Sweet Daisy Photography

Sneak Peek--And Baby Makes 3!! Cincinnati Maternity Photographer

2012-01-29T20:33:00.004-05:00

I know this cute little couple are waiting patiently for their sneak peek so here it is!!

Sneak Peek--All in the Family Session Cincinnati Family Photographer

2011-11-08T20:43:00.001-05:00

A few of my favs!! Enjoy :-)

Video Album--The S Family

2011-10-18T10:35:00.000-04:00

We had so much fun during this session. Little man took us on a hike through the woods and showed us all the cool places! Hope you enjoy a video of my favorites from the session.

Sneak Peek--The S Family Cincinnati Family Photographer

2011-10-17T09:01:00.001-04:00

A little sneak peek of an adorable family fall session!

Me and Oprah

2011-10-11T10:21:00.001-04:00

That title got your attention, didn't it?! No, I don't know Oprah in real life nor does she even know I exist, but she started a LifeClass yesterday that I registered for. Unfortunately, I don't get the OWN network so I had to watch everything on her website, but still good stuff! If you're interested, check it out. I don't think it's too late to join in.

Yesterday was the first day and the topic was "How does your ego get in the way of your life?" She wasn't referring to "ego" in the traditional sense that we initially think of...the, "Man, I'm awesome" ego. Her guest was Eckhart Tolle who has written several best sellers, but the only one I have right now is "Seat of the Soul".

I wanted to share this poem that she shared with us at the end of the program. It really resonated with me and thought it might with you too.

Love After Love by Derek Walcott

The time will come
when, with elation,
you will greet yourself arriving
at your own door, in your own mirror
and each will smile at the other's welcome,
and say, sit here. Eat.
You will love again the stranger who was your self.
Give wine. Give bread. Give back your heart
to itself, to the stranger who has loved you
all your life, whom you ignored
for another, who knows you by heart.
Take down the love letters from the bookshelf,
the photographs, the desperate notes,
peel your own image from the mirror.
Sit. Feast on your life.

Video Album--The M Family Northern Kentucky Family Photographer

2011-10-04T12:12:00.003-04:00

I had so much fun with this session. Working with older kids is very different from the little ones. And different is good! I enjoyed the kids' silly faces, energy and I love that they turned me onto some new jokes :-) Thanks to the M Family for letting me hang out with you and sharing some laughs. I hope you'll enjoy this little video album of some of my favs from our time together.

Video Album--The D Family Northern Kentucky Family Photographer

2011-09-29T07:48:00.000-04:00

What a great little family! The little one only wanted to hunt for rocks and the older one was so good with his little bro bro. We had so much fun exploring a new area. Thanks for allowing me to be a small part of this time in your family's history. Hope you enjoy the video album of some of my favorites.

Sneak Peek--The M Family Northern Kentucky Family Photographer

2011-09-28T20:03:00.003-04:00

What a fun time we had during this shoot! Lots of running, jokes and of course...silly faces! Hope you enjoy the sneak peek.

I swear this could be an Abercrombie ad!

Look at those eyes!

Sneak Peek--The D Family Northern Kentucky Family Photographer

2011-09-25T09:57:00.000-04:00

A small sneaky peeky of an adorable family!

Video Album--Rockin' Out the Dress Northern Kentucky Photographer

2011-09-05T09:25:00.006-04:00

I've been wanting to do a session like this for a long time, but whenever I asked women "Would you like to do a trash the dress session?", they were almost horrified to think about trashing their wedding dress. I don't blame them. Even though I'll never wear my dress again and won't be saving it for someone else to wear, thinking about destroying my dress is NOT something I'm interested in, thank you very much.

The great thing about this type of session--which I prefer to call "Rock the Dress"--is anything goes. If you want to roll around in the mud, throw paint on your dress or get into some water, we can certainly do that, but if you would simply like to wear your dress again in an environment that's way different than your wedding day and where you don't mind getting a little dirty, we can rock it out without doing any irreparable damage. This session is an example of that.

Whenever I want to try out a new type of session, my BFF is always up for being my model! She was my first boudoir session and now my first Rock the Dress session. It's great that she's up for any of my crazy suggestions and even greater that she's smokin' hot :-) We had a lot of fun getting these shots and trying out new things...some worked, some didn't...but that's what happens when you try something new. I've got some great ideas for my next Rock the Dress session, so who's up for it? :-)

By the way, if anyone has a recommendation for a video hosting site that will actually show my pictures as sharp as they really are, I would greatly appreciate it. It's so frustrating to not be able to showcase these video albums the way the photos really look. If you click on the "Vimeo" logo on the bottom, it will take you to my site where the video is smaller, but at least the images are sharper!

Sneak Peek--Rockin' Out the Dress Northern Kentucky Trash the Dress

2011-08-29T07:21:00.000-04:00

Just a few teasers of an awesome session where we rocked out the wedding dress!

Video Album--Awesome Miss A Cincinnati Senior Photographer

2011-07-24T10:00:00.002-04:00

This beautiful young lady and her mom win the award for traveling the farthest for a Sweet Daisy session. They came all the way from Alabama! Well, the day of the shoot they drove from Bardstown, KY, but still...it was a looonnng way either way you slice it! What a crazy adventure they had getting to the session and the beginning of the session as well. I think it was the last day we had any rain in this area and of course, it happened right when we wanted to start shooting :-( As fate would have it, though, the skies cleared up and we got to rock out the session!

Miss A's mom just happens to be a college friend of mine from way back in the day. How cool it is to see our lives come full circle! A weird and wonderful phenomenon of meeting a friend's child is that even before I meet them, there exists an automatic affection...a warm and fuzzy, if you will... because they're my friend's kid. An even more wonderful phenomenon is when that warm and fuzzy is substantiated because said kid is wonderful...enter Miss A!

I truly had such a great time with her and her mom. I hope she enjoys the pictures as much as I enjoyed our time spent together making them :-)

Video Album--The R Family Greater Cincinnati Family Photographer

2011-07-01T08:40:00.002-04:00

This is was the 2nd of back-to-back sessions with 6 month olds and what a great age that is! This little feller is all smiles. Such a happy boy and such an adorable one too, I might add! After cancelling once for bad weather, the re-schedule date was even worse weather, but with some fancy thinkin', we got it done and had fun at the same time! What a beautiful family these 3 make and I was so thrilled to spend the morning with them. I might be a little prejudice because I am related to these folks, but I don't think anybody can look at that sweet little smile and not melt! Enjoy.

Sneak Peek--Miss A Northern Kentucky Senior Photographer

2011-06-29T07:16:00.000-04:00

Just a few of the beautiful Miss A's Senior session. She rocked it out!

Sneak Peek--Family Session Northern Kentucky Family Photographer

2011-06-19T20:19:00.000-04:00

Just a few of a sweet little cutie!

Video Album--The A Family Kentucky Family Photographer www.sweetdaisyphotography.com

2011-05-26T20:17:00.003-04:00

I can't tell you how much fun I had with this session. I hardly ever get to do a session with a sweet baby girl and lemme tell you, it's a blast! This little recently-turned-six-month-old is just as sweet and beautiful as she can be and it's clear that Mommy and Daddy are crazy about her. I gotta say, so was I! I chose this song for their video album because I don't know how many times I said it out loud...but I certainly thought it over and over...that she was so sweet I could eat her with a spoon! Hope you enjoy the album of this beautiful, little family.

Sneak Peek--Family Session Kentucky Family Photographer

2011-05-23T16:36:00.000-04:00

I could seriously post a ton more sneak peeks of this beautiful family so I really had to reel myself in. Plus, I had to include one of precious baby feet...and how absolutely adorable are hers?!!

After

2011-04-01T08:48:00.000-04:00

Okay, so this isn't the actual "After" since I have to get a staple gun to secure the fabric on the top, but it's a mockup of what it's going to look like. Big difference, huh? I'm really happy with how it turned out and not bad for my first attempt at a refurb.

One update, however: because I wasn't entirely sure what I was doing, I didn't sand the legs before spray painting it. What that has caused to happen is some of the paint is chipping because, as you can see from yesterday's picture, the legs are shiny. For the paint to adhere well, I should've sanded them. I don't mind the chipped paint...adds to the character and "antiques" it somewhat. I'm considering sanding it a little with the paint on it to antique it even more, but we'll just have to see. Making mistakes is how you learn and you can bet I'll know better next time!

Before

2011-03-31T09:49:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I started working on my first junk store refurb. Although I'm not completely finished with it yet, I wanted to build anticipation and post the "Before" photo so you could see the ugliness I was working with!

If you're going to go junking, it's vital that you're able to see the potential of a piece and look past what its current state is. This stool drew me to it because it's the perfect size for little ones. I knew I could make it into something that would be fun and even though I'd never done a refurb, I was ready to take it on and thought this was a nice, small project to start with. Stay tuned for the "After" unveiling.

Deliriously Happy

2011-03-29T16:30:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I finally put some of my junk store and pickin' finds to work. After purchasing a $5.99 bouquet at Kroger, I cut them up and placed them around my house. The top flowers are on my mantle in the living room. The middle flowers are in the master bathroom. And the bottom flowers are on my makeup desk in my office--see the makeup in the background :-) To top it off, I had enough left over to make an adorable bouquet for our kitchen table and 2 little fellers are in the front bathroom {obviously I didn't take pictures of those two spots}.

Walking around the house, these seriously make me deliriously happy! Using these little containers I can have a little happiness in every room in our house and that makes me smile! What is something small that you can do for yourself today that makes you deliriously happy? DO IT!!

Go Cats!

2011-03-28T08:16:00.001-04:00

I can't let this Monday go by without mentioning the incredible games that UK played this weekend. I actually watched the first half of the OSU game and the entire game yesterday against North Carolina. Like I mentioned in this post last week, I'm not a big March Madness fan, but I am proudly jumping on the band wagon to cheer the Cats on in the Final Four. Go Cats!!

This is what I deal with every day

2011-03-25T10:34:00.000-04:00

Miss Daisy loves to lay on the couch on her blankie every.single.day. I try to impress upon her the importance of being a contributing member of this family, but this is the response I get. My efforts to teach her a good work ethic are falling on deaf ears, I'm afraid.

Yikes!

2011-03-23T17:57:00.001-04:00

So....I'm contemplating change today. Actually, I had this grand idea in the shower yesterday. Yes, the shower. I have a lot of ideas there. Maybe it's the solitude, the water washing away old stuff and making my mind clean {that was pretty deep, huh?} Anyway, I've got this grand idea. The thing is, I'm scared to put it out there. Why am I writing this post then? Because I found this quote on Pinterest:

Source: quote-book.tumblr.com via Melissa on Pintere

And putting this grand idea "out there" is definitely at the end of my comfort zone.

This quote also reminded me of advice a wise man once gave me years ago: once a day do something that
scares you. Yikes! He wasn't talking skydiving level fear. Putting my ideas out there isn't skydiving fear,

but sometimes it feels like it.

I hate it when people put on blogs "Some big announcement is coming next week/month/year". I think tell

me now or forget about it. I'm writing about it today more to just be honest and hopefully, saying I'm

afraid will lessen the fear. We'll see.

One man's junk

2011-03-22T12:14:00.000-04:00

I guess I've been bitten by the bug...the junk bug that is. I like to call it "junking" instead of "antiquing" and I don't really know why. I guess because I like the idea of finding something junky and making it cool. I'm really having to fight the urge to not completely clutter up our house with my "projects" since I am seriously trying to de-clutter the house at the same time. It's hard because I get so jacked when I see something I could do something else with or make prettier. It's pretty heady stuff for me.

Typically, when I find something that I really love to do, I start thinking if there's a way I could make some money from it. I'm trying hard not to do that with this. Yes, there are things I look at in the junk store and think I could re-sell on eBay for a profit, but I think money sometimes gets in the way of enjoying something. Does that make sense? Right now, I'm just enjoying scouring the internet and junk stores for items and finding auctions that I'm trying to get the nerve up to actually go to!

In the meantime, this is what's sitting in our living room right now. I'm calling it Antique Corner. Yes, apparently while I'm finding them it's called junk but when it takes a place in my home it becomes an antique. Go figure.

The rocking horse is definitely an antique and was given to me my BFF. Can't wait to use this in a session. The quilt was bought on eBay and the chair was a steal at a junk store. I was going to paint it, but I really like the color of the wood so I'll probably finish stripping it, since it's pretty weathered, and just re-stain it a light color. I've got several other treasures to share with you so stay tuned.

March madness can drive a girl mad!

2011-03-21T15:30:00.000-04:00

My husband has watched basketball all.weekend.long...starting on Thursday. Yes, March Madness is in full swing in our household. Gotta say...I'm not a fan. Yes, I will pop in from time to time to check scores, hear about incredible plays or upsets and just generally to say "hi", but other than that, I'm good if I don't watch any of it.

Of course, being an original Kentuckian, it is required that I be a UK fan, whether I watch the games or not. It's preferable that I watch, but wearing the UK garb can sometimes work just as well. I always hope UK wins, not just for the pride of Kentucky, but it tends to make it more pleasant to be around all of my family members.

Hope you're making it through the madness. By the way, there are some really fun games on Facebook. Just sayin'.

A Happy Ending

2011-03-17T18:18:00.000-04:00

If you're like me, you want to know the "ending" to this story before you watch it. I have an extreme weak spot for animals who are injured, abused or abandoned so I didn't want to watch this video until I knew what it was about. The good news: both dogs were rescued. The white dog is still at the vet being treated and the other one is in foster care. I sure wish I could bring them both here. It's just a precious, precious story.

Mundane is underrated

2011-03-16T19:17:00.002-04:00

So, just yesterday I said my day-to-day life was pretty mundane. Well, today, it was a little more exciting.

I was at my favorite junk shop getting my junk fix and then when I left I discovered this.

Obviously I was pretty ticked. To be the victim of a hit-and-skip is never fun, but it could always be worse. I was super thankful that the vehicle was low enough that it didn't do anything to the taillight because that would've been a whole heap of trouble. Hopefully this can just be pounded out.

By the way, I like my mundane life pretty darn much!

Mini-Sized

2011-03-15T18:09:00.000-04:00

You may...or may not...have noticed that I'm trying to blog every day. Lemme tell ya, it's hard to come

up with something to blog every.single.day. My life just isn't real exciting on a day-to-day basis. So in

order for this blog not to become an episode of "Seinfeld"where I share every, unimportant, mundane

event in my life, I'm posting some more images from my latest obsession, Pinterest.

I've created a board on there called "Just Stinkin' Cute". After looking at what I've put in there, the

photos are all babies, baby animals or little miniature something or others. What can I say? I think

miniature-sized anything is absolutely adorable. I love this board because I can look at the images and

they just make me smile. Here are just a few of the images from my board. Hope they make you smile

too :-)

Source: tumblr.com via Melissa on Pinterest

Source: koshersociety.tumblr.com via Melissa on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Melissa on Pinterest

Source: imgfave.com via Melissa on Pinterest

Source: unstitchedblog.com via Melissa on Pinterest

Oh, P-dub, you rock!

2011-03-14T08:27:00.000-04:00

If there still remains any doubt as to how awesome I think the Pioneer Woman is after reading this post Meeting P-dub , there won't be any after I share this awesome...and easy...recipe with you.

This pizza crust is ah-ma-zing! I kid you not. It's super simple. Truly, the best pizza dough I've ever had. The beauty of it is you can then put anything in the world that you want on your pizza. She gives some suggestions on her website...and in her book {which is what I used}, but really, the world is your oyster. Yes, you can even put oysters on it if that's what floats your boat {Yuck, by the way}.

So, here's the recipe, which makes 2 pizza crusts. Also, what I love is no special pan is required. I don't have a pizza pan, but I have a jelly roll pan which works just fine and dandy with this recipe.

Basic Pizza Crust

And, just in case you don't believe me, here's a picture of the scrumptiousness.

On this particular one, I used oregano, tomatoes, fresh mozzarella {this is really important. don't use that shredded garbage} and ham. You notice I didn't say "tomato sauce". This is not your momma's pizza so if you aren't open to expanding your definition of "pizza", this might not be for you, but again, put on it whatever floats your boat--or makes your skirt fly up as PW says! It truly is highly adaptable.

Try it this week. You won't be disappointed.

How lovely

2011-03-11T14:46:00.001-05:00

Have you all discovered the coolness that is Pinterest? Oh my, oh my, oh my! I posted about it briefly

on my Facebook page a while back, but it wasn't until yesterday...yes, only yesterday...that I activated

my own account. Oh the gloriousness to be found on there!

What's really neat is to discover the things that draw me in and make me want to "pin" them. I'm seeing

a pattern here.

Take a look at the lovely eye candy. I'm sure I'll be sharing LOTS more, but heck, check it out for

yourself.

Pinterest

Source: flickr.com via Melissa on Pinterest

Source: amanda-thomas.blogspot.com via Melissa on Pinterest

Source: everylastdetailblog.com via Melissa on Pinterest

Source: designspongeonline.com via Melissa on Pinterest

The real reason people buy a Mac

2011-03-09T18:28:00.000-05:00

You may hear a lot of Mac lovers go on and on and on about how wonderful Macs are. They can quote ram speed, hard drive size, megabytes, megablahdeeblahblahs, and so on, but I'm here to let you in on the real truth...they buy it for the Photobooth. Check out some of the awesomeness that is Photobooth.

Every time I open this program and start playing around with it, I literally start crying from laughing so hard. So, don't be intimidated when people start using a lot of tech talk to explain why they love their Macs. You and I know the truth.

More happiness

2011-03-08T11:23:00.000-05:00

I love music. Something that can change my mood even more instantly than the flowers I talked about yesterday is music. My musical tastes range widely, but I've noticed in the past year that my taste is changing pretty drastically. I haven't really figured out why, but it seems like I'm being drawn more to mellow, coffehouse-type music. Mumford and Sons is exactly that.

I seriously adore this group. Their album "Sigh No More" is the first and only entire album I've ever bought off iTunes. Someone on FB recommended one of their songs and I went to YouTube to listen to it as well as lots of their other songs. I loved them all. Something about their music touches me in my soul. Yes, that sounds corny, but I don't know how else to explain it. You may have caught their performance on the Grammys this year...or heard me yell and crank our tv up as loud it would go! Yeah, I was slightly jacked up about their appearance. If you haven't heard them, take a listen. I hope their music makes you as happy as it makes me!

This makes me happy

2011-03-07T15:08:00.001-05:00

Almost nothing else can pick up my mood as instantly as fresh flowers. I love to see them on the kitchen table. I love the fragrance they give off. I love the pretty mix of colors, especially this bunch with all of the pastels. They also remind me that spring really is right around the corner! Happy Monday.

My Brush with Fame

2011-02-21T08:45:00.004-05:00

On Friday night the one and only Pioneer Woman, aka Ree Drummond, was in Cincinnati to do a book signing for her new book "Black Heels to Tractor Wheels". When I heard the announcement that she was going to be so close, I was beyond excited!

I tried to figure out how long I've been reading her blog and the closest approximation I can come up with is 3 years. I started out reading her cooking blog for her awesome recipes and quickly became addicted to her pictures and stories about her life on their Oklahoma ranch. Her kids are beautiful; her husband is uber-handsome; her stories are very entertaining. If you haven't checked out her blog, I encourage you to run over there right away...after you finish reading this post, of course! www.thepioneerwoman.com You won't be disappointed.

There was probably close to 500 people at the signing. I've never been to a book signing before...another reason I was excited. I felt like a complete dork because I was so nervous about meeting her. I know she's just a regular person like you and me, but somehow knowing so much about her life and family and the fact that she's on the internet...and an author...made me extremely nervous. Of course, if I didn't think she was the cat's meow, I wouldn't have been as nervous, either! If I had to choose one word to describe her at the book signing it would be "delightful". I don't think I've ever used that word to describe a person but truly, it fits her to a tee.

Surprisingly I didn't take a lot of pictures, but here are the ones I did take.

First off, a very short video clip of her coming down the stairs at the beginning of the signing where she talked briefly and then took questions from the audience. {Edited to add: If you can't play the video, can you put a comment in the comments section? I'm having issues with it, but don't know if everyone is. Thanks!}

Then the obligatory shots of me, my stepdaughter and BFF with our books, jacked up and ready to actually meet her! Well, I was jacked up...I think the other 2 were just tolerating me!

The sign outside the bookstore announcing her signing.

P-dub speaking to the crowd.

Yay! We're almost there to talk to her!

Us and Pioneer Woman!!!!!!!!!

I did get to talk to her about why our cinnamon rolls look a mess when the ones in her book don't, but she said if the all of the gunk doesn't spill out of them {like ours do} then we weren't doing it right so that reassured me that we were indeed doing it right!

After an extremely crappy January, this whole experience was definitely the highlight of my 2011 so far! Thank you, February, for being a WAY better month than January :-)

Welcome, February!!

2011-02-01T12:39:00.002-05:00

I don't think I've ever been so glad to put a month behind me in all my life!! To be blunt, January sucked. I was sick throughout the entire month, with only a day here and there where I felt like "myself". I wish I could say I'm 100% recovered, but I'm not. I am feeling a ton better, but still taking it one day at a time.

What I've learned during January is I am so grateful for my health when it's good. So many times I've taken for granted that I've been healthy. No more. Truly, when you have your health, you have it all!!

I don't want to leave this post on a downer because things truly are looking up and I'm almost rip-roaring ready to go. I haven't gotten to take any pictures in January, but I thought I'd pull this one out of the archives from our trip to Rome. This is a picture of the Vatican in the early evening.

Happy February 1, everyone :-)

Blech!

2011-01-13T07:37:00.000-05:00

I had high hopes for the start of 2011. I made lists. I brainstormed ideas. Did I mention that I made lists?? What's that saying: "We make plans and God laughs" or something like that? Anyway, I've been sick. Sick, in that in-the-bed-not-doing-anything way... For almost 10 days. All of my plans...and my lovely lists...they've had to be put on the backburner for now. It's so frustrating to have things I want to do...in some cases, need to do...but I'm too sick to do. Anyway, I think I'm on my way out of this. Of course, I thought the same thing over the weekend and then took to my bed again so I'm cautiously optimistic today. My 365 project is obviously out the window. Even a Project 52 is going to have to be adapted at this point. Just wanted to touch base and let everyone know that yes, I am still alive even though I haven't blogged in a while. I'll be back soon... rip-roaring ready to go!

Ruthless

2011-01-05T09:05:00.000-05:00

Right now in our house, as it seems in many houses everywhere, there is a lot of cleaning up, clearing out and throwing away being done. Something about the new year just oozes "clean slate" and it's natural to want a clean slate in your living space.

I'm still going through this process and frankly, have only scratched the surface. We have a chamber in our basement...I call it a "chamber" because it's our dirty little secret...that houses all of our junk. It kinda looks like a hoarder's starter kit, but really, it's just a catch-all for the crap that we don't need, but can't throw out. The chamber is what I'm saving for last because it's pretty overwhelming.

What I do know about all of this clearing out business, is you have to be ruthless in your decision-making. When I get in that "get all of this crap out of here because we haven't used or needed it in 2 years" mode, it's easy to be ruthless and just toss {by "toss" I mean give away, sell, throw away or otherwise, just get it outta this house!} If I'm not in that mode, it's harder. I'm a sentimental person. I like to hold onto everything that has a memory attached to it. This is why I've still got every Christmas/birthday card I've received for at least 15 years. I keep thinking I can do some cool craft project with them. 15 years and counting and still no craft project. Ruthlessness may not be a trait that is praised in cocktail party society, but in the clearing out process, it's vital.

Anyone else clearing out, cleaning up and throwing out? Are you being ruthless? Here's to a nice, organized 2011. P.S. If I get the guts, I may take some before/after pictures of the chamber to share here.

New year

2010-12-30T07:45:00.000-05:00

2010 is rapidly coming to a close. All over Twitter I see people making their 2011 goals, resolutions, business plans. I think the end of a year is a naturally reflective as well as looking ahead occasion.

I love a new year. It's so fresh, full of possibility and potential. It's like no other time. A new week or even a new day can't compete with a New Year.

I'm no different than my Twitter-mates...I've been looking ahead as well. However, I haven't done the most important step of looking ahead...writing my plans on paper. There is something powerful...almost magical...in putting pen to paper and writing something down. Typing it on a computer doesn't hold the same magic--it must be pen to paper.

I will most likely share some of my plans for the new year here on the blog. One goal I'm rolling around is the 365 project. Anyone done this or interested in doing it? It's a picture a day for 365 days, or actually, as I read recently, it could be anything for 365. I think taking an interesting picture every day of the year will be quiet a challenge for me. I anticipate lots of pictures of the dog and my husband. This is where having a little one around would be very helpful!

I'm kind of rambling in this post which is a sure sign that I need to write some stuff down...I feel full of ideas, yet unfocused. Writing things down helps me to stay focused on what's most important so I don't lose my way in possibility and ideas and then end up doing nothing.

Happy New Year to all of you. See you next year :-)

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T07:11:00.000-05:00

Today is Christmas eve and tomorrow is Christmas day...which also happens to be my birthday {shameless plug}. I hope over the next couple of days you get to spend time with the ones you love and soak up the blessings in your life.

Really good things take time

2010-12-21T12:01:00.000-05:00

Friday my stepdaughter and I had the Cinnamon Roll Extravaganza...that means, we made a lot of homemade cinnamon rolls. I think activities are more fun when they're given an official title! Anyway, my personal page status update on FB referred to this event and because it takes a while to make these delicacies, I said that really good things take time. That got me thinking.

I officially opened Sweet Daisy Photography October, 2009. Since then I have struggled...with self-confidence, with business strategies, with growing my business. I see other people and read about other businesses who are growing by leaps and bounds in the time frame I've opened mine {or less} and yet, I'm nowhere close to making even a modest living doing this.  On bad days, which are becoming more frequent, I seriously debate whether to close it forever and just forget it. The only thing that keeps me going is photography the only thing I've ever done in my life that I truly love, through and through. The only thing I don't love is trying to figure out ways to get consistent and constant business and after a while, it overshadows my love and I feel like giving up.

After writing my comment about the cinnamon rolls, I realized how this phrase has repeated itself in my life.   I've always been a late bloomer. In every facet of my life. Just a few examples:  I waited until 40 years old to get married and then 41 years old to find a career I love!  Yes, "late bloomer" is me. Why would I think my business life would be any different?

There are those "overnight" successes that make 5 digits their first year, and 6 their second...and it seems those are the blogs I always read...but that's not me, and apparently, not my path. It's frustrating. I get resentful. I get angry. I get depressed. I get sad. I feel hopeless. After all of those emotions, what it comes down to is what kind of life I want to live. Do I want to be the person who turns 80 years old and says "What if?" or do I want to be the person who looks back and says "Wow, I'm so happy I did that?"

I'm not closing my business, but I am getting a job that pays a consistent income...what some call "a day job". At this point, it's necessary for a number of reasons. Will I ever build this business up to one where I will make a decent living or will it always stay a part-time venture with part-time income? I guess only time will tell. I will keep brainstorming new ideas, trying new things and educating myself in every way I can about photography in the hope that the business will explode and I will be able to quit my "day job".  Until then, there is some comfort to be found in the knowledge that really good things do take time.

I Heart Faces--Pet Week

2010-12-13T06:46:00.001-05:00

I was so excited to see that this week's challenge on I Heart Faces is all about pet faces!! The problem came when I tried to choose only 1 picture of my beloved Daisy girl. In my eyes, she's the cutest thing e-v-e-r so every picture of her is adorable. In the end, I chose my "go to" picture of her which always makes me smile when I look at it.

Be sure to check out all of the other entries at I Heart Faces.

YouTube Tuesday

2010-12-07T11:12:00.000-05:00

I may have already shared this video before, but it's so good, it's worth sharing again. Every single time I watch it, it makes me laugh.

And just for fun, here's another one with this charismatic little guy!

Black Friday Event

2010-11-24T10:38:00.000-05:00

For the first time ever, I've decided to run a special ONLY on Black Friday...ONLY a very limited number...and ONLY for fans of my Facebook page. Know what that means? You better run over to Facebook and become a fan of the page today so you can hear what it's all about :-) Here's a handy, dandy link to my page: Sweet Daisy Photography

Video Album--The W Family www.sweetdaisyphotography.com

2010-11-18T08:22:00.001-05:00

Where do I even begin? I've known the founding members of this family for, oh, about 25 years. Yikes, that's a long time! Probably needless to say but I'll say it anyway...they are younger than me! They are also some of my favorite people ever. You know how some people are your forever friends, whether you see or talk with them every week or once a year, they just have a special, secure place in your heart...always? That's these two. They are my peeps and they pretty much can't get rid of me if they tried!

Now, let's talk for a minute about the additions to the fam. I was really looking forward to the session to spend time with them and get to know them better...they didn't disappoint! They are sweet, adorable little boys and true brothers. Their affection for each other is obvious and such a joy to see. Little man is so expressive...if he feels it, it shows on his face! Big brother is more reserved but his affection for his little brother is clear. They simply enjoy being with each other and their individual personalities complement each other. It really is a neat thing to see.

I could write a lot more, but before I get too sappy, I'll end now and just say to you guys, thank you for being my forever friends and letting me spend the afternoon with your family. I had a blast! I hope you treasure your pictures forever :-)

Sneak Peek--Family Session www.sweetdaisyphotography.com

2010-11-15T12:26:00.000-05:00

I've got so much to say about this session...and this family...but for now, here are just a few of my favorites as I continue editing. Enjoy the cuteness...

Video Album--Family Session Cincinnati Family Photographer www.sweetdaisyphotography.com

2010-11-10T11:17:00.000-05:00

This session was unlike any family session I've done. When I'm somewhere that's so different visually and that makes my creativity meter ring like a metal detector, that's just plain fun, people! Then, add people who are pretty much up for trying anything...oh yeah, jackpot! Before you watch their video album, it's important for me to point out a few things. 1) no children were harmed in the making of these photos! You may see some locations that look, well, um, a little precarious...the awesome shot with the cement blocks, for example. I can assure you that they were safe and also, that I didn't ask them to do that. That's what I'm talking about when I say they were up for anything and took the initiative to do anything!

2) I was having HUGE computer issues last night and today with my normal video program. As I've said before, I love doing video albums and I like to do them for every shoot I do. I was beyond frustrated because I didn't want this family to not get their "day in the sun". Hey, who doesn't want--and deserve--their 15 minutes of fame in a Sweet Daisy Video Album! So, determined to not let technology get the best of me, I used the program I referred to a couple of days ago and I'm happy to report: Melissa, 1; technology, 0!! Enjoy...

Sneak Peek--Cincinnati Family Photographer www.sweetdaisyphotography.com

2010-11-08T12:17:00.003-05:00

I love it when families suggest a location for their session. I especially love it when the location is as funky and cool as this one! They were looking for family photos that were different and I think we succeeded! For the first photo below, we had to wait on the sun to do what we wanted it to do because it wasn't quite ready to cooperate when we were, but I think our patience and perseverance paid off. I hope they think so too! Enjoy the sneak peek...

Video Album--Cincinnati Family Photographer www.sweetdaisyphotography.com

2010-11-01T21:29:00.001-04:00

I got to go on another photography playdate today. That's what I like to call it when I shoot just for myself and I get to shoot something cool. Today was definitely one of those days. I won't be happy until this truck is in my back yard! Of course, I'm not sure what the neighbors will think of that, but I guess I'll cross that bridge when I get there :-)

Also, I used a new program...that happens to be free...for this video. Another perk of a playdate!

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Video Album--Cincinnati Family Photographer www.sweetdaisyphotography.com

2010-10-26T18:08:00.004-04:00

I was so excited to do this session! First off, I couldn't wait to see how big the kids had grown since I'd seen them last back in March. Also, we've been trying to do this session pretty much since March! For a number of different reasons, the session was delayed so when it got pretty late in the summer, we all decided that waiting for the beautiful fall foliage would be the best idea. Only thing is, there isn't much beautiful fall foliage around these parts! We've had virtually no rain all summer and the colors have been poor...to say the least! After scouring the area...and I mean scouring...we settled on a location and I gotta say...I think we lucked out!

There's always a good time to be had when little ones are around. You never know what they're going to say...or do...which is why they're so fun! Little ones also make all of us "serious grownups" get in touch with our inner, silly side and who doesn't need...and love...that?

I had so many favorites that it was hard to pick them out for the video album. I really love the ones where everyone is playing in the leaves. If you could box leaves up and sell 'em for Christmas, every kid in the world would be happy! {Hey, I think I've got a new business idea!} I love the pure joy that is on their faces when they're playing in them. There's magical powers in them there leaves, I'm tellin' ya! :-)

Oh yeah, this is the only session I've ever had where sumo wrestlers were onsite! Seriously! These people in one of the shelters had sumo wrestling suits--you know, like Michael had his employees use on "The Office"? Now, I kinda wish we'd gotten a group shot with them :-)

Thank you to this wonderful family for letting me be the one who got to capture a snippet of time in your family's life in October, 2010. It's a priviledge I take very seriously...but also one I have a whole lotta fun doing :-)

Sneak Peek--Cincinnati Family Photographer

2010-10-24T10:46:00.000-04:00

Boy, it was hard to narrow these down even for a sneak peek! I know some people are waiting to see these so I hope you enjoy :-)

One of my absolute favs from the session!

I loved the ones of this sweet family playing in the leaves. Lots of fun was had by all!

Love her little bare feet!

Personal Projects--Cincinnati Photographer

2010-10-22T10:27:00.002-04:00

I read blogs...a lot of blogs. Naturally, I especially read a lot of photographers' blogs, tweets, Facebook, whatever. I learn a lot about photography by doing this. However, nothing replaces taking pictures to learn more about photography. Kinda obvious, huh?

Something I've noticed through a lot of the big name, very successful photographers is they will make very mysterious posts about "projects" they're working on. It annoys me the way they are very closed mouthed about what exactly those projects are, but they want us to know they're working on something.

Well, I'm working on some projects of my own. Actually, they're kind of working on me. There are things I'm drawn to photograph--other than people--and they are kind of turning into projects. I do have a dream to one day do a coffee table book--and no, not an actual book that turns into a coffee table (only "Seinfeld" watchers will get that one!)

Below are some of the things that I adore photographing...going forward they will be referred to as "Projects I'm working on". :-)

Some people may find headstones morbid, but one of my favorite places in the world to take pictures is in a cemetery. This particular headstone is old...super old...my favorite kind. It's also in a cemetery on my friend's land. This photo combines 3 of my favorites--old stuff, headstones and sunlight!

Add a 4th favorite--nature!

Oh yeah, old stuff. I seriously could take pictures of it ALL day!

Playing with sunflare is one of my favorite things to do. I adore how this turned out because the shape of the sun is just perfect. Now, to figure out how to achieve that shape on every photo!

I love weeds! They photograph incredibly and put them in a portrait with a person, add a pinch of sunshine...and all is right with the world! However, I love just taking pictures of the weeds themselves. Some people may look at a patch of weeds and see...a patch of weeds! I see opportunity and most of all, beauty.

In addition to my love of photographing these kinds of things, to me, it's important to take pictures of as many things as I can other than people. I think it helps stretch my creativity, see things differently and overall, just make me a better photographer. Don't underestimate the fun factor, either! I can't explain to you how excited I got while I was taking the above pictures! My heart races, my movements are kinda crazed...basically, I'm jacked up! Do I love photography? Yeah, maybe a little :-)

Happy Accidents--Cincinnati Photographer

2010-10-19T13:40:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I was looking through a lot of my photos in order to pick some out to print for our coasters. See, we have these cool coasters that my mom gave us that hold pictures and each coaster has a word on it, such as "family", "memories", etc. I hadn't changed out the pictures since she gave them to us...that's 2 1/2 years and counting! As I was looking for pictures that fit each word, I found this photo and noticed something that I hadn't when I originally looked at it. This was taken last year when my husband and I were in Italy and made a side trip to Croatia. Do you see where the sun is peeking around the cliff? Do you see that very distinct star shape? It's the first time I noticed it and wow, how cool!

This is what I...and many photogs...call a "happy accident". Obviously when the photo was taken, we (there's a friendly debate as to who took this--me or my husband) were focusing on the sunset and the way it was peeking around the cliff. There were several other photos of this same sunset, same position, but this is the only one with the star. There is a belief of some in the industry that photographers rely on happy accidents. Also, the belief continues, the longer you are a photographer and the more skilled you become, the more these "happy accidents" show up. I don't know about the last part, but after looking at this photo...I'm a firm believer in happy accidents and can't wait until the next one shows up!

The W Family--Video Album Cincinnati Family Photographer

2010-10-14T08:55:00.002-04:00

The W family were the winners of the Sweet Daisy Photography package at the Pro Seniors auction and what a delight they were to spend time with! Not only were they a lot of fun, but they are also super photogenic. I especially love Mom's beautiful smile...it's contagious! Some of my absolute favorites are the ones in the series of her and her 12 year old son when she's trying to give him a kiss on the cheek. His reaction is so typical boy...and priceless :-)

I love doing video albums because I can showcase a lot more of my favorites in a much more consolidated space. Hope you enjoy!

Sneak Peek--Cincinnati Family Photographer

2010-10-12T11:33:00.000-04:00

I'm editing the family session I had last night but wanted to share this one because something about it tugs at my heart. More to come...

I Heart Faces--Photojournalism

2010-08-31T18:44:00.003-04:00

This week's I Heart Faces challenge is Photojournalism. As soon as I heard that, this photo popped into my mind. I took it 2 years ago when we were in Washington state. This woman was playing this instrument in Seattle and something in her face just looked so sad. I took several pics of her because for whatever reason, I was just drawn to her.

Don't forget to check out all of the other entries here http://www.iheartfaces.com/2010/08/week-35-%e2%80%a2-photojournalism-photo-challenge/

Where has the time gone?

2010-08-31T12:02:00.000-04:00

I can't believe it's been over 2 months since I've written a blog post!! Since I jacked up my blog by trying to change things, I just got discouraged and temporarily abandoned the blog. I guess I was thinking {hoping} it would miraculously straighten itself out in my absence...in case you haven't noticed, it didn't!

Anyway, there has been lots going on these past 2 months. Business itself is pretty slow, but our family has been quite the busy bee.

July brought us a new "official" family member since my stepdaughter got married on July 9th! Also, during the month of July, my stepson was home to visit from Italy and he brought his girlfriend. It was her first visit to the United States so it was a lot of fun seeing her experience American food, her first 4th of July and just the American culture while she was here!

On the business side, I watched the incredible CreativeLive seminar over the weekend that had Jasmine Star shooting a wedding live while instructing the viewers. It was a 4-day event that included "classroom" time, questions from Twitter, and of course, the live wedding. I could go on and on and ON about how wonderful the event was and go on even more about how wonderful Jasmine is. If you aren't familiar with her, check out her blog http://www.jasminestarblog.com/ She's also listed under my "Rockstar Photographers" links way down at the bottom of the page.

One thing Jasmine stresses over and over is blogging consistently. Um, I think she was talking to me when she said this :-) Anyway, I am going to start blogging more regularly so I hope you haven't given up hope on me yet!

Here are a couple of snapshots from the events going on here for your photographic amusement!

The newlyweds!

Me and the husband with our little Italian girl

Please excuse the mess

2010-06-14T19:19:00.000-04:00

Well, I'm trying to change this blog so it is more "photo friendly" and in the process, I've really messed things up. If you're here, please bear with me as I am tweaking things so they don't look so weird. I could've saved myself a lot of headache if I'd read some "helpful hints" before I started this overhaul but...you know that saying that a little knowledge is dangerous? That's me.

Charlie the Chipmunk

2010-05-10T14:25:00.000-04:00

This is the little visitor I had out on my sidewalk this morning. I've named him Charlie the Chipmunk.

If only babies would go to sleep so easily!

2010-05-05T11:12:00.002-04:00

Check out this "lullaby" to the puppies. So, so adorable.

Family Session--Greater Cincinnati Family Photographer www.sweetdaisyphotography.com

2010-04-28T12:02:00.005-04:00

Some of my favorites from last week's session. Flickr has changed some kind of setting so now I can't display these properly at the larger size that I've been using. Major frustrating!

I absolutely adore the light in this one!

3 Years ago today I said "Yes!"

2010-04-20T15:13:00.002-04:00

Celebrating our engagement April 20, 2007

It's true. 3 years ago today, my then boyfriend--now husband--proposed to me. It was such a memorable evening...of course...but not just for the obvious reason. You see, that day 3 years ago, I didn't just say yes to a proposal of marriage, I was also saying "yes" to the rest of my life.

My husband and I worked together at the same company. A company I'd been with for almost 9 years. A company that was owned by some family members. A company that had absolutely nothing to do with anything that I love to do. Don't get me wrong, I learned a TON during my time there...about myself, about business, about my soon-to-be husband [:-)] and most importantly, about how I didn't want to live the rest of my life. And, I made good money. I was able to buy my own house because of that job, go on some awesome vacations because of that job and have a level of financial freedom that was a lot of fun because of that job.

However, a few months before I quit, it hit me like a ton of bricks that I had absolutely no interest in and really hated, the job I'd spent almost 9 years of my life doing. It was in the technology field and every single day all I dealt with was problems. If the phone rang or an email came in, rest assured there was a problem to solve. I guess for a long time the challenge of problem solving is what held me there. However, as I was quickly approaching my 40th birthday, I asked myself if this was the way I wanted to spend the rest of my life? The answer was a resounding "NO"!

So, I did what every expert tells you not to do...I quit my job without having another one. I had money in savings and worked and re-worked all of my expenses to see how long I could live on that savings and find another job. Keep in mind that this was before the downward slide of the economy so finding another job was nowhere near as difficult as it's been recently.

So, on this meaningful-in-more-ways-than-one day 3 years ago, my company threw me a going away party. It was at this party that my husband surprised me...and everyone there...by proposing to me.

After uncontrolled crying that didn't let me answer immediately, I said "Yes!"

What's my journey been like since, you ask? Curvy, scary, uphill, downhill, forwards, backwards, exhilerating, terrifying, happy, joyful...name an emotion, and I've felt it...probably numerous times! Not one aspect of my life is the same as it was 3 years ago...my name isn't even the same! But what's really cool is...I wouldn't change a thing.

3+1=4Sneak Peek Maternity SessionGreater Cincinnati Family Photographer

2010-04-13T09:28:00.002-04:00

Last week I got the honor of shooting a maternity session. This was only the 2nd maternity session I've ever done and the first session where I actually got to play during the "golden hour". Most photographers crave the "golden hour"--the hour before sunset. The light is soft and just plain fun! I really love the shots where I shot into the sun and got some cool sun flare in the pictures. Also, during editing, I got to use some effects that I don't typically use when I am shooting portraits. I like my portrait editing to be straightforward, clean and crisp with true-to-life skin tones. However, since I was shooting a lot of belly shots and silhouettes which weren't showcasing faces, I got to try out some different stuff.

On top of all of that, I am happy to call these beautiful people family. As I've said before, when I get the honor of doing a photo session with any of my family members, it makes the session even more special to me.

If there is anything more precious than little baby hands with dimples, I'd sure like to know what it is!

I love this shot. I gave very little direction to Mommy for any of her poses. Like me, she is a budding photographer, so she knew what kind of pictures she wanted and worked it!

I love the flare in this one. When I look at this picture, it strikes me as if the the light from heaven is shining right down on the baby and just drives home my belief that babies are straight from heaven :-)

How precious is this grin and that hair sticking up?

Walk softly, but carry a big stick!

Stay tuned for more from their family session.

Spring has sprung

2010-04-06T10:46:00.002-04:00

Last week, my aunt and I had a playdate at the cemetery. Yes, I realize there are a lot of things wrong with that sentence :-) One, I called it a playdate because I wanted to go scope out a future session location and I just wanted to play around with the camera, settings, reflector...basically, try some new stuff. For some reason, when I say I want to "play", it frees me up creatively to try new things and also, not to beat myself up if something turns out crappy...after all, I'm just playing.

We went to a local cemetery because it is a gorgeous place to shoot, a favorite for local photogs for pre-wedding or engagement pictures. In addition to being a very old cemetery, it is also an arboretum. I don't exactly know what that means and I'm not going to look up the definition--something to do with trees, flowers and/or plants--but to me it means, beautiful stuff! Also, for many years, I've had a fascination with cemeteries. I find that they are typically so beautiful and peaceful. My aunt is into geneology so cemeteries are also right up her alley. We had a really good time and saw some beautiful stuff.

I really love statues--not all statues--but some particularly touch me. Some just make me feel peaceful when I look at them.

I'm not usually into flower photography which is kinda weird because I love flowers. Nevertheless, these magnolia blossoms really captivated me. It didn't hurt that they smelled absolutely divine!

Another obsession of mine...walls. I love a good wall and can't resist taking a picture of it...most of the time, multiple pictures of it.

This place was so freaky looking to me. I don't know if it's a mausoleum or what, but I loved the contrast of the beautiful, feminine-looking pink tree and the gothic structure. Plus, I got to play around with my wide angle lens.

I love action shots or behind-the-scene shots. When photographers post them on their blogs, they're almost as fascinating to me as the "real" shots. Since I usually go on shoots by myself, I never get any pictures of what I look like while I'm shooting...that's probably a good thing when I'm working with kids and the weird contortions I get myself into! Nevertheless, my aunt got this one of me as I was trying to take pictures of the ducks in the lake and I really like it.

I encourage you to schedule yourself a playdate with a fellow photographer. Even adults need playtime :-)

The Website!

2010-03-29T14:04:00.005-04:00

It's been a long time coming, but I'm so excited (and nervous) to announce that the Sweet Daisy Photography website is officially up and running and ready for business! I hope you'll check it out and let me know what you think. I will be adding more photos to the galleries and doing a few more design changes, but it's to the point that I'm finally ready to launch it officially! And....we're off! http://www.sweetdaisyphotography.com/

Sweet Daisy Video Album

2010-03-24T12:00:00.003-04:00

I still haven't figured out a better/bigger way to display these videos so this size will have to do until I find one! Some of my favorites from this session.

Sneak Peek--Northern Kentucky Children's Photographer

2010-03-17T13:09:00.001-04:00

Yesterday I got to do a shoot with a beautiful little boy. He also happens to have a gorgeous big sister and mommy. I'm just in the beginning stages of going through the pictures and to me, there are already some standouts. If I posted all of the ones that are already jumping out at me, this post would be very long, but I thought I'd post a few for Mommy and Mawmaw to see.

Big sister happens to be turning 4 in just about a month so we were sure to get some pictures of just her. This is only one of many of her shining!

Birds of a feather?

2010-03-08T10:42:00.000-05:00

I told you several months ago that I'd jumped on the Twitter bandwagon, birdhouse, flock...whatever you want to call it. I'm still there and try to tweet something most every day. Since I've been on Twitter, I've noticed many things:

1. Some people tweet way too much. They are literally like that guy on the commercial. You know, the one who types "am sitting on the porch", or something else that boring. I follow people who tweet multiple times in a matter of minutes. You can tell that they need an intervention in a bad way! I guess everybody's got their thing...if you checked out my personal Facebook page, you'd see where I'd won way too many farming awards and found way too much stuff in the dirt in Farmville in a relatively short period of time. I guess I just prefer horses and pigs to birds.

2. I find out some really cool stuff. I follow a lot of photographers. I also follow photography forums, photography vendors, most anything photography-related. Since so many people use Twitter, I hear about big announcements, giveaways and specials via Twitter so I'm one of the first to know. By following ImagingUSA, I won tickets to the convention. It's a really good way to get a lot of information that's important to me.

3. Apparently my tweets are uninteresting. My number of followers fluctuates literally day to day. It cracks me up. I will gain a follower, then the next day, lose one. Why? Are my tweets really that boring? It really bothered me at first...so much so, that I was keeping a list of who was following me so I could figure out who was dropping me. I know {{hangs head in major shame and embarrassment}} Lately, though, I've decided what will be will be and who will follow will follow. It's the same way with my Facebook fan page. I will have some people who fan my page, then they will un-fan it. Why? Who the heck knows. What I've decided is to post what I am moved to post--on Facebook, Twitter and this blog--and either people will stay or they won't. There's really nothing I can do about it.

In the end, I like Twitter. I'm going to keep on tweeting. I'm going to keep on reading tweets. And, just in case you're so inclined, my twitter ID is @sweetdaisyphoto. All I ask is that you follow me for at least more than a day :-)

Cuteness squared

2010-03-04T11:25:00.000-05:00

Two of my favorites from a recent session.

Gosh!

2010-03-01T08:43:00.000-05:00

Where has the time gone?! I can't believe I haven't had a blog post for a month. Good thing these posts are date-stamped or I wouldn't have believed it's been that long. What in the world have I been up to?

This for one. No, that's not me skiing...I'm scared to death to even try...but I sure love watching other people do it especially in the Olympics. Yes, the Olympics have occupied a lot of my t.v. viewing time these past 2 weeks. I love them! This happens to be a Google image of Julia Mancuso of team USA. Not my favorite. I could launch into a long dissertation why I think she is way too full of herself, but I won't. Suffice it to say, I so enjoyed watching all of the skiing events. {go Lindsey Vonn} Oops, did I say that out loud?

And how 'bout my boy Apolo Ohno? Oh my, I seriously love me some speed skating.! This sport, and his talent in particular, amaze me. Seriously, how do they fly around that rink, make those turns, bump and push each other and not kill each other? It's like Nascar on skates. It really is incredible and so much fun to watch.

I can't talk about the Olympics and not mention the hockey team and their disappointing loss yesterday. Our goalie, Ryan Miller, pictured above, is incredible. Now, granted, I don't know anything about hockey, but when a guy can stop about 4 goals in overtime, it doesn't take a hockey genius to know he's good. It was so heartbreaking to see the team's faces as they were presented with the silver medals. You could just see the disappointment in their faces. What a game, though.

So, that's a little of what I've been doing...at least for the past 2 weeks. I've also been working hard to get my new website up and running! Yes, I am very excited about that news. I'll be sure to announce it here when it's up and going so stay tuned.

A Snotty Doctor

2010-02-01T14:39:00.000-05:00

I love these little commercials this company has going. I have yet to see one on television, but I tell ya, I sure have enjoyed them via YouTube. This is a new one I found and I have watched it about 5 times in a row and it cracks me up every time. I love this little girl's accent. Priceless. Hope you enjoy it and this helps make your Monday a little brighter.

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Take better pictures doing this one thing

2010-01-08T11:29:00.000-05:00

Change your perspective. If you only change this one thing, the pictures you take will look different immediately. Immediate results...now, that's what I'm talking about!

What do I mean by "change your perspective"? Change the angle you shoot from. If you look through your photos and most of your pictures are taken while you are aiming your camera down toward your subject, move your body--and your camera--to eye level of your subject. If you mostly shoot at eye level, move up and shoot down on your subject. How about lying down on the floor and shooting up at your subject?

My point is, change the way you and your camera are looking at your subjects. Shake things up! You don't need a big, expensive camera to see the difference so grab your camera today and try it. I'd love to hear about your experience with changing it up so be sure to come back and leave me a comment and tell me how it worked for you.

As luck would have it...

2010-01-05T13:57:00.001-05:00

I have an extra pass to the PPA (Professional Photographers' of America) convention in Nashville this coming weekend January 10-12. This pass could be yours if you are available to go. If you are interested, please leave me a comment with your email so I can contact you. I'm posting this in several places so it is possible that the pass may already be given away by the time you contact me, but if not, IT'S YOURS FOR FREE! Here's a link to tell you more about the convention http://imagingusa.org/

Sweet Daisy Video Album--Hello, Gorgeous!

2009-10-27T09:42:00.000-04:00

Picture this: a perfectly beautiful fall day, a camera, and a gorgeous high school senior. That was the scenario for me this weekend at my first high school senior session.

A was a real trooper--willingly going to all of the places I dragged her to and never complaining while I told her stupid jokes and talked her ear off. Not only was this the first senior session I've shot, but it was also my cousin's daughter. Every session I shoot I think about years from now when whoever I'm shooting and their families look at the pictures I took. I get the priviledge of someone entrusting me to make memories for their family; I take that very seriously. I know my personal photos are my greatest treasure...first after humans and my dog on my short list of what I take with me to the basement during a tornado warning (yeah, you probably don't want to know more about that). How cool is it that I get to make memories for my own family members? Yeah, I pretty much adore my job!

Sweet Daisy Video Album--Family Session

2009-10-22T14:14:00.000-04:00

More photos...

2009-10-07T08:58:00.000-04:00

I think this would look cool blown up and put in a cabin or somewhere rustic.

My comfort zone

2009-10-05T14:32:00.001-04:00

I am a children's and family photographer. My passion is little ones--newborns, babies, toddlers--give 'em to me to photograph and I'm all aflutter (is that a word? It is now) Anyway, at this point in my career as a photographer, I'm still discovering...my style, myself, my eye...and as it turns out, my passions.

I belong to an awesome photography group that gets together often to talk shop, shoot, exchange ideas, pass along resources. It's really a great support system especially for someone like me who is new in the business. We had a shoot yesterday at a gritty, dirty place with funky trains, graffiti, gravel, dirt and bones scattered here and there...they were animal bones so don't freak out...like I did when someone discovered them. This isn't what I'm used to shooting. This isn't where I'm used to shooting. Our model wasn't who I was used to shooting. But I gotta tell ya, I had a blast! I'm starting to think that getting out of your comfort zone...as least every once in a while...can be pretty exciting stuff.

Check back tomorrow for some more.

I'm on Twitter!

2009-09-29T09:06:00.000-04:00

After much consideration >read< hesitation, reluctance, digging my heels in...I've joined Twitter. Now I can tweet with the best of them...that's the term, right? I have a lot to learn about it, and I can't promise the updates will be exciting--think of that commercial where the dad is updating that he is sitting on the patio--but I'm out there. Look me up under sweetdaisyphoto and let me know if you're on Twitter, too. Tweet, tweet!

Video Album--3 is a Magic Number

2009-09-07T12:45:00.000-04:00

Saturday I got to attend a birthday party for a super cute 3 year old. When I was looking for music for the video album, I found this cool version of a Schoolhouse Rock song. Not only is this song fun, but it's educational too. It's also a perfect fit for an adorable 3 year old because 3 truly is a magic number!

On the road again...

2009-08-29T09:13:00.000-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, my husband had to go out of town for work. I got to tag along. Previous weeks he had been going to Memphis. The particular week that I got to go, however, we were headed to the rockin' town of Paducah, Kentucky. To say I was less than thrilled is an understatement. After all, what the heck is there to do in Paducah, Ky? Well, what I discovered is it's an absolutely charming little town. One I would love to go back to. They had this really cool Market House museum downtown that I absolutely adored. There is a section upstairs completely devoted to Civil War era items. I am completely enamoured with that time period so I was in museum heaven. Look at the cool things they had there.

If anyone knows where I can get a red velvet couch like this, please let me know. How completely cool would this look in a photo shoot?

I was absolutely in love with this little doll bed. Look at that adorable quilt! Too much!

This sign cracked me up.

These are actual items that were carried in the old drugstore in the area.

Now, I'm not typically a flower girl. Don't get me wrong, I love flowers. I love to get them, smell them, have them around, but I don't typically like taking pictures of them. Just doesn't "do it" for me, if you know what I mean. However, on this trip I started focusing on them a little more. Maybe there is something to taking pictures of flowers!

I have no idea what kind of flower this is, but it is so cool.

A New Look

2009-08-03T18:41:00.000-04:00

Sweet Daisy has a new look and a new logo. How do you like it?

Sweet Couple--Video Album

2009-07-27T14:18:00.000-04:00

Last week, my old college friend K told me she and her husband were going to be traveling through my area and wanted me to do a photo shoot with them. Now, I've known K since college and that's been, well, um, a long time ago. I haven't physically seen her in a long time, either...neither of us know exactly how long it's been. Obviously, then, I've never gotten to meet her husband of 5 years so I was very excited...and honored...to do their shoot. They are full of love for each other and have a lot of fun together as well. I hope these pictures reflect both of these traits that are so abundant in their relationship.

Me in action

2009-07-22T09:07:00.000-04:00

On Saturday, my aunt and I took a tour of local farms. We were hoping to get some cool barn shots, but didn't find any--just newer stuff. We did go to this awesome old general store that also housed the local post office. I could've stayed there all day taking pictures of all the old things they had on display. My aunt got this shot of me inside doin' what I do. I never get to see what I look like when I shoot so this was kind of cool, although, the way I contort myself to get some of the shots I get during a session, I'm not sure I'd want to make these shots a habit!

Still working on it

2009-07-17T11:46:00.001-04:00

I'm still working on the best way to post these video albums. Nothing I'm using, though, shows the video as sharply as it shows on my computer. At least this version is bigger for easier viewing.

A Sweet Daisy Video Album

2009-07-14T15:37:00.000-04:00

Sneak Peek--Sweet Cousins

2009-07-12T09:05:00.000-04:00

Growing up as an only child, my first cousins were very important to me. They were my playmates, my sparring partners (figuratively speaking, of course) and my closest friends, so I thought it was a great idea when L contacted me about doing a shoot with her son and his cousins. It was something I wish we'd done when my cousins and I were young. I had an absolute blast. Little J is clearly adored by his cousins and I think the adoration is mutual, judging by J's sweet laughter when they play with him. It's hard not to be completely charmed by his sweet little smile. All of the kids were so sweet and fun to work with. It's very hard for me to edit the pictures because I have a lot of favorites. I hope L and her family enjoy their sneak peek.

Some pictures from Washington

2009-07-09T16:37:00.000-04:00

Another Sneak Peek

2009-07-01T07:22:00.000-04:00

Sneak Peek: The Sweet S Family

2009-06-28T15:42:00.001-04:00

I had the priviledge and honor of doing a family session this weekend in Bowling Green, KY. I got to take pictures of a beautiful family that included 4 absolutely adorable children--a 10 year old great big sister and 3 triplets, age almost 2 1/2, with very distinct personalities who also happen to adore their older sister! Seriously, these kids are so cute I could eat them with a spoon...a phrase I used repeatedly during the session! It's hard for me to take pictures of kids when they're so cute because the things they do and the expressions they make just crack me up so it's hard to hold the camera still sometimes. Nevertheless, I trucked on through and thoroughly enjoyed spending time with this lovely family. I hope they enjoy their sneak peek. Man, I love my job!

Wrapping up Sweet Baby W

2009-06-12T08:20:00.000-04:00

So, I'm done editing the sweet baby pictures. It was a fast edit because I had to get them done before we leave town tomorrow. I've got a super busy few weeks coming up and since I'll be travelling a lot of the time, I don't know when I will get time to update with pictures. But whenever I get back, there will be LOTS, so stay tuned!

I'll leave you with another sweet photo and of course, one of sweet baby feet!

More Baby W

2009-06-10T20:55:00.000-04:00

I'm having a blast editing pictures of sweet baby W. He was such a good baby during our shoot and was awake the whole time, hardly crying at all. I could've stayed all day taking pictures of his sweet face!

Sneak Peek Sweet Newborn Session--Baby W

2009-06-10T16:45:00.000-04:00

Playing with my new lens

2009-06-08T08:53:00.000-04:00

I love my new lens! As soon as it came in on Friday, I tore open the box, carefully put it on my camera and began taking pictures like crazy. I know...that's hard to believe. It does take some getting used to, though. Since it's a fixed lens, my feet have to be the zoom. I'm not used to that. I like to be sitting in a group, playing around with my camera and zoom in and snap a shot on an unsuspecting subject. I get some cool shots that way. I can still do it, but can't get good, close face shots unless I'm physically closer to the subject. I knew all of this before I got the lens, but there is still going to be a learning curve for me. Here are some shots I got of my aunt B at fundraiser we went to on Friday night. These are straight out of the camera with no editing.

Yep, I think it's a keeper!

Proofreading is your friend

2009-06-05T10:57:00.000-04:00

I just now re-read my post from the other day talking about the special I'm offering and noticed that I wrote "I'm an awesome deal." Boy, do I have egg on my face right now. Anyway, I meant to say I am offering an awesome deal. Note to self: proofreading before posting is a must.

This baby is mine!

2009-06-02T17:29:00.000-04:00

After you wouldn't believe how much trouble, I finally got this baby ordered today. Estimated delivery is Friday. Oh, if you could see me now...happy dancing going on all around!

Sweet Daisy Photography

Sneak Peek--And Baby Makes 3!! Cincinnati Maternity Photographer

Sneak Peek--All in the Family Session Cincinnati Family Photographer

Video Album--The S Family

Sneak Peek--The S Family Cincinnati Family Photographer

Me and Oprah

Video Album--The M Family Northern Kentucky Family Photographer

Video Album--The D Family Northern Kentucky Family Photographer

Sneak Peek--The M Family Northern Kentucky Family Photographer

Sneak Peek--The D Family Northern Kentucky Family Photographer

Video Album--Rockin' Out the Dress Northern Kentucky Photographer

Sneak Peek--Rockin' Out the Dress Northern Kentucky Trash the Dress

Video Album--Awesome Miss A Cincinnati Senior Photographer

Video Album--The R Family Greater Cincinnati Family Photographer

Sneak Peek--Miss A Northern Kentucky Senior Photographer

Sneak Peek--Family Session Northern Kentucky Family Photographer

Video Album--The A Family Kentucky Family Photographer www.sweetdaisyphotography.com

Sneak Peek--Family Session Kentucky Family Photographer

After

Before

Deliriously Happy

Go Cats!

This is what I deal with every day

Yikes!

One man's junk

March madness can drive a girl mad!

A Happy Ending

Mundane is underrated

Mini-Sized

Oh, P-dub, you rock!

How lovely

The real reason people buy a Mac

More happiness

This makes me happy

My Brush with Fame

Welcome, February!!

Blech!

Ruthless

New year

Merry Christmas!

Really good things take time

I Heart Faces--Pet Week

YouTube Tuesday

Black Friday Event

Video Album--The W Family www.sweetdaisyphotography.com

Sneak Peek--Family Session www.sweetdaisyphotography.com

Video Album--Family Session Cincinnati Family Photographer www.sweetdaisyphotography.com

Sneak Peek--Cincinnati Family Photographer www.sweetdaisyphotography.com

Video Album--Cincinnati Family Photographer www.sweetdaisyphotography.com

Video Album--Cincinnati Family Photographer www.sweetdaisyphotography.com

Sneak Peek--Cincinnati Family Photographer

Personal Projects--Cincinnati Photographer

Happy Accidents--Cincinnati Photographer

The W Family--Video Album Cincinnati Family Photographer

Sneak Peek--Cincinnati Family Photographer

I Heart Faces--Photojournalism

Where has the time gone?

Please excuse the mess

Charlie the Chipmunk

If only babies would go to sleep so easily!

Family Session--Greater Cincinnati Family Photographer www.sweetdaisyphotography.com

3 Years ago today I said "Yes!"

3+1=4~~Sneak Peek Maternity Session~~Greater Cincinnati Family Photographer

Spring has sprung

The Website!

Sweet Daisy Video Album

Sneak Peek--Northern Kentucky Children's Photographer

Birds of a feather?

Cuteness squared

Gosh!

A Snotty Doctor

Take better pictures doing this one thing

As luck would have it...

Sweet Daisy Video Album--Hello, Gorgeous!

Sweet Daisy Video Album--Family Session

More photos...

My comfort zone

I'm on Twitter!

Video Album--3 is a Magic Number

On the road again...

3+1=4Sneak Peek Maternity SessionGreater Cincinnati Family Photographer