For the sheer love of photography...

I love photography. It's one of the first things I think of in the morning, it's one of the last things I think about at night. I think about it when I am driving down the road and when I *should* be helping my kids with homework. I LOVE it.

I have been wanting to become a photographer for the last several years (more than I would like to admit probably). I've had to fit small amounts of learning in between having 3 kids, taking care of my pets, and attempting to juggle my role as a wife. I've read more books than I can count, I've spent countless hours on photography boards, I've taken classes... I've worked on my post-processing...

Sometimes I spend so much time trying to figure out how to reach my goals I forget why it is a goal in the first place...

I'm preparing to become an "official" business. I'm starting to fill my portfolio, I'm working on policies, packaging, packages, splash pages, choosing my vendors, working on my website, improvong my post -processing and all of the other behind-the scenes things that the public doesnt' even know that you do..but I dont' want to get so caught up in all the extra "stuff" that I forget what I love so much about capturing an image...

I'm not even sure WHAT I love best about photography...I love coming up with an image in my head and transfering it to photo paper, I love capturing a memory, I love all of the research in learning my "craft",I love all of the camera equipment (I admit it:))...I love everything about it! I'm honestly not sure I could stop if I tried...

I also love the way I see things thru my camera. I'm more able to focus on one thing at a time (which is something I struggle with) and sometimes with my camera I'm able to see things that I might otherwise have missed...

You always hear that you are suppossed to "Stop and smell the roses" but I've been guilty of walking right past them for some time now without even noticing them in my haste to get where I was suppossed to be 5 minutes ago or to check in online and see what I missed...

This photo is NOT what I normally shoot but it has given me a great deal of joy to look at. When I first took it I was very excited because I was able to hand-hold a long lens and get a wonderfully focused shot of something so tiny... Now when I look at it I see a tiny bee that I normally wouldn't have even noticed as I run around chasing kids, horses, dogs, cats, rabbits (I have alot of pets:)) and my hubby.


This tiny, little, insignificant bee has really spoken to me in so many ways...I want to stop and notice the little things around me more, I want to take more snapshots of my kids -even if the lighting is horrible and they dont' have the "right" outfit on, I want to take a walk every day and enjoy nature (and the peace and quiet lol!), I want to be IN the moment more, I want to spend more time with my family, I want to spend more time with my horse that I've had since I was
17, I want to get the rest of my flowers planted...

I also want to spend time photographing everything I can get my hands on but I need to learn to balance everything in my life so I dont' miss the little things...

Anyway, here is my little bee...I hope everyone can find something in their own lives that helps them to remember to be IN the moment and to realize what is most important in their lives.....

Until next time:):)

Shawna