Happy New Year!
Welcome to 2018!
It seems I let the last couple months of 2017 run away with me, as I did little shooting and next to no blog updates. I do apologize to you, friends and fans. Between holidays, visitors, Cube World, and two rounds of the winter bug that made itself well known in our community, I became quite the slacker when it comes to creativity and self-care. And self-care itself turned into little more than survival mode, at best.
But, another year closed out, the holidays were still wonderful, if slightly muted compared to previous years, and I'm stepping into 2018 with great expectations and a positive mindset!
This time last year, I had set my intentions toward not only self-improvement (which is going quite well, by the way), but toward a broad goal of building my photography portfolio and beginning to build a business from a hobby. My mindset all year in 2017 was discovering what direction I want to take my photography, and the various means and tools I would need to go that direction. I did a lot of research, reading, and viewing others' works and ideas, gathering the inspiration and knowledge I felt would serve me on my journey. Thus far, it seems my main photographic niche is in landscape and farm/agricultural imaging. I am also considering venturing into the fine art imaging realm. And I actually began building a gallery with a stock photography group, Ag Stock Photos. I hope to build a passive income source in stock photography, and I have a good feeling about this particular outlet. More about Ag Stock in another post!
AgStockPhotos.com
Along the way, I also decided that the corporate life is not really for me, but at this point in our lives, my income is kind of important. Rather than bail out in a heated frenzy (and believe me, I have wanted to, many times!) I have decided to stick it out, and view the job as a stepping stone to help me get where I want to be with my photography career. I decided to be grateful for the job I have, and spent time reflecting on what I do like about it, and what sort of improvements it has made in my life, rather than focusing negatively about the things I don't like about it. I won't be staying there forever, nor do I want to; but I now see it as a source of income to help me establish my own business.
That sort of mindset alone has helped me in other areas of my life, and I feel like I am not the same person I was this time last year, and surely not two years ago. I am much happier, calmer, and less bothered by things that used to burn my toast on a regular basis. Learning to be an observer, rather than a reactor, has really become a regular practice for me, and as a result, life seems so much better.
With the last of the Christmas decor packed up and ready to go into the rafters, and our household beginning to return to some semblance of normalcy, I finally got back to editing photos and writing again! Just finished compiling a folder of holiday snaps to share with the family, got the link emailed off, and made a couple of minor upgrades on my PC with some apps I think will be useful in my photography.
Oh! Almost forgot to mention the most lovely, spectacular gift of all I received this year! My sweet husband bought me the cutest little travel mug that resembles a camera lens. I'd wanted one of these clever little mugs for awhile, and showed him a picture of one. It was the first gift I opened.
But that wasn't the spectacular gift. The next gift actually made me cry, it was so unexpected, and so, so appreciated....the man bought me a new Canon EOS Rebel T6 kit! I was SO speechless.....still am, really! It was overwhelming. I actually teared up upon opening it.
It is a powerful thing when someone shows they believe in what you are doing by investing in it that way.
My version of Team Canon 2018, with my new Rebel T6 on the right, the additional EF 75-300 mm lens center, and my trusty old PowerShot SX10is on the left. While I will be spending more time with the new camera, I won't be leaving Ol' Blue in the closet, necessarily.
After the hubbub of Christmas finally died down, and I had a little time to spare here and there between work and family, I began to get to know my new camera and its accompanying lenses. It is absolutely amazing the difference between the image quality of my little old workhorse PowerShot SX10is, that has served me faithfully for several years, and its new friend the Rebel T6!
I do realize, the camera is only a tool, and in the right hands, can do amazing things. Just like a hammer in the right hands either builds a quality custom home or bends a nail hopelessly; but I am so grateful and excited to have another tool to work with! Already, I have discovered things I can do that I had tried to do with my old SX10is but failed, that the T6 does with ease! Can't wait to get some more time (and hopefully, WARMER WEATHER, so I can go outside and shoot) and make some more images with my new camera.
Well, I wish you all a Happy and Stunning New Year. I want to thank you all for following along on my journey thus far. I plan to share so much more with you all in 2018. Hopefully soon, I will be updating my galleries with new images, and the blog with new ideas and adventures to share! Feel free to leave me a note or a comment below, and share your goals and thoughts for 2018. And as always, if you are interested in purchasing prints, or in need of a writer or images for publication, please do email me at lauriesmith@photographer.net.
Happy New Year!
