Starks Photography Blog

49

07.16.09

Alright.

So, I'm guilty of perusing a few blogs from time to time. That's a little bit of an understatement I suppose. "Um, hi my name is Amy, and I stalk blogs."

I have my favorites, and they are neatly bookmarked, for clicking convenience. Most of these are photo blogs (because, well, duh), with a couple of random, funny, or insightful ones thrown into the mix as well.

These stalk-worthy photography blogs provide a ton of beautiful imagery for me to drool over, but even more appealing is the photographer's ability to captivate me through his or her writing skills. They are personal. They are real. They are hilarious. They make me want to hang out with them.

Some of them (click here for an example) also routinely post their current likes/dislikes. It could be something as simple as a brand of bread - they rant, rave, and explain their preferences.

I love this.

So I thought to myself - I have opinions. I like things. I don't like things. I can do this.

And here we are.

So here's the deal. Each week (I'm going to attempt to make these weekly), I'll make a list of 5 things that I think are pretty fabulous, and 5 that are drab...ulous (the rhyme works better abbreviated).

You are welcome to offer your thoughts, comments, etc in the box below. Let's do this thing.

1. Brio's Wedge Salad. Or, as they eloquently put it on their menu - "Bistecca Insalata." Recently, I went to dinner with a great friend of mine, and she suggested that I try it. "It's amazing," she raved. It's a side salad; lettuce, some veggies, a splash of dressing. How amazing can it truly be? Friends, this salad rocked my world. Gorgonzola cheese. Roma Tomatoes. Parmesan dressing. Bacon. Freaking bacon. This salad makes all caesar, house, and chef assortments tremble in fear.

2. Vampire novels. They are cheesy, unrealistic, borderline IQ-lowering, and absolutely enthralling. Once I finished the Twilight saga (in *cough*four days*cough*), I was disoriented. What will I do with my days now? Ben was like, "Uh, how about actually shower and not wear pajamas until 6:00p.m.?" Whatev. He doesn't get it. Then, it was brought to my attention that there are other vampire books out there - what?! Feed my need for the trite, bloodsucking theme that I've become so enamored with? Take away more precious hours of my already overloaded day? I'm in.

3. Time Machine. As a customer, this product is just another reason I love Mac. :) As a photographer, this baby has saved me from countless nights of lost sleep. It automatically saves all of your files. Everything. Something got deleted on accident? Oh no prob. Time Machine's got it on lock. Plus, when you use it, the screen looks like you're actually traveling through space. Sometimes I just click on it to feel like an astronaut.

4. Yapta. Just click on the link and sign up. Yapta calls itself "your personal travel assistant" - and it's not lying. If you're a frequent traveler, this will be like finding buried treasure. If you're a I-travel-every-now-and-then-and-I-want-to-travel-more traveler (like me), it's still a hugely resourceful site. Basically, once you're a member, you can enter preferences for hotels and flights, and Yapta will notify you via e-mail if there are any price drops so you are guaranteed the best value. Or, if you've already booked a flight, Yapta will notify you if you are eligible for a refund if a price drops below what you've paid. Oh, and did I mention that it's free fifty free to sign up? Seriously.

5. My husband. I'm not going to get all lovey-dovey on you (ok, maybe just a little ;)), but I really did marry the coolest guy ever. Ben is smart. He's hysterical. He's compassionate. He's supportive. He's a stud. He's really, really good with cars (bonus!). I have a bit of an independent streak (he would roll his eyes at "a bit," but whatever), and he never squashes that. He not only lets me be my own person, but he encourages me to dream big. And as a self-proclaimed "big dreamer," that is invaluable. This week (along with many, many other weeks), I decided that I needed to do some reevaluating of my life. I was feeling introspective, and I had a lot to say, so over hamburgers, he let me spill my fears, my thoughts, and my goals. And he listened. Not just in a "I'll nod my head and smile" sort of way. But in a "I am genuinely interested in what you're saying" sort of way. At the end of my rambling he simply said, "I want you to be happy." Well, he said more than that, but those six words are what really stand out. He does want me to be happy. And for that, among countless other reasons, I love him. :)

1. Exact change tolls. So I'm cruising down 429 in Orlando. I'm singing (too loudly), and enjoying the rare moment of "me" time. I'm in my mom's car, which is void of the luxury of an E-Pass that I have in my own vehicle. I have a few bucks stashed in my wallet, so no biggie - right? WRONG. I roll up to a booth with 2 options - a) E-Pass lane or b) Exact change lane. Really?? I'm not a coin collector. I don't have exact change. And now, I look like a frantic idiot because I'm scanning the ground around the toll booth for quarters that were thrown and missed. No luck. I have to run it, and force the booth to make some horrible noise, complete with flashing lights. Awesome.

2. Florida humidity. I stepped outside yesterday, and thought that I had actually entered a sauna. True story.

3. Jon and Kate. I admit - I love a good gossip magazine. I know, I know - it's pointless, dramatic, silly...blah, blah, blah. It entertains me, ok? However, for the last several weeks, Jon and Kate Gosselin have been dominating every magazine I flip through. This irritates me for two reasons - one, I'm just tired of reading the same stuff. Kate lashes out. Jon leaves town. They suck. We get it. Two, I think it's awful that their ridiculousness is being splashed all over the place. I don't watch the show, but I do know that they have kids. As two adults, they should be able to get it together enough to know that publicly making a circus of their marriage is far from the healthiest thing for their family.

4. My current sleeping habits. I suppose I could blame some of it on #2 of my "Fab" list, but I have not been able to get to sleep earlier than 1:00a.m. for the past week and a half. As a girl who really, really loves her z's, this sucks. And it makes me feel way-less-than-awesome in the morning when I try to peel myself away from my pillow.

5. Tostitos. I finished a whole bag. Singlehandedly.

(6) Comments Leave comment Send to a friend

Cams:

me likey this idea! & your fabulous writing skills!

p.s. Jon & Kate Gosselin

(07.16.09)

Ben and Amy:

Thanks Cams! And for catching that. haha. ;)

(07.16.09)

Rebecca Muecke:

Hi Amy! I am a friend of Ashley McCormick's and I am a total blog starker, too!! I have followed yours for awhile now and I just have to say that you are awesome. Love your work and love reading your blogs :)

(07.18.09)

Ben and Amy:

Hi Rebecca! So glad you have been dropping by - thanks so much for the encouragement! :)

(07.18.09)

Whitney:

No worries-- im certain that one of us have finished off an entire bag of scoops at least once in our lives right? :)

and yes cheesey Vampire Novels are embarrasingly Fab :)

(07.20.09)

Kristi Reaves:

LOVE Twilight! I was at a loss when I finished them too :)

(07.27.09)

Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry: Fab & Drab : issue 1 . TrackBack URL for this entry: http://starksphotography.com/darkroom/mt/mt-tb.cgi/48

40

site launch contest winners!

05.30.09

It's like peeking from behind the couch before screaming "SURPRISE!" at a birthday party. It's like pacing the hall of the hospital moments before your child enters the world. It's like sitting on the edge of your seat while watching the Magic destroy the Cavs in game 6 tonight... ;)

It's the feeling of anticipation.

I don't know about you, but I've been feeling it all week! I'm not even elegible to be one of the winners of the contest, but I found myself getting super antsy for today.

There's no point in dragging anything out, because I'm well aware that my amazing way-with-words is not what draws you here today (and most of you have probably already scrolled to the list of winners). ;)

Here's how this went down - everyone was given a number (based on when you entered your comment; 2 numbers if you had an extra entry). I inputed the numbers into the necessary fields at randomizer.org. The Randomizer popped up with winners. So, freak out on the Randomizer if you don't like the results - not me. :)

Without further ado, here are the fabulous winners:

Receiving a $15 iTunes gift card...

*Chantel Hagner!

Receiving a $10 Starbucks gift card...

*Jessica Crosson!

Receiving (the other) $10 Starbucks gift card...

*Brianna Phelan!

Receiving a $15 Tijuana Flats gift card...

*Erika Brennan!

Receiving a free mini Just Because session...

*Hannah Fell!

Receiving a Just Friends DVD...

*Shirley Hanko!

Receiving an iPod shuffle...

*Jennifer Martin (of Jennifer Martin Photography)!

Congratulations! I will be contacting you all soon to collect addresses to send your prizes to. :)

A HUGE thank you is in order to everyone who participated in our contest. Your thoughtful words about our site and our work were incredibly encouraging. Ben and I feel so inspired and blessed, and we cannot express how much we appreciate the outpouring of support from all of you. And your grab bag stories were horrifyingly hysterical. :)

Keep checking in with us! We're excited for the future of Starks Photography!

**P.s. - our site domain name was officially switched back this week, so bookmark this address: www.starksphotography.com :)

(2) Comments Leave comment Send to a friend

Brianna Phelan:

That's super awesome! Thanks so much - I can't wait to finally check out Starbucks. Now I have no excuses :)

(06.01.09)

victoria benito:

De verdad que son muy bueno en el trabajo que hacen,pero mi nieta es preciosa se me cae la baba cada vez que veo a mi princesa

(06.18.09)

Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry: site launch contest winners! . TrackBack URL for this entry: http://starksphotography.com/darkroom/mt/mt-tb.cgi/39

39

the list.

05.28.09

Some time ago, I created a list. This list highlighted goals that I hoped to achieve by the time I was ancient. Uh, I mean, 30. ;)

I forgot about the list for awhile, but today while I was cleaning up our hard drive, I stumbled across it. Much to my surprise, I was able to cross off three goals! I was basking in my accomplishment, considering buying myself a pack of gold stars when reality set in. 23 goals are unmarked. Yikes. Birthday number 25 is looming in the months ahead, so I should probably print this baby off and start carrying it around with me:

(*Numbers 4 and 21 were reached back in the old blog days.)

Since photos make posts so much more enjoyable, below is proof of the checked off achievements:

22. Throw my parents a 25th anniversary party.

In late April, my sister and I threw a party in celebration of my parents reaching the milestone of 25 years of marriage (dang it - I still haven't blogged those images...maybe that should be on the list as well...). They also chose to renew their vows at the occasion (in the photo on the right). Aren't my mom and dad the cutest? :)

27. Grow my hair out (including my bangs!)

This may not seem like a huge accomplishment, but for me - the queen of hair fickleness - this is monumental. I had side bangs for years, and I would rotate color, cut, and style to feed my need for variety. I decided to grow my hair out for something new (and for a test of patience :)). I'm pretty proud of myself, but...I'm going back to side bangs in a week or two when I visit my fabulous stylist/friend, Shirley. I gave it a good run, but in my life, side bangs are like that ratty baby blankie you just can't seem to get rid of. You try to shove it under the bed for a few months, but eventually, you pull it back out because you just miss it too much. :)

10. Build a new, amazing blog for our business.

Well, here we are. :) I didn't actually build the blog myself - the awesome people at Into the Darkroom can be thanked for that part! But I have made it our own - adding branding, images, text, and postings. Plus we paid for it, so that has to count for something. :) Side note: Photographers, if you're looking to upgrade you internet marketing, definitely check out ITDR. These guys also built our website, and truly took our business to another level. They have lots of different options for a variety of budgets, and all of their work is top notch! P.s. Our little site and blog are featured on the homepage! :)

**Our site launch contest ends tomorrow at 11:59p.m.! If you haven't already, enter! Fabulous prizes up for grabs! :) Winners will be announced on Saturday afternoon.**

(4) Comments Leave comment Send to a friend

jennifer:

oh oh oh! I made a list! it was pretty unrealistic though...I think it's time for a new one. :) Consider yourself an inspiration.

(05.28.09)

Cristen Clark:

I love the feeling when I mark off something on my to-do list!! :)

(05.28.09)

Shirley:

im proud of you on all your achievements thus far...especially the hair. : ) well blog is awesome too...i mean really they are all a big deal but im strangely connected to your hair haha.

(05.30.09)

Amy Starks:

@Shirley - well my hair is strangely connected to you too. haha. :)

(06.04.09)

Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry: the list. . TrackBack URL for this entry: http://starksphotography.com/darkroom/mt/mt-tb.cgi/38

38

i heart faces entry - week 20

05.26.09

This week's theme for the i heart faces contest is 'silhouettes.' I think silhouettes are really interesting (and perhaps especially challenging) because you can't see facial expressions or read emotions. The story of the photograph has to be told in a different, more abstract way - through lighting, background, body placement, etc.

I pulled my entry image from Diane and Derek's beach wedding. I love that you can see her veil blowing - it illustrates a romantic, peaceful mood. And who can resist a gorgeous Florida sky? ;)

Head over to i heart faces for more silhouette goodness!

**And on another note - if you haven't already, check out the post about our new site, and enter the contest for a chance to win fabulous prizes! :)**

(16) Comments Leave comment Send to a friend

NicoleRae:

Lovely! I really like that it looks sepia except for the blue sky in the corner.

(05.26.09)

monkeys on the bed:

We got married in Florida and our photographer forgot his flash. At the time, i was really upset but now i have tons of silhouette pics of us on our Florida beach! I love the way you framed and composed this picture, though! Great work!

(05.26.09)

My Two Seasons:

This is stunning! It really feels magical!

(05.26.09)

Tiaras & Tantrums:

this is such a beautiful shot

(05.26.09)

Life with Kaishon:

Wow. Very lovely picture. It is serene. Love the sun setting and the veil flowing. Magical : )!

(05.26.09)

tiff:

So very beautiful and gives out alot of emotion.

(05.26.09)

American in Norway:

What a beautiful photo! Nice job!

(05.26.09)

carmen:

Beautiful picture....

(05.26.09)

Amanda J.:

Gorgeous!

(05.26.09)

Foursons:

That settles it. I need to renew my vows on the beach.

(05.26.09)

Carebear:

Very lovely shot - I really like it!

(05.26.09)

Lisa Noel:

really pretty. wish we had a silhouette in our wedding shots!!!

http://www.lisanoel03.blogspot.com

(05.26.09)

animator's wife:

Absolutely true about telling stories in another way. Love the contentment in this shot and that sky is AMAZING!

(05.26.09)

Sara:

I love how the sky turns blue and the clouds pop in the right.

(05.26.09)

Hana:

Beautiful capture!

(05.27.09)

Tina Smith:

Beautiful. Great job!

(05.27.09)

Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry: i heart faces entry - week 20 . TrackBack URL for this entry: http://starksphotography.com/darkroom/mt/mt-tb.cgi/37

33

official.

05.20.09

The finish line is in sight.

(4) Comments Leave comment Send to a friend

Cami:

Hooray! Congrats on figuring it all out Ames!

(05.20.09)

Callie:

Yaaaay! Sooo exciting!

(05.20.09)

Nana:

Congratulations -- I can't wait to see it!
Love you

(05.20.09)

mom/tina:

Woohoo! Can't wait! :) Love you both.

(05.21.09)

Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry: official. . TrackBack URL for this entry: http://starksphotography.com/darkroom/mt/mt-tb.cgi/32