photography blog

These adorable little girls are actually my nephew, Gavin’s, first cousins (on his dad’s side). Since I had never met them, I decided to take a day trip to Laguna Beach during my last CA trip in April for some fun and photographing. I think we were able to capture some really great shots from our day.  Hope you guys enjoy them and I really hope I see you on my next trip!! xo

“Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams.” – Ashley Smith

This beautiful field of purple flowers was found behind a Target shopping center in Southern California! So, even though it was noon and the lighting was less than ideal – we just had to stop and photograph Carrie’s girlies in it.

I spent 5 weeks in California during March and April – and have loads and loads of photos to show for it. Stay tuned!!

” A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove…but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child”

Back in February, my nephew had his tonsils removed at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.  What an awesome place! I have never been in a more cheery looking hospital. They really know what they are doing and took excellent care of my sweet, little nephew. I would love to do some work with them one day. Perhaps I should look into that. Of course I had to bring my camera along and document this time in his life.

The above quote was on a sign that was on the outside of the hospital.  I couldn’t agree with it more.

I hope that one day, when it is all said and done, that I made a difference in this child’s life. He has definitely made a difference in mine.  I <3 him so.

I’m in Southern California for the next month and just got back from a short but great little visit with my friend and her adorable little one, Chloe. SUCH a smart, sweet, charming kid!! Seriously! Hoping I can go back and visit them again before I head back to GA.

The deal was, I got to take a few pics and then we would play tag Here are a few of the  pics little Miss C let me snap of her before she held me to my side of the bargain  :-)

” Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”

– Neal Donald Walsche

I have been thinking about these words a lot in the last few weeks. I am trying to push myself out of my many different levels of comfort zones.  In the last year, since the accident with my hand, I have spent so much of that time focused on my physical healing with multiple surgeries and thrice weekly physical therapy sessions.  It took up (and continues to take up) an awful lot of time and didn’t leave room for much else.  It bums me out when I think about it because I really should have been using some of that time to work on getting my business going but I just kept thinking “no, no…after this surgery or that surgery or just a little longer in therapy and I’ll have my hand 100% back and then I will get to work on everything else.” Well, at my last doctor’s appointment I was informed that there would never be 100%, maybe 50% (and its a big maybe) but never 100.  Hard pill to swallow.  It sucks. I’m bummed about it – but – I know it  could have been so much worse!  So now, here I am, trying to move forward and accept my new “normal”.

Speaking of new normals…just a few weeks ago, I chose to step out of another comfort zone when I switched from my Canon 5d to a Nikon D700 camera. This change has proven to be more more difficult than I anticipated.  I have gone from this old, comfortable friend that I knew every detail about to what feels like a complete and total stranger.  I am struggling…a lot and debating on whether or not I should sell it. I am hoping that perhaps it is just growing pains and given time and practice, I will know this camera like the back of my hand ( the good hand that is).

When the new camera arrived, I was visiting with my friend Deb and her family in Tampa, FL.  I was lucky enough to have her awesome kiddos as models for two whole weeks, while I tried to work out the kinks with myself or this new camera — I am not sure which. A lot of the time I just found myself frustrated because the buttons were in the wrong spot, the focus was off, the color was icky, etc. But then at other times, I was proud of myself for moving away from the familiarity of simply capturing a beautiful portrait and focusing instead on capturing the beautiful moments in my days with them. And I’m so grateful to have had so many of those moments with Deb and her family. Thank you dear friend….for everything.