Second Photo Shoot!

Heyyy folks!

I finally got my second photo shoot pictures edited! It took quite a bit to find the time do get them done, but I found it. My boyfriend's mother set me up with a lady from her work that is expecting her fourth child. So I took her maternity pictures and family pictures. They are a very beautiful family and I can definitely see the mothers' love for her children. So here are some pictures:











I also wanted to share with everyone Sarah Barlows' blog that she posted about her internship that I attended this summer. She has a few pictures and wrote about our week together. There is also a video she posted on the blog too. While I was down there, Sarah, Kristen, and I made a music video to "Airplanes." It was such a fun time making it! I absolutely LOVE the video and I seriously cannot stop listening to the song we made it to. CHECK IT OUTTT!

sarahannephotography.blogspot.com

So besides all that stuff, it has been really hard to find time to work on my Photography. I really don't have much to do right now either. Besides experimenting and trying to set up some packages and prices. I will be taking some newborn pictures very soon. My friends' baby finally made it into the world. :-D But I am going to wait a little bit until he becomes a little more comfortable in this world.

I have tons of people interested and possibly going to set up times with me. It is just finding the time they want me to take them. My manager from work also told me the other day that everyone is raving about his wedding pictures I took and want my contact info. So I might have some other things lined up in the future. :-)

So it is a slow process. There are times where I really wish I was a couple years in the future, when I have my business and all I am doing is my business and making a living off of it. But I keep reminding myself that the time I am taking now to make my business is very important and I just have to keep pushing myself and work hard so I can get to where I want to be. This time now is what will make me in the future. So I am staying positive and learning all that I can and doing all that I can to get there. It is going to take time. It will be an adventure for me. :-D

Ok, well I will post again very soon! Stay awesome everyone!

Love, ME!

Pictures From My First Maternity Photo Shoot!

Hey there!

I'm sorry it has been awhile again since I have had the chance to write a new post. It's been crazy busy here. With getting back into the swing of work and everything after I got back from Tennessee, more work, photo shoots, trying to find an apartment and move out, and my computer not working for two weeks. Yeah... just craziness. But! Everything has been so great and like I mentioned, I had some photo shoots. :-D

The first one I did was with a friend from work. She was pregnant and I had the chance to take her maternity pictures. And notice I wrote "was" pregnant. She had her baby already! I still have not had the chance to meet him yet. But I definitely cannot wait to! And once he's settled at home and everything, I will be taking his newborn pictures! :-D CANNOT wait. But anyway, I took some maternity pictures of just her. Then a couple days later I was able to take some more of her and her husband together. They are such a cute couple. They are always cracking me up and their love for each other is just amazing. I love them both so much. Here are some pictures.

























So that's my first photo shoot! I did another one the same day I did my first one. I just haven't had the chance to edit those pictures yet. But those will be up very soon. Other than that, just working still. I was without my computer for two weeks. So I wasn't able to do too much during that time. Now that I have it back, I have been on it nonstop.

The Art Gallery is supposed to be having a photography art show next month. I would like to enter some pictures into the gallery for the show, but it has to be pictures I have not already added to the gallery. And with getting ready to move and my photography supplies packed away, I'm not sure if I will have time to make some pictures. But I am definitely going to try.

School also starts up next month. Sooo excited for it. Now that I finally have a major decided, I cannot wait to complete my major and graduate. Which will hopefully be in a year and a half. :-D In between classes and semesters, I hope to find some photography classes or Adobe Photoshop classes to take on the side. My biggest thing I want to work on right now is editing in Photoshop. Which I am slowly figuring out myself, but I know there is so much more I can do with my pictures.

Anywho, hope you like my pictures. Leave comments if you can. I will have more of my second photo shoot up soon hopefully. Hope everyone is having a good summer. Stay cool! I will write soon!

-AshleyElaine-
<3

Sarah Barlow Internship 2010-Nashville, TN

Hello hello!

Wow. Time definitely flies by when you are having fun! Well, I gave all the smaller updates on my last post. So here is the bigger update for you.

Nashville, Tennessee!!!
The most amazing U.S. city I have ever been to so far in my life! I went there for the Photography internship I have been saving up for for the past year. And might I say that it was the best thing I could ever save up for and be a part of. It was for six days, with two travel days. I left on June 15 and came back June 22.

First of all, Sarah Barlow is the sweetest person I have ever met. Along with being very knowledgable, helpful, and very successful in her business. It was just me, her, and one other intern-Kristen. We started the week off by getting settled, going grocery shopping and meeting tons of Sarah's awesome friends. Everyone is Nashville was very welcoming and sooo nice!

Then the week officially begun. Sarah taught and talked about everything we would ever need to know about our business and even more. The first day we discussed who we are, what drives us, and what our "brand" is. It was a really good way to start the internship so we can define who we really are so we can incorporate it into our business. That way our clients really understand us and our work. It was very beneficial. We also discussed what we want our business name to be. Which I am proud to announce that my Photography business will be called "Ashley Elaine." :-)

The second day I was there was actually the worst day out of the whole trip. Unfortunately I got food poisoning. The worst thing I have ever had experienced in my life dealing with being sick. So all day I pretty much slept and rested. Thankfully I was 100% better the next day.

During the internship, we had two photo shoots set up. The first one with Sinead Burgess- an awesome singer working on her first album in the U.S. She was so sweet, beautiful, and funny to work with. Throughout the photo shoot Sarah, Kristen, and I took turns directing Sinead. A new experience for me. The second photo shoot we did was with a couple-Allie and Leo. They were so cute together and so much fun to work with. During these photo shoots, Sarah forced us to shoot in Manual. Which was very hard for me at first. I'm still figuring out how to shoot in manual. But Sarah encouraged me that is a learning process and it all comes from practice. After these photo shoots our next task was to upload, downsize, and edit in Lightroom. Which was a very good learning experience for me as well.

Then throughout the week we also learned about getting to know our clients, photo shoot experience, editing, taxes, business bank accounts, and everything else. We covered EVERYTHING. And since there was only two of us interns, we got through things quickly and were able to have a lot of leisure time. All in all, I had an amazing time. The week went by so quick. I did not want to leave!

So that was my awesome internship I attended. The next major plans coming up is going back to school. I start August 24th. Which I am so excited for! :-) Besides school, my only other plans are to take some Photography classes on the side. As well as setting up photo shoots! So far I have four set up. Which I cannot wait to get started on.

Other than those exciting facts, I just have to keep working hard. My goal is to start my actual business in 3 years. So hopefully with my hard work and dedication, I can achieve that goal. So I hope to update you very soon on some of my accomplishments!

Thanks for reading,
Ashley

Small Update

Hello everyone!

It has been WAY too long since I have posted on here. Grrr. Well there is just too too too much to write about right now. But here are some small updates...

I got two more pictures in the local gallery. Very excited about. None of them sold yet, however. But that's okay with me. I'm just happy they are up, people are looking them, and I'm involved in the gallery.

Better news... Which I do not know if I said anything before about it, but my boss asked me to take his wedding pictures. So I did that the weekend right before I left for my internship. I was VERY nervous about it. But with some help with my wonderful boyfriend and friend, they gave me some pointers. However, throughout the wedding I grew more and more comfortable. I'm not completely satisfied with my pictures, but with some editing and tweaking I think I can turn them into some pretty awesome pictures. Especially with the things I learned on my internship.

As of right now, I am still in Nashville, TN for my internship. Meeting the most fabulous people, learning sooo much, experiencing so much, and seeing so much. So I will have allllll the details when I come back.

I'll post about it in a couple days!
<3Ash

Making Some Progress!

Hello!

So I have some great news to announce finally! I have actually had some spare time to edit some pictures to put in the Art Gallery! :-D I got them blown up and printed at Wal-Mart the other week. Luckily, I have a mother that works in the Photolab at Wal-Mart that could edit them and make them look extra pretty for me. Now all I have to do is buy frames for them, and then I can finally put my first picture(s) into the Gallery. I am so excited! My mom and my dad love the pictures, as well as some other friends I have shown them to. Here is everyone's favorite:



I have to say I am very proud of this one. But this one is my favorite:



I have also had the chance to meet up with a good friend of mine and take pictures with him at Cadorus one day. He has been taking Photography classes through school. I have seen his pictures on Facebook and think he does a really great job. We have been talking for several weeks about getting together to do some photography. And we finally had a chance. But I haven't had the chance to upload them and edit them yet. That is on my list of photography things to do.

Some more good news... my manager from McDonalds came up to me at work the other day and asked me if I could take pictures at his wedding this summer. :-D I was so flattered when he asked me. I did tell him that I didn't think I had enough experience yet, but he said that he's sure I would do a good job. So I said yes! But I am hoping I can take some kind of photography class before then, to gain a little more experience first. It is my manager, so I would like to make a good impression. Besides that, I need to sit down and figure out what price I should set to take the pictures. Which I cannot decide. But I have plenty of time to figure that out.

I still have not taken my friends' family pictures yet, due to work and other situations. But it is still in the works to find a day soon to take them. I also have other friends that are expecting a baby in July. So I asked if I could take their newborns' pictures. They said "Definitely." So I have that to look forward to. I also asked my sister if I could practice taking pictures of her this summer. She didn't agree to it at first but eventually did, as well as my dad saying I could practice on him too.

So I definitely have had the time to work on some things and set up some plans. Now all I have to do is find more time to do them. :-P But since it has been getting nicer out, I have been gaining more motivation. And with the days staying lighter later, I have a better chance of finding more time and opportunity to do more. I am also planning my summer with other classes to take. Sarah has still not posted dates for the summer internships, so I am making a back-up plan of classes to take in place of the internship. Just in case. I'm still hoping I will go though. I have just received the summer classes booklet from HACC. They are offering a Photography Certificate Program. So that is definitely in the back of my mind.

So yeah. That's all the good news I have this time. So now I just need to keep it up and achieve more plans that I have. We shall see how far along I get in the next couple weeks.

:-D
-Ash-

Slowly Working My Way Up

Hi again. It's been awhile since I've been able to post a new blog. Due to work, work, and more work. Working as much as I can to save up money for my internship I want to do this summer. Which, I am glad to announce, I finally have enough money for. The only thing left to save up for is my plane tickets and some spending money to take along. :-D Which I will definitely have by then. Sarah hasn't posted the new summer internship dates, so I'm waiting for that as well. I've been checking on a weekly basis, to make sure I'm one of the first people to sign up. Sarah said herself that the summer internships fill up very fast.

Anyway, still not finding enough time to get my camera out. I wasn't able to achieve my goal of getting my camera out more. Or making it to the Art Guild. But with the nicer weather we are having, that means more chances to be outside, day trips, and vacations. ;-) Meaning I will be taking lots and lots of pictures! Just last week I went camping for the weekend. Which gave me the chance to hike a mountain and take very beautiful pictures of the tremendous view.

Today I was able to get my camera out for a half a hour or so. Took some pictures of my dog and my cat outside. And a flower or two. Heres a picture of my beautiful cat, Tinkerbell:



Trying to decide where to take my friends' Easter pictures. Luckily, I have a friend from work who came into Sears Portrait Studio when I was working there, with his fiance and baby girl. I was able to take their pictures, which they loved. So now they want me to continue taking their baby girls' pictures and their pictures. :-D So he asked me if I could take their Easter pictures this coming week. So I'm trying to come up with ideas and places to take their pictures, to make sure they get the best pictures I can take.

I've noticed that the perfect time to take pictures outside is around 5 o'clock. The way the sun lays in the sky at that time creates very beautiful sun rays and shadows. Unfortunately, my friend is getting his pictures done in the morning/afternoon. So, I have to figure out where to take pictures at that time. But it is something I am very willing to figure out and learn.

Also, this past Monday I registered for my fall classes at HACC. :-D I am totally excited to be starting school back up again in the fall. Especially since I finally know what I want to do. And if I continue to work hard and get good grades, it looks like I will be able to graduate by next fall, maybe the following spring. And hopefully along the way I will have a better picture of what other things I can do to work towards a career in Photography.

So that's the latest news. My hours have calmed down a little at work. So I've been able to get my other responsibilities done and out of the way. So hopefully this week I will have some more spare time to get my Photography responsibilities accomplished. We will see what I will be able to complete this week. Maybe some new ways to take pictures? Or maybe a picture to submit in the gallery? We will see.

*Sigh*

So...still not finding enough time for photography. I did have a chance to go to Cadorus a couple days ago and take some pretty good pictures. But as far as having my camera with me 24/7 and taking pictures of anything and everything, not going very well. And I haven't had the chance to go to the Hanover Art Guild either. Work and everything else just seems to keep taking up my spare time. When I actually have a chance to do something, it is when I have other responsibilities to attend to. There is just not enough time in a day!!! But I think the weather has an affect on why I haven't been taking pictures. I am hoping that once it starts to get really nice and sunny, I will be out more. And with Spring on the way, I will have plenty of opportunities to take pictures of nature at one of it's best times.

The only positive thing is realizing that I will definitely have enough money to go on my dream internship this summer. :-D I'm already preparing for it. I just cannot wait to go now! Two weeks in beautiful Nashville, Tennessee learning about Photography, meeting new people, experiencing new things, seeing new things. I'm hoping this will be the big push for me to get out my comfort zone and pursue new things.

I did realize one thing that I really need to work on. And hopefully I'll learn how at this internship. It is getting up close and being at the right spot to take pictures. I was looking at Sarah Barlow's pictures on her blog and saw how she was right up close and personal to her subjects and how she positioned herself in the right spot to get the best picture. This is something I have trouble with. I'm always in the background. I don't want to be in the way of other people and don't want scare the subject(s) with being so close. But I've watched some photographers and realize that that is what they do. That is their job. And I am willing to try to jump out of my comfort zone to achieve that.

Also, with summer on the way, Harrisburg Area Community College offers summer noncredit classes. Some of them dealing with Photography. So I am hoping that I can set some money and time aside to take a class or two as well this summer. There just so much I want to do, but I am afraid that I won't be able to fine the time or the money to do those things. I'm trying to remember that I am not on a timed schedule. I can go my own pace and set it to whatever I need it to be. And I'm still young, only a two years out of school. I've got all the time in the world! I definitely don't want to take a long time at achieving what I want to do, but I know that I don't have to accomplish everything in a hurry.

So all I need to do right now is still work on finding time for Photography. I am working on a couple things here and there. But as far as taking pictures, I hope that I can set some more time aside for it. Even if its for one hour a week, I would be satisfied with that. Then I hope I can work my way up and find things that I can set aside to have more time for Photography. Let's see if I can accomplish that goal this week! I'll let you know if I do!

-Ash-

Need...To...Work...On...Photography!

So... Just this past week I joined my local art gallery. The Hanover Area Arts Guild. It is a very neat place. I haven't had much time to actually look at all the art work and explore the gallery. But from what I have seen, it is very promising. I joined hoping that it would motivate me to work harder at finding time to take pictures and practice. So far, I haven't found that motivation. It has only been a week... So hopefully I will find time very soon. It is just so hard to balance everything sometimes. If I had a better job and could just work enough to pay my bills, I know I would have plenty of time. But I don't. So I have to work my butt off. But that is life right?

Anywho... I also need to get to the point where I have my camera with me at all times and I take pictures of everything. I always have my little compact camera with me, but never seem to find the need to use it. Which is what I want to improve. I started applying that method the other day, taking pictures of the breakfast my boyfriend and I were making.



Mmm! They were amazing pancakes! Haha.

But yeah. Those are the two most important things I want to improve. Lets hope I succeed. In the mean time, I am working very hard at preparing to go back to school in the fall. I can't wait to start! I can't wait to set goals and go about achieving them. I think I finally have the right plan in mind, and I am going to put all I have into doing the best so I can get the most out of my major. I want to be as prepared as I can before I go my own path into my own business so I don't fail. I have fallen a lot, and it has taken a major toll on me sometimes. I would have to say that about half the time I can pick myself back up and keep moving forward. But there were still a lot of times that I couldn't. And it hurt. So here's hoping that I do my best!!!

First Post on My New Blog!

Hey everyone! Welcome to my blog! I decided to get a blog to inform those of you who want to know what is going on in my life. Such as my daily experiences, decisions, choices, problems I will face. I also created this blog as a way to share my experiences of pursuing my future career as a photographer. So for those of you who care and want to follow what has been going on in my life, I hope you enjoy following the journey my life will take.

Sooo... what is going in in my life right now you ask? Well, not much at the moment.

I am not going to college right now. I took this past year off, due to not knowing what path I wanted to take. So I just have been working at my current job at Baltimore Street McDonalds. I have worked there for over a year now. I guess I like it. It is a job... But I am very thankful for it. And since no one is really hiring, and I'm tired of applying to places, I'm pretty much staying there until I can cross into my own job/career. I have recently decided to try to move up and become a swing manager. So that is an exciting process. As for school... my plan is to go back to HACC in the fall. I've decided to go for an Associates Degree in Business Management. Then on the side I will take photography classes that I want to take. There is a certificate program that HACC is offering over the summer that I would really like to do. Also, there is this great internship I found out about through a friend that I would LOVE to do. It is held by a photographer from Nashville, Tennessee for two weeks. It looks absolutely amazing and I am working my butt off to gather enough money to go this summer. But yeah. That is my plan! I just hope I succeed.

Well, I think that is all I want to post tonight. I could write for hours, but then I wouldn't have enough to write about for the next couple blogs. Haha. So I hope someone reads this soon and enjoys!