Slow Down.

My last few posts have had a sort of feeling to me - a rushed, hurried, busy type of feeling. My life has been a little crazy lately and I guess my thoughts have come out that way too. I write the way I think and speak and so yeah, I've been a little all over the place lately.

I need to take the time to remind myself to slow down. To breathe deeply. To not let life just carry me away. To enjoy this crazy season in my life.



So, if this is how you're feeling today, wanna slow down for a second with me?

Look for the Light.

Backlight that is.

My favourite kind of lighting situation. I thought that I understood this wonderful lighting technique & how to find locations with it, that is until I read my friend for life Melissa Jill's blog post. (What, one lunch doesn't make us FFL?!?! I made her a SCARF! If that doesn't make us FFL, I don't know what would!) Melissa wrote an amazing series on her blog about locations and it really changed how I looked for locations, she's such a photography genius - you need to go and read her blog. Now, go now.

My favourite post was the one on lighting. I was always looking for locations that had great backgrounds first and then within that find the best light. BUT great light can make a good photo GREAT - no matter the background. And, as I already mentioned, backlighting is my favourite way to light a photo. Melissa does a better job explaining, but here's my own humble attempt.

Look for a spot that has a long shadow - usually buildings, trees, tall structures provide this - and that doesn't have too busy or distracting of a background. Then place your subject(s) feet on the spot were the shadow ends, with their back to the shaded area, facing you. This way the subject's whole body/face will be in shaded and be the same exposure as most of the background BUT the sun will be hitting the back of their bodies/heads giving them almost a glowing look that really makes them stand out in the photo.

I was able to put this wonderful technique into practice recently. This is the parking lot I used for Darren & Mallorey's engagement session.

Yes, really not a pretty parking lot. At all. But, by having Darren & Mallorey stand right where the shadow ended (the spot the red arrow is pointing to) ....


.....I was able to capture some of my favourite images from their session.





I also put this technique into use on Geoff & Kandace's session! We were in a regular ol' back alley with nothing special going on in the background but the light makes this an amazing photo of them :)



Both of these are locations I would have NEVER used before - but, by changing my mindset and looking for great light rather than great backgrounds I was able to capture some wonderful images.

Please let me know if you have any questions or I made NO SENSE trying to explain this :) Or you know, just go and read Melissa Jill's blog ;)

Preserving Memories.

It's been on my mind a lot lately. Preserving memories. Preparing a legacy for my children and their children. Being intentional about saving and sharing our lives for future generations.

I don't want to wake up 10 years from now and realized I haven't preserved anything to show my children.

And, I doubt I'll be able to tell them - 'Oh, just go look at my photo albums on Facebook!' Yeah, probably not. As a photographer this is especially important to me - photo's speak to me, connect me, move me. More than that, I want to keep important things that played a part in our story. Mine and Scott's love story that is - memento's of this happy beginning. Which is why I have been on the look out for a 'Legacy Box', something to keep our wedding things in one beautiful place, and I am so happy with what I found.



I am going to fill this with our wedding cards, my hair piece, the note from the flowers Scott gave me on the day, all of the little pieces that made up that wonderful day. I hope to one day pull it out and show it all to our future children - to share our memories with them while creating new ones.


Some advice cards from our reception - hoping to do something special with these :)

How are you preserving YOUR memories?

Comments.

I started this blog almost exactly two years ago and I still remember how excited I was when the first comment was posted. It felt like my heart was just given a little hug.

Knowing that someone has taken the time to even look at my blog and then leave me a little nugget of encouragement left me smiling all day long.

I *still* feel that way whenever someone takes the time to leave me a little comment on a post. Like my heart is being hugged. And so, a long while ago, when I realized I felt this way by people loving and supporting me by leaving comments - why couldn't I make OTHER people feel the same way? Spread the comment love?

Oh that's right - I was crippled by insecurity and fear of putting myself out there, in the comment section. Come on, really? I decided to get over myself and started to leave comments on the blogs that I frequented - to let these people (mainly photographers but other types of bloggers as well) know that I appreciated what they had taken the time to post and enjoyed viewing it. To give them little heart hugs. It started out as mainly 'Great post!' comments and then as I became more comfortable I started posting more a la Kari comments 'SO BEAUTIFUL!!!!! I absolutely LOVE these images!! That one of the bride doing that thing in the second picture down - GAH!!! You are so seriously amazing!'. I tried to comment on a least every other post if I read their blog every day.

And then, the most amazing thing started to happen. The more I was willing to love and support OTHER people - the more they were willing to come over to my little blog and love and support me! The first time Mary Marantz (believe me non-photography friends, she is a BIG deal) commented on my blog post - I literally fell OUT OF MY CHAIR and then called Scott and yelled the amazing news to him 'MARYJUSTCOMMENTEDONMYBLOGCANYOUBELIEVEITISERIOUSLYCANNOTBELIEVETHISJUSTHAPPENED - *inhale* - SHE KNOWS THAT I EXIST!!!!!!!' To which Scott replied 'HUH?', obviously. But then it starts this wonderful circle of me wanting to leave even more comments on her blog and her coming back to visit mine (Hi Mary! In the off chance that you are actually reading this! I love you in a normal and not at all creepy way!)



It's happened with other photographer's too and even people who consistently see my name pop up in the comment section of other blogs come over to check mine out. Melissa Jill sometimes replies back to the comments I leave on her blog - it makes me SO happy to know she took the time to read my comment and reply back with a little 'Thanks Kari!'. But; even if nothing comes back to me, I am happy knowing I gave someone else's heart a little squeeze. Hopefully made them smile with my overuse of CAPS and !!!!!

So, the whole point of this post is: Amazing things can come from supporting others - especially when you do so from a genuine place.

I dare you - start exercising your comment power more. It doesn't have to be on my blog - it can be on friend's facebook posts even - just keep it positive and supportive. Go ahead, make someone smile today.

My Lobster.

The first 8 months of our relationship was long distance. 12 hour drive, one time zone, 1241 kilometres of distance. Needless to say, we had to be creative with the ways we grew our relationship while being so far apart.

For example, I borrowed all the seasons of Friends from Scott and then while watching them I would text him lines from the episode I was on. He knows almost every episode by heart so our text convo's could go a little like this- Me: 'You got me a cola drink?' Scott: 'and a LIMON LIME!' Me: 'hahahahahaha'. Did I forget to mention just how cool we are?!?

One day I was watching the episode in season 2 where Phoebe is explaining to Ross that Rachel is his lobster because, as everyone knows, lobsters fall in love and mate for life - "You can actually see old lobster couples walkin' around their tank, you know, holding claws". So, of course, I sent Scott a message asking if I was his lobster. To which he replied: "I can't wait until we're old and can hold claws while walking around our tank." Yeah, he's pretty cute.

I found this while unpacking and it made me smile. He's still my lobster :)

Engaged: Darren & Mallorey.

These two beautiful people might look familiar from their 'Just Because' photo shoot last summer. I was thrilled to have them in front of my camera again - even more so because this time they are ENGAGED!!!!

We decided to do something a little different this time and walked around 'downtown' Carman, you know - all 1 1/2 blocks of it ;) It was fun to look at our little town in a new way and it just goes to show you don't need any crazy locations to showcase love.

Darren & Mallorey you two are such a wonderful couple - so genuine, kind, giving. I know that I am not the only one who feels blessed to have you both in my life. You exude joy, happiness, and love and I cannot wait to capture your wedding this June!!


























Have you 'liked' my new Facebook page yet?!?! Internet *high five* if you go and 'like' it right now!!

Comparing.

I came home a few weeks from a photo shoot and I was excited. Like super excited. We had just had so much fun and I LOVED the images I got. As they loaded into Lightroom I was happier and more excited as each image came in. I yelled to Scott in the other room - 'This is my favourite session EVER!!!'

Then I decided to quickly get caught up on my favourite photographers blogs - and in a swift moment, it felt like the wind was taken out of my sails. I felt deflated. Disheartened.

The images I had just taken, and had been in love with two seconds ago, did not even come close to comparing to the images on these blogs. My favourite session ever wasn't even close to being in the same league as these photographers....

Or, that's how I felt.

It wasn't the first time this had happened to me - I've struggled with this for a while. I have a pretty bad habit of letting someone else's work make me discount my own. Of letting the quality of other people's work dictate the quality of mine. Was it worse? Better? WAY SUPER NEVER COME CLOSE WORSE? We are our own worse critics - but, I loved my work, until I realized it wasn't as good as their's.

This has got to stop. I have to value myself, and my photography, more. It's okay if someone produces better photo's than me. I have to learn to use that knowledge, not to discount myself, but to push myself to be better. To improve. To learn from these more experience photographers.

And so, I have come up with a sort of system to help me with this. If I really like a certain photo and it's something I would love to see in my own portfolio - I ask myself why. Is it the pose? The lighting? What can I take from this photo and apply, in my own way, to my photo's? Then I pin it (Yes, I am shamelessly addicted to Pinterest!) so I can actually come back and reference the photo.

Secondly, if I really like a certain photo but it isn't the style or type of photo I would want in my portfolio - I look at the photo with appreciate for the wonderful work of art that it is and then, move on. Why should I get hung up over a photo that doesn't fit into my style of photography?!

This isn't a change that will happen over night. I can't just stop comparing my work to others. But, I am willing to work really hard to change my mindset about it. Do you struggle with comparing too? Any tips on how you handle it? I would love to hear them :)



Here's to turning a new 'leaf' - and to really bad puns!

Connected.

Recently, I went two whole weeks without a cell phone. And let me tell you, it was painful. I hated not being able to get in touch with family and friends - or having to go to extra lengths to do so. I commandeered Scott's phone more than once. Gave out HIS number so people could get in touch with ME. It made me realize just how reliant I am on technology - I was seriously lost without a cell phone! Like I was missing a piece of me!

Thankfully, this past Tuesday, my suffering was ended when UPS finally made the delivery I had been waiting for. A little white box with silver lettering on the outside. The third limb I felt I had been missing. My connection back to society.

My iPhone 4s.

And now, I finally feel like one of the cool kids. Playing Draw Something, downloading the Pinterest App, posting Instagram photo's, and asking Siri to please "Text Scott."



Wait, what? Cool kids DON'T kiss their iPhones?!?!

Well at least I have the coolest case around - which I purchased a whole month before my phone even arrived! Thanks Amazon.com :)



The best part though - feeling connected again.

Just Because: Geoff & Kandace.

These two make me so happy. Just by simply being their wonderful selves. I think that they have this affect on a lot of people. Their love, their happiness, their kindness - it's infectious.

It made me even happier to take their photo. Just because, they have been married for 3 years. Just because, they are so adorable together. Just because, I asked if I could :)

Thank you both so much for allowing me to spend the afternoon capturing your love. I am so incredibly blessed to have you in my life!





Okay, stop it you two. You look AMAZING!



Kandace is my pen pal (of the electronic age). And, as you can tell, she is beyond gorgeous!







The photo on the right just might be my favourite. Their smiles tell it all.





Thanks again for being so wonderful you two :) :)

In other news - I FINALLY got up the courage to make a Facebook page for Kari Jeanne Photography. I would love it a lot and send you internet hugs if you would 'like' it :) :)

10 Random Things about the Birthday Girl.

It was always the joke in my family that I was the 'black sheep' and there were many, many, many reasons for this. What I can say? I was one weird little kid.

One reason for my status is because I am the only member of my family with a birthday outside the months of December and January. All the other 5 members of my family fall into those two months. I, the lone black sheep, celebrated a few months later in April. I thought that made me pretty special growing up.

And so, just in case you needed any more convincing about how special I really am, another edition of....

10 Random Things About Kari!

1. Today is my birthday! Cause for celebration world wide - or at least I think so ;)

2. I can not only fold my tongue in half but make it into a three leaf clover. I know, impressive.

3. Raw chicken grosses me out. Like super a lot. It's a texture thing.

4. 'Warm Vanilla Sugar' is my favourite scent from Bath & Body Works. In any form - hand soap, lotion, body mist, candles. I just love it.

5. Friends is the best sitcom of all time. No contest.

6. I have lived in 3 different countries - Canada, Spain, & the States. (The last two for 3 months each) I hope to add to this list.

7. I would love to learn calligraphy.

8. When I get too excited, my body vibrates. Yes, exactly like a little puppy. I just can't contain my excitement!

9. I wish that I liked running. So I could be a 'runner'. But; unfortunately, me and running don't get along so great. I'll just have to stick with yoga.

10. I greatly dislike horror movies. I refuse to watch anything even remotely scary. Once, I jumped so high during a PREVIEW for a scary movie that I tossed my popcorn everywhere!!!


And there you have it, 10 Random Things that make me so very special :)


Yes, that is me pretending to fall over the edge of the Grand Canyon. Oh, so special.