MIA

As much as I love blogging and sharing insights into my life and photography, sometimes other things take priority.

Since my last few posts I've been busy trying to catch up on photoshoot editing, accounting and business stuff, Thanksgiving, family time, church events, devotions, etc.

I'm thankful for business, but my goodness it is hard work! I'm desperately trying to file all the legal paperwork, catch up on all my accounting, and keep up with my photoshoots and potential clients. I think I'm almost to the point where I need outside help to get everything completed. If I can keep up (and catch up) this next month, then it'll be a new year, a fresh start, with some exciting things in store! ;]

Life for Jeff and I has been just as busy. A few months ago I started helping with Kids Desiring God, a Wednesday night bible study for children. My group is 3-5 year olds, and I can't believe what a blessing it is. These children have minds like a sponge. They read in the bible with their parents, listen well in class, and are engaged and excited during the study. I am convinced they have memorized more scripture than I have. Even their prayers are thoughtful and centered on God. We're working our way through the Old Testament, starting with Genesis, and even though I've read these passages a few times, God is reteaching me simple truths, and opening my eyes to a greater understanding of Him.

I've also been attending a women's bible study for the past few months, reading through Elyse Fitzpatrick's book Helper by Design. If any of you need encouragement and direction in how to be the wife that God has called and designed you to be, I would highly recommend her book. Jeff and I have been married for 4+ years, and although we've come a long way from where we were when we first got married, we still have a lifetime in front of us to strive to get closer and closer to God's calling for us as a husband and wife. When I get caught up in day to day life, and don't think through my actions, it is so easy for me to feel like Jeff and I are fine the way we are, and that my actions, good and bad, are justifiable. This book and study have been helpful in reminding me of who God designed me to be, and how I can work towards that. My only complaint is that my sinful self isn't that great at applying what I read. The day after I read or the day after the study, the application rings loud in my mind. Then suddenly, the next day its gone, a week goes by and I'm at the next chapter, feeling conviction of complacency for the previous chapter and conviction to change my heart and actions. This is definately one of those books I will be able to read again and again and still find areas to improve.

Day-to-day life is simply busy. Work and gym, plus Jeff's couple nights a week when he teaches Karate, and my nights here and there for KDG or study leave us with little bits of time in the evening to spend time together. Many nights we eat dinner and go to bed, but sometimes we watch a movie or a tv show. We don't have cable, but we do have a digital antenna, and on Thursdays we watch Fringe. Its the only tv show we can actually keep up on (or care to). I admit though, we do have Netflix instant streaming.. and its the best thing since sliced bread. No commercials, no week in between each episode, or only 4 episodes on a disc. We're working through Battlestar Galactica right now. Don't go thinking we're complete sci-fi nerds... we're not. Some of the stuff is cheesy, but its fun and different. (and for the record... I fought to not watch Battlestar, but after the first episode I changed my mind.)

Jeff and I had two Thanksgivings... one at my parent's house and one at ours with his dad (can you say "Yay Leftovers!"). My aunt drove down from Oregon and my Grandpa drove up from S. California. My aunt brought a turkey from her farm, my mom made all her usual delicious sides, and I brought Orange Kuchen buns (which I will share pictures of soon... and maybe the recipe... maybe.). It was nice to spend time with family.

The next day, we went Black Friday shopping. We don't get all excited like some people... we're not big fans of the wee hours of the morning, lines, and crowds of people. But I did get excited over a couple deals on external hard drives and cd towers (yes I am a nerd). However, our Black Friday shopping consisted of sleeping in, getting up when we felt like it, perusing a couple stores (still managing to get the hard drive and CD tower deals!), buying some much needed slacks for Jeff (that ended up not being on sale... but, hey, it was Target so they were still cheap), and coming home to enjoy the rest of the afternoon. We had intentions of getting a tree.. but we relaxed instead. We finally did get our tree this past Sunday, and we still haven't decorated it. So for the past couple days we've had a fluffy green pine tree sitting in our living room, looking completely out of place. Maybe we'll get around to decorating it tonight.

Christmas is coming! I have lots of wonderful handmade gifts that I am selling (posting to follow this week) and you can also always purchase gift certificates for portrait sessions. (Support your local artists and vendors)!

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and holiday season with your family and friends. Don't forget the reason for Christmas, God's gift to us, Christ Jesus.

Help! I need to replace my dinosaur...

It seems like these past few days or even weeks have been a blur. I've been running in overdrive, and somehow managing to just barely keep up! Between church, the gym, my office job, and photography, my days are completely full.

I've been shooting more than ever (portrait sessions) and love it. But I'm being bogged down by my dinosaur (also known as my 4 year old laptop computer). Its had a good run, but despite upgrades (added memory) and TLC (deleting old files, etc) it just can't keep up. I'm ready for a new computer.

So I'm stuck in this dilema. Its nothing new... I've been here for a year or two. I really need a new computer. It was slow two years ago, and so it seems even slower now. But I can not make up my mind! I'm indecisive when it comes to green tea... [I know it shouldn't take me 10 minutes to decide which brand to buy.. but it does!] ...and so its no surprize that I'm indecisive on a computer. So since I've finally reached my limit with my dinosaur, I'm asking for all my lovely reader and friend's help in giving me their input (and helping me make up my mine already and get a new computer!)

Here are my options:
(1) Build an epic-fast tower computer w/ Windows 7
Pros:
- Completely customized. My dad is a software engineer so he'd build it for me, all I'd have to do is spec out the parts with him based on what I want, and purchase the parts.
- Way cheaper than the other options (maybe even half as expensive)... (translation: more money left over for lenses!)
- Easy to upgrade in the future
Cons:
- Tower takes up space
- Have to find/buy a really nice monitor
- Not portable

(2) iMac
Pros:
- Amazing screen resolution, big screen
- Great reputation with other photogs/media ppl
- Space saver
Cons:
- Not portable (not completely.. I can move from office to kitchen/living room, but can't really take it with me to Starbucks...)
- Have to get the Mac version of software
- Costs more (translation: less $ for lenses, software)

(3) MacBook Pro
Pros:
- Portable (yay starbucks!)
- Great screen resolution
Cons:
- Small screen,
- Most expensive option (translation: no lens money or software money)
- Not easily upgradable
- Have to get the Mac version of software

Other background info: My dinosaur was a gift from my parents when I graduated High School. It served its purpose in college, but could never keep up with my photography demands. Now that I'm not in college I have no access to the sweet MacPros, and am stuck doing all my editing on the dinosaur.

So what do you think? I've changed my mind many times between the three and so can't settle at the moment. Post your comment and let me know your thoughts!

The Beginning of Something New

Today I'm moving on. I went to the gym at 8am. I had a dentist appointment at 11am. I sat down at Starbucks to start editing images from recent photoshoots at 12:45pm. I'm longing to drive to Reno. To feel the buzz of peers and to smell new books and paper. But I won't. I'm going to sit right here, with my iced green tea, and edit my heart out.

Today will be the first day in 17 years that I will not be going back to school. I miss it already, but with every longing for the classroom, I'm reminding myself that I worked really hard to be where I am - to be done with school and starting my photo career. And I'm trying to remind myself that all I wanted to do when I was in school is exactly what I am doing right now.

I made it to my goal and began the next stage of my life. Now I am forming new goals and I am prepared to put in the time and hard work to reach them.

Yay Camera is Here!!!! ...NOT.

What a day of mixed emotions. Anxious, excited, stressed, giddy, happy, let down, hopeful, bummed, more bummed, extremely dissapointed.

7:00a awake, getting ready, cannot believe today has finally arrived... the day my new camera will arrive!

8:00 Jeff left for work. I'm left in an empty house to prepare for hosting bunko.
next few hours spent cleaning and working on my new website layout, all the time anxiously watching the clock and wondering when UPS will arrive.

12:00p cleaning, finding subs for bunko.

3:30 UPS arrives. hardly able to contain my excitement as I sign the UPS person's tablet. bring box inside. jump up and down (literally) while screaming giddily like a little girl)

3:35p Unpacked the box (which was more round that box shaped due to the amount of air bubbles inside to protect my order)
assembled the lens filters on the two lenses, put the strap on the camera, put in the memory card, and finally the battery.
flipped switch to on. nothing happens. dissapointment.
plug battery into charger into wall and sit anxiously.

6:15 battery charger light turns green (battery fully charged. put in camera, turn switch to on, nothing. try everything - take apart reassemble, etc... nothing.

6:30 bunko. camera troubleshooting.

11:00 lookup possible battery replacement fix. Walmart with Jeff. they don't carry proper battery size. really bummed.

12:00am lookup troubleshooting on forums, canon website, call canon tech support (closed). retake apart everything from box position. reassemble, still nothing.

12:30 defeat. extremely dissapointed.

I know Canon will replace the camera/battery/etc if it is faulty. But I'm just really dissapointed that the camera I've been saving for for almost 2 years is finally here. [can I stress the finally? ...like this purchase is a huge step for me] And I can't even get the camera to turn on. There are all these buttons I want to figure out. All these dials I want to customize. A super awesome lens I want to experiment with. Oh and did I mention I now have a camera that can shoot video? Definately need to play with that. But I can't. And so it all just sits here. Its too late to do anything because nobody is open. :[

I'm thankful that I'm blessed enough to have been able to save money to buy this camera. I'm blessed that I live in a place that I can purchase a camera and have it delivered to my house. I'm thankful that if it is faulty it will be replaced.

I just wish it would have worked perfectly from the get-go. Maybe tomorrow everything will work itself out. I hope.

Viva Las Vegas

Hola from sunny and sweltering Las Vegas. I’m in town for the RESNA conference – two days of meetings, and two days of conference/exhibit as well as my very own poster presentation.



Yesterday morning I woke up early to fly down wth my boss. He has his own little plane, and so he, his wife, daughter, and stacked up our luggage and hopped in. It was a beautiful 2 hour flight. Everything looks so different from an airplane viewpoint. Rivers and mountains become swirling and branching patterns. Houses, cars, and swimming pools look like miniature replicas like a model train set. Clouds are no longer floating above you, but soaring past your windows or below you – like a blanket of white cotton.



We landed at the N. Las Vegas airport and were welcomed by a thick wave of heat. The airport was almost empty, so I took advantage of the lack of inquiring eyes to take a couple pictures.

Our hotel was off in the distance, a good 15-25 minute drive from the strip. But it was still enormous and beautiful. The perimeter was loaded with palm trees and exotic fountains and fire displays. Inside the hotel, it was just as fancy. They had gigantic chandeliers, shiny tile, large art pieces, double arching staircases, and rich red velvet enclosing a lounge area. We checked our luggage, grabbed some food, and headed out to valet to collect the car to go exploring.

It was too hot outside so I flipped around to head back inside to wait outside of the heat. As I did, a woman exiting the hotel caught my eye. I stopped dead in my tracks, did a double take and shouted “Bianca?!” She glanced over and froze. We both stood there for a few seconds, dumbfounded before coming to our senses. Bianca and I lived a few blocks apart during elementary school in Lake Tahoe. She and I were best friends – we danced together, had sleepovers and playdates, etc. etc. We were “bonk bonk” and “harm harm.” Both her family and mine had moved from Tahoe to Carson, within a few months or years of each other. Then a few years later her family moved to Las Vegas, and I hadn’t seen her since. We found each other on facebook a few years back, but hadn’t really kept in touch.

So to my surprise, of all the hotels in Vegas, of all the people at that hotel, of all the moments in time to get the car… it was that moment that she had stopped by to grab a coffee and I had decided it was too hot – we bumped into each other. We caught up shortly while my group waited for the car, exchanged numbers and then went on our ways. We’ll catch up more when we grab lunch or coffee before I leave.

The rest of the afternoon was long and tiring – too many places, hot hot heat, and not-so-great-for-walking shoes. When we finally returned to the hotel (9:30p) I was worn out and cranky and couldn’t help but think to myself that my afternoon had been a exhausting waste of time. But then I remembered that if I had decided to stay at the hotel and not go out and about, I never would have run into Bianca… and so it was all worth it.

Plus I got to see the street characters – you know the people that dress up like famous people or characters and work based on tips. I saw an awesome Jack Sparrow, Iron Man, Batman, Elvis, and a couple Michael Jacksons. If I were going to be a street character I’d either be a robot like character – like Transformers or Iron Man, or a pirate.

My hotel room is gorgeous. If it had a kitchen, I’d move in permanently. The bedroom area is spacious, beautiful colors, a large flat screen tv, bose radio system, desk, beds, chaise lounge, and benches. The bed is incredible. Super soft down pillows, incredibly high thread count white sheets, and a pillow-top or down topped mattress. I felt like a princess. The bathroom is probably my favorite part. Two sinks, bathtub with tv mounted to the wall, hidden toilet, and tiled shower. Plus they gave me shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, lotion, facial soap, oatmeal soap, sewing kit, and a few other odds and ends. [I don’t know about all of you, but one of my favorite parts of staying in hotels is the little toiletries you get to use and can take home… I love them so much, I hide each day’s in my bag so they’ll give me more! Ssshhh don’t tell, k?]

By the time I went to bed last night I was thoroughly exhausted. I sunk down into the deep pillows and fell asleep in an instant, and didn’t wake up until my AM alarm [despite a band playing at a pool party outside and down 15 floors].

Today was completely booked with meetings, a short lunch break, and some diner. I drank a ton of water, and iced tea. I was up and down visiting the little girl’s room. And although I probably consumed a gallon or two of water, it’s hot down here, so it’s okay. For dinner we went to Hatchi, an Asian restaurant. The architecture and design was absolutely stunning. An original Takashi Murakami large wall piece was along one wall. The opposite wall had huge framed prints of cherry blossoms. There were glass flowers hanging from the ceiling, and fun textures and shapes all around the walls. I ordered a couple sushi rolls. My food came out last, but it was worth the wait. It was the best sushi I’ve ever eaten. Jeff and I love to go to Ming’s in Carson. But this sushi made Ming’s sushi look like it was store bought junk. Incredible. I think I might go back there for dinner another night before I head out [if I can… and I really hope I can].

Tomorrow morning will be another day of meetings - I’m so bummed I can’t play hooky and go to church :(

Anyway.. I can’t believe how quickly my time down here is flying by. I’m staying for nights, and tonight is already my second night! [ that means 2 more days of free toiletries! ;) ]

Where do I start?

I've been doing photography for a number of years now, and my goal is to establish myself as a professional photography mainly within the fields of portraiture and weddings. I've done both as side jobs for a few years now. However, I'm yet to begin to really establish myself.

My goal for the end of this year is to have an established website, portfolio, and price list. However, I'm not really sure where to begin.

I created a basic website for my photography as an assignment for my information systems class last year. You can view it here. I have the knowledge to be able to create a better website, and I started making one over summer (and its awesome thus far), but I don't have time during school to complete it. I keep having requests to view my website and I hate sending people to the one that is online. I did some research, found a number of online places that have templates you customize for monthly fees or you can pay to own a nicer template for a little bit more. I'm getting to the point where I'm thinking that it might be a good idea to use one of the customizable templates for at least a few months until I'm able to complete my website.

The next problem is I'm not sure if I should stick with using my name for my photography, or use a separate company name. I have one in mind, but I'm just not sure about it yet. Unfortunately I can't exactly start a website until I decide on this. On the one hand, my name will never change, but on the other hand I could use a name for a company and that way it can be an established business under its own name, and possibly be intriguing to clients.

Those are the two main problems I need to take care of, then I can focus on other concerns. One such thing is to make sure I am doing business properly. Business Licenses, taxes, etc. Lots of fun stuff...
Another time consuming piece is sorting through all my pictures to decide what to include in my portfolio. Then I need to assess the amount of time I put into various photoshoots and assess my pricing.

The problem is that with school right now I don't have enough time to do any of the above. So I put it off, and delay starting anything. The longer I put them off, the longer I put off being able get jobs and grow.

What to do? I guess I just have to wait on the Lord and in His timing it will work out.
;]