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You’d think I would’ve been able to get around to this blog post sooner than now because I AM super excited about everything that went down in Atlanta, but I feel like I’m barely surviving this month. I took December off while my nanny went on vacation for the month. It was nice to just focus on my family and not have to worry about running my business every day. Then January came, I had sessions booked, my trip to Atlanta, lots of new product samples to design, order…stuff to get done…but still no nanny. And so I’m a crazy woman doing two full time jobs at once. (Now is the time I’m going to insert a random plug for this silly song called Stressed Out by Twenty One Pilots which you can watch/listen to HERE). But I’m still alive, my kids are still alive and I’m loving meeting my new 2016 brides at the consultations I’ve been having so it’s all good.
Last week I returned home from attending the Imaging USA conference held in Atlanta, Georgia this year. This is the annual convention that Professional Photographers of America puts on where awards are presented, degrees handed out, the International Print Competition exhibit is on display, there’s a huge trade show plus educational classes going on throughout. Add to that traveling and rooming with some of my favorite photographer friends and it’s always a highlight of my year. BUT this year was special because my mom and husband came to support me! I was recognized as a Diamond Photographer of the Year (which means I had a perfect print), a Grand Imaging Award Nominee (my album of Will & Beka placed 6th!) & I earned my Master of Photography degree (which Jordan was able to hang around my neck).
While in Atlanta, I was also able to see my entire print case on display as part of the 2015 Loan Collection and while walking the trade show floor I passed two of my images on display at the Simply Color Lab booth. They printed my ice castle image as a 40×60 metal art wall and one of my favorite temple shots as a 30×40 fine art wall. The company had a contest where photographers submitted images to be featured with the promise that if they used our images we’d get to keep the finished products when the tradeshow season is done. So both of those art wall’s will eventually be shipped to me to keep!
The week before I left the mailman delivered January’s issue of Professional Photographer Magazine where I was featured as a Diamond Photographer. They chose my image “Enveloped” for full page loveliness! It’s always so fun to see your work in print, especially in a national publication.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
And so there you have it, my January thus far. Pretty cool, but I will admit while it is of course fun to get all dressed up and stand on a big awards stage (special thanks for Emily who took the onstage images in this post), I wouldn’t trade my professional accomplishments for the joyful insanity that is my home life. It’s such a constant struggle for balance and I totally just cleaned up poop off the carpet (not winning any potty training awards around here anytime soon) but being a mother and wife is still my number one priority and the source of true joy I experience. Second to that is creating art for my clients. Yes, the awards are fun. But I don’t shoot to win, I shoot because I love it so so much. And the natural high and energy I get from coming home with the perfect shot just can’t be beat. (Well except for seeing that perfect shot hanging in my clients home but we’re working on that this year! All collections now include credit towards finished products NOT just digital files. YEAH!!!)