Diane Davenport Photography

A Day at Disney

2008-06-11T08:53:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite places to visit in Orlando is Disney World. I love to wander around the parks and of course my camera is usually with me.

Recently we brought some friends to Animal Kingdom to enjoy the day. We started out on the safari... I love the animals and on this day the elephants were out for photo ops. There is something about elephants that draw me to photograph them maybe it goes back to my elephant ride in the jungles of Thailand years ago or my many visits to the area and seeing the elephants work. I am fasinated by them

I really like the black and white image I included in this series. It was taken on the safari ride... it is in the area where you can see lions. I like the starkness of the rock... I don't know the photo just talks to me.

The other image reminds me of the exotic locations that I would love to visit and photograph. It is one of my favorite views and I find myself drawn to this site to re photograph it each time I visit the park...it just says so much about the remoteness... primitive... but at the same time artist idea of maybe Nepal or somewhere in that region. I always yearn to visit that area of the world when I see this image.

I would travel the world to photograph people at work and play or the beauty of the country and its people. I know I have said this before in my website but for me photography is more then a hobby it really is a passion...

2008-06-10T17:28:00.000-07:00

Race Around the World

Jenn has been running for years and one of her favorite races is Minnie's Race Around the World which takes place in May. Getting up early to drive over to the start line... waiting for the beginning of the race... and then taking a bus back over to the finish line at EPCOT to see Jenn cross it is all part of enjoying the race day.

I discovered early when Jenn started running cross country in high school that I would be bored if I didn't have something to do between the start of the race and the finish... I decided to bring my camera to the races... many many races later I am still bringing my camera to Jenn's races.

This is one of my favorite photos from this race. Jenn is holding her medal and you can see the top of Spaceship Earth in the background!

I Spy Cake!

2008-04-18T14:55:00.000-07:00

I truly enjoyed photographing the baby shower and was delighted to discover these two captivated by Clara cutting her cake. I didn't notice them as I was photographing Clara but on closer inspection who did I see but these two clearly waiting patiently for some cake. It was a delightful surprise to find them in the photo. I have to admit this is one of my favorites from the baby shower. I have always wanted to capture children looking at a wedding cake but have never had that opportunity so discovering these two spying the cake at the baby shower was a treat to me. I love photoshop... I was able to crop the original photo and enlarge the two little girls looking at the cake!

Baby Shower

2008-04-18T14:53:00.000-07:00

It was so much fun photographing Clara's baby shower a few weeks ago. It was nice to see all of the ladies that I photographed months earlier for their Dusty Divas portraits. The husbands have been gone for several months now and everyone is eagerly looking forward to their return this summer. It brings back wonderful memories seeing this next generation continuing the military lifestyle. Some things never change...

Clara with her puppies

2008-04-18T14:46:00.000-07:00

new venture ... Maternity Portraits

2008-04-18T07:49:00.000-07:00

Once again my daughter has opened up a new area of photography for me by introducing a friend of hers who was expecting her first child this month... actually Ava was born this morning! I hope to have the opportunity to take some baby portraits very soon! In the meantime here is my first attempt of doing a new and exciting area of photography that is expanding rapidly. Mothers now celebrate their pregnancy and want portraits of this time. Clara was my first model and I had a great time photographing her. I included a portrait with her two dogs. I hope Brian, her husband, deployed with the Navy enjoy the portraits we took that day.

Saying Goodbye ...

2008-01-12T14:58:00.000-08:00

It is never easy to say goodbye to a loved one when they have to leave on deployment, knowing that they will be gone for months at a time. I faced it for 20 years while my husband was a Marine. It never gets any easier. I saw it this past October when my daughter had to say goodbye to her boyfriend and watch him fly his helicopter off to Norfolk.

I accompanied Jenn to keep her company immediately after Andrew left and to drive back to Orlando with her the following day. Of course mom is never without her camera so I captured the entire goodbye in photos. I have since created a slide show accompanied to music for Jenn to send to Andrew. It must be good because it has brought tears to the eyes of everyone who has seen it. This is one of the photos from the day.

Jenn's Christmas Card

2008-01-12T14:45:00.000-08:00

Jenn asked if I would photograph Maddie and her for thier Christmas card this year. It is never easy working with a dog. Maddie immediately decided to face Jenn rather then the camera. There were a few images of Maddie's rump, but after some coaching Jenn was able to get Maddie to almost smile at the camera. lol I kept shooting until Maddie got tired of the whole process and decided it was time to play. As it turned out Jenn had quite a few images to pick from for her card and she decided she liked this one best. Both Jenn and Maddie are actually looking at the camera. Everyone who received a Christmas card have commented on much they like it and how striking it is in black and white with Maddie's pink collar. I have to admit it is one of my favorites too!

Still at the beach

2007-10-22T18:05:00.001-07:00

more beach photos

2007-10-22T17:59:00.001-07:00

At the beach...

2007-10-22T17:55:00.000-07:00

I like taking environmental portraits... I don't like to take portraits inside, I prefer to take them at the beach, at a park or any place that the people I am photographing are comfortable. I want to capture the true person... the inner person... maybe the gleam in the eye of a child being mischievous... the smile of a husband looking at his wife... the love of a family spending time together.
The weekend I traveled to Jacksonville one of the wives from the squadron asked if I would take some family portraits for her. She wanted some photos before her husband deployed. We decided to do the secession at the beach and even though it was windy with the sand blowing into everyone's eyes we managed to capture some good shots.

The Dusty Divas

2007-10-21T15:28:00.000-07:00

Recently, I had the opportunity to meet a wonderful group of ladies. They are the wives and girlfriends of the officers of HS-7. They wanted to have a photo taken to give to the men for their wardroom when they deploy. The helo was brought out and the men were banished while I photographed the ladies. It was fun. Being a retired military wife, I know what these ladies are facing in the next few months. This was a few minutes to do something fun before their men are deployed. I hope that both the wives and the men will enjoy looking at the photos we created that afternoon. I know I treasure the opportunity to meet each lady... here are a few of the images we captured that afternoon.

missing you...

2007-10-21T11:55:00.000-07:00

This is the other perspective... the pilot has deployed and now someone is home missing him.... This one unlike "leaving" was posed in as far as Jenn walked down to the waves and stood there looking out to sea. Andrew's ship was pulling out that morning and already she was missing him. When she saw the photo she agreed with me the title "missing you" was perfect.

Leaving...

2007-10-21T11:49:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite shots that I just stumbled upon. I was in the right place at the right time to capture this pilot walking out to his helo.

Fort Lauderdale Beach

2007-10-21T11:32:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Diane Davenport Photography

2007-10-21T11:04:00.000-07:00

This is something new for me to create a blog. I hope to show case some of my work on this site since it is easier for me to update then to have my website: www.dianedavenportphotography.com updated after each photo shot so I hope that if you find this blog that you will bookmark it and come back often.

Since this is my first blog I decided to tell you a little about myself. I grew up loving photography. I can't remember when I haven't had a camera at my side. In the beginning I preferred landscapes and still life subjects but sometime along the way... maybe after my daughter was born and while we were living in the Orient I discovered that I enjoy portrait photography more then landscapes. I love to capture expressions that tell a story to the viewer.

I am definitely a photojournalist. I want to tell a story with my photos and I do pose my subject to begin with but I let them explore other possibilities. Sometimes I will ask a couple to stand facing each other... maybe looking into each others eyes... this can lead to all kinds of possibilities some couples will start talking quietly between themselves while I capture their interaction on film while other couples might lean in for that special kiss... and still other couples will suddenly have a playful spark and before you know it they are laughing and playing tag with each other. It is this interaction that tells the story in my photos.