Weekly Fixations - January 8, 2010

This is a great video to start off the year from Joe McNally. Any photographic sins that you would like to confess?

This post by Style Me Pretty also has a neat video. I was trying to figure out how they managed to shoot the stills and video both so well when I actually started paying attention to what I was reading a realized that they had hired a videographer. What do you guys think about video and stills together like this? Is it something that I should look into?

Ways to give back through photography.

I LOVE this vintage wedding featured on Style Me Pretty here, here, and here.

Top 10 business posts from Digital Protalk in 2009. David Ziser always has really solid business ideas so check it out.

Even if you don't want to enter this Brand Camp blog giveaway, there are some great books on her list for you to check out.

Adorable vintage label downloads here.

My 2010 Word

If you have been following the blog (and if you haven't, why not?) you will know from this post that I was going to choose a word for 2010 instead of making New Year's resolutions. I thought about it for a little while and the word that I kept coming back to was balance.

So, 2010 is going to be the year of balance for me. I am going to work on only saying yes to the things that I know I can accomplish without completely stressing myself out. I am not going to work 15 hour days. I am going to make putting away my laundry a more consistent habit. I will work in all areas of my life to avoid piling things up until I am on the verge of losing my mind and then frantically struggling to catch up.

One of the ways that I am going to try to do this is by experimenting with a block schedule. If you are not already familiar with the term there is a good article on implementing a block schedule here at Splendid Communications. Essentially what it means is that you are planning out ahead of time in a general way how you are going to spend your day or week.

This is what mine looks like right now:

I am sure that not every day or week will go exactly like this, but I think that it is a good start to get things written down so that I actually have to schedule things like filing that I hate to do. Anyway, something to think about for your new year. Have a great one!

Picture Monday - Sneak Peak Beth and Richard

Weekly Fixations - January 1, 2010

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Here is a load of stuff to get your new year started off right.

First, what better way to start a new year than with cheese.

Some good practice to help with your skills of observation.

This is a neat idea not only for groomsmen's gifts but bachlorette also for parties.

Love these dresses from Collette Komm as well as the old fashioned processing technique.

I had never really given much thought to a New Year's Eve wedding (possibly because I am already married) but I saw this post and the idea is really growing on me now.

Picture Monday - More Annie and Christina

Now that Christmas has come and gone I am free to share more of the pictures from Annie and Christina's shoot without ruining the surprise!

Hope you like them!

Weekly Fixations - December 25th

It is Christmas and if all is going as planned I should be on a flight on my way back home. If, instead, that foot of snow has kept me grounded then I am probably getting to spend more quality time on the farm. I hope that all of you are enjoying your time with families and friends. Here's what I found interesting this week:

Would you wear glasses on your wedding day? It makes photos more challenging but some people's glasses are so much a part of their image. Then again, I thought that my thick rims were so much a part of my look that I was worried people would react negatively if I changed to rimless and no one really noticed...

These pinwheels make me think of summer and childhood. Nice thoughts when I am surrounded by cold and snow.

This shoot on Rock'n Roll Bride inspired by Tom Petty's song "Last Dance with Mary Jane" is hauntingly pretty in a very high fashion way. What a fun project to get the creative juices going and it tells a beautiful story.

I like the thought behind this article about Boudoir without lingerie. I think that it would be fun to shoot. Without the lingerie you have to (get to) be more creative and it creates more of a real life vibe versus a fantasy scenario.

Creative rules of thumb to get you thinking outside the box.

Lots of great ideas for displaying your photos at Cool Photo Ideas.

Mental Detox 2009.

Video tutorial on creating custom photoshop shortcuts.

18 books to grow your photography business.

10 Reasons to shut off your autofocus.

I really love this engagement shoot by Yan Photo featured on Ruffled. The heart made of apples is adorable and the photos make me think of Pride and Prejudice and uncomplicated love.

Hope that your Christmas is everything you hoped for and more!

A Word for the Coming Year

I ran across this article in which Alison Magda talks about how she likes to pick a word each year that she would like to work on incorporating into her life and her photography business in the coming year. The word she chose for the upcoming year is "Authenticity". I like that choice. Especially when you are building a brand based on who you are as a person and a photographer authenticity is important.

I have never been a big fan of New Year's resolutions that always tend to be way to general (I promise to eat better. Better what? Kobe beef? Really good chocolate? Far too many ways to twist that to my will.) or way too specific (I resolve to do yoga everyday - Yeah, right). Because of my inability to actually follow through on the details of a specific resolution I like the idea of a concept to follow for the coming year. I feel like this gives you more freedom and less stress while still working towards an admirable goal. I like knowing what I need to do and having a deadline but being able to work on it in my own way and on my own time. That is why this is so perfect for me.

So, now that I am excited about it I need to come up with my word. Obviously, as great a word as "Authenticity" is, I can't use that one because that would make me an uncreative copy cat. A few words pop to mind. I think I will run them down and think on them for a while before I decide...

First - "Balance". This is a big one for me juggling two jobs, a board position, household duties, and (in theory) a personal life. This past year has been pretty skewed and it would be nice to shift the balance back away from the red zone.

Next - "Details". I really do feel like it is the attention to detail that sets people apart from their competitors. While I have spent a lot of effort trying to personalize the Client experience in 2009 there are so many more great ideas that I have for 2010.

"Simplicity" I like this for a lot of reasons. I think that the concept of simplicity can also encompass efficiency and order - which are things that I like. Simplicity also makes me think good, happy thoughts like relaxing, and delegating.

Do you guys have any suggestions for me? (Please be kind!) Do you plan on doing something similar in the coming year?

I hope that you all have a Merry Christmas!