Switcheroos

Such a long time! Sorry to have been absent from this blog.

Many wonderful things happened in the last few months. I have photographed many families and have met some awesome people.

You can see some recent sessions and the fun I've had on my new site, Holdlifestillphotography.com

I am also on Facebook at Holdlifestill Photography

If you have visited me here and wondered what happened, do not be alarmed! I am more than ever in love with the art that is photography. I hope you take a few minutes to check out my new ventures.

Happy Fall :)

stretch

I feel so happy.

I am happy because I am getting to do what I love to do. Capturing people and showing their spirit. Capturing the essence of time.

During the last three days, I have had the privilege of shooting three different families. Families to be, families about to expand, and families that have just expanded. I have learned invaluable lessons about how hard this really is. How much you have to concentrate to bring it all together and the stamina that you have to have to keep up the energy for 2+ hours. I have learned that you have to go with the flow, regardless of where the flow takes you. That light can be both your friend and your enemy, but it will make or break the photo.

I have also learned that this makes me want to keep going. For the last three days, the camera has felt like an extension of my hands. That's the feeling you get when it is a tool to channel what you see in your brain. It's such a high.

Here's how to do it

Steps to snaring someone who is not expecting to be a model for the day:

1. Offer a 'try' of your foundation
2. Suggest it might look lovely with some blush and mascara
3. Encourage a few (hundred) poses

Got the sis in front of the camera today. Gorgeous.

We also had a fun time in Paris, if only the one in Ontario.

Could there be more hours in the day, please?

It's a rhetorical question, I know, but I really wish that I had more time to learn. I have an arm's length list of what I'd like to know...things that would really help take my pictures to the next level. It's out there, it's free, it's just the time that I'm missing. I know exactly what I'd like to change with certain things in my images, but I just need the time to learn and to practice!!! So frustrating and so exhilirating at the same time.

I tried not to multitask in Church today, but it was really hard. Wonder if they would frown upon bringing a laptop into the 'crying room'?

Two posts in a row, it must be some kind of a miracle, as this person would say.

Today, not so wonderful. You would think that getting together with extended family might be awesome on its own merits. However, when you throw two dogs into the mix, oy. Sage did not know whether she was coming or going. She was rather going. A lot. The thing is, the other dog is three years older than Sage, and she would have gladly just gone to sleep, had Sage not been there.

So, I have a headache. It's Friday night, and my crew (dog included) is in bed. And it's 9:20 p.m.

keeping it real

Today, we swam. The four of us. It was joyful. Spending two hours in the pool away from everything else. Not worrying about anything else. Tomorrow is another fun day to finish off the March Break. I can't wait.

It's all about the props

Props to have the courage to take the next step and also the props that you actually need to take the next step. Of course, I'm talking about photography. I've had the D300 for a cool week and a half now. I need to know that it was not a waste of money so I'm trying to see if my work is actually different than before, but I just can't tell yet.

Today was about props. I have this crazy idea of taking things to the next level. And for that I will need props. So, I went scouring through Value Village, Pier 1, and also through the Reuse Centre for props. Specifically for fuzzy blankets and baskets that I could use to position a baby with and in. Value Village is having a 1/2 off sale on Monday - will have to check things out then and Pier 1 had some possibilities, but they were too wobbly for my taste. I don't think that they could physically support a newborn. The Re-use Centre had a wonderful wicker bassinette, but with my storage issues, it would not work because of the size. There was also an awesome sled, but again, I don't think that I'll be needing that for some time. So, my other ideas include trusty old Homesense and then, get this, hopping to the States to check out Target. I also love their TJ Maxx, so it would kill two birds with one stone!

Ah, the props to be bought!