aww snap

Sneak Peek: {CRISTINE + DARRIN}

2011-12-19T18:39:00.000-08:00

A Very Special Engagement { IAN + MEGHAN}

2011-11-30T14:04:00.001-08:00

Special indeed. I am honored to have been able photograph this session with my brother and his fiancee in Vermont over the weekend. I love them both so much and was glad to some quality time with the two of them.

SENIOR SESSION: {Elena Smith}

2011-10-29T16:33:00.000-07:00

the wild hunt

2011-10-25T12:16:00.000-07:00

A fall afternoon with unexpected surprises, a rooster gave chase through the briar. Thankful for the help of friends who give me strength, falling leaves and a setting sun.

SENIOR SESSION: {Alane Suhr}

2011-10-17T13:49:00.000-07:00

Wedding {Emily + Marc}

2011-10-17T13:33:00.000-07:00

SENIOR SESSION: {Ella Hackworth}

2011-08-23T13:01:00.000-07:00

What a beautiful day for a senior session. Ella and her mother were wonderful to work with. Book your session today!

Dreamy Desserts {Cantaloupe Sherbet}

2011-08-10T12:21:00.000-07:00

I had to share this recipe since making and eating this made my afternoon. Amazing texture, soft and creamy- do yourself a favor make some.

Cantaloupe Sherbet

1 pound of juicy, extra-ripe, orange-fleshed melon
1/4 cup mild flavored honey (needs to be fluid, and you might use a bit less depending on the sweetness of the melon)
1/2 cup organic whole milk
generous pinch of salt

Cut the melon flesh from its rind into a medium bowl and puree with a hand blender. You will need 2 cups of puree.
Add the milk, and salt. Now you want to sweeten to taste. If your honey is in a solid or crystallized state you need to dunk the jar in a bowl of warm water until it is liquid again. This way it will mix easily with the rest of the ingredients. Start by blending in 2T. of the honey and taste. If you think the mixture needs to be sweeter, add more honey. Keep in mind you want the honey to bring out and complement the flavor of the melon, not overpower it.
Pour into an ice-cream maker, and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Serves 4 to 6

Currents Luau: {Celebrating 30 Years}

2011-08-03T18:43:00.000-07:00

HAPPY FOURTH [food, friends + fireworks]

2011-07-04T07:29:00.000-07:00

Glad to have spent the weekend with incredibly silly friends eating copious amounts of pork and watching things explode.

Love Session: Adam + Laura

2011-06-13T16:31:00.000-07:00

What a Wonderful Weekend

2011-06-01T22:03:00.000-07:00

Baby showers and babies and good food and friends

Ferrari Sunrise

2011-05-24T10:00:00.000-07:00

Until their tour of the universe... farewell Ferrari Sunrise

bakelite + redbuds

2011-05-23T18:56:00.001-07:00

Family Session: The Brown-Holroyd Clan

2011-01-10T11:47:00.001-08:00

I had the privilege of shooting this wonderful family before the holidays. Ann and her husband Ken won this session at the 2010 Adventure Auction and had a list a fun ideas for the shoot. If only all sessions were this fun!

Late Summer Wedding: Drue + Harlan

2010-12-31T18:59:00.000-08:00

Senior Portrait Session: Rachel, Part II

2010-12-30T18:37:00.000-08:00

A second installment of photos from a super fun senior portrait session with Rachel. View the whole shoot at www.sarahwarda.com

Senior Portrait Session: Rachel

2010-12-13T19:50:00.001-08:00

A sneak peek of an incredibly fun senior portrait session on stage at Stuarts Opera House. Thanks to T-bone and Flo for help with lighting and location.

Maternity Session: Ali + Jordan

2010-11-20T12:28:00.001-08:00

I couldn't have asked for a more perfect fall day for my first maternity session. This wonderful couple, Ali Stein and Jordan Davis are expecting their first child in a month.

Looking for an interesting rural location with great texture, we shot some images in a corn field -- just in time. While we were shooting, the farmer came through on his combine, one day later and the field would have been gone!

Hope you enjoy this sneak peek of their session!

A little bit of history..

2010-11-17T16:52:00.000-08:00

We're installing the wood flooring in our new home, which we salvaged from a barn silo on the land Piper grew up on. After coming home from the house site, I got a little nostalgic and looked back through some photos I took the day it fell.

Visit my other blog, House Made of Straw to see the construction of our house through my camera lens and a short silent flick I made last year of the silo coming down.

Conley-Gibbons-Ballew Clan!

2010-11-15T12:50:00.000-08:00

A little preview of a family session with the Conley-Gibbons-Ballew clan. What a fun bunch!

Q is for Quince

2010-10-13T12:16:00.000-07:00

Quince is fruit that, before today, I was quite unfamiliar with. I was so excited this morning to come across them at the Farmers Market from Cherry Orchards. It’s appearance resembles something like a cross between a pear and an apple, with a flavor quite similar, though more fragrant and beautiful. Though inedible raw due to high tannin levels and a hard texture, these lovely fruits turn a soft ruby color and develop a divine texture when cooked over time. Often made into jellies or pastes, quince is a popular fruit in Britain but is found quite often in traditional cookbooks.

I made the recipe below this afternoon and I can attest that it is simply delicious. Best served with vanilla ice cream and good friends.

Quince and Almond Crumble

Topping (you will probably have some leftover, which you can keep in the freezer until next time)
• ¾ cup plain flour
• ½ cup almonds with skin
• 3 tbs brown sugar
• Pinch salt
• 4tbs unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Filling
• 1 cup sugar
• ¾ cup water
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 quinces

For the topping, place flour, almonds and brown sugar in a food processor and pulse until nuts are finely chopped. Add butter and pulse until just blended. Coarsely crumble in a shallow baking tray and chill for 1 hour.
For the filling, place the sugar, water, vanilla seeds and bean, bay leaf and lemon juice into a saucepan and bring to the boil over very low heat. Let the syrup boil for 2 minutes and then start to prepare the quinces.
Peel and core the quince, cut into 1cm cubes and place into the hot syrup. Half cover the saucepan with the lid, allowing the steam to escape. Slowly poach the quinces over low heat so that they retain their shape but cook at the same time. Once the quinces are tender, turn off the heat and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350°F and place 4 ramekins on a baking tray. Spoon the quince mixture evenly into the cups. Sprinkle with crumble topping. Bake for 15-20 minutes, rotate tray and bake for another 10 minutes or until topping is golden brown and filling is bubbling. Cool to warm or room temperature and serve with ice cream or custard.Garnish with a sugared vanilla bean if you'd like to be fancy.

PHOTO CONTEST: Old School

2010-09-30T23:51:00.000-07:00

PHOTO CONTEST: Got a favorite kiddo? Cute as pie? Well post a photo of your little dumpling on www.facebook.com/sarahwardaphotography for a chance to win a FREE vintage styled photo session with Athens Ohio Photographer Sarah Warda!

HOW IT WORKS: Post a photo on the Facebook page and get all your friends to “Like” your photo. (Hey- have em’ like Sarah Warda Photography while their at it!) The photo with the most “Likes” at the end of the month wins.

OLD SCHOOL: The winner will receive a vintage school days photo session custom styled and shot by Sarah. The session includes wardrobe consultation, styled on-location photo shoot with vintage props and a DVD of professionally edited high resolution images. (No prints) Photos from the session will be featured online.

CONTEST RULES: Contest is open to children age 3-10 in the Athens, Ohio or Rochester, NY areas (or be willing to pay for travel costs). Contest ends October 31, 2010 at midnight. The winner will be announced November 1, 2010.

Country Living Fair

2010-09-30T16:07:00.000-07:00

Keely and I popped up to the Country Living Fair in Columbus last weekend. Full of amazing ideas and drool worthy wares, I enjoyed sampling apple trees and renewing my subscription for $5.

So Ex(cider)ed

2010-09-28T09:27:00.000-07:00

pressed from apples into jars comes the sweetest nectar on earth... apple cider. fruit gathered from family farms and lonely trees pressed with love by friends and frozen to savor throughout the year.

Way down yonder in the paw paw patch...

2010-09-18T11:01:00.000-07:00

Piper and I went hunting for paw paws and found the most amazing patch. With our bag bursting with ripe fruits, we headed back to the house to process the delicious native treats. I spent a few hours de-seeding the fruits and froze two quarts of pulp. We made paw paw lassies for lunch and have another big pile that are ripening up. Oldboy didn't know what to think of all the strange green fruits, she was quite curious. We're headed down to the Paw Paw Festival for the afternoon to enjoy some atlatl competition and Paw Paw beer.

Meet Oldboy

2010-09-07T21:41:00.000-07:00

I couldn't resist sharing a few pictures of my new friend. This is Oldboy.

On Location with Broken Ring

2010-09-01T13:34:00.000-07:00

Here's a sneak peek of an on location shoot with Broken Ring. I had so much fun with the band boppin' around Nelsonville -- thanks guys!

Summer by the Sea(ttle)

2010-08-13T09:34:00.000-07:00

Piper and I enjoyed a short summer getaway to the Pacific Northwest and visited with friends and family. We did a little bit of the touristy things before heading up the Puget Sound via the Mukilteo Ferry to Whidbey Island to Bellingham for his cousins wedding. Short but sweet, it was nice to get away from the Appalachian Ohio heat.

always room for dessert

2010-08-01T18:18:00.000-07:00

Since the time surrounding my actual birthday was such a whirlwind of activities, I decided to delay celebration and threw a dessert picnic for my friends this afternoon. Friends gathered at our house for a bike parade with streamer sticks to the secret picnic location which I had set up ahead of time. I had so much fun planning for this day.

The delicious spread included peach tarts with pecan crust, blueberry tarts with ginger crust, vegan cashew torte with oatmeal lavender crust, lemon curd tartlets, palmiers and mini flourless dark chocolate tortes baked in paper souffle cups. I also made three varieties of soda pop: lemongrass, peach ginger ale and lavender lemon. I am so thankful to have such wonderful friends in my life and relished in the opportunity to treat them all to a special day.

A Fabulous Fourth

2010-07-05T13:42:00.000-07:00

A lovely weekend spent floating with friends pondside, lakeside and riverside, drinking cocktails, eating watermelons and sweet corn. Fireworks and potato canons and kickball, too much fun.

wild food

2010-05-05T16:23:00.001-07:00

The bounty of a lovely evening hike with a good friend yielded a delicious meal of wild harvested foods. Morel and Dryad Saddle mushrooms, Water leaf and Nettle, and young Fiddle Head Ferns made a delicious saute topped off with ramp pesto over local pasta. Bon appetit!

It takes a village to raise a wigwam

2010-04-09T20:39:00.000-07:00

Taking a break from our home construction project, we spent the day helping our friend Sarah raise her wigwam. With wobbly ladders and lots of lashing, we took a platform floor and made a home. Sunshine, good food and many hands made for a productive day in Meigs.

free engagement photo session giveaway

2010-04-06T20:14:00.001-07:00

sweet smell of spring time

2010-03-28T18:19:00.000-07:00

a flower for a friend on a rainy day. looking forward to more and more blooming

muffins for a gloomy day

2010-03-23T16:03:00.000-07:00

Making muffins on days off, and trying to protect them from the muffin monster that resides here.

welcome spring

2010-03-22T10:57:00.000-07:00

Upon my bike, en route to the farmers market, I caught the first glimpses of spring.

hell on wheels

2010-03-18T19:44:00.000-07:00

maybe once in 15 years have i strapped 4 wheels on each foot. celebrating our dear friend sarah's birthday, we shared the floor with adult skate regulars. I only hope at 80 i'll still be on the rink.

all in a row

2010-03-17T20:10:00.000-07:00

A favorite day of the year is the day the first seed goes in the ground. Small surprises in the soil- 3 purple potatoes waking up from hibernation to find their way back into rows. Peas, onions and potatoes in, and the garlic is excitedly peaking through.

voyage to marietta

2010-03-13T12:25:00.000-08:00

a fine day of junking fruited an italian ravioli cutter, hazel atlas jelly jar with zinc lid, amazing lion ephemera, this sweet pig planter and charming tiny silhouettes.

sushine=productivity

2010-03-07T20:21:00.000-08:00

A most productive day, 15 gallons apple wine, apple pear wine and cider bottled, 5 gal. ipa kegged, sunroof sealed, pig returned, mad dog snow cones devoured, sunshine absorbed. spring is near!

sunny afternoon

2010-03-06T13:47:00.000-08:00

The sun decided to come back for a visit, the first time i've seen it in weeks. Relishing in the opportunity to bask in its glow, we visited the sugar shack and lake cadillac.

a winters hike

2010-03-03T15:39:00.000-08:00

Cameras in hand and snow crunching under our feet, a winters hike in rhododendron cove this afternoon was a much needed treat. Traveling in high style, only the finest meats and local cheeses will satiate our hunger. Good friends not often seen, in a place not often traversed.

our little foster pig

2010-02-25T15:26:00.001-08:00

A grand adventure this will be, Piper and I are fostering this sweet little piglet. She is a Vietnamese pot belly pig and we call her piggle. Look at her precious smile

postal pardon?

2010-02-15T20:37:00.000-08:00

been meaning to improve my time between crafting a package for post and getting it to the box. apologies to bps members in austin, albuquerque and oxford who have long awaited a plentiful mailbox. i'm trying harder to get my ducks in a row.

valentine's faire

2010-02-13T14:25:00.000-08:00

Such a delicious spread at dogtown today. popcorn and truffles, cake walks and fiddles.

snow day

2010-02-06T19:56:00.000-08:00

it started falling last night and we knew the winter of war was not over. morning revealed a white playground as we sipped cayenne hot chocolate and looked for lost gloves.

rain rain go away

2010-01-25T21:21:00.000-08:00

every year, the few snow covered days memories fill up my head making me forget the reality of miserably cold rainy days. this, while waiting in the truck, hoping it would start. piper without cover fiddles under the hood. no straw bales today.

for the love of junk

2010-01-23T15:51:00.001-08:00

there's nothing i love more than appalachian junk stores. sadly, one of my favorites, randy's odds and ends in lancaster, was closed today, but we made a grand adventure of the shoe factory and the flea market in logan with good friends. I finally found the spreading knife i've been longing for, piper bought 50 more drill bits and an angle chisel. I swooned over vintage valentines, and bought a few. Found some perfect presents that i can't wait to give and am trying to convince piper that we desperately need the 3 foot diameter solid round butcher block for our kitchen.

I love the colors of this charming croquet set. maybe some day when i have a yard, i can justify such treasures.

delicious

2010-01-22T14:04:00.000-08:00

a lovely start to the day. roasted red pepper quiche with caramelized onions and baby swiss.

wild harvested remedy

2010-01-21T21:57:00.000-08:00

I have a sick boy in my bed.

our daily journey

2010-01-20T14:59:00.000-08:00

a highly traveled but not often documented trip is the daily voyage to the trimble kroger and post office. an excellent opportunity to get out of the office and get in some high knees

long winter

2010-01-20T11:53:00.001-08:00

So I've decided to start a new blog, one just for my photography, a photo journal of sorts; in an effort to encourage myself to be photographing everyday. I suspect that I will be adding some back dated photos in the beginning.

So here it begins, the start of the thaw, or so it seems. A late afternoon trip to Spatulachia with good friends, attempting preparation of the sugaring season. Hauling of heavy things down steep hills, and watching the sunset while still watching our breath.