Lessons 2012

There are few greater joys in life than:

– helping others
– laughter
– the love of family
– true friendship
– experiencing the world 

Not necessarily in that order.

Like most good things in life though, those joys won’t necessarily appear on your doorstep.  You have to be willing to go find them.  You have to be willing to put in the time and effort to make things happen for yourself…and generally, your goals won’t be met as quickly as you would like, but if you remember that progress is a form of success, it will help you stay motivated!

This year has been, on my end, a very busy but rewarding year.  Most people who know me would not call me lazy – I work three…yes…THREE jobs.  One full time, one part time and I run a photography business.  I don’t sleep enough.  There is always a to-do list. I feel like I never get enough done.  Oh, and did I mention I don’t sleep enough? Haha  But, the end of the day, I am so grateful that my hard work has been paying off and that I’ve been able to meet so many wonderful, creative supportive people.  (That’d be you!)

In 2012, I was able to see Toronto, New Orleans and Chicago for the first time.  I have had the pleasure of working with some phenomenal photo-friends, seen steady growth in my business and rubbed interview elbows with a few big names in the photo game (hint hint…check back on the first for an interview with Will Byington to start 2013 off right!).

Overall, the past year has been full of accomplishments, moments I will forever be proud of, new friends (I appreciate you all XOXO) and new experiences.  My goal for myself for 2013 is much of the same.

My goal for you, my reader-friends, is success in life, love and happiness.  Don’t be afraid to try new things, appreciate the good things in your life, remember…it can always be worse… and don’t be afraid to put in some hard work.  In the end, it will all be worth it. 🙂

Completely, 100% Grateful

Over the past few days, I’ve been dealing with a wicked cold…I can’t tell you how grateful and cheered I was to find out I was nominated for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award by mydailycreativity, a therapist who talks about her ups and downs over the past year and her progress with what she calls a Personal Creativity Challenge.  Many thanks to Angela for the recognition – I’ve always felt her blog was very open and inspiring.  Check it out! =)

inspiring-blogger-award

To accept this award, I am required to nominate 7 other bloggers whom I feel are worthy of the honor, and tell the world 7 unknown facts about me.  Let’s start with the other bloggers that inspire me.  Please, check out all of their sites, I’m sure they’d appreciate a comment or two!

1)      Where to Willie – Will is a photographer-friend who creates stunning images, and who’s passion for life comes through in his images.  He has personally been very supportive and helped stoke my creative fires more than once.

2)      Nick Exposed – Nick is a photographer-friend with inspiring drive to be not just a better artist, but the best person he can be.  I find that to be incredibly impressive.  Please make sure to check out his blog – I promise you will enjoy his thoughtful posts.

3)      Douglas J. Hoffman Photography – As you can probably tell, I’m drawn to photo blogs…there is so much beauty in the world, and I am passionate about seeing as much of it as possible.  Douglas J. Hoffman Photography produces evokative images which are doubly impressive to me, as someone who does not know how to dive.  I may never be fortunate enough to see the ocean from this perspective first hand and I am thankful to at least share his experiences via the blog.

4)      Daniel Feidal Photography – Daniel Feidal’s travel photography instantly caught my attention.  He has produced some incredible landscapes in the countried he has visited.  I truly enjoy going through his images when I need to “get away” from the pressures of day to day life for a while.

5)      When T=12 – Another photo-blog, I find this bloggers view of the world refreshing.  I have always believed that photos aren’t just an image of the world.  It’s also an insight into how the artist sees the world.  Details and macro are the name of Helena’s game – the photo work constantly reminds me that sometimes, the little things in life can be the most important.

6)      Chameleonic – This is a fashion/photo-blog with fantastic style!  Justyna’s street photography captures some great moments, and her edits are interesting/appealing.  The fashion work is a great inspiration for me when I’m in portrait mode.  The commentary pulls the whole blog together, and I really enjoy looking through her posts.

7)      Incito Photography – This photographer puts a distinct stamp on her work, and is very open with her blog content.  I can’t help but enjoy looking through her images! She creates beautiful event portraits, which are inspirational when I’m in wedding-photographer mode…but on a more personal level, I found her travel images (which I am very passionate about) to be striking.  She didn’t just capture the beauty of the place, she captured the soul.

Ah, so now that I’ve told you a little bit about who I’ve found for inspiration…I should tell you a little bit about who I am.

1)      First and foremost, I value honesty, kindness and humor.  I respect people with drive, as it motivates me to work harder.

2)      I’ve always been an “artsy” person, but it wasn’t until I found photography that I found my calling. Now…how to pay the bills with my passion, right? =)

3)      I collect good karma points, and I’m a sucker for charities.

4)      I am a terrible cook.  Like…awful.  But I love to eat new, exciting foods.  It’s one of life’s great tragedies.

5)      I’ve been to 14 countries.  It only makes me want to travel more.  We can’t learn to love the world until we experience it.

6)      I’m not a stuff person.  I don’t need a fancy car or house or [insert toy here]. The only thing I know I’ll have with me for my whole life is my memories.  It’s what shaped me.

7)      I truly enjoy meeting new people.  Please, say hi!  Tell me your story, tell me what you’re passionate about and please tell me what you think of my art. I want to keep growing as a person. =)