26 February 2014

Roots


Roots, a photo by MarLeah Joy on Flickr. Click on the image to view in high resolution!
Ha! I've been blogging really late in the day. But there's a reason for that, of course! I've been spending a lot of time with Heather :D But there are also a lot of other things going on and a lot filling my mind. Sometimes this over-flow of my mind comes out in my blog posts, but normally that's only when I'm blogging earlier in the day. Somehow at night like this I can't easily get my thoughts out :P
So, toodles, and thanks for stopping by :)

-MarLeahJoy

25 February 2014

Flash Assignment



Flash Assignment, a photo by MarLeah Joy on Flickr. Click on the image to view in high resolution!
Awww! Heather! ;)
Thanks for being my subject for my PhotoComm assignment.

-MarLeahJoy

Motion


Motion, a photo by MarLeah Joy on Flickr. Click on the image to view in high resolution!
Finding my niche in photography?? Pooh!
This picture just made me think about it more, because I'm like: "I really want to get to take more pictures like this and learn how to do it better, make them have more interest, etc." I've even picked out some locations I'm anxious to go to when it gets a little more green outside.
But then I'm thinking, "I don't have the time for that if I'm going to focus on portraits, though."
But, I'm realizing that I really don't have to decide where I should specialize just yet. Come on, I haven't even had my camera a year yet, though it really feels like it's been several years because it's just already such a big part of who I am.

-MarLeahJoy

23 February 2014

Casey


Casey, a photo by MarLeah Joy on Flickr. Click on the image to view in high resolution!

-MarLeahJoy

22 February 2014

Blaize


Blaize, a photo by MarLeah Joy on Flickr. Click on the image to view in high resolution!
It is nothing short of a miracle that I got so many of this little boy smiling and looking at me!
Blaize was so active that I think it was even stressing Bretton out a little bit.

The only way I got this picture was by telling him to hold out the rock (that he was about to throw in the water) so that I could see it. Thankfully, he actually listened to me a few times. ;)
He is such an adorable little boy! Gah! And I get to look at him for the next couple of hours (editing). I'm glad I have a blog to out-source some of this adorableness that is bubbling up inside of me. ;)

-MarLeahJoy

Theresa


Theresa, a photo by MarLeah Joy on Flickr. Click on the image to view in high resolution!
When I joined the photography club at Crowder they told me about an event in the Ramsey center in Joplin where photographers and models could come and interact with each other. Immediately I wanted to go, but as the date drew nearer I started getting butterflies like I do with every new photography opportunity. Somehow I got this notion that the models would be dressed up in really funky stuff and all of the other photographers wouldn't let others use their equipment.
Well, some of the models did wear some weird stuff, but they also changed and obviously you can choose who you want to shoot.
Theresa was the first person I shot and she was so kind. And even that is an understatement. :)
This picture was shot with natural lighting, but I actually shot most of the pictures of her with another photographer's umbrella and softbox lighting. He was a Nikon user, but the hot-shoe still connected to my camera. :D
Everyone there was extremely nice, and I'm not sure if I had more fun taking pictures or just talking to other photographers who willingly let me try out their lenses.
So there is another experience that should prove to me that being around new people and doing new things is not horrifying, but actually fun. Yet, the next time something else comes up, I'll probably still have all of these annoying thoughts run through by head again. :P

-MarLeahJoy

21 February 2014

Kami + Kallee


These two little girls have a special place in my heart... in fact, three of them do, but the third one was sick :/ They are the youngest three of my friend's sisters (in a family of 9). :)
Every time I go visit my friend, I actually feel like I have 8 other little best friends, though... and I LOVE it :D

Katelyn and I took two of the little girls out to Red Oaks II -- a place that I didn't know existed and I was kind of stunned by it existence. I asked my mom why we never went there and her reply was, "Oh, we used to go there all the time." Okay, well apparently that was when I was TWO because I have NO remembrance of it whatsoever! :P Basically it looks like an antique model village, except it's life-size! :)
So we had fun taking pictures there... except for the occasional scares from the roaming farm animals, which practically sent the girls into hysterics... not quite. ;)


This milk picture was actually the whole reason this photo shoot even happened. I needed a picture for an assignment about "what I am drinking". Well, about the only thing I drink besides water is milk. And somedays I probably drink more milk than water. It actually kind of ruins my day when I go to the fridge and there is no milk. Haha. 
Anyway.
I had this mental image of what kind of shot I should get, but my idea kinda flopped. :/ Good thing there was a dairy truck there. ;)

But otherwise, we just explored all the photo options with the colorful buildings.

:)











This little girl would pose anywhere. "Look! It's grass! Let's pose by the grass!" Haha :)





Ah! They are going to be friends forever!












Between these little girls and Blaize from a recent session, I feel just a little overwhelmed with so many adorable children. I just love it when they are 3-4 years old and their personality shines through.

-MarLeahJoy

Farm Cat


Farm Cat, a photo by MarLeah Joy on Flickr. Click on the image to view in high resolution!
>^.^<

-MarLeahJoy

20 February 2014

Evening Haze


Evening Haze, a photo by MarLeah Joy on Flickr. Click on the image to view in high resolution!
Today? I have a headache. But that's okay because I'm editing pictures. <3
Tomorrow? I'm getting my first business cards printed. :D
And then? I'll be shooting at a networking event in the Ramsey building with area photographers and models. o.O
But really? I'm getting all geared up to have Heather come stay with me all next week! :D :D She is my cousin, my friend, and the best scrapbooker I know. If you haven't already, check out her blog: craftyscrapbooker. And be prepared to be amazed. :)

-MarLeahJoy

19 February 2014

The Essentials: take me somewhere


The Essentials: take me somewhere, a photo by MarLeah Joy on Flickr. Click on the image to view in high resolution!
There is not a spot on this earth that is not photo-worthy. I found that out last night... after the session with the family. My cousin and I stayed later to take pictures at the falls. At first it was kind of like, "Okay MarLeah, please avoid those dead looking trees!" It's obvious that we don't like trees in the winter because they really have very little depth and interest. But as I said, last night I found out that they can still be included in an image and add to the composition as long as the main interest is somewhere else. So, see! You don't have to wait until spring and summer. Go! Take pictures right now! Because everything is photo-worthy somehow.

-MarLeahJoy

18 February 2014

Covered Cabin


Covered Cabin, a photo by MarLeah Joy on Flickr. Click on the image to view in high resolution!
While Wisconsin is getting even more snow... we have 70 degree weather?? That's right! And I won't trade it for anything. It was cool to be up there with so much snow and to ski and everything, but I'm glad to live in Missouri where we get the yo-yo weather to help me survive winter.
This evening I'm going to Grand Falls to take family portraits with a nautical theme. I'm so excited o.o
My cousin is coming along as assistant photographer. :) You can check out his blog here: http://brettcolephotography.blogspot.com/
Did I mention that this weather is just perfect!?

-MarLeahJoy

17 February 2014

Chicken


Chicken, a photo by MarLeah Joy on Flickr. Click on the image to view in high resolution!
Yep! It's a chicken.
That's all.
;)

-MarLeahJoy

16 February 2014

Library: A World with a Million Worlds


Library: A World with a Million Worlds, a photo by MarLeah Joy on Flickr. Click on the image to view in high resolution!
Within the last two weeks I started thinking, "something is missing in my life!" I feel like I just rush from here to there and from one thing to another without any real relaxation time.
Pretty soon it came to me that it was those late nights lost in a good read I was missing. Those times when you lay down to go to sleep at a reasonable time and then you remember where your book left you hanging on the edge of a cliff when you finished the last chapter, (which literally was the case with Frankenstein) :) so you pick up your book and read until you fall asleep with the book in your hands.
I actually just got done with one book that was more of a juvenile, and now I'm itching to find another good read. Something mysterious, crazy and weird. Like Frankenstein, The Picture of Dorian Gray, and Fahrenheit 451. The type of books with hidden deeper meanings that my english teacher made me read, and I now love. (Except, now I am going to have to watch what I allow in my mind, because obviously all of those books don't always portray good morality.) :P
So I've been combing all over goodreads.com trying to find my next book.
And let me tell you, I can't wait to really get into the plot of another wild book. I feel as excited as a "school girl" (or as my friend would say it, a "sckrool gurl") ;)
But if I think about it... I have deprived my self from reading for 9 months now (unintentionally), so why wouldn't I be excited?

Okay, let me stop blabbing long enough to click "post". Whew! ;D

-MarLeahJoy

14 February 2014

LOVE {is in the air}


LOVE {is in the air}, a photo by MarLeah Joy on Flickr. Click on the image to view in high resolution!
So apparently I've been going "all out" for Valentine's Day this year. ;) At least compared to my norm. I hardly ever craft or make anything heart-sy because I think it's a little cliché.
Anyway, the first post of today was from the Candy House in Reddings Mill. I went in to get some fudge and chocolates for my dad, so I took a quick peek of their Valentine's stuff.
The last post with the pinecone was an idea that originated from Brad Lackey, and I decided that I would use it for my photography assignment on "lighting" for this week. But I ended up using something else for that assignment.

I took/created this picture this morning when I saw that the theme for #FlickrFriday was "Love is in the air".
I took several pictures of smoke coming out of the cup and combined different ones in photoshop to make the smoke into a heart shape...

Have a lovely weekend!!

-MarLeahJoy

From Within


From Within, a photo by MarLeah Joy on Flickr. Click on the image to view in high resolution!
Okay, I have to say. I love the results of my late night "smoking session". :P
Please! click on the image to make it bigger (or better quality) and I will thank you with my heart!

Look for another post coming this evening.
Haha, yes, I'm full of it today.

-MarLeahJoy

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day!
Happy Valentine's Day!, a photo by MarLeah Joy on Flickr. Click on the image to view in high resolution!

-MarLeahJoy

13 February 2014

Snowboarding


Snowboarding, a photo by MarLeah Joy on Flickr. Click on the image to view in high resolution!
I'm a little too pre-occupied over here to think of anything beyond what I am currently doing. I'm trying out the pomodoro technique with my homework, and it is going surprisingly great. I just got done reading the longest article ever about "The Battle to Patent Your Genes". So my mind is not really thinking about anything else right now, haha, even though I'm on my 4 min. break.

But I won't leave you in the dark about this picture... This is my cousin, Clifdon. I rode up to Wisconsin with his family and some others.
This was my second time to ski and his first time to snowboard. They say snowboarding is more challenging to pick up at the beginning, but I have to say that his snowboarding skills beat my skiing skills by a long shot!
Crazy kid!

-MarLeahJoy

12 February 2014

City Lights: Bokeh Wednesday


City Lights with the Lensbaby, a photo by MarLeah Joy on Flickr. Click on the image to view in high resolution!
This was one of those moments when you finally get to create YOUR OWN similar picture to ones you've seen from other photographers.
So no, it's nothing new in the world of Lensbaby lens owners, but I still like the thought that I took my own "selective-focus-city-lights" picture ;)

-MarLeahJoy

10 February 2014

Snowboarder GIF and Ski Album


The last time I made GIFs it was such a huge hit... so I made just one out of a set of images from our ski trip earlier this month.

You can view all of the other pictures from the trip on my Facebook album (it's public).


This guy was just a random boarder who kept doing jumps by me while I was stationed to take pictures of my cousins and friends.



-MarLeahJoy

Betsy the Cow


Betsy the Cow, a photo by MarLeah Joy on Flickr. Click on the image to view in high resolution!
I've been writing down a lot of time-specific goals for my life and for photography lately. I have to admit that I can get quite caught up in thinking about long-term investing and saving for a new lenses and saving up for travels, etc. But in all of these goals I've had to leave out the specific DATE of accomplishment and just use a time frame that begins the day I get a job.
After having a lot of these plans and goals swimming around in my mind the last few days, this morning I thought: "Yes, a job would really solve all my problems."
Untrue!
I mean, seriously! What if I never get a job outside of photography? I think I have been avoiding my fears about how I might struggle financially if I was only a photographer at the beginning. In my mind I keep finding comfort in the fact that "if I don't do so hot in photography at least I can rely on another job". And honestly, I think that is really hindering me right now to really grow in photography and get out of my shell. Because when I think about marketing I like to think that it is something off in the future that I don't have to worry about right now.
Also untrue!
I'm being too soft on myself and doubting my ability.
I can't say that my desire to get another job has left now that I've realized this, but I think it will/should help me to not procrastinate about getting more clients.

I've never really shared too many of my thoughts about my future in photography because that sounds "scary" to be vulnerable to other people and how they might judge me if it doesn't work out.
Well now I'm telling those thoughts to "GO AWAY!" Haha. I don't want to let my fears get in my way.

-MarLeahJoy

09 February 2014

Colorado Mountain Gradient


Colorado Mountain Gradient, a photo by MarLeah Joy on Flickr. Click on the image to view in high resolution!
Another flashback to Colorado :)

-MarLeahJoy

08 February 2014

Color of Reading


Color of Reading, a photo by MarLeah Joy on Flickr. Click on the image to view in high resolution!
Humph! On our trip up to Wisconsin everyone started to list off books that they had read, and they were telling about the ones that were really good. Finally, I almost just couldn't listen because it's been at least 9 months since I've read a good book. :( I mean, since I've read at all. How sad is that. So I am determined to start a good book sometime really soon.

Any suggestions?
Comment below!

-MarLeahJoy

07 February 2014

I've Caught the Valentine Bug


I've been making valentines today for some little children from our church that I will be babysitting tomorrow while their parents are at a valentine's party. 
And boy! do I feel like a little kid myself! I get so happy and hyper and beside myself when I start creating things...



Here's what I created... Feel free to download it and use it! I don't care :)


About a month ago I saw a pin for these creative little valentines and so I took my own little spin on them!


I thought they were so perfect for me because when I think of my friendships (and especially the little kids) I think of laughter! :)

So I began by drawing those words, just in my own handwriting.


Then I took pictures of the papers and opened them in Photoshop.


So I actually wrote in green pen :) But that doesn't matter....


Because you can use the color swap tool and change the color :)


Close to being done...

Then I got a picture of a funny little guy laughing :D


I had to extend the background to make it fit the size of the valentine.



And there you have it! :)

-MarLeahJoy