Inspriational

So, I'm totally in a place right now that I can decide is a place of peace or a place of frustration and torment. I am one of the lucky one's that has found a true passion in their life on this earth and I say that with all sincerity because after I quit basketball in the 9th grade due to a back injury, I wasn't sure that I would ever love something like that again. Cheesy, yes. But oh so true. I loved basketball, I mean, I REALLY loved basketball. It drove me. It challanged me. I gave me work ethic. It gave me desire. It put a fire in my soul, and some day's lit a fire under my ass. If I didn't do anything else all day, I at least shot around the basketball. It made me proud. It made me strong. It made me feel alive. I was acknowledged, and not just because I was part of a team. I was a leader on every team I was a part of. I had something different than everyone else on the team to contribute and it was recognized. I was known as the scrapper...meaning, I'd do anything to get that ball. I may not have always stuck to the plays, I didn't always have the best technique and I definitely didn't make all my shots, but by god, I was going to get that ball in my possession.

Sigh.

And here I am. Driven. Challanged (Holy Shit, am I challanged). Desiring to work and learn. Sacrificing to work and learn. I have a fire in my soul...and some day's, all I've done is picked up my camera and taken a few shots. I'm so, so proud of how far I've come and the choices I've made. My creativity is stronger than it's ever been. I'm alive. I'm acknowledged.

I had such a wonderful conversation with a new friend this evening and was so encouraged by her advice and opinions. Run down for myself:
I'll never be ready.

Sometimes the things I may not be ready for, may be the greatest tool.

Don't ever underestimate the power of knowledge.

Little reminders about the big things

So this post is more for me to look back fondly as a reminder to stay grounded, you know, when I'm a rockstar photographer, having to turn away business because I'm so popular! :) (I hope I don't lose my sense of sarcasm when I'm famous)! Anyways...truth is, I want to record how I'm feeling, what I'm thinking, path's I'm choosing, and where I'm going. That way, when I get there, I have this as a walk down memory lane.

Although I can't quote it exactly, I once heard a peice of advice that has stuck with me, and it goes a little something like this: Journal every day, starting young. As you get older, you'll be able to see how much you have learned, and maybe even learn something from yourself.
I've journaled since the 4th grade. (that one may or may not have been a shared journal between two best friends, with weekly update's on our neighbor, turned crush, turned boyfriend, turned jerk, etc., etc., etc....you get it right?!) But like I was saying, I journaled almost daily from about the age of 10 until my sophmore year of college. From there, it get's a little spotty. I always made sure to document when I thought I met the man I was going to marry :) But other than that, there are a lot, A LOT of forgotten moment's that I would love to relish in, turning bent pages, a cup of coffee, a smile, a laugh, maybe even a tear. The best part about journaling is the honesty.

It's raw and it's real. There's no one to impress, no one to give or deny approval. Not even myself. (Although I did always try to have my cleanest, bubbliest handwriting).

While impressing clients with my talent is obviously the point of marketing yourself, I have to always be real. That's what I want from my photographs. I want them to be genuine and honest. Because that's what being in the moment is all about.

*Heavy Sigh*

Soooooooo, on to the real reason of this post. I'm going to bullet point these reminders, for the sake of keeping them short and sweet.
Remember:
~To never let your head get bigger than your heart.
~To remember what it's all about.
~To listen. To your client, your instinct, and the words of encouragement coming from the sideline.
~To take criticism just as easily as you take compliments. Or maybe it's the other way around.
~To never be afraid to fail at something you love.

In no particular order.

To learning.