She's Done It Again!

Lindsey has given us yet another reason to celebrate! The Associated Professional Photographers of Illinois have awarded her with an Associate Fellowship Degree.This degree is earned through service to the professional state association and is represented by a "Land of Lincoln" gold medallion worn on a black and silver ribbon. Lindsey, we're so proud of you!

Sad News

As often happens in life, joy and sorrow can follow each other closely. We have experienced a great sadness today. My brother, William, has passed away. He was my baby brother and joined our family when I was only 3 years old, so I have the privilege of saying that I was his very first friend in this world. Even though he sometimes filled the stereotypical role of the little sibling tormentor, I did my best to give him unconditional love through a life that turned out to be all too short for a well-respected and much-loved man.

His was a life filled with achievement. He reveled in knowledge, earned multiple degrees, and passed on to others everything he learned. He loved his work and excelled at it. To him, I think teaching was not only a profession but also a mission. And in his passing he has taught again -- about the value of each human life and what really matters.

We'll look back on the yesterdays that we shared with him and remember the unique, intangible ways that he touched our lives. Ways that cannot be defined by words. We are thankful for all the special moments he has left us; because it is through those that my brother will continue to live on, within our hearts and our minds.

Wedding Bells

This has been a HAPPY day in the Nichols family. Our very own Ms. Lindsey, photographer extraordinaire, has married the love of her life. Congrats to Lindsey and Frank!

They couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day. The weather was perfect at the chapel in picturesque New Town, with soft blue skies and temps as warm as the love that surrounded the bridal couple. Family and friends gathered close as the vows were spoken in a ceremony that reflected a very unique relationship. Lindsey spent her day on the "other side" of the camera, which took some getting used to, but she mastered the role of bride as she masters her art, with wisdom and grace. The reception showed subtle signs of photographic themes -- the photo booth was a big hit! The party rocked into the morning hours.

Join us in welcoming Frank into the family and wishing the newlyweds the best that life has to offer.

What a Writer Reads

Nubs: The True Story of
a Mutt, a Marine, & a Miracle
by Major Brian Dennis
Kirby Larson & Mary Nethery
48 pages

This is a wonderful picture book for children. Nubs details the rescue of an Iraqi mutt by an American marine. This is a truly heartwarming story, refreshing in its ability to transcend global and political borders. It offers a great opportunity for a shared experience between a parent and child that will open a dialogue about compassion and caring. It speaks to the souls of all dog lovers and, in a special way, to those who have taken a rescue dog into their life.

That's my five cents worth. I give Nubs a tail wagging "five nickels rating."

Happy 4th!

This is a day for family picnics and the wearing of red, white, and blue. Happy 4th, everyone, get out there and celebrate! But before the fireworks begin, take a moment to give a silent "thanks" to those who fought in the Revolutionary War in order to secure freedom for this nation.

Hands Across the Sand - A St. Louis First!

People at more than 600 venues across the U.S. and around the world came together on beaches, near waterways, and even at solidarity events in land-locked towns. They joined hands and called for an end to offshore drilling. This protest was formed last year in Florida, in the wake of the BP oil spill tragedy in the Gulf, and will now likely be an annual peaceful protest.

In the shadow of the St. Louis Arch, committed citizens lined up on the sidewalk bordering the Mississippi River. It's true that actions speak louder than words and, through the quiet activism of a human chain, people in St. Louis sent their ecological message -- "Protect our waters, say no to fossil fuels and yes to clean energy."

What a Writer Reads

The Seventeen Traditions
by Ralph Nader
Adult nonfiction
150 pages

Every parent should be so lucky as to have their child write a book about them such as Mr. Nader has done. As parents it is what we all hope for -- that our children will grow into an understanding of who we are and an appreciation of all that we have taught them. In this book he applauds older generations and seeks to reach the reader with a wake up call, one that proves generational wisdom to be as priceless as gems.

Despite the fact that we're drowning in technology he feels we are passing on less "true knowledge" than ever before. Today's children equate "new" with "better." This does no service to society.

"As the household goes, so goes the nation." If we believe this adage is true, then I extrapolate that we must fear for our country. Unemployment, foreclosures,, unprecedented debt -- the household, the core of our country, is failing. Our children, quite literally, are the future. It is imperative to provide them with the basics of social responsibility. This duty lies upon the shoulders of parents and Mr. Nader has done great honor to his.

I would like to point out that The Seventeen Traditions is a non-political book holding priceless advice for the family. It is forever timely, as well, no matter the date on the calendar.

That's my five cents worth. I give the book a "five nickels rating."

Bark in the Park

This year Bark in the Park was more akin to Bark in Noah's Ark -- without a doubt the theme for the day was "wetness." The sky opened and the rains fell, not always straight down. Sometimes their direction was decidely sideways.

"Set up" for the Clydesdale photo ops took more time than last year. Multiple adjustments and readjustments were required to accommodate mud puddles, electrical lines, and a very tall horse that needed to be under a tent. The Nichols Team certainly got a chance to show off their ability to be adaptable. Alas, we have no images of the staff at work. Their mud-soaked pants and shoes weren't very picturesque anyway. Mike, Lindsey, Lori, and Sean remained focused on providing fair-goers with the best in photography under extraordinary circumstances.

The individuals who came out and braved the elements were truly dedicated to supporting the Humane Society of Missouri and all of their rescue efforts on behalf of our furry friends. It was Margaret Mead who said, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." That's the kind of people who showed up, faced adversity, and made Bark in the Park 2010 a success after all.

Reduce, Re-use, Recycle!

Here's hoping you all have an enjoyable and productive Earth Day! This is the 40th anniversary of Earth Day and I remember the first one well. As a matter of fact I still have some of the printed materials they distributed at my high school in order to publicize the event and get people involved. I recall wearing a yellow T-shirt that day, emblazoned with the slogan Parks for the People, flanked by green trees. As a "flower child" in 1970 I was very excited to help promote such a valuable movement. Unfortunately, years later, when my daughter was in high school, I was deeply dismayed at the lack of knowledge among the young concerning this special day. A frightening number of teens had absolutely no idea what it was, had never even heard of it much less understood its goals. The school, except for one social studies teacher, seriously "dropped the ball." They didn't take the golden opportunity to inform and instruct. Our children are the future; it's their participation that dictates the path our planet will take. Spend some time with your children today -- talk about the earth and its needs. Do everything you can to foster a sense of responsibility in them. This day, honor Mother Earth as a family and pledge service 365 days a year. Never litter, create a haven for wildlife, protect habitat, reduce, re-use, and recycle. True, we are imperfect beings living in an imperfect world but we have the opportunity to unite in a common cause to make a difference. We only have one planet, treat it with the utmost respect.

The Nichols staff will be spending the day planting trees, shrubs, and flowers. Get out there, participate in the movement in any way that's meaningful to you and make it a lifelong endeavor.

Erin & Jeff

Congratulations to Erin and Jeff. What a fun couple to work with! Jeff is a local resident, born and raised here in the metro area but Erin is a Maryland native. Clear weather was the order of the day for this photogenic duo, a beautiful bride and her handsome, classy groom. There were plenty of smiles for the camera to capture, a portion of them at our very own Glenwood Manor. The reception at Maggiano's in St. Louis was a blast. The guests raved about the food and Night Magic Entertainment kept the party hopping. The dance floor never got a rest from the energetic crowd that rocked into the night. We wish all the best for Erin and Jeff, true soul mates, now joined in love for a lifetime to come.

In Memoriam

The world lost a great lady today. Wendy Bardsley of Godfrey, IL, passed away this afternoon. She will be remembered by all who knew her as an energetic, courageous, and selfless woman. She was the companion of Onyx, a lucky Great Dane that she rescued from a shelter in Missouri. With mutual love and patience the two became an impressive therapy team, a force of good in their community. Together they brought joy and cheer to people in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and hospitals. They also brought delight to countless children at area schools and libraries. All of us here at Nichols Photography feel honored to have known her.

The Native Americans believe all art has a spirit that must be made free to manifest itself again. Wendy was certainly a creation of art, she had completed her work here and her amazing spirit must have been needed elsewhere. We will miss you, Wendy.

Congratulations - Nicole & Christopher

Saturday was a very special day for Nicole & Christopher. They celebrated the beginning of a new life together as husband and wife. Lindsey and Mike had a great time capturing the beautiful images at LeClair.

What a Writer Reads

Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist
by Michael J. Fox
Adult Nonfiction
Listed at $17.50 hardcover / $10.11 paperback on Amazon.com
279 pages
An enjoyable and illuminating read

I tend to stay away from "celebrity penned" books. I'm generally uninterested in being a voyeur into the lives of the rich and famous since they have little in common with my own. However, for this book I made an exception since Mr. Fox suffers from Parkinson's disease and the book addresses the trials and tribulations of living with that particular burden. I have a personal interest in his views because my paternal grandmother dealt with Parkinson's and although I was a child when she passed on, my memories still paint a vivid portrait of her physical difficulties. I also recall the fact that she never complained, actually, she never even spoke about the affliction, choosing instead to cope in silence. So I very much wanted to read Mr. Fox's first hand account of his battles, strategies, and victories. It did, indeed, offer me a window into the hurdles that my own relative had to overcome, as well as the emotions she may have felt but never shared.

The book is divided into four sections: Work, Politics, Faith, and Family. All sections, save politics, were openly revealing in a personal sense. His descriptions of side effects were frequently punctuated with amazing humor. He takes you along on the journey as he moves into a new chapter of his life, finding fresh purpose, daunting challenges, encouraging mentors, and supportive loved ones. The section on politics seemed to decelerate the reading but is necessary given the fact that stem cell research has become a "hot-button" political issue with the power to propel or retard any headway that might end the suffering. Stick with it, there's very important foundational information here for those who may misunderstand the core methods of this approach to finding a cure. Also investigated are the efforts of some to deliberately cloud the stem cell issue in order to create more fervent opponents to the movement.

Always Looking Up gave a warm and private insight into the life of a public figure adored by probably everyone for his deft character portrayals in television and film. He is likewise widely admired for his fight against this devastating disease. I did notice while reading, that there were times when I felt I could clearly hear a second "voice" in the writing style. A little beyond the halfway mark of the book Mr. Fox acknowledged his writing assistant, Asher Spiller. I also enjoyed the way his story came full circle and closed, in essence, the way it had begun. Overall, the book both entertains and instructs -- worthy goals for any manuscript.

Recommended for anyone who wants to see Parkinson's disease vanquished and confined to the pages of medical history books.

That's my five cents worth. I give the book a "4 nickels rating."

Georgia's Journal - Spay Day

This is the 16th annual Spay Day USA. If you have a pet, please be responsible. Shelters are overwhelmed with homeless animals. They have reached crisis proportions due to the present economic depression. Many people, affected by unemployment and foreclosures, have been forced to surrender their pets hoping they will find their way into a loving home. Unwanted litters add immensely to this already burdened system. Have your pet-companion spayed or neutered and we'll be one step closer to the goal -- when "they all have a home."

What a Writer Reads

Precious (the paperback "movie-tie-in version" of the novel Push)
by Sapphire
Contemporary Adult Realistic Fiction
Listed at $8.47 paperback at Amazon
192 pages
A difficult read

The original novel Push has received many literary awards. The actress, Mo'Nique, recently won a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in this film. I have not seen the screen version so this review speaks only to the book, that being said --

This story follows the life of a young girl who struggles through an oppressive life in Harlem. It tackles, head-on, the atrocities and repercussions of child abuse on multiple levels. It is not for everyone. It's an extremely raw slice of reality to which many would prefer to turn a blind eye. The book, however, does not flinch.

The movie was rated R and the book deserves at least that designation. An argument could be made for an X rating based on the graphic nature of several scenes that are far more explicit when described in the detail afforded by the written word. However, these scenes are not gratuitous. They are necessary to the content of the story to ensure that the reader feels the heroine's pain, the ugliness of the evil to which she has been subjected and bravely battles to overcome.

In order to grapple with the issue of illiteracy, the author has written the first portion of her book in the phonetic speech of persons for whom education has been absent or ineffective. Albeit a brilliant approach that let's the reader "experience" the difficulty of actually being illiterate, it makes for a slow and frustrating first half (but then that's the point). The concern then becomes the potential for reader alienation; a percentage of the audience may be tempted to abandon the book. Be assured, as Precious gains her skills, the reading will accelerate proportionately. I, personally, found some of the poetry to be moving but some of the prose to be a bit rambling and repetitive, at times bogging down the story.

To invest oneself in the life of Precious Jones is to ride a class A, high speed roller coaster -- grim, hopeful, grim, hopeful, and so it goes, inching and jerking up the inclines and plummeting into the valleys. This journey successfully chronicles the strength of the human spirit, the ability to live in chaos and yet refuse to be conquered, even when all the odds are stacked against you.

Warning: Explicit Language
Recommended for educators.

That's my five cents worth. I give the book a "3 nickels rating."

Congrats Lori !!!

We're back from Nashville, Tennessee where Lori received her Master of Photography degree at the Professional Photographers of America annual gala event. We just couldn't be prouder of Lori who has diligently worked toward this milestone. The Master degree acknowledges superior photographic ability and the achievement of consistent standards of excellence. Nichols Photography is now the only studio in Illinois with 3 Master Photographers on staff. Thanks, Lori, for putting us over the top!

To be sure, the Nichols family was in celebration mode. There was music and merriment throughout the night as we rocked Nashville at the PPA "after party." Please join us in congratulating her with a well-deserved, "Way to go, Lori!"

The Value of a Life

(Thanks to Card, a rescued Greyhound, and his companion, Logan)

Yesterday I read an article on AOL news that was about coping with debt during this difficult economy. Perhaps some of you read it as well. Of course, the piece tackled the issue of credit cards as a “trap.” As you may know, on AOL, readers are invited to leave comments following articles. It is one of those comments that I would like to talk about here. It left me angry. The anger eased but I was profoundly disturbed by it over the next 24 hours, it haunts me still, as I believe it should. This is how it went (their words not mine) –
Comment by person A
". . . in real life it is very hard NOT to have some credit card debt at some point. . . my dog got sick in late November and had to have an operation $4,000., then that same week, my wife broke a tooth and needed a crown, another $1,000. . . . credit card debt of almost $5,000. within days.”
Reply Comment by person B
". . . there are still choices you can make. $4K for a vet for the dog???? Wow. Consider this option. .22 cal bullet to back of dog’s head = $.75 + new puppy $200. + wife’s tooth $1,000. Total much better than $5K. That is REALLY how you make sound decisions to stay out of debt!!!!”

I found the reply comment so abhorrent that I actually had trouble typing it here. Why did my anger ease? Because, intellectually, I know that person B is handicapped by ignorance and immaturity. His/her personality, education, and mental age aside, -- I realize that the world is full of “person B’s” and that is what haunts me. For people like this, life is only black and white; there is no grey scale. Their decisions are guided solely by the question, "Does it benefit me or not?" They will always take what they perceive to be the easier road. There were no alternatives proposed, no mention of a compromise for the situation -- the possibility of a vet-sponsored payment plan or the existence of an organization offering funds for health care of pets whose owners need financial assistance.

To all the “person B’s” out there, consider the following:
-- The value of any living creature exceeds that which can be measured. There is no price tag on joy, loyalty, or love.
-- Isn’t it our duty as higher beings to consistently attempt to reach beyond human constraints, stretching to find solutions, fervently employing our compassion and spirituality?
-- What goes around comes around. Karma is a potent force in the universe. You had better hope that you never suffer from a costly medical illness; there may be those who think you’re only worth $.75

What a Writer Reads

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly: A Memoir of Life in Death
by Jean-Dominique Bauby
Adult Non-Fiction
Listed at $9.36 paperback on Amazon.com
144 pages
A quick read


I finished the book yesterday (received as a wonderful Christmas gift). It is, without doubt, a work of immense importance! To be sure, I shed tears throughout the reading, but they were minimal payment for admission to the mind and heart of such a brave man, a great thinker whose spirit enriches every reader in profound ways. At the age of forty-three Mr. Bauby suffered a stroke that left him with "Locked in Syndrome." He dictated this book by blinking his left eyelid, his only means of communication. As I see it, it was his cosmic and unfortunate destiny to be charged with a sacred duty, to be chosen to endure the unimaginable in order to teach the many. He rose to the challenge with courage and an understanding of his purpose. And once that purpose was fulfilled, when he had passed on the knowledge that only he could uniquely convey, two days later he quietly slipped the bonds of this world, leaving us with that legacy. I can only hope that all who are touched by his experiences can fully realize the depth of the gift he has left behind.

For devotees of language art, I will say that the work is filled with beautifully poetic similes and metaphors. As a registered nurse, I will stress that I believe it to be a "must read" for anyone, working in any capacity, in the medical field and also for those with hospitalized loved ones who require long-term care.

That's my five cents worth.
I give the book a well-deserved "5 nickels rating."

New Year's Resolutions

Hope you all enjoyed a happy and safe celebration. It's a new year, a new decade, and tradition dictates new resolutions. As many of you know, books are my passion and literacy is a personal cause here at Nichols Photography. So, in keeping with a time-honored tradition, I hereby resolve to diligently attempt to read and write more often and encourage others to do so, as well. To that end, I've decided to share with our blog readers an occasional critique of the reading material on my nightstand. 2010 will see the advent of a new feature, What a Writer Reads.

Feel free to leave a comment and share with us what your resolutions are.