Archive for the ‘Personal’ Category

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Wow.

September 4, 2010

For any of you that follow the blog, you know that I am computer illiterate. Like bad. Remember when I tried to set up the blog? Well, I also thought I had installed Google Analytics correctly.  WordPress.org makes it super simple.  You click on the tab that says google analytics and paste in your code.   I did that and I still couldn’t see what was going on.  Google analytics is an amazing way to track everything about the traffic of your blog.  Tonight I just happened to check it and see if it was working and I was completely blown away. First, it was working! And apparently there are some of you in ROMANIA checking the blog.  WHAT?!  People like to look at my blog?  Romania, Mexico, Japan, Africa, New Zealand….  I had no idea.  I am so humbled and honored.

Sometimes I think, as a newbie and an artist in general, its hard to believe anyone likes what youre doing. I have a really hard time with it. Seeing this little map has given me a boost. And I certainly need it because for once I am feeling the pressure of deadlines! I have three weddings, two bridal sessions, and a portrait session to edit. STRESSED. Thank you Google Analytics for helping me with the motivation! To everyone out there reading-I see you :-) And thanks.

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Aimee’s Bridals!

August 29, 2010

Well, Im not really going to show you those.  But isnt her ring gorgeous?  I love it, alot. Aimee and Daniel are getting married later this month and on Saturday morning we did her bridal session.  She is just gorgeous, I can’t wait to show you!  We had some beautiful morning light :-)

The most hilarious part of the whole session was probably me.  My hair was getting super frizzy because it was warm and I was running all over and sweating like a pig.  And then…something interesting happened.  I climbed up a little stone wall.  I was wearing jeans Ive had for about 5 years.  They fit me pretty good.  I have curvy hips, so jeans that are tight in that area are normally loose around my waist and legs.  Basically they restrict my flexibility.  Are you seeing where this is going?  I step up on the wall and as Im hoisting my self up, my jeans split.  Like big time. Right below my butt cheek.  I instantly froze.  And started laughing.  I hopped off the wall and showed Aimee, her mom, and her Mom’s friend by bending over in front of them so they could see the wide expanse of the rip.  Ohhhhhh it was awesome.  So, with the frizzing hair and ripped jeans I looked super professional the rest of the session and morning.  Ha!  Thank you guys for laughing with me (and probably at me!)  Oh and here is a little look at that rip…

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Gladiolus

August 24, 2010

We went to the store today.  And because I am always in the mood for flowers, I got some.  They instantly brighten up the house.  I realized today that summer is coming to an end; its a little bit bittersweet.  Im glad the super hot days are mostly over and the fall is my favorite time of year, but I guess its sad because time is whizzing by.  Make sure you enjoy the rest of the summer as best you can!

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A Special Chair

August 23, 2010

Jared and I live in a city where there are alot of alleys. And being people that like old things, and fixing old things, we go alley hunting sometimes. We have found several pieces that now live in our house! This little chair is one of them. Do you know what it is? At first I thought it was a school desk. That somehow children would learn to write to the side of them. Well my dad came over last night and I showed him our little treasure. I asked him what he thought it was. Its a vintage telephone chair. Phone books would go in the little cubbie and the phone would sit on top. I have to say I like it alot better as a vintage telephone chair than a regular old school desk.  It needs some work.  As in, atleast a seat.  But we are very happy with it.

Maybe if I could convince Jared that we need a landline, in addition to cell phones, we could use it as it was intended.

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A Peek…

August 19, 2010

A tiny peek at things to come. I am so excited to tell you all about it!!

Photobucket

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Meet the 40D

August 13, 2010


Have you ever heard of Kellan Studios? Well, if you haven’t, click that link and spend the day drooling over their photography.  Grab a drink while you’re at it.   I knew as a rookie wedding photographer (It still feels weird to say that.  I don’t feel like I’ve earned the title yet!) that I would need to make relationships with experienced photographers.  My first one was my very own wedding photographer, Katelyn James. She is so awesome-if you ever get to meet her, consider yourself blessed!  Anyway, I needed to make new friends.  Over time I got up the courage to email some Virginia photogs that I admired.  I think I emailed 10 or so.  One was unbelievably rude, a few didn’t respond, a couple just didn’t work out, but, then a handful were amazing.  Kellan Studios falls into that last category.  I got to spend an afternoon with Kelly, and got to wave hello and goodbye to Ryan as I drove away.  However the entire afternoon with Kelly was so uplifting and happy and fun.  We both shared our faith with one another, which she will never know how grateful I am for, and talked photography.  We covered business aspects, time management, and most important for me: getting the kind of bride I want and my marketing strategy.  Some big things are in the works.  Get ready for the fall to be awesome!  I told her what I was looking for in a bride and she gave me such great advice about how to attract one.  I know that sounds like a mating ritual described on National Geographic…

You may be wondering what this cute, but seemingly irrelevant story, has to do with the camera in the pictures.  Kelly mentioned that they had a camera for sale if I was interested.  I didnt think about it at first but on the ride home I called Jared and we talked it through.  See, my rebel is in the repair shop at the moment.  Yeah, it is totally messed up.  Thankfully it falls under the manufacturer warranty.  And thankfully a gracious friend has been letting me borrow a camera.  Back to the story….I bought the camera Kelly had mentioned and this is it!

Welcome 40D!

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Lemons

July 25, 2010

Oh my goodness, it has been unbelievably hot in Virginia this year!  A friend told me yesterday that June was the hottest month on record…EVER.  Uhhh?  June was the hottest month?  We still have three full months of summer left, that does not sound very promising!  So I made myself some lemon water.  It is so refreshing to me.  I tried cucumber water once.  It was disgusting.  I poured it out, haha.  Do you like cucumber water?  I have also been having lovely iced mint tea with my best friend Nikki lately.  Equally refreshing as the lemon water.

So, what have you been doing to beat the heat so far?  Hibernating inside?  Just dealing with it?

Cheers! :-)

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Yay!!

July 16, 2010

I just figured out how to do this:

Yes, I mean put two pictures next to one another and make them one image.  Phew!  Let me tell you, I have had the hardest time with it.  I have tried watching tutorials and even getting friends to show me over skype.  I am the WORST computer person!!  Sometimes people ask me if I can fix this and that for them in Photoshop, well, I cant.  Haha! I truly do very little in Photoshop.  I know how to play an action and vary the percentage for those of you out there who know about PS.  I don’t even understand the brushes!!

Anway, I have been dying to learn how to do this because, in case you have not noticed….I really like vertical pictures as opposed to horizontals.  I dont know why.  I just see things better that way.  Mmhmm, I love me a vertical image!

So there you go.  I learned something super awesome (yeah I know Im a freak!) and you got to see some more of Cierra! Win!

Posted in Just Because, Personal | No Comments »

The joke is on you.

June 13, 2010

Jared and I had and “us” day after breakfast this morning.  We thought we would take a drive to Ashland and walk around a little.  We stopped into Ashland Tea and Coffee.  I got an ice cream drink and Jared ordered iced coffee.  Jared was handed the cup you see above, filled with frozen coffee ice cubes.  We looked at each other and walked over to sit down, staring at his cup.   We couldn’t stop laughing!  Im thinking-Okay Ashland, thats a good joke.  Giving your customers ice cubed coffee.  Ha ha ha.  After sitting there catching our breath from laughing, thinking of who we could bring to the shop, telling them we had found the best iced coffee, and play the prank on them-we started to really wonder why they had done this.  There is no way a restaurant that wants business is going to play tricks on its customers.  Then we realized maybe you are supposed to pour the hot coffee they always have out on top of the ice cubes.  Yeah.  The joke was totally on us.  Its actually pretty genius, that way your coffee doesnt get watered down.  However we had a great time laughing about it :-)

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!!!!!!!!!!

June 12, 2010

Exclamation points are the only way for me to somewhat accurately describe how I am feeling right now.   See that camera?  I have been drooling over it ever since I started to investigate switching to film.  I have one of my own now!!  Jared gets to be my model for a while while I get acclimated to not being able to check the back of my camera to make sure I exposed something correctly.  Next in line for me to practice on are my lovely friends.  Get ready.

So why film? Why on earth would you switch to film?  Well, I can say this because I have done both for about the same amount of time.  I like it better.  I like creating something.  I took a BW darkroom class in high school.  Not saying anything I did back then was very good (there is one image I am proud of) but my favorite class of all time was that one.  And I had a pretty sweet time in high school-so thats saying something.  I could spend hours in the darkroom developing negatives and watching them come into focus in the chemical basins.  I like using my brain.  I don’t like that I constantly look on the LCD screen to check the image.  I know that film will challenge me.  Not saying that digital photography doesnt require me to use my brain-it definitely does.  There is so much to think about when youre creating an image.  I just like that film requires me to be more confident in my exposing.  I also like that it will cut down on post production times.  I really dread the computer work involved with digital photography.  And with film-I send it to a lab and they do most of the work.  I will probably have to touch up images or tweak them but not every single image.  I just like it.  And I think it fits me better.

I wont be doing film exclusively for a while.  I need more cameras for that.  :-) But once I feel good about how its looking-which will probably take several months, I will be using it alot.  So! If you are a bride, or are thinking about working with me, do not fret! This camera and film will only make things better. And if its not doing that-then I wont be using it. Amazing photographers use this camera-so I can be sure that if I can learn to work it well, it will be awesome!

I can’t wait to share what this camera has to offer! Stay tuned!

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