Emily W. Kincke Photography

Happy New Year’s Eve! In honor of this celebration, I’ve chosen a fun image to portray the excitement of the New Year and conclusion of the current year. This was taken as a test shot and it turned out to be pretty cool. So with 7 minutes until the new year of 2009, I give you my last pick for the photo-a-day in 2008!

I’m very much looking forward to 2009. Have a great Happy New Year!!

In preparation for the New Year’s Eve celebration, I’m looking through Meade’s delicious cocktail creations. I always go back to this photo because I just love the vibrant orange/yellow on black color combination. I guess it has something to do with my love for Halloween, but the glow also reminds me of fire. It’s like Natural Harmonic will not only warm your eyes, but your mouth as well.

I’ve uploaded some new photos to both my project galleries and now I’d like to focus on what I’ve already created. So for this week’s project, I’m asking you all to help me out. I want you to pick your favorite photograph from all of my galleries. Not just the one that is best in quality and composition, but also the one that speaks to you the most. If you’d like to share your thoughts on why you picked the one you did, that would be great too. You can simply comment with your selection or email me.

Thanks and I look forward to seeing what you like.

Some of you might wonder where this view through the trees are on Liberty Island, but this photo, in fact, was taken on our trip up here. Not exactly where, but this statue is not Lady Liberty in New York. We were driving this huge moving truck and I looked outside to see this Statue of Liberty replica. So I rolled down the window, focused on the statue and got this fun photograph. I love the blurred trees and non-centered focal point. It keeps your eyes on their toes.

Today I picked the photo of baby Bullet. I just love the childlike features he carries in this shot. Now such a huge dog, Bullet has lost the innocent look. So this photo shows the sparkling eyes, pretty pink tongue, and vibrant blue collar. So sweet and cute.

This day was a fun filled inquisitive day for Bullet. He got to explore the jungle of a backyard in Covington, Louisiana. This was post Katrina, so the jungle was a bit destroyed, but still in tact enough for him. He attacked sticks and bushes, water hoses and bugs. I had a blast photographing Bullet because he was just in his own world. I really enjoy observing people and animals in their natural habitat, not posing and adjusting for the photograph. Bullet wasn’t about to stop playing for the picture, but he would pause to look at who was calling his name. One of the best things about pet photography is the purity. It’s very difficult to pose a pet and get them to stay long enough for the photo. Not many are this obedient, let alone patient. That’s why I don’t do that, instead I like to follow them in their adventures and photograph their true nature. It’s all about demonstrating the chaos in one simple shot. This one exhibits curiosity, adventure, and true life.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!
Here’s a little ditty I’ve been working on the last few days. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it:

‘Twas the eve before Christmas and all through the house,
Little creatures were stirring, including a mouse;
The stockings were hung on the blank wall somewhere,
In hopes that St. Germain might find ‘em there;

The baby was nestled all snug in her bed-bed,
While visions of hunting danced in her head;
And daddy in his robe, and I in one white,
Had just settled in bed for another brisk night,

When out in the street there arose such a clutter,
I sprang from the bed to find what’s in the gutter.
Away to the front door, I staggered to see,
Unlocked the three door locks and cold wind hit me.

The street lamp reflection on snow covered ice
Gave the look of daytime to concrete quite nice.
When, what to my glazed over eyes should I see,
But a bright red taxi cab, and eight drunks in their pee.

With a fat smokey driver, all juiced on a whim,
I knew right away that it had to be him.
Faster than a bullet he honked his cab’s horn,
And he set down his cigar and yelled without scorn;

“Now, Slasher! Tiny Dancer! now, Gallop and Vixen!
On, Halley! On Eros! on, Wonder and Schlitzen!
To the top of the stoop! to the roof or the wall!
Now slash away! crash away! trash away all!”

As dead leaves fell after the wild turkey they drank
When they met with a road hump, the meter went blank,
So up to the stoop the passengers disband,
With the cab full of puke, and St. Germain empty hand.

And then, in a shiver, I heard from above,
The dancing and singing of each to speak of.
As I locked my three locks, and was heading to sleep,
Through the window bars he came all stinky and cheap.

He was dressed for the cold, from his hood to snow boots,
And his clothes were all filthy like all of his suits;
A bundle of cash he had stolen in his hand,
And he looked like a hustler but minus the grand.

His eyes — oh how bloodshot! his pimples were a lot!
His teeth were all missing, his nose dripping with snot!
His drool from the mouth was drawn up with a slurp,
And the beard on his chin smelled of a light beer burp;

The rest of his blunt he gummed in his mouth,
And the smoke wreathed his head like in the deep south;
He had a long face and a big beer gut belly,
That rippled when he laughed like a jar full of jelly.

He was stubby with a slump, a funny looking man,
And I laughed at him a lot just because I can;
A twinkle in his eye and a twitch of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had this guy to dread;

He spoke gibberish, but he needed to work,
He stuffed his face full; then started to lurk,
And laying his finger up inside his nose,
And flicking it out, to the window he goes;

He slipped to his cab, to the street gave a honk,
And away he did drive like any ol’ crazy drunk.
But I heard him mumble, ere he swerved out the way,
“Happy Christmas to me, and next time they will pay.”

Today was a relaxing, cleaning house kind of day. Nothing too exciting, but I kept thinking about the great outdoors. I miss being active with rock climbing, scuba diving, camping, etc. I also miss the lush green nature. Don’t get me wrong, I’m loving the cold, white winter, but I can’t wait to see New York in the spring.

So looking back at my past warm weather adventures, I remember this gorgeous dragon fly just posing for me. I was exploring Audubon Park one afternoon in New Orleans and found this pond with lily pads and a very friendly dragon fly. This particular shot is my favorite because the green is so green and makes the dragon fly just pop and yet at the same time blend in to its natural habitat. I also love the semi-transparent leaf showing the dragon fly’s shadow. The transparency is repeated in the dragon fly’s wings, creating an even more pleasing flow. I just love nature and its beautiful qualities. It’s so real.

Ah, what a wonderful white Christmas season!

I was trying to think of what photos represent Christmas best to me, but it’s hard to decide which aspect of Christmas I want to focus on today. I’m missing the family, so I’m drawn to the White Christmas of 2004 in New Orleans. It actually snowed on Christmas Day that year. . . how awesome! I’ve been known to bring snow wherever I may go, so this was no surprise to me. What did surprise me was the Snow of 2008 in New Orleans. That’s right, they had a crazy heavy snow not too long ago and I wasn’t even there. So in the spirit of Christmas, snow, and New Orleans, I present to you two people you should make a point of knowing. They are the best and you’ll have the pleasure.
I love them and miss them.

As I sit here watching “White Christmas” and drinking a mug full of hot buttered rum, I think of what my favorite winter warming drink is and it would have to be hot chocolate. The best is if it’s covered with whipped cream, marshmallows, chocolate shavings, and topped with a candy cane stirrer.

Now, I wouldn’t say the photo below would be a warming drink because it’s not, it’s “Frrrozen.” However, I would say to go get you some now. Serendipity 3 is a quaint little restaurant in Manhattan that has become famous due to John Cusack’s film Serendipity. I love John Cusack, so of course I’ve seen this movie countless times before. Upon moving here, it was definitely on the to do list with high priority. We ordered a Frrrozen Hot Chocolate in addition to a regular hot chocolate so as to not freeze completely.

I love looking at this photo because it’s inviting. The warm color makes you think this overflowing chocolate goodness will warm your belly, when in fact it just cools your core. I also love that they give you three straws knowing that this enormous drink has to be shared despite the desire to savor it all yourself. The beverage fills the frame with no effort and can stand alone or, in our case, with a side of hot chocolate and dim sum. To enjoy this photo is to enjoy a cool winter breeze on a bright sunny day as a snowflake sparkles and splashes on the tip of your nose.

The holidays without family can be a lonely time. This year’s Christmas will be spent here in the big city with a small family. So, Meade and I have been reminiscing about New Orleans and the time we spent there. We lived in Metairie for almost 3 years and during that time we experienced New Orleans in its glory and aftermath.

This image is of nothing in particular but a feeling. It was taken after Hurricane Katrina and yet you wouldn’t know it. That’s the beauty of it. The scene is not of a famous or important landmark. It’s not something a tourist would see and think, “Ah, now that’s New Orleans!” And yet, it is.

“Private Envy” evokes a sensation of secludedness with a hint of admiration. I love how it makes you feel hot, like you need to be sitting under that ceiling fan with a cool drink in one hand and talking with the other. But at the same time, it’s all alone in the corner. No one is sitting there, no one is drinking, no one is talking, no one is.