The Season is upon us!

So I am a season behind... I am slow... I know. But poor Lani was so patient with me and allowing me to use her as a model that I couldn't help but post this photo even if it is a season behind.

I am not sure about you but as for me it is hard to believe that Christmas is literally two days away. I feel like I am so far behind and definitely not ready for Christmas to be here, let alone be over in just a few short days. I felt the same way about fall, and it came and went before I had a chance to do much with the changing colors that I was only able to witness on my way home every day from work. It seems like I cannot slow down enough to catch my breath let alone stay up with the seasons as they change.

How over whelmed are you? Do you feel the same way? I wish that this was the point where I could say that I had a simple fix and if you subscribe to my email list and pay me $5.00 I would give it too you. However this is simply not the case. I am not sure that there is a simple answer in anyway shape or form. Everyday I come home from work and I look around and think about all the things that I need to get done, and yet there are not enough hours in the day to accomplish what needs to be done. Some times this over whelms me to the point that all I can do is sit and think about everything that I have to get done and know that I am not going to get done.

Even with being overwhelmed with life at the moment I am still excited about Christmas. I cannot wait for the kids and the fur babies to open their presents on Christmas morning and have the chance to see their faces light up with happiness. I am also hoping for a few moments behind the camera in order to capture these moments for a life time. As with any other event in life this is another one that I do not want to miss. I want to be able to look back years from now and see the joy on my children's faces and remember the happiness of the moment. I also want my children to have something to show to their children, and to help them remember Christmas and the joy that comes with it.

Christmas as a child for me was always the best. The family would always gather at my grandmother's house and it would be a day long event. It would start in the late morning with an arrival to to Grandma's house. And then my favorite part... walking into the house. The smell was amazing!! The turkey would already be in the oven, pies awaiting their turn to be placed in the oven. Salads of all kinds lined the counter top. The dining room with the fine china already placed and the living room with the Christmas tree and presents already under the tree. I remember watching as everyone would come in and place their presents under the tree and add their dishes to the food that Grandma was already preparing. There was so much food and family! It was amazing to have everyone all in one place, even for a day. I say all of this to say that I remember this as if it were yesterday, however, I wish that I had pictures. We never took pictures of the family events and these are memories that can never be recreated. I can share my memories, and describe them, but my description pales in comparison to the actual event. So this Christmas I encourage you to take a few moments and pull out your camera and catch a few shots. Capture the moment, or the memory. You will be thankful that you did later!

I hope and pray for each and every one of you that this Christmas is more amazing than last year and that all of your hopes and dreams come true this Christmas season. Merry Christmas to you all!

Stepping out of your comfort zone

Through out my life I have been pushed to to step out and do things that I am not comfortable with. At the time I hated every minute of it, but I learned that most of the time when I stepped out of my comfort zone I really enjoyed what ever it was that I was trying to do. With this knowledge I have convinced myself to try more new things. It could be as simple as new color of nail polish to as big as a giant career change. All things that I have tried I have never regretted trying once I got through the newness.

I feel that I have gotten stuck in a rut when it comes to my photography. I mainly photograph my pets, (they don't argue with me like my children and they are easy to bribe when I have milk bones on hand) so I figured it was time for a change.

I was given the wonderful opportunity to second shoot a wedding with Whitney Montgomery, the owner of WAM Photography. It was amazing! Now I will admit that I don't think I was feeling the same pressure that Whitney was feeling as this was her wedding, and her name. I on the other hand was learning. I did want to give the best product, however I was not scared to make a mistake, or really missing a shot, because I knew that Whitney was working to get the same shot from another angle.

I must admit there are a number of photos that I was NOT happy with, there were times I felt rushed, and even though I knew I had no pressure to get "the shot" I still wanted too. I realized that I have alot of growing and learning to do when it comes to photography. I learned that I need to develop an understanding of flash, because using natural/available lighting is not always going to be optimal, and in some cases can destroy the photo. I realized that even though I shoot in manual and I can adjust my settings, there are times there is just not enough light. Focus was a huge challenge for me. As I look back over the files I notice how many shots I had that would have been amazing, but I missed the focus point.

Even though there were a number of shots that I missed I also nailed it on several as well. In fact some of these photos were given to the clients! I was actually quite proud of that small accomplishment when Whitney showed me the final product.

Overall I have learned a lot from the experience. I know that I am no where near ready to shoot on my own at a wedding, but this has opened up a new challenge for me, and hopefully this will help me to continue and to grow with my photography. I will never be able to thank Whitney enough for not only letting me shoot with her, but building my confidence as a photographer and offering to allow me to continue second shooting with her next wedding season! I am looking forward to a season full of challenges!

I would love to hear from the rest of you about how you step out of your comfort zones and continue to grow. This could be in any aspect of life! Please share your story below!

Ahhh... the Holidays......

Ladies and Gentlemen it is official! We have moved into the Holiday Season! I must admit that I will not acknowledge Christmas to much prior to Thanksgiving as I am one that wants to slow the season down and enjoy it just a bit longer than most. However I do love the holiday season.

What are the reasons that you love the holidays? I have a number of reasons. For one, well I love the food! I believe that Thanksgiving and Christmas are my two favorite holidays purely because of that reason alone. Since I have gotten older I have taken on the responsibilities of actually cooking the Thanksgiving and Christmas meals and it gives me time to reflect and be proud at the same time. As a child my grandmother was the one that held the big family meals every year and every holiday. I loved it because it was at this time the house smelled amazing, the food tasted amazing, and there was always something special waiting for me. My grandmother saved certain recipes for these holidays as well, and these recipes happen to be my favorite ones. My grandmother has since pasted and now the tradition has fallen to me. I know that I do not cook as well as she did, but I can tell that my children enjoy it as much as I did at their age and lets me know that I am on the right track.

I must admit that although there is nothing that I can do about it now, and that this is something that was completely out of my hands as a child, that there is something that causes a pang of pain from time to time during the holiday season. That pang of pain is caused by the inability to show my children exactly what the holidays were like for me as a child. My family has very few photos from the holidays that I am aware of, and it saddens me because these are some of my fondest memories. I can tell my children about the amazing Christmas tree that my grandmother and I put up every year, and the wonderful food she would cook, and the beautiful snow on the ground outside, but for my children it is a fairy tale. There is nothing to physically show them. Not only do I not have these photos for my children but I do not have them for myself. All memories fade to the recesses of our mind, and sometimes we need a trigger to bring them forward. A trigger can be a person, a smell, or a photo. I am sure there are a number of other things that could be used as triggers, but these are my triggers. With time my triggers are fading. The kitchen that my grandmother use to cook in no longer is in the family. My grandparents have past away, and I have no photos. All I have left are the memories, and I am afraid that one day they will fade away as well.

With all of this in mind I have made an attempt to provide my children with photos, so they will have something to trigger these memories for them years from now. I can only hope and pray that these memories will be as special to them when they are older as mine are to me. At least I know they will have something physical to hold on too and assist with triggering their fond memories.

Now that I am older I have finally realized why my grandparents loved receiving Christmas cards from friends and family. It was the one time of year that they were able to see the changes in friends and family that they were unable to see through out the year due to being unable to travel. How you ask? Simple, it was done with an updated photo. I can remember getting the mail for my grandmother and bringing it into the house for her and listening to her talk about Uncle So and So and how much Cousin So and So had grown over the last year. I witnessed the joy on her face as she read the cards and looked at the pictures and happily shared them with my grandfather. I never understood as a child the importance. I personally hated getting my photo taken. But now that I look back and I think about the excitement and happiness that these photos gave my grandparents I now understand.

I have said all of this to say that I am excited about the holidays and the fun that comes with them. I also wanted to remind you of the importance of holiday photos and what they can mean to others. In an effort to help you create these memories I want to remind everyone that I have open slots available for holiday photos. If you are interested in a mini session please email me and I will send you the information for these as well.

Don't forget about your furry family members either! All of mine LOVE the Holidays. As you can see this is my dear Brownie and her favorite toy, Santa. I completely understand that there are many that believe that their pets are part of the family too, and I support this! Bring your fur babies along for photos as well!

I would also love to hear about your favorite holiday memories! Please leave your favorite holiday memories in the comments!

But why?

Good Afternoon!!!!
Over the last week or two I have noticed on social media that there are a number of people that are becoming angry with the inability to find a decently priced photographer. This is not something that I understand at all.

Each and everyone of us have to have an income. In order to pay for your home, the things that you have, your transportation, everything. There is nothing in this world that is free. I know that this seems crazy when it comes to photography. I mean all it is pushing a button on a camera right?

Actually no it is so much more than that. For instance let us start at the beginning. There is the time that we must take to market ourselves as photographers and to get our names out there for our customers to find us. Marketing not only takes time, but it also can take money. There is also the initial cost of our equipment and then the upkeep of that same equipment. For the photographers who have studios and such there is also the money that it takes for the upkeep of all of these items as well. Now when you meet with your photographer there is a contract. I can promise you the paper that it is written on, and the time that a lawyer invested into making sure the contract is legal was not free. Now lets think about the actual shoot. Did you use props, did you go to a location that requires a fee? These are all things that do not come free to the photographer. Now think about why you hired that photographer. You hired them because of their talent, and their ability to create art. In order to create art many photographers use programs such as Lightroom and Photoshop, yet again another cost.

As you can see with each step in the process to get your photos there is a cost involved, and this cost is only to get through the process, it does not even pay the photographer. This photographer still has to be able to pay all of these costs, and be able to pay themselves in order to support their families.

So the next time that you are looking for a photographer and the cost is more then you would care to pay please take a moment to think about what all it entails, and that is before you are even paying for the actual talent and time for your photographer.

Here are some additional links if you would like to read them about the cost that photographers have to consider when developing their pricing guides. I hope that this helps bring an understanding as to why photographers cost more then what you may think that they should cost.

http://www.themoderntog.com/cost-start-a-photography-business
http://clickitupanotch.com/2012/06/photography-business-start-cost/
http://digital-photography-school.com/how-to-calculate-your-cost-of-doing-business/

Fear of what is to come

I must admit that with everything that I have done in my life and all of the things that I have faced there has been one factor that has always been there.... fear. In a lot of cases I completely understood that fear. When I graduated from high school, it was the fear of starting college and being alone. When I got married I was afraid that I would never be "good enough" as a wife. With every child that I have had there was the fear of something being wrong during the pregnancy and fear of losing my child during birth. Now that my children are growing it is the fear that I am not doing enough as a mother. As a Soldier in the military there has always been the fear of losing the person to my left or right, and while on deployment the fear of not coming home to my children, or coming home disfigured.

When I took up photography I discovered another fear that I did not know that existed. The fear of what is to come.

I never realized how much a camera, and the thought of what that camera could produce scared people. I have seen people panic before a shoot about what they are going to look like in the final product, they panic during the shoot and after the shoot. I have heard horror stories of people seeing the final project and blaming the photographer for the way that they look.
I would like to take a moment to explain a few things. First of all, yes a photographer does have some control of the overall out come of a photo. We are able to control things such as the way that the photo is composed, the posing of our clients, to some extent the lighting, and post processing. Please understand that photographers DO NOT Photoshop their clients to add 50lbs, and no, a camera does not add 10lbs. There is no reason for us to do things like this. It does not in anyway benefit us to make our clients unhappy. Yes, when we edit our photos and we add some artistic uniqueness to them, and that is our style. Our style is what attracts the client. 

I will personally admit that I am not a fan of being in front of the camera. Here are my reasons why I do not like to be in front of the camera:

1. I am not comfortable with how I look most days.
2. I am not the one in control of the situation.
3. I am afraid of what the person behind the camera is actually thinking about me.
4. I am aware that I do not look like a model, and it makes me worry that my looks are going to affect the final product.
5. I am afraid of what others will say about the photos that are created.

Now these may be very similar reasons that you are afraid to be in front of the camera. However, are these reasons really substantial enough to be fearful or angry about the final product? In my personal and humble opinion my answer to you would be, NO. I am sure that you are wondering why I would say this about my own fears. Please let me explain by breaking these fears down a bit.

1. I am not comfortable with how I look most days. Why am I not comfortable? Well the simple answer is that is how I have been conditioned. I have spent many years in the military and one of the requirements is monitoring my weight and giving an appearance of being fit and if for some reason this was not meant you were immediately labeled as fat, and could potentially be put out of the military. My whole career I have ridden the line of the weight and therefore I panic about how I look because it really could cost me my job. However is this really the case for you? Have you been conditioned to be overly mindful of how you look? In most cases I will say yes, because society as a whole conditions people to believe that we should all look, act and dress a certain way. However is it true? Take a moment and look in the mirror, I bet there is someone looking back that is very beautiful in their own way no matter how they look.

2. I am not in control of the situation. This is one you may or may not struggle with. I feel that I struggle with this because of several reasons. One, I know how the camera works and I want to control the settings and everything about the situation, two, my background has taught me to be in control no matter what the cost because in some cases it could cost me my survival. Now realize this is a bit extreme, and may not apply to you. Trust the person that you are paying to take your photo. You picked them for a reason, and you gave them your money. Let go of your control and trust the photographer to make your photo beautiful and amazing.

3. I am afraid of what the person behind the camera is thinking of me. I guess that this is really silly. If the person behind the camera thought I was a horrible ugly person I am sure that they would find a reason to not take my money. If the person behind the camera thinks I am horrible why would they want to have to deal with me at all. I personally believe that not every photographer can take every persons photo. There has to be a fit between the client and the photographer. If there is not a good fit the overall experience is not going to be great, and it is going to lead to a horrible interaction. Therefore when you are booking with your photographer make sure that you are comfortable with them, if you are worried about what they think of you after you meet with them, maybe there is reason. However maybe it is just not a good fit. Keep looking, and find the photographer with the style that you love, and that makes you feel comfortable and is a good fit for you and your family.

4.  I am aware that I do not look like a model, and it makes me worry that my looks are going to affect the final product. In America we are conditioned to believe that we must always look like a super model in front of a camera and if we don't the picture will not turn out. This is not the case. Ladies, every stretch mark, every scar, every bit of stretched out skin is what makes you unique. Every gray hair that you have acquired, make you special and unique to someone. Believe it or not there are many men out there that believe that there spouse is beautiful the way that they are. Stretch marks and all. Why? Because it is their wife and each of these things is apart of a time in their life together and they would not trade that time for the world. Ladies, just because your husband does not tell you that you are beautiful does not mean that they do not think that. They just don't realize that we need to hear it. For my younger ladies that have not had children and have not started to age remember that you are beautiful as you are. Each of us is different and there is no reason to believe that you need to look like a Victoria Secret model in order to take a photo. Be who you are and love every moment of it because you are you, and that means you are beautiful. Do not believe that the final product is going to be affected, because it will be a final product of you and therefore will be amazing just like you.

5. I am afraid of what others will say about the photos that are created. Ladies and Gentlemen, this is something that you should never be afraid of. It is null and void. Stop and take a look at the final product. Do you love it? Does it represent you? Does your uniqueness come out in the photo? How does the photo make you feel? Notice all of these questions are about you. If you are happy with the final product, then who cares what anyone else thinks? YOU paid for the photos, and they are of YOU. As long as you are happy and you feel amazing about them who cares what others think? You are the only one that needs to be happy with them.

Never be afraid of what is to come when you are in front of the camera. Trust that you are making every moment matter, and your photographer is catching those moments and will ensure that it is beautiful. Remember your photographer is not out to ruin you, they are there to make you feel amazing and beautiful, they want you to be happy with the outcome, not afraid of it. They are not going to make you look horrible they are going to catch your natural beauty and emphasize it.

Never fear what is to come, because what is coming is a small glimpse of you and your personal amazingness, embrace it and love it! Don't fight it, change it, or hide it! Love who you are!

 

Tell me what you think of this photo. Is she beautiful? Should she have stayed away from the camera? Do you think the photographer did her a disservice or did this photographer capture this subject and everything about her?

Fall mini sessions!!

There is more there

“The camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera.” –Dorothea Lange

How many of you just run through life without a second thought? Do you rush to get from point A to point B and so on until your day is done and you can get back home and crash on the couch just to do it all over again the next day? Do you ever stop and take a breath or stop and "smell the roses"? Or are you one of those that holds the thought process that you will do all of that "smelling of the roses" thing when you are able to retire?

I must admit that I use to be one of those people. I use to run through life as fast as I could and never bothered to stop and take a look at what was going on around me. I did not take the time to enjoy the scene or the people or anything that would even remotely associated with it because well, my family, and my job was my life and I felt that when the kids were grown and on their own and I was able to retire that was when I would take the time to slow down and enjoy the scene and the people that was around me. I have learned otherwise since I have picked up a camera.

I first picked up a camera because of my children. I wanted to record all the cute moments in their lives, (and to be honest I wanted to have pictures to embarrass them with later in front of boyfriends and girlfriends. Bad I know LOL)  and I wanted these pictures to remember the important moments in life for my kids. I know there are things that have happened in my life that I wish that I had a picture of, and well I don't, which is no one's fault really. But I wanted to make sure that my children had the photos that I wished that I had from my childhood. So this lead to taking action shots during sports and just fun moments at home. This was the first step in seeing what I was missing while I was rushing around.

After I realized how much I was missing and how much I may never see again I started to see things in a much different way. The sunset became an individual event, not something I would see again tomorrow. Places in general have become more interesting because I am looking at it from another point of view. I must admit that I tend to look at things as another beautiful backdrop for a photo shoot or another amazing background for my computer, but it is still something that I want a photo of, and I am taking the time to actually look. Things that I have never taken an interest in before I now have an interest in. 

From behind the camera I have learned alot from my children. I have seen how important that one pass in basketball, or that one hit in football, or that one goal in soccer means the world to them, be it good or be it bad. I have learned that there are alot of things that I have missed out on. The playfulness that happens between siblings (even when it appears that they are fighting) the beauty of building a sand castle, or the joy of just getting dirty because you can. My children have also taught me that it is ok to slow down a bit to "smell the roses" and even more importantly to take a picture of the rose so that I can remember it for years to come. 

It is ok to slow down and breath. It is ok not to rush around all the time, and by all means enjoy the moments that you are currently in. And above all take the moment to take that photo, or have someone take that photo for you, because it will last more than a lifetime.

I must apologize

Thank you for taking the time to come back to my blog, especially considering how long it has been since I have posted.

First of all I would like to apologize for my absence. I realize that it is not good for a person, or a business for that matter to go silent for as long as I have been. With all of this being said I feel that it requires some sort of explanation.

There are several reasons that all of my activities have stopped. It is not just my blog that went silent so did my personal social media pages as well as my business.

Why? Like I said there are several reasons. First of all one is very close to my heart.  My beautiful pup Brownie (pictured above) has had some health issues as of late. These health issues lead to the discovery of a tumor that we were told has to be removed. This in of itself has been an emotional ride for me. Brownie has been a constant in my life for over ten years and she is my buddy. She has traveled from coast to coast and to Hawaii with me. I have not had a day where I have come home and she has not been there to greet me at the door, or a time when I needed someone to cuddle with that she was not there. I must admit that when we found the tumor that I was scared and I thought the worst. I believed that this tumor had spread before we caught it and that we were going to lose my dear Brownie long before I thought that I would be ready. This sent me the direction of a downward spiral of fear, doubt and to some extent grieving for a loss that I had not suffered yet. I lost my will to move forward and all I was able to think about was that I was going to lose my best friend and I felt that it was all my fault and that there was something that I could have done. Yes, I have a full family and yes they do love me and are there for me, however Brownie has been my rock when no one knew (and I do not even think that she knew) that I needed one, and so this was a very emotional blow. One I did not have a way to handle. However, as luck would have it when we completed the pre-op appointment for Brownie we learned that she has one tumor, and there was no spread to the chest or anywhere! It could still be cancer as the vet warned, however if we get it out now we can stop it early from taking over and eventually taking Brownie from me before I am ready. She will be having surgery soon and I will update all of you on how she is doing over the next week or so.

On another note I am making some plans to hold a fall mini session I am currently scouting a location and working on a price list. I will get this posted as soon as my girl has recovered from her surgery and we are back on track.

Thank you for the love and support!

Where I aspire to be

“A good photographer records; a great photographer reveals.” –Skyler Reid

What do you look for in a photo? Are you looking for a record, or in truth, are you looking for a memory? 

When I look at a photo that I have taken it takes me back to a moment in time that brings about memories, feelings, sometimes smells... it is amazing. I love the ocean and the beach, and when I look at a photo of the beach that is what I remember. An amazing moment in time. A moment that is very important to me and holds value to me and to my family. 

I recently read an article from a bride turned photographer and she cries every time she looks at her wedding photos. She refuses to print her wedding pictures and she is in all reality embarrassed by her own wedding photos. She was married on the beach and had the perfect wedding, and had everything, but, when asked about her wedding and what she would have done differently she tells people that she wishes that she had not fed her guests. This statement blows me away, until I look at the wedding pictures that she posted. She had an amazing wedding. The wedding was beautiful! However, the photos that she has to remember that day are not. The photos recorded the day, but they did not reveal or capture the day. There is a difference. Believe it or not it is a fact.

Photos are the way that many tell their stories. It is the way that we as a human race carry our stories to the next generation. With each photo there is a story and with the sight of that photo we can tell that story. Once the story is told, others who have heard the story can now tell it when they see the photo. Virtually I believe that we as the human race have done over time is that we have evolved. We have gone from drawing our photos on cave walls to placing them on paper and into albums. Yet we still use them in the same way. To capture the moment, and to tell the story with them.

As a photographer with every click of my shutter I aspire to capture a memory. I want it to be that photo that takes you back to that moment. I want it to remind you of all of your favorite things about that moment. The smells, the feelings, the emotions, the tastes, all of it. That is what I want my photos to do for my clients. I want my photos to capture that moment when it is most perfect and to hold that perfect moment for generations to come. I want my photos to last and to be able to tell the story of this perfect moment for generations to come.

I hope that when you plan your next event, or even just click the shutter of your own camera that you remember what I have said today. I aspire to reveal the story with each photo that I take for not only myself but for each and every one of my clients as well.

If you would like to read the article and see the photos that I have referenced today. You can visit http://www.ashleywilburphotography.com/blog/glens-falls-photographer-i-would-rather-i-had-not-fed-my-guests/

I live my life every hundredth of a second

“Taking pictures is savoring life intensely, every hundredth of a second.” –Marc Riboud

First off, let me say that I know this sounds like it came from Fast and the Furious, but I promise it did not. As you can see I gave credit to Marc Riboud.

As a photographer I believe that I do live life every hundredth of a second. Why? Because that is about how long it takes to snap the shutter of my camera. At the snap of the shutter I have saved that very short moment for the rest of my life. 

I must admit that when taking photos of my family in moments that are "just happening" I never want to forget them. There are some things that I have learned are perfect as they are, with their imperfections. Sometimes the imperfection is what makes the moment something that is memorable. I personally think that there are a number of people that do not look at it that way. There are people that want  the photographer to change everything about them. Make them skinnier, give them a thinner face, add more make up, bring out areas that they think are important. I personally think that doing things like this can take away from the actual beauty of the person. But then again that is my personal opinion. I also believe that in making these kinds of edits takes away from the moment . When you look back on that photo that has been over edited, where you were made to be skinner, have more make up, or made to look like a Barbie Doll it becomes a fake moment in time. You know that you did not look like that. You know that it is altered and that no one else remembers the moment with you looking this way. In that hundredth of a second with the editing that you have requested you have taken away from its reality and the magic of the moment. 

I recommend that you live in the moment, as it is. Sure fix a few blemishes that will be gone in a few days, but don't change yourself into the "ideal you". One, there is no reason, and two it takes away from the moment, and over all the memory. In that hundredth of a second enjoy the moment. If you change the moment, when you look at that photo you cannot relive the moment as it was. You lose the feelings, the excitement, the amazement, whatever the feeling is that is associated with that moment is gone. It is all gone because it is not real. 

A hundredth of a second may not be alot of time, but it is something that will hold meaning and value for years to come. It may not seem that way now, or in some case ever for you.. but for those who see that moment years after you are gone, it could be special for them. 

It amazes me what a hundredth of a second can hold, be it meaning, be it the emotional value or anything else that can be applied to the photo. It also is amazing to capture that moment. Why? Because I know that moment will never happen again. Once the moment is gone it will never come back. There is no way to get it back even if you attempt it. For example, you cannot re create that first kiss after the vows have been said, you can not recreate the very moment that a child is born. These are moments that are captured in a hundredth of a second, and are gone just as quickly, however they are two of the most important moments in life. 

So as a photographer I live one hundredth of a second at a time, however, in some ways, don't we all?

Just something to think about......

It is not all me

“It’s not the photographer who makes the picture, but the person being photographed.” –Sebastiao Salgado

As a photographer I have been approached on several occasions and asked about my camera. I received comments or questions such as "what kind of camera is that? What kind of photos does it take? Does it make your photos look professional?" I try to be polite, I really do. However I must admit it is hard for me to be nice and not be rude when giving an answer. People just don't seem to understand photography. They seem to think that it is just point and click. However there is so much more to it then that. Let me explain.

First a client comes to me with a request to have a photo session. They are not coming me because of the type of camera I have, they are coming to me because they have seen my work and they like "my style". A camera alone cannot create a style, however it can record it. When a client comes to me we talk about what they are looking for. Are they looking for a studio shoot, an outdoor shoot, a senior portrait, wedding, maternity or newborn shoot? When a client makes the decision on the type of shoot they are looking for there is so much more that must be discussed. These things include location, clothing, people involved, the feel of what they are looking for. I want my clients to be able to portray a story with their photos and I want them to love every photo that I produce for them. 

The next step is the actual photo shoot. There is a lot that goes into it. I as the photographer have to be rested, excited, confident and ready to shoot.  I have to be ready to show this confidence to my client and I have to be ready to excite my client and make the shoot fun. If the shoot is a run of the mill "ho hum" shoot what does this really produce? It produces run of the mill photos. These photos will not be any different then snap shots taken by big name companies. They will not be personalized, and above all they will not be unique. There will be no emotion captured, the moment will not be special. These are all things that a camera can just not add to a photo. This is my job to bring it out of the client in order to produce the memories that they wanted to capture. 

Up until now I have discussed everything that I have to do as the photographer in order to try and make sure that the photo shoot goes the way that it should, and try to reduce the photo that the client is looking for. However there is one point that I must point out.  At the top you will notice that there is a quote. If you haven't read it, please take the time to read it now before  reading any further. I know the quote sounds crazy, I mean how can the camera and the photographer not make the photo? That's their job right? In all reality it is not. The photographer can make sure that their gear is ready to shoot, and they can prep the client as much as possible, but it is the client that must make the choice to make the photo. If the client is not in the mood to take a photo they are not going to have fun with it. They are not going to "work" the camera. 

A client has to be comfortable in front of the camera. They have to want to be there, and above all they need to have fun. If you are not having fun, the photographer and their amazing camera is going to capture, boring, uninspiring photos. The trick I believe as a photographer is to find a way to help a client make the shoot fun. Laugh with them, be a bit unpredictable, suggest some fun poses, or don't pose at all. There are a number of ways to get your client comfortable in front of the camera. Do whatever it is that you have to in order to help them. This means that you have to know your client. This is something that is important. Knowing your client opens up a whole new world of abilities for you as a photographer. The reason for this is that it opens your client up to you and they trust you. They trust you to make an excellent photo with in your skill level. This same photo that you are going to create with them is going to be something that they treasure for the rest of their lives and they are paying  you to capture this special moment in time. However as the photographer you can recreate the moment, but the client has to live the moment. With out the client there is no moment. 

Just a thought, but I personally think that this is a very, very important one.

Happy Father's Day

Good Morning! I must apologize, I didn't post last week, however I felt the need to take the time to spend with my family and celebrate Father's Day, which managed to turn into not just a day event, but a weekend event. I am not going to complain, it was a great weekend and much needed family time.

My daughter and husband asked for a photo for Father's Day. When they asked me it really caught me off guard. I have gotten use to the whole family (including the dogs) have gotten tired of me pestering them to take photos or to try a new set up or to help me with a photo for another contest. 

Now that I have taken the photo and given it to the two of them I must admit that it holds a special place in my heart. You see my husband is not the father of my children. However he was willing to step up and take on someone elses children and be there for them when others chose to walk away. I personally recognize this, however I never expected the children to notice it, or even care. However after I took this photo and posted it on Facebook my daughter "stole" it and posted it on her page. When she posted it she made a very long statement thanking my husband for stepping up, being a dad, and keeping her mom happy. She thanked him for being there thru the heart breaks that she had, holding her when she cried and giving advice, even when she didn't want to hear what he had to say. It touched not only my heart, but my husband's heart as well. It was something that we did not expect, or even knew that she felt that way. It was extremely touching to realize this.

This brings about the point of the importance of photos. Without taking the time to take this photo and giving it to my daughter we would have never known how she felt about my husband. We would have never known that she loved him and respected him as much as she does. All of this information came out due to a photo, which has now made this a priceless photo to me. Many people have photos taken to take them. They feel that it is a requirement, a way to keep the rest of the extended family up to date on whats going on. However I am not sure that these photos hold value or feeling. 

Photos are meant to convey a feeling, or invoke a feeling in a person that is viewing the photo. I am not sure that your standard run of the mill photos photos do this. When working with my clients I want to make sure that there photos are going to invoke or convey a feeling or a memory that they never want to forget. If it doesn't, then I feel that there is just no reason to even click the shutter and I would not even want to charge someone for a photo that does not touch a person in some way. 

With this in mind I believe that it should be considered when deciding to have a photo session done. Beautiful memories that are preserved forever on a print is an amazing thing, and will one day become an heirloom that will continue for years to convey or invoke feelings by those that hold that photo near and dear to their hearts. Plan your sessions with your photographer carefully. Pick your location, or your look in the studio that represents you, and who you are. Do not be afraid to show your beauty (or handsomeness if you are a man) and "work the camera". Don't be afraid to show your love, your confidence, and your soul in front of the lens. If you are not afraid to do this you will be able to take a simple photo like the one above, and yet it will carry love, meaning, and many more feelings for years to come. 

Just go!

“Just put on the lens and go.” –Miroslav Tichy

I remember when I was a child growing up how much I loved cameras. I am not sure what the reason behind it was. I am not sure if it was the ability to freeze a moment in time, if it was the ability to capture a moment or if it was the anticipation of getting to pick up the film from the store and seeing exactly what the pictures looked like. In reality it must have been a combination of all three items. However I must say that I remember the anticipation of picking up the pictures most. It was the excitement to see if the photos I had taken had turned out, and in some cases I had forgotten what was on the roll of film and I just wanted to see what was there.

With a film camera I had to learn constraint, and to take my time when it came to getting that amazing shot of my friends or of the tiger at the local zoo. I hated that I had no idea if I had gotten the shot, and had to wait to have the film developed, which in some cases was weeks after I had taken a specific shot. What made it even more difficult is that I knew that by the time that I got to see the photo that I would not be able to recreate the shot and the moment would be lost forever if I did not catch it at the moment.

However now with the world of digital cameras all of that has changed. In some cases I think that it is for the better, but I will admit, I do miss the anticipation of picking up the film and seeing if I really did do as well as I thought in that moment.

Digital cameras have opened up a world of change and opportunity. Now you can almost guarantee that you have captured the moment at the same time that you take the photo. If you miss it because the focus is off, in most cases all you have to do is line it up and click again. There is no waiting for the film to develop. You have more of a chance to capture that memory or that moment and make sure that it is right.

I must admit that I love the ability of a digital camera, but I have also noticed that I am just as picky about the shot as I was when I was using a film camera. I still want to take the shot, and shoot it once, and get it all right in camera, the first time. This train of thought is very hard for me to break. I still notice from time to time that I am hesitant to take a shot because I am not sure that I am even going to get the picture that I wanted. Which now with the ability to see the photo real time on the back of my camera is honestly insane. 

I am now learning to take on a new thought process. I read the quote, (the one at the top of this post) and I realized that there was a lot in that one simple statement. This one quote is one that I am trying to take to heart, and I believe will help me to continue to excel in my career as a photographer. I need to "Just put the lens on and go." (Miroslav Tichy)  With the abilities that the world of digital technology has given photographers I need to practice not being so conservative. So what if the shot does not work the way I want it too the first time. All I need to do is realign what I am doing and shoot it again. 

I will say that I am not advocating the "spray and pray" method. I still believe that each and every shot should still be framed up correctly and thought out in order to catch the feel and the magic that is present in that moment. However it is not like the days of film where you are "clicking and praying" and not knowing if the shot was a success or not. There is no longer the cost of production of a photo. Not to mention that a memory card has so much more room then a roll of film ever did! 

Photos are a doorway to the past. They are a reminder of a magical moment, a friend, a time that can not be revisited. I believe that with all of my heart. I want to make sure that not only myself, but my clients have that doorway to the past. With that in mind it is time too "Just put the lens on and go" capture those magical moments!

Graduation Knowledge

As the school year draws to a close there are a number of "brand new" adults out there with out a clue of where to go next. LOL I remember being in that same boat several years ago. I had graduated high school, stayed out with friends celebrating, and woke up in the morning with the sudden realization that I was now on my own. There was no longer the requirement of school, no more worries about the kind of grades that I had to bring home to stay in good graces with my parents and grandparents. I was FREE! It was an amazing feeling, for about 30 seconds. Then the fear set in. What was my next step? Where do I go from here? and the big question, Now what?

I am sure that as the seniors finish graduating this week that there are a number of them that are in the same boat. They have no idea what they want to do next and have no clue where to begin. However there are those that are currently packing their bags, telling Mom and Dad thanks, grabbing a camera and jumping out for the next adventure. 

I think that it is important that each graduating senior have a goal, or an idea of where they want to go next. I think that we as parents should still be giving a bit of guidance at this point... One last time before they spread their wings. It is sad when a senior has no plan and no idea where to go next. All of the seniors that I have meant in one way or another have amazing talents. Some are caring, others extremely technical, some are athletic, and of course there are some that are great at anything that they try. The sad part is that they themselves do not see it. They do not see the talents that they have and have no idea what they could do with them. 

As a senior I had an interest in photos, but film was expensive and I was not one that would "waste money" on film for no reason. However I was the kid with the camera for every event that I went on, and I always used my camera to document my life, the parts I never wanted to forget. I am thankful that I had the camera in hand thru high school. I have amazing pictures of my friends, and all the crazy things we did while at FFA functions, band competitions, and Friday night football games. These are memories that I have preserved, and now years later I can look back on and share (the less embarrassing ones) with my husband and my children. Which is something that I love to do. I wish that I had realized sooner how much I loved being behind the camera, and how much more I could have done with what I had at the time. 

I wish someone would have pointed out the less obvious talents that I had to me, given me a push or suggestion in what way to go. Instead I just kind of flapped in the wind for several years til I got it figured out. I believe that the best gift we can give these seniors is the acknowledgement and support of their talents, and to encourage them to hone these talents. 

The seniors that I have photographed for the most part all had a cell phone with them and I am sure that many of them take at least one selfie a day with it, however they put themselves in front of my camera and they became very shy, and self aware. It was hard to get a smile or a laugh, and took some time to get them to relax and to just be themselves. But once they did I saw some amazing things. I saw their interests, and talents and their personalities come out. It was truly amazing to see something like this. After photographing this and seeing it before my eyes it makes me wonder how many of these young adults could be amazing photographers, and just what they could do next in life.

If there is one bit of advice that I could give to each and every senior graduating is to take a look at your talents, and what you enjoy the most. Don't follow the crowd, and don't just flap in the wind. Take something that you love, develop it and run with it. Never let someone tell you that you can't make it with what ever you choose. You CAN and WILL make it, as long as you choose to make it work and want to make it work. If you want to be happy do what you feel you are best at. Don't take years to figure it out like I did. Run with it now and you will never regret it! 

Defeat

(A very over processed photo...there was a time that I thought that it was amazing)

Defeat as per The Webster Dictionary: 1. to win a victory (over someone or something) in a war, contest game, etc. 2. to cause (someone or something) to fail. 3. to control or overcome (something)

I have never been one to accept to defeat. (In fact I have learned that from the Army, the Army teaches each Soldier that with the Soldier's Creed) I have always been the one to found a way to succeed, or at least make it to the point where I was happy with the point that I made it too. For example, in my career in the military I have fought to do as many push ups, sit ups, and run two miles faster then the guys in my unit. However I am not going to be able to achieve this goal. I just can't quite pull it off, however I came to a point that achieving a 270 or higher on the Physical Training Test was achieving the goal. In some people's eyes this is giving in, however I believe that this is accepting my limitations and performing at the high end and reach an obtainable goal. 

I am sure that by now you are wondering how this applies to photography. Unlike in the Army where someone like myself ends up settling, photography you never have to settle. There is always a way to move forward and improve with each shot. 

The picture I started with at the top of this entry is over processed and way over done, and well, there would have been a time that I would have told you that it was amazing and that it was my best work. However as I continue to work through the current photography class that I am taking I am improving, and with that my editing has continued to improve. I have also learned that there is  no end to what I can do! 

I had a period of time where I felt as though I should just put down my camera, and never pick it up again. Every photo I posted or shared in groups on Facebook was ripped apart and I was told everything thing that I did wrong, and that I should not consider myself a photographer. It was a struggle for me. The work that I had shared was work that I thought was my best and I was very proud of. I thought when I posted it that others would feel the same wonderful feelings that I felt and would fall in love with the image the same way that I did. I was wrong in so many ways.  I told my husband and I showed him the comments that I was receiving. It was painful, and to be honest embarrassing. After reading everything that was being said my husband closed the laptop, gave me a hug and said, "Who cares what they think. I think that these photos are beautiful, and I would buy them. you love them, and you are proud of them, don't let others take that away from you." He could see the defeat on my face. He gave me a hug and told me not to take it to heart or to let it hurt me. It took me a few days, but I thankfully picked up my camera again, and I also posted another few photos that have received amazing comments since then. I have also developed an amazing relationship with my clients, and I have slowly built an amazing business. All of this would not have happened had I accepted defeat and never touched my camera again.

I have found that behind my camera I can grow,  behind the computer I can create, and above all I am never, ever defeated. As long as you are learning and growing with your craft you are never ever defeated. 

(A recent shot from a ring project I am working on and one that I am VERY happy with.)

Determination

Since I was a child I have held a sense of determination. I have played sports since I was a child. I played a number of them, and they were not easy to learn, but once I had the grasp of what I was doing I had the determination to not only succeed but to excel at what I was doing for not only myself but for my team. 
As life went on I have grown, gained an amazing family and I have an amazing military career. I have excelled in my career in the military because of the determination that I carried in my heart that I was not only serving my country but I was doing everything that I could for my three blessings that have been by my side since their birth. When I deployed I promised that when my tour was over that I was going to come back and we would be a family again. In a number of instances during that deployment the only thing I could hang on to in order to give myself strength was the promise that I had made would make it back to my three amazing children. 
My children in the mean time have carried on with the same determination in their own lives. My children are amazing players when it comes to soccer. I am so thankful that they have the determination and the dedication that they carry in their hearts. It is really for a selfish reason on my part. My military career is winding to a close due to injuries that I have sustained over my many years of service and now it is time to part ways. Being able to watch my children in action and to see their determination on their face gives me a large sense of pride, and gives me the desire to catch that sense of determination that they display on camera. This also gives me a new determination to improve myself behind the camera.  One day I hope that photos like this one will be cherished by my children and that they will see the same things that I see in them in their children.
With this same determination that I have to photograph my children I apply it to all the photos that I have taken. I strive to improve daily and I strive to create beautiful art that all of my clients will cherish and hold dear to their hearts from not until forever. 

On a separate note I ask that each and everyone of you take a moment out of your day on Monday to remember all of the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines that have fallen due to each of the wars that this great nation has been involved in.  Take a moment and honor these great people and everything that not only they but their families have endured and sacrificed. Remember that Memorial Day is not for thanking those of us that are currently living, serving or retired. Memorial Day is meant for everyone to take a knee and honor those who have led before us and have fallen in order to give us what we have today. Those of us that are still here serving or retired have our day, and that day is Veteran's Day. Each of us ask you to honor those who have sacrificed and have given all.  

To Blake, I may not have ever had the chance to meet you, but you were a welcomed addition to the family, and each and everyone of us miss you dearly and we know that you are watching from above and looking out for Brandy and Ty. 

To Chris, I remember that last moment I saw you as you were out processing to deploy to Afghanistan. I remember the smile on your face, the excitement in your eyes as you were getting ready to deploy. I still cannot believe that you are gone. I think about you and I miss you. I miss your friendship and your wittiness. Above all I know that your family misses you as well. 

To Nicholas Clayton I remember the first time that I meant you, and you convinced me to climb on top of the hospital in the middle of a sandstorm to hold the flag so that you could re enlist. The priceless pie in the face contest. I never got the chance to become friends with you, but I honor your memory and you did not deserve to go out like that.

I will never forget the final roll call for each of you, and I will never forget your failure to answer. It has made a hole in my heart. 

It's Mother's Day morning, and I have already been up and moving. My husband was kind enough to take me out for morning coffee in honor of Mother's Day. (LOL really it is something that he does every weekend, however I will let him count it towards Mother's Day) I have been on Facebook, and had the chance to send out my own Mother's Day wishes as well. 

My husband and my kids are so sweet, and easily excitable. This year they bought the portrait camera lens that I have been drooling over for several years. This is something that was not cheap and I never expected to receive as a gift, however they surprised me with it and showed me how much they love me and support my endeavors with my photography. My youngest also had a seperate gift for me, a poem that he wrote with his class regarding Mother's Day. It was titled a Mother's Beauty. It was sweet and sincere and I could ask for nothing more. I took my lens, placed it on my camera and immediately began snapping pictures just to see if the lens worked, and if it was all that I ever dreamed that it would be on my camera. 

However, I am constantly drawn back to a cute poem that my youngest brought home from school. It was a simple poem, and I am sure that every child took a similar poem home, but his has touched my heart. I cannot put a finger on why it has touched my heart as it has, but it has. I have read it 100 times since he gave it to me on Friday and I love it more and more every time I read it. Each of my children as they have gone thru school has brought home beautiful poems and gifts and they are all very near and dear to my heart, and I look at them every year. I think that my youngest and his poem touch me because I know this is the last 3rd grade Mother's Day poem that I am going to receive. I know he is going to continue to grow like his brother and sister, and eventually Mother's Day is going to become a "Happy Mother's Day" thrown over his shoulder as he heads out the door for another adventure in his young life.

Maybe this realization is what draws me back more and more to this poem. I have watched my daughter grow from the cute, smiling diaper wearing Halloween witch to a beautiful, full of drama 16 year old. I realize that in two years that she is going to be an adult, and out on her own in a world that is not as forgiving as I have been. I have watched my handsome, Bambi eyed, full of life, quad riding, Papa's boy of a son become a handsome, handful, and sometimes angry young man, and then there is my little Monkey who has a life that has yet to be determined. I am so proud of my three little beautiful/handsome children. My heart swells for each of them with their accomplishments and with each milestone that they accomplish, and then the realization happens that they are one step closer to being grown, and out on their own, out of my line of sight and protection. It is something that is hard to swallow, but at the same time makes me proud and swell with pride. 

I must admit the trials and the tribulations that it takes to get to this point is a struggle. The fights, the "I hate you's", the "I can't wait to be 18 to get away from you's". They are all hard on my heart. But the accomplishments they achieve, the "I Love you's", the "Thank you's" are priceless. They are as priceless as the poem I received from little Monkey on Friday. 

I must say this is what Mother's Day is about, and I would never trade it for the world.

Welcome!!

Good morning!

I am so excited to have taken the leap to open up and start to develop this blog. I do believe that this is going to be a great adventure for not only myself but my readers as well.

Let me tell you a little about myself. I am a mother of three amazing children and a husband that is more than I could ever ask for. We also have our fair share of animals as well. We have three dogs and a cat that protect the house for us on a daily basis. (Or at least that is what they lead us to believe).

I started into photography because of my children. I love watching them play sports, and I fell in love with the action shots that I could get from them if I was at the right place at the right time. These shots in beginning were few and far between, but as I continued to get faster I also began to get more images. I have also learned that shooting out doors is my favorite. I LOVE using natural light and having the ability to turn anything into some sort of a back drop.

It is a rainy dreary day here, and I am currently recovering from surgery, so I am trapped on the couch. I must admit that I really wish that I could be outside and taking photos! However I am currently on crutches, and going out and about to take pictures is not going to happen even if it was a beautiful day outside.

However the weather is giving me the chance to get caught up on editing, and giving myself the chance to heal from my latest surgery. (Not to mention I don't have to water the yard now either!) I am hoping that I will be able to share some amazing photos of everything that I have planted as soon as they are ready for harvest. It has been a long time since I have had the time to be able to garden, and it feels amazing to get out there and do so. I also love the aspect of having these veggies and fruits  as they will make amazing subjects for my macro lenses.

This is my Brownie that has traveled all over the world with me and the family for the last 11 years. This is her rainy day face. LOL