January 2014 Check-in

It's going to be a busy year.

For January, I'm working on finalizing my client guides and pricing, and getting completely up-to-speed on my workflow. I've also got a couple personal projects under the radar for now that I can't wait to see come to fruition within the next year.

Here's a frame from my very last set of photos taken in 2013. I can't wait to post the whole shoot!

Bring it on, 2014!

Courtney & Justin: Engagement

 Courtney and Justin were so much fun to hang out with, and I love dusty fall colors with bright fall clothes... Can't wait for their wedding in May! Congratulations, you guys!

Adventure Log: The Via Ferrata, WV

I reached the notch in the rock wall and peeked through; I was very suddenly staring with the sun in my eyes down a valley of tiny skeletal gray trees, pinned in place by both the fierce wind gusts and awe at the scenery. Looking down, there was nothing but lots of air beneath the metal bars I stood on.

June and I had an amazing time on the Via Ferrata in West Virginia last month. This wasn't the kind of experience I wanted to spoil by being too attached to my camera (also didn't feel like lugging that weight around), so we just have a few cellphone snapshots.

I definitely recommend this for anyone who likes heights! It's just the right blend of adventure and security for those new to climbing, as well. We had a great time and I can't wait to do the full moon climb, hopefully this summer.

December 2013 Check-in

Wow, it's December. When did that happen?
I feel like this happens at the beginning of every month, every year, every measurable interval of time. Whoa, when did it get to be November, October, Monday, Friday, 2014, 2013, spring, summer, autumn? Time is really flying by now, isn't it? Huh.
But time is always flying by. This is nothing new.
My biggest goal for December is to take it all one. Day. At. A. Time. For a change. Slow it down, go out and enjoy seeing new things, take more photos (the ones in this post are from a recent visit to Jones Point Park), appreciate life, not worry about the future even a little bit.
And then in January start freaking out about things again.

In the interest of actually getting things done for a change, I'm assigning myself days to accomplish certain tasks. We'll see if this actually helps.

-Tomorrow, Dec 6, I will actually sit down and examine all the budgeting spreadsheets my sister sent me and see if I want to implement them or not.
-Tomorrow, I am also going to order business cards, because it's about friggin' time.
-On Dec 12, I will sit down and wrestle with Quickbooks, and beat it into submission.
-On Dec 13, if not before, I will go and get a 30" TV screen for photo editing. Oh man, I'm stoked.
-On Dec 18, I'm going to power through everything I've drafted for my client guides and put them in some semblance or order. I may even start to design a final product!

I'm planning on spending the rest of December enjoying my family and friends, and so should you. Sometimes I feel like life is measured in people... and it's easy to forget that.
Gosh but that sounded cheesy. Sorry. I don't know what's come over me.. must be the spirit of the holidays.

Go hug someone.

Head Shots; November 2013

Couple of actor head shot sessions from earlier this month! It's just starting to get chilly out, so it was nice to be able to get these done before the real cold of winter settles in.

Adventure Log: Hawaii, 2012

You know when you go somewhere new and you meet people and do things and you come away back to your normal life different somehow? I hope you do, it's a great feeling.

This is installment number one of my Adventure Log (yay adventure!), this one taking a look back at our week in Hawaii at the end of October last year. I watched the sun rise over the beach, hiked a muddy ridge in the dark, paddle-boarded within a baseball's throw of a huge turtle, kayaked, went trick-or-treating on the Marine Corps base, slept on a stranger's deck during a tsunami warning, got hooked on Thrift Shop and went to Salvation Army with it stuck in my head, and watched two amazing people celebrate their one-year anniversary by getting married all over again. And of all those things, that last one was by far my favorite.

(Check out Val & Chenoa's wedding photos by the amazing One Love Photo!)

BTW, everything was shot on my Mark ii except the four photos of our hike, which I took on my Powershot.

We start with what I feel is an obligatory 'hey we're driving on vacation and we might be lost but we don't really care!' picture...

I'll be back someday, Hawaii.