December Photography Challenge...

So this week I enlisted in a little photography challenge that I'm SO incredibly excited about. Basically you capture the holiday season through your camera. http://www.tredways.org/2008/11/25/december-photo-project-2008/ I've gotten a little bit of a late start, but didn't want to wait until tomorrow to make my first post. So I was sitting in my living room contemplating what I was going to take pictures of. As I was staring into the warm glow of the Christmas tree, I was reminded how much I love white christmas lights. I heart them with all of my soul. If I could hang white christmas lights up all year round I would. I would stream them across my bedroom ceiling and sleep under a canopy of warm glowiness. That was it! I whipped out my camera and started taking pictures. I got a little crazy...I'm sure my roommates think I'm so weird.

Over the next few weeks I'd love to see some of the photos you take that capture the season as you see it. Feel free to post your links with mine. This is Day 2, so you'd better get snapping!

Chelsea and Steven's Sneak Peak...

There is just something romantic about black and whites. I'm not sure what it is. I don't know how they do it, but they just tend to capture emotion so well. I wonder why that is...ponderous.

This past week I shot a wedding...let me re-phrase lest anyone think I'm out to destroy anyone else's chance at marital bliss. I "provided photographic services" at Chelsea and Steven's reception. I've never covered a reception at the Provo Library before, but I have to say that I was very impressed. The lighting was low (which always presents its own set of challenges), but it was very warm, even lighting. Just things I notice I guess. The reception was beautiful, and a lot of fun. Here are a couple of my favorites from the evening...

Richan Family Sneak Peak...

It was one of those moments when I just felt...well, old. I think I may have mentioned this before, so if I have please forgive me. My life right now is like unto Alice in Wonderland's time warp. You know the story... Alice follows the white rabbit into some sort of other dimension and loses track of time completely? Yup, that's me. My life, as much as I'd like it to be, isn't the reality part of that story. I'm pretty sure it's more like the time warp. Let me explain. I surround myself with other people just like me....single. It's a lot like college, only different...I have more money, and that's about it. Being single, we notice that our growth is measured more in accomplishments than height. I think it's an adult thing to tell you the truth. And other than the occasional threatening wrinkle, time seems to stand still. That is, until I have moments like this one when I step outside of my world and compare the years gone by to those who are still growing...

It's that way when I see my nieces and nephews, and it's certainly that way when I get around kids I used to teach. I taught Cami for two years. She was in my fifth-grade and sixth grade class and is just an awesome kid. I say kid, but lets be honest...she has me beat by about 5 inches in height and is such a babe! I seriously can't even believe it. It's moments like this that instill in me more urgency. It's a good thing I think. Urgency to become a better person, urgency to do the things I've been threatening to do for years but haven't found the time, and urgency to take necessary risks. Thank goodness for the little people that get big. They help us to remember that time marches on.

Little Ammon....

Lately I've been thinking a lot about families. Maybe it's the fact that mine lives so far away, plus the holidays, etc. etc. etc. That, and I think becoming another year older and still single, I think a lot about my own family (in theory) quite a bit. I think about the kinds of traditions I want to have, how I want to raise my children, what I want to do differently than my own parents, and what I want to do the same. I've loved being priveleged to interact with so many amazing families, and I continue to learn and observe so much.

The Little family is one of the great examples of an amazing family to me. I absolutely LOVE being around them. They are the kind of family that really enjoys each other's company and you can tell that they would just as easily hang out with each other on a Friday night as they would anyone else. And oh my gosh! SO much fun to be around.

Julie and I had a good time taking pictures of little Ammon. I've known Julie for a number of years and it's really neat to watch her grow into being a mom. Her sister Kim, who was visiting town stopped by and we snagged a couple shots of her little cutie as well. Here are a few of my favorites.

So fun with FAMILY...

This holiday kind of snuck up on me. Usually I have plans weeks in advance, but this time...nothing. I don't know if it's been because I've been so INCREDIBLY busy lately with work, or the fact that I was just home a couple of weeks ago. Regardless, here I am. It's Thanksgiving week and I'm not sure what to do with myself. I keep toying with the idea of hopping in the car and driving somewhere completely random...like Hoover Dam for example. (**sidenote** if this weren't a blog that I try to keep somewhat professional, I'd probably use that as a segue to launch into some dam jokes. They're funny. Let's be honest, and even though they may be a little bit childish...well, it's ok.)

Anyways, this past week my sister was able to come up to Utah with her family. It was so great having them here. I absolutely love being around my nephews. The oldest, Logan, has got to be the coolest kid ever. He LOVES music. Especially The Mormon Tabernacle Choir with Sissel singing Christmas carols. It's the best. We got some great pictures of them this past weekend. Here are some of my favorites.

Lauren's Sneak Peak

I don't have incredibly fond memories of high school. Don't get me wrong....I had a great time and met some great people. Beyond that I remember feeling like I was stuck having some sort of transcendental experience most of the time... one in which I felt like the "real me" was trapped inside someone else. And I CERTAINLY didn't look like Lauren, my most recent senior.

Lauren attends one of the high schools that I just did yearbook pictures for. She's SO much fun and is a girl that is going places...literally. After high school she wants to travel abroad to go to school. The more I work with seniors the more it seems like they are such higher caliber than I remember being. I LOVE working with my seniors. They have such a zest for life that's contagious. Here are a few of my favorites from Lauren's photosession.

Postponed...

I know...I know. You'll just have to wait. The next little contest is right around the corner. Trust me, you'll be so glad. I will tell you that the winner of this next contest will get a complementary family sitting....SO EXCITING!!! Stay tuned for details later this week! In the meantime I'll be seeking for some form of inspiration regarding what exactly I'll have you do. *cynical laugh*