It Snowed!!!

Believe it or not but my family saw its first big snow of the year this past Monday!  And its almost March...I mean, winter is almost over!!  Anyways, even though the snow was very late in coming I loved having it here. :)  I got to go out and take pictures (!!) the morning after it snowed and found lots of neat icicles and picturesque things.  Since I never posted last week I have a good amount of pictures for your viewing pleasure today. :)

And, just to give you an idea of the crazy weather in this state that I live in...it snowed on Sunday night, was 19 degrees Monday night and today it was in the mid-70's.  :)

I love icicles!

I really love the way the sun is shining through this leaf!

See the rainbow?!

Pictures like these make me so grateful I bought the 60mm micro lens!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Kimber :)

A Chance at a Katelyn James Workshop!!!

So, I've been following this wonderful photographer named Katelyn James for a year or two.  Recently she's started hosting workshops and I've really, really wanted to go to one ever since she held her first one.  I've looked into going and the price has been way more than I can afford right now (it'd be more than I made in my entire year of photography last year), so I had settled for going to one when I start making more $.   (I've hoped and hoped I could maybe scratch together the $750 to go...in fact I was really considering it for this workshop...but the Lord has made another way for me that won't cost me anything!!)

Anyways, I'm really excited because she just mentioned (today!) on her blog that she's giving away one spot in her upcoming workshop!  I'm so excited!!  

In order to enter for the free spot, I have to write up my photography story and submit it to her.  I've already sort of done this on "My Equipment (and camera story!)" page, so I'm re-posting that info here in this post, as well as some more detail.

Here it goes!

My very first camera was a Sony DSC-N2.  It was a very nice camera, with tons of settings and a neat little touch screen!  After a while, for some reason my flash decided to quit on me.  It would flash every now and then, but the pictures would come out white or black...so it still didn't "work"! :)  I took lots of pictures of my family indoors so no-flash wasn't good.  Sometime around November 2008 a friend of ours let me borrow his Nikon D40 camera.  That was so exciting!  I was snapping pictures everywhere, thoroughly enjoying the professionalism of a DSLR! :-D  (To see some of my first pictures, go here) Since I was used to a hand-held camera, switching lenses and everything was some work but I didn't mind!  I had to give the camera back sometime before Christmas and I very soon lost my interest in taking pictures after going back to my Sony camera.  Daddy saw my lack of interest and started planning on getting me something better.

In January/February of 2009 another friend of ours' asked me to take pictures at her wedding.  It was 2 months after my 13th birthday and, after much prayer and emailing, I decided to accept the opportunity.  In order to do that, I knew I would need a better camera, but I certainly did not have the money.  Little did I know that Daddy had been secretly researching (some nights he was up past midnight!) everything about DSLR camera's.

Before bed at night, I would talk to my sisters about my intense desire for a better camera and, Hannah, my eldest sister, would just sweetly smile at me.  (Little did I know  that she knew Daddy was getting me one! :)

So, a few days before Valentine's Day a huge box arrived.  I thought it was for Mama, as Daddy loves to surprise her, but I was wrong.  Before we left for church, a night or two after the box arrived, Daddy suggested that we open the box.  Hannah made her way over to me and offered to take pictures (something she never does), and I gave her a puzzled look as she pushed me out of the way and towards the boxes.  I should've suspected something when everyone didn't start scrambling to open them, but I still didn't get suspicious.  Daddy pulled me onto his knee and told me to start opening the box.  I did and once all 4 flaps were open I saw the word "NIKON" and I think my mouth fell open (and the tears started coming!)!  I thought the boxes were for Mama and they were not!!!  They were for me!  Shocked, I took everything out and told Daddy thank you so much.  Everyone else was standing around smiling as Hannah took pictures.  (The pictures didn't turn out well because of the no-flash problem...)  Sadly we had to leave so we could go eat and make it to church on time, so I had to pull myself away.  When we returned home that night I snapped pictures until way beyond my bedtime (we charged the battery during church) and loved everything about it!

My first wedding went well...I got a few really great pictures but the majority of them were underexposed and had an ugly orange tinge.  I continued taking pictures with my new equipment, mostly photographing my extended family for Christmas pictures. :)  

Two years ago, in October, I photographed my second wedding for some friends at church.  I bought a 60mm Micro lens specifically for this wedding and I was glad that my pictures weren't as underexposed and orange-ish as my first wedding!  I also was a sort of "second shooter" for my uncle's wedding in November 2010.  

2011 brought me no weddings but multiple family sessions, a maternity session, and 2 engagement sessions!  I also started charging $75 in the summer (I was previously just letting people pay me what they thought was fair...I was just grateful for the opportunity. :).

This year I'm the main photographer at one wedding coming up in April and a "second shooter" for another wedding in March.  I'll probably be shooting some more family sessions as well, whenever the Lord brings them to me!

 

I'm also graduating from High School this year, so I'm very excited about starting to do photography full-time now!  I'm hoping to get a website, logo, business card, and everything before the end of this year and the Lord is already starting to bring the right people to me (more about that later).  

I have so much to learn about photography and yet I'm not sure where to look for the information.  I know that going to this Workshop by Katelyn James would really help me solidify my style, my look, and give me the tools and confidence I need to get better at my photography so that I can bring greater glory to the Lord. 

I would LOVE to go to this workshop.  I know I need help and I've known these workshops would help me A TON but I've never been able to go because of the price...until now!!  

Kimber :)

P.S. - I would add pictures to this post to make it more interesting but we're leaving in a few minutes, to go on vacation today (until Thursday), and we won't have internet there, so I have to do this post TODAY (before the contest is over tomorrow).  Otherwise, I'd add pictures, proofread, and make it sound better. :)  Thanks for bearing with me...and I'd love for you to pray that I win this contest! 

Photography vs. Videography

This may seem really weird, but every now and then I think about the day (Lord willing) that I'll be getting married.  I try and figure out if I would prefer to hire a really good photographer or a really good videographer for my wedding.  (I know I won't have the $ for both!)  Now, granted, I'm just 16 and don't think I'll be married for quite a few years but I'm just the type of person that likes to plan and think ahead...so bear with me, this post is going somewhere! 

Anywho, that thought made me wonder which was more important:  photography or videography?  If I only had $4,000 for my wedding would I spend it on a good photographer?  Or vice-versa?  For awhile I thought videography was more "superior" because it recorded everything in a moving time frame.  I look back at the home videos Daddy recorded of my siblings and I and I love watching them!

One day I was kind of depressed that I liked photography, because I was really thinking that videography was way better.   Then I started thinking to myself "There has to be one way photography is superior to videography.  I know there has to be one way."

Then it hit me.

It's the moments.

With photography you can capture, in a split second, a glance of love between an engaged couple...

...or the tenderness of a Mother with her little one...

...or the specialness of a wedding day...

....the tininess of a newborn...

...the gift of pregnancy...

...the love between siblings...

...the fleeting, gorgeous moments of creation...

.

..the bond between two people in love...

...the first smiles of a baby...

...and so much more.  

Now, please don't think that I'm bashing videography.  I love watching videos because they capture a moving story of your life as it once was.  There is no replacing videography!  It is so special and photography can't equal it in this regard.

But photography can capture those little moments...a little glance or a slight smile...and freeze that moment forever, in a way that (in my opinion) videos cannot.  

My Little Brother

I have this little guy that I really, really love.  He's mischevious, way too cute, and has the biggest, and best, smile I've ever seen! :)

Meet my brother:

Yes, I also have 7 other siblings who are the best in the world...but today, this post is about my youngest sibling, Judah. :)

Really...how can that smile not light up your day?

My oldest sister, Hannah, was reading Judah a book last week and he would close the book, then Hannah would tickle him and get these smiles out of him. :)  I was sitting at the computer doing something and I had to pick up my camera and capture his little chubby cheeks!

I'm not sure why little ones seem to grab you so strongly...maybe it's just because they're so tiny...

...or always have a way of getting into things and upsetting you one second and then making you want to whip them up into your arms and give those cheeks a big kiss in the next. :)

 Maybe it's the wonder they hold in their eyes as they discover something new.

Or it could be that they smile so easily?

Maybe it's his blond hair...

...or big, blue eyes.

Whatever the reason...

...this little guy...

...is oh, so precious to me!

Kimber :)

My New Favorite Purchase :)

I'm not sure how many of you who follow this blog and also follow my family's blog.  If you don't keep up with my family blog, this post will be completely new to you.  Those who do keep up with my family blog, though, will probably remember this picture:

I had posted this picture on a post about my 16th birthday.  Daddy, Mama, and I visited Myrna's Boots and Bits and I got to try on some cowgirl boots. I've tried cowgirl boots on once before and I've wanted my own ever since. :)  [The thing that's held me back has been the price.]

The above pictured boots were my favorite (from the ones I tried on)...I couldn't find any that I liked better.  

And, after weeks of agonizing over spending $140 on shoes, I bought them.  :)  [One of the reasons I could justify the purchase was because they're supposed to last forever, especially if I take care of them.]

I ordered these boots from Amazon and they arrived days before they were "calculated" to arrive (yay!).  I really, really like them.  Yes, they were expensive...I used all my birthday money, an Amazon gift card, and some money from work to get these boots, but I think it was worth it! 

Ariat makes these boots and supposedly they make them with equestrians in mind (and I'm an equestrian in my dreams, you know...).

I've never been one to be obsessive about shoes...as long as they match what I'm wearing and are pretty, I'm good.  I can honestly say that these boots have me more excited than any other pair of shoes.  :)  My siblings brought the box up to our room while I was doing History with my sister and I had to stop school, just so I could try them on.  I didn't just try them on either...I had to put my cowgirl shirt and jeans on too.  :)

 Yes, I've got a little bit of country in me! :)  Who could go wrong with horses, jeans, barns, and more?

 One of my favorite things about these boots is the floral, blue pattern on the sides.

 

I love how these boots look great with jean skirts, or any other kind of skirt.  They go well with practically everything!

So there you have a look at my new favorite purchase! :)

I would wear these constantly but I don't want them to get destroyed yet, so I'm going to reserve them for "going out" or for riding horses only when it's very, very dry! :)

Have a great weekend everyone!

Kimber :)

2012 Photography Goals

So, now it's 2012!  I'm really starting to believe that the older I get, the faster time flies.  It's a good and bad thing.  :)  

Seeing as it's January now, I want to write up my photography goals for this year.  I've never done this before, but I'm excited to this year!  I really think having my goals displayed for anyone to see will keep me accountable! :)  

But before my goals are listed here, I wanted to list some praises from the past year, as well as prayers for the  upcoming one!

The praises:

• I've had more photography sessions this year than ever before!!  I'm so grateful to everyone who entrusted me with their pictures...I don't think they realize how much of a blessing it was to capture their families, relationships, etc. 
• I got my own computer!  We found a computer on Craigslist a few months ago and it was just what I was looking for!  I had recently tried a 30-day free trial of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 and I absolutely loved it.  Photoshop Elements faded very quickly as a great editing program when compared to the superb editing features of Lightroom.  I was really excited about Lightroom, the only damper being that it was expensive.  I mean, like $400 (that's a lot for me right now!).  I was praying about how to get it for cheaper and then someone in our family found a fairly new computer, with lots of storage space, and, hold your breath, Lightroom and Photoshop Elements on it! :)  It sounded perfect.  (It was obvious someone in the photography circle was trying to get out of the business.)  They were selling the computer, printer, and all the programs for only $400.  The Lord answered my prayers beyond what I could ever have thought possible!  After all, Lightroom itself cost $400 and I was getting a computer, printer, Lightroom and Photoshop Elements for just $400 (and the computer was just over a year old)!  It's amazing how the Lord provides.  At first, I wasn't sure I wanted to spend the money for an entire new computer, but Daddy finally helped make my mind up.  We went and picked up the computer and now it sits in a little corner of our business room, and it's perfect. Now I can keep all my pictures in one place, and I don't have to worry about them taking up disk space on our family computer, getting lost, accidentally deleted, etc.  It's great. :)  This is my little "photo corner" now:

Yikes!  I should've cleaned my screen before I took this picture! :)

•  I got my own phone for Christmas!  That may not seem like a "praise" concerning my photography, but it is.  You see, I couldn't get a business card until I had my own phone.  :)  So, now I've got a phone and I can get business cards! :)

Now, I'm sure I missed many praises from this past year, but that's what came off the top of my head!  My main prayer for this year's photography endeavors is as follows:

• To glorify and magnify God even more through my photography.  I could never bring too much glory to God and, I say, the more the better! :)  I want my clients to know how much I love the Lord and that He is the sole reason for anything good that comes out of me.
   

Well, time for my 2012 photography goals!  I've got a quite a list!

• Get a TON better at my photography!  This may seem like an obvious goal but I really, really want to improve.  I want to look back at this year and be shocked at how much better the pictures were than in 2011. 
• Post to this blog at least once a week.  I'm excited about this goal!  I already have ideas of what to write up each week I don't have any pictures to share! :)  It will be a challenge to consistently post to this blog (and my family blog) weekly, but I'm going for it!  I'm going to post personal stuff, photography info that's helped me, recent/random pictures I've taken, etc.  It's going to be great. :)
• Get a website and design my logo, colors, fonts, etc.  This will probably be the hardest goal to complete this year.  First off, I wish I could design my own website but I just don't have the time right now.  So, I'm looking for a designer...but I'm picky.  The designer needs to be a Christian and I want him/her to like what I like because that will make things easier! :)  So, if any of you know of any great, kind, Christian (inexpensive is always nice too :) web/blog designers, please let me know about him/her!
• Get business cards.  I was going to wait until I got my website and "look" down before I got business cards (that way everything would match) but Daddy's encouraging me to get them now...because who knows when I'll actually get the website?  Plus, he wants to be able to pass them out to his customers and such...so, hopefully I'll be getting business cards really soon!  (I'll be sure to show them off on this blog when I do!)
• Get professional C.D. packaging.  This goal goes along with  my website goal...I can't get more professional packaging until I know what colors, fonts, graphics, etc. match me, my photography, and my website.  Right now I'm using these tacky, colored jewel cases to hold my C.D.'s.  I've been adding some scrapbook paper and layers to the front of the C.D. but I still don't like it.  I want to give my clients (sounds so weird to say that...) something so much better!
• Discover new poses and find ways to articulate how to "do the pose" to my customers.  I often find myself brain-dead (concerning new poses) in the middle of photo shoots and I hate it.  I want to have ideas, know what I'm doing, and not stand around looking like I'm lost.  It's terrible, and I'm determined to fix it.  :)  [Watch out, siblings, I'm sensing that I'll be using you as models soon! ;)]
•  Make every photo shoot look different.  This means that I'm going to strive to do at least one new pose for every photo shoot.   I have the same 4-6 poses I use and then, once-again, I go brain-dead and my creativity flies far, far away and my clients sit there, uncomfortable, waiting for their slow photographer to suggest something! :)
• Give my clients a better experience, whether it be during the actual photo shoot, emailing, or giving them their pictures.   (This whole idea comes from one of my favorite photographers, Katelyn James.)  I tend to be on the shy, quiet side when I don't know someone really well and that is a terrible personality to have when you're a photographer!  Most people are already nervous about having their picture taken and when their photographer timidly suggests something it doesn't calm their fears at all (I've observed this myself...).  I need to know what I want, ask for it kindly and with authority (in a fun way), and, as they're figuring out the pose, encourage them!  I don't want my photography shoots to be an uncomfortable experience for anyone at anytime.  I really want them to enjoy themselves during the time I have with them!  I also want to improve my clients experience by being up-front with everything (prices, locations, advice, etc.), so they don't have to wonder how this or that works.  From the time they first email me I want everything to go smoothly and with zero confusion.  I also want to bless my clients more and I plan to do this with my C.D. packaging.  I have some fun ideas but I can't share them with you until I actually do it! :)

All in all, I'm really excited about the upcoming year!  I've got a lot I need to work on but I already know it's going to be a great one!

By the way, it seems so weird to me, to refer to the people I took pictures of this year, as "clients".  I really don't like that term.  My "clients" are now my friends and I'd much rather call them as such.  It's amazing how close you get to people you take pictures for!  For example, a girl at church (whose family I photographed last year), excitedly waves at me whenever she sees me...and then she comes over and gives me a  big hug and asks me how I'm doing.  (She also calls me Miss Kimber...I don't think I'll ever get used to someone calling me "Miss"! :) I don't know if I ever talked to this particular girl before the photo shoot, and now, she treats me like I'm her best friend!  It's great!

Ever since I was young I've never thought that I was a "people person"...you know, the type of person that loves talking to anyone and everyone about anything?  I've actually prayed, many times, that God would give me a greater heart for people and I think, through photography, He's answered that prayer.  I've found that I really enjoy getting to know families and their stories...I love hearing how engaged people met and how the proposal went...I love following around little toddlers and capturing their sweet smiles and personalities...I love holding little babies and freezing time, through a picture, of their tiny fingers and feet...I love capturing the love between a newly engaged couple, or between seasoned pros!  I love it all. Every season in a person's life, from their first breaths to their last few years of life, is beautiful to me.  

What a joy it is to get to capture all these things!

Thank you, Jesus!

Kimber :)

The Cumby Family

On December 17th I had one of the biggest photography jobs yet:  taking pictures of the Cumby family!  We knew Mr. and Mrs. Cumby through our old church, and we knew their daughter, Jamie Collins, through church too!  Mrs. Collins contacted me in November and asked if I could come do their family pictures when they all got together for Christmas.  I was, as usual, nervous to be handling so many people (some whom I'd never met) and I prayed constantly that everything would go well.  (I can be a bit of a worry-wart. :)  Anyways, as soon as Daddy and I walked into the Cumby house my nervousness started dissipating!  Mrs. Cumby, after a hug, told me to do whatever I wanted (perfect!) and Mrs. Collins got everyone together.  :)
The first pictures I took were of Mr. and Mrs. Cumby's son, Matt, and his girlfriend with their two dogs.

So cute! :)

Then all the grandkids came out and we assembled them on the steps:

I must say that everyone (even the little guys!) did a great job appearing perfectly comfortable for pictures when it was bitterly cold. :)

 Such a beautiful group!

All the girl grandkids!

The men... :)

We also took family pictures!

The Johnson family.

 Brittany and Lew.

The Schlothauer family (left) and the Crowe's (right).

Mr. and Mrs. Cumby!

 The Collins!

Carson (left) and Sarah (right).

 Emily (left) and Abigail (right).

 Mrs. Cumby with the Collin grandbabies. :)

And one last picture of the littlest Cumby grandchild:

Thank you, Collins and Cumby family, for trusting me with your pictures!
Kimber :)