Soon to be Mr. & Mrs... {Olympia Engagement Photographer}

Meet Shara & Isaiah.

I've known Shara since the third grade. We started talking when we sat together on the school bus, and never quit.

Hearing the news of her engagement to Isaiah was pretty darned exciting. Weddings make me happy, especially when a friend is involved.

Oddly enough, Ryan has known Isaiah since elementary school as well. They attended school together for a year or so. What are the odds?!

Anyway.

I was fortunate enough to be able to take some engagement photos for them over the weekend. As promised, you're looking at a few of my favorites from our walk at Tumwater Falls.

The weather was absolutely delightful, and I was so excited to put my new lens to the test. I haven't felt an ounce of regret over that new lens. It's amazing!!

Thanks for putting up with me, Shara & Isaiah!!

Quite possibly...

...the most random post you'll ever see me write.

I'm still here. Just... busy. Let's call it busy.

More on that later. I promise to let you in on my secret eventually.

Every time I log in to my blog lately, there are 'anonymous' comments advertising dirty websites, preparation for the year 2012, or... other junk. What is UP with that? Please ignore them. I do my best to delete that stuff, but don't always find them right away.

This post has absolutely nothing to do with these two photos, but I like them. And if I didn't post the photos, it might be a little difficult to brag about my new lens. It was my birthday gift, along with a new external flash.

New camera goodies make me swoon.

I've got an engagement session coming up on Saturday... check back later next week for some photos!

Considering a new project...

I'm always looking for a new project. Something to capture my attention--and stuff that gets results! Something new has come across my radar, as is the usual, and I'm in search of an opinion. Or ten. So, please, be opinionated!

Here's what I want:

• A daily/weekly/etc. photo challenge.
  
• An, um, challenge. (duh!)
• Something that might take me outside of my comfort zone.
• To use my camera. A lot.
  

My original thought:

A '100 Strangers' challenge. My mission would be to meet, and photograph, 100 strangers. People on the street, at the mall, whatever. I would talk to them and ask their permission to take their picture, maybe find out a bit of background... and then, of course, write a blog post! I took a peek online this evening and came across an eerily similar suggestion over at DPS.

I'm terrible about talking to strangers, in a sense. Maybe this would help me break out of that shell? Or maybe I'd be horrified and never finish my project. Baby steps, right?

Other thoughts... a picture of my surroundings every day, a 'numbers' challenge... finding a certain number of objects in the world around me... or... something? (ok--this last one is a little half-baked.)

Where you come in:

Help! You people are creative. I just know you are. Do you have an idea?? My main objectives are to continue to learn about photography and to do something... just a little different.

I can't wait to read your ideas. Don't let me down!

Newborn Photography: Editing. and Enjoying.

I'm absolutely in love with this little guy. I can't stand it any longer... I need to post more photos of him! So, here's your newborn fix, everyone!

Baby J and his mama are going to be inseparable. I can already tell. There's just something about a little boy and his mommy, isn't there?

Newborn Photography

You'll have to excuse me for not putting up a post until the end of today. It's just that I've been a bit busy with this little guy. Isn't he absolutely adorable?

...he was a dream to photograph, too. I could definitely get used to a 'job' like this!

Practice makes perfect!

So you've seen the *bump* photos... now we're just waiting on the little guy to make his appearance so he can star in his first photo shoot.

I've been searching high and low for the things I want to put him in, wrap him in, set him on... you know the drill. I'm settled on this basket and blanket, and I love the red background.

Camden made an excellent test subject... always a cheesy grin for mama's camera. I'm going to be so disappointed when he decides, one day, that my camera isn't the coolest thing in the world.

Anyway--back to the task at hand. What do you think of the combination of 'props' and stuff? Like it? No?

Oh, how times have changed!

On the day I decided not to buy the highchair, I did walk away with a cute little goody. Ryan found it on a shelf at the back of the store... he said it had 'me' written all over it.

I think he's right, don't you?

We agreed that I'll likely never 'learn' anything from the outdated material (copyright says 1939), but it has been a fun read. One of my favorite sections, on camera gear, mentions price ranges... the most you would have spent on a camera in the late 1930's?

$300.

Camden, Camden, Camden...

Here's your baby fix for today! We went for a walk Sunday while the cake balls chilled (literally) so I could take my camera out. I'm working on some other photos as well.

Camden had an appointment today. He's four months old already! He weighed in at 15 lbs., 10 oz. and measured just shy of 26 inches. Mommy's little man shall be referred to as Mommy's Chunk from here on out.

Two-Lips

Is it appropriate to post twice in one day for the simple reason that I've been playing with my camera again?

It's not like I don't have anything to do, because I do. Trust me. There's only so much I can do while Camden naps though... whaddya think?

Autumn and some Quiet Time...

Yesterday wasn't my best day ever. I was greatly in need of some quiet time away from the house to sort out all of my thoughts on various subjects. No worries--all is well, I'm just feeling a bit overwhelmed.



Anyway, smartie-pants me remembered the camera and I'm so glad I did!! The leaves are turning all around us. The air was crisp and cool... autumn is definitely here!!

Local bloggie fans... do you know where I took this picture?

Fer Cuuuute!

I'm in love with my newest discovery... these fun camera-strap covers from Shealynn's Etsy Shop. I don't have one yet, but I'm DEFINITELY going to need one!!

P.S., you're ALMOST out of time, but if you hop on over to The Vintage Pearl, you can enter to win a camera strap of your own...

Broken cameras and new career dreams...

Does anyone else feel like the holiday season is slowly drifting by, somewhat unnoticed, or is it just me? Yep... probably just me. Ryan asked me the other day if I was excited for Christmas, and my only response was to shrug my shoulders and blurt, "eh... I guess." Don't get me wrong, it'll be nice to give out the gifts we've searched for over the last month, and it'll be nice to share big meals with friends and family, but I just don't feel excited, or ready, for Christmas. I told myself many times that I'd have a cute little baby belly going by Christmas, and I had started shopping for a cute sweater to wear to dinner. Now, I feel like I'll be lucky if I break out my red sweater from a few years ago in an attempt to look somewhat festive and happy.
That's ok though. Not every holiday has to be perfect, and life goes on, even if I don't feel the same this year about Christmas.

On the subject of Christmas, I was finally able to get a couple of photos of our silly, sparkly white tree. Here it is!

First, a close-up view of the big gingerbread cookie star:


...and here is the whole tree:


Speaking of photos... the camera is toast. It would cost well over $100.00 to ship it off for repair, and at that rate, it would be more effective to just buy a new one. But, my mom happened to come across the camera we bought when we were in Europe last summer due to my mush-brain forgetting the charger at my parent's house. So that means we've got a camera to use until we get something new... I'm going to ask everyone to go in together to get me this for my birthday:



I've realized over the last few days that I want to do something with my life. I mean, duh! Who doesn't? But I want something more... I don't want to get up every morning, get ready for a drive to a job that I don't like for various reasons... and then come home, cook dinner and go to bed. Instead, I want to have fun at work! I want to PLAY and be paid for it. The difference in the realization this time around is that I actually feel like I have the power to do something about it.
So, as crazy as it might sound, I'm going to do some research and see what it would take to start something related to photography. I might take a class or two as a jumping off point. I'd love to eventually have a business of my own as a wedding and/or portrait photographer. That would be a job I'd be PROUD to do... and I'd be my own boss.
Tell me I'm crazy and doubt my ability if you want to, but for now this is a dream I'm stuck on... now let's just see if I can make my dream come true. Maybe I'll get a slow start, and that's ok with me too. I still want, more than anything else, to be a SAHM and to be there for my kids. When they're a bit older and they're in school, maybe that is when my dream will really take off. Who knows? But it's fun to think about.