In the photography industry I find a lot of photographers talking about being yourself and putting yourself out there so you repel and attract the type of clients you want to hire you.  Well, lately, I find myself getting lost in all the details, all the expectations I put on myself, and trying to dance to the beat of my own drum rather than joining the huge, huge choir of thousands of other photographers doing the same. exact. thing.

So today, as I sit in the quiet of my own home after a long (oh so long and tiring and long) morning of trying to figure out what my daughter needs in order to get back on a regular napping schedule.  She’s strong willed, and believe me it’s in the best of ways and I’m happy for it, but she (sometimes) will. not. just. go. to. SLEEP.  Ahem, ok.  (can you tell it’s been a long day) Where was I?  Oh ya, so I’m sitting here pondering the fact that I WANT to share bits of myself, here and in this space and not to mention in a way that I can feel proud and genuinely represented.  I keep thinking and thinking and thinking of the best way to go about getting started – which then results in me doing absolutely nothing.  No good.  So my advice to myself came somewhere within me today.  Just. Start. Writing.

As a side note, this reminds me a lot of when Jordan and I were starting somewhat from scratch with the style of our home.  We had just gotten married, spent 6 days honeymooning in Philadelphia (Jordan surprised me for the honeymoon and picked THE BEST location, in my book) and then another 5 or so days in Milwaukee at a wonderful little bed and breakfast.  After the honeymoon we flew back to Colorado Springs (where I grew up and where we lived before the wedding) and three days later we drove our car, packed-to-the-brim full and moved to Madison, WI to a cute little flat on Winnebago St on Madison’s east side.  Because we had just moved AND didn’t want to spend a ton of money moving AND because we mostly got money for our wedding (per our implied request) we came with very very little (mostly our clothes, some linens and blankets, and the kitchen stuff I had been saving up).  So, what I’m trying to get at is that we didn’t have much and I was excited, nervous, and anxious to start creating our home space into a place I enjoyed coming home to every day.  Now, Jordan and I are very much thrifty people.  I am a complete sucker for road side and thrift store finds.  We are not (NOT) Pottery Barn people.  It could be nice to have a home furnished with the nicest things from Pottery Barn but my soul would probably die a little because I need quirk and charm around my home.  So, why was I nervous and anxious?  Because, I’d find things I like and would piece things together and at first I majorly questioned myself and my taste level.  I worried our home would end up not representing us well.  I worried our home would look like a thrift store before long and wouldn’t have a coherent style but again my advice to myself was just to start, only choose items Jordan or I loved, and never look back.  Turns out, it totally and completely worked!  Our house is beautiful, and quirky, and unique.

If the point wasn’t understood, I’m trying to just tell myself to start blogging and do it my way with no regard to how other photographers are doing their thing.  And for goodness sake, I need to remind myself to simply just not worry about this place being a place I love since I hope to only share things here that are fully and genuinely me.

Now that I have that off my chest.  Here’s to fresh starts and being unashamedly me.  And a few photos of our Christmas decorations in our home and friends/family gatherings this past christmas.  (see – no regard to what others think, or I clearly wouldn’t post christmas decoration photos on my blog in February).