Art Slam

I enjoy doing studio shoots. Up until a few weeks ago, I rarely did shoots with a flash or strobes. Since it is so cold outside, the weather does not lend itself to the best outdoor shoots. I usually shoot with all natural light, but a lot of homes I shoot at do not have the best indoor light. There are days in Cincinnati where it is dreary all week long and you will not get good light to save your life!

I am currently taking a studio lighting class for the second time with one of my favorite instructors, Paula Norton. She has a very real way of teaching. She breaks everything down and has completely demystified studio lighting for me. Now, I have new skills and knowledge to enhance what I bring to my clients’ shoots.

I am looking forward to experimenting with dramatic lighting for newborn shoots and high school senior shoots in the coming months! It is the best part about photography…experiementing and trying something new.

Here is my entry for the "What Do You Stand For" Art Slam challenge. I love art journals. LOVE THEM!

Here is my entry for the "What Do You Stand For" Art Slam challenge. I love art journals. LOVE THEM!

People keep asking about the post I deleted. After reading it again, I should have kept it and Susan’s comments.

In a nutshell, I titled the post, "The torture is almost over." I then went on to say I was looking at the debate, and I have watched EVERY SINGLE ONE, of our President’s debates and I said I was not inspired and I felt a lot of what he was trying to do in office right now was too little too late. Then I said, I was not reassured by his speech. Susan left a message saying had it not been for this "uninspiring" president, I would be in a terrorist state, wearing a veil with no rights. She fears the country is going to hell in a hand basket with the next batch of Presidential candidates.

I will make it clear, I do not vote along party lines. I happen to respect our President, because he is OUR President. I pray for the man to be safe every night. I don’t agree with many of his policies, but I can respect he has an opinion and in the end, he thinks he is doing what is right for the U.S. I did not bash him. I am tired of all the political bullcrap that goes on in Washington, and when he is gone, Congress can not use him as an excuse for not getting their shit together. That was my whole point. I happen to like two people on the republican side and two on the democratic side.

I love this time of year during an election year. It is exciting and fun to watch people get out there and prove to you they are worthy of running the country you live in. How can you want to shut down lively debate about our leaders? How can you NOT want to hold them accountable for their actions and decisions? How can you try to sensor me for having an opinion?

Like I stated earlier, this blog will be dedicated to crafty, creative stuff. I am about uplifting, not breaking people down. Even if I don’t agree with them, I will show them respect. That is the right thing to do.

The Art Slam is back with a vengance! If there is nothing that gets on my nerves more, it is someone questioning my loyalty. Don’t assume to know things about me just because of what is on this blog. At the same time, I accept responsibility for the power of my words. I think we all should do that more. I will post my journal entry in a couple of days.

So, use your words and create something that tells me what you stand for.

From this day forward, this blog will strictly be about crafting and paper crap. Seems you can’t have an opinion without people accusing you of being unpatriotic. That is bullcrap and I won’t stand for it.

The great thing about new years is the beginnings. As you can see, the blog is undergoing a makeover, as I have moved it to its new and permanent home.

I look forward to making this a fun place for my clients to come and share in their love of stories and pictures.

I received an email that the ITouch MP3 player is $50 off at B&H, which brings it to $249. I still think that is an outrageous price to pay for that thing. Yet, it calls me. It is pretty. I want it. But, I will not buy it. For that price, I can invest in a new camera lens or a something photography related. Plus, knowing Apple, they will come out with something bigger and better by the end of the year. I can wait.

Onward to other news, I found out I made it to the next round of scrapbooking contest. Since winning the photography contest, I have become mildly obsessed with contest. Can’t help it. You get a taste of winning and all you want to do is find stuff to enter and win. Winning is cool!

Honestly, I am creatively drained. Drained! Best thing to do when your muse goes on vacation is to get and be creative. My art journal sits on my desk asking to be opened and every now and then, I open it and NOTHING spills out. Absolutely nothing.

I have tried to crochet and I get bored after a couple of minutes. Then I tried to draw and I was not inspired. So, I had a quick photo shoot with the kids and that was a lot of fun. It reminds me why I love photography and taking pictures of kids. You can not beat that for a mood and creativity booster.