Still Life Photography.

As a photographer, I am always thinking or seeing the next image I want to create.  Sometimes I concentrate of big themed portrait sessions, sometimes I just concentrate on small details of things I find interesting.  Could be a fall leaf, a summer flower, jewelry, even every day around the house items.  Here is my latest collection of still life images.

Autumn Part One

Fall is my favorite time of the year. I love the colors and the smell of fallen leaves.  I love the cooler weather and pumpkin picking.  I love apple cider, apple picking, and  roasting pumpkin seeds.  I love walking through crunching leaves.  How could anyone not like fall?

October is always filled with fun family activities for my family. To start with we took a nice long drive up to the mountains.  I am in love with Skyline Drive. The shenandoah mountain range has a special place in my heart.  Last year after first moving to Virginia, I wanted so desperately to go see the color change in the mountains. I had heard how beautiful it was up there in the fall and had dreamt of going.  But we couldnt make it.  This year, it was worth the wait.

here is a panorama view of the moutain tops.

the colorful mountains

My daughter looking out over the view.

We also went pumpkin picking at our local nursery.  We usually visit a farm and cut our own, but they were closed on Sunday.  It was fun regardless, because the nursery has a haunted bus for decoration!

Then to round off our weekend, my husband has every other monday off at work.  So him and I went to the local reservoir to take a hike through the trails.  Even though the color of the leaves had not yet hit peak color, it was still beautiful.

who knew there would be such a vibrant shade of pink among the fall leaves.

Vibrant reds popping out from the green forrest

this one actually reminds me of Christmas.
which will be here before we know it.  But as for right now, im enjoying the weather, the colors and smells of fall.  I hope you are too.  Get out there and breathe it in. It will be gone before you know it, and soon winters cold drab world will be upon us.

Caramel Apple Cheesecake

Its no suprise I love this season.  I love apple picking, and breathing in the smell of drying leaves on the ground. I love the cooler weather, and beautiful colorful leaves.  The smell of cooking apples brings me back to my very happy childhood, and my mothers kitchen.  She made the best hot apples, that you ever tasted.

We went to the apple orchard last week.  Since I have extra apples on hand, and had already made my attempt at my moms hot apples, I figured I would try something new.  My mother used to say I made "concoctions" I could throw a great many random things together and make a delicious meal of it.  This is one of my concoctions.

I decided to use No bake cheesecake, because its quicker and cheaper than making it from scratch.  I love homemade cheesecake so much more, but this was a really tasty dish, and who doesn't like quick and cheap?

Ingredients

2 boxes No Bake Cheesecake
1 jar of caramel ice cream topping
4-5 apples
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp corn starch
2 tbsp vanilla extract

Peel and Dice apples.  sprinkle sugar and corn starch over apples, and stir to coat the apples.  Cook on medium heat in a cast iron skillet (or frying pan), for about 15 minutes, or until the apples are tender, but not mushy.  Turn off the heat and add Vanilla.  Stir gently.

in a 9x11 glass baking dish (small lasagna pan) make crust as directed on the box of cheesecake.

Set apples in refrigerator to cool.

When apples have cooled add HALF the apples to the top of the crust and drizzle some of the caramel over the apples.

Make Cheesecake as directed on box.

Pour cheesecake mixture OVER the apples. smooth cheesecake mixture.
add remaining apples over the cheesecake mixture and top with more caramel drizzle.

Allow to set in refrigerator for 1 hour.

Enjoy.  this is a fantastic Autumn treat for your family.