Just another Monday...

I'm a huge believer that a photo is worth a thousand words. I am also a hug believer that you can take a great picture no matter your camera. You don't have to have the top of the line camera to capture a great image. I have used everything from disposable to my T2i and have made some wonderful art. And yes, photography is art.

Art: noun /ärt/ The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.

I think photography is just that. Any image I capture invokes some sort of emotion out of the viewer, whether it be happy or sad, like or dislike. I am the first one to say that my photographs may not be to the liking of everyone. I'm okay with that. I am happy with the images I capture and produce. I love what I do. Like I have said before, I would do this full time if I could support my life with it. I have a running notebook of ideas (which I should keep next to my bed, because often I dream of locations and poses that I often forget to put into writing).

I crave art. I crave creativity. I crave producing work that makes people smile. When someone is happy with my photographs (of them or others) it gives me the greatest joy. Truly. When someone feels beautiful because I captured them at their most pure state, that makes me happy. And I am always all for being happy!

With that being said, always remember to do what you love. Take just a few minutes a day to do something for yourself that makes you happy, then project that happiness outward, share it with someone else to help their day along. Or do something for yourself that just happens to makes someone else smile.. An impromptu 'pep talk' or sorts via your happiness. Happiness is usually contagious.

I am so excited for the next few months. This month is pretty busy for me, I have senior photos next weekend and then a huuge wedding the weekend after (I am so excited for both!) so I have been mentally trying to prepare for them. Plus with the two shoots this past weekend, I have a lot of editing and processing to do. I can't wait until the leave change a little more and then I can get outside and take some autumn photos.

This is Autumn 2010. Enjoy!

I'm still waiting to receive my giveaway product! I'll post details once I make sure that it comes in up to my standards (which I'm sure it will).

Have a wonderful day everyone!

"Your heart is free. Have the courage to follow it"

Rainy Saturday

So today I am taking photos of my cousin Sam. We have been trying to plan this for months and the day is finally here and it is threatening to rain. Isn't that always the way. It seems that the weather tends to get in the way more often than not. Sometimes life is like that though, and there are obstacles that you just have to work with or around. Sometimes it feels like it is not worth putting the effort in but it always is worth it to overcome.

With that being said, I'm hoping that this little snag in the weather will provide me with the ability to make it work :)

Have a great day everyone! And ill post pics of todays session soon!

Baby Picture(s) and busy week and giveaway details (kind of)

Last night I was finally able to take pictures of a cute little boy named Ryan! This is Joe and April's new baby boy! I had so much fun. He snoozed through the beginning of the shoot, but once it was almost time to leave he decided to grace us with his presence. Taking photos of babies is an easy/hard thing but I think we got some great shots of him. I am so happy to have finally met him.

He was just hanging out, stretching and showing off his muscles.

This week/weekend is pretty busy for me here. Tomorrow night Lynne is coming over to do/talk about a shoot. It's going to be so much fun. She's a great subject.

Then Saturday morning I'm taking photos of a pretty awesome chick named Sam. I'm not sure exactly where we're going, but I'm sure it's going to be a great time no matter where we head and then Sunday I'm taking photos for another friend (Jess) and those are going to be fantastic, if the weather holds up and if I can get the effect of exactly what I want. You can read more about her over at profootballchick.com.

As for now, I'm going to cook up something good to eat and then relax for the night to prepare for tomorrow night and this weekend!

Have a great night everyone, and keep checking back for details on the giveaway. I'm just waiting to make sure the product I ordered is up to snuff to give to you guys then I'll post some details on how to win!

"Your heart is free. Have the courage to follow it."

Baby Pictures, Halloween and Hockey.

Good afternoon/evening everyone!

I'm finally feeling 99% better. One more day and I'm sure I'll be 100%. I would definitely rather be sick now than in two weeks when I have an all-day wedding to shoot.

Now that I'm back, I thought it was time to order up some stuff for a giveaway. I haven't really finalized the details of the giveaway yet, but I will be back with more details later this week! I hope you'll check back to see what's happening!

Well, dates in October are starting to fill up. As of right now I only have weeknight available until October 23rd, so if you would like to schedule something with me, please feel free and I hope we can work something out!

I am looking forward to baby pictures on Tuesday night with Joe, April and baby Ryan. I had to cancel last week since I caught some sort of bug. I was so upset about it, ugh!, I hate when I have to cancel things like that, but it was definitely better to be safe than sorry. But I am so excited to meet him. From the pictures they have posted so far, he's such a little cutie!

On a seasonal topic, Halloween is my favorite holiday. It doesn't seem fair that it always gets pushed to the side since all the stores have to put out their Christmas stuff when school starts. I feel like Halloween always get overlooked. I wish that we could celebrate Halloween all month. I am so excited to decorate my house for October. Last year we got amazing window clings of bloody hands (that we just took down, maybe a month ago.. haha) so I'm sure there will be some awesome stuff in stores this year. I kind of want to decorate now, but it's still September, and it's like 80 out, so it doesn't really seem like fall yet.

Also, October mean hockey. Which, if you know Eric and I, it's kind of a big deal. So 3-4 times a week we will most likely be unavailable. I have definitely felt like my life has been a little emptier without hockey. We have been catching pre-season games, but it's just not cutting it as far as my hockey fix. No one is giving it their all. Although we did see a bad hit during the Buffalo game, I hope no one got seriously injured. Hockey, Hockey, Hockey!!!

I think I'll call it a night! I met with my trainer at the gym yesterday morning, and this girl is extra sore today (in a good way, it makes me feel like I gave it 110% when I'm sore after a morning at the gym)!

Check back for details of the giveaway later this week!

Ta-ta for now!

"Your heart is free. Have the courage to follow it."

Sorry there was no post yesterday.. I am feeling a bit under the weather. I promise to be back soon!

For now, keep I in mind that my available dates are filling up and try to schedule your date and time with me soon! Senior/school pictures and family holiday photos are a must for the upcoming months! I'm also available to do halloween photos of you or your munchkins in costume!

Have a great sunshine-y day everyone!!!!

New work week and sneek peeks :)

It's the start of a new work week! Let's hope it's a good one and not a bad one....

I get to take pictures of a brand new baby boy tomorrow night and I'm so excited. His name is Ryan and I just had his parents in here a few weeks ago doing maternity photos. I cannot wait to meet him! You might remember them from the wedding I took photos of in June! They haven't seen these yet with having the new baby and all, so I hope they love them! They'll get to see these and more tomorrow night!

These two look great for not having had power for a few days!

I think this one is one of my favorites.

We had a heat wave that week and I think my studio was 90 degrees plus these two had not slept for 3 days because a lack of power left them in the sweltering heat with no air conditioning! They're a couple of champs though!

Now the weather has cooled off so I'm hoping the studio will be at least a slightly more comfortable temperature!

That's the news for today, my schedule is filling up with weekend bookings and such, so if you would like to schedule a time with me, please e-mail me in the very near future!

Thanks for reading and please, keep checking back!

"Your heart is free. Have the courage to follow it."

Art talk and a Before&After!

I had a brief chat (via e-mail) with a friend on Friday at work. We were chatting about art. He's an amazing artist. Please take a look at the things he has done http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/angelo-sena.html  We were saying how much it bugs us when people say "Oh, you're stuff is great, what are you doing working here." Well, the thing about it is, the phrase "starving artist" is more true than anyone would understand. And although I love and adore my craft of photography, it in no way can support my husband and I, so I made a sacrifice to hold a job and do my photography on the side. Don't get me wrong, I love my day job. I do. Not many people can say that, but after the places I have worked and the people I have worked for, I love (mostly) every single thing about my job. But, now here is the other side.. If my photography took off, and I was booked every single night and weekend and could actually say that I made enough to support us, then I would deeply consider doing it full time. It's just one of those things.... I love love love beyond love taking photos and making people happy with the outcome and trying new things with editing and positions in photographs and colors and locations that sometimes that gets the best of me, and I wind up doing a lot of stuff way under market price. My feeling is, I want people to be happy but I also need to compensate for my time and effort and ability, but sometimes it seems so awkward to put a price on things. I'll get there.. It'll take time.. I know that in this economy, most people cannot afford luxuries such as professional photography and I would love nothing more than to make mine available to everyone.. but I'm at such a moral dilemma. Hopefully I can make some peace within myself and figure out the best move to make..

Ah, Sunday night ramblings.

Here's a little show and tell... The first photo is me, right after we got back from our honeymoon and I cut off 11" of my hair.

2008.

The second picture was taken last night.. Add some hair and lose 55lbs.

2011

I don't think I even look like the same person! What do you think!!

Needless to say, I still have at least 30 lbs I want to lose, but I'd say this is going pretty well so far!! Wish me luck :)

That's all I have for now.. Stay tuned!

"Your heart is free. Have the courage to follow it."