The importance of family portraits
As a mother, I am rarely in photos which is why this one that I am sharing here in my blog is so special to me. It is the only photo I have of me with my family together.
As a mother and a photographer, it's so hard to actually get on the other side of the camera. This year's holiday card portrait was a bit of a challenge for us thanks to busy schedules. We had planned on getting our friend, former Golden Knight free fall photographer, Rachel Medley, to do our family holiday card photo but timing didn't quite work out. So with my handy tripod, I was able to capture our holiday card portrait… unfortunately our dog Logan was distracted by the other dogs frolicking in the adjacent field and wasn't looking at the camera. Regardless, my very own family portrait session was a success and prints have been ordered.
The holidays are a great time to do family portraits and I was swamped doing them this year! It was a pleasure to work with such great families and I look forward to next year's holiday rush. As busy as life is, it's so important to pause and document your family as it grows and changes. Time is gone before you knew you had it and there really is so much value to having those photos to have, hold and cherish. It's nice to have that permanent reminder of your family as they were at certain milestones and furthermore, to have everyone on the documenting side of the camera! As a mother, I am rarely in photos which is why this one that I am sharing here in my blog is so special to me. It is the only photo I have of me with my family together. Wether you are a do it yourself kind of person or prefer to leave it to the professionals, I urge all families to get these sessions in at least every 2 - 3 years in order to capture and preserve your family's story for years to come.
I quit my day job
I've been working away at a job where I was unhappy. Something important to note is that at my Army job, I spent most of my days reviewing soldier suicide investigations for release to their next of kin. Doing this everyday was a real strain on a creative sole like myself. As a creative, I visualize everything... words come to life. I kept thinking that with each pay raise perhaps happiness would follow.
In my last blog post I wrote about more to follow on some changes, so here is my more to follow…
I started my career in the arts about a decade ago when the U.S. Airforce told me I was to serve as a graphic designer and later a photographer. Somewhere along the way I took myself off of that career path for a higher paying one with the U.S. Army. So for the past 4 years I've been working away at a job where I was unhappy. Something important to note is that at my Army job, I spent most of my days reviewing soldier suicide investigations for release to their next of kin. Doing this everyday was a real strain on a creative soul like myself. As a creative, I visualize everything... words come to life. I kept thinking that with each pay raise perhaps happiness would follow.
Almost 2 years ago my second child was born and while I was on maternity leave I picked my camera back up and realized what was missing. In time, I took on a few long term freelance opportunities, started scheduling photography sessions and fine tuning the skills that I had been neglecting. My time spent creating brought me the happiness and job satisfaction that I deeply desired. During the day I had my Army job, at night I had design and photography commitments to fulfil. I thought it would slow down or fizzle but it didn't, it picked up. It got to the point where everyday that I went to "work" I was watching the clock, waiting to go home only to go right back to work. Work was all I did.
After much thinking and discussing with my husband, we realized what had to be done… it was time. So here I am today, Monday December 16th, my first official week of full time self employment! This is both exciting and scary. Instead of sifting through hundreds of pages of documents, I am sitting at my desk, at home, taking a break from creating to accomplish something that I have rarely had the time for before now… updating my blog... connecting with those who desire to know more about me and what I have to offer. I am finally back on the right track and feeling very satisfied.
If you have some words of wisdom to offer or a similar experience to share, please feel free to leave a comment below.
Autumn thoughts
Autumn has always been my favorite time of the year. To me Autumn means long runs through brightly colored trails, cool weather, pumpkins, and the crisp smell of the crunchy leaves beneath my feet. I wish it would last longer :)
Autumn has always been my favorite time of the year. To me Autumn means long runs through brightly colored trails, cool weather, pumpkins, and the crisp smell of the crunchy leaves beneath my feet. I wish it would last longer :)
In addition to all of the wonderful things fall brings, there is of course Thanksgiving. A time to reflect and think about all of the things I have to be thankful for. And I truly have a lot to be thankful for. In particular I am thankful for all of those who have supported my small business, especially those who have afforded me the opportunity to capture their special moments. I am forever thankful for my husband, my family and my friends for all that they put up with as I work to accomplish all that is required of me as a photographer and a designer.
As I look forward to the new year, I have a lot of big ideas and very important goals. More to follow on that line, just know that I will be working very hard and will be a lot more active in my sharing via this here blog and social media so stay tuned.
With that said, Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Thank you for stopping by.
An unexpected venue
As the Evening of Wine and Cheese grew closer, the founder and director of Old Glory Legacy Foundation, Rachel Medley, was hard at work finalizing the details of the event. Rachel envisioned an evening outdoors with white lights, lots of candles, tables made of pallets, hay-bale seating and her barn as a back drop. However, the weather trend for the week was rain, rain, and more rain so with that Rachel decided the event would be indoors.
As the Evening of Wine and Cheese grew closer, the founder and director of Old Glory Legacy Foundation, Rachel Medley, was hard at work finalizing the details of the event. Rachel envisioned an evening outdoors with white lights, lots of candles, tables made of pallets, hay-bale seating and her barn as a back drop. However, the weather trend for the week was rain, rain, and more rain so with that Rachel decided the event would be indoors. Working from dawn to dusk, Rachel and a few friends (Lisa, Sherri Jo, Wendy, Buddy, and Kayla) gutted the barn, scrubbed it clean, hung lighting, laid clean wood shavings, stacked hay, and burned their fingers with hot glue guns making the embellishments. As you can see from the photos, this decision was worth gold. It didn’t rain, and people had the option to mingle outdoors or indoors.
Outside, there was an antique tractor on display, serving as the perfect country backdrop. The horses ran around in the field as some guests played a few games of corn hole while others sat quietly basking in the ambiance of the evening.
Inside, the party was lively. There was something very magical about sitting on a hay bale drinking French wine from a mason jar with the live Bluegrass band, “Cousin Amy”, playing quietly in the background.
Midway through the event, the attention was directed to special guest Howie Sanborn. Howie, a U.S. Army Ranger and Golden Knight, was paralyzed a little over a year ago. He was on his road bike, training for a triathlon when he was hit by an unattentive driver. Weeks after being told he would never walk again, Howie was already training for his first wheelchair-bound race. Six months to the day after his injury, Howie completed his first para-triathlon and has was recently chosen to represent the United States in the Paralympic Games. Howie spoke of this in a great story of perseverance and explained to the guests how the Old Glory Legacy Foundation would be able to help soldiers like him by providing an outlet where they could come and enjoy some time “away from it all”.
Bert from the Triangle Wine Company volunteered his services for the evening and was such a gentleman as he served a variety of delicious French Wines. Cheese purchased from the Southern Whey of downtown Southern Pines paired perfectly with the wines.
Beth Carmickle, a Fayetteville-based event planner, helped add the perfect finishing touches with her attention to detail and fine catering.
The delightful cupcakes were provided by Jennifer Rodriguez, of Fayetteville, North Carolina.
Also a big hit at this event were hand crafted horse hair pottery pieces by local potter, David Moulton. These pieces were auctioned off in a silent auction and winners were announced at the end of the night.
Overall, this event was a perfect one hosted in an unexpected, but magical venue with delightful guests, good wine, delicious food, and great music!
To schedule use of the OGL Foundation Farm for your party or event, call or email Rachel (Founder and Executive Director) at 210-253-0730 or rachel@oglfoundation.org
For top notch party planning, email Beth Carmickle at bethcarmickle@yahoo.com
Fantastic cupcakes, call Jennifer Rodriguez 910-476-6159
And of course, for the photography, contact me Jacqueline Hurd at jacqueline.hurd@me.com.
To view the rest of the photos from this event visit: http://jmhurd.shootproof.com/OGLFwine
Big smiles
These three cuties sure knew how to work the camera, especially the youngest, baby Sophia! I took these photos on the practice football field of Jordan Matthew's High School in Siler City where I was once a student, many years ago. It was nice to revisit the location. I don't think anything has changed
These three cuties sure knew how to work the camera, especially the youngest, baby Sophia! I took these photos on the practice football field of Jordan Matthew's High School in Siler City where I was once a student, many years ago. It was nice to revisit the location. I don't think anything has changed
An afternoon with Haven
A few weekends ago I had the pleasure of photographing Haven, a soon to be Junior at Jordan Matthew's High school in Siler City, NC. Haven was slightly apprehensive as we began the session but within a few minutes she warmed up and I was able to create some beautiful portraits of her.
Slow shuttered memories
Back when I was at DINFOS (military photo school) the instructors drilled one thing (among many others) into our heads: "photography is subjective". I loved that, as an artist I loved being able to throw that word out there. Subjective was my license to shoot my way and claim "subjective" if my boss didn't like it. But I never really had that problem, people loved my work. I shot that way for a few years but when I got out of the Air Force, I did a brain dump got a non-photo job and fell into a rut. I forgot about my favorite word and started listening to people who were not photographers.
Back when I was at DINFOS (military photo school) the instructors drilled one thing (among many others) into our heads: "photography is subjective". I loved that, as an artist I loved being able to throw that word out there. Subjective was my license to shoot my way and claim "subjective" if my boss didn't like it. But I never really had that problem, people loved my work. I shot that way for a few years but when I got out of the Air Force, I did a brain dump got a non-photo job and fell into a rut. I forgot about my favorite word and started listening to people who were not photographers. They would tell me that I should do poses and props and look at what other photographers were doing. And what did I do? I accepted their bad advice. I started downing my style, trying to change it... Trying to fit in. And for what? It got me no where but disappointed in myself.
But good news, I woke up. It's taken me a while but after much headache, I've officially welcomed the real photographer in myself back.
When I hit the shutter release button on a camera I am looking through the lens and capturing what I see. I've always believed there to be something very sacred about capturing an image. I like to call it freezing a moment. In my mind, that's what I do. It's like magic and I'm very passionate about it. To sum it up, I'm your shoot it as I see it and most importantly feel it photographer and there's no reason for me or anyone else to ever feel pressured to deviate from that.
Here's a good example of what i'm talking about. A few years ago when we first learned that my grandmother had Alzheimer's, when things were only slightly crazy at family gatherings, I got my camera out and photographed the evening as it was unfolding. I hate the way flash looks so I kept it off, cranked the ISO as high as I could get it, set the camera to the widest aperture, lowest shutter speed and with the camera glued to my face I hung out with my family. The series of photos I'm about to post are in my opinion my best because of the emotion I was able to capture and the story I was able to tell with the images. Things got hectic, my grandma was anxious, kids were crying, my mom was in a cleaning frenzy, but I kept shooting. For me, that's what it's all about. That is who I am as a photographer and why I love being behind my camera.
Update: My grandmother has since passed away.
I'm so grateful that I have these images, these frozen moments.