Fall Top Ten

Top ten reasons why fall is my favorite time of year:

1. The weather

2.  I get to bust out all my pumpkin recipes: pumpkin bread, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin curry, & pumpkin chili...yum.

3.  The smell of cinnamon is everywhere

4.  Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday, is around the corner.

5.  Apple cider is on the menu.

6. Fall fashion!  Bring on the boots, scarves, jackets and hats!

7. Leaves changing colors (okay, okay, okay maybe not in Texas)

8.  Hot soups and warm breads

9.  Time off to spend with the family

10.  You can run outdoors with out breaking a sweat!

I hope you are enjoying fall as much as I am.

I'm so excited....

I'm so excited, I just can't hide it, I'm about to lose control and I think I like it....sing along with me; you know you want to :)  Why am I so excited?  Because at long last this blog of mine is going public! I've been faithfully posting here, waiting for all the little nuances to be public worthy, and that day is today! To celebrate, I'm inviting you to read a post or two or more, and comment, comment, comment. For every comment you write down, you win a chance for a $10 itunes gift card, or a $10 Starbucks gift card; winner's choice.  The winner will be announced right here on November 1st.  The last day to comment will be 12 midnight on October 31st, but don't wait til then, comment away! And because every blog is better with a photo, here's the sweet face of an excited little girl I photographed a few weeks ago.

A Sense of Gravity

For the past year a pastor at my church, Tim Wright, battled brain cancer.  He ended his battle and went to Heaven on September 18th.  All year long as I would see updates and emails about his condition I was drawn to the photos of he and his wife.

These were beautiful photos taken by their good family friend and fellow photographer Judy Carey.

As I looked at the images I was reminded of the power of photography.  We as photographers have such a grave responsibility.  We never know how our images will be used, or how much they will mean to our clients.  While not a warm and fuzzy thought, the truth is that we live in a world where good people die young, and families are left to mourn their loss.  The moments we capture with photographs can help to offer comfort and solace in dark days.

There are days when I have a shoot scheduled and I'm struggling to bring my A-game.  In those moments I remind myself, that while this is another day of work to me, today is a really big deal to my clients (a point illustrated wonderfully by professional photographer Doug Boutwell here).  I desperately hope and pray that the worst never happens, and that my images only serve to provide fond memories in the days to come.  However it is quite possible that the worst will happen.  I am not a surgeon or a doctor who can cure the body.  But I am a photographer with a camera, who can help to ease a broken heart.  There is a sense of gravity that comes with my job.  The photos I take may someday be one of the ways people remember their loved ones who have passed away.  I never want to take that role for granted.