Celebrating Sisterhood

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I thought I'd post about all the reasons I am thankful for this gorgeous person I get to call my sister and best friend.

I am thankful that no matter how hard times get we can always make each other laugh.

I am thankful for all the suitcases full of cinnamon toothpaste, chocolate, books, etc. that you hauled overseas for me MANY times :)

I am thankful for your dedication and fierce loyalty to those you love.

I am thankful for your classy appeal.

I am thankful that we can chat it up for hours or read books together in silence.

I am thankful for silent sister communication and all of our inside jokes.

I am thankful for how you endlessly support my dreams.

I am thankful for and humbled by the quiet way you work behind the scenes never clamoring for the spotlight; content to play the background ;)

I am thankful that you know all my issues, and still want to be my best friend.

And I am thankful that we will always have Paris!

Happy Thanksgiving to you all! I hope you have wonderful friends and family to enjoy the day with!

A Whispered Challenge

It was my first wedding.  I was nervous and excited to capture the magic of someone’s special day.  As I watched the lead photographer maneuver among the décor, I promise you my ears played tricks on me. “I challenge you”

Um what did you just say?

"I challenge you.  I challenge you to shoot this wedding fully on manual mode."

To say I was taken aback would be putting it mildly.  No she did NOT just challenge me.

I looked back at her, and she smiled and said it again.  I looked at her.  I looked at my camera.  I switched from automatic mode to fully manual mode.  I took a practice shot….oh dear!

It's good to remember where I've come from.  That first wedding was a loooong time ago.  It's funny to remember my face and reaction to her words.  I was browsing through my archives and I came across the following image.  It'll never be framed on anybody's wall or in an album.  But I am very proud of this image; one of the very few from that first wedding that was well lit and perfectly composed....in manual mode!

'Twas the Night Before My Interview

'Twas the night before my first interview for a photography job, and all through the house not a creature was stirring, well, except for me.  I was excited and a liiiitttle bit nervous.  I was talking to my friend Adana about my anxieties, and although it was VERY late, she came over to help me prep for the interview. Adana and I have been friends for many years and we've shared lots of photography adventures together, but that night will always stand out in my memory.  Adana, thank you for being such a kind and generous friend.  And oh yeah, you are absolutely gorgeous to photograph too :)

Shebam.....definitely a fav right off the bat!

Adana is a fabulous photographer (check out her fine art work here).  But she can work it for the camera too!

See what I mean?  Rock star in tha house!

I love the fierceness!