Spring Creativity

Life as it is being planned

I guess that it is way past time to update my blog. Life has been crazy busy...what can I say.
Last night I was shooting the lighted St. Patrick's Day parade in town for the paper but when I saw this shot I knew I would have to share it. I love the drama it displays. To me it is creative and artistic. This is straight out of the camera actually and it was very dark when I shot it. Sometimes settings just come together.

Back to my business and excuses. I really don't have any good ones. Excuses, that is. I have come to a point in my life where I have to make decisions. Instead of just going with the flow and taking opportunities as they come I need to be focused and purposeful in the things I do. It is a learning experience for sure. Always in the past I have simply waited for jobs and helped out where needed as needed. This year I had to decide where I was going to spend my time and energy as I cannot do everything. So the focus is going to be mostly on farm work. For several reasons...not the least of which is the fact that I love it...I am going back to Stovers. This year I will hopefully have more consistent and structured hours and I am starting at the very beginning of the season. That is something I have never done and seems quite novel at the moment. I am also going to be working hard helping another friend of mine with some farming efforts as well as growing gladiolus with my sister.
As far as photography goes new equipment purchases are being put on hold. I am still trying to improve my skills but I have decided that taking on weddings and such is not where I am headed at this point. I am hoping to fit in some portrait jobs this spring, summer, and fall but I will not be setting up a studio or anything like that. I will use "on location" jobs to supplement my income and continue my learning.
The paper is not something I love completely but there are many aspects of it that I enjoy. I would like to keep on with about the same workload as I have now so as not to burn that bridge. I have a few larger assignments coming up and I am sure those will be fun and stressful. I do need to learn how to better schedule my time so that I am more efficient about completing assignments...and not being up until 2 am every Monday!
So there you have it. I may or may not be able to post during this coming farm season because those are my "work" priorities. Add to the top of that list my relationships with God, family, and friends. Then tack on my responsibilities at home and I doubt I will even have time to read other blogs! Life will be busy but I feel blessed and I have much to look forward to.
~Christina

Muddy Fun

I actually think these pictures are pretty self explanatory. They all spell out MAJOR FUN!

Valentine's Day

I got flowers for Valentine's Day but it was a few days later when I finally got around to photographing them. They are a bit sad but still beautiful. :)

Well, actually half of these flowers belong to my mom.
I decided to just take pictures of them all together...made an impressive display.
;)

They were so pretty. I am glad they are bulbs that I can plant come spring. I will undoubtedly be able to enjoy them for many years.

~Happy (very belated) Valentine's Day

Cute kids

I was invited to a three year old's birthday party the other day and was inspired to take some pictures. Such adorable children. Fun stuff.

~negligent blogger

WInter continues...with some sunshine!

Icicles like these can be found all oer town...although I imagine most of them will fall by tomorrow seeing as how it is going to be in the 40s!

City Hall

Yes, this picture looks cold. That is because it is cold out.

Lightroom presets are awesome! I love this.

~I am going tubing tomorrow!!! Yeah yeah yeah yeah...so excited =)

Exploring Lightroom

Life has most certainly not been boring lately. Sometimes I wish it was .
It seems like one minute I am scared of what the future might hold and the next I am impatiently tapping my foot saying "let's get this show on the road!"

I got a new computer over the weekend so I am busy getting everything customized and switched from the old machine to the new one. I am grateful for the new one (with more hard drive space) but that is a chore and a new laptop takes some getting used to.
I also purchased a couple new programs I have been needing and yesterday a friend came over and taught me quite a bit in lightroom. Seth is a great photographer and I so much appreciate the hands on learning vs. muddling my way through trying to learn the program. If you have been keeping up for any length of time on here you will know that I would have continued to put off learning the program if he had not come to show me how.
Anyway, since he wanted to work with some "new" photos we did a quick photoshoot in the fading light before starting my lessons. Suzanne posed it up in the backyard for about ten minutes while we snapped like crazy and that is where the pictures of this post came from. I learned to edit "Seth" style but I am planning on working out my own system very soon.

I did edit this one all y myself today. Yay. Lightroom is awesome...you should try it.

~it snowed today...big surprise