Commercial Photography Final Project

This is the two-page magazine layout I came up with for my final project.  We took pictures out at the dry lake bed near Boulder City, Nevada.  

More photos from our scavenger hunt assignment

Here are some more photos from our scavenger hunt assignment from last week.  This was a fun assignment.  We were given a model or two and took them to different spots on campus and had to take their photos.  You can see photos from the rest of the students in my class on our class blog:  UNLV Commercial Photo class blog

Stay tuned... there are more fun photos to come.  And a surprise, too!  LOL!

My beautiful Daughter

Taylor was our model for our photo shoot today on campus.  These are just a few of my favorites from my camera.  Two other students took her photo also.  Can't wait to see what they captured of her, too!  (Click the photo to see all of the pictures in the album on my picasa page)

Tay from UNLV photo shoot

Custom Vinyl Orders

My husband will design and cut custom vinyl for you.  He has a variety of colors available and offers competitive rates.  We will ship to anywhere.  Here are a few samples of what he has done.

Photos from my black and white photo class last summer (2009)

Here are some photos from my black and white photo class from last summer.  I really enjoyed shooting black and white film and spending time in the dark room.    The first three are a tryptic.  All three photos tell a story.  These are mostly scans from the originals.  

Sweet Candy Shop

Our third assignment for class was to shoot a product.  I made these adorable bottles for Valentine's Day and filled them with candy and used them as my product for the assignment.

Commercial Photo Class

I am taking another photography class at UNLV this semester. I am taking a commercial photo class where we learn studio lighting. I'm learning a ton! Here are a few pics from our last assignment.

My fun-filled weekend of HSM2

This weekend was the premiere of High School Musical 2. Taylor had a friend over for a viewing party. The girls went crazy when it started and the sang and danced thru the entire show. She then watched the movie and played the soundtrack over, and over, and over again the rest of the weekend. I am on an HSM2 overload!

More fun with Photoshop

Here is another sampling of my projects. I am having soooo much fun!

for everything there is a season...

I went to St. George this weekend for yet another single’s dance. I was reminded (as I am when I go to single’s activities) how much I like my life as it is now, and that being single isn’t so bad. As much as I would like to be married and have the life that I dream of, I have realized lately that this is my season to be a mom and I am lucky that I have the opportunity to spend time with Taylor as she is growing up, and to develop a strong relationship with her.

If I were married, I would have someone else to share my time with and I wouldn’t have the opportunities I have now to focus just on her. Of course there are days that I would gladly sell her on eBay...but for the most part she’s the greatest blessing in my life, and I thank my Heavenly Father for her every day.

When my season comes to be married, I hope that I can enjoy it as much as I enjoy being a mom. I know when I get married, there will be days that I will want to sell my husband on eBay, too. But there will also be days that I will be so glad to have someone to share life’s ups and down’s with, that I will forget about the eBay days.

I just need to remember to live in the now and enjoy what I have, instead of wishing for what I don’t have, and to remember that its about the Lord’s timing. I can try to convince him to change his timing, and he might say “OK, you asked for it,” but it might just bring me sorrow instead of the happiness I so desire.

There is a story that I just love that reminds me to live in the now. It is called “The Precious Present”, by Spencer Johnson, M.D. It is about a conversation between a young boy and an old man that occurs over many years. The old man tells the young boy about “The Precious Present.”

The boy hopes he gets this present for Christmas. The man tells him that it is a gift, but not one that you would get for Christmas or your birthday.

The boy wonders if it is a magic ring that would give him everything he might wish for. The man tells him that it has nothing to do with wishing.

As the boy grew older, he began to wonder, “Is the precious present a flying carpet that I could get on and go any place that I liked?” The man told him, “No. When you have the precious present, you will be perfectly content to be where you are.”

A few years pass, and the boy returns to the old man and asks if the precious present is a treasure. The man replied, “No young man, it is not.” “richness is rare indeed, but the wealth of the present comes only from oneself.”

The old man then tells him “You already know what The Precious Present is. You already know where to find it. And you already know it can make you happy. You knew it best when you were a small child. You have simply forgotten.”

The story continues on (and this is just a brief synopsis). The young man, returning to inquire of the old man, until he finally figures it out. He would always be who he was, where he was. “The present is what it is. it is valuable. Even if I do not know why. It is already just the way it is supposed to be. When I see the present, accept the present, experience the present, I am well, I am happy.”

“Pain is simply the difference between what is and what I want it to be. When I feel guilty over my imperfect past, or I am anxious about my unknown future, I do not live in the present. My past was the present. And my future will be the present. The present moment is the only reality I ever experience. As long as I continue to stay in the present, I am happy forever; because forever is always the present. The present is simply who I am just the way I am...right now. And it is precious.

I hope we can all learn to live in the present. It is hard. Life has its challenges. But if we remember to live in the present “we can be happy forever.”

(whew, how’s that for philosophical?)

Summer School

I am taking a digital photography class this summer for school. I decided that if I had to take a class, I wanted it to be fun! I am really enjoying the class a lot. I originally thought I would learn how to use my camera better, but we're actually learning how to use photoshop. It has been really fun to learn. I have always wanted to be a good photographer. I look at the beautiful pictures my friends take and wish so much that I were as good as them.

Here are a few examples of what I have done for class. The one thing photoshop can't help me with is creativity. Wish it could.

Disneyland

We had the opportunity to go to Disneyland for Father's Day Weekend. My brother had a conference to attend, so he and his wife turned it into a family vacation. We tagged along for the free hotel room and good company! It was so much fun!

This was Melissa and the boys first trip to California and Disneyland. We went to the garment district and Newport Beach on Friday, and then spent the next three days in Disneyland - and boy, did we have fun! The kids got into pin trading. Ethan was looking for Lightning McQueen, Woody, Jessie and Towmater pins. Taylor liked the Chip n' Dale, Goofy, and Pluto pins. It was fun to watch them trade with the Disney staff.

My favorite rides were "Soarin' Over California", "Pirates of the Caribbean", and "California Screamin". Taylor actually tried Indiana Jones again. The first time she went to Disneyland was for her 6th birthday. My parents took her on Indiana Jones for her first ride. She didn't care for rides anymore after that. I was surprised that she went this time. Way to go Taylor! Face your fears! Ethan's favorite ride was Space Mountain and Pirates. He loved those roller coasters. Carter loved Small World and the Tiki Room. He laughed and danced along with the birds and flowers as they sang.

Thanks guys, for sharing your vacation with us! We will remember it forever.