby is no longer a baby”
aside from the literal reflection of my Gianna-bear in the mirror, I sit here on the last day of the year reflecting on how much she’s grown… especially when referencing her newborn picture on the wall.

brief intro: hi! my name is Carri. I’m from Atlanta, Ga… wife & mother to a blended family that includes our two oldest sons from my husband’s first marriage along with our son and daughter together. My educational background is in film & video (shout out to GA State!) but began the transition into photography roughly four years ago shortly after the birth of my son. This is my first P52 as well as just interacting in a group setting like this at all. (ok, so so much for brief.) looking forward to mingling and stretching myself creatively with you guys.

By: Tamryn Jones

Caption:
1/52. And here is what I was innitially going for. My hubby prefers this one and I know this will be a lot more pleasing to the eye for most people. My beautiful boy with reflection in his face, in his eyes, in the rain, in the window. I really love this topic and I’m excited for this whole project — with Tamryn Jones Photography.

By: Katie Conner

Caption:1/52. Reflecting on this past year is a little rough for me. As a family, it was a great year. My two boys and husband had lots of fun adventures and the boys have really changed a lot in a year. Personally though, it was been really rough. We’ve been trying to add another bundle of joy for a year and a half now, unsuccessfully. It’s taken such a toll on my health-weight gain and constant stress. It’s put a huge strain on my relationship with my husband too. I bought these two onesies almost a year ago to wrap up and give my husband when we finally conceived. I found them the other day tuck inside one of my dresser drawers. My goal from here on out is to not let this take ahold of my life like it has this past year. And to have peace in whatever happens. I want to enjoy life again and take care of myself like I should be doing. I want to be more present to my children who have seen me cry this year far too many times. Here’s to letting go of things I don’t have complete control over. I am blessed with two healthy happy children and they are my world

By: Carol Swaitkewich

Caption:
Reflection week 1 So I am completely nervous to post this lol. I don’t have a story to go with the theme This just popped into my head when I heard the theme. This is my oldest daughter who started point this year.

By: Brea Bursch

Caption:
1/52: Reflection

My husband, Jeff, and I have a rich, dense, and fulfilling love story. We’ve conquered infertility, communication barriers, otherworldly family struggle, and more in the last 12.5 years. Our meeting was kismet and completely ordained by God. He is a perfect reflection of all my strengths and the missing half to overcome my weaknesses.

By: Sarah Morris

Caption:
2013 saw some big changes in my life – one of them being my first year spent as a Grandmother (which I still can’t get used to, only old people are Grandmothers) but its enabled me to look back and reflect on the happy times and closeness I had with my own Grandmother – so this picture is for Lily Raisey
Raise

By: Jaclyn Henke Heeke

Caption:
I got this bracelet last year to remind me (whenever I was feeling anything less) that I AM very blessed. So, every time I’m frustrated or sad or disappointed, I look down at my wrist & reflect on everything that is wonderful. This project is a first for me, so I can’t wait to see what the year brings!

By: Ashlee Sikes

Caption:
M4H Week 1/52: Reflection (A+ Moments Photography here on FB) www.aplusmoments.com

By: Katy Tuttle

Caption:
1/52 reflection | Katy Tuttle Photography
always easier among the trees.

By: Holly Northup Pierce

Caption:
M4H 1:52 {Reflection}

By: Abs Pa

Caption:
Week 1: Reflection

After seeing all of your photos throughout the week, I kept over thinking what I wanted to do for this week. So I just toned back and kept it simple. This past year wasn’t awful, but difficult. There was a lot of self doubt and I grappled with my confidence a lot. Especially with my two professions in teaching and photography. Teaching is not easy. I don’t take the job lightly, which makes me harder on myself then anyone. Teenagers are difficult to teach, especially in a tough district. I questioned my abilities every day I was in the classroom. And with the photography, I’m trying to start a business. Am I good enough? Should I spend the money and upgrade my gear? Why am I not getting business? I reflected on both towards the end of the summer. In the new year, I’m going to try to pat myself on the back more. Focus on the positives. Do a little inner dance when one of my struggling students does something positive. I hope you like!

By:

Jenelle Miranda

Caption:
1/52 Reflection

I was walking by my older daughters room and saw her reading a story to her baby sister. I sat and watched for a minute and then prayed they would still be there as I ran for my camera, When I came back they were laughing at a photo

By: Louisa Ward

Caption:
Week One: – REFLECTIVE

By: Dianna Lester

Caption:
{m4h project 52 // week 1 // reflection}
this year has been full of hurdles…some big, some small…
when things get really crazy – I find myself longing for nature and will often take a drive or a long walk just to breathe in the air and soak up the sun.
I have been overwhelmed, constantly running behind and endlessly tired…but I have promised myself that this year will be different. I need more time just doing nothing but enjoying creation. I want to make more day trips and take every moment and make the most of it. And most of all, I want to work on being a better me…a better mom, wife, friend, sister and even a better photographer.
sarah – you are an inspiration to me…every single day, I look forward to your fb and ig posts…and they always make me smile

By: Esther Young Dora

Caption:
Just found M4H and very excited yet nervous as well about joining this Project. But I am here to be inspired to grow, see new things, reflect and learn!
Week 1: Reflection
https://www.facebook.com/4everyoungphotography

This is very personal & still raw for me and although I had other photos I thought about starting this project with (ones I just took yesterday..) I knew I had to go back and edit some of these I took back in Late September of my sister in law at (another) head shaving party. She passed away from cancer Oct. 22 and literally this is the first time I have had the courage to go back through some of these pictures. It is reflecting my time with her, the mother, sister, wife & friend she was (and still is from above!), the courage & faith she had, the mentor & support in my photography & just so much more. I know she will be huge in inspiring me to greater things this 2014…

By: Holly Ellington

Caption:
52 / Week 1 / Reflective

In this same spot roughly 6 months ago, my daughter stood holding a photo of a sonogram. We were so excited to be welcoming a baby into our family. My husband and I have been trying to conceive for 6 years and this was an absolute surprise! We soon found out we were having a girl and we were over the moon excited. Joy, however, was short lived as I had a premature rupture of membranes at 16 weeks pregnant, spent a week in the hospital, and another 8 weeks on bed rest until I went into labor at 24 weeks. When I asked if “she” was okay, alive, upon delivery, we were very surprised to learn it was a BOY instead. We named him Judah and he lived for 7 hours. A hour for each wonderful day the Lord has made. The above photo is actually a photo of the only boy item we own and it was given to me by our daughter when she arrived at the hospital to see Judah. I found it only fitting that we had to “take Judah” back to the place where all the happiness began.

Love {hEr} Photography (though I have been on a hiatus for a couple years, I hope this project helps me to get back in the groove)