We are our biggest critic

It’s hard to be inside my head all the time. It’s one failure after another. One trip-up, another insult, another downplay. Every so often I get to say something nice to myself. Every so often I feel like I’m moving forward; accomplishing another goal. Reaching another plateau. Sometimes it lasts a couple of months then I hit a wall and fall with gravity. I can’t help to be so critical. So many chances. So many doors. So many failures (it’s all my fault). So many disappointments (can’t blame anyone else). But where would I be if these didn’t happen? It’s definitely a question I come back to. I could be famous. I could be touring with music artists. Teaching all over the world. Acting in plays/movies. Become a scientist. The possibilities were endless. The discipline, non existent. So where do I end up next?

 

Seamstress

Last week was not a great week to start any projects as it was packed with work. Now that things have calmed down a bit The Hustle series will be completed throughout this week.

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We left the previous house soon after we got there in hopes of beating the rain, but on our way to the next place it started coming down. Shortly after we get under cover, it pours.

Two of the boys brought over chairs for everyone to sit on. We were in a circle listening to how they make a living; a small storefront out of their home and a seamstress for part of the town.

The sewing machine was outside, somewhat part of the circle. With the downpour preventing us from going anywhere, we had some time to kill – and so she begins sewing.

Adjusting to the light

It’s been almost a month since starting the new move into the studio and things are coming along nicely. Slowly, but nicely. A friend of mine who does videos for her business, The Right Brain Entrepreneur, brought her studio lights into the studio a couple of weeks ago and I finally have been able to play around with them in the evening time at the studio. I had a blast and definitely learned quite a few things. One of them being, a fill light is definitely in order!

The lights that were used were quite bright without the ability to dim them so it made it difficult to use for a fill light. I attempted to use the overhead lights which have the ability to be dimmed, but it was too high and cast too much light over the subject and background. We didn’t have too much time for me to scrounge around for a decent light to use so I just went with what we had at the moment. Overall, I’m happy with the results and know what to do for next time.

 

Revisiting

Preparing for a mixer at the studio next month, I decided to revisit some old photos I’ve taken over the past few years and re-edit them. Perhaps even showcase them at the event. Still not really sure what to showcase, but here are a few runner ups given that I don’t go with a different series by December 12th.

 

Maternity Shoot

This past weekend I did my first maternity shoot with a good friend who wanted to do different yoga poses in La Jolla. It was a nice day so naturally there were a lot of people out. However, we managed to find a spot with minimal traffic where we started off shooting the couple together.

They brought little shoes and blocks

 

 

This next one was an idea she got from pinterest.

From there we went into the yoga poses.

 

Then ended it with the couple again

On our way to La Jolla, I thought we could go to Salk Institute to take a couple of shots… silly me. I didn’t know we couldn’t shoot there, although, I didn’t bother to check. I figured someone would tell me not to shoot if I wasn’t supposed to. Which, someone did =) But I did get a couple shots in beforehand.

This was taken as the security guy was telling me I couldn’t shoot.

 

On our way from Salk Institute to the beach, we passed by a soccer field which prompted an idea to paint her belly like a soccer ball since that’s how the couple met, but unfortunately we didn’t have time. I guess that one will be saved for another shoot.