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In light of my recent post in which I stated – I am taking MORE snapshots!!! – I did just THAT today.

Today was a swim meet day, not just ANY swim meet day, but a busy and crazy invitational swim meet day.  We were up VERY early.  We had a [just a] few tears.  We had one little munchkin who was NOT happy about jumping in a cold pool at 7:30 in the morning  (can’t blame her…).  And, said munchkin, took about 20 minutes into the 15 minute warm-up before she finally got in…..but soon enough everyone was wide awake and ready to go!

I think it was a very good day.  We had a few good swims, nothing record breaking.  But in my book, as long as I have two little girls at the pool and one [difficult] munchkin who actually got IN the pool without [too many] objections or tears, I call that a VERY successful Saturday!

With a dad who is a high school swim coach, swimming is a pretty big deal around these parts.  The girls are young, and still don’t have much of a competitive spirit, but they are good sports and I think they are becoming quite the little sports-women!!!!

A few peeks into our morning!  We start it off with a coach who is just happy that his [most difficult] swimming munchkin actually got wet during warm-ups!

Until next time!! XOXO!!!!!

“Photography takes an instant out of time, altering life by holding it still.” – Dorothea Lange

Way back when – in the year 2008 – I spent my days hanging out with this little one while my husband and other two kiddos were at school.

I miss those days.

Recently, I have been trying to get caught up in my photo books and am starting with 2008.  And I have spent a lot of time going through the 8000+ (NOT kidding) photos I took that year.  I had just purchased my first dSLR.   About 2000 of those 8000 pics were of leaves and flowers and water drops.  And the other 6000+ were of my three little munchkins.  Many were overly processed in Photoshop with heavy vignettes, oversaturations and strange “creative” effects.

The composition may be lacking.  The direct flash may be unflattering.  The processing may be overkill.  But the moment is there.  And it is a moment and a time I never want to forget.

Things are a bit different now.  I take less snapshots and more “portraits”.  Which is not necessarily a good thing.  As I progress in my photographic journey, I am much more critical of myself and have a hard time snapping moments just because they are moments.  I find myself hesitating when the background is cluttered or when the light is unflattering or when my kids are wearing stained, unmatching clothing and haven’t brushed their hair  in a few, um, days.

But as I am going through my thousands of photos from years ago I am reminded of why I started loving photography in the first place!  And I am realizing that my quest for continually improving my work has actually started taking me away from what is really important.  I love photography because I love capturing moments – whether they are “perfect” moments or [very] imperfectly perfect moments.  I don’t want to lose a single one of those moments.

So here’s to more snapshots and more imperfections and lots more memories!!!!!  Happy Friday!

Until next time!!! XOXO!!!

I was recently inspired (yet again) to spend more time taking photos.  Not portraits.  Not sessions.  Just stuff.  Stuff happening around my house.  Stuff that happens all the time.  Stuff that isn’t necessarily gorgeous or lends itself to inspiring me to grab my camera.  It is just the everyday stuff.  Just a cold, snowy, sit-by-the-woodstove sort of night.

And it is the stuff that I will miss so much…

Yikes, has it been over a month since I posted???   Holy crazy month(s!).  I *thought* once the senior rush was over that I would have plenty of downtime to relax and plan for and enjoy the upcoming Christmas season.

But I thought wrong!

I had few last minute sessions, a bunch of orders to fill and deliver, an online “finding the light” photography course to finish and then, of course, there is the tree cutting and decorating, cookie making, gift planning/buying craziness thrown in. Phew!!  But it is all good and now there is some serious downtime in my very near future that I am definitely looking forward to!

I had a WONDERFUL year.  I had so many amazing new clients and I felt so honored to work with each and every one of them.  I learned so much over the past year which again affirms my belief that “the more you know, the more you realize how little you know”.  I have so much more I want to learn and improve on next year!!!  I have so many ideas and and new projects floating around in my head – I just hope I can get the time and motivation to work on them all.

Last year, I was approached by the Pennsylvania Adoption Exchange about a program they were going to implement in 2011.  They wanted to try to improve their website that showcases all the kids awaiting adoption.  They realized that the photos they had of many of the kids were, shall we say…unflattering.  They were often grainy, blurry snapshots that didn’t showcase the personality and beauty that is found in every child.  So they were asking professional photographers throughout the area if they would be willing to donate their time to take some photos of waiting children.

My first thought, being the bleeding heart I am, is that “how can I possibly do this?”  I will want to take each and every kiddo home with me!!

But then I thought “how can I NOT do this”.  Honestly, it is the very least I can do.

On a very cold, November day, I met a sweet 16 year old girl for her session.  Since we only needed one good photo for the site, and since it was COLD and spitting snow, I tried to get her session done as quickly as possible.

After I left our quick session, I just kept thinking about this girl.  She was quiet and sweet and it just broke my heart.  What she wants this holiday season has nothing to do with video games, cell phones, cars, clothes or any of the other “things” a typical 16 year old is wishing for.  What she wants is a family.  A family to eat dinner with, talk with, and just be with.

And then I thought about my own kids and how incredible lucky they are.

I thought about our Thanksgiving with piles of food and fun with a house full of grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.

I thought about our annual Christmas tree cutting expedition which also includes grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins.

I thought about our crazy Christmas Day activities which includes gifts under the tree, a 1 hr trip to one set of grandparents/aunts/uncles/cousins and then a 1 hr trip back to see more grandparents/aunts/uncles/cousins.

I thought how incredibly lucky my kids are that they have a PLETHORA of family who throw so much love onto our girls that they can’t even comprehend that there are some kids out there who don’t even have a family.

This year, my kids actually had a very short list for Santa.  My Kallie asked for pjs, undies and a bookmark.   My Christina asked for an ipod and a few small items.  They are excited about Christmas – like any kid would be!

But I truly believe they are much more excited for all the FUN than for all the gifts. I definitely know that all the things that they love and things they will remember for many years to come have nothing to do with “things” at all.  They will remember moments, they will remember trips, they will remember parties and they will remember family.

Merry Christmas!!!

.

Today, instead of starting laundry, or making beds, or getting on my computer to start working and to see what is going on in the virtual world……I got outside – in the REAL world.  Yep, a novel idea, and a crazy thing to do when your to-do list is a mile long.

But when the sun is peeking through the fall foliage, and the valleys are filled with sun-drenched mist, you need to seize the day!!!!

And then I found something completely unexpected – a sea of flowers.  Definitely NOT what I thought I would find on a LATE fall morning!

Have a good one!!!

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