Friday, December 19, 2014

Winer and top 10 "Almost canned"

What a beautiful week of images. So many times do my favorite images of mine end up being the ones I almost threw away but didn't. So hang on to those photos for a while and look back at them or even try to edit them. Sometimes after you edit them you say wow. 

Each week we will have a top 9 feature and a winning image. The winning image will grace our cover photo for the week until the next weeks winner is chosen. our guest judge this week was Jennifer of Photographs by Jennifer. Let's see her picks.


Winning image...



"I feel like I could have chosen this image as winner for a million different reasons. It fits the theme first of all. A picture that at first might be tossed to the side. Not perfect technically...but there's a story there. Such a great story. I kept going back to it. The light, the color and the fact that I want to see where he's going and what he's doing next. All this makes it interesting, and that makes it a keeper! Well done Cara! I am so glad that all of you chose not to can these gorgeous images, and I hope this theme was a reminder to take a second loo before you toss that "bad" photograph. Give it a day or a week and see if you don't fall in love with it. I bet you do." ~Jennifer


Top 9 in no particular oder...




























Please join us this week for "Wonder" with guest judge Kapuschinsky Photography. Post up to two images right to the wall here at Reflections. Thank you. Until next time, XOXO~ ~Amber 

Sunday, December 14, 2014

Winner and top 9 {Beautiful mess}

So many amazing images came in. I even giggled at a few. Thank you all for being here and participating from week to week. You all are amazing. Each week we will have one winning image and a top 9 feature. The winning image will grace our cover photo for the week until the next weeks winner is chosen. Lets see who Nicole chose for winner.

winning image...




"As soon as I saw this image I burst into tears. This image is such a beautiful mess. Having a child is amazing and scary and your whole heart now lives outside your body in one big messy moment. I feel like this image will forever be engraved in my mind. It's how all of us moms feel about our children. It's such a beautiful mess being a mom in general. And I'd like to welcome this momma to that beautiful mess. Thanks for the amazing image." ~Nicole

Top 9 in no particular order...



























Monday, December 8, 2014

Winner and top 10 {Cozy}

Hey ya'll. I hope everyone had a great thanksgiving. eh cozy images were so nice and cozy. Beautiful images came in. Each week we will have a winner and a top 9 feature. The winning image will grace our cover photo for the week until the next weeks winner is chosen. Lets move on to see the winning image...



"I chose this image as winning image because its just cozy as cozy can be. So gorgeous. The baby is so peaceful. The conversion is stunning. The composition makes the image. Amazing shot." ~Amber 


Top 9 in no particular order...





























Congrats all. Please join us this week for the theme "beautiful mess" Post up to two images right to my wall here Reflections. Thank you. Until next time, XOXO! ~Amber 

Monday, December 1, 2014

Focus and be you!

So, a quick kind of personal more inspirational post to the "newbies" out there. There's a lot of rants going around with photographers being mad that there are so many "newbies" coming in the industry and price cutting and what not. I don't say anything on these rants because I don't want drama. I want to focus on good and keep moving forward. BUT, I feel the need to say how I feel here. Here is what I have to say to it all...

First off, we ALL started as a "newbie" I don't even like that word. I feel dirty when I say it. I just don't like calling someone a newbie and certainly didn't like being called that when I was new. No matter how long you have been at it. YOU WERE NEW. Remember how it felt to be the new one and people didn't like you or wouldn't give you the time of day? WEll, thats how these rants make the new "newbies feel. I want to focus on the new comers though...

New comers. Don't read into these posts. You are worth something. You are a person, a human being trying to make a difference and support your family just like everyone else. You are doing it. That's what matters. You are trying to be successful. It doesn't matter that some people are upset because you are new and charging less potentially taking clients. And I will get to that in a minute. Just do your thing. Focus on the good, focus on your success, focus on your future. Most important, BE YOU. 

Nobody should be upset that new comers are potentially taking your clients. If I had clients leave me just because someone was cheaper. I would say #1 that client wasn't meant to work with me and #2 I don't want clients that don't respect my worth. You will get clients that will stick with you no matter how much you charge and the ones that don't, oh well. Do you really want clients that just want cheap and don't care that you are worth more? I don't. I respect my worth. You should to. Bottom line. We all started somewhere. Accept the new comers, welcome them. Show some positive in the community. There's too much negative. Just remember you were in their shoes once to. Some of us not very long ago. These "newbies" as you say are people just trying to make a living to. Or some that really have a passion for this and are trying to learn. I knew immediately when I first bought a camera this was what I was meant to do. Was I good? HELL NO. That doesn't mean I didn't love it. There is plenty of room for talent in this community, accept it. 

New comers. DO YOU THANG!!!!!! And OWN IT..... 

And because no blog post is the same without an image.....Here is my goober... THAT FACE!!!!



Thanks for reading. Until next time, XOXO! ~Amber

Friday, November 21, 2014

Winner and top 9 {Nostalgia}

Amazing images again this week. I love the theme nostalgia. I love the feeling of old images or childhood. Each week there will be one winning image and a top 9 feature. The winning image will grace our cover photo for the week until the next weeks winner is chosen. We have a great selection of amazing talent this week for the winner and top 9. Lets see the winning images.


winning image...



 I was so happy when i scrolled through the images and saw this! This to me is childhood, and well lets admit it, adult hood too. Who can resist a fogged up window? I love the little hand, that there is just enough light to see a teeny bit of her cheek and especially the the remnants of Halloween! To me, those details make the image bring me right back to childhood. I love it , thank you. ~Jayne

Top 9 in no particular order...




























Congrats to all. Thank you so much to Jayne of Under the willow tree Photography for guest judging. Please join us this week for the theme {Cozy.} Post up to two images right to my wall here Reflections for chance at winning image or top 9 feature. Thank you. Until next time, XOXO! ~Amber 

Just a tad of inspiration...

We all have dreams, goals and plans. But do we all jump right in? No, we keep saying tomorrow I will do this and tomorrow I will do that. My new goal for the new year is this and the whole year goes by and it never happened. Or you started but never finished or never got to where you wanted to be. So another year goes by and you make a plan again for that year to accomplish your goals and dreams. It is a vicious cycle that traps us all in. We have all been there. I know it all to well. That feeling of wanting something so so badly but never going after it. I kept putting it off and putting it off. Tomorrow is another day. Then that tomorrow it never happens.


What I am getting at here. Is when you have dreams. Go after them. Put yourself all in. Or not in at all. Give it your best shot from the beginning. Be determined. Stop at nothing until you accomplish what you want. Don't let anyone come between you are your dreams. You will only keep craving it and craving it and wanting it more until you throw yourself in head first. Don't be afraid of failure. If you fail its ok, try again. At least you can say you tried. No matter what your dream is. You can do it. Have faith in yourself, believe in yourself. It may not be the first go around. But you will get there. You can do anything you put your mind to. Don't make excuses for yourself. Don't keep promising yourself these things only to break those promises and disappoint yourself. You are the gate keeper to your dreams. So make them happen.


I will leave you with this inspiring quote...

"You've been walking in circles, searching. Don't drink by the water's edge. Throw yourself in. Become the water. Only then your thirst will end."
 -Jeanette Berson


 Until next time, XOXO ~Amber


Friday, November 14, 2014

Winner and top ten {carefree}

Wow, I had a really hard time choosing only 10 images. You guys are so inspiring. What I love about this page is so many different style of photography come in. And I love them all. I really love the variety this page gives. You are all so amazing. Each week there will be one winning image and a top 9 feature. The winning image will grace our cover photo for the week until the next weeks winner is chosen. 

Winning image...



"I chose this image as winner because to me it gives off such a carefree childhood feeling and makes me smile. It makes me super happy. Such a peaceful, serene amazing feeling. The lighting is perfection and I just love the suspenders!"~Amber 

Top 9 in no particular order...



























Please join us this week for the theme "Nostalgia" guest judged by The Willow Tree Photography. Post up to two images right to our wall here Reflections for chance at winning image or top 9 feature. Thank you. Until next time, XOXO~ ~Amber