02 September 2014

Kaitlin and Nick


This sibling session was a surprise birthday gift for Kaitlin's mom... who was actually away on vacation in Mexico at the time we took them.
It was kind of ironic, because their mom hadn't been able to call them much, but of course she called while we were taking pictures. Haha! So they just didn't mention anything about what they were currently doing :P




















-MarLeahJoy

29 August 2014

This August Week

Well, hello there! What a hectic week. It feels like it's been a month! I've worked nearly 40 hours, tried to edit photos from the session last friday, completed the coursework for 5 online classes this week, and I'm still half-way sane. This evening after coming home from a busy day at work, though, I might have blown a little and pounded on the stairs with my fists when after realizing my lens rental wasn't waiting for me. I know, very carnal, MarLeah... I'm working on that issue. Okay, and maybe I yelled in frustration a little, too, but no one was home... 
On my way to the wedding rehearsal I just had to stop and pick up the rentals at the shipping location. It's so nice to be working with the 6D and the 70-200mm f/2.8 again. 
Now I'm trying to gain some sanity and finish editing some photos. I've always wanted to make a stake-out at Starbucks and edit. It's just so perfect. So I was really going in to town for something else, but I impulsively swung in and got a chia spiced latte and set up camp.


Hopefully, I'll make some time to hop on here again after the wedding and post a few
-MarLeahJoy

19 August 2014

Sensory Triggers


This is just a rhetorical question, but does anyone else get really vivid emotional senses when you hear a song that ties back to the first time you heard it? Or maybe just back to the time in your life when you listened to it a lot? I was just listening to music and doing homework when a song came on that was just an absolute favorite of mine several months ago. I used to listen to it quite a bit, but today was practically my first time to hear it since that time. It was the weirdest thing, but I had to skip the song because it started to give me sensory overload as it seemed to be filling my brain all the emotions and feelings from a few months ago. Not that the emotions from that time were necessarily negative or anything, but it was just such an overload that I couldn't bear it. Which brings another question to my mind: Do our emotions really change that much within a few months. Not just the "everyday up and down emotions", but more like our emotional make-up of who we are. Well I would guess so, since we are ever maturing as we experience life. Hm.
Anyway, it was quite an interesting feeling that washed over me when I started to hear and recognize the song. I've actually had it happen before with music -- when I heard a classical song again that my Kindergarten teacher would play every day during nap time, but it normally happens to me with the changing of the seasons or when a summer day feels like fall, etc. 
But one other thing... it also happens to me when I think back over little adventures I've had. Typically, they are ones that I've had by myself because there is a heightened sense of thrill with it.
Which leads me to Sunday. I was at home by myself, so after church I just went to the park to take more pictures for the about me page... that you all will be tired of hearing about and never seeing ;P Haha, well, I'll include one today.
But, here's the little spot I found that quickly became my favorite.


I had to set my tripod in the middle of the stream to get the angle of the bridge. Thank goodness for slow currents ;)


Can you spot the remote? ;) Normally, I was able to get the remote hid before it actually took the shot, but "oops! Not that time." ;P


It's been a while since I've done macro. And I kind of realized why... if the wind is blowing the slightest bit, it is so challenging to nail the focus. So I just put it on continuous and fire 30 photos for each composition... just kidding... though that might be close.


It was so cool that the berries were different colors!




Well, I have survived my first day of online classes. Ha! Which is really nothing yet, except realizing how stinking busy I'm going to be with it all. But I know that the same determination I had to NOT go to college anymore will be the same stubborn determination that will keep me going and help me make it through the next few semesters. So I'm not all that worried about it. But when I was reading through all of the syllabuses for my classes, I kind of shook my head at myself, laughed, and thought "Boy! I've really made the plunge now!" One example: I have to video myself making speeches with a 5-12 person audience. I'm not sure where I'm going to find that audience... Haha, won't this be fun?!

-MarLeahJoy

17 August 2014

The Wrap


This is the last installment of the Marsh family for baby James' first birthday session :)
I'm trying to get everything finished up before school starts! D:

So far, I've done more decorating to my room, made several DVDs (for someone who pays me to put their pics and videos into dvd format), took the pictures for my "about me" page, sewed a skirt, finished editing this photo session, put good use to the weed eater ;), and completely re-made my spreadsheet of my financial goals/plans because the original got deleted somehow? D': 
Can't you tell I'm feeling pretty productive this week? ;)

That's about the wrap of my checklist. Here I come semester number three with 5 online classes, work, a wedding to shoot, and several family sessions! I can do this! D: maybe!



I love his little content smile there :)


Cake time!






Well, I thoroughly enjoyed this session. It was so awesome to get to use her 50mm 1.2! Fingers crossed that I will like the 35mm just as well!

-MarLeahJoy