I Love What I Do, I Do What I Love

I definitely haven't blogged in a looooong time. Oops!  So many things have happened. Probably. One for sure being that I got a new job back in February. I'm working at a photography studio in Orem. And... it takes up a lot of time! The hours aren't typical hours, so it's really all I've been doing. Especially working all day Saturdays. Horrifying, I know. Oh well. I'm getting over it.  For now at least.

Image of Evan and Sky from tonights engagement session!

Why am I blogging today? Because I love what I do. At work, I take pictures of a lot of kids, families, and missionaries. Yes, it's fun for sure. But, I'm stuck in a studio the entire time. Part of my passion in photography is the new and creative things I get to do - outside. I've gotten a lot bit down lately in the photography area of life lately because it's hard to find my passion for it when I'm stuck in a studio. There are no new things to do, it's just the same routine thing. Over and over again. Which, is fine. But I began rethinking my desire to pursue photography as a career. My own thing - not my current job. I haven't been loving photography like I used to. And it started to make me sad.

But then tonight happened.

I was able to take my cousins engagement pictures tonight. I got to do what I wanted, and I absolutely loved every minute of it. It's one of those things that gets the heart warm and fuzzy and you can actually feel your love for what you are doing. I love showing pictures to those I photograph and see the excitement and emotion they have. Right now, there is no greater feeling than that. (probably because I'm not in love and all that... hmm)

I still have sooo much to learn with this art, but I seriously am in love with what I do. So I'll keep doing what I love.

{Spring In Utah} Orem, Utah Photographer

I was over winter before it even started. So when I could finally start to feel the sun on my skin and the blossoms started blossoming, I couldn't even handle the joy that consumed my soul. Serious. I love spring. But I don't love bees, so sometimes it's a hard thing.

I took a little Sunday drive and found a pretty tree. Believe it or not, it was in a parking lot of a police station. I was there by choice. 100%.

Now I'm In Trouble

After Devin's funeral, his family had SO many plants that their house looked like a nursery. So they gave me one.

Rewind to last summer when Devin had given me marriage advice AND a marriage deadline. Read about the hysterical details here:

Where Devin finds it necessary to give me marriage advice AND a deadline.

Where Devin finds it necessary to start praying for me - because I'm not married.

So the last time I received pressure from him, he kindly extended my deadline, for the third time, to March 16th. Well, that was about a week ago and... there was no wedding.

Now fast forward to the plant his parents gave me at his funeral. On March 17th, it started looking like this:

Coincidence that it starts dying the day after his deadline?

Maybe.

Devin being disappointed with me?

Probably.

the one that got away

A couple years ago, I dated this guy. Shocker, I know. He was even a guy who met the family which is a rare thing for me. His family knew one of my uncles and his family which kept things a bit interesting - being questioned even more so (which I absolutely hate being questioned about boys I date. Drives me insane.)

Things didn't work out with said boy - clearly.

Now boy is getting married, which is great. I still think he is great and couldn't be happier for him.

Wedding announcements arrives in the mail. Cute. Aunt and Uncle get theirs too. But there's goes missing...

Turns out my cousin who is in 6th grade threw it away. "If he isn't marrying Sarah, then we will NOT be going to his wedding. He's marrying the wrong girl."

I'm over it, but I guess my cousin isn't...

And I absolutely love him for that. My little protector.

{Winter In Provo Canyon} Utah Photographer

On Sunday, I went up Provo Canyon with full intentions to take a lot of pictures. It had just snowed, and it was really pretty.

However, I have a thing against winter clothes. And it was cold out... so I only was brave enough to get a few shots.

Hoping it warms up soon.

On Cloud Nine Ready To Fire

Two years ago for Christmas, I asked for a gun. A small black one - like in the movies. I was serious about my Christmas gift idea and even promised I would only shoot things - not living things. Duh...

Well, Christmas came and I got a gun. It was small and black - just like in the movies. BUT IT WAS AN AIRSOFT GUN! 

I was mocked.

Fast forward to last April - 4 months after I was mocked with an airsoft gun. I was driving on I-15 up to school and passed the new apartment complex I was about to move into when I suddenly spotted a building with a huge sign on it that said "INDOOR SHOOTING RANGE". I cannot even begin to tell you how excited I got. I think I called everyone I knew to tell them the news that I was going to live practically on the same block as an indoor shooting range. Dream. Come. True. It was like another "sign" that Orem was where I was supposed to move. It confirmed my decision.

Last weekend, I finally went shooting. And, I think it was the most magical night of my life. If not the most, at least in the top 3. I shot 3 different handguns (I now know that they are called handguns and not small black guns.) I might also add the fact that I rocked it. As in, 95% of my shots were in the target range - the bigger circle on the head that has the smaller circle within it. My fellow shooters were impressed. BOOM!

I'm imagining that I looked this cool. But I don't know. I'm just imagining.

My heart had never been so full of joy. Ever in my life. I felt like I could conquer the world after that night.

I'm totally asking for a handgun this year for Christmas. Again.

{Josh, Delroy & LeRoy} Utah Portrait Photographer

The day we shot these was quite possibly the coldest day I have ever experienced. Including my days in Canada. It. Was. Fridgid. But, when someone like Josh asks you to take pictures of him and his 'two boys', you don't just pass that opportunity up. Especially when there are two trucks and only one Josh to drive them. Consequently, I had to drive one out to the lake where we took these pictures.

It may have been the best afternoon of my life. Driving LeRoy (the red one). I like driving big trucks, and getting mud on their tires. Good thing Josh brought a towel to tidy them up. Oops...

Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present: Josh, Delroy & LeRoy.

I usually am not much of a photoshop/crazy colors/fake looking kind of gal, but today it needed to happen. For Josh.