Flagstaff, Arizona...just about 7,000 feet...

God does work in mysterious ways...and the older I get, the more I see that His ways are definately not our ways. As a photographer, I can surmise that there are times my pictures turn out a lot different that I thought they would. Yes, even in this day of digital previews of every image on my monitor, I'm often surprised once I get home and excitedly view each shot...only to find out, in most cases, how great that shot really was. That's a good thing in my world.

I knew when we moved to Napa Valley 15 years ago that it would be temporal, but what I didn't know was that we would be moving back to Flagstaff. We, my husband Dan and I, assumed we would buy land in middle Arizona, build a vineyard and open a photography/pr studio and accounting firm. Great picture hun?

Well, such is life that the Good Lord would have us move back to the mountains of Flagstaff. We knew in our hearts it would be a good picture, the sunsets, majestic hillsides, aspens, urban trails and the heartbeat of our life...our son, his wife and...our precious granddaughter.

What we didn't know was the picture was even better than we imagined.

Such is life...such is the heart of our God, always looking out for us in every capacity...be from directing my lens or directing our lives, He is in control and more often than not, He'll work in mysterious ways.

No Language Barriers in Photography

I love the fact that I can sit down with anyone in the world, show them images and not have to interpret. Pictures speak for themselves...the photographer brings the interpretation in his/her style and the spectator conceives.

A Good Photographer is a Healthy Photographer

Tomorrow marks the third week since I was hit, head on, by a car. I was on my bike and the driver came over into my lane. Thank God she stopped or I wouldn't be here casually writing on my blog. I was very blessed to be able to walk away from this accident and though I will have a good six to eight months of doctor visits and pain...and who knows what the future holds with a brain injury...but I am thankful.

At least once, my doctor has stated, "if you weren't in such good shape you could have really gotten hurt." This applies to my profession as well.

There are a lot of skills a good wedding photographer should possess, but the main one...I think, is good health.

Since I was 18, healthy eating was always an issue for me, mostly because I struggled with weight and I was always looking for the best new "few pounds" off diet. But now, eating and exercising is not so much about "weight" as it is maintaining good health.

An eight-hour wedding shoot, even with a second shooter can be compared to a marathon. With all the equipment I need for lighting, charging and back-up consider this. My camera weighs in a few ounces less than ten pounds. Doesn't sound like much, but when your bending, stooping, running and sometimes laying on the ground..that 10 pounds adds up...fast.

Oh, I didn't mention the five or so pounds strapped to my body by way of a vest and the extra camera hanging off my side.

There's a lot of good supplements on the market, and I do partake of my fair share. However, the best supplement I've found is eating 95% organic, juicing 100% organic veggies, and Vita-Mixing 100% organic veggies. These I partake of every day...and this had made the difference...along with biking, hiking, weight-lifting.

I'm very thankful the Good Lord showed me an easy, affordable way to good health...and, He showed when I was young.

Onward healthy photographer!

God's Glass

Without excuses, perhaps purposely...I tend to repeat myself. So was the case this morning as I was reading Exodus 31:3, "And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship."

My glass, that is, my lens, is filled with God's Eye and I truly believe that it is He who leads me to the shots that, to be honest at times blow me away. I'm not saying that I'm not a hard-worker, or that my years of education were feckless, but what I'm saying is this, "it is truly God who fills my lens and gives me the creative for each shot."

That's also not to say that I put my camera in "auto" mode and shoot away aimlessly hoping for a good shot. It is to say this, each shot I take is presupposed with God's Spirit leading, guiding and directing me. God gives me the wisdom, understanding and knowledge of my aperture, shutter, ISO settings. My job is to be educated and learn all I can to give my clients the best....and the best I can give is being faithful to Him, and continue to persevere and work toward post-grad certification as a "expert" in photoshop (June 2010).

An adage adapted in the world of photography is "it's all about the glass". That is, it's not so much the camera but the lens (glass). I agree for the most past...my addendum would be, "it's God's Glass."

Harvest 2009

Harvest this year was just plain fun and my camera snapped more images of smiling faces (well they're smiling buried in grapes) and plump grapes than my cards could hold. Dan's vineyard yielded a good crop and once again his talented hard-working hands produced some beautiful grapes.

Next to cycling photography is a great release for me and vineyard shooting is one of my favorites so I ventured out of our vineyard and rode the trail. This last week I took a mid-morning ride and captured some of the most intense fall shots of the season.

Mile-after-mile, the reds and bright yellows of fall filled my frame with images of fall in Napa Valley. I stopped so much it was almost a chore to get my heart rate to any degree of "up", but the intensity of the colors did a good job and who knows...we may find out someday that the pressing of the shutter combined with the excitement of the shot...may burn more calories then we ever imagined. Now that's a good thought!

Up late...yes, sleep can wait...

Typically, I promise my clients at least two to three weeks before they will get their pictures. Of course the second I get home I download them, copy them and make sure they're safe and protected. I find it nice to to let my mind take it easy for a few days and rest before I get to the process of going through each image and deciding which ones to keep or delete. By the way, the percentage of keepers is usually around 97%.

For good reason, this week, as a matter of fact, first thing on Monday I began the process of "post work". You see, Chris, the groom will be going into the Army reserves next Monday. Chris had no expectations of seeing the pictures before he left, however, I felt it very important that he does see them.

If Chris can dedicate his life to serving our country, than I can certainly leave my comfort zone and push to get these pictures finished so he can enjoy them before he leaves. Frankly, it's the least I can do.

Wedding on the Horizon

Tomorrow I'll be shooting my first wedding in the Carneros region of Napa Valley. The venue is right smack in the middle of vineyards with some interesting (at least to this photographer) trees, stairs and even a rustic white woodshed.

In the midst of preparing my equipment my mind is contemplating creative shots that will bless the bride and groom with fond (and fun) memories and my heart is seeking the Lord for wisdom and guidance.

I may have mentioned this, but my husband and I never had a big wedding. Fact is we got married (30 plus years ago) at a justice-of-the-peace in Chandler, Arizona (we lived in Flagstaff), who (except for God) would have imagined I would be a wedding photographer!

God does have a sense of humor...and He uses it well.

In a whimsical kind of way, I get to live the wedding I never had over and over and over again. Yes, I do get teary-eyed when the bride first appears with her dad and my heart melts when I see the groom look at his bride and the first kiss of their marriage always stings my heart.

The best part however, is this... because I'm the photographer I get the best seat in the house--right up front!

Yes, every wedding is exciting to me and I have to confess...I LOVE MY JOB!!!!