a mom and her camera

the mohrs

I gave my first set of official Jodified Photos to the Mohr family today and they liked them! Russ and Katie are amazing people I met years ago at Greentree Church. They have now adopted a beautiful son and I was honored to be the first to capture the new family together... I look forward to working with them in the future b/c they were SO easy! Not only photogenic, but up for anything and willing to let me practice on them! Check out their BLOG where they posted other photos from yesterday...

Back to editing MORE photos!

a few more to wet your whistle

What does that phrase even mean? I don't think I totally know, but it seemed to fit. random.

Getting ready for my first shoot with a total stranger, although after talking to her I felt like I'd known her forever. So sweet, can't wait to meet her and her son! I will post photos from this morning later on today, but for now, here are a few more of the amazing Mohr family!

oh my gosh.

this day has been so amazing I am still processing it all.

First, I got the Kuhn Construction Christmas card done and everyone EVERYONE actually liked it. It is not often in a company that everyone who makes decisions agrees on things in the creative realm, but today they did! Great! That makes life a whole lot easier for me! I will post that soon.

Second, my dad's BFF emailed my site to a few people he knows and he got a response back that was simply unbelievable. Let's just say that it made my confidence level go up a couple of notches!

And speaking of confidence, I have very little most of the time. I think that stems from the fact that I'm one of the only people I know without a degree. That is a very hard thing for me to talk about, but it's true. And it's gotten worse lately as close friends and family are in the process of getting masters. So today on my way to my first official (yet still unpaid as I don't feel comfortable yet charging!) photoshoot, I called my sister and made her remind me why I was doing this. I just needed to hear someone say that I am good at what I love. Silly, I know.

Anyway, I was praying that at the end of the shoot I would have 15-20 good shots. I have over 80 that I LOVE! I have never been happier! A lot has to do with the location, Forest Park at the bottom of Art Hill. And a lot also has to do with the fact that I talked to my friend Trish last night and she helped me with some things on Photoshop. I'm self taught and she helped me in HUGE ways!

It's just amazing how God is working right now. He is truly opening up doors for me I never thought possible. Truthfully, I never would have dreamed things would have ever moved this quickly once I decided to get started!

Let me just say a BIG thank you to YOU. I have so much incredible support from my family and friends. People forwarding my site onto their friends, spreading the word about me, helping me make contacts, helping me start living my dream. I really couldn't have done this on my own and I am blown away continually by the love that surrounds me.

And just b/c I am bursting inside with my amazing day, I'm going to stop, post some photos and go lay in bed hoping I'm not too excited to sleep!

I LOVE MY LIFE!

Yes, 3 out of 80... just a small tiny taste! Will post more over at Jodified Designs tomorrow...

led.

Do you ever make a decision in life that scares the crap out of you, but after you are there you feel totally secure and complete?

I've never felt anything like this passion for creating before. I am so excited to be working with so many people right now on photos and card layouts! Right now I have a birthday party invite, baby shower invite and baby announcement in the works!

I'm exhausted, it's like have a newborn again, but I just feel so happy and so sure that this is where God wants me. All I'm receiving from this decision is open doors and giant signs blinking "yes!" There is truly no better feeling then knowing you are moving in the right direction in life. Aside from maybe say, getting married or becoming a parent? :)

There are so many emotions coursing through me I can barely articulate how I'm feeling. So just trust me when I say that I couldn't be happier or more excited about this new journey in my life.

Chris and I always used to talk about taking the scenic route in life. To get off the highway, slow down and enjoy the ride. It's even engraved on our wedding bands. I've always tried to live my life like that, and the fact that I'm working towards making capturing moments an actual career is so perfect I could never have imagined this.

Tonight I am just so thankful for all of the support I've been getting and for being brave enough to just get out there and JUMP into the unknown! Like Kal says, LOVE LIFE! I do.

Just b/c I haven't been working on photos lately, here's my latest design (the names/info has been changed for privacy reasons... this baby is NOT Parker!)

I also changed the banner on the jodified blog/site. And that folks is all the creative energy I have for tonight!

happy [and exhausted] dance!

Even though I can barely keep my eyes open I am doing a happy dance b/c today my little blog hit a milestone of sorts.

I had over 50 visitors today!

Considering this started with my mom and sister reading, that is a big deal to me and I want to thank each one of you for stopping by to read my ramblings.

In the scheme of major bloggers, I have a LONG way to go, but it's a good start!

Thanks again and leave a comment next time you stop by! I would love to hear from you!

Ok, these eyes can't take any more computer time tonight. Working while babies sleep is getting tough! I put in 8 hours today while the girls napped and after bedtime tonight. A full day after a full day being mommy. I love it but man, I'm tired!

Updated my links and added some new blogs and websites you should check out! Enjoy!

And I swear this is really GOOD NIGHT!

invites.

I've been working my tail off trying to get jobs lined up for Jodified Designs and want to share my two latest creations.

and

Head over to Jodified Designs to see more examples of my design work.

Please email me if you are interested in a photo shoot and/or design project!

Good night!

momma

I don't how you feel about music, but for me it literally defines my life. I can tell you the exact song I listened to when I had my first break up, when my friend died, when I got engaged, when I quit school, when I became a momma. Music moves me, almost more than art does. Actually, they are one and the same. I can trace my art with what was going on in my life just as I can music.

All of this to say, when I heard this song, and heard this news, I knew I had found music to match this moment. And so, because of this, it's all I've been listening to the last few days! Bailey can sing along now! SO PLEASE, listen FIRST and then read on...

Download 12_capri_1.mp3

Are you worried I'm pregnant AGAIN? I know, I should have warned you this wasn't about me. Get off the floor from where you fell off your chair and read on!

MY SISTER IS HAVING A BABY! Oh yes, I'm going to be an AUNT and Bailey and Parker will have a COUSIN! We've known for a couple of weeks but I was sworn to secrecy! And Abbie, I swear I only told a few people! :)

We couldn't be happier for Abbie and Chris! YAHOO! New Life! New Parents! A true MIRACLE!

design

Just wanted to mention that I finally got a few of my designs up on the jodified site, so go check them out and let me know what you think!

ALSO.

Christmas is coming! I know in the 90 degree heat it doesn't seem like it, but it is and will be here before we know it. What is the biggest pain in the BUTT during the holidays? Aside from dealing with family and spending too much money on presents and gaining weight? CHRISTMAS CARDS!


How about this?

Let me take photos of your family and then design a ONE OF A KIND Christmas card for you! Then you'll have amazing photos to print and frame as gifts for your family and an incredible Christmas card to wow your address list! Please email me if you are interested!!! [email protected]

TODAY.

Chris is sick in bed with a fever and stomach issues. Kuhn reunion this afternoon. Our power finally came on last night so now I need to grocery shop for essentials that got thrown out of the rotting fridge. Laundry since I got NONE done the last two days with no power. Help mom and dad if they need anything. Post on here the photos of their destroyed trees/house/street from the storm. Make lots of Usborne calls.

Spreaking of USBORNE.

My incentive period ends on Sept 19th, so if you are REMOTELY interested in hosting a party (eShow or home show), please contact me NOW b/c after the 19th I can't offer DOUBLE FREE BOOKS to my hostesses! An eShow especially is easy so don't waste time! Check out my Usborne Page on here to get to my website.

Have a great Sunday! Last day of summer around here! Get out and enjoy LIFE!

more tomorrow.

Yesterday Oakland, Missouri got hit with a tornado. Now I know the weather and news stations aren't exactly saying that, but trust me, it HAD TO HAVE BEEN A TORNADO! Anyway, I have tons of photos that I'm too tired to upload, but listen to this:

We had no power from yesterday at 3 pm until today at 3 pm. No big deal. My parents had FOUR trees fall, one window EXPLODE due to wind, one sky light shatter from a tree falling on the house, a transformer crash in the street next to their house, 3 holes in the roof, and right now, as we speak, there are numerous fire engines/gas people/Ameren UE people/police outside their home b/c when the electric company drilled a hole in the street to put in the new pole/transformer to get their power back on, they HIT a 4 inch wide GAS LINE! There is gas shooting into the air right now two block from here. I also have photos of this, but again, too tired.

I will give you the whole story tomorrow, after we survive the Kuhn Reunion (my family). Say a prayer for my parents that everything is fixed by tomorrow.

Good night!

photography

Some people have told me that editing my photos so much is cheating. I want to address that right now.

If you ask the best photographers in the world right now, I bet more than half of what makes them a good photographer is how they edit their photos. Tara Whitney works a lot with her colors... b/c well, the world just doesn't look that good all the time! I will say that to be a good photographer you HAVE to have a good EYE for the shot. You have to see the world in a different way. Chris yells at me all the time b/c he doesn't think I live in the moment enough when I always want to grab the camera and CAPTURE the moment, but for me, I see things as if it were a photograph. All day I walk around noticing good shots. So I know that not all of it is in the editing, but I want to emphasize that if you don't have a natural eye, as long as you shoot SOMETHING, and then pop it into Photoshop, you'll get something pretty darn amazing! I've taken some pretty crappy shots and made them good just by the editing. Really fast, I want to say that in my opinion, a lot of good editing is in the CROPPING! CROP YOUR SHOTS! Stop taking SO many photos from SO FAR away! Get close, get personal and THEN take the picture!

For me, I love working in Photoshop on the color saturation and contrast. Contrast I think is my favorite. Here is an example of a photo I edited:

This was the actual photo that went from my camera into my computer. Now, b/c I got CLOSE and PERSONAL with my subject (my friend Lisa), I didn't have to crop it, but I did work with the color...

Do you SEE the difference? Seriously. Doesn't that just make a world of difference? I am in love with this photo! Not only is Lisa totally beautiful, with adjusting the color and lighting you can actually SEE the glow of new motherhood! Love it!

SO THERE. That is why you should edit your photos!

I'm off for a very busy day! Parker has her 9 month check-up and both girls have to have lead tests done b/c we owned so many of the Elmo toys that got pulled off the market for lead paint. I hate that. Then the girls are heading to Grandma's for lunch and a nap while I head out with my friend Tracy. One day I will tell you her story, b/c it's amazing. But today we are cleaning her house so it's ready for them to move back into it tomorrow. I made her a gift that I will post tonight b/c it was a fun and easy project I think anyone could do! So go out there and LIVE today! Have a great day!

TO energize you, rock out to THIS!
Download corinne_bailey_rae_put_your_records_on.mp3