Deep breath... ahhhh

What is it about a deep deep breath that calms the nerves just a bit, slows the pulse, and ahhhh makes you attempt to see things in a different light? You ever notice, right before you finally fall asleep.. you take a big deep breath.. then off to wonderland.
When I am in a photo shoot, before I start.. deeeep breath... ahhhh. Now I am ready to shoot! I feel that I am a very good people reader and can tell when a model is feeling a little uncomfortable with the photo shoot. Usually at the beginning... so I say, take a deep breath, wiggle the shoulders and loooosen up!!! After that we get awesome shots!!
So as I write this, I am trying very hard for that deep breath tonite but for a reason unknown, I feel as if I am suffocating. I just can't take that deep breath I talk so much about. I can't quite explain it any better than that. Maybe I am in need of a personal vacation? I love my family. My husband and two boys.. more than anything in this world. As big as the sun and the moon and the sky is what Zane says. But somedays, it's just all too much. Maybe I expect too much from myself? I'm sure that's it. I bring all this on myself. To be the perfect wife and mother. To be the best I can be at my job. To please everyone, everyday I can. To have perfect children... one's that actually listen. To be the very best possible friend to the wonderful people I have in my life. To have the cleanest house. To do this, to do that. I expect a lot from myself and feel as if I fail everyday.
I once wrote this quote.. there is no way to be a perfect mother, but a million ways to be a good one. Words to live by, but I just can't seem to take my own advice. Is it being a woman that makes me this way? My husband does not feel this way. He expects much of himself but the way he handles it amazes me. I admire the way he deals with things.. well, most of the time :) Me, the hormonal woman, just cries, or shuts down with the irritation scale on high.
I need to stop... to take a deep breath.... Ahhh... deep breath.. ahhhh.. deep breath...
I feel a little better, but still have so much on my mind tonite..

A good explanation for all those people who ask and complain about why professionals charge what they do for photos:

Why are Professional Photographers so expensive?

In this digital age where everyone has digital cameras, scanners and home "photo printers", when people upload their photos to a local drug store website and pick them up a few hours later, we hear this all the time - How in the world do Professional Photographers charge $55 for an 8x10 when they cost just $1.50 at the drug store?

Here's why.

Simply put, you're not just paying for the actual photograph, you're paying for time and expertise. First, let's look at the actual time involved. If you don't read this entire page, at least read this first part.

For a two hour portrait session:
- one hour of travel to and from the session
- two hours of shooting
- 30 minutes of setup, preparation, talking to the client etc.
- 30 minutes to load the photos onto a computer (2 - 4 Gb of data)
- 30 minutes to back up the files on an external drive
- 3 - 4 hours of Photoshop time including cropping, contrast, color, sharpening, saving a copy for print and a copy for the internet and backing up the edited photographs
- 2 - 3 hours to talk to the client, answer questions, receive their order and payment, order their prints, receive and verify prints, package prints, schedule shipment and drop package off at Fed Ex.
- For local customers, we also print a set of all of their photos, and meet them at our studio to review the photos and place their order. Meeting and travel time averages 2 hours.
You can see how one two hour session easily turns into more than ten hours of work from start to finish. So when you see a Photographer charging a $200 session fee for a two hour photo shoot, you are not paying them $100 / hour.

For an eight hour wedding:
- I won't bore you with the details, but an eight hour wedding typically amounts to at least two to three full 40 hour work weeks worth of time. Again, if they are charging you $4,000 for an eight hour wedding, you are not paying them $500 / hour.

Now for the expertise.

Shooting professional photography is a skill, acquired through years of experience. Even though a quality camera now costs under $2,000 taking professional portraits involves much more than a nice camera.

Most Professional Photographers take years to go from buying their first decent camera to making money with their photography. In addition to learning how to use the camera itself, there is a mountain of other equipment involved, as well as numerous software programs used to edit and print photographs, run a website etc.

And let's not forget that you actually have to have people skills, be able to communicate, make people comfortable in front of the camera - and posing people to make them look their best in a photograph is a skill all by itself.

Think of it this way - the next time you pay $X to get your hair done, a pair of scissors only costs $1.50. But you gladly pay a lot more to hire a Professional.

What about the cheap studios at the mall?

Please don't compare us to the chain store studios. But if you must, consider all of the time and work that we put into our photographs, compared to what they do. Good luck getting a two hour photo shoot at a chain store. Not to mention they won't come to the beach! And of course, look at our work compared to theirs. You get what you pay for.

The truth is, most of the mall and chain store studios lose money. In fact, in 2007 Wal-Mart closed 500 of their portrait studios because of the financial drain they were putting on the company. What the chain stores bet on is that you'll come in for some quick and cheap photos, and while you're there, you'll also spend $200 on other things. They don't have to make money, they are just there to get you in the door.

Conclusion
We hope that those who have taken the time to read this page will have a better understanding of why professional photographs cost so much more than the ones that you get from your local drug store.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.

copied here from : http://www.caughtonfilmphoto.com/costofphotography.html

Wordless Wednesday

25 more random things...

1. I am addicted to McDonalds Coke.
2. Flipflops are my fav accessory.
3. Farmtown addict
4. So extremely excited to start remodeling my kitchen!!!!!
5. I have the most awesome friends ever.
6. I have a husband that adores me and all my silliness.. well, most days :)
7. My cat snores.... loud.
8. I chewed thru a night time mouth piece in two nights.. I grind my teeth just a little.
9. Really? Airlines charge for bathroom usage on plane??
10. So if I don't have any change, would they rather clean the pee off my seat?
11. I am easily sidetracked.
12. I can make one hell of a casserole with random things in my cupboards.
13. I could never take too many photographs.
14. I wish I was as carefree and happy as my 3 year old.
15. I cried when I looked thru photos of the boys when they were babies.
16. Recently came in touch with new family that couldnt be more exciting to me.
17. I sleep with my feet hanging out of the covers... oh, and don't even try to jump in bed with me with socks on.
18. One of my least favorite qualities about myself is the inability to forgive and forget.
19. I want to taste a yellow watermelon.. yes, they have them.
20. When I get mad, I clean house.
21. I'm just starting to read Twilight.
22. I actually found a brand of cotton balls that doesn't get me chills... well, as bad anyway.
23. Powdered milk?? eww... I said easily sidetracked.
24. I miss the 80's.. side pony's and all
25. I sing or rhyme almost everything in my head... like after the 80's comment.. I sang "i love rock n roll, put another dime in the jukebox baby, i love rock n roll...."
26. I'm psychic because I know you are now singing "i love rock n roll...." lol
27. I kick @ss playing that song on Guitar Hero.
28. I text my husbands best friend more than my husband texts him.
29. Funhater was totally MY word before everyone stole it :)
30. One tequila, two tequila, three tequila, four... that's my weakness.... I won't hit the floor.. maybe tequila makes her clothes come off is more my song. lol.
31. See, I totally got sidetracked.. this is a 25 random things and I went to 31. I know, I'm crazy, spacey, what ever you wanna call it- but my friends and family LOVE ME :) Cause I'm AWESOME. lol

A Daddy's Love... a Mama's Pride... & Friends Forever

My heart is scared...

My friend Tonya's recent successful search for long lost family inspired me to start my own search.
I don't think I had any idea what I was getting myself into. My life is great as it is. My mom and I have grown closer over the years and the only man that has ever been a father figure to me, Kraige is an awesome Grandpa to my boys. I've told myself many many times that if my biological father wanted me in his life then he would have looked for me. That it's his loss for not knowing me and my family. I secretly hoped it would weigh heavy on his heart if he knew about us.
As I write this, my heart is fluttering with anticipation. I found my biological dad's two kids on Facebook- gotta love Facebook! After they so kindly accepted me as a friend, I've browsed their pages to see the description of their lives. As much as I think it's awesome that they are a very close brother and sister, I've got this overwhelming feeling of jealousy. They speak of this wonderful dad and grandfather they have and my heart breaks. I don't understand why I never knew that wonderful dad. I question why my boys don't know that awesome grandpa. I question why my Mom felt it was "best" that I didn't know why my dad was until I was older. I question why my "dad" never felt it necessary to search for this daughter he had. Or, did he search and my mom keep him away? I feel this huge hole in my heart now for the life I could have known, for the people that could have been a huge part of my life, for all the love I've missed out on. As I looked thru the photos of the family, I see so much of myself in them. The pictures of the new grandbaby strongly resembles my little Zane when he was a baby.
How does one take all of this in? What will happen if they don't accept me? If they don't want to get to know me? I don't think I know what I've got myself into.
My heart is scared. I'm scared of rejection. I'm scared of heartbreak.

Quote for the day

“Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

Wordless Wednesday

Tutu Gurlzzzzz

Tuesday night.. girls night. Woot Woot! We had fun. Crazy, silly, be ourselves fun. Every woman needs friends like mine :) Yeah, we're crazy.... with or without alcohol. Say hello to the Tutu Gurlzzzz.....I've not laughed this hard in... oh, probly a week. haha.hehe. Have a great day.

Ten things about...

Ten things you wish you could say to 10 different people (don’t list names):
1. I'm happy for you
2. I wish you'd walk with me :)
3. I wish you would write me back.
4. I'm glad we don't talk anymore because you arent who I thought you were.
5. Why am I not important enough for you to search for me?
6. I'm sorry.
7. Why did you do that to me?
8. What was it like?
9. You're not what he makes you think you are.
10. You were right.

Nine things about yourself:
1. Cotton gives me goosebumps.
2. I wish my eyes were green.
3. I have the craziest dreams.
4. I love my kids more than anything in this world.
5. I love flip flops.
6. I'm enjoying my thirties.
7. I have a scar on my right arm from my grandmas camper.
8. I fell in a lagoon once trying to catch a frog that was just... outta..my..reach.
9. I love being with my friends and family.

Eight ways to win your heart:
1. Scratch my head.
2. Big strong hug.
3. Love me.
4. Kiss my forehead.
5. Look me in the eyes.
6. Random notes... on mirrors.. in lipstick :)
7. Let me rest my head on your heart.
8. Watch my while I sleep.

Seven things that cross your mind a lot:
1. I need a vacation.
2. My boys.
3. Did I pay that bill?
4. McD's coke.
5. Really? More laundry?
6. I really need a pedicure.
7. I'm ready to paint.

Six things you wish you never had to do:
1. Laundry
2. Stress
3. Go to dentist
4. work- other than my photography
5. pay bills
6. See my kids hurt or cry.

Five turn offs:
1. Bad breath
2. Boogies
3. Ignorance
4. Bad smell
5. Unhappyness

Four turn ons:
1. Looks me in the eyes.
2. Scratch my head, play with my hair
3. Very Sexy cologne for men
4. Tan-summer-working man with blue eyes

Three wishes for your future:
1. Health to see my grandkids
2. Home in the country
3. To be known for my photography

Two things you want to do before you die:
1. Skydive
2. Drive a racecar

One possession you could not live without:
1. My camera

My biscuits are burning!!!

Bath time is great around the house. It's nice to let the boys sit in the tub and play. They always have such a good time. If they are not getting along playing with toys, they will always get along in the tub. Plus gives them time to soak their stinky butts, right?? Haha. Anyway, as always, I run the water cool until they get in and then I turn up the heat a bit so they don't turn into icicles. Their version of warm and my version are complete opposite. Anyway, I had turned up the warm up just a bit and a few minutes later Colby says "Mom"... as he has his hands holding his "stuff".. "Mom, my biscuits are burning, you gotta turn the cold back on!" Hmmm. I had to refrain myself from laughing because we all know if it makes someone laugh they will do it over and over and over and that's just what I need is a boy telling everyone in the grocery store that his mom burnt his biscuits! lol.
So shower safe and be sure not to burn your biscuits!!!

Custom Invitations, Announcements, Thank You cards, Etc...

Woot Woot Friday!

Well, another week passed by... it's been a bit crazy, but that's my life. Colby was pukey sick all week. Only went to school on Tuesday and Friday! Poor guy. Zane is happy go lucky Zane. A good week for him. Justin proposed.. again.. to me last night :) What a sweetheart he is. I think he really does love me! And, I, started a temp. part time position with one of my bestest friends every- Tonya! Yeah, the job is boring.. but instead of texting her all day, I can just walk into the other room and talk to her :) Today, I've got Dallas- Tonya's son- and I'm listening to him and Zane play... firetrucks or something. I hear fire truck sirens in the background? Ok, so Dallas just went by with the firetruck and cowboy guns in holsters attached to his belt... lol. Kids are so funny.
So, like I said, busy busy! Don't get the wrong idea tho, I am still doing photography full time. Just filling time while the business is slower. We have a birthday party and one year old portrait sessions tomorrow, so check out the website for new photos!

Wordless Wednesday

An afternoon at the park

What a beautiful afternoon! Here's some pics from our trip to the park.