Overwhelmed...again.

Ok, once again, feeling a little (ok, a lot) overwhelmed with this whole process, and I need to share. Sometimes, I just want to pack my bags and run away!

This seems to happen every time I stumble upon an amazing photographer's blog and/or website. Ahem...http://maplethree.blogspot.com/ Yep. That's the one. Amazing. Brilliant. Inspiring. Anyways, what am I doing here? I have so much to learn! Ok, taking a deep breath...better. And thank God I went to Yoga tonight.

Switching gears, I saw a great quote today. It goes something like this...

"If you live to be a hundred years old, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day, so I will never have to live without you" By none other than Winnie the Pooh. This is how it translated for me...
I immediately thought of Jillian. I definitley feel this way about her. Oh, and Sara called this morning. "Stop making me cry with your darn photography!"

Braedyn and Kobyn

Well, today I had my first official "unofficial" photo session with my best friend Sara and her boys. It was a great learning lesson - they move fast, and getting them next to eachother was nearly impossible! We went to a park in A2 and had a really great time. I'm so lucky to have a best friend like her, she went all out for "picture day" and is always my biggest fan. She's comissioned me on a couple of projects, I'll be busy for awhile! Here's a few of my favorites from my first photo session (with someone else's kids!)

Oh, Ms. Jillian

How were we be blessed with such a sweet little girl? She's so much fun in front of the glass, even for daddy. Here's a couple of shots from a walk in the park today.

Flower Fun

Who knew a white flower would be so much fun? I took these tonight before dinner, and J and I had so much fun shooting with this white flower from Grandma's house. I can't forget to get it back to her! I couldn't pick a favorite, so I'll post a bunch.

Bliss

I need to decide on a name... to use my name or not, that is the question. May be a good thing or a bad thing here in Taylor, hmmm.
And of course, a cute pic of Jillian. We all went to a wedding tonight. Daddy dressed her while I got ready, too. I love this shot, she was cracking up at Jeff. This picture sort of got my wheels turning, she looks so blissful! By the way, we had a great time, and she was such an angel.

Light

I've been working with different types of light and trying to figure it out. Hmmm. Pretty pics, though. Still a little dark and not quite as sharp. Oh, and a new lens :) Canon 50mm 1.8 prime. Nice pics so far. Also, a cute pic of another special girl in my life, Libby.

First official blog and pics

So, I'm just getting into this whole blogging thing...

I've been focusing on taking better shots and doing less editing. Jillian and Libby are my favorite subjects so far. Libby photographs perfect every time because of her contrast. And it's been tough getting Jillian to smile. The only thing that seems to do the trick is to sing her the WonderPets song. She is truly nuts over those guys. She's been great over the past couple of weeks with a camera in her face. I think she sees her own reflection in the glass, and it intrigues her.

I am feeling pretty overwhelmed with this entire process. I can't stop thinking about the possibilities, and I want to be really good at what I do. I am truly inspired by some of the photographers I've seen out there. Their work is amazing and it moves me. There are shots i see and I actually have to catch my breath. I will take shots like that someday, I'm sure I will. But for now, I'll practice and gear up for some photography classes. I haven't decided if I want to do it online or in person. My schedule at work is pretty hectic right now.

It's late, an I should climb into bed now. So I'll leave you with this pic I took of Jillian today on our walk...I wonder what's going on in that sweet little head of hers...goodnight.

The sky

I took a couple pictures of Jillian at the park today.I love the way the sun catches her face and how you can see the sky in her eyes.

Inspiration

Hi there,and welcome to my photography blog. I started this blog so that I could share my journey with you.

Where do I start? Motherhood has changed me in so many ways. Inside and out, it's been an amazing year. Shortly after I had Jillian in December, I quickly remmbered how much I loved photography as I took picture after picture trying to hold onto each and every little moment, smile and milestone she reached. I was in awe how quickly she changed form day to day. As I snapped away, the wheels started turning, as they say. I started to wonder if I could turn my love of photography into something more, something that I would always have, and something that would let me give back to my friends, family and those around me. So... I took a deep breath and brought my ideas to Jeff. It's true, he never ceases to amaze me. The encouragement and support I got from him was the extra push I needed to set things in motion. I've been searching for a creative outlet for a long time. To some of you this may be a surprise, but to those of you who know me well, it is not.

My plan is to become a photographer. I'd like to be an "on-location" photographer, going wherever it is that my client is comfortable. I want to focus mainly on children and families and the connections they have with each other. I want my images to move you and tug at your heart when you look at them. I want my images to say who your child is, not just what they look like. I want to capture kids and families in their own environments where they are most comfortable and free to be themselves whether it be at home, a park, the beach, wherever. As a mother, I know how quickly babies and children change. Children grow, memories fade, but a photograph preserves them forever.

So, I won't be quitting my corporate job, have a studio or do weddings. I'll stay close to home, right here in Taylor. I want to take my time with this, and do things right. Over the next year, I'll be getting some technical training, working on a portfolio, and getting a lot of practice! I plan to have my website up and running by Spring 2008 with galleries of my work, and seamless online proofing and ordering. In the meantime, I'll share my journey here, post some of my work as I learn, and may need to borrow your kids from time to time!

Again, this wouldn't be possible without the support of my amazing husband, loving family and faithful friends...and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.