personal: zumba makes me smile

just a quick little post from a girl whose frown has been turned upside down.

today i had a meeting that was brutal. but it was good. it was necessary. it got me thinking about some of the realities photographers must face if their income comes solely from their art form. i have been thinking about the 'business' side of photography for a while, and the last two weeks i have been meeting with some folks to hash through some key bits of info so that i can make some informed decisions about life, job, aspirations etc., but today's meeting threw me for a bit of a loop (side note: might i suggest to those who have been approached by someone for advice... spend a few moments getting to know your advisee - ask them some questions to determine why they are in your office - before talking at them for an hour).

after moping my way through the day, editing some pictures, crying on the couch for an hour, eating too many brownies, walking to dog and pondering the rest of my pathetic life, i was ready to just call it a day and go to bed... at 6:30pm. then i checked my facebook and read a message from my good friend shelley inviting me to zumba, a latin-american inspired aerobics class!!! at 6:50pm i called shelley, dug out $2 in dimes from the bottom of my purse and grabbed my runners! zumba can only make my day better i thought. and it did. 

it is now 8:30pm and i feel like my entire day has been redeemed. who knew all it took was one hour shaking my hips to turn my frown upside down! (if you live in st. stephen and have not been to zumba, you need to changes this!)

personal: the defining power of love

i feel a little discouraged today... a little blue. i don't know if it's the drizzly weather (rain does not put a smile on my face the way fresh snow does) or if it's because christmas is fast approaching making my geographical distance from my family obvious on a daily basis (this year will be the first christmas i am spending away from my family, first ever!) causing these friday blues. it could be the waves of fear that wash over me as i think about what the next year is going to bring. will my personal and professional endeavors be successful? how much am i going to have to sacrifice? how much MORE am i going to have to sacrifice? is this really where i want to be? really want to be doing? what if...? what if...? what if?

if you follow me on facebook you would have read on my status update last night that i have been watching the movie 'the holiday' a lot lately! how much? let's just say that kate, jack, cameron and jude have been making daily appearances on my laptop screen (i do this with movies by the way! i have favorites movies or  'comfortable' movies playing in place of music quite often, and put them on repeat for days at a time... not sure why but i do!). anyway, the opening narrative, set to the beautiful melodies composed by hans zimmer, is one of my favorite parts; i am a sucker for reflections on 'love':

i've found almost everything ever written about love to be true. shakespeare said "journeys end in lovers meeting." what an extraordinary thought. personally, i have not experienced anything remotely close to that, but i am more than willing to believe shakespeare had. i suppose i think about love more than anyone really should. i am constantly amazed by its sheer power to alter and define our lives.

well said. love is transformative. for centuries men and women all over the world have held onto the wisdom that 'perfect love casts out fear'... 'there is no room in love for fear' (1 john 4:18 nkj/msg). and when i look down the mountain and over the hills and valleys of my own journey in life i see distinctly how love has shaped my life. how love has defined the way i feel about my self and my life. how love has overwhelmed me when i have been alone. and how love has defined the way i stand, walk and run in the presence of fear. 

so today, as i muddle through the dreary, lonely and fear-filled moments, i will reflect upon love. i will be thankful for my family and friends who are always willing to listen and sometimes cry with me, and those who are family to me when my own family is thousands of kilometers away. i will be aware of how their love (and yours) sustains me, shapes me, defines my life and how i am able to love others. and i will hold onto love as a shield as i push past fear toward life.

my parents in new york, may 2010

bayside portrait session:: cara

a couple of weeks ago my friend cara and i loaded up the car with my gear and her wardrobe for a just-for-fun photo session in sunny (and very cold) bayside. the drive between saint stephen and saint andrews, along the fundy coast line is so beautiful, scattered with farm land, old estate houses and a view of the ocean. i have been meaning to photograph these parts for a while.

it was very cold. very, very cold. and i was bundled up... cara braved the brisk weather in her little dress, bare legs et al.

we happened along cows grazing in their field and both cara and i knew this was to be the first stop! so, cara put on here tutu and i set my camera to manual and fun photo times ensued. second location was this trailer parked on a lot just off the road. i pass this trailer every time i drive into saint andrews and just knew it was the perfect setting for a photo session (if it's your trailer, sorry for trespassing).

unfortunately, our photo session was cut short when my camera flashed the dreaded canon err99 message. i turned my camera off and off it remains en-route to the canon repair facility in ontario (don't worry, i have backups!).

in the meantime, i thought i would share some of the photos i did manage to take during my fun photo session with cara. i could not ask for a more beautiful person to photograph, and i am not just referring to her stunning good looks. cara has a heart of gold, is brilliant, self aware and transparent,  and aware of those around her. she is sensitive yet strong and is not oblivious to how broken our world is. yet, she remains childlike in so many wonderful ways that one cannot help but feel encouraged and hopeful after spending some time with her. she exudes joy and i think she is just plain delightful.

lobster dinner fundraiser for ssu's trip to kenya!

in march 2011, a group of six students and faculty from st. stephen's university will be heading to kenya as part of the international studies program. in short, students will be applying the knowledge they have gleaned in the classroom, and "assessing various missionary and NGO partnerships in and around Nairobi, Kenya – trying to understand principles and practices for effective development in the majority world." the cost for each participant is $3500, over and above what they will pay for their winter semester's tuition and residence fees. thus, fundraising is under way in hopes of raising enough funds to lighten the financial burden to the brilliant students who have committed their education to understanding how one might practically offer support to developing nations in a way that is culturally sensitive. 

this coming saturday, november 20th, ssu will be hosting a lobster dinner, featuring locally caught fundy bay lobsters, lois craswell's delicious desserts, live music by ssu's own ariel smith, and both a live and silent auction of items donated by various businesses and community members throughout the charlotte county (you can see a list of some of the items up for auction by clicking here). i have been given the privilege of decorating the dining room at park hall for this event. a task i wholeheartedly accepted and have had fun planning for!! 

what i am even more excited about, though, is my contribution towards the silent auction - i have donated a one hour portrait session to be auctioned off! and to prepare for this i needed to come up with some appealing "packaging" since there is really nothing tangible about a photo session until after the pictures are done! so, i have created a small "poster" to frame and display along with the folder of information, which the lucky bidder to takes home!

so, call shelley (ssu's travel coordinator) at 466-1781 to reserve your ticket for a minimum donation of $25, and come bid on a few wonderful items for a worthy cause! and who knows, maybe we'll get to collaborate on some fun photos for you and your family or partner!!! 

also, you call shelley if you wish to make a donation yet are unable to attend the dinner!

here is the poster i created (i love photoshop!)...

saint john portrait session:: andrew, natalie and charlotte

i am so glad this photo session was rescheduled. our original appointment landed on a dreary, rainy day at the end of October. after a little bit of humming and hawing we decided it was best to reschedule for the following week. and it was so the right decision. when we met up last week the sun was shining, casting a lovely golden light onto andrew, natalie and charlotte as we walked around the grassy, wooded, and beach areas of the location they had chosen.

andrew, natalie and charlotte were a delight to photograph. charlotte, who has just reached a new skill level in the walking department, was not content sitting still or being held by mom or dad for too long; she wanted to try out and show off her newly acquired walking skills! this made for some great photographic moments! and we did manage to get a few of charlotte with mom and dad!!!

i love this series of family photos. natalie has a sweet joy about her that shines in these images; andrew's smile is genuine and i love how he looks adoringly at his little girl, and charlotte's deep brown eyes contain wonder and childlike curiosity that i think many adults should envy! thank you andrew, natalie and charlotte for a wonderful photo session and for trusting me to take you family's photos!!!

andrew tried so so hard for charlotte to give him a little kiss!!!

charlotte's "pretty face!"

love. that. tongue.