Kukucka Photography

Play Say What Monday

Today’s Play Say What question …

How would you like to be remembered?

I’d like to be remembered as a great photographer who shared photographs freely, reminding and helping everyone to recognize how passing and brilliant the moment is – whether it’s a photograph from the past that I share with a family member on Facebook, one of my Fine Arts images that someone sees in an exhibit, or an entire wedding that I photograph for a couple. I would also like to be remembered as someone who asked good, insightful questions, and then really listened to the answers. Really listened.

Anyone else?

Kukucka Photography

Fine Art Friday

It’s a beautiful Fine Arts Friday, and just when I thought the sun was permenantly vacationing somehwere else in the world, it showed up again, in full glory. Ah, spring, I dare say, is truly just around the corner…

Today’s Fine Arts feature is a portrait of my grandmother. I’ve talked about her in the past, how dear she was to me and to my whole, outrageously big family, and how I photographed her at length. She remains my favorite subject, as I’ve rediscovered these past few months that I’ve spent scanning my volumes of old negatives.

This image is one of my favorites of her. It was taken at one of the many family gatherings from my mother’s side. I asked Grandmom to stand in front of everyone, because it’s no exaggeration to say that NO ONE in the group behind her would be there without her. Amazing to think of. She is, truly and eternally,

The Matriarch

The Matriarch

Kukucka Photography

Play Say What Monday

Today’s question, from my game of questions called Play Say What is …

What is one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to you?

I’ve been fortunate enough to have many nice things said to me in my life – especially about my photography, which always feels wonderful to me. That said, one thing that stands out is a simple comment a friend made to me a few years ago. She hadn’t seen me for a while, and she called me and asked if we could get together, saying, “I just want to have a look at you!” This sounds like kind of an odd thing to say, I suppose, but at the time, and still today, it felt like such a flattering, sweet thing to hear! I just want to have a look at you … Sweet.

Anyone else?

Kukucka Photography

Fine Arts Friday

I’m blessed to come from a large family, both immediate and extended. Both sides of my family have family reunions, and you’ll never find me in any of the group photos because I’m always the one behind the camera. That never bothered me, because I’ve always felt honored to be the one taking the picture.

At one of the Kukucka reunions, just as I finally got everyone in place and was about to take the photo, my second cousin, Katie, decided that I had been taking too much time. She had places to go and things to do. So, with her bottle and favorite stuffed animal in tow, she decided that there would be two of us missing from the photo that year – me, and little Katie.

Appropriately titled … “Places to Go”

Places to Go

Kukucka Photography

Play Say What Monday

The weekend seemed to go by so fast and it’s already Monday. Not just any Monday – but my Mother’s 84th birthday! It’s also Play Say What Monday!

Today’s random question … What do you like most about yourself?

Gratefully, that’s not a hard question to answer! I genuinely like myself and would be proud to be my own friend. I probably wouldn’t even mind talking to myself on the phone because I would know I hate talking on the phone as much as I do. Wait, this is getting weird …

Well, what I like MOST about myself is my ability to feel deeply. I experience life with my heart – I photograph with my heart, I speak with my heart, I listen with my heart, and I witness life with my heart. Yes – that’s what I like MOST about myself. My exceptional heart.

Anyone else?

Kukucka Photography

Fine Arts Friday

I almost forgot about Fine Arts Friday today! I’m thick into my wedding album design season, and my Fine Arts work is patiently taking a back seat while I pump out a few wedding albums. Today, however, is Fine Arts Friday after all, and my personal work is once again featured in this week’s selection, entitled … “The Journey.”

No explanation necessary for this one. It definitely quacks, I mean, speaks, for itself!

The Journey

The Journey

Pittsburgh Wedding Photography

Kukucka Photography

As the 2010 wedding season fast approaches, I wanted to feature a few more wedding favorites from the past season. Today’s feature is Brittney and Alex. As I finish up the design of their formal wedding album, I’m reminded of what a beautiful couple they were together. And as the snow continues to fall outside my window, it’s good to be reminded that the grass can be as green as it is in their photos! Summer is right around the corner … at least, that’s what I keep telling myself with each shovel of snow!

Brittney and Alex

Kukucka Photography

Play Say What Monday

It’s Play Say What Monday, and my question today, from my game of questions called Play Say What, is …

What makes you feel loved?

I’d have to say that I feel loved when I feel appreciated and acknowledged. It can be something as simple as a comment about my work, or an email from someone saying they love a particular photograph, to a simple thank you for something I did for someone. At this point in my life, it takes very little for me to feel loved because I really get that if I love myself, everything else is icing on the cake. Oh, and acceptance. I feel totally loved when I feel the freedom to simply be myself. Yea, that always feels very loving to me!

Anyone else?

Kukucka Photography

Fine Arts Friday

It’s Fine Arts Friday, and it was tough to choose which image I would feature today. It was between two in particular, and it actually came down to a coin toss (something I do often, when I can’t make up my mind about something – and then I do what I want anyway.)

The winner of the coin toss was a photograph that I took when I lived in New York City, for a short time in the late 80’s. Soon after moving there, my world seemed to collapse because of some unforeseen circumstances, and I found it really hard to live in a place as crowded and often impersonal as NYC. The same things that called me to NY – opportunity, creative possibilities, and the intriguing chaos that is all around you in a place like NYC – are the same things that I struggled with once I got there. After less than a year, I decided to return to my hometown of Pittsburgh, which welcomed my beaten spirit with open, loving and Pittsburgh-friendly arms.

The day I left NY, I passed this girl skating down the street, and she absolutely summarized the freedom I had finally found in my decision to leave. The darkness around her represented the darkness of my time there, finally, and gratefully, disrupted by the freedom of a heavy decision, and a smile that had returned to my spirit that I was certain I would never see again.

So, at the risk of sharing too much of my own story with these posts, I take that risk, because it’s the only story I have to share. And if there is one thing I know at this point in my life, it’s that we all have similar stories, and none of us are ever truly alone in them. At one time or another, we all experience the darkness, light, chaos and freedom found in …

The Skater

The Skater, NYC

Pittsburgh Wedding Photography

Kukucka Photography

I’m using this time before the 2010 wedding season starts up to scan as many of my hundreds and hundreds (and hundreds) of negatives as I can, before my time is once again focused on wedding photography. Many of these negatives are of family gatherings, and I have to say that I’m having so much fun sharing them with my relatives on Facebook!

My grandmother was one of the most amazing souls I have ever known in my life. She was pure heart and spirit, and would do anything for anyone. I have so many stories about her, and as many photographs. I loved photographing her. She had a face that showed a life well lived, and just to look at it now fills my own heart with love and comfort.

This is one of my very favorite photos of her. In her lifetime, she had many joys and many sorrows, and she accepted them all with great faith, prayer, love and courage. I love this particular photo of her because it’s a portrait of all those things. My Grandmothers sad courage, written on a face that is, to me, love itself.

Portrait of My Grandmother