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Roman is always fun to work with. Here are a few from our shoot this past week.

Every year at this time I am always amazed, once again, at how much the weather can affect my mood. The sun comes out and I want to soak it up, like a flower in bloom. The days begin to be a bit longer and you can hear birds chirping! The clock is turned forward… we. are. almost. there. There is nothing like some sunshine and warm weather after the winter we had here in Pittsburgh.

This winter was filled with record amounts of snow which resulted in much of my time being spent in the house, focusing all my efforts on the business side of things. That means not much shooting. Which makes me crazy! I guess I need to work on balancing my right brain and left brain. It seems that I get into one mindset or the other, all business or all creative. I know this is something many creatives that are in business have trouble with. This article was some help towards understanding this issue. BTW, I don’t consider myself a genius by any means, that just happened to be the name of the blog .

I have to remind myself that I am a work in progress, always learning more (thank you internet! your knowledge is vast). I am constantly humbled by the community of super talented photographers out there. Always willing to help each other, teach each other and learn from each other. Learning from others has and will continue to be an integral part of my journey. I went from believing that there was no room in this industry for me , to being completely overwhelmed by the opportunities that are available for someone with a decent eye and some good business sense. (I want to give a big shout out to Mr. Dane Sanders and his book  FastTrack Photographer for this realization. I am no longer going to let grumpies have any influence over me!)

So that is where I am at, ending hibernation and working diligently to sort out the many hats that I  put on when I decided I wanted photography to be more than a passion, but also a way to make a living.

I needed to pick up the camera or head to the insane asylum, so I grabbed the camera , here are the results, my own tribute to spring and the rejuvenation it brings.
Enjoy!

My new website went live this past weekend {SO EXCITED!!!}  If you are Class of 2011 and are interested in being a Senior Rep for your school {and getting free stuff}  please contact me and I will give you the details. You must live in Pittsburgh or the surrounding area.

I also went to my first Silpada party over the weekend. It is the same concept as tupperware or pampered chef, but shopping for jewelry was WAY more fun! I couldn’t help myself, I splurged and bought two pieces. If you are a jewelry lover you must check it out! It is all .925 sterling silver and they have some really unique designs. The best part is you get to shop with your friends and it really is like going through a friends jewelry box.

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I just attended my first ever Imaging USA conference in Nashville and all I can say is “wow”. I got more out of it than I ever could have imagined. I have a much clearer vision of what I want out of my photography, which is priceless. I also had the chance to see some great photographers speak about their own journey with photography and business. I was blown away at how open and honest they were. I feel so blessed to be a part of such a wonderful industry filled with so many talented individuals! And because a post is no fun with out some photos… here are a few of the resort where the convention was held. If you get the chance you should visit, it is the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center. They have hotels, restuarants, shopping,  a convention center and  beautiful gardens all under one roof {it feels like you are outside}, I have never seen anything like it!!

Nicole and I go way back, We went to middle school together. Years later we ended up in the same business program in college. It was liked we had picked up right where we left off! Anytime we would work together, both of us being major procrastinators, it always ended up being an all-nighter the night before a big project was due. So when Nicole contacted me to photograph her little guy Jacob of course we ended up waiting until the last minute before the holidays. Procrastination aside we had a wonderful shoot at their home. Jacob is such a sweet little boy, Nicole and Wayne thanks for letting me capture these memories of your first Christmas as a family!

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Another post that is long overdue! Reggie and I met up in Schenley Park in Oakland. Right away we had something in common, we are both Point Park alumi! After we wandered around the park we decided to head over the bridge and finished up the session over by the Carnegie library. I had a great time photographing Reggie! Enjoy.

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I am a horrible blogger, these are long overdue!! I met up with Wendell and his mom at SouthSide Works. Wendell had an absolute blast playing in the water fountain and it made for some adorable photos. He’s such a little man!

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Joey is a model for Heyman Talent out of Columbus. We decided to meet up in Pittsburgh’s West End neighborhood to get some photos to update Joey’s portfolio. I had a great time collaborating with Joey on this shoot.  Enjoy!!

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