So this week my Splendid Details blog is on Monday… because Friday was a glorious day off 🙂
On Labor Day weekend, after my Saturday wedding, I went home the hubby and I hopped in the car to spend the rest of the weekend in Ellensburg with the fam. My niece’s 3rd birthday party and the Ellensburg Rodeo were what the weekend was about. Even though I grew up in Tucson,AZ and am no stranger to the idea of Rodeo weekend (love the 4 day weekends 🙂 ) I had never been to an actual Rodeo, so this was new.

The Rodeo takes place on Labor Day weekend in Ellensburg every year and the WHOLE town comes out to celebrate. This year was the first year in around 15 that it rained during the Rodeo. But that didn’t deter anyone. It was amazing…

Anyhow… I brought my camera to Ellensburg for Audrey’s birthday (she is the oldest of my two crazy cute nieces), but I didn’t feel like carting it around with me through the whole fair. Sometimes I think that I just want a break from shooting… then I get to the Rodeo, and just like always, I was instantly regretful that I didn’t have my camera. I am always looking at how light is filtering through our world, and how different places bring out different types of characters and personalities.  I was sad to not have my camera to capture all of the interesting things that I was seeing. All the details that make the Ellensburg Rodeo and the Kititas Fair so unique, I was enthralled… with no camera.

That’s when Pete reminded me that I have an iPhone and that would work too… At first  I was skeptical, because how was I gonna get as cool of shots with my iPhone as with my fancy camera? I had to start looking around at what was near me and how I could make a cool shot with a limited tool, and I found myself inspired. I just recently had gotten the “Shake It Photo” app on my phone and started taking photos using that. I love this app because it turns your rather flat iPhone photo to a contrasty square Polaroid photo. (It’s super cool). This app was letting me show the funky grittiness of the Rodeo and the detail that make it so unique. I was in love! My whole family was laughing, as, even when I don’t bring a camera, I figure out a way to still take photos.

So these are the photos I took that day. That day serves as a reminder to me that it isn’t all about tool in your hand, but about the way you are looking at the world around you.

And, of course, the pics of my family (sadly missing my oldest bro Josh )