2 down, 50 to go

014/365 - April 24, 2009, originally uploaded by HarmonyHilderbrand.

So I've completed 2 full weeks of my 365 project. That means only 50 more weeks to go!

I'm so proud of myself. I'm getting less shy in front of the camera, and I haven't skipped a day yet! Plus, I'm starting to get inspiration from my day to day life for pictures.

In other news... I have 2 weeks of school left! { Oh my gosh! }
I thought I'd written my last essay for the semester.. until I logged onto my online art history course. Duh! Completely forgot about two more essays in that class. But at least they aren't nearly as long or hard as the one I just finished for History of Photo.

I'm so excited for it to be summer! I'm planning on working a whole bunch to pay off things (like last years taxes, our car, etc), and hopefully saving for a new camera lens or a computer! I'm also taking one summer course - 'listening'. Jeff's excited for me to take the class - haha just kidding, although even though he doesn't say it, he probably is. I'm excited because although I listen well (I think I do at least), I suck at retaining what I hear. So maybe it'll be a good course?

Other reasons I'm excited for summer:
I hate being cold - bring on the warm weather!
I want to go on walks and hikes with my doggie!
I want to hold and go to BBQs!
I'm excited for summer foods like watermelon and strawberries.
Farmers Market! {need I say more?}
Green grass, blue skies, pretty flowers.
And so on...

Altered Realities Project

Altered Reality #5, originally uploaded by HarmonyHilderbrand.

Click the picture to visit Flickr to view the rest of the photographs from this series.

Collaged Stereotype Project

College Stereotype #1, originally uploaded by HarmonyHilderbrand.

I promised everyone that I would post images of my photography projects from last semester.

Click the picture to visit flickr and view the rest of the series.

This series was titled Collaged Stereotypes.

Spring is Here!!

008/365 - April 18, 2009, originally uploaded by HarmonyHilderbrand.

bright colors. daffodils. camping. butterflies. clouds. dresses. picnics. frisbee. tulips. flipflops. lemonade. sidewalk chalk. daisies. bbqs. playgrounds. chirping birds. swimming.

Spring is Here! But if feels like summer! I cannot believe how warm it is! I love it.

The best part is I have 2 weeks until school is out (and until my birthday!).
This week I finished my final paper for the semester and finished printing my final photography project! Now I only have a few final tests week after next and I'm done!

Earth Day

012/365 - April 22, 2009, originally uploaded by HarmonyHilderbrand.

Happy Earth Day!!

"A generation goes and a generation comes, But the earth remains forever."
- Ecclesiastes 1:4

So today may be earthday.. but I didn't do anything for it. Sorry hippy friends... I actually dug this plant out of my yard for the picture... ;]

365- Here I Come!

007/365 - April 17, 2009, originally uploaded by HarmonyHilderbrand.

I decided I am going to do the 365 project. What does this mean for you? I'm going to start taking pictures daily! Which means more pictures for you to see and enjoy!

I was debating back and forth this past week.. the whole while shooting images -just incase I decided to do it. On Thursday I decided I might as well commit to it... And yesterday was day 7, which means I've already finished one week! Only 51 more to go.

I'm nervous.. but very excited. I'm hoping to grow as a photographer, and get over my fear of self-portraits. New images will be posted on Flickr.

Its Here!

;] So last night (or early early this morning) I got my website uploaded! I'm so excited!

http://www.harmonyhilderbrand.com/

Now it is pretty basic/simple.. but I figured I could always spruce it up later.. but it'd be better to get it setup even if it was basic. There are a few bugs I have to work out and things to update.. but I feel so accomplished.

So in honor of my website lauch I'm giving 25% off each booked photography session for the rest of the month!


Now I just have to get my art section done and uploaded; and upload to flickr.. ... and of course finish my homework! [I'm so behind!]

What a busy bee!

These last couple of days have been so full! But they've been good too!

Yesterday morning Jeff and I got up really early ~5a! [okay I know some of you do get up this early regularly.. but Jeff and I do not]. Jeff was leaving for Wyoming to go to the Kenpo camps. Once we got him out the door (~7a), I worked on some online homework, shot and edited some pictures for my photo project.
~12p: I headed to school
~7p: I was done with classes and headed to the photo lab to print! I was able to print 6 of my 12 prints! That's got to be a record. ;]
~9:30p: I headed home... worked on homework and then on my website
~3:30a: I went to bed [I lose track of time easily when Jeff isn't home and I'm focused on something]

Today:
~9:30a: I got up and got ready. [I tried so hard to get up earlier but I couldn't do it]
~11a: Headed off to school (... took a french test - easy & I got my Archaeology research paper back - I got an A!)
~2p: done with classes, headed to photo lab to edit and print
~6p: Headed home [only got 3 more prints done this time.. but that means I have 9 of 12 done and I still have two more days next week to print the rest]

When I got home I checked the mail and Guess What?!? ... I was awarded a scholarship!! ;] Last week I applied (completely last minute) for the Art Department's Scholarship Pool.. and low and behold.. they liked my application and my work! Yay!

I told myself that tonight I would get started on a huge photo biography paper I need to write this weekend.. but I also told myself that I could work on my website for an hour (kind of like a reward for all the time I put into my photo project). Well, I lost track of time again.. but I got the basic website complete! It needs some love and tender care on design and wording and elements.. but it is complete enough that I am ready to present it to the world! So, I bought my domain, purchased hosting.. and started setting everything up! My website should be up (hopefully) by the end of tomorrow! ;] I am SO excited! I did it!

;] Now I just need to do my biography paper...

Oh and I completely forgot to mention that Jeff and I decided to get rid of Cable TV because it costs a fortune.. but we never bought a dtv converter box.. so the only channel we get is Channel 2 and it has a weird double shadow of all figures and a crackly sound. I resorted to watching The Office on Netflix (Instant Streaming).. I've already made it through all of season 1 and half of season 2.

Changes!

So I changed the name of the blog and redid the colors.

These are a sneak peak for what I'll be doing with my website that I am currently working on! ;]
More to come soon.

.. and I still haven't decided on 365. I want to, and I've been trying to shoot daily just incase I decide to do it.. (So in theory I've already started.. but I'm not making it official because I'm not 100% sure. )

Project 365?

So I've been considering taking up a project 365. [what's that?] Project 365 is where you take a photograph each day, every day, for an entire year (hence the 365). Some people do any photograph each day, others do self portraits.

An awsome photographer in my class is currently doing a 365 self-portrait project. You should view her work here. It kind of spurred me to start looking at how others have done the 365 project.. and made me wonder if maybe I should try it.

I really want to. I think it would help me grow as a photographer and artist. However, I have lots of doubts. First, I highly doubt I'd be able to stick with it for the full 365... I don't have a lot of time each day to compose and shoot.. let alone enough time to get the images on my computer and uploaded? Eek! Plus, there are lots of other things I should really start doing daily before I commit to something like this.. such as reading my bible, cleaning, doing homework, making dinner, showering... [just kidding.. wanted to see if you were still reading].

But then again.. it would force me to be more creative, make better photographs, and grow! Although I love photography, and its my major and all... I've seemed to take less and less photographs on a regular basis as time goes on. And how in the world can I grow if I never shoot? I'd want to do the any photograph.. simply because I'm horrible at self-portraits. When I say horrible... I mean absolutely awful. I applaud everyone that can.. because I find it extremely difficult. But then again.. if I did the self portraits it would help me grow in that aspect. If I can create an awsome self-portrait then theoretically anything else should be much easier.. right?

And... maybe if I'm able to commit to something like this it will help me to commit to other things. I've heard it takes 21 consecutive days to make a habit. I wasn't sure I'd be able to blog on a regular basis.. but hey- I've done pretty well thus far!

We'll see. I'll sleep on it and decide.

Happy Easter!

Its not goodbye.. its see you later.

I don't remember the first time I met Jessica. We met briefly and that was it. The next time I hear about her, it was when Jeff told me Akiya was getting married. "Ha ha.. Akiya... married!" I laughed. But it was true! and to some girl named Jessica who lived in Reno.

We became friends, and I asked her to be one of my bridesmaids. She didn't know it at the time, but she was pregnant at our wedding! Indie (her daughter) is a cute and not so innocent little girl now.

It was only natural that since Jeff and Akiya were best friends, that Jessica and I would become best friends. Some of my fondest memories are with her.

Jessica has a great heart to serve the Lord. She and Akiya decided to move to Kentucky for Akiya to go to Boyce (a bible college). They were originally going to wait until next year, and we had talked about all moving together. But God closed doors here and opened doors for them to move sooner.

Last week Akiya, Jessica and Indie moved to Kentucky. When I gave Jessica a hug goodbye she said, "Well.. goodbye forever." I laughed. "Its not goodbye.. its see you later."

Q&A

Why can't I be a better photographer?
Why am I not more artsy?
Why can I never seem to get my camera to focus, or render the colors the way I want?

I have no time for creativity.
Grades are too important.

Why can't I let go?

You artsty people make me sick, but I'm jealous.

Where did my creativity go?

I'm too structured. too organized. too critical. I overthink. I'm impatient. I need to practice.

----
research papers. taxes. chores. work.
no time. fit into the puzzle. throw away my lists. boo. i need them.
let go. breath. organize. relax. stop worrying.
pray.

A new start

From a few days ago…

In a few minutes I’m about to meet up with a person from my past that I haven’t spoken to in the last few years. Without a lot of detail, we had a falling out and haven’t been able to repair our friendship. I struggled with a lot of anger and hurt but realized that if Christ is our center ground then there is no reason for discontent. I’m excited. But I’m nervous and uneasy at the same time. It’s that uneasy feeling in the pit of your stomach and the top of your throat that creeps up on you right before your final speech in communications class in high school.

I’m not nervous because I think we won’t get along. I’m nervous that our interaction will be fake, a superficial front for any feelings we have about the past. I want to repair our friendship and be able to put the past behind us and move forward and start fresh. I’m willing. I’m hoping they’re willing. And I hope we can both recognize it.

If tonight goes like I hope… then one more bump in the past could be smoothed, and I’d gain another friend in Christ.

Today….

Good news! ;] Everything worked out wonderfully and it seems as though we have a fresh start. And to be honest, it feels the same as when we were good friends. Sure it will take time to be really close, and we both know there is a past there.. but that past doesn’t interfere with now.

At first I felt a little uneasy, I wasn’t sure of what to say without being fake. But that quickly faded. We caught up on our lives from the past few years and what we’re doing currently. It was great. We had laughed, we reminisced and we had fun.

God is good, and does good things for His glory. Praises be to His name. ;]

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”
Proverbs 3:5-6