Well HELLO THERE!

I guess as we are in the start of a new year, it is about time to at least check in.  I feel like I have been oh-so-quiet here in the last months.  Way quieter than I hoped I would be.

Life in 2016 was crazy.  And really awful.  And sometimes not-so-awful. And, sometimes, it was just pretty damn amazing.

We started the year with a fairly non-eventful few months consumed mostly with kids and swim team and cheerleading and, then.....PLANNING.

Early summer was when we took a big break in the summer and embarked on our crazy, fun and amazing (and sometimes frustrating!), month-long cross country RV trip.  When we returned and got back to the routine and I was back to shooting families, seniors, weddings, newborns...... and then things got turned upside down.

Funny how life does that.  

So in the middle of my crazy fall season we got a couple kicks to the core and although I kept my business going by shooting and working with some amazing clients, I pretty much couldn't do anything more than shoot, a sneak peek or two and tackle editing.  The rest of my time was just focused on family.

I haven't blogged in MONTHS.  I haven't shared more personal work of which I have a BOATLOAD, and I just have been feeling - for a while -  like I have been barely keep my head above water.  I hate that feeling and I am just oh-so-tired of struggling.

I have recently come the realization that I need "me" time.  And I actually hate that term.  But I guess what I mean is that I need to walk away from anything I don't NEED to do right now and just "be" a bit more.  

So my plan now is to pull back a bit and only shoot a very limited number of clients in the next few months.  Of course, this is always a slow time of year as it is, but I do plan on focusing to make sure it stays very slow.  And that plan just feels so freeing right now and SO needed right now.

On the plus side, being slow will allow me to finally have time to share more images, blog ALL the amazing sessions I had from last year, and share a lot of personal work.  And hopefully I can have the opportunity to be a LOT less quiet!!!

So here's to a [hopefully] VERY uneventful 2017!!!   And what's a blog post without a photo? 

Personal Projects I A Photo a Day

On Labor Day last fall, I took a photo.  It was a plain ole, nothing great, photo.  And then the next day I took another photo.  And then another.  And then another.

About 2 weeks later, I had taken a photo every day and I decided I was on my way to another project 365 - a project where you take a photo every day for one year.  I hate to commit to this project on day one.  I have done that.....too many times to count.....and then fail soon afterwards and always find it so disappointing.  So I refused to even acknowledge I was doing the project, until I actually had a good start on the project.  I guess I am being a bit superstitious.  

The first time I successfully  accomplished this project was a few years back - only missing a couple days here and there.  I found it to be such a rewarding project because since it forces you to shoot every single day.  Really, the only way to improve on a skill is to practice, practice, practice, a project that forces practice no matter what is going on with your life is so beneficial.  Plus it is an AWESOME way to document your life!  

In my own defense, I do take a lot of photos even when I am not actively participating in a project.  But, I find that when I am busy with clients and busy with life, I slack off.  I may go weeks with only shooting clients, and not taking any photos just for me.  And then photography starts to feel like "work", and only work, and no longer fun.   

I love shooting just for me.  I can shoot whatever I want.  I can play with lighting, composition, processing.  I have no pressure.  I don't have to worry that someone may hate what I am doing, because I am not doing it for anyone else but me!

I am about 125 days into my project and still going strong.  I post every single image I shoot on Instagram every day.  Someday (many days!) the images are "eh".  But I don't care because still I love every one.  And since I am a good 1/3 of the way into my project, I thought it was time to share some of my favs.   And if you want to follow all my daily photos, feel free to follow my Instagram feed!