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On Saturday we did one of my favorite things to do when in New Hampshire in the winter -- jumped in the car with camera in tow to drive around and see what we could find. No definite plan. Just driving, seeing and shooting. And I'm so glad we took the chance to do it then because today it poured rain and half the snow is gone! :(
The above photo was shot through the windshield of the van. SO PRETTY. I just love all the back roads in this state. We went through a little town called Amherst and I had to stop to capture this gem: |
| HOW FUN IS THAT!? I grew up ice skating on the lakes in Minnesota and this brought back so many fun memories. |
| This is the front door of a nearby house: |
| Another front yard in Amherst: |
| We drove for a bit further and pulled over to look at a ski park when my friend Shannon noticed some movement off to the side. It was four otters running up this slope and repeatedly tobogganing down on their bellies!!! What an unbelievable find. I only wish I had my 70-200mm and had video taped it. Their movement through the snow was just so stinking cute! But I only had my 50mm so I shot and then cropped in. We stayed and watched them for awhile. They made all the little trails you see in this shot. They would just follow the leader up and then slide down one right behind the other! |
| This week I'm in New Hampshire visiting some cherished friends. This is the fourth year in a row that I've made the trip out to spend a week with them in January. People always say it's a horrible time to visit New Hampshire but I look at it as my opportunity to play in the snow and experience winter for a week. This is the view from my window on the third floor. It's a good change of scene from the one out my window in Arizona. |
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I just think it's absolutely beautiful here. I could ride around in the car for hours looking at all the gorgeous colorful homes with snow-covered roofs. I wish I could transport a historical colonial mustard colored house to Arizona. And I'd like to have a red barn out back. But alas, we have nothing of the sort. So I just drool over them here and wonder what life is like for the people who live in them.
I absolutely adore this family. I have been friends with Shannon & Andy for 15 years and we have the type of friendship were we can just instantly reconnect on a deep level even though we live across the country from each other and don't keep up with each other on a regular basis as much as I'd like. We've just lived through a lot of the good and tough of life together and we connect in our souls.
Each time I come out I of course bring my camera along and I love what Shannon has done with the photos in their home. Rarely do I get to see how people live with the photos I take so whenever I do, it's a huge treat. There are SO many great memories on the wall in the top photo of this post and on this one: |
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I also love that I can see my progression as a photographer in the images. I cringe at a few of them from my early years. But I guess that's a good thing. Growth is always good.
So many people pick only the smiling-and-looking-right-at-the-camera photos for their walls but I love that Shannon including images like this one: |
They really show the personalities of her kids at different ages.
It's so good to be here. I'll be blogging about my trip throughout the week so I hope you'll check back!
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Thank-you to all of you who left comments on my recent post about the feature from my trip to Tanzania in Grace Ormonde Wedding Style Magazine. I got a couple comments asking about how taking photos of models in dresses relates to raising awareness about the need for water in third world countries. I appreciate that this is a valid question and wanted to write a follow-up post to make the connection clearer. I feel like I did a good job sharing my heart for this project last July but for those of you who weren't reading at that time, the recent post probably didn't have the needed context to make the connection clear.
Thirst Relief International is an organization that was started by a wedding photographer -- Jim Davis-Hicks. Because of his involvement and the involvement of well-known photographer Mike Colon in this issue, Thirst Relief has become a well-known organization within the wedding photography industry. Wedding photographers are the largest financial supporters of Thirst Relief and as a community have spread passion for this cause. Jim and Mike put their heads together and wanted to find a way to use their relationships and network to spread this passion and support of Thirst Relief to the whole wedding industry at large. Grace Ormonde and top designers Ines Di Santo, Amy Michelson, Adele Wechsler, Angel Sanchez and Jenny Packham collaborated with Mike and Jim to help make this vision a reality. By featuring an article in an high profile international magazine, the issue of the desparate need for clean drinking water has reached even wider audiences. Awareness is key because what we can give to make a difference is very simple....money. Thirst Relief can provide a clean water source for less than $5 per person. How easy is that? You and I have the ability to make a HUGE impact.
Besides using the networks and relationships at our disposal to raise awarness, these photos of gowns will directly raise money for the cause. Each of the designers has agreed to donate a portion of their proceeds for each of these gowns to Thirst Relief. So hopefully brides will see the images and go shopping! How awesome is it that just by choosing a particular gown for your wedding you could be changing lives?
The children that we met on our trip and who we photographed are indeed being "used" as faces to tell the story of the immense need. But they are also children who have been directly helped by Thirst Relief. Each of the two orphanages that we visited houses bio-sand filters made in the Thirst Relief workshop in Tanzania. In one of my blog posts this summer I was able to tell a story of one of these children whose life has done a 180 because her need has been met. So these children were fitting and willing participants in our attempt to put a face to the need and raise even more awareness over here in the states.
In addition to all of this, the 15 of us who traveled to Tanzania and witnessed the need first hand are forever changed. We are all committed to continuing to share the message and sound the cry for help in whatever ways we can. With that being said, please take a moment to make the imact YOU are able to make. Click here to visit the Thirst Relief website and make a donation today. With just $5 you can save a life.
And if you missed it the first time and are interested in reading even more about how I was changed and what we experienced this summer, click on the links below:
Headed to Africa!
Dubai
Hope at a Tanzanian Orphanage
Bagamoyo Tanzania
Getting Our Hands Dirty
Delivering Life-Saving Water Filters
Cute Tanzanian Orphans
Accommodations & Transportation
Trees on Safari
Tanzanian Safari Part 1
Tanzanian Safari Part 2 |
What an amazing year 2009 has been! It has definitely been a tough year for me in many ways. I have experienced some profound losses. But I have also been filled to overflowing with blessings. This year I shot 15 amazing weddings and have developed some incredible memories and relationships along the way. In this post I am going to share 10 of my favorite "happenings" from 2009 in the order in which they occurred.
1. The year of the websites |
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I can't hardly believe this but I have developed FOUR websites for my business this year!! CRAZY. I started out in January by launching my MJ 2 Day workshop site, then in February my Photojunction Templates found a home of their own on photojunctiontemplates.com. Both of these sites were designed and built by me using ShowIt Sites software. In March my Fine Art Website was launched (by LiveBooks.com) and then in December I launched my new wedding website/blog combo (by Infinet Design). Phew. No wonder I'm exhausted. I think I'm going to take a break from developing websites this next year and just enjoy where these four are taking me. I just want to give a shout out to God for blessing my business so much this year and continuing to direct my path.
2. First AND second MJ 2 Day workshops |
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In May I held my very first MJ 2 Day workshop for a group of 12 photographers who were in the first couple years of their businesses. We spent two days together talking about business and photography related topics as well as doing some shooting on location. Then in October I did it again with a second group of amazing photographers. I loved every second of interacting with and getting to know the attendees from around the US and Canada. I really get jazzed about sharing information and seeing the light bulb go on for other people. I feel like teaching workshops and mentoring other photographers is definitely a niche for me and I can't wait to do it more in the future! My next MJ 2 Day workshop is coming up in April and there are still spots open so make sure to claim yours today!
3. My second trip to Hawaii |
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In June I took my second trip to Hawaii and if you can believe it, I think I enjoyed it even more than the first! While there I shot an engagement shoot, a wedding and a day after shoot. I also was able to take a few days to just relax. I've found that working from home has some great advantages, but sometimes it can be difficult to fully relax. My office is downstairs and it's so tempting to get just a few more things done. There were two trips I took this year that were SO relaxing and this was one of them for me. I loved the time I spent with my friends Sarah & Jason and I love that I ran into some past clients and was able to go to dinner with them. I loved drinking a pina colada each day and living without a schedule. I have such great memories from this trip that I will always cherish.
4. Africa |
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This year I read nearly 50 books. And none of them were business-related. I've done a lot of reading for my business and used to feel like I needed to be reading something that would help me better myself at all times. But this year I let that compulsion go and read purely for pleasure. Mostly brainless fiction with some classics mixed in. I joined a book club, signed up on goodreads.com and found myself just reading like crazy. I read for a number of reasons. I read so I could sleep. My brain doesn't like to shut off at night so I need to read something with a story to it that will trick my brain into ceasing from attempting to solve the world's problems. I also read to process life. Coming off the summer I found myself emotionally exhausted and my introvert side reared its head in a major way. I found that reading was a way for me to process through my emotions and it became very healing for me. If you're a reader sign up on Goodreads and look me up!
6. Trip to Nebraska |
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My trip to visit my grandparents on their farm in Nebraska in September was the other totally relaxing trip I took this year. Being in the country was like traveling to another world. Time slowed down. I went for runs on dirt roads, ate pancakes for breakfast, road a four wheeler through some pastures and had some amazing quality time with two people I really cherish.
7. 3rd Annual Walk for Autism |
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In November I travelled to New Orleans for Pictage's Annual Partner Conference. This was my first visit to New Orleans and I had a blast! I also have to say that Pictage's Conference is the best photography conference that I've ever experienced. The speakers are so generous in sharing their information and helping others out. While there I spoke about my "Top 3 Keys to Long-Term Success." I also got to hang out with old friends and make many new ones. Thanks to Pictage for this great opportunity and for having me! What a great experience!
9. Finishing my 101 in 1001 list |
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In February of 2007 I started a huge challenge of completing 101 goals in 1001 days. My endeavor wrapped up in November of this year. I really lost some steam this year and only completed 6 of my goals. But they were big ones. Looking back I am SO glad that I took this challenge and feel like I was able to accomplish so much more than I would have without it. If you'd like to see my list and which goals I was able to finish, click here!
10. Developing Friendships |
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| One of my favorite things that happened this year was the development of some amazing friendships. Looking back on my blog I just feel SO BLESSED that I got to meet and spend time with so many incredible people. Investing in people is one of the most powerful things I can do with my time and in this way 2009 has been a tremendous success. I've been in the wedding industry for 6 years now and have been investing consistently in people over the course of this time. This year I can really see the roots of that investment blossoming and bearing fruit. I am SO enjoying the friendships I have within the industry with other photographers, coordinators and vendors. Some of my relationships with clients have developed into cherished friendships. And I continue to hold dear friends who are not in the industry at all and have loved on me since before I became a photographer. I know I sound so "gushy" right now but I am truly touched by the blessing of friendship in my life. What an amazing year it's been. |
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