Looking back...and looking ahead...

Those who know me, know I Am All About the New Year's Resolution. I know what mine will be, but I just had a fun thought about monthly resolutions. A Resolution BOX. Write a bunch of things you'd like to do on scraps of paper..."buy myself flowers," "invite someone new to do something," "paint toenails a funky color" etc. Make a BUNCH. Put them in a little box or pouch...and on the first of each month, pull one out and spend that month focusing on getting at least that one thing done.

It's so easy when life is swirling around you to forget to do nice things for yourself. This is just a friendly little reminder...

That's a little bit of looking ahead...and for a look back, these are some of my favorite photos from 2011...

 

I'm excited and a little terrified....I just started a 365-day Photo Challenge thingie in flickr...I hope I can see it through!

good and bad and everything in between

Last week kicked my butt. Not to rehash it...cuz I'd really like to just
forget it and move on, but...suffice it to say...car towed - $800 to get it
back, two funerals, and an unexpected road trip. On the bright side, I saw an
old dear friend for the first time in many years and he looks much happier than
he's been in a long time, I got to spend a little unexpected time with my
daughter, and a new event at the school where I work was a smashing success. So
- the good equaled the bad, I'd say, but overall it was exhausting. And what I
wish for this week is Nothing Out of The Ordinary! Just to get back to work,
catch up on some sleep, do some fun things.

Tonight when I walked the dog I grabbed the camera and the 50mm lens even
though it was dark out...so this is just A Walk Around My Block in the Dark.


































home again. home again.

and now for something completely different....

(photo above by Sweet Paul)

Yesterday I went to a food photography seminar. Now, I'm no food photographer...or food blogger...I like LOVE food, but other than the occasional awesome sandwich, I really don't cook much. So - why a food photography seminar? I figured I'd pick up some tips for basic tabletop product photography (which I did); I'd force myself out my normal routine and try something new (which I did), and I'd meet some new people (which I did).

The seminar was presented by  Salvatore Brancifort - a professional photographer who had good tips on the use of artificial lighting and some makeshift reflectors (and was pretty easy on the eyes, to boot!); and Hazel Sy, a food blogger. Both were very helpful and nice and made the seminar interesting.

In the end, I don't think I'll be quitting my day job anytime soon to become a food photographer (!), but it was fun to do something totally different...and here are some of my photos from the day...











and I'm happy to say that I have a model coming next Saturday for a Dragonfly shoot, so will finally have some new things up in the store. yay.