(this post may be familiar to some when I wrote this in 2014…I felt I needed to add to it and share some things that had happened since then)

In the fall of 2014 I had been feeling a bit discourage whenever I picked up my camera. You know when you don’t practice something you start to lose the touch? “Practice Makes Perfect” is what they say.

I KNOW I just need more practice and I hadn’t been taking the time to do that.

It was almost like I was depriving myself because of my unknown future of when I’ll lose my eye sight from Usher Syndrome. But really, I have just been kind of taking a break from photography since my daughter was born. I still got some once a month baby shots though!

Anyhow, after taking a bunch of recent images, I was ready to toss the camera aside and not pick it up again till that next month. Thoughts of “I should just give up. I have no future in this anyways. Why keep moving forward?” kept harassing my mind.

I then discovered a website/blog called Click It Up a Notch (is that not the coolest title ever?!) This lady is a photographer who is a stay at home mom, has 3 daughters, loves to teach and share information regarding photography.

After signing up to get her newsletter and to receive a free eBook called..

“8 Ways to Improve Your Photography in One Week”

I was INSPIRED. I sent her an email thanking her for inspiring me and for creating her blog for people like me. What perfect timing to have found this blog!!

I needed it.

God amazes me how He uses random findings to encourage me. ♥

When I read a sneak peak of her eBook called “The Unexpected Everyday”.  I felt encouraged and ready to take on the world with my camera.

Click on the image above to download her book (FYI this is an affiliated link, I absolutely LOVE IT! I go back and read it whenever I need a reminder on how to do things)

 

I WILL NOT GIVE UP

 

I will keep moving forward and strive for my photography dream.

Courtney Slazinik gives tips and challenges to help improve your photography in her online book. I was encouraged to try the 365 Photo Challenge. I did it for almost 3 months but I never finished it. (2015 was a pretty bad year for me so I put a big PAUSE BUTTON on a lot of things) Another photographer who I admire had challenged us moms to take some black and white photos of our children/life on the weekends. I thought…”Hey, I could totally try that!” If you don’t have children or they have moved out, you could use your animals, or things around the house…be creative!

 

Do you want to join me in a Black and White Weekend Challenge???

 

Sometimes it is easy to lose track if you are doing a challenge on your own. Let me know in the comments below if you want to take this photo journey with me (I’ll keep you updated when I start it).  Share your favorites on my Notions N Dreams Facebook Page.

Show them off, tell a story!

I am anxious to see how my photography will improve once I really start practicing and I have seen a difference since the last time I did a challenge.
Download the book and let’s prove to the world what we can do! Watch Out WORLD!

(you certainty can join my challenge even if you don’t buy the eBook)

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I feel that every time I start telling myself that I should give up photography, SOMETHING pops up and changes my way of thinking. I have 3 stories that I can tell you. Shouldn’t I learn by now?

 

1. A few years ago I told my husband that I think I needed to make a very hard decision and not to renew my photography website. It was very costly and I felt that perhaps it was time since I wasn’t using it and I needed to take a break anyways. It turned my stomach inside-out just thinking about all the work I did in designing it and setting it up the way I liked it. Canceling my subscription for the SmugMug.com would pretty much mean I was giving up. My husband said “NO WAY”! By him saying that to me, made me confident.- NEVER GIVE UP

 

2. It was a week before payment was due for my photography website subscription and I just felt guilty. I felt guilty because my husband wanted me to renew the subscription with his own money (because I am a SAHM and didn’t bring any income at the time) even when he knew I was taking a year break from it. That is how much faith he has in me. So I did a bold thing and wrote to SmugMug and told them about my situation. I asked them if there was any way they could give us a discount while I took a break.

Do you know what they did?

Without hesitation, they gave me enough credits to my account to cover for the entire year!!!!!

I had tears flowing down my cheeks as I read this incredible news. WOW. THAT is why I am a customer for life with SmugMug. They take care of you. They genuinely care about people and wow.  I still get teary eyed when I think about that. If you ever want to display your photos and use a company that cares about their customers….Use SmugMug! – NEVER GIVE UP

 

3. Last but not least, the perfect timing of finding Click it Up a Notch blog. I think these 3 are pretty obvious that I need to just quit thinking about ever quitting photography and just continue to move forward with my dream. – NEVER GIVE UP

I encourage you in anything, don’t give up. Do Your Best. Pray. Hope. Get Inspired.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .

P.S. Starting November 1st I will be doing a 12 day series called “12 Days of D.I.Y. Christmas Gifts with Essential Oils”.  Each day I will show off a simple and easy gift that you can make for the holidays.
(there’s also a facebook event/class on this too!)

Why am I sharing this?

Because I am proud to say I got my camera out and took some cool photos of the gifts that I made and I am SUPER excited to show off my photography work. It has been WAY too long since I touched the camera and it felt good. I don’t think people realize how straining and tired my eyes get when I take photos and all the editing that gets done. But, it is so worth it and I hope everyone enjoys them. 🙂

 

“Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary.”
Isaiah 40:31

 

 

Try SmugMug photography website for FREE & save 31% if you upgrade before 10/31 with my link.