Texture Tuesday: Partings

I’m a little late posting this image, but better late than never.  This image has been processed using Kim Klassen’s texutre “Partings.”  My brother and I were having fun taking pictures of each other… me using my Nikon, and he, using his Canon.  I was having some trouble finding an image that I wanted to use that would work for me with this texture.  I wasn’t feeling very creative last night or this morning.  It wasn’t until I sat down to watch the 3rd season of “The Vampire Diaries” with my daughters that the inspiration came to me.

Behind the Scenes, Day 1:: Why Do I Blog?

Why do I blog?  What a question to ponder.  Over the next 4 weeks, this is the subject I’ll be reviewing, studying, and learning about with my Behind the Scenes group.  After pondering this question and thinking about Kim and Xanthe‘s responses… my reasons began popping into my radical pea-sized-pituitary-gland brain:

• I’m just a little bit selfish.  I honestly started this blog for advertising purposes only.  I want to sell my work.  I want to be well known.  I never in my wildest dreams thought I’d discover a rich group of people in what I now call my WordPress family.  I’m amazed at the connections I’ve made with other photographers and writers.  I’m even following a blog about a gal chronicling her daily challenges with PTSD.  I love the format that makes following other bloggers in WP so easy.  I can miss several days, but then spend some time before bed just going down my blogosphere list.  I can quickly like photography posts with just a view of the imagery, and then delve deeper into other blog posts.  So while I do this for me – to promote me… I wound up finding a rich treasure I didn’t know was waiting for me!  I’m grateful for the followers and friendships I’ve cultivated along my blogosphere journey.

• I’m a writer.  I’ve had other blogs that were incognito, and I bore my heart and soul on them.  The only one that’s really still out there other than this one and my designer blog (which is still a work in progress) is my writing blog:  Progressive Muse.  I’ve been writing in a journal since I was eight years old.  I’m still working on putting the journals and photos together into a blurb book (which stalled out a few years ago, lol).  My youngest is currently reading a spiral bound version of my life in 7th and 8th grade.  She’s very entertained.  I always wanted to know MORE about my ancestors and have eaten up every last detail I can get my hands on them.  I’ve got 11,000 relatives in my PAF genealogy software (yes, you read that correctly), and have tried to put detailed stories with each individual that I could find.  None of the names were imported from other sources; it was all my heart & soul, typing their stories for generations to come.  So because I’ve always been interested in others’ stories, I’ve always assumed that someone would be interested in mine.  So I write for them.  I even jumped into trying my hand at a Kindle eBook… and have plans to write another!  I didn’t know this was something I’d ever actually get to do.

• I like attention.  Just ask anyone close to me (and all the poor guys I’ve dated over the years), and they’ll tell you I like being the center of attention.  I used to be heavy into acting & drama.  (My youngest is headed in that direction now as well.)  I want people to like my photography.  I love getting likes and comments on my posts.  Not that what other people think defines who I am… it just feels good.  I mean really, really good!  Seeing that I hit 500 likes, then 1,000 likes was awesome!  Checking out my stats and seeing how many people are creeping on my blog every day is awesome!  Especially when I have a huge following in places like France, the U.K., and Italy.  I mean, who knew?  Maybe I’ll get to travel to those countries (which also happen to be my top 3 I want to visit) someday and write about them in my blog as well as post rich, gorgeous imagery from these amazing places!

• I want to share my photography journey.  A blog is an excellent way to look back and see how far I’ve come in this respect.  I’m a goal setter, and was big on setting long term goals in my past.  After I got divorced, I stuck to very short term goals.  Graduating from ASU.  Getting my MBA.  Buying a house.  I finally set a long term goal to be a photographer in ten years time.  I know that’s very far off.  It also means a lot of double-time in the mean time.  However, I am methodically reaching that goal each and every single day.  Blogging is a huge part of that.  Since committing to joining A Post A Day 1/2 way through the year, I have been more serious about blogging and creating imagery for my posts.  That in turn increases my work available for sale.  It also motivates me to get behind the lens no matter how lazy or tired I may be feeling on any given day.

• I’m lonely.  OMG!  There, I said it.  I went from a very action oriented, high-stress, deadline intensive day job to a very low stress, minimal human contact and low-keyed feng shui job.  I don’t regret my decision to switch to a job that gives me less stress, and fewer hours (meaning more time for photography)… it’s just that life has become SO much quieter. Both companies I work(ed) for have fantastic employers and are great companies period.  I will say, having a giant corner office as well as more time to focus on my kids, my photography, and my designing is beyond amazing!  Right now I’m stuck somewhere between the middle of being an introvert and an extrovert.  I’m very much in the introverted schema due to my PHN more so than I normally would be otherwise.  It’s hard to get out and do anything.  I don’t mind in that I do spend a lot of time with my kids, but I also turn down a lot of social events/opportunities because of my leg.  I am seriously trying not to dwell on that, and be positive… however I’ve always been a bit more cynical and dark humored.  I don’t like being limited, but on the flip side I did develop quite an incredible style with my floral photography that has been a huge hit.  Had I not been stuck so close to home, I wouldn’t have been purchasing florals by the gazillion to photograph and process.  It’s a little hard to find the good in the not-so-ideal situation, but I’m still working at it each day.

• 101 in 1001.  Lastly this is my change in opening up more in my blog.  I wasn’t going to open up and just stick strictly to photography.  It was at Melissa Jill’s suggestion to be more open and give my photography a voice, to let people get to know the person behind the shots.  I’m vacillating between being a little bit open and a lotta too open right now.  Hopefully during the next four weeks as I discuss the blogosphere with my fellow bloggers in Behind the Scenes, I’ll find that happy medium.  I’ll hopefully be able to refine my style a bit more as well… determine what is the best ME for not only my audience, but for ME (see bullet point #1).

Thanks for following along.  I’ve got a fantastic journey ahead of me over the next ten years.  I’m anxious to see what direction life takes me.  For now I’ll just focus on the next 965 days and conquering my 101 goals (or the majority of them).  Of course that leaves me A LOT of days to post some amazing portraiture, landscapes, florals, and whatever other photonerdery comes along while I shoot my Nikon!  I hope to shoot a lot of souls over the next 965 days until I start Volume 2 of 101 in 1001 as well chronicle them with fantastical bloggery along the way!

101 in 1001 #69: Puttin’ on the Ritz

So one of my goals in my 101 in 1001 was to donate a piece to a silent auction.   I was under the impression (from my mother) that this weekend’s formal event was for a silent auction, which turned out to be a raffle… which is fine with me… it was a fundraiser for the White Mountain Arts Alliance.  I was pretty thrilled at how many raffle tickets wound up in the “top hat” in front of my piece.  I was even more excited about the number of people who wanted to purchase my Violet Orchids piece outside the auction.  Especially since it’s my favorite in my collection.  Nothing like having other people love something you created/love yourself!

I met some fantastic people, and as nervous as I get around strangers (no one would ever believe it, I’m really good at faking it… except for the stuttering & stammering, lol)… I had a wonderful time.  So, I can now knock #69 of my list since the auction/raffle is all the same thing in my mind.  As difficult as it was returning to Pinetop (this is only the second time I’ve come up here since my dad passed away 3 years ago), I’m glad I did.  I knocked another 101 off my list in addition to this one, but I’ll save that one for tomorrow.  I still have some images I want to process.

I enjoyed sleeping in my dad’s old room and visiting his grave.  I expect him to walk through the door any minute asking why I have all my crap all over his room, lol.  I slept better in his room last night than I have in I don’t know how long.  Is it morose that I find comfort sleeping in the room in which he died?  Dunno, just feel closer to him in here.  Though I will admit going through his night stands, and finding his stack of unfinished crossword puzzles and stock spreadsheets from 2006 was a tiny bit unnerving.  I found a note that I had written him about how excited I was to be getting a computer back in 1983.  How crazy is that?  Funny finding little notes that he’d saved my whole life that I’d forgotten I’d ever even written.

It was nice coming back to my 2nd home away from home.  I’m not looking forward to the drive back to my home tomorrow.  I wish I had another day to chill out in the pines.  I made a few good memories, and at the end of the day, laughter and good company make life that much more entertaining!  So yay me!

My bio for the raffle

101 in 1001 – #27, I’m 1/2 Way There!

Imagine my surprise when I woke up this morning to my notification that I had 1,000 likes on my blog.  How exciting is that?  I know, may seem kind of silly that I set a goal to get 2,000 likes on my blog… but who doesn’t want to be liked?  I’m not feeling so creative this weekend, except for creating my little pink button image to link to my 101 in 1001 goals.  Feel free to use it if you feel inspired to create your own list of 101 goals in 1001 days.  (Just please leave my watermark on it.)  Hopefully I’ll find some motivation to process some images and do something fabulous before Monday morning.

Vintage Gas Pump

More of my treasures from my trip to Las Vegas last month.  I can’t believe an entire month as passed by since I went to go visit my son.  I miss him so much.  Isn’t it funny how seeing someone you haven’t seen for six months can make you miss him even more?

About the image, I used MCP’s Snap, Crackle, Pop actions, Yellow Sky’s True Grit action (I LOVE this action!), and textures from Kim Klassen.  This takes my quota down to 35 images to process and add to RedBubble!  I need to keep pressing forward every single day!  I love my 101 in 1001, it helps me stay motivated!

Don’t forget to link back to my GIVEAWAY (click here), and enter for a $10.00 or $5.00 gift certificate to RedBubble!