Remembering the old days

Lots of kids at the orphanage. Too many. I vowed back in the 80's that I'd go to Guatemala and adopt a child one day. It's still on my mind.


This is a photo of me opening a bag for some orphans. My brother is wearing the green shirt and my mom is in brown. It's an experience I will never forget!


This is a photo of me at one of the many Mayan ruins we visited. You can see how HOT and tired I was. Look at that hair!


This is my tio Guto's store in Zacapa. I'm standing next to my cousin Claudia. My tia Letty is in the photo along with her employees.


My grandmother is now buried in Guatemala. This is her grave. I am wearing the pink shirt and black pants.


This is a photo of my dad in his younger years and my grandma Concepcion.


This is a photo of me, my brother, cousins Ricky & Roberto, cousin Claudia, tia Letty...and I'm not sure who! This is in Esquipulas, June 1986 is what it says on the back of the polaroid. So I was 11 years old.


This is a photo of me, my brother and our cousins Ricky & Roberto. We are in my tio Guto's front yard of his house.

My mom has been re-modeling her house and I went by to see all the new rooms and decorating she has done. I went ahead & grabbed a handful of photos while I was there so I could scan them in.

Some of you know that my dad is from Guatemala and I have been fortunate enough to have gone 3 times in my life. All 3 times we drove the long trip down thru Mexico all the way to Guatemala city and then to Zacapa where my dad's family is. On one of our trips we took 2 pick up trucks full of toys, clothes & food to the orphanage in Guatemala. I remember how we had to use some of the toys in the trucks as bribery to get through the check points in Mexico.

Anyways, the year is either 1985 or 1986. I was either 9 or 10 years old in these photos.

I am in awe.

I would share more photos but they are too personal in nature. I just wanted to share my feelings on this.....

The husband used my other camera to take some photos of new baby and he grabbed one of me. My face says it all.


Fresh baby! :-)

I was truly blessed to experience/witness a birth last night/morning. I got the call at 1am that my client was indeed in labor! I drove to Centerton and was so worried about "missing" the birth. I got there and she was starting some heavier labor. It is the 1st time in 10 years of taking photos that I was actually very nervous. I've never witnessed a birth before. I do have a 7 year old little one but she came to this earth via c-section, so this would be my 1st birthing experience. She chose to have baby at home and it made me even more nervous because I'm a worry wart- thinking of all kinds of things that could go wrong.

She had a midwife there and she was so awesome. She gave me a bit of a back massage because she could see how tense and nervous I was. That broke the ice for me and it helped me relax. The room was dimly lit and had 3 candles, which can cause lots of blur so I had to really set a high iso on the camera and shoot as wide open as I could. During the labor, many moments were still, so I was able to take advantage of the stillness of the her labor. It did get more intense but I was still able to capture it. After she spent some time in the big tub she did finally move to the bed. After her water broke she moved to squat on the floor and that is when I witnessed her son being born. It happend so quickly and I got some of the most amazing shots of his birth. All the photos were taken in black & white which really set the mood.

Everyone in the room cried. I did, too. It was the so emotional, beautiful, and inspirational. I saw life happen in the real sense. The emotions were so raw, so real and it was an experience I will never ever forget!

I got home at 6:30am, just as the alarm clock went off. Amelia woke up and I was purely exhausted. Doug took care of getting her breakfast & taking her to school which I am so thankful for having such a loving & supportive husband.

The experience really changed my perspective on life. What it means to be here. To love one another. I dont' want to sound cheesey or corny but I felt so close to God at that moment and it wasn't even my kid :-) I don't know how to put it into words but it truly was amazing.

....now I want a baby....... !!

...but my uncle has a nice camera....

...sigh...

I talk to a lot of photographers and it's happening to all of us. Bride contacts us, she's excited in our work, save the date for me and I'll send a retainer, a week later we hear "my uncle has a nice camera so he's gonna take pictures at my wedding."

It's the newest trend in wedding photography. Why hire a professional when Uncle Bob just spent $600 on a good ol' camera from Wal-Mart?

Oh man....there's a lot of good reasons why you don't want your uncle taking photos at your wedding! Does he have back up equipment? What if his brand new "fancy" camera malfunctions at the wedding? This happens WAY more often than you think! I take 3 cameras with me to each wedding. You can never be over-prepared! Does your uncle have a variety of lenses? Does the lens go down to 2.8 or 1.4? He may not even know what that means. Does he have an awesome flash and back up? Does he have back up batteries? Does he have enough memory cards? Ok, so that just touches base on the subject of equipment - there's a lot more to it!

Does your uncle know anything about composition? Did he take a photography course back in 1975 and that automatically makes him knowledgable? You don't forget how to take pictures? Right? I mean....right?? Will your uncle know how to capture the moments that are happening? Wait, he's family - he'll want to mingle, socialize, eat, sit around.......he's not getting paid so who cares if the flower girl just stuck her face in her cake.....he's not thinking he should get photos of that funny moment! This again, just barely touches on the subject of weddings.

Wedding photography is much more intense and harder than people think. Just because you bought a nice camera doesn't mean you have the experience or knowledge of the fast paced wedding! There's a lot to do, think, take in as a photographer. You have to be on 100% of the time. It's not a family portrait shoot, it's a wedding and it happens just that once. You can't screw it up.

I hear from so many people that I run into about how their family relative took photos at their wedding and it was a disaster. They wished they hired a true professional but it's too late....the wedding has gone and they have nothing to show but maybe a handful of snapshots that Uncle Bob took with his nice fancy camera from Wal-Mart.

You decide. Leave your memories to your uncle? Or to a professional.

I'm addicted to the fair!

I am addicted to the lights at the fair! Kimberlea Bass & I went to the fair with these 2 pretty girls and took a BUNCH of photos. I'm working on a particular photographic project for school and this is part of it! FUN!

YEOW BABY!

Ok, so I did the September centerfold for ONDA OK magazine.....we came up with a HOT photo for September. I think everyone will enjoy it!

Commercial

he he he....Check me out in this commercial:
My friend JP that owns ONDA OK magazine asked me to pose in a few dresses for a commercial for L.A. Expo clothing store in Rogers. Funny! I look so young!

http://www.ondaok.com/magazine/videoads/laexpo.wmv -- ok the video embedding didn't work - but there's the link!

I survived the 1st week of school.....

School started last week and I am enrolled full-time. This semester I have Geology (yawn - I'm just not into it!), Geology lab, World Literature I (I have the best instructor ever!), Art Survey I, and Photography I (ha ha ha)! I like all of the classes but I'm really bored with Geology....it's a drag but I needed 1 more science to complete my core. All that I lack now is World Lit II for next semester and all my core requirements should be done! I am applying for the BFA program this fall.

So the 1st week was pretty hectic, trying to get Amelia and I back into a routine has been hard. We loved our lazy summers so much!!! I miss the swimming, hanging out and giggling and her little slumber parties. Now it's back to "business." I'm really looking forward to this semester but dread the Geology tests. YUCK! This semester can't go by quicker! HA!

Ok, so I'm in Photography I - it's a requirement for my degree. So last Wed and today we worked on photograms which are fun. Basically you take objects and put it on the photographic paper and stick it under the enlarger....zap it with light, throw it in some developer and "ta-da" you have a photogram. Next week we start taking pinhole photos. So I bought a Nikon F5 film camera for $200! Back in the film days this camera was very EXPENSIVE - nowadays it's film - it's "outdated" but I'm really looking foward to taking some B&W photos at some upcoming weddings and going to the dark room to make some beautiful film prints for my brides.

Anyways, I scanned in 2 of my photograms. The others are drying at school....once I have them back, I will scan them in because the ones I did today are way cooler!

Fun at the Fair!

I had so much fun shooting at the Grape Festival! Thank you ladies for being my "victims." I finally got to do some 1 second exposures on my tripod....I need a cable release! The Washington County fair is coming up and I have several shoots planned for the week of the fair. I can't wait!!!!!!

our honeymoon

Doug and I snuck away for a week to go on our all too late honeymoon. We had so many places to choose from but we finally decided on a relaxing trip to Florida. We flew in and ate a romantic dinner on top of our hotel called "Spinners." The restaurant rotates around so you are moving and you get to see a 360 degree view of the ocean and other scenery. It was so cool. We got to relax a LOT and we went parasailing. I will post those pics as soon as they come in. We had fun hanging out, drinking beachy drinks, and connecting all over again! It rained on one of the days we were on the beach and we put a towl over our heads and let it rain on top of us. (we made out under the towel - he he he he) That was my favorite part - getting rained on. We are both relaxed, refreshed and ready to go again! :-)

OH and no, I did not tan. I wore SPF 50 all week. I don't want skin cancer, so yes I look pale! LOL


Awesome sunset!

Here we are during one of the glorious sunsets!

1st time Doug has gone snorkeling!

Look at all the shells!! Oh my!

I had to make sand art while hanging out on the beach!

We stayed at the Grand Plaza Florida. This is our hotel!

Here we are exploring Egmont Key....fort ruins in the back

Doug inside the fort "jail"

Egmont Key ("shell island") - that was the island we visited. There was an old fort there. I'm standing on top of the fort!

My flip flops say it all! Who the heck photographs their shoes on vacation?? ME!

Dolphins chased the boat. Unfortunately I had my crap & shoot with me so it was impossible to catch the dolphins mid-air...ya know - crapamera delays. OH well! But I did manage to capture video of it. Now I just need to upload it onto you tube!

Doug sitting on the bench outside of the Dali museum.

I just HAD to see the Salvador Dali museum. Doug and I stayed for a long time looking! Dali was CRAZY! I swear he was insane but his work is just amazing! I am a fan for life now!

On the boat ... took us snorkeling and to "shell island"

Hold the camera up and say cheese!

A cute one of us at sunset.

Check that lady out! HA! I have a series of her all "interested" in what we were doing. hehehehe

Us! I wanted to roll around in the sand but I don't think Doug wanted to! HA HA!

Doug snagged this one of me at sunset! Good times!

yours truly....on the beach!

Amelia went to camp

My sweet Amelia went to camp for the 1st time. She went an entire week and I was soooooo nervous. But she really had a great time and says she can't wait to go again!
Here are photos of her as Doug & I dropped her off to the camp buses.

Speaking of Women's Health

I spoke at Speaking of Women's Health in Rogers. I scanned in the program and Jenn took a pic of me with the sign that was lit up with my name. How fun!

It was a great experience and I really enjoyed speaking to all the women. I was also very humbled. It's very difficult to hear a person say such nice things about you to a crowd of women but my friend Caelli did that when she introduced me. She really humbled me and I was very proud at the same time. Is that possible?

Honeymoon

So Doug and I are going on our honeymoon next week. 10 months after our wedding we finally booked a trip! lol! I can't wait!!! We are going parasailing and it has been YEARS since I've done that. Doug has never parasailed but he has gone sky diving - he is NOT convincing me to do that! No way! I'm not that daring. I have my limitations. I'm just so excited to get away with my Doug. I can't wait to get my feet in the sand and catch some rays. I stay out of the sun at all times but figured I'd put on my spf50 and catch a few. Well I'm off to the mall today to find a cute sundress to wear on one of our romantic evenings. I'm so stoked!