Life After Vacation

Life after vacation has been full. Overflowing in fact. Since being back from Michigan I’ve been catching up and moving forward, all at the same time. Work has been amazing and I realized that I haven’t posted anything about it for a LONG time.

Before posting about my actual work, job work, I have to share some inspiration. I created two vision boards and a list of goals this year and now that things are starting to happen and those goals and dreams are coming true, I’m finding myself re-evaluating what it is that I’m exactly wanting. I met not long ago with a friend/photographer Robert Bengston. He is a wonderful photographer who I knew from my Pro Camera rental days. (I worked at their rental counter and he was one of the photographers I would rent gear to from time to time.) He has transformed his photography over the years that I’ve known him. I shouldn’t say transformed it’s more like he’s refined what it is that he loves to photograph and has created a whole business around that. Check out his site. It’s beautiful work.

We met for tea to talk about business and work and photo books. While talking he shared how he checks in with himself. He said he finds the need every once in a while to sort of step out of himself, lift himself up and right out of the top of his head to take a look at where he’s going, where he wants to be going and the direction he’s traveling.

I love this and use it now every so often. When I do I actually see myself, popping up above myself, arms stretched below with my hands pushing on chair arms for support and looking around. Taking stock and assessing exactly where I am and what lies ahead. (Thank you Robert for giving me such a wonderful vision!)

With one of the two vision boards it’s been kind of a hassle because I created it on thin board so it doesn’t stand up by itself. It’s kind of big and I haven’t really known what to do with it. So, yesterday, I had an idea. I was looking at the photo’s I had placed for my desktop screen and thinking how I needed to change them. Maybe from shot’s of Michigan and our vacation. Update it. Then it hit me, that’s where my vision board can go! Then I can see it everyday and not have to re-adjust it after it falls down for the umptienth time. Whew!

But, back to work! Right now I have 8 books in production! 7 wedding albums and one guest book. 2 of these 8 are being sent off for production right now and I’m excited to see the printed versions. I think that in order to keep myself sane, I’ll share the two books that are being printed and will post about the rest when they’re being completed.

The first of the two is a guest book that was so much fun to put together. GB Photographers photographed an engagement session for a sweet couple, Kimberly and Danny. I find that so often people have an engagement session and then never do anything with the majority of the images. A guest book allows you to put all of those great photographs into a book and then have it filled with messages from everyone who attended your wedding. I wish that I had been doing this when I got married!

Here are some sample spreads….

The second is a wedding album for a couple who found me on the internet. Jenny has been such a wonderful bride to work with. The book is a nice combination of full double page spreads and others with a number of images telling the story.

I have to say it feels good to be busy with work. Trying to balance my time working, my time with the boys, my time alone. It’s a dance and I’m learning the moves, stumbling here and there but staying on my feet with a smile for the most part. There is definitely more to come, and now that I’m feeling a bit settled after vacation I’ll be posting more regularly. 😉