Of all my moaning about the shortage of Polaroid instant film (an exciting update on this here), my brilliant and super hip friend Jim turned me on to the Hipstamatic app for iPhone.

I have yet to truly expand on how much I adore my phone. But this post is about how much I adore this app!

Hipstamatic turns the iPhone lens into a fabulous plastic throw back analog camera of days past. A series of lenses and films to choose from allows me to create awesome Polaroid-esque pictures. I can choose from bold contrasts with a perfectly imperfect border, a late 70’s red cast or yellow blownout effect and they all give gorgeous results.

On a bright sunny day….

Or from the darkened back row of an awesome dive-bar…

This app epitomizes love of cheap frills.

Tags: App, Iphone, photography, polaroid

A few weekends back, a sleepy lab named Sky rested on the cabin porch next to me as I enjoy a soft breeze, mellow sun, red wine and a comfy Adirondack.

The boys and I had escaped to the Granite Rose at Juniper Well Ranch in Skull Valley. This is by far the most beautiful place in Arizona I have ever been.

See for yourself by clicking here.

Each morning began with a photo walk, the boy and I each with a camera in hand. A detour to feed the horses carrots, hay and oats and then a drive up the hill for breakfast at the Dinner Bell Café.

One afternoon was spent touring Peddlers Pass a great local flea market where more than a little pocketbook restraint was required.  Black walnut ice cream on a bench in town-square and slow drive back down to the ranch for a late lunch ended the afternoon.

Dinner was paired with and wine grown and vinted right there on the ranch, with our dear friends Dave and Linda on the second-floor porch of the Inn Keepers cabin

I love this place. I love this time with my boys. I cannot imagine a more perfect day.

Tags: Cabin, Life, photography, ranch

“Step through the door and a whole new world opens up for you.”

Last week I stumbled upon the HBO bio-pic Temple Grandin.

This is an amazing movie starring Claire Danes and Katherine O’Hara that depicts the life of Temple Grandin. Best known for the design of a humane system of transport for cattle from stockyard to slaughterhouse the film  paints a portrait of her struggles to overcome the challenges of  Autism. This film tells a story in a way that is real and honest that inspires us to work within our talents and make opportunities of our limitations.

Just a week prior I tuned into NPR and first learned of Temple Grandin . I waited parked and listened intently as she told her story in her voice and her words. Danes did an amazing job bringing to life the voice I pictured of Ms. Grandin.

Several pivotal moments in the movie are punctuated by Temple walking through a door, braving the unknown, moving beyond her comfort to discover the opportunities that await on the other side. Nothing great is accomplished without taking those kinds of steps.

As you can see the DimeStorePretty blog has undergone a great transformation of it’s own. Recent posts have eluded to such a change as I have been filling my head with other beautiful blogs and taking time to define for myself what I want my space to be. A pivotal moment perhaps? This has yet to be seen.

Much of Temple Grandin’s life and bio is set on her Aunt’s cattle ranch in east Texas. One of my goals with the new Dime Store Pretty format is to share more if not exclusively my own attempts at photography.

These are a few images of my favorite ranch at Juniper Well in Skull Valley, Az. Cheers to new doors, new worlds and brave steps forward into the unknown.

Tags: film, photography, ranch

Pears & Pictures

My son got a new camera for Christmas and I hate to admit that it’s nicer than the one I typically use for blog photography.

Hope he doesn’t mind sharing.

Tags: food, photography