108
This post has been a long time coming. I just wasn't fully aware of it's necessity until recently.
Let me speak on experiences for a moment.
Experiencing life is the only way to truly live it, if you ask me. Sometimes, you jump right in - unconcerned about risk. Other times, you dip your toes to test the temperature. I think you need a healthy balance of both; a blend of spontaneousness and caution.
Many of my big experiences have been pretty carefully thought through; love, college, my first tattoo, hair school, etc. But photography is one that required some risk. We didn't really have time to 'dip our toes' - it all happened rather quickly, much like taking a deep breath and plunging into a mysterious - yet intriguing - body of water.
Photography has been such a thrill for us. It has opened doors that we would have never even thought to try out, challenged and pushed our creativity, brought us closer as a couple, introduced us to beautiful, inspiring people, and taught us the necessary lessons of failure and success. To describe it as a passion would be accurate, but I love to also think of it as an ongoing experience. We are experiencing life from behind a camera; watching moments unfold and freezing them so they can be relived all over again long after. It's an overwhelming privilege - this career of capturing memories.
I'd like to digress, but without taking anything away from what I just wrote. Everything mentioned above is exactly how I've felt, and continue to feel about photography.
I'm entering a new world.
After being accepted into the Aveda Institute last Fall, my life has been slowly transforming. I'm molding myself to be ready for a new phase - a new chapter - a new experience. The cosmetology industry is something that I've been waiting to be a part of for awhile now - I was just waiting on the when? question to be answered. And now it is. This month I will begin my journey and I couldn't be more excited about what this means for my future.
I need to note that something happened about a month ago that sort of instilled a greater amount of anticipation in me about my upcoming opportunity at Aveda.
I entered their annual 'natural talent' scholarship, was selected as a finalist, competed, and - much to my amazement - won. This means a lot of different things for me: one, it means that Ben and I can feel less strain financially because my school investment will be completely paid for. Before i even entered the competition, we knew that we would make it work - whatever we had to do. But we don't have money growing on trees, so this investment was going to be pretty heavy for us. The scholarship is a huge, monumental blessing, and I think Ben may even be more thrilled about this aspect than I am. :)
Two (and possibly even more important on a different level), it confirms that this is what I should be doing. There are a LOT of talented people that are entering the Institute. To be selected among a group of my talented future peers as having natural potential is an extremely rewarding feeling. I would never, ever want to seem like I'm high-fiving myself, but it feels good to know I'm going in the right direction. It feels good to know that I have found my niche. For the first time in my life, I have found an outlet where my passions, abilities, and motivation can collide. It's immensely fulfilling.
So a decision was on the horizon. And as the self-proclaimed Queen of Indecisionland, I promptly ignored the irritating thing for as long as I could. :)
But much like Crocs, it just wouldn't go away.
So, here we are.
Ben and I have made the decision to completely step away from photography as a career.
I felt like I should just let it be out there on it's own, and that it needed to be said it quickly and plainly - like ripping off a band-aid.
Now I can explain a little more.
Originally, we thought we'd just step away from weddings (you can read all about my first attempt at getting my life figured out HERE :)). This is what seemed to fit best with our schedule, and seemed like the appropriate decision at the time. But looking back now, I think we both knew that wasn't completely right. Here's why - when we are involved in something, we want to be in it all the way. 110%. We give our blood, sweat, tears, and passion, and we push ourselves. Hard. I think this is how you should do things in life. Otherwise, some things are only getting little bits and pieces of you (30% here....54% there....).
Once Aveda became a reality, photography slowly, but surely, began taking a back seat. I should have known that this would happen. And like I said - I think I kind of did. But it's hard to break away from something that you've been so invested in. And sometimes, I want to foolishly convince myself that I can have 37 irons in my fire and give that 110% to all of them. That's....4,070%. And that's just a scary number.
I started feeling disconnected to photography. I was losing my motivation - my drive. NOT because I don't love it - I do! But because I was wearing myself so thin and I felt it becoming more like a job, and less like a passion.
So I began doing some soul-searching. Isn't that such a horrifying (but, at the same time, completely refreshing) thing? What I discovered is that I'm an over-committer. And a bit of a people-pleaser. And that I'm not as happy in everything that I'm doing as I'd like to pretend that I am.
Here's my current reality:
-The cosmetology industry is my future - and I want to push myself to be an absolutely exceptional cosmetologist.
-Photography will always be a part of my life (and a passion), but I don't want it to be my career.
-I want to be a better wife, friend, sister, daughter, grand-daughter, niece, etc.
-I want to spend more time with Ben, and have 'date nights' again.
-I want to hang out more with my family, and my friends.
-I want to take days off.
-I want to rediscover old hobbies, and explore new ones.
-I want to spend less time at my computer.
-I want to be a better listener.
-I want to learn how to say 'no' more often.
-I want to do more charity work.
-I want to spend more time outside with Putter.
-I want to have kids....at some point. :)
-I want to laugh more.
-I want to have quiet time.
-I need more time - period - to do all of the above-mentioned things.
-I want to be completely fulfilled.
This being said, we have a lot to do in the way of changes. What you need to know about these changes:
This blog will not be shutting down - I have a lot to say, and I think Ben needs me to have somewhere else to say some of it. :) It will simply transition into a more personal endeavor. It will still have stories, photos, and experiences. Lots of experiences. :)
We will still be open to doing shoots every now and then, but it won't be for money, and it will be selective (based on what we can, and want to take on at the time).
For our previous clients: Thank you. I wish I had better words to express our appreciation for you, but I suppose the only thing I can say is 'thank you.' Times a million. You have inspired us to laugh more, and love deeper. At the risk of sounding extremely cliche - we are truly better people for having met (and spent time with) each of you. :)
For our current/potential clients: We will not be making any major shifts until we have completed all of the jobs (and pending jobs) on our books. We're SO excited about working with you. Please do not let this upcoming change make you think we feel any differently about that. In fact, we are even more excited about being a part of your experience because we are in a happy, fulfilling place! We seriously cannot wait to hang out with you, and capture moments for you. :)
For all of you: Thank you for going on our life journey with us. I know it's been a combination of testing the waters and jumping in without hesitation, but without balance, the whole ordeal would be pretty lopsided. :) I hope you are able to appreciate our transparency throughout our experiences as we always want to remain open and honest about the different obstacles and excitements life throws our way. From all of this, I'd like to offer a small, nugget of advice (that you most certainly may take or leave :)) - find fulfillment in your life. Soul search, if needed. But discover fulfillment. It is the most incredible thing you can do for yourself.
Stick with us - we have lots more experiencing to do. :)
The best day of your life is the one on which you decide that your life is your own...The gift is yours - it is an amazing journey - and you alone are responsible for the quality of it. This is the day your life really begins. -Bob Moawad
(**if you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail us)
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99
Our little boy is growing up. Literally. On two legs, he almost surpasses me in the height department. That may not be saying much for a person (I'm only 5'3'' on a good day) but for a dog, that's pretty impressive.
Putter shares a birthday with Valentine's Day. Since the flowers-and-jewelry holiday is no big deal in our house (don't judge us), we focused on spending time with Putter, and spoiling him with a huge, dinosaur-like bone, and a couple of extra treats and hugs. I don't think he knew that it was his birthday, but he loves to be the center of attention, so he was happy to play along:
I know I'm biased, but how adorable is that little furry face?! I mean, really. You can't help but love him.
Putter is truly a bright spot in our lives, and our days wouldn't be quite as entertaining or joy-filled without him in them. We don't have any children yet, but in our book, Putter is our first kid. A clumsy, excitable, playful, 70 lb. kid. And we're proud parents. :)
We love you little guy!
tina morrow:
What a precious little boy! I could just kiss his little face. Great pic of him!
(02.15.10)
Keira L:
Happy birthday, Putter! I can totally relate to your mommy's adoration of you. You and Doak should have a play date some day :)
(02.15.10)
Kristin:
Gosh he really is the cutest little thing ever!!!
(02.19.10)
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94
I'm feeling a little rusty. It's definitely been awhile since I've done one of these posts. But I'm making an effort to be more consistent. I know, I know - I've said it before. But since we've got this new, pretty look on our blog, I can't just let it sit here and not get utilized. :)
Let's get right down to it.
FAB!:
1. LUSH Love Lettuce face mask: Ok. I know I've raved about this company before, but they really are just that good. You would think that I'm getting kick backs from them with how many times I've gushed about their products, but sadly, I'm not. This is just an extremely impressed customer wanting her friends to try out LUSH so they can be extremely impressed too. Literally anything you purchase from LUSH is fabulous, but today, I'm touching specifically on their Love Lettuce face mask. LUSH offers tons of different masks, so I kind of just selected this one at random. And OMG (yes, LUSH leaves me so speechless that I have to resort to abbreviations). This mask is heaven in a jar. I'm not kidding. Like, I actually think if Jesus made face masks, he would create something like this one. With ingredients like almond shell, seaweed gel, lavender oil, almond oil, and Fuller's Earth, this product is a perfect balance of cleansing, soothing, and softening. My skin feels insane. In the best way. It's smoother, cleaner, and (if I may say) even more 'radiant' - as the jar ensures it will be. And in this harsh, wintery weather, it's like gold. You can't purchase Love Lettuce on LUSH's website because the product is made fresh and has to stay chilled, but they have lots of stores all over the place. Do yourself a favor and go. After you do, I can almost guarantee that you will turn into an overzealous spokesperson, like yours truly.
2. Work. Your. Closet. I'm extra excited about sharing this. :) One of our former brides (and now friend!), Jamie, has started a blog project called Work.Your.Closet. The concept is brilliant - she loves fashion, but she (like most of us) doesn't have thousands of dollars to spend on designer duds at the drop of a hat. So she takes inspiration from various sources (magazine pages, online fashion ads, etc) and creates similar looks with items that she already owns in her closet. The result is truly fabulous. Jamie explains each trend, why she loves it, and how to make it work. Every post includes a photo of her, dressed in the 'look' of the day, and details about where she purchased each item. The girl knows fashion. Period. And she is passionate about it. That's what I love about this project. Jamie isn't getting paid to write this blog - she wants to. I have no doubt that she'll be wildly successful, and that this little project is just a platform for even bigger things down the road. So definitely stop by her blog. You will be absolutely be inspired to reach into your closet and create fashion-forward looks without breaking the bank. :)
3. Boots. I have a confession. I have an unhealthy obsession with boots. For awhile, it rode the line of healthy and mildly unhealthy. But a couple of weeks ago, I took a giant leap over the edge when I purchased 2 pairs in one day. That purchase brought my grand total to...eight. Eight pairs of boots. Since it's cold out right now, my addiction is a little more justifiable. But really, no one needs eight pairs of boots unless they live in an igloo. And I don't. I live on a peninsula, an hour from the beach in any direction. I know what you're thinking, but I have an explanation. I was talking to a friend of mine recently, and she said 'My sister creates her entire outfit around her boots.' And I was all, I totally get her. Boots don't just complete an outfit - they are the essence of the outfit. (Did I go too far there? Just a little?) Basically, my opinion is this - everyone needs a cute pair of boots. Or eight. Whatever.
4. Burn Notice. I don't watch a ton of TV, but the shows that I do watch, I adore. Occasionally, I even become one of 'those' people. You know, the person that thinks it's ok to claim the show as their own; "I have to get home. My show's on at 10." The few that usually end up on our DVR are House, Law & Order: SVU, and more recently, Burn Notice. Ben started watching Burn Notice while he was staying in Reno before his trip to California this past fall. He got hooked. So when he came home, naturally, he forced me to watch it with him. I wasn't into it at first. But then we rented it from the beginning on NetFlix. Oh man. There's no turning back now. This show is a perfect blend of action, humor, intelligence, and drama. There's something for everyone to love. The show is based around Michael Weston - a former spy who was burned (or blacklisted). He is witty, brilliant, and not at all hard to look at. He makes me want to buy cool sunglasses and walk around saying phrases like 'covert-ops' and 'double agent.'
5. BD's Mongolian Grill. I like BD's because I'm in control of my food. I like it because I get to watch it being cooked on a huge grill. I like it because when I go through the line of ingredients, it makes me feel like I'm a chef. Like I know how to make a good recipe. I like it because I can add in exactly what I like (chicken, garlic, edamame, green onions, chili garlic sauce...good!) and leave out what I don't (cabbage, mushrooms, weird baby corn...bad.). I like it because the energy is high, and the music is loud. And the tortillas. I like the tortillas. A lot.
DRAB...
1. Cold, rainy weather. Even though it's great for my boot obsession, my body was not created for this type of weather. Really, Florida was not created for this type of weather. I know that Floridians have the reputation of being Whiny McWhinersons when it comes to weather - it's tooooooo hotttttt in the summer and toooooo colllllllld in the winter. But I have 2 things to say about that. One, we will never, ever be adequately prepared for cold weather because we never actually expect it. It always sneaks up on us. Our idea of 'warm clothing' is layering a shirt on top of another shirt, and maybe taking off our flip flops for a day or two. Maybe. So yes. 27 degrees is absolutely freezing to us. It may not be anything compared to Minnesota's temperatures of below zero, but we can't understand the difference. Cold is cold. Our bodies are used to being tan, and our drinks are usually served with a lot of ice. We're freaking out because we don't know what 'freeze warning' means, and there is this weird thing called sleet coming down from the sky. Give us a break. And secondly, I actually like the Florida heat. Summer is my favorite, and I'd much rather be in a bathing suit than a sweatshirt any day. So really, I should be able to complain about the cold all I want. ;)
2. Cleaning. (Could my 'drab' list be more generic?!) I despise cleaning. I don't mind doing laundry, I love to cook, but cleaning and I are enemies. I know that most people don't really love to clean, but I'm not sure how many actually have an intense hate for it like I do. I even wish it was socially acceptable to be disorganized. Like, the more cluttered your house is, the more creative you are or something. It's a stretch, but a girl can dream. I loathe cleaning so much that I have actually tried to convince Ben to let me hire a maid. Babe, I know we're on a budget, and we're trying to save money, and I know I work from home, and I know that we are the only people who live in this house, but can we hire someone to clean for us? He usually just stares at me until I stop talking.
3. Soda. As one of my resolutions (that I have yet to post on here. Oops.), I'm giving up soda. I really don't drink soda all that often, but I'm cold turkey cutting myself off. I'm trying to drink more water, and treat my body better this year, so soda and I just can't hang out. But man. Soda is so delicious. Dr. Pepper - you are my Everest.
4. Stairs. We have a spiral staircase. It's wooden. I was walking down it the other day, and I slipped on one of the steps. I had to walk on crutches for a day and a half. I haven't walked on crutches since like, 1998, so it was ridiculous. My kneecap is now purple and green. Stairs, you suck.
5. The Tiger Woods scandal. I'm just over this. Just like I'm over Jon and Kate whatever-their-name-is, I'm over the Tiger Woods drama. Yes, he messed up, and his actions are inexcusable. Yes, everyone knows about it. Yes, the media has blown it up into a huge, outrageous uproar. Now, let's move on and hope he can get his life and family pieced back together.
**We will be doing lots of shooting this month, as the three remaining Love Through the Lens dates are scheduled for the next few weeks. So keep checking back for lots of photo awesomeness! :) (p.s. If you'd like more info about Love Through the Lens, check out the blog post here. To purchase a LTTL session, shoot us an e-mail. I believe we still have 1 or 2 sessions up for grabs! :))
Jamie Miller:
Amy - thank you!! I truly appreciate the support. It will be in fact reciprocated :)
(01.12.10)
emily anderson:
is there a BD's monoglian here in florida?! they had one back in KS and i loved that place!
(01.17.10)
Amy:
@Emily - oh yes there is. Amaaaaazing. Check out their site for specific locations: gomongo.com :)
(01.19.10)
Laurie:
love love love boots too! and lush products are amazing. the closest lush to us is 4 hours away so the last thing before we head home I buy masks from lush and put them in a cooler for the trip home :)
fun to read all your fab vs drabs :)
(01.28.10)
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93
Finally. I don't know about you, but I was dying for Sunday to get here so we could start making some changes on this thing. And here we are! Mission accomplished.
This was certainly no easy feat, but you all took on the task at hand and contributed tons of helpful input. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for participating in our little poll (and our big decision). Without you, our brand would be one scattered mess of colors, and we would probably be giving each other the silent treatment. ;)
The results claimed palette number 4 as the winner, and we stuck to that...sort of. We actually tried out palette numbers 3, 4, and 1 (the palettes that seemed to consistently receive the most votes throughout the process) and decided which one looked best once applied to our blog.
Sadly, number 1 was immediately withdrawn from the trio first. I just couldn't get the image of this guy out of my head while looking at those colors on our site.
We fell in love with the lively, energetic green and the simplicity of the grey from palette 3, but the blue that we originally paired with those colors was too light. So we incorporated the blue from palette 4 to complete our branding scheme (have I successfully confused you yet? I'm definitely NOT a numbers person, so I lost myself a long time ago).
Basically, what you're looking at is the new look. We hope you love it as much as we do. :) (p.s. Our website also reflects the change, so check that out as well!)
Along with our new look, I have 'spruced' up our logo (haha...pun really not intended, but I had a good laugh when I reread that line). I've been wanting to incorporate a 'pair' in our logo for sometime to illustrate the team (of Ben and I) that makes up our company. I think our relationship as husband and wife really speaks to who we are as artists, and what our business is all about. We are partners in life, and in photography. And I wanted to emphasize that somewhere in our brand. So I chose two trees. The trees are also significant because I believe that they symbolize growth. Our logo will always be a reminder to continually push ourselves in photography, and keep moving forward; growing together as a couple, and growing our business as photographers.
Ok I think that's it for now. Oh wait! The winners of the gift certificates. That's the real reason you're here anyway, right? ;)
Congrats to Tricia and Christen for winning the $10 Amazon gift cards! I will be e-mailing you ladies shortly with your prizes. :)
Again, thank you to ALL of you for voting, and for your insight! We're excited for the future of Starks Photography and we're looking forward to adventuring through 2010 with you guys! :)
(**sidenote: if you're viewing our blog on a Mac using Safari as your browser, you may notice that the color of our logo doesn't quite match up to the rest of the navigation bar. We are working with our design company to get this resolved promptly. In the mean time, you can utilize Firefox to view the blog with the correct look. :))
tina morrow:
looks awesome! :)
(01.11.10)
Anonymous:
Happy colors, happy company. Love the trees addition.
(01.11.10)
Cami:
hahahaha I am still laughing about the 'spruce' joke!
(01.11.10)
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92
It's 2010. A year of change. In a couple of days, Ben and I will be posting our New Year's resolutions on our blog (we're fashionably late this year), and some of these will include goals for our photography business. We are determined to push ourselves creatively, and stay true to who we are as artists and individuals.
We believe that our brand has to be unique to who we are striving to be - across the board. It's difficult to describe our photography 'style' (and sometimes seems a little too forced to do so), but there are a few things that we definitely hope to emphasize through our images. Innovation. Beautiful simplicity. Emotion. Passion. Boldness. Inspiration. Down-to-earth...ness. ;) These are the things that we love, and these are the things that we try to create with our cameras. We've grown a lot over the last couple of years and we are certainly not done growing. Through this growth we have started to feel more confident with our brand, and in our abilities. The future is a beautiful, vast, unknown territory.
That being said, it's time my friends. Out with the old, in with the more fabulous. We need a new look. For a little while now, we haven't really felt that the color scheme of our company meshes with Starks Photography as a whole. This branding of brown, teal and tan has served us well - very well. But it's time to take our 'look' in a new, style-consistent direction. The color palette of our business may seem like a very small part of the puzzle, but really, we believe that it's pretty essential. This palette is all over the place - our website, our blog, our business cards, our logo. This is what is seen first - part of what draws people in. This is why it's crucial to make sure that this aspect says something about what Starks Photography is all about.
So for the past couple of days I've channeled my inner design expert (which isn't very 'expert' at all, really), and created a few new palettes for us to jump off of. Not to get all hippie-kumbaya-ish on you, but these colors speak to me. They draw me in. They connect to our brand.
But we have a problem.
Ben and I are the King and Queen of Indecisiveland. A world where it takes 30 minutes to figure out where to eat, and relationships are tried when paint colors have to be selected for the bedroom.
So basically, we need your help.
Below, you will find 6 color palettes (containing 3 colors each). Some of these may look similar, but there are differences. Big enough differences to make us not be able to decide on our own. ;) After the selection process is over, Ben and I will decide exactly how the colors will be utilized (i.e. which colors are dominant, and which are accents). That will be solely up to us. Lord. Help me now.
Now, all you have to do is vote for your favorite. That's it! Just click the little button next to your choice and you're done! Easy-peasy. You can vote as many times as you'd like, so vote for your favorite until your little heart is content. Or if you're like Ben and I, come back and vote for each one separately. ;) To sweeten the deal (and thank all of you for helping put this decision behind us), we're going to give away 2 $10 Amazon gift cards to 2 different voters. All you have to do is comment on this post to let us know that you voted (and be sure to include your e-mail address!). We'll randomly select 2 winners after the voting is closed. Voting ends Saturday, January 9 at 11:59p.m.
Thanks for participating! :)
Stephanie Sanderson:
Number 4 :)
(01.06.10)
cora:
Go Bold...i like #1
(01.06.10)
Jennifer Eileen:
Well, I voted for #3 but I think I may come back and vote for one other. If I had the opportunity I might have switched certain grays. But alas, they are all lovely.
(01.06.10)
Andy Schuler:
i went with #4. but i also like 3.
(01.06.10)
Jenn Merkley:
I voted too! I like number 1 the best :)
(01.06.10)
Sarah:
that was tough but i voted :)
(01.06.10)
Whitney F.:
Definitely #2. The colors really look good together and they pop. #2 is the way to go : )
(01.06.10)
Quirky:
Vastly in the minority by all counts but happy with my choice.... I think 5 pops! All three shades are in play... 4 might be two tones as the pale blue gets lost, IMHO. Just me....
(01.06.10)
Anonymous:
#2 POPS too!
(01.06.10)
tina morrow:
#1 - with that purple it really rocks!!! :)
(01.06.10)
Kimberly:
Ohh this is tough! I would say my vote falls between Color Palette #3 and #4... so hard to choose!
(01.06.10)
Letty:
I like 4... But I LOVE 1! It's bold... It screams unique... It embraces rich manly tones, yet oozes with the simplicity of feminine romantical tones. To me... It has Ben and Amy written all over it! If you don't use it... We will!! Haha.
(01.06.10)
Shay:
I voted for #1 because I love the purple!!!
(01.06.10)
Ellen DeLoach:
Color Palette 1 for Doug and Ellen! You guys are so cute!
(01.06.10)
Ashley Camblin:
I picked #2, but I also really like #1!! :)
(01.06.10)
Jessica:
#1 for me! :)
(01.07.10)
sarah bray:
I voted! Wow, I see I am in the minority.... I love #5 - modern and clean, but something about it makes me feel calm :-)
(01.07.10)
Megan:
I picked number 2, but I also really, really liked number 3 because of the green. But.. the people are speaking. Looks like number 1 may take first place. (;
(01.07.10)
Ashley McCormick Photography:
I looooove #3!! There is something so modern and spunky about it. I can't wait to see what you two pick!
(01.07.10)
Josh:
I really like the first two palettes, for completely different reasons. The second one is maybe best in terms of brand consistency (which is something to think about), because the blue looks so similar to what you have now.
The first one is a lot of fun. I think it fits your style well, and it feels very contemporary without being cliche. Thus making it the best for an overhaul of your brand, which seems to be more the direction you're heading. The only concern I have is that it might compete with your photos, though if you're careful I think you could pull it off.
Anyway, good luck with it all. I can't wait to see how it turns out.
Peace - Josh
(01.07.10)
Chaundi Parham:
I went with #5 :)
(01.07.10)
courtney randazza:
it was hard to chose just one! haha! but I liked #3 :)
(01.07.10)
Tammy Irwin:
Now you could post your top 3 choices and give everyone a chance to vote again.
(01.07.10)
Phyllis:
I like the vibrant colors.
(01.07.10)
Leigh:
I voted for 6 but if it's a choice between 3 & 4 then I prefer 4 :) xx
(01.07.10)
Nana:
All are nice, but #4 is my pick!
(01.07.10)
Tricia:
I love #2!
(01.07.10)
hayley:
i voted, love #1!!
(01.07.10)
Hannah Fell:
number 4! usually I love purple, but that teal-ish color is totally speaking to me, ha!
(01.07.10)
Alisha:
Voted my loves
(01.07.10)
Callie:
I can only vote once! :( But #1 needs to win! Count like 300 more votes from me for #1..b/c I can't make it happen!
(01.08.10)
Kristin:
I picked number 2! love you guys!
(01.08.10)
Kristin:
hmmm.....maybe i like number one now....i like number 5 too! ....dont pay attention to my votes right now..ill get back to you! lol
(01.08.10)
Lindsay:
I voted for #2!! - Lindsay
(01.09.10)
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http://starksphotography.com/darkroom/mt/mt-tb.cgi/91
This post was altogether inspiring and I really can't say how much I admire your courage. Just as hard as it was for you to jump into the unknown depths of the photography business, so you leave on a new adventure. You are most assuredly inspiring others to follow their happiness. Keep it up!
(04.10.10)@ Shannon: Thank you for that - It's a little scary to get vulnerable. I was sort of hiding behind my fingers, peeking through to see what people would say. :) I truly appreciate your encouragement!
(04.10.10)Amy- Thanks for posting this! It sounds like this decision has come from a lot of thought and prayer, and as a fellow "indecisive" person, I completely understand! : ) We'll keep you guys in our prayers as you make this change in your life and try something new! -
(04.10.10)Amy Lee and Ben - We are so proud of you both - as individuals and as a couple. We know where your hearts are and how big this decision has been. You are a centered couple who keeps God and each other as your focal point - and because of that, you will continue moving forward with blessings and fulfillment! We are looking forward to sharing everything that the future has in store for you both (as individuals and as a couple). We love you!
(04.10.10)You are so talented. That will show in other areas, too. Hope the best for your new adventure!!! :) :)
(04.11.10)As I was reading this, I was really sad to know you guys won't be doing photography anymore because I think you guys are amazing. I wish I had half the talent you did but as I continued to read, I realized that if I were in your shoes, I would make the same decision. You've certainly inspired me and I am sure many others as well. Good luck with everything :)
(04.11.10)...good for you! We love you both!
(04.11.10)Well, I am seriously bummed about the no photography thing anymore because I really wanted you guys to photograph my wedding next summer but I am so happy for you two. What a wonderful feeling to know what you want to be doing with your lives and to find your passions! I am really happy for you Ben and Amy and pray that God continues to bless you both in this next chapter of your lives. P.S. Your photography is absolutely breathtaking and amazing!
(04.11.10)I'm not gonna lie... I got a little teary eyed reading this. Not only am I loosing an amazing friend in the industry, but who will I have to assist me when I need help? :( I know that this new chapter in your life will be absolutely amazing, and I am jealous that you won't be sitting in front of a computer all day ;) This post really made me think about my own life and how I want to change it for the better. Make more time for myself and Zach. (and to take days off!! yes!!) I love you both so much and I cannot wait to see where this path takes you. Hurry up and finish school so I can have my first haircut! ;) Congratulations!
(04.11.10)@Jill - thank you! :)
@Mom - you guys are the best. Thanks for always being the most supportive parents we could ask for!
@Michelle - thank you so much! We appreciate that!
@Stephanie - that's such a nice compliment - thank you for what you said about our work, and about our decision. The encouragement is huge for us! :)
@Abby - thank you! We love you guys too. :)
@Whitney - that makes me sad too! :( I'm sure your wedding will be absolutely beautiful. I really appreciate your support about the decision! :)
@Ashley - you have been such a HUGE part of our business from day one - thank you for showing us the ropes, and always supporting us! We gained a pretty awesome friendship from this, and I'm so thankful for that. :) We don't have to be done working together! You know I'll be making my way into the 'hair' side of the wedding industry! haha. And you can always call me if you need an assistant. I'd be willing to break out the gear for that. ;) Thanks for being so amazing - we love you!
Thanks to everyone for your kind words and encouragement! This post was not easy to write, but your comments have been so uplifting. We love all of you! :)
(04.13.10)Dear Amy,
(05.16.10)I just today read your blog and your philosophy and way of living your life is so right! It took me 40 years to figure that out and I am a much better, and hopefully a bit more interesting, person than I was prior. I want to thank you for the fantastic job you and Ben did for Kyle and Kim, can't wait to see the wedding photos :-) As for Ken and I's shoot, you made us feel so comfortable that we didn't feel the least bit nervous, it all felt so right. You must have some good karma lady! I wish you and Ben the very best in life and will think of you every time I look at the pics! Live with NO regrets...
peace
marina