2/28/11

{jaded}: foto

I get a little jaded when it comes to foto.  I really do.  I LOVE taking pictures so much....I really, really do.  The things about it I do not love include:
  • Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE now-a-days thinks that photography is the easiest thing in the world, and definitely something they should get into.
  • At this point in my life, I'm totally ok with that-but I hope they are prepared for some of the following.
  • Clients and all of their woes.  People often wonder why my contract is 2 pages long.  It's because of awful people.  People that cancel their weddings the last minute, people that demand that their wedding pics are done a week after their wedding is done, and people that try and re-edit or mess with my pictures.
  • And nothing angers me more than re-editing my pics, or better off, trying to claim pictures I took are their own!!
  • I especially love re-editing late into the night because the bride has a miniscul zit and all 300+ pics that she's in it needs to be removed.  Or the Mother doesn't like some small random thing...oh and can we edit someone else in that wasn't there?  Photoshop is just like a magic wand, right?
  • Speaking of editing-I'm so tired of people wondering why it costs so much for just an hour or two of shooting time.  Your hour photoshoot is another 6-10+ hours of editing, and SOO much more if it's a wedding.  Those 200+ pics from your shoot don't edit themselves. 
  • Why don't I want to just give away all the negatives?  Because you'll print them at the cheapest place you can and they'll look like crap!  That's the truth, and I don't want my name on it!
  • Favorite:  business taxes.  Oh yes, the worst thing that ever happened to me.  And yes, they put a lien on your credit real fast but will not call back no matter how many messages you leave....awesome.
  • Family pics are hard.  Kids cry-always.  They can't hold still, they don't want to hold still, and I don't blame them.
  • And please, PLEASE put your outfits together BEFORE the 5 minutes before your family shoot.  No, bright teal is NOT an earth tone, and never, ever will be.  For some reason, lots of people have different definitions for the word "pastel" and when you say pastel, everyone but 2 may just show up in blue.  I even send out guidelines for this stuff!!
There's so many more....and they all have to deal with the all the clients that have yelled in the past...ug.  I'm so happy now that a good portion of my clientele are friends and family-it's so much easier when I love my clients.  Like I said, I'm a bit jaded-but I love my craft, and I want to continue in it-it is such a joy to be part of peoples greatest moments-births, weddings, deaths, families...I love it so much.  But please, think twice before you go on about what an easy thing it is-I've had many a late night that proves otherwise...

2/23/11

{gratitude}: my continual image woes...

I am so grateful for my health.  I have to keep coming back to that because after a week of being in bed I realize even more how lucky I am.  I get down on my body sometimes because it could be shorter, skinnier, clearer-skined, less curly, more round (in places), less allergic, and over-all this unrealistic picture of perfection I've made up in my mind.  Thankfully, in recent years I've begun to stand up for my body.  It carried a baby-and after months of throwing up every meal, it still went to work everyday.  It has climbed mountains, swam rivers, protected me from the cold, suffered through the heat, fed my baby and general housed my spirit comfortably and well.  And I have abused it!  I've kept it up late nights, left it out in the sun, fed it too much sugar, and bleached it's hair!! 

I guess in my ongoing struggles with my weight I have to remind myself sometimes to turn off the voice, and just be so glad that while I may be considered obese, at least I can run a flight of stairs, touch my toes, and accomplish the day-to-day tasks that I need to.  I still have a healthy beating heart, strong lungs and thick bones. 

My body is my friend and I am so grateful for it's healthiness, especially after what I've put her through. 

2/16/11

I think while I'm sick I'm not allowed to post anymore...

In the meantime, does anyone have some great remdies for the following ailments (for both me and Paisley)?
  • Runny nose
  • Cough
  • Fatigue
  • Mucous
  • General Misery
  • Cabin Fever
  • Allergies
  • and too much tv.
I'm just so grateful that all the seasons of Scrubs are now instant play...Netflix, I love you.

2/9/11

{topic}: charity

Charity never faileth.  I LOVE the Relief Society motto.  This month in our ward our focus is charity and love-we're focusing on a Christ-like attribute every month and this one is perfect for the month of February.  Perfect because of Valentine's Day, and perfect for renewing our efforts to carry charity in our hearts starting at the beginning of a new year.  I love the topic of charity.  It heals.  It brightens...so much.  It is the light that has gotten me through so many difficult times in my life.  Charity is the pure love of Christ.  Charity is striving to see others the way Christ sees them, and love them with a perfect, unconditional love.  Charity is learning to love yourself-perfectly (completely) and unconditionally-because without this love for yourself, how can you love others fully?  Charity helps see and work through pain.  Charity calms, soothes, and heals hurts, injustices, prejudices, racism, bigotry, and so many other vices. 

    
45 And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
     46 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail—
     47 But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.

Moroni 7: 45-47

1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

1 Corinthians 13

That last verse in Corinthians 13 is what really gets me-that of Faith, Hope and Charity, Charity is the most important.  I taught Relief Society on Sunday and this was my topic and I just wanted to share it with the rest of the blogsphere.  May we all strive to hold Charity in our hearts, and Love.  Happy February ;)

2/2/11

{inquiry}: is it just me?

I have a couple of important life questions that I feel I need the answer to:
  1. Because I have been working out, I have been showering more.  Because I have been showering more I have been breaking out more.  After a weekend of not showering my acne has cleared...and it seems that not washing my face, and not taking off my make-up seems to leave my skin happy and healthier that it is when it's clean.  Is this weird?  My first thought is that maybe I really was meant to be a hippie, but when it comes down to it I HAVE to shower after I work out because I smell.  I've tried moisturizers and gentle soaps, and no soap and it doesn't seem to matter!  Thoughts?
  2. It seems that my hunger is directly proportional to the amount of exercising I do and also the amount of physical contact I have (you know, with that husband of mine).  The more I exercise, the less I want to eat (which in the case of the exercising I'm doing is BAD) and the less lovin' I get, the more I crave sweets?  Also weird?
  3. Exercising is supposed to make you happy and healthy...why do I get sick every time I start a new work out?  And seriously, I don't know if it's because I'm older than I was but when does the soreness go away!!?! 
  4. It seems that as my desire to go outside rises, the temperature drops...which REALLY doesn't make sense here in St. George!!  Just as I'm loving going to the park with Paisley it's ridiculously COLD outside!!
  5. Why can a hobby that brings me so much joy as be accompanied by so much frustration!?!?!
  6. I feel like 25 years of life in I should be pro at communicating with people but I still struggle sometimes!  Is that weird?  Is that going to be a continual life challenge because it's making me crazy!
  7. And lastly, after working out for 3 weeks solid, I had not lost a pound-and I hadn't been too restrictive or too loose, but after going to a cabin, doing nothing and eating crap for an entire weekend I have finally dropped 3...
I often find myself shaking my head and wondering...

2/1/11

{update}: january

I feel like I need to post something because it seems like I haven't posted forever (which may be due to the fact that my last post is Christmas pictures). January was a surprisingly long month, which I don't necessarily mind, but it did seem to be longer than several of the months previous.  We're kind of running on the same old, same old routine at this point...but a couple of exciting and fun things:
  • Our silly girls shoot for this month was AWESOME.  Pictures will be coming soon.
  • We almost managed to make it through the month without getting sick-almost because we got sick just this last weekend.
  • We had some serious fun up at the Cooper's cabin...pictures will follow.
  • Jon and I were doing really, really well on most of our goals but have been sick/distracted/sidetracked and have sadly fallen right back into bad habits-today that will change!!
  • Our friend Chad and I went to a Community Ed Gardening class and we laid out plans for our garden yesterday!!  He has a fairly large back yard and we are going to utilize all of his space!!  I am so excited!
  • Along with the gardening we are looking into bee-keeping as well...we'll see what the official rules are in his area...
  • Paisley is teething, growing, learning, and sweet as can be.  She is recovering from the worst bum rash I have ever seen, thanks to Aveeno's bum cream and some awesome Vaseline. 
  • We recently took measures to protect our flat screen.  If you're wondering the best way to do that-its a quick $20 solution of plexi glass and velcro.  Most people can't even tell it's there and it has already saved our TV more than once!
I think that's about it...I've got some fun pics to post from said events so I'm sure I'll be around soon...;)