How cool is this?! Amanda and Michael's wedding I shot at Jefferson Hall was featured on a very cool wedding inspiration blog, BeyondBeyond . "this Nikita is a photography assassin who instead of literally killing us chose to knock us dead with some amazeballs photography" I love it, thanks Beyond Beyond!!
You can check out the full post here. 
Though I keep telling myself I am going to take some time off, I wake up every day to find myself once at again at my desk in front of my computer. I have so many ideas running through my head, it is getting harder and harder to shut myself down and relax. I don't mind it, in fact I love it, I really do, but I know I need to take a little time out here and there to recharge and reconnect with the people I love. The only way for me to do this is to get out of the house. Dave and I went to dinner and to see Black Swan this week, it is amazing! It has been 2 days since we saw it and I have not stopped thinking about it. This week my Dad also turned 50. On his birthday we had a really great phone conversation. We didn't talk about jobs, or kids, or family, or getting older, we talked about music for 2 hours straight, I loved it!
Here's to not forgetting about what is in front of you while building for the future. Something I need to remind myself now and then. I think this picture represents that perfectly.
Whenever I am editing a newborn session I end up with a lot of dramatic black and white images. To me there is nothing more beautiful than natural window light to add to the drama. Pictures become more than snapshots, they become art. I had the pleasure of visiting one of the most beautiful homes I have ever seen for sweet little Elin's newborn pictures. An entire wall full of gorgeous light, it was amazing!
Remember Jessica from this maternity and this newborn session, she has an awesome interior design blog called Cape 27. Check out her post about framing the pictures from Zoey's newborn session. To me, there is nothing more important than a clean white mat when displaying images, especially black and white images.
Instant timeless art.
It is 5:30 a.m. I have spent the last 2 weeks glued to my computer redesigning my website. Culling through folder after folder sifting through 1000's of images I feel a huge sense of accomplishment today. I cant believe how far I have come as a wedding photographer over the past year, yeah I am tooting my own horn. I still have a long way to go, but to me the sky is the limit! I am afraid to type too much because the lack of sleep has me a little delusional...
Besides all of the new images, my site didn't change too much. I like presenting images against a clean white background, I feel like it makes them feel important, like art. I didn't change the music, because I am in love with those piano pieces, even after listening to them over 400 times while rebuilding. They are just so beautiful. I added a little more info and a cool sliding gallery to my home page, other than that it should feel like home.
I used a company called ShowIt to build and host my site. They are geared toward photographers and have tons of great features, most I have not even utilized yet.
Take a look at my site by clicking here.
Next on my to do list, sample albums, blog revamp, and an art website. Here is a screen shot of my home page.
I am not the kind of person who sits down on New Years and makes a list of things I want to change about myself. My philosophy is to constantly evaluate my actions and life and to change whenever change is needed. I try to be a genuine person with a warm heart and to stay open to new ideas and inspiration. I am by no means perfect. I spend too much time on my computer, I don't see my family and friends as much as I should, I am a little hard headed, I sometimes procrastinate, and after thinking about that John Lennon quote I posted below, I know that there is a part of me that allows fear to get in the way of my dreams. As I grow as an artist I am learning to turn that fear into a tool I use to push myself creatively. When I conquer fear I feel a huge sense of satisfaction. When I take risks I feel empowered. When I think big, big things happen.
This is year is going to be fantastic. I plan on thinking as far outside of the box as I can both artistically and with my business. I plan on diving in head first with the full confidence. Here is a little bit of what I have coming up and what I am really excited about ...2 new websites (I am finally putting up an art site), my first destination wedding in Mexico, working with my new partner/friend, Jen Daut on love+bash, Cincinnati's very first Indie/Alternative Wedding Expo(full post on that soon!), new equipment purchases, dusting off my film cameras for a little fun, and a few personal portrait projects I have stirring in my head.
2011 is going to be HUGE, just wait and see! 
Last winter I had a 2 month love affair with a flock of crow. I wonder if they are roosting in the same place? I might have to give them a visit soon. :)
"There are two basic motivating forces: fear and love. When we are afraid, we pull back from life. When we are in love, we open to all that life has to offer with passion, excitement, and acceptance. We need to learn to love ourselves first, in all our glory and our imperfections. If we cannot love ourselves, we cannot fully open to our ability to love others or our potential to create. Evolution and all hopes for a better world rest in the fearlessness and open-hearted vision of people who embrace life."
John Lennon
Cold.
