get em tigers

thanks to my dads friend Nik I was able to do something super cool and incredibly nerve-wracking for me. 

play this first. 

{a song requested by my dad!}

we drive to detroit. i get harnessed. and we climb many many stairs and ladders to get to the (almost) top of the score board. we took these photos, both with digital and grandpas nikon FM2. 

it felt just so right taking photos downtown detroit with that Nikon. 

so. so. so right. 

dad and nik
my dad was like a kid in a candy shop. 

 

and of course here are some from mine and dads iPhones

hes cute!

Thanks Nik! it was so awesome! 

and thanks detroit. for still being great to photograph. 

1.5 years late

better late than never, right?

yeah. it was a great day with my cousin, this day in mid 2010

with a fresh haircut and summer air

i have pretty family 

yella.

i spent the night with my cousin jody, we watched movies and talked and laughed at the music that the network decided was worthy enough to be listened to. we ate a boat load of chicago styled popcorn {never had it? it is a dream. literally}. we slept in and went to meeting and lunch at leos and talked some more. we shared stories {okay.. i may or may not have forced some on her} and she gave me a dove wrapper:

"keep the promises you make yourself" 

the promise that i made to myself today is - i won't let it be so long before we do this again.

josie, i love you. with every ounce of my heart. thanks for this weekend. thanks for being my cousin. thanks for keeping notes i wrote you in your bible. thanks for sharing your delicious popcorn. thanks for letting me creep around your room with my camera. thanks for simply being the best. until next time...


{see, im implying there will be a next time with that statement drop off. i like implying things, right?}

instagram update

i didn't post at all this weekend. 

i wish i had an excuse

like.. i was working, or busy.. 

i wasn't. 

:) 

eeeeeeewisha

elijah and pat! my funny friends 

ever feel like you're homeless cause your backseat is STUFFED with garbage bags FULL of clothes?! big sis and i went on a 'get rid of clothes' exgravaganza

WEEKEND: 

ever feel giant?! ever see such a small fry box?!
isn't it cute?!
too many questions?!

callen and me! i like her! 

owl city.
i wasn't meant to fall in love with him.
i did. 

totally dark. but its my aunt, cousin brook, myself, mama bear, and sis!
girls night out! 

ray charles.
or my dad.
i don't know the difference anymore.

the only non square. but its perfect. absolutely. perfect. 

right?! 

So thats that.

meet duane

this is my grandpa. 

Duane Earl Belanger

but to me he was papa dodo 

{papa dodo and grandma gogo, we were clever}

i feel its appropriate i share photos of my favorite guy doing the very thing we have in common. 

taking photographs.

he worked for the Detroit News

and i felt the strong desire to use courier for the font tonight. 

in honor of all news papers ;) 

so handsome! 

i know like him, sometimes the only way to get what you want is to get on the ground yourself and get the shot! (even if I'm in a dress!)

this. makes me laugh every time i see it. 

definition of cool 

one of my favorites, of all time

nice fanny pack! 

i wish the writing was still in tact!  

its the truth when i say i miss him every time i take a photograph I'm proud of. 

id like to think that he would be proud of me and we'd be able to teach each other things. 

i remember a lot about him. his photos, loud voice {its heriditary}, getting mad if we left a light on, his amazing talent on his gorgeous piano, going to downtown detroit for coney island, belle aisle to feed the ducks, his jokes, how much he loved my mom, his silly made up songs, and spending the night at their house {which is now my house} in the 'peach' room and feeling safe. 


i remember always thinking how giant he was and how ridiculously charming he was.


i remember the noise from his typewriter up stairs in the loft, and his two-page long letters he would send to me when they moved up north. signed "papa dodo" with a drawing of mickey mouse at the end.


i remember how important it was that we save some food for the dogs, and how he would feed the birds and hated the squirrels that broke the feeders. 

and i am grateful for photographs of him to remember his face and that smile. and the deep puppy dog eyes that my dad has. 
maybe thats why i do what i do. 
to ultimately remember. 
because at the end of the day, isn't it the memories that mean the most? and the family {and friends!} that you have to support you with every decision you make. stupid or not. 

look what i found!!! 

just googled him {first time in about a year} came up with some photographs! 

detroit train station! via: here

jazz harpist via: here

hamtramic, michigan via: here

id like to high five my grandpa for this one of yzerman! via: here

my next project, find ALL the photographs he's taken!
all.