150/365 Vintage

Yes! I'm still alive and doing well. Just incredibly busy these days and that's both good and bad. I desperately need to learn how to manage my time better so that I can complete things that I start and build my business!

This is a shot from a recent workshop. I've been wanting to learn how to use lights now for about a year, but have been terribly intimidated. I finally got a spot in a workshop I've had my eye on for months and I was more than satisfied with the willingness of the instructor to share his heart and his love for his art--so refreshing!

The most memorable piece of advice I took away was for me to find my own style of shooting and to realize that finding my style may take days, months or even years. The fun will be in the process.

Lesson: How long should you try? Until.
--Jim Rohn, Speaker

127/365 Happy

My time as an apprentice to a wedding photographer has come to a close. I will be on my own very soon, but still continuing to learn all that I can about my craft (specifically about lighting and all of the details involved in shooting weddings). My happy ending marks their happy beginning as a married couple.

Instead of looking at this day as just an ending; I also see it as the beginning of something new for me. I'm looking forward to a new adventure, with all of the ups and potential downs that make life worth living.

In this image the groom was attempting to lift the bride onto his back and she was loving it!

Lesson: Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end.
--Seneca, Roman Philosopher

125/365 White

This is a difficult age to photograph. A good way to contain them so that you have time to actually capture the beauty is to pull out a chair. I happened to have one that matched her outfit. I'm not sure about the pillow, so I took some without. Photography is about experimenting. You don't always know what will or will not work, so you just try a few things out.

Lesson: Good photographs are seen in the mind's eye before the shutter is tripped...

--Source Unknown

124/365 Married

I love to capture those moments when people think they are alone. Sometimes they are aware of being watched and don't care. Other times, they are so immersed in one another (or in what they're doing) that the crowd seems to fade to black.

Here he seems to breathe a sigh of relief. The days and months of preparing for this day are behind them. He can settle in with her and just be...

She was happy before him and will be just as happy (maybe more so) with him. She will be his support...

Lesson: Success in marriage is much more than finding the right person; it is a matter of being the right person.

116/365 Chair

I like to keep fresh flowers in the house. I rotate them out every week, but these have been around for about 3 weeks now and they still look great. The petals have a rich velvet appearance that I love. I wanted a different way to photograph the flowers so I threw them in a chair that I need to use for an upcoming session. I got to test the chair and snap the flowers.

What am I reading now? The Last Lecture. I'm just up to chapter six so I won't share my thoughts just yet. I will say that it's very thought provoking and I'm thoroughly enjoying it.

Lesson: “I take photographs with love, so I try to make them art objects. But I make them for myself first and foremost - that is important.”

--Jaques-Henri Lartique

114/365 Bride

It was difficult to get this young woman to relax. She cried off and on during her bridal session; you can see the handkerchief in her left hand. Finally she took a moment to detach and reflect. I moved to one side and took the shot. I'm still trying to decide if I really like it.

Lesson: Always be prepared to shoot when the client thinks it's over. You may be pleasantly surprised by what they share.

113/365 Giggle

We were playing an impromptu game of hide and seek! I love the easy laughter of children. I was just telling one of the members of my entourage yesterday that this is the time to really enjoy being a kid! No responsibilities! Just eat, sleep, and play. What a life!

Love this: “If every word I said could make you laugh, I'd talk forever...”

--Source Unknown

110/365 Twirl

What is is about little girls in big girl dresses that makes them want to twirl? She wasn't aware that anyone was paying attention, but I was... Click.

Wouldn't it be cool if we all just twirled, just because...

Lesson: While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about.
--Unknown source

104/365 Expecting

I had the pleasure of hanging out with this engaging and beautiful couple this weekend. They are expecting their first baby very soon now! These are just two of several inspiring people I had the pleasure of meeting and I wanted to remember this day. Meeting all of the new and like-minded people this weekend reminded me of all of the people I've been blessed to meet over the past three years as a result of walking around with a camera! Life is good!

I'm not that pleased with the black and white image, but I can't put my finger on what's missing so I'm not sure how to fix it. Ah well...you can't win them all!

Lesson: Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, 'What! You too? I thought I was the only one.
--C.S. Lewis

93/365 Lovely

I love this quick capture of dad and daughter together. Wouldn't this be great to pull out on her wedding day. I couldn't get her attention, there was a man with a wonderful voice singing camera left and that was much more interesting to her! I still love it and wanted to share! I'm catching up in proofing sessions today and had to pull from the archives. Back on track tomorrow.

Lesson: A daughter is a day brightener and a heart warmer. (source unknown)

88/365 Dancer

This is one of the students from my first Photography Funshop. I asked the kids to bring an object with them today that had some special meaning to them. My goal was to incorporate that object into unique portraits. This is Sofie's portrait. Sofie has aspirations of becoming a professional dancer and she is well on her way! I asked her to hold her shoes and she did the rest. I only got two shots of each student, so this isn't the sharpest image, but it captures her personality. I thought to clone the camera out of the image, but it's a part of who she is as well.



This is David's portrait. The future cyclist who is dreaming of being a sports photographer.

We had a great time learning and then practicing the things we learned. I was truly inspired by the enthusiasm that emanated from these great young artists!

Lessons: Really great people make you feel that you, too, can become great. (Mark Twain)

83/365 Sam

I met her two years ago. When our time together started, she would not leave her mothers side. As the session progressed she became more comfortable with me. Slowly she let me into her world and gave me her eyes. I clicked.

This is not technically perfect, but it represents my beginning. The time that I learned how to connect with those who weren't so sure they wanted to connect.

Lesson: Patience is waiting. Not passively waiting. That is laziness. But to keep going when the going is hard and slow - that is patience.
(source unknown)

72/365 Courtyard

This reminded me of a New Orleans Courtyard. It's tucked away in a small business district. I've passed by this spot for years and have never noticed this place. Yes, my awareness of the world around me is increasing. I love the look of the wet sidewalk and street.

Lesson: Be flexible as a photographer and never lose your sense of adventure. Be willing to invest the time it takes to see things differently. It's wonderful to see how the same scene changes with the seasons or with the time of day.

71/365 Weed

I'm pretty certain that this is some type of weed. I wanted to stay close to home and create something from whatever I had on hand. I also wanted to see what things looked like after the rain. It's amazing to see the beautiful things that are emerging from the ground. They've always been there, I've just never noticed. That's the other amazing thing, once you make the commitment to capture the world around you, you actually begin to awaken to things, places and people like never before. At least that's my experience.

I started another book today, The War of Art. This is a must read for artists, writers or entrepreneurs who are struggling with moving forward in their craft. I have only completed the first part of the book and I had the things I've learned today in mind when I photographed the gorgeous colors of this weed. It's a visual reminder of where I find myself at this moment in time. Breaking away from the weeds and becoming something different, hopefully something colorful and beautiful (inside and out).

I thought this line from the John Lee Hooker blues song fit nicely here so I'll share it with you! I was introduced to it in the War of Art:

One night I was layin' down
I heard Papa talkin' to Mama.
I heard Papa say, to let that boy boogie-woogie.
'Cause it's in him and it's got to come out.
--John Lee Hooker, "Boogie Chillen"

Lesson: Live the life you were created to live and let go of those things that hold you back. Consider even letting go of people who don't support your vision.

69/365 Kids

Do you ever have those days when you just want to be still, but the kids (and the dog) still run circles around you?

Lesson: Enjoy every minute with them, they really do grow up way too fast!