Rock The Shot may challenge!!

Head on over to www.rocktheshotforum.com and enter their May photo challenge. Theres some awesome prizes up for grabs. You dont wantto miss this. I submitted the photo I submitted because it shows off the fun personalities that both The model and I have when we go on a shoot!!

My journey.

   I guess the point of me writing this blog post is part of my healing process. I never in a million years thought I would be one to share my life. But the more I do it the more I learn that it helps.

   I started my photography journey a year ago. Last year (2011) may. It was one of the best desicions I have ever made. It has given me an outlet to release stress, find out who I am and finally learn that it is impossible to make everyone happy but thats its ok if everyone doesnt love you, your work or who you are as a person. I have always been the type of person that would give give give and forget about me. I was always so worried about people not liking me that I forgot about myself. I wanted everyone that knew me to like me so in return I didnt know who I was anymore. I'll touch more on this in a few.

   I have never told anyone this until a few years ago when I felt I could trust someone I met and I finally started sharing my life with her and I started to realize it was helping me as a person. I had a bad childhood. My father was a not so nice person and it ruined me and my siblings for the rest of our life. My father passed away when I was 9 years old and yes I was sad he no matter what was my dad but at the same time it was such a huge weight off of mine and my sisters shoulders. My brother was too young. From then on out it was going to be a healing process, learning how to live and trust people all over again. It was going to be a loooong journey and boy has it been. I had to learn to literally trust people and learn that not everyone out there is going to hurt me, physically or mentally. I had to and still do need to learn that there are people out there that are genuinely (however you spell that) nice and care about me. But at the same time I had to learn that I dont have to give give give to have those people love and care about me. They love me for who I am. I am not going to get much into this part of it I could go on forever. Maybe in the future I will touch more on what type of things I went through but right now I am nowhere near ready for that. I am just starting to heal.

  I met my husband 8 years ago memorial day weekend and I cant begin to tell you the feelings I had felt when I first laid eyes on him. I had never ever believed in love at first site untill that day and boy does it exist.We both loved each other so much right away. It was amazing. That was the begining of the journey I am going through now. Believing in people. My life had changed that day for the better and its only been up hill from there. We now have 3 beautiful children and 1 on the way.

   The next 7 years were amazing. Was I actually going to have a good life. I had never thought I would after living the childhood I did. ( My mother was the best mother in the world BTW. I dont want anyone to misunderstand me it was our father that Ruined everything ). Boy was my life starting to be an actual life. The american dream as we all call it. I started my own house cleaning business. That took right off. I still didnt really know what I wanted in life but again I am still healing and learning how to live a normal life. So this was great to me.

  So back to the photography. When I bought my first camera. I had never had such a feeling. I could catch these special moments in my childrens life, in families lives, in anyones life and give them these special moments that they can cherish forever. The moments I never really had as a child. It was so special to me to be able to give that gift to people and see the look in their eyes everytime I gave them a picture. Wow does it feel good. I finally started to figure out who I was and what I was meant to do with my life. It all works out for me, I have always been a giver but never knew when to stop. Now I can do something I love to do and give to people. It all works out. But then the part that I struggled with. Ok not everyone is going to like my work, hmm how do I deal with that. Again I started vearing off track and worrying about how others felt about my work. Not what was important, that I liked it. I struggled with that for a while but not too long. I quickly came to terms with never ever EVER will you ever please everyone in life. It is impossible. The most important part is that you are happy. I am so lucky and blessed that I have what I have. Yet I still struggle day to day. But I am learning how to deal with it more and more. I have a great husband, great kids and I am doing what I love from day to day. Finally going to be the succesful person that I have always wanted to be.

  I guess my whole point here. Is nobody is perfect. Everyone has hidden secrets whether good or bad, everyone has gone through something and struggles with something. But the most important part is that you take care of yourself and make sure you are happy. Everything else will fall into place.It has taken me 21 years from when my father died untill now to only start to figure out who I am as a person and what is important to me. Photography is so important to me because I can capture my childrens moments in life and be able to share with them their happy life they had that I really didnt haveas a child. So dont ever ever let yourself give up or vear the wrong way. Life will get better and fall into place if you just let it happen naturally. Dont push it. Keep yourself happy and healthy and it will all work out for the best.

  I will talk more and more about everything as time goes by. I want to get to know my fans and at the same time I want my fans to know me. Know I am a real person. I have problems too just like everyone else. But I am learning how to deal with them. :)

  Thank you for listening, its been a long time coming. I want to share my journey and maybe I can help others that struggle with the same things I have and still do. Sorry if this is all a little confusing and all over the place. There is so much I want to get out. This is only a start. Theres so much I can talk about so this time I just touched on bits and pieces.


  Thank you, Amber

Hello everyone. I am back. I have been very very sick with my pregnancy. I am trying to get back into things slowly. I will hopefully hve some fun stuff coming up soon!!  I hope all is well with everyone!!

The winner of the 50mm 1.4 lens is..........

CONGRATS TO..................HEATHER MEAHAN. I hope im spelling that right!. Please forgive me if imnot. I trully do wish I could give you all a lens. This is the reasno why I havent done alot of giveaways, because I want to give to everybody. But goodnews is Ill be doing alot of giveaways from now on!! so Thank you so much everyone. I will be doing a giveaway for a tablet here very shortly!!. You all mean the world to me. All of the support is amazing! I think of you all as family. You trully make my days brighter and worth coming to my pages everyday to see whats going on!! Thank you and heres to a great 2012!!!!

feature photographers

So ive been thinking and I really want to start featuring photographers on my blog. Lately there has been so much negativity going around in the photography world. I want to change that and see some possitive things. I will try and put everything together and get it going. But for now if you are interested in being featured leave a comment letting me know. So I know if I will have a huge response like I hope for. So I know more about how to do this. How long to feature them and such! I will post more when i am ready to start and I will make a dedicated tab just for featuring.  Let me know if you would be intersted. :)

leave your business name and an email so I know where to find you when im ready. Thanks

so sad.

I think we all should practice being nice to people. There is way too much negativity going around expecially in the photography world. There is so much talent in this world. Different types of it. Everyone is creative in their own way and every artist is artistic in their own way. There is so muchlove to go around but theres so much hate taking over. I love something about every single person I meet in person or on facebook whereever. So much inspiration. I have met some great great people on facebook since I started photography. Not a day gois by when I dont thank the guy above for everything I have. Then to see all these negative comments that go around. WHY? I wish everyone could get along. I know thats a lot to hope for. But if I can just get one more person to be with me thats one more closer. I am so thankful for what I have and how far ive come. I learn something new everyday. Just this week Ive learned 2 news things that I have been dying to learn in photoshop. I have too much going on in my life that is good to hate people. Hate is such a string word. SO lets all practice being nice. WHO's with me!! :)

crave photography's giveaway

another gret giveaway on http://cravemyphotography.com/blog/  check it out!! dont want to miss it!