I love seeing my client friends, I love meeting new clients. I love my job so very much. I get a thrill from it, I cant really explain. There are several moments, when I review your portraits after a shoot, and one photo will strike me. It will have so much emotion, or beauty in it, that it brings me to tears. Working with all of you, is something so very personal for me. I love every minute of it.
However, from working, I tend to take time away from myself. To just enjoy the moment, or enjoy taking pictures, for the sake of taking pictures. Im so very greatful to have this time to myself.
For starters, I actually sat and enjoyed a beautiful sunset with my husband, without my camera. I was able to just sit and be in the moment. I didnt have to worry about getting the shot and adjusting the settings on my camera. I was able to just sit and observe. Its an amazing feeling to just sit and be one with nature, God, and your family. This however, is a very very hard lesson to learn for a photographer. We, by nature feel the need to document EVERYTHING.
Secondly, I have had time to see and photograph, some of the most beautiful sights, in this country. This weekend alone, I photographed a civil war battlefield. Land preserved to look as it did 150 years ago.
I saw and photographed a house, that earliest records go back to the 1840s. I actually put my hands on a structure that has been standing for around 170 years. You can feel the history bleeding from this structure. I actually fell in love with this building the second I layed eyes on it.
And whats even better than laying eyes on this beauty, and touching the beautiful brick work, Is stepping inside. Learning the history. It once held some of the injured, It was once a tavern, and at one time there was a bed and breakfast built just outside of this building. But what truly struck me was this picture.
Which I took of my daughter 30 seconds after arriving. After being here and talking with the volunteer inside, for roughly 10 minutes. He opened a picture book and showed be a picture with the same point of view as this, of the original owners granddaughter. The similarities were stunning to me.
The following day, we visited the Shenandoah national park. Up high in the blue ridge mountians. I got to stand on top of the world. Let me tell you, the view was phenomenal. There is just something about being 2500 feet above the world, to give you some perspective on life.
And yet, here I am on top of the world, and thinking what those people way down there were thinking. Spending a moment, almost jealous of their view, when I had a fantastic view myself.
To top off the perfect weekend, the last stop we made in the park had a discovery all its own. A bush of giant thistle, filled with butterflies and bees. I had to take a moment to myself, when I spotted this anomaly. My mom, who passed away 9 months ago, who I miss every single day, Loved butterflies. They were a symbol for one of her many ailments, Lupus. They also signified to her, freedom. She often wished she could just fly away, like on the wings of a butterfly. So to stare into a bush filled with at least 6 varieties of buttefly, and see them sharing thistle flowers with bees. It just stopped me in my tracks. Even now, looking at the pictures I took, makes me emotional. Bees to me are very special creatures. I love bees. I think this might stem from my mom singing to me as a child "jenny jenny juju bee" and now my daughter gets sung to "juju bee juju bee I love you" Every time I see a beautiful butterfly, its a reminder to me, that my mom is FREE. God has sent butterflies to all of my moms girls, to remind us that she is in fact free.
I love all my clients, old and new. I miss you guys, but I am so greatful for this short period of time. A time to renew my love and passion. A time to learn and grow. A time to seek and discover. I'm so blessed for all of you wonderful people, to stand by me, through this whole process!
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