Digital Dispatch

Help! I’ve fallen into my computer and I can’t get out!

Well, that’s a slight exaggeration. But I have been swallowed up by iPhoto, Photoshop CS3 and iWeb. Yup. I’m in the belly of the digital technology beast. And that ain’t no hyperbole neither!

Ever since Al and Carrie’s wedding, Al and Carrie’s wedding is all we talk about. Those are some pretty happy conversations, though! Also, much of my time has been spent looking at the photos I took starting at the rehearsal Friday afternoon, all the way through to the last chorus of Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” late Saturday night. A last minute problem with the professional photographer afforded me the honor of being invited to photograph Carrie, her attendants, her Mom, her Nana and her future mother-in-law all getting ready over at Carrie and Al’s home before the wedding. Due to the “whither thou goest” nature of our relationship, that meant Chuck was included. He was a little nervous about being the only guy there, but Carrie and Kate have known him more than half their lives, so it all was fine. Although there were a few moments when Chuck put his hands up to the side of his head saying he thought there were probably some things guys just shouldn’t be privy to! Of course Uncle Chuck was also pressed into service for all sorts of manly tasks - like moving cars, loading cars and holding umbrellas over the heads of beautifully gowned ladies!

All the gals were good sports and quickly got used to my snapping away. They also got into some posing and vamping for the camera - Carrie in particular had fun in that department. They allowed me to do a bit of suggesting, directing and “hold it right there-ing”. I had a great time and gained an even deeper respect for the work professional photographers do. Some moments I felt as if I had been dropped into a photo shoot, other times as if I was a stalking paparazzo, but throughout I felt lucky to be there.

Since then, I’ve kept busy uploading photos to our private family photo page. I had to overcome my perfectionist streak and send most of the pictures up onto the ether in their original SOOC form. Yes, it was hard not to edit out the stray elbow in the corner of a shot; to not brighten and sharpen some indoor pics. But I had promised Carrie they could see them before she and Al left on their honeymoon this morning. I did take a few moments to rummage for a picture of Kate’s husband Phil - the one who recently had knee surgery. He was unable to attend because of his knee. So I plucked him out of a photo I had from his wedding day with Kate and then had him “join” Kate and the wedding party in a couple of photos!

The only problem with all this internet communication and photo sharing is that my Mom, the Nana of the Bride, doesn’t have a computer. But then my sister Karen had a great suggestion: make Mom a DVD. Duh! I had never thought to try and Mom has the exact make and model DVD player we have. Well, several attempts of me muddling through pushing buttons in iDVD and Chuck actually reading directions, we burned a rough first attempt. Dang if it didn’t work like a charm.

Tomorrow I’ll come back to the DVD project with fresh eyes and better rested brain cells. I hope to have a disc winging its way to Mom A.S.A.P. I guess I’ll be in this leviathan’s digital belly for a while longer. But that’s fine because the photographs bring all the happy memories rushing back and that’s a good thing. The tears of joy are a challenge, but I’m trying to get better about that!