This month is my last official month being based out of Studio 77 in downtown Zanesville.  Although I will continue to host events there for my current clients, I’ll be moving to Columbus in late spring/early summer with a  slight alteration in the permanent direction of my work and the type of sessions I will restrict myself to. This is a very important and exciting year! Having examined my portfolio and what is most important to me as a person and photographer, I will be filtering out the fashion inspired sessions and studio work (although it will still be offered). Remembrance has taken top priority, far above my desire to take on creative/conceptual assignments, and producing the most honest images possible is what I’ve challenged myself with intensely over the past 6 months. While I’ve enjoyed the many (many, MANY) types of assignments I’ve taken on over the years, documentary photography stirs something within me and gets my heart going more than anything else.

The decision to become a Sociology Major, minoring in Philosophy, also brought forth the decision to focus solely on documentary assignments. As I will be studying societies and people, I look forward to the effect it will have on my work and progression as a photographer.

CHILDREN

This year, I am introducing three new session types in my area of specialization with Childhood Storytelling: 

My Morning Story Sessions will concentrate on telling the story of your children’s lives upon waking and the routines you’ve developed with them.

The Expressions Face Project is something I’ve been working on since 2008, but wanted to highlight and refine this year by offering to my clients as a full session where my time with your child will focus 100% on the landscape of your child’s face and expressions.

And lastly, Candids: Sessions at Home – where I will spend time with your child/children, in their natural environment, documenting them exactly as they are.

WEDDINGS

I have been torn for a long time over whether or not to accept wedding assignments (permanently). The last wedding I photographed produced better candid images of the groups than the “positioned” ones…. and as I was editing them it dawned on me…. I’m a photojournalist! Weddings fit perfectly into that category.  I’m most comfortable when people are the most comfortable. All the makeup and perfect clothing and ‘perfect pretty’ pictures don’t appeal to me (in my own work) the way they used to. The imperfect moments, grain, unusual light…. these are things that excite and inspire me. I’m excited that I get to share some of those images with you next week… what a wedding it was!

All that said, I’ll be offering wedding services 1000%, and then some.

FOLLOWING YOUR HEART

My advice to you as an entrepreneur, photographer, writer… whatever it is that you find yourself struggling to reach, really examine what it is that connects you to it. What is your best quality in relationship to your goals? When you can identify what that is, everything will start to fall into place. Of course, a solid plan of action to follow will take you there! We often force things out of ourselves just to reach a goal. In 2011, I took on so many projects… too many. I became overwhelmed and suffered some very exhausting issues. But when I simplified and broke it down to the core, I was able to determine where I needed to be and how to get there.

Look for a new inspirational ebook, titled “AWARE” on that very subject… coming soon!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend

xo,
Michelle

When I was a child, my Grandmother had a huge shell from the sea on display with some of her other collectibles. She’d say, “Hold it to your ear, you can hear the ocean inside!” – and I would hold it to my ear and imagine being on the shore. With this Storybook Scene I wanted to playfully illustrate that feeling. The scene was made from fabric cutouts, the magic of duct tape, yarn, ribbon, and a broom pole to hold up the “sail”. The boat in the images was purchased at Hobby Lobby – you can find the neatest things there and very reasonably priced. Thanks to Megan Miller of PictureThis! Photography for letting me borrow it, it fit the scene perfectly!

Note: If you’re a photographer interested in having custom scenes designed for your studio, please contact me via the blog contact form to schedule a consultation by phone.

Unfortunately, the photographs taken last year on my Argus “Brick” (maufactured in the 1940′s-1950′s) were ruined, the film became jammed as I was rewinding it and ripped – thinking the rewind was finished, I opened the back and exposed the film to sunlight. Although I was a bit disappointed, I did get some great shots off my Holga and Blackbird Fly. I’ve aquired roughly 40 vintage cameras and intend to photograph with all of them – I also intend to acquire MORE cameras haha

Here are some of my favorites that I just received back on disc. Film used was Kodak 400nc (expired) and Fuji RTP (expired Tungsten). Next Friday , Feb 3, 2012 from 5-9 pm  at my studio I’ll be showing snapshot photography (travel and leisure) in addition to my film work, I’d love if you could come!

This year, I’m offering toy / vintage camera sessions to my clients. Still ironing out those details but I’m so excited to have made this decision! Until then, I hope you enjoy these images! As always, tfl <3

View at dusk from The Hyatt Regency in downtown Columbus…. my soon to be home! …….the city, not the Hotel

First Freebie of the year! I’ve been working on clearing out my old store and creating new items for you all to enjoy… starting with an all new texture inspired by the motivation and determination I feel in this beautiful new Year. Hope you like it

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When I first started taking photographs, I remember a tagline I often used.. “Life as Art.”

This morning I woke up thinking about what to write next and the sun suddenly rose, illuminating the landscape of my mind.

While photography is definitely an artful depiction of life… it isn’t because life is art; instead, the definition of art is LIFE.

We are all artists, because we live and express.

A piece of art should be a reminder about the gift of life, touching those inner chords of our soul and orchestrating the songs we feel but cannot put into words. A photograph stops life in it’s very tracks. Every detail from the moment itself, to what images the photographer chooses to share and how they are shared, is all a result of being alive. Feeling.

To say that Life is Art is an understatement. As we were gifted with life, life presents us with opportunities to gift others with art to offer a shining new perspective. To tell a story.

Life is Life.

So whether you bake, or run, or sit at the beach every morning to think, or write, or hold your steering wheel a certain way while you’re driving, or follow a strict daily schedule, or live every second spontaneously, or have a special quality that draws children to you, or manage to put dinner on the table for 25 people every Sunday of your life just so everyone comes together….. you hold the reigns that will design your experiences. You carve out your destiny with every choice and every action. You are the master of how you see what you see.

You are already an artist. Because you live.

And when you start to care about that, it becomes even more beautiful.