A Year Has Gone By...

It was just over a year ago that I purchased my Canon Rebel XTi. When it came in the mail, I remember sitting on my living room floor, looking at the box, and hearing my husband say, "Open it!! Open it!!" I finally did, but oh was I nervous. For the next couple weeks, I came up with excuses for why I wasn't using my camera, but it was really just out of fear. I didn't know how to use it, so I didn't! Eventually, I started taking random pictures. I took photos of the radiators in my apartment and I took one picture at my sister's birthday dinner. Pathetic, right?

A few months later, I had the opportunity to shadow Alison at this shoot and the rest is history. She let me snap away with her that day giving me tips along the way. She gave me compliments on my composition, which stuck with me and it gave me confidence that this was something I could do too... with practice :)

A few short months later I had a friend asking me to do family pictures. A friend asking me to do engagement pictures. Assisting Ali at my first wedding. And then came the first job that I was paid to shoot. I bought a domain for my future website. Volunteering snuck in there too. I started getting emails from friends of friends and met with people I didn't even know. But each time, people were willing to invest in what I could offer them and it was wonderful.

I have so much to learn and I don't think I'll ever stop learning. But this has been one fantastic year for me. I am capturing these moments that people treasure. That's what I want to do. I'm going to keep doing it!

A few more photos from my recent maternity shoot. I just loved the experience of this shoot! It was full of *life* and *love*.

Happy 2009! I have a lot of ideas and I can't wait to see what THIS year brings!!