Marketing... A Bad Word!

Marketing. I hate that word. Its a very important word that has very large shoes. Even with wearing a size 12... yes, I wear size 12 in shoes... I can't compare to the vastness of the shoes that Marketing wears and struts around with just to mock me I'm sure. I can't do it.

Scratch that. can’t.

Not that I can't, it's just a very difficult undertaking for someone like me who has never really embarrassed the talking about oneself. Hence the really sucking at the blog posts! haha

This is worse though, much worse.

I want to improve... no, I Need to improve. To do that, I need to take pictures. I haven't been able to get out there and take as many portrait photos as I want and its eating me up inside!! I'm traveling backwards and its making me a tad crazy to where I am actually a lil' worried for my sanity. You get where I'm going with this?

I had the privilege to take pictures at the YMCA's Healthy Kids Day (a.k.a. HKD) a week ago this Saturday. I brought with me to the Y, for HKD, a couple of pictures that I had packed and moved down with me, while leaving the majority (99%) of my display photos back at home in PA. Clear as mud? Right. Anywho. I brought the pictures, my business cards and made impromptu raffle tickets to win 25% off a print order. I guess I did alright.

Marketing. It laughs in my face and sometimes I can actually feel the hot air coming from the outbursts of hysterics. I try. As much as I can push myself to, I try. But I need to push harder, and I need to take more pictures. That is the only way I can improve and save my sanity. The two go hand in hand.

HKD was a good day overall and the best part is, is that it couldn't have hurt anything and couldn't have made my business any less marketed. There's always an upside to things, right? A silver lining? Well I need a lil more silver. A lil more up to the side.

I need to actually get my butt out there and start talking to people you say? Do you know me??? Apparently not unless you want to put me out of my misery.

Ok, a little extreme yes, I'm not in misery. But goodness gracious I need to be slapped. Someone slap me.

I guess I am writing this for a little motivation within myself and to share that I might be horrific and sluggish on the marketing aspect, but I am not giving up. Reading and looking at photographers blogs is so inspiring and I just feel it inside that this is the right path I am going down. I have made it this far and I am not going to let the enormous shoes of the lil word called Marketing get in my way!

This is what I want to do. I want to take pictures. And by golly Lord willing I will take pictures. Lord willing.... Lord... please enable me to get out there and give it the best I got, to be the best I can and share the talent you have given me to the best of my ability.

Amen.

So I Wont Forget...

One of the best weekends to date. Going home and being surrounded with people I love, who shared their love and how much I was missed, is the best feeling ever! Easter is one of my favorite times of the year anyway...

Maunday Thursday started it off. I went to church where I have been going for a few Sundays now with a friend who's a member, and was asked to stay afterward to speak with the pastor. After service I hung back and waited to see if my thinking of why I was being held after church, feeling almost like a detention, was correct. The pastor found me and told me that I have been highly recommended to be the leader in the upcoming National LCMS Youth Gathering in New Orleans this summer. That was what I was expecting and really hoping to hear and what the "detention" was all about. How exciting!!! He proposed it as a question and I dont think I could have gotten a "YES of Course" out fast enough. I had gone to the youth gathering before when it was in New Orleans as a youth. I had an amazing time and still remember it like it was last summer, even though 7 years has past. I also will never forget the fact that I was in a wheelchair while there due to a really bad knee and a game of tennis the day before I was to leave. This time, Lord willing, I will not be in a wheelchair and will be a leader of 4 girls! I cant wait! I will leave July 16 and return July 22.

Then Friday after work I drove straight home, surprised Donella at work :) did some errands, and went to the Good Friday service at my home church. Good Friday is one of my favorite, if not thee favorite, services of the year! It leads up to Easter. We wouldn't have an Easter if Good Friday didnt come. The Lord spared our lives with His as He died on the cross. Nothing can be more powerful than the that act of love.

Saturday was a really busy day. I had several people I wanted to see, a family photoshoot (the one I posted last) and then spent the evening at Donella and Jeff's! Busy, but fantastic!

Sunday I was to play my trumpet at church. I hadn't gotten an official call asking me to, but I suggested it a while before and heard that everyone had heard and that I was expected to play. Making sure I brought my trumpet with me, I was not sure how I was going to sound. The last time sadly enough I had played, was last Easter. We got to the brunch before church and was so glad to see everyone! The lil guy that I missed the most I think is the pastors son Ryan! Such a sweetheart!

It was a great service and playing the trumpet for several songs throughout, went off with just a couple notes outa of tune! haha An amazing ending to a sad and solemn Good Friday! He has risen! He has risen indeed!

After my church service, I went to Jamie's church who was having a potluck after their service. I went to Jamie's house afterwards where we hung out and watched a movie. Then headed back home to finish packing what was left of my things....

I had NO idea how much stuff I own! Its insane, it really is. I jammed my car as full as I could, with things still left behind.

Monday morning I left early and met Donella for coffee and cribbage, our old routine which I thoroughly miss. When it was time for her to head to work, we said goodbye, and I was on my way back down to my new home away from home to be at work by 2pm.

It was a whirlwind of a weekend as I mentioned in my last post, but it definitely did the heart good :) The best Easter weekend to date!

Why am I blogging it now you ask? Well... I didnt have time right afterward, and I wanted to be sure I wrote it down, so I can come back and recall everything I had done and how great it truly was.

I know its not Easter anymore, but its still true today...

He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! :)

Happy Family!!!

Ok Ok Ok Ok!

This is going to be a really really super duper SHORT blog so Karen can Breathe and not die on me! lol

I'm at the Library... this no internet SUCKS... and they close in like 15 min!! Yikes!

I had the BEST whirlwind of a weekend!! I could not have asked for a better Easter home at my church and seeing friends and family was SO nice!!! I do love living here in Vancouver but I just wish I could bring everyone and everything with me! I got the chance to take family pictures of the Tagg family AND... Karen! Here ya go!! lol

AH! they are turning the lights out on me!!! hahah See Ya!! :)

Keith & Heather's Engagement!

As I'm sitting here in a cute place called Fusion drinking a chocolate milk tea with boba (bubble tea! the best!) I am watching the clock frantically as my computer SLOWLY starts and gets online.... I need to be at work in exactly 30 min but I really want to get these sneak peaks online.

I had the pleasure of doing an engagement session Sunday with Keith & Heather. I am shooting their wedding in May and after e-mails sent and a phone conversation, I finally met Heather. I had known Keith through Donella for a while now and got to see him again after several months. They are adorable and I am so happy that they chose me for their engagement and wedding!

It's been a while since I have done portraits and I was So excited for Sunday! We went out to the Cedar Creek Grist Mill and then down to the Vancouver waterfront. Even though it was cloudy, rainy and at one point there was thunder, we made it and I had a blast!

So... without further a due, I give you Keith and Heather! :) (Hope you like them guys!)

Are You A Fan!?

Today has been... a day.

Things have been a whirl wind this last week. I've been looking for an apartment and being overwhelmed and stressed about, well... being able to pay for a place. If you haven't been keeping track, I work at the Y. Now, I LOVE working there, dont get me wrong, its just, it doesnt really pay the bills. At least all the previous ones PLUS a rental payment. It's just impossible.

People keep asking me why I dont get a second job. Ya wanna know why? Because the Y IS my second job! My first job at the moment isn't really paying the bills yet either, unfortunately. I seriously need to get on track and start marketing my photography business!

Before my very stressful and overwhelming weekend, I was going to post a blog about how you can get some free prints. Don't worry, I am still going to do that. To get that ball rolling, if you want to share with your friends and family about Becoming A Fan on Facebook, you will get a great head start.

Marketing in photography is all about the word of mouth approach. So... get your mouth moving and get the word out!! :)

So, to get back to where I was going with that story...where was I? Oh yeah, stressful weekend, looking for apartments, and not being able to afford one. Well, long story short, the Lord is amazing, along with my wonderful mom! I found an apartment and just like that, my mom (and help of my two nephews!!) were packing all my stuff up. I went in Tuesday and put the deposit down and turned in my application. Today was the day my mom was planning on driving the 4 hours down with the majority of my belongings, including my two birdies! (I've missed them!) I was scheduled to work from 12-6, so I needed to either get someone to work or switch shifts. I was able to switch and work 8am-1pm, which was perfect because the moving crew, my mom, nephew Ryne, and my moms husband, were expected around 1-2 in the afternoon. Another dilemma we had, was we needed someone to help carry the heavy furniture up the stairs. So trying to find someone to help was a lot harder than I expected it to be, but two directors from the Y came to the rescue to help! In the mists of all this, while trying to explain to my mom how to get to the apartments, I go and do something I have not done the whole time I've owned my car. I lock the keys inside! Trying to hurry and sign all the papers, get the keys so my mom and the crew could unpack and get back to PA, trying to find a locksmith to get my car open (because no, I dont have a spear key) and trying to see if we could get help with the unpacking made for a very interesting afternoon for sure. Also, while we are unloading the trailer, the maintenance guys come and tell us that they didnt know someone was moving in and needing to put a door up for the bathroom, check the stove, and put up the blinds. To top it all off, as the crew was getting ready to leave, my mom discovered that she couldn't find her new Flip. The video camera thing.

She didnt end up finding it, which, I really hope she does, or it wound up getting in a box and I havent unpacked it yet.

So... My new lil apartment is full of boxes and things randomly dropped everywhere and the best part, it feels like I have officially moved from PA! I still need to pack things up from Carol and Larry's and get internet set up, but after this weekend I will be all moved in and start getting it all organized! :)

Well folks, I think that is all for now! Depending on how soon I can get internet at my place will determine how soon my next blog will be up about FREE prints!!!

So until next time.... Be A Fan!!!!

Yay for crappy camera phones! hehe I'll post more later with my actual camera after I get it more situated! :P

Out and About

I promise you I have the greatest intentions on posting new blogs more often! Truly truly I do!! haha

I had a great weekend! Jamie came up and I spent some time with her and went to her church's special meetings in Portland. Hung out at the mall and got to show her where I live and work now. Lucky her to be the first one!

So, while living down in Vancouver, I'm staying with my cousin and her husband. They are both retired and are graciously offering their home to me and I am indubitably thankful! Indubitably... thats a big word for me! I think I should get one of those stickers that say "Way To Go!" or something! haha But anyway, I really am! They have a place out at one of the lakes NE of Vancouver and Carol (My cousin) drove me out there last week to show me. Im in awe driving out there to start with all the nature and photo opportunities, but then we get to their place and I get out of the van to turn around to 7 deer! Right There!!! They are so used to people feeding them out there that they are pretty much pets. They eat right from your hand. So cute! Seriously! (Deer are not a new thing for me but they are still cute!)

So of course I hurry and get my camera and am so excited! The view from their deck is so gorgeous! It definitely makes up for being so far from the mountains in my back yard and water in the front!

Still working on the pictures and definitely still working on my landscape photography, but heres what I have so far...

This one was the baby!!!

They were hungry lil things...

On our way home from the lake, Carol took a detour to take me to this corn mill. They are still in business too. I cant remember the name at the moment, but I am definitely going back there!!!

Back at the lake... she drove around showing me different places and I had to get out to get this shot!

So things are going really well with the new job and I really am loving it down here! It still hasn't sunk in yet that Im here. For good.

I'm going back to PA this weekend. I get off work at 8pm on Friday and am going to leave straight from there and drive up. I get to see Donella Saturday which Im SO excited about! Driving back Monday in time to work my shift that starts at 4pm... yay! :)

So until next time, go outside and appreciate nature and what God has created! Its Gorgeous out there!

Ker-Splash!

Well internet... Its been over a month and a lot has happened and changed. My procrastination with writing on my blog has significantly increased! But that's not what I mean...

I... am, officially a resident of Vancouver, Wa. My address is no longer the same one Ive had since I was 5. I finally dove off the dock, with the ever so amazing precision that I have, into the deep and very wide ocean that is awaiting to swallow me whole.

This is what I wanted for how long??? I was/am/will be ecSTATic about this!!!

The 'was', because when I got the call that I got the job at the YMCA in Vancouver, after using an insane amount of gas to drive back and forth trying to get the job, I was jumping outa my skin with joy! I did it! I got the job I was waiting for and I was finally able to go through with what I had been talking about for what seems to be forever. I was able to stop being that little boy who cried about that stupid wolf!

The 'am' because, with every bone in my body I am so happy that I have made it to this point.

The 'will be' because... I really hope that I can look back on this and be even happier than I am right now. Because in all honesty... theres more then just bones in my body, and not all of them are happy.

I got what I wanted right?! So whats the problem? Why do I just want to frantically swim towards the surface and claw my way back up to the dock and sit in my little spot that I have been so comfortable with?

Because its comfortable....

I feel almost like I am being way more dramatic than I have the right to be. People leave and move away from home all the time!! Its supposed to be easy! Or well, so I thought. I feel so silly sitting here feeling sorry for myself because I finally got what I wanted.

For the first time in my life, I wrote down another address today. My head is not wrapping around it. Port Angeles is not where I live anymore. My head is not wrapping around it. I didnt get to see and say "see ya later" to my best friend and give her a hug before I had to leave, and my head is just not wrapping around it!! There are so many things my head it trying to wrap around its giving itself seizers and Im not quite sure how to deal with it.

I wondered how long it would take me to realized that I have actually moved away... I mean seriously! Ive only been here not even two full days! I've barely had a chance to realize that I'm in the water! You know that feeling when you jump in the lake and its SO COLD you cant feel it right away because your body goes into shock? Im pretty sure thats me right now. I'm scared to experience what it feels like when that shock goes away.

But... internet... I have moved! I have a job and now my quest is to get "Kika's Photography" out there and make a name for myself!!! and I AM ecstatic and I CAN do this!!!!

Ker-Splash!

This is my nephew, David Schroeder. A little shout out to him... he's on the reality tv show Axemen on the History channel. He needed some head shots and I was happy to oblige. :)

So until next... please dont hold your breath! That might be a lil scary if I wait another month to post something! :)