catch up

Haven't posted in a looooong time, honestly I'm not sure what I have been doing for the last four-ish months.
December: consisted of anger & tears
January: more tears, anger and questions.
February: one word. "irritation"
March: a little more "freed" and not a lot of pruductivity.....

Like I said, I don't really know what I have been doing with my life for the last four months.

Newness is upon me however, in about a week and a half I will be road trippin to Las Vegas! Yeah!!! Super stoked about that.
Also I've got some weddings to photograph this year so thats good. My photography business has been really slow this year, nothing much is going on

*Pray the Lord sends me people who need my services*

[pho - tog - ra - phy] I've been experiencing some twists & turns in my thoughts, dreams & desires in this area. I've been doing photography for about 7 years now & have really enjoyed it, yet in the last few months I haven't had the passion for it. I feel God is has been turning "my future" in another direction. Taking pictures is great, people are cool to work with & all but when i sit down & think about it, photography is kind of a waste of time...if there is no purpose behind it. I understand the "a purpose" could be capturing moments in time so those memories are remembered, that I understand. Yet I feel like anyone can do that; but if I am a follower of Christ shouldn't I be doing something that a non-follower can't do? For awhile I've known that I wanted to use this talent/skill God gave me for His good purpose and for the furtherment of His kingdom. I don't know what that looks like but I am willing to pursue it.
______________

I have a Greek, exegetical paper looming. I'm just auditing so there  isn't any "good grade stress" & I probably don't even have to do it, but what is the point of the class if I don't do the work required. So anyways, I will be studying Romans 8:1-11, & parsing & doing word studies for the next weeks to come -

Say what?

Thursday I was doing a senior session, it's amazing how much advice people give you while shooting, almost like they look at you a& before speaking to you they say "Man I just have to tell them to pose like this & do that, it would make it" (they then visualize it and think "NAILED IT") then this stranger opens thier mouth to give you their oh so very "helpful" advice.{I apologize for this bluntness}
[BTW clients with pose ideas or friends with ideas who aren't over enthusiastic are fine, in fact I welcome that]
I understad the "strangers" are trying to be helpful & in a way it's sweet...however when I am on the job I tend to be focused on the job, I am professional in how I do things, so yes I appear professional because I am professional, thank you for seeing that! Some of this may be pride, I get that attitude of "yeah I know I'm good" {I do apologize...} in all honesty though I give praise to Jesus because He gave me a talent & skill that I love. I am always amazed at what He allows me to do with it. Of course there is a lot I wish I could do & dream of doing but if it's in His will it will be in His time.

So, that being said...I know what I'm doing, I am always learning, if I need help I ask for it. I like learning new things especially from people whose work I admire.

Also, apparently I do not know what the govenor of my state looks like.

I was photographing twin boys, we were at the Michigan State Capitol building packing up and I see two guys walk by with things in their ears, like secret service.

The boys look at me all surprised and say "that was the govenor"

(yeah I had no idea, I didn't really even see the 3rd person)

I do know the govenors last name is Synder, I'm doing ok.

[FUTURE GOAL: Pay attention better to local politics & government]

While I was photographing on of the boys on the steps of the capitol a guy walked by and asked if we wanted him to take a photo of us together.

WHAT?!?!?

I said "oh, no thank you. He is getting his senior photos taken"

[FUTURE GOAL 2: Apparently I need to work on looking older too!]

*{& yes I am also that person who prefers to be left alone in a store to do my thing & not be approaced by sales associates. I am not bothered if I get asked once maybe even twice but I have learned to not go to Target between 9-11am because there are so many emplyees there & they all ask if they can help you. No thanks, I know Target like the back of my hand!}

First Newborn Session

These photos are from my very first newborn session.

To see more check out my photo blog.

Recent Photo Shoot

K. Scott (a.k.a. Desmond LeVox)

A Michigan local, new, Christian artist.

The story of how this shoot came to be is pretty awesome!

Last October I attended a Brandon Heath/Britt Nicole concert (click here to see the concert photos).

A local radio station had a contest to win breakfast with Brandon & Britt. 

My best friend and I had a joke about Brandon Heath,

I convinced her to enter and we waited.

Long story short she was one of the winners and I got to go with her.

So we went to the breakfast with them....

we also ended up going to the sound check session and 

were able to sit in the front row, of course I had my camera.

I took so many photos, edited and posted them on Facebook 

(including the Brandon Heath & Britt Nicole pages).

Through those photos people added me as friends on FB.

Including K. Scott.

He added me, 

messaged about about how he saw my photos and liked them.

He had been at the concert as well.

He then asked me about scheduling a photo shoot.

Shoot scheduled and re-scheduled 

finally it was done.

So check the photos out! :)

Newborn photo shoot

I am over the wall excited about two newborn shoots I have coming up.
Both are for precious boys. One arrived yesturday and the other is still highly anticipated.
I have never done a newborn shoot before so advice, hints, tips, tricks are so welcome!!!
{Seriously I want to know what you know!}
My Pinterst board for "Maternity & Newborn" is stuffed and I am still looking for for ideas, I have found articles and such...ooh I can't wait.
*FYI* I have an Olympus e-500 camera. A pop-up flash bouncer. A detachable flash (with a soft box type difusor thing). That is my equipment currently.

Ideas?

New! {photo blog}

For about 18 or so months I have been using wix.com for a web hosting my photography website. I have wanted a new site for awhile, something updated and fresh. I haven't had the time to mess with wix so a new site was never made and my website was rarely updated. Yesterday I decided to make a photo blog and use that in place of my website.

Click here to check out my new photography blog.

The new blog will be used for the more business side of my photography, there I will post new photos every now and then, however this blog (the one you are currently on) will be for personal things. Photos will be posted from projects, ideas; basically whatever I have photographed that is blog worthy. Please go check out the photo blog and let me know what you think! Also, follow, follow, follow!!

Photos

day #36