Last night I had the great pleasure of attending my first ever Atlanta PUG meeting. PUG stands for Pictage User Group; Pictage being the online photo lab/forum/community/arena-of-awesomeness that I am a member of. I’ve been a member of Pictage for a while now, but am just now discovering all of the fantastic things that it enables me to do! There is a whole community out there, and I am learning so much…be it from the forums, or from meetings like last night. 


The Atlanta PUG meets once a month, and last night was our ‘April’ meeting (technically). I was beyond nervous to show up to a group of people that have way more knowledge and expertise than I do…and are a whole lot better looking, too. Photographers are hot! As I sat through the meeting, I won’t lie…I was a little overwhelmed with all that I had around me! Seriously…GENIUSES were in the room. Today I’m taking the time out to think and to thank… thinking about where I would like to go in this industry, and thanking those that helped me and will help me get there.


Our speaker last night was the amazingly talented and super compassionate, Dane Sanders. He wrote a book (product plug!) for photographers that has been beyond helpful to me, but really it would be great for any creative person who is looking for some clarity in who they are. Here are a few shots from last night, because it would have been rude to not take pictures in the middle of the event. 

Here is Shari Zellers, an Atlanta wedding photographer, and also the Atlanta PUG leader. She is so warm and energetic, I was happy to finally meet her after soaking in all of her wisdom on Pictage forums. I can’t wait to stalk her more

I thought that this time, instead of choosing my own theme, I’d ask my amazingly creative blog readers what you think it should be! What do you think should be my next photo-obsession? At the end of a week of exploring this theme, I will also be giving away a print from the series!!! How’s that for getting what ya want!?

 

As I sit down and get to work this morning, it occurs to me that somehow in the last 48 hours I have aged a little (or about 40 years).   On both Friday and Saturday I had a bedtime of about 11:30. During the week this is normal…but on the weekend? Just call me the fun-sucker. And though you would think that this would allow me to get up earlier to perhaps enjoy a nice brunch, I was actually loathing the clock as it read 10:00am. I’ve concluded that I a) need some rest and it was finally getting to me or b) I’m a 60yr old in a 23 yr-old’s body.


During the 6 hours of the day that I WAS awake… I had a great weekend! As the days continue to get warmer in Atlanta, people continue to freak out and grill-out in obscure places and have crazy themed parties. Here we go!

Happy Friday! Happy weekend! Happy -day-that-no-work-gets-done-because-we-are-already-checked-out-for-Saturday day!

This will be the first full weekend of spring! Lets hope it’s good… and to all of you who are kind of just waiting for this day to end… here are some fantastic time-wasters (read: things to do with your time that may or may not be productive).

Enjoy.

1. Free Rice.com
     Seriously I can spend hours on this because I want to try to beat my high score, or and I also TOTALLY know the definition to the word cajole…just let me try again! It’s a great way to improve your vocabulary (and you can do it in another language…my french has improved. C’est tres facile)
Also.. every 100grains of rice you win goes to feed someone dying of hunger! Life-Saving time-wasters!!!

2. Falling Sand
 Just click your mouse to make your own creative digital-sand-art masterpiece. I’m trying to justify this in some way, but really… it’s just fun.

3. People of Walmart
 Going to school in the North Georgia Mountains introduced me to a lot of things. Walmart fashion was definitely one of them. This site highlights the best (read:worst) possibly fashion decisions that Wal-Mart patrons around the globe have made. I secretly think that they are all actually from Dahlonega.

I leave you with this picture, from the website totallylookslike.com

On Tuesday I had the opportunity to shoot the first of what I hope will be a new staple here over at Sarah Esther. These new sessions will allow the children to run around to their heart’s delight all over jungle gyms, slides, and sand-boxes while having their pictures taken. I know how hard it is to photograph children, and it often leaves the parents seriously contemplating a straight-jacket for little Bobby and Sue. These new sessions will allow for some seriously fun pictures of kids having a BLAST and actually smiling during a portrait session (it’s possible!). I’ve appropriately titled them ‘The Playground Sessions’ and I can’t wait to do more!

The first session introduces us to Baylee, the big sister of Breezy from this post. I took her to the playground at E. Rivers Elementary in Atlanta and she had a blast. Here are some of my favorites! Enjoy.

Woo hoo it’s the middle of the week!

Time for another installment of my Wednesday Wish-List.
Please don’t consider me unhappy with my current state of life… really these are just things that I wouldn’t refuse if someone just-so-happened to send them to me … or that I wouldn’t refuse to buy if I just-so-happened to be in a fit of impulse when i encounter them. That being said… on with it!

Flea Market Style: A Little Teaser…

Today I’d like to introduce you to some eye candy… you, know… something that makes you go ‘AWWW’ or ‘OMG’ or ‘GASP’ or any other verbal sound that isn’t actually a word I LOVE me some eye candy simply because I think it really does put you in a better place! Pretty things make us happier, I think. I’m sure there is a Psychology Today article that can back me up, but just take my word for it if you don’t have time to do the research hahah.

I’ve had the pleasure of taking care of some of the neighborhood kids recently, and they are a blast to hang out with. The mom that I help has 4 kids (FOUR!!!!) all of them are pretty close in age…and the oldest ones are boys. You can imagine that her days is probably full of ‘Hey, don’t light that on fire’ and ‘No, Clay, we don’t eat dryer sheets..’. I bring my camera over sometimes (most of the time) to practice shooting around, and because her kids are so gorgeous that they fit snuggly into the ‘eye candy’ category.

Here is her youngest, Breezy. She has the BIGGEST eyes, and never stops smiling. Happy eye candy, everyone!

So excited because I was just informed that I won some of BridalHood’s soy candles from her recent giveaway!

Check out her blog-link here to see the candles… and make sure to read up on all that she has going on. She has a great eye for wedding-fashion and trends, and it helps that she’s in the midst of it all as she is planning her very own wedding!

Thanks so much BridalHood!

I don’t have a problem with Monday’s because they have a distinct quality about them…they’re consistent. Monday’s show up, and they pretty much all carry the same air about them… you always know what to expect…and I think that helps alleviate some of the ‘ugh Monday’-ness. And seriously, if you are able to read this right now, can’t we just acknowledge the 10+ things we have to be thankful for that make that possible?

weekends, however, are unpredictable to most of us… and I feel like that’s why we get all lethargic when it comes to Fri-Sunday and then proceed to yearn for the unpredictable adventures (or laziness, I’m not above that!) for the rest of the week.

…excuse me while I dismount from my soap box…

For me, this weekend was one of those that leaves ya yearnin’ for the next…