A little ME time!

Ok so I just need this time to talk (or write) a little. Like I said at the beginning of this whole thing I am not very good with words and tend to ramble and jump around, so please bear with me! So if you're interested, grab a drink and get comfy!
I feel like I am missing something...I have been so caught up with the business part of this endevour that I have lost myself. Now I need to find me again...I need to pull out my camera and see life and gain perspective through the lens. My kids will be relieved to be looking at me from behind the camera again!
Growing up I have always had what others call a talent for art. I could always hand draw a pretty good representation of what I was looking at, have been good with colors and can visualize something before I actually see it. It may be somewhat of a talent, but I have always felt that it was somewhat of a curse. I am only realizing this now. I have always lived under pressure. I was always the one in school picked to draw or paint something, the teachers would always single me out to others...you may be thinking that this would be flattering, and to a certain extent it was, but there was always that pressure (that I guess I put on myself) that it was never good enough because there was always someone better than I. I never had a chance to enjoy it and be proud of myself for what I can do for myself and for others. I have always been pretty hard on myself. All these years of wasting what I had.
From school I went into graphic design, where it was the same thing. I can see now that the underlying joy for what I did was there, but it was always pushed aside and ignored by the pressure I put on myself that whatever I did was not good enough. I guess it is just who I am, I don't think it was inherited or learned, I have just always been so hard on myself.
I really don't like the feeling. So when I had my first 2 kids I got out of the art field. I began working in the health field, where I could see others that were not feeling so good in one way or another and felt like if I can just smile, it might help ease their pain, if only for a moment. The pressure was gone...
Something, though, keeps bringing me back. Back to the exposure of others and vulnerable to the dissappointment I set myself up for.
Okay already, this time will be different, it is obvious to me now. This is something that I have to do. I need to learn what it is I need to learn. To be happy with who I am and what I can do. To demonstrate to my children, perserverance and self confidence. Even though, down this road you will be hurt or frustrated, but those are just more stepping stones in the path that makes you a better person. I have been saying for a while now that everything in life happens for a reason, and if you can realize that reason and learn from it, you will be the person you want to be. It just takes time... sometimes too much time.
Well there ya go. I feel so much better. Thanks for listening! And thanks for all of you who always love and encourage me...be patient I'm getting there. I am perservering and will not give up this time. If I can help someone see beauty through portraiture then I should feel fulfilled, it's coming.
Enough about me, I want to hear about you, if there is anybody that actually took the time to read this...drop me a line, leave a comment in the comments section even if you are anonymous, it would be great to hear!

Thanks for the encouragement, I feel better now!

Early Spring SALE

So, to add to the kick off of my gallery and because the weather is so nice...I decided to have a sale. Somewhat of a portfolio building sale!

I am offering 50% off my session fee with a $15 credit towards prints! This sale will run until June and sessions must be booked from now until Oct 15, 2008. The 50% also applies for maternity and newborn sessions, please email me for more details and if you are interested in booking a session!

momentsbyalli@mcsnet.ca

Take advantage of capturing those precious moments, to remember for a lifetime!

GALLERY!

I am so excited to be making this happen!  I really love photography and am so excited to be able to share this passion with you!  Thank you so much to all of you who support me and encourage me and just listen, it means more to me than you know!  I am so looking forward to this year and really hope that it brings more opportunities and experience!

My gallery is now available for viewing!!  Don't worry I didn't rent a space or spend tons to get it going, it is really quite simple and I am just blessed to have the help and resources!!  Of course, I mean my mom and dad!  They have really been there for me to help me along the way!  Dad, you are always full of answers and advice and it really means so much, thank you!  On top of this they have let me use their coffee shop to display my work.  So go and visit SNICKERDOODLES on main street in Lac La Biche and enjoy a specialty coffee and some baking, sit and relax and check out some of my photos!!

Thanks to all of you for letting me share your portraits in Snickerdoodles, I love you all!

Alli 

Fun times

This is my favorite!! I love how he is stopped in midair, while the motion is all around him!

So here they are, some fun family pictures of my niece's birthday party (her birthday is actually in December but we had the party in Feb.). My sister rented a gymnasium and the kids had a blast, bouncing, running, jumping, swinging, climbing... I'm really playing in manual mode now and was able to experiment with some exposures... anyway we had a blast!

Loving it more and more every day...

So I spent a long night last night on the computer and I am so thankful (even though my eyes are still sore!). I have met and been inspired by a few photographers (I'll be adding new links to their sites). Thanx for the advice and support!!

I was going through some photos from fall and thought that I would post some from a family session since I have been a bad, bad photographer and haven't thought of anything creative to photograph. Now that the weather is supposed to be "average" I'll be getting out!! Can't wait!

I played with the color on this one for a vintage look.

Always Learning

Today I have been playing around with textures, so I pulled out a couple photos...

Tomorrow I am hoping to post some pictures from the weekend.  We took the kids to a gym for gymnastics.  I got some fun action shots of the kids!

Some wedding pics from 2006

These are some photos from a wedding I did almost 2 years ago...

:0) ;0) :)

My little man

Coming Soon.... :)

Soooooooo, I am going to have a GALLERY!!  Yup, a place to display my photography!  I am very excited about this and hope that you will come and see it!  I will announce more info on this in upcoming posts!  I would also like to give a little sneak peak of what I will have on display, just one for now!

I will sneak peak more... so check back!