Tuesday, September 25, 2012

I Love One Too Many Things

I never have been able to pick a favorite season. One day I'll say winter, the next I'll say summer. 

I love winter because the excitement of waking up to a white-covered ground just can't be beat. I love how Christmas is always right around the corner. I love wrapping up in big coats and hats to go ski on the mountain. I love knowing I have an excuse to drink hot chocolate whenever I want. I love spring because seeing pops of color dominate the dead means picture time. I love how fast the temperature changes to warm. I love the smell of freshly cut grass after going so long without mowing. I love watching my mom plant new flowers in our yard. I love summer because it means no school. I love going to the beach. I love staying up until 3 a.m. to finish Netflix episodes just because I can. I love spending hours with my friends each day, spending all the money I have. 

For a couple years now, I've said that fall is my favorite season. My thoughts change as I change but I really do love this time of year. For now, it's my favorite. I love fall because I can wear boots and sweaters every day. I love long drives over the mountain where I admire the trees and beauty of the world. I love getting the seasonal drinks at Starbucks as often as possible, knowing they're only sold for a few months out of the year. I love how I'm always inspired when my windows are down and the cool air rushes my room. I love Thanksgiving and getting to see my extended family. I love when the golden leaves on the trees start to glow as the light pours through right before sunset.

I love a lot of things. I learn a bit about myself every day and one of the things I've learned in the past year is that I have an excitement about everything and I say "I love" way too much. Haha. I don't know why and I don't know if it's good or bad, but it's me. It's who I am. So, I hope you love this post and that you love the pictures. ;) Have a fabulous Tuesday!

What's your favorite season?











Sunday, September 23, 2012

A Website

Guess what, friends?! I fiiiinally have my own website!!! For so long, I made the excuse that my blog was functioning as a website and in a way it was, but this week I decided it was time for a classy website. I downloaded Showit and after quite a while of messing with the design and figuring out how to even use Showit, I got the site where I wanted. I'm so thrilled about this and I hope you all enjoy it!! Go check it out for yourself. And do let me know if there are any glitches!



Friday, September 21, 2012

God's Plan Is Better

I will admit life has been very difficult for me. I struggled to fit in for quite a while, my family endured a terrible tragedy four years ago that we are still healing from, and I also dealt with not feeling like I had a purpose in life. All those things played into my personality and my confidence level in serious ways throughout the years so dropping out of school didn't exactly leave me feeling good about myself.

A couple weeks after I left JMU, I hid from my neighbors, from friends, and I was even scared to go into stores. I was ashamed and I didn't want to hear people tell me I was making a mistake. I will say I did hear it from a select few and that was hard (and to be expected) but it also made me laugh because those people have not lived my life. You know? I've come to learn that I cannot judge people. I cannot. Until I know a person's background and story, I can't even begin to understand why they are the way they are and why they do the things they do.

So after getting over telling people that I came home, I told myself I was going to do what I felt called to do: photography. And if that didn't work out, so be it. Plan B would come into play. I started emailing photographers, asking if they would mentor me, and then began praying they'd email me back. I received an email from Sera Petras saying she'd love to meet with me and after having a wonderful meeting with her a couple weeks ago where we talked for two hours, I've been blessed with so many incredible opportunities that I couldn't have even dreamed up. I'm just thanking the Lord (and Sera) right about now because I thought I would only be working on a wedding every few months but I ended up getting to style assist for a Monticello Catalog shoot, as well as for Plow and Hearth! As an assistant, I just helped do anything that was needed but I got to hang out at catalog shoots every day this week and it has been great!! I never knew style assisting and photo assisting even existed and because of Sera, I've not only been exposed to a new side of photography, but I've learned so much about myself. I've learned I'm much more confident doing something I enjoy and something I understand. So whether I go back to school is undecided right now but I'm just enjoying all the excitement that has been thrown my way. God has a plan and it's amazing what he can do if you just trust him. 

I hope you all have had a fantastic week and if you haven't, just know that God has a plan!!! Here are all my pictures from this week. I didn't have my Mark II at all during the shoots but I did have my iPhone. :) So some of these are Instagrams, some are from VSCO Cam, and some are just iPhone shots! Enjoy!















Sunday, September 16, 2012

Jillian + John | Staunton, Virginia Wedding Photographer

Ever since I discovered wedding photography, I've been interested in it but when I realized that it wasn't just a studio thing but a job where you get to creatively capture a day for two people in love, I have wanted to do it professionally. The problem was that I didn't know who would be willing to take me under their wing and teach me about weddings. I have reached out to quite a few people in the past year but because wedding photographers stay very busy, it's hard to find someone. 

Thankfully, Sera Petras is going to be letting me intern with her so I can't wait for that to get started!! But the funny thing was, I had contacted Lauren Rogers back in the summer and I heard from her the other day when I was meeting at Starbucks with Sera, actually. She said she had an opportunity for me to come along and assist her at a wedding in Staunton. I was a little scared at first because I didn't want to let her down but it literally was the perfect first wedding for me to shoot. It was laid back, small, and the bride and groom were so kind. I know I have a lot to learn but Lauren taught me a lot in just one day and I'm so thankful for that! Go check out her photography page!

And here are my images from the day!