May the Road Rise to Meet You

My cousin has gotten engaged and I couldn't be happier for her. It actually happened around Christmas, but she wanted to wait until the weather was nice to do photos. Since she was getting ready to send out her save-the-date's she needed a photo for them, so we got together for a quick mini engagement session (we're going to do more later). But here's what we came up with and then the save-the-date we designed. I'm totally in love with them and I can't wait to see them once they come in!!

The Greatest of Thank You's!

If you told me in high school that by the age of twenty-two I would have started my own photography business, I would have laughed in your face. I'm twenty-five now and wouldn't have my life any other way. But it didn't start out this way, I had, had plans of being a forensic psychiatrist and was going to move to New Orleans to start my practice after college. I was accepted at Eastern Michigan University and soon realized that I didn't want to wake up everyday as a psychiatrist. Many of my friend's were "art majors," ranging from painting to graphic design and it seemed like they had fun. They were always being creative and their homework consisted of "design an event flyer," not "write a eight page paper on the Freudian Theory." I thought long and hard about what I wanted to do instead and I remembered that I had won 2nd place in my high school's art show for a photo I'd taken, and since I didn't have any creative tactile talent, I transferred to Washtenaw Community College and pursued an Associates of Applied Sciences in Photographic Technology...just a fancy way of saying I officially know how to produce a photograph.

I had always known that I wasn't meant to work for someone else (just ask my father), I wanted to dance to my own drummer. I'd photographed a wedding and a couple other sessions in 2007, but in 2008 I photographed my first paid senior session, thus launching my career. Now after many, many business names, countless logo redesigns (I couldn't come up with something that sounded professional and looked professional at the same time), and three years of learning how to run a small business, I have a growing business in a struggling economy (don't ask me how I managed that one, I'm still trying to figure that out lol). But none of this would be possible without very loyal and awesome clients. I LOVE everyone I've worked with and I truly mean that. Each year I gain more and more business, I get presented with new opportunities I would never dream of having and I am so grateful for the chance to make a career out of something I adore doing.

So to all my new, old and future clients:
Thank You!!

From the bottom of my heart,
Natalie

Jack Town Rollers v. Flint City Derby Girls

Last weekend the Jack Town Rollers hosted the Flint City Derby Girls for their 2011 home opener. Now the last time JTR played Flint they kind of had their butt handed to them (the score was +300 to 40 something...or close to that). But we've had a year to practice, to build our strength and perfect our skills. While we still lost (145 to 99) the difference was night and day. Our girls skated hard and strong, and put up a great fight!

Photographer's Dream

Besides having my own personal bucket list, I have a photographer's bucket list as well. I'm sure I'm not the only photographer to have this, but it's just a list of images that I would love to capture. Just thought I'd share some of them, it's constantly changing so I might update it later on down the road.

• tornado
• celestial body ie. galaxy, nebula, star cluster (but I want pics like what Hubble captures)
• rainbow in Ireland
• a famous band I like
• underwater ocean life
• Egyptian Pyramids
• a "National Geographic" or "Time" moment (a photo that's worthy of being in those magazines)
• huge fashion show like Fashion Week Milan or something
• Berlin Wall
• Yellowstone
• whales
• one of America's Next Top Model's shoots
• a volcano or lava river

The Emerald Isle

I just want to keep everyone updated, yes I'm still here, just kind of the slow season for me, but I took a vacation last week to Ireland and had the time of my life. It's definitely as gorgeous as the pictures you see. If you want to read about my trip here's the link to my travel blog. And I leave you with a photo of a rainbow over the Giants Causeway. I swear Ireland's magical!