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September and Inspiration

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I love a new month.  Just seeing the number 1 on the calendar brings me inspiration and hope.  I especially love September for 2 reasons:  a) it means fall is around the corner and b) my birthday is in the month of September. Today I feel like I got an early birthday present when I attended the WPPI roadtrip.  All of the speakers Alvin Gee,  Dawn Shields, Luke and David Edmonson, Joe Buissink, & the Boudoir Divas shared generously their industry knowledge.  I appreciated how warm and friendly they were and so very humble.

I think when Joe Buissink spoke he touched a place deep inside of all of us as he encouraged us to shoot from the heart.  Listening to him, I was reminded of why I even got into photography in the first place.  I want to return to that place more often.  Joe also challenged us to find the most favorite images we've ever shot and remember why we love them so much.

I will forever love these two photos I took of my friend Katie. I took them years ago, and something about the similarities and differences between the two images never ceases to connect with me.

So here's to a month of new beginnings and a month of reconnecting with the heart of  my photography!

Another Biggest Loser Fan

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How can you NOT love a reality show that helps people make really big changes in their lives (pun intended)?  My favorite part is seeing a person grasp how capable they really are of achieving the impossible; it's incredible. I have been overweight for most of my adult life.  I used to dream of getting on Biggest Loser, sad I know, but true. Fortunately family and friends loved, encouraged, and prayed for me til  FINALLY one day it clicked. I am worth it!  I deserve to be healthy, and God has given me all the tools I need to lose weight.  I just have to believe I can do it.

I weighed in at my heaviest at around 267.  I'd love to give you an exact number but I didn't hang out around the scale in those days.  And that would be negative on any pictures of myself at that weight, because who loves taking photos when they're overweight???  I do have photos of myself at the slightly less chubby 248

Since then I've lost and kept off 56 lbs.

Yep, I just told you how much I weigh.....gulp!  I still have a ways to go, but it feels darn good to get to shop at normal sized stores these days!

So now for my soapbox moment. YOU really can do the impossible. Trust and believe that if I lover of all things chocolate can lose weight and keep it off, so can you.  So go out there, do it.  Make the impossible reality, and drop me a line or two when it comes to pass.

Oh, and many thanks to my girl Rebekah for capturing the 2nd photo of me looking mighty fierce ;)