Inspiration...

As most of you know, blog-hopping is a serious addiction of mine. I love finding inspiration and great tips from seasoned photographers, and blog-hopping is a great way to do this! It all started with Airika & Gerald Pope's Blog, Gerald Pope Photography.

(Click on the logo above to check out the Gerald Pope Photography Website!)

I followed their blog after they captured our wedding so beautifully back in February 2006, and I have been hooked on it ever since! It was with their blog that I became addicted to perusing great photography! Check out my new list of links off to the right of "Photographers Blogs I Love" to see all the photog blogs I keep up with.

During my blog-hopping one day, I ran across Smith Gallery Photography Blog. I can't remember exacly how I arrived there, but I sure am glad I did! I was completly taken, and fell in love with Emily's work! Her blog design, web design, photos, the amazing color and lighting grabbed my eye immediately! It became another daily staple in my blog perusing.

So this is super cool...

I left a comment on Emily's blog one day about how much I loved her work. I also asked her what program she used for her post processing. I was very curious because I was trying to make a decision on what I was going to purchase myself. Honestly, I didn't really expect a response. I was not sure how much photographers like to share that kind of information (especially with random people they don't know!)? Well, much to my delighted surprise, Emily promptly send me a comment back not only telling me what program she used, but a full explanation of the process that she follows when using that program, to let her know if I had any questions, and wished me luck! I was in full on shocked delight! It was not so much the actual information she gave me (although is was very helpful), but the giving and helpful spirit that delivered that information. I responded back letting her know how much I appreciated her sharing spirit. She then let me know that it was giving and helpful photographers that helped her out when she was starting her photography business that inspired her to share with people like me. Wow! How cool is that! I only hope that someday I will be able to do this for someone else!

So like I said, Emily's blog is another staple in my daily blog-checking library. Well, this Sunday Emily did a post about her new studio. Check it out! This would be the definition of one of my long term goals as a photographer...

CLICK HERE to see her post called "the studio..."

Isn't it just gorgeous!?! I just LOVE it! It brings me to goose bumps! Something I would like to work towards having someday!

(Click on Emily's logo above to check out her web site)

I am so thankful for people like Airika and Gerald and Emily! They give me such encouragement during the times that I convince myself that I can't do this photography thing! 

I also have to thank my good friend, Sheena. Sheena owns Totally Tabletops and The Invisible Hostess. She also has a smashing blog! We met for dinner last week to catch up. Sheena gave me so much encouragement, I left our almost 3 hour dinner feeling like a new person! I shared with her my thoughts and fears. One of them being, "I am so nervous, I just want to do this the right way." Her response, bless her heart, was "Is there a wrong way!?! No! Just go for it!" Thank you! I soooo needed to hear that!

I have to also add that even though I have never met her, MeRa Koh has been an encouragement to me as well! Her blog is filled with with amazing tips for photographers that make me so excited about this new journey I am on. I also purchased her instructional DVD series, "Refuse to Say Cheese" and "Beyond the Green Box". They are amazing and have given me SO much great stuff to work on! Her "Refuse to Say Cheese" motto speaks to me so, and the "Beyond the Green Box" makes using that Manual Mode on my camera so much more approachable, it is just crazy! I have watched it at least 8 times and I am still picking up new things each time. Attending one of her workshops is on my "LIST", one thing that I CAN'T WAIT to check off!

So this post is WAY longer than I anticipated, but I had to post one more inspiring thing for me...

This is the athlete in me coming out, but if you want to check out one more thing that is inspiring to me, and gets me choked up every time I see it...

CLICK HERE! 

(get your Kleenex box out!)