Posts Tagged ‘photography’


Reflection has been a recurring theme for me these past few months, you only have to check out my Project 365 photographs to see that, and most-recently I have been reflecting on my own personal image, or rather the image I am projecting through my photography business – it’s “branding” I guess.  Sometimes it’s hard to look at yourself closely in the mirror, especially as the years and birthdays go by and you watch your children wake up every day and take another tiny baby step towards independence and adulthood.  But when I’ve looked up close lately, I’m not looking for lines and wrinkles and gray hairs (hey, I don’t have any yet, by the way!)  What I’m looking for is that little spark of something, happiness maybe… or maybe it’s just the sparkle of living, not just being alive – but LIVING.  Now before you go thinking this is a post about depression or well, just a depressing post, let me explain…

As you may remember from past posts, I met the founder of Striving for More through a random set of events – you can read more about her and those details in a past blog post.  Anyway, I recently volunteered to photograph the Striving for More team at the St. Baldrick’s Foundation event held at Napper Tandy’s in Raleigh.  When I was editing the images, I found myself really captivated by one of the images of Diane, and so I spent some time editing it and doing some of the art work I do for my actual studio portraits.  In fact, I spent a lot of time – not because the image needed it and not because she isn’t already beautiful, but because something about her eyes really spoke to me.  I eventually realized what it was – they sparkle.  Truly.  On their own.  Just off the cuff this may not resonate with you, but I challenge you to try to look for this in the next few days when you are talking to people, or even looking through your own photographs and portraits.  If you don’t know Diane’s story, you can read her blog here, but suffice it to say that she has endured a tragedy that could easily crush the strongest of spirits, and yet she’s managed to find a path for herself that did just the opposite.  I’ve mentioned before that the eyes are what I’m trying most to capture when I take a portrait, and it’s this “sparkle of life” I’m trying to get.  Everyone has it, but I wonder how often it’s bright enough for others to notice.

So I’m looking in the mirror, trying to see my own and be aware of the things that make it shine Zanderbrighter.  Photography is one of those “things” for me – just ask my husband, he always comments that my face is just glowing with happiness after I’ve had a great session with a client or even spent the day shooting the trees in the park.  Moms have this look when watching their child take their first steps or hit their first home-run.  Children have this look almost every moment of every day – their eyes just shine! So I encourage you all to take a moment to reflect, and figure out the things that really make your eyes light up – and do more of them.  In all sincerity, we could all use a little more sparkle in our lives, and really LIVING your life will have a profound impact on those around you as well – take a little time every week to live like this is a once-in-a-lifetime moment.   Because they all are.

I’ve been giving a lot of thought recently about blogging, Facebook, Twitter, and how these all fit in with my studio and photography and my own personal life.  Social Media is the big theme right now in almost any conference, webinar, marketing class, etc and though I have been enjoying exploring them all, I’ve kind of been struggling with integrating them and growing my business without feeling like a salesperson.  I’ve really wanted my blog to be a way to just be who I am and share in a less formal way with my clients as well as my friends and family – especially since many of those people fall into more than one category!  My blog is almost 10 months old (!) and though I do feel like I’ve been “speaking in my own voice” – I also have felt like every post has to be about marketing something for my studio.  That’s not necessarily a bad thing, as it’s one of the realities of starting a business – you do have to market it if you wanna survive.  :-)   But with the arrival of Spring, I’ve been contemplating some little changes and improvements here and there, and I’ve decided to do what *I* want with my blog instead of following the traditional path.  (Can I even use the words “blog” and “traditional” in the same sentence yet?)  My future posts will be on a much more personal level, and though my photography will often be a part of it, as it’s a huge part of me and my life, I’m going to try just being myself and sharing a little more about what’s going on in my life, my family and my business in a way that will hopefully be more fun and interesting to read.  Let the chips fall… :-)

Are you looking forward to the holidays?  I am!

This year at Copperlight Art we’re offering something new, and we’re raising funds for charity at the same time.  I hope you’ll join me for our 1st Annual Holiday Portrait Charity Event.  This portrait session provides you with beautiful holiday portraits of your children at a great price and provides much-needed funds to a local charity for children.

I’m offering two different holiday sets for you to choose from this year.  My “Winter Wonderland” features  a sparkling scene of white, silver and gold.  Imagine snow-covered branches glistening in tiny lights and crystals… a magical sight perfect for a winter portrait.  Formal clothing is beautiful with this set, and white, black, red, and hunter green clothing look best.  This set even looks good with casual clothes!

“Christmas Wishes” and “Dreaming of Santa” both feature a beautifully decorated Christmas tree with piles of presents just waiting to be opened.  Gather your little ones around the tree for an unforgettable holiday portrait that you will treasure for years to come.  Christmas PJs look great with this set, as well as clothing in the traditional colors of red and green.

I am thrilled that my “Dreaming of Santa” sessions will enjoy a surprise visit from Santa himself! Our Santa sessions are very limited and will be scheduled on a first-come, first-serve basis – you don’t want to miss this opportunity if you have little ones and this is a great alternative to the long lines at the mall.   My goal is to capture a beautiful moment including Santa in each of these sessions, even if I have to sneak him in the background while little ones are distracted – I want to give you a portrait you will cherish.  (Though I know those shots from your childhood of Santa holding a crying baby can bring back funny memories!)

Our Holiday Portrait Charity Event will take place on Saturday, November 21, and Sunday, November 22.  Please call to schedule your appointment soon!  This time of year, when everyone’s beginning to imagine the perfect gift, I think we’ve found it—capturing enduring family images and providing funds to help children in need.  Isn’t that what the spirit of the holidays is all about?

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