a 2012 review and looking ahead to 2013!

Hey friends!  Happy Monday!!

Taking the time today to look back on 2012 and see how I did with my '12 in 2012'.  (GAHHHH!  Does this mean that I have to have a '13 in 2013'?!  Better get on this PRONTO!)  ;D


2012 goals:


1 - shoot between 10-12 weddings this year and second-shoot for at least one (if time & family allow me to!)   COMPLETED!!!  I shot 12 weddings last season, between the months of april-oct and it was perfect.  I also shot second for Christine D. in December!  Soooooo much fun!

2 - find good...no, AMAZING light for each shoot.  and master on- & off-camera flash.  I really feel like my photography skills improved MAJORLY this year...  I strive to find the best.light.possible for each and every session I take on.  I also feel like I improved quite a bit on my on-camera flash (dark churches and halls continue to scare me, but I go into them feeling much more ready to take them on!)  Off-camera flash...  yes, I need to delve deeper and make some more investments (both in time and gear!) to really get to the next level!

3 - blog more.  Hmmm....  Looking at the overall, it says that I blogged LESS than I did last year.  Boo me.  It may have some to do with the fact that I now do MOST of my 'sneak peeking' on my Facebook page.  Yeah, that's it.  :)

4 - improve my workflow and the time in which i give my clients their images.  This is getting better.  Lightroom is amazing for workflow...  I can cull and edit a session (weddings take longer, obviously) in really good time.

5 - prioritize family time on weekends.  so, i'm really going to stick to this rule: if i'm shooting on a saturday (which, let's face it, happens a LOT during wedding season!), my sunday is completely free for my family...and vice versa.  :)  my life/work balance needs an overhaul.  ;D  With a few exceptions, I did well sticking to this plan.  Yes, family time is important.  :D

6 - do a personal photo project for 2012.  i think i'm going to do a '2x12months' of joe & i.  :D  (thank you to everybody who offered feedback on my Facebook page!  stay tuned for january's 2x12 in a future post!)  COMPLETED!!!  The 2x12s wrapped in the previous post!  You can find them HERE!

7 - improve my work space.  :)  (...with even the smallest improvement/clean-up/purge, i'd be thrilled.)  My office space continues to be my nemesis.  GAHHH. 

8 - hire a photog for my own family shoot.  this is a MUST for this summer.  Sadly, never got around to this.  Gotta quit with the excuses and just get 'er done!  ;D 

9 - be more positive and resist the urge MORE to compare myself with others.  I feel I did pretty well with this.  It gets hard when, as the admin, you see the stats on your Facebook page...  the involvement and interest in your page going up and down...  but, I guess, it comes with the territory! 

10 - invest in a macro lens or (finances permitting!) additional lighting gear.  It's not a macro lens but I now have a set of Kenko 'extension tubes'.  They seem to be doing the trick!

11 - go for more walks.  (i know i should do it but i often don't because i feel i don't have the time.  i KNOW i need to make time for some good exercise.  the rewards would be great - i'll probably get more work done, have more energy for my family, have fewer headaches & stress...and sleep a whole lot better!)  Hmmmm...  I started out great...  got a pair of great sneakers, did the treadmill for a few months, joined weight watchers and lost 20+ lbs...  I NEED to keep my head in the game.  I get distracted and discouraged too easily.

12 - participate in this at my church and continue my commitment to read my Bible everyday.  COMPLETED!!!  40 Days in the Word was amazing...and I learned a LOT.  How to read my Bible, how to memorize Scripture... what method of learning and memorization is best for me...  so many great things taken from this course!  :D

OK.  Now.  Here is my '13 in 2013' list.  Some are personal, most of them are work-related...  ALL of them are important to me.  I'm going more 'specific' this year, in an attempt to get more done.  To be more goal-oriented and discerning.  And they're not reserved to just THIS year, but I'm going to try to stay on track and (hopefully!) meet them!  Here goes!


1 - shoot between 12-15 weddings.

2 - second shoot more weddings!  Any photogs out there want a second shooter, CALL me!!!  :D

3 - go on a date with my husband at least 1x/month!
 
4 - track my expenses on a more regular basis!

5 - grow closer to Christ by being fully-invested in a Beth Moore study this winter...  we're doing James: Mercy Triumphs.  It's amazingly good so far...  includes lots of homework and memory work.

6 - do a styled shoot.

7 - laugh more!

8 - invest in a few more pieces of gear: either purchasing the 24-70 2.8L OR upgrading to the 50 1.2L (leaning towards the 50 1.2);  upgrade my on-camera flash to a 580EX II speedlite; purchase an off-camera flash setup (softbox, etc.)

9 - be less critical of myself and my work.

10 - do more networking and connecting with other photographers!  Plans are already in the works to do a photo walk with another photog in Moncton.  Yayyyyy!

11 - improve my custom packaging and adding custom USBs this year!

12 - do a '5x12' project.  And yes, embrace the tripod.  Ha!

13 - attend a photography workshop.

As I look back on the past year, I am so thankful for everyone I got to cross paths with!!!

...to my brides & grooms of 2012: Angela & Kris, Patricia & Jeremy, Lacey & Ryan, Jessica & Brad, Tiffany & Curtis, Kayla & Jesse, Sheena & Mark, Melanie & Justin, France & Todd, Lauren & Tommy, Jessica & Ryan and Laura & Stephen -- thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for hiring me as your wedding photographer!!!! I am BLESSED to call you my friends!!!  XO.

...to all my 2012 portrait clients: engaged couples, families, mamas-to-be, babies, grads...  Thank you for your encouragement and more importantly, your trust.  It's my prayer that the moments we captured will be treasures in your home for many, many years to come.  :D  XO.

...to Christine Donovan.  Thank you for being an incredible friend and colleague!  I can't wait to work with you again in 2013!!  XO.

...to my precious family: Joe, Jacob, Robyn & Josiah.  I love you more than words can express.  XO.

...to my Saviour, Jesus.  may my life forever be a reflection of You (Psalm 19:14).

--H

2x12 project | december & 2012 recap

wellllllllllllllllll...  it's come to this.  ;)  haha.  the finale of the 2x12s (joe breathes a sigh of relief!)...


remember that snowstorm over Christmas?!  the big one around the 29th-30th?!  well, we were storm stayed in fredericton...  the kids were all playing outside and enjoying the big, fat snowflakes coming down, joe was helping my sister shovel her deck...  i grabbed my camera and...boom!

december's 2x12!

haha.  oh, we had fun, didn't we?!  heehee.  seriously.  if you could just SEE the relief on joe's face.  it's real.  ;D

here's a look back on all the 2x12s for 2012!

thanks for following along, friends!  glad so many of you enjoyed this because (after lots of feedback from friends & family!), we're gonna do another project like this!  only THIS time, it'll be a '5x12'...  that's right!  a howe family snapshot/portrait/as-fancy-as-we-want-to-make-it photo each and every month!  and i've gotta say...  i'm VERRRRRRRRRY excited about this one.  and joe is too, i might add.  :)

so we're gonna get ye ol' tripod out and get used to it, mama!  ;D

check back soon for the 1st installment in our 5x12 series!  :D :D :D  it'll be good.  i promise.  snowball fight, anyone?!  ;)

gracie | moncton newborn photography

a few weeks ago, i got to meet little 1 month old grace and see again her mom and dad, allison & kevin.  this shoot was pretty special because allison & kevin were one of my first clients.  i shot their october 2009 wedding at the memramcook institute and it was beautiful.  but the weather that day was dreary and cold and we did NOT get all the shots i wanted to get.  AND we never got to do an engagement session.  so...  when allison & kevin were up to it, i KNEW i wanted to gift them with a newborn shoot for their little girl.  :)  and it was the sweetest.  we went back to the room where they had their first look (at his uncle's place).  thank you, gene & di, for welcoming us into your home THEN and on THIS DAY as well!  :D

A&K - i hope these photos will be a reminder to you - in the days, weeks, months and years to come - just how little and dainty and enchanting your little gracie was at a month old.  may you remember this time always!  <3

and gracie - you have been blessed beyond measure being born into such an amazing, loving and godly family!  i love this blessing and i pray it over my own kids...

"the Lord bless you and keep you; 

 the Lord make His face shine on you 

and be gracious to you; 

the Lord turn His face toward you 

 and give you peace."

--Numbers 6:24-26

enjoy some of my favourites from gracie's session!  <3

--H

hello 2013.

happy new year, friends!!!  i've been MIA on the blog here these days...  been enjoying all that the season means to me with the people i love the most.  :)  hope you're okay with that.  ;)

i just wanted to drop in on this first day of 2013 to say hello.  and hello to 2013.  ;)  and to say that i'm incredibly grateful for the work i was able to do this year.  i got to meet and photograph some pretty amazing people...  dear couples who became dear friends, precious families, glowing mamas-to-be, fresh-as-can-be babes...  GAHHHHHHH.  i still, to this day, can't believe that i get to do THIS for a living...  overwhelmed, each and every day, with joy and complete satisfaction.....  all thanks to YOU.

i'll be working on catching up with MANY blog posts to close off 2012.



- my wedding faves from 2012
- my engagement faves from 2012
- my favourite frames from some of the 50+ portrait sessions i got to shoot in 2012 --new this year!
- my favourite IGs (instagrams - if you're not following me already, look me up!  i'm 'hollyhowe'!)  --new this year!  always lots of pictures from our everyday shenanigans!!  ;D
- the last 2x12 for the year!  (ahhhhh...how joe's relieved with that one!)  ;)  ...and a look back on all the 2x12s of 2012
- lots of december sessions (that were Christmas presents, so i couldn't share...until now!)  :D


and.......


- my goals and dreams for 2013!!!!


thanks for following along, and believing in HOLLYHOWEphotography!!  can't wait for all that 2013 holds - both personally and professionally!!!

blessings and love!


--H

breath of heaven

i L O V E this song. it never ceases to get me thinking and pondering again the birth of my Saviour.

Luke 2 

The Birth of Jesus

At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire.  All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census.  And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home.  He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee.  He took with him Mary, his fiancée, who was now obviously pregnant.

And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born.  She gave birth to her first child, a son.  She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.

That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep.  Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them.  They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said.  “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.  The Saviour—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!  And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”  Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,

   “Glory to God in highest heaven,
    and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”  They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph.  And there was the baby, lying in the manger.  After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 

All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often.  The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen.  It was just as the angel had told them.

don't forget to breathe.  take the time you need to remember what (and Who) Christmas is all about.  :)

personal | end-of-the-year portraits of the kids

chilly temps to freeze your tooshie?!  check.  yummy, incredible winter light (it was only 3pm, ya'll)?!  check.  pictures of my own kids for once?!  check.  ;)  ohhhh...  they will do anything with the promise of a hot chocolate.

haha.  i'm so glad they were up for this.  i just couldn't resist that afternoon light.  :)  joe wasn't even home from work yet but i scooped the kids up and we headed out to the andrews' to take some pictures.  lots and lots of pictures.  pictures of them running, playing, laughing...

GAH.  how i love them.  we will treasure these photos.  always.  <3

merry Christmas from all of us!  xo!

--H