Easter Snow

Abby and I enjoy the snow on Easter morning. — Sean

On Santa watch

We're on Santa watch around here. In case you're not aware, you can track Santa via the North American Aerospace Defense Command located here in Colorado Springs. Click here to find out where Santa is right now and be sure to bundle up for a long winter's night! — Sean

Happy Holidays from Cayton Photography

To see our interactive Christmas Card click on the photo or click here — Sean

Mammo's visit

Mammo visited us this week and returns to the Chesapeake tomorrow. We had great fun decorating the Christmas tree tonight. This was Abby's first time getting into the swing of things for Christmas. — Sean

Halloween 2007

We had a great time last night photographing all of the scary monsters who visited our door. Here's a shot of Raggedy Abigail and Farmer Judd. We got a little more serious this year with the pictures. (See fancy black backdrop:) and everyone seems to love having their picture taken. E-mail us if you would like a print of your little one. Just let us know what they were wearing. Click here to see a slideshow of more Trick-Or-Treaters! — Sean

Raggedy Ann

Last Friday Abby dressed as Raggedy Ann and we braved the crowds at Boo at the Zoo. The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo opens the gates after dark and invites children and their parents to tour and collect candy and other fun stuff along the way. Abby enjoyed seeing the nocturnal animals, especially the lions with their three cubs and the yawning white python. Of course the candy was a big hit too! — Cathy

A memorial is for the living

This morning I woke up at dawn and made my way to the Evergreen Cemetery. I had no particular destination in mind. I parked my car, got out and walked. Wandered, really. And I found myself near the back of the cemetery, in a little grove with some old gravestones, mostly from Word War I and World War II. In front, there was a new gravestone, handsomely decorated. It had wind spinners and flowers and at the base, a small statue of a Bald Eagle. The gravestone said Gordon F. Misner II. There was a blanket covering the gravestone. It was carefully draped over the top. I photographed it and returned home. Later, I learned that Sgt. Gordon F. Misner II, just 23, served with the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team and was one of three men killed in a roadside bomb near Samarra. He is survived by his wife Christina and daughters, Haley, Marisa and Natashia. Tom Roeder, the military reporter for the Colorado Springs Gazette, covered a memorial service for him and spoke with his wife. Click here to read Tom's story. It makes me sad when I think of his family. At the same time, today is the day that we should remember his sacrifice, and we should hold his wife and children close to our hearts. — Sean

Happy Mother's Day Mom!

An image of my mother with Abby during our trip to Maryland. Don't forget Sunday is Mother's Day! — Sean

Abby at Easter

We spent Easter with my Godparents and I made some photographs of Abby during dinner at the White Fence Farm in Lakewood. It was a small moment. Abby and her balloon. Funny, how little it takes to entertain and excite a child. As I get older and further away from the simple pleasure of a balloon, I appreciate her delight even more. From this I was reminded of a book I haven't read in a long while. 'All the I Really Need to Know I learned in Kindergarten' by Robert Fulgham. A simple manifesto, its advice is for the ages.'Live a balanced life—learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.' — Robert Fulgham

Easter Egg Hunt

We're closing in on Easter and Abby's second birthday. Last year, Abby wasn't walking so the Easter egg hunt was put off until she could get around the yard. This year we invited Abby's friends Gemma, Maeve, and Cooper to help us hunt for eggs. We were ready with baskets. All the girls wore Easter dresses. And the hunt was on on a beautiful Spring afternoon in Colorado. The little ones had a ton of fun collecting the eggs and I pulled the camera out. Afterwards we retired to the backyard and enjoyed deviled eggs, made from the eggs we hardboiled and colored. They were gone in an hour:). Click here to see a slideshow of the Easter Egg hunt. * A note about the photos. They were made almost entirely without framing the image in the viewfinder. Instead they were shot by feel, knowing where the lens was pointed and 'sensing' the edges of the frame. I practice this technique so that when I have to make a photo without framing it I can. Plus, it's just a lot of fun! — Sean

Valentine's Day in Vegas

Valentine's Day in Las Vegas means weddings and lots of them. The ceremonies begin at midnight and don't stop. It happens every 15 minutes (usually faster) and then another wedding. People come from all over the world to be married in Vegas. Two years ago (just for fun) a friend and I flew to Vegas and we photographed 24-hours of wedding craziness on Valentines Day. We learned no wedding is complete without Elvis :) The two photographs here are from two of the legendary wedding chapels on the strip, the Viva Las Vegas Wedding Chapel and the Little White Wedding Chapel. Both have web cams so you can always check and see who's getting married. And if you want to find out your own odds of getting married in Vegas click here. Cathy and I are headed to Vegas for our annual photography convention at the end of March so if you make wedding plans for Vegas be sure to let us know :) — Sean

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's to everyone, especially the grandparents! Abby made this card herself, except for the writing part… — Cathy