Here’s my favorite pictures from 2010 in no particular order, I hope you enjoy it! :)
Two days ago was my last wedding of the season. Now that it’s over, I feel like it is the best time to sit down and reflect on 2010. What an incredible year it has been!
Thank you to my wonderful clients who made this year special, and thanks for the special bonds and friendships we have forged. I was amazed by the amount of love that I photographed. Thank you for your beautiful weddings, and the incredible love that I have witnessed. All the cuddles, hand holding, and laughing together really fills my life with love.
The appreciation that I get from my clients really keeps me going and motivates me. One of the biggest rewards for me personally is the wonderful feedback that I receive from everyone who sees the photos. I would like to personally thank each and every client who has taken a moment out of their busy lives as newlyweds to offer their kind words. It really is the feedback that gives meaning to all the hard work.
I would especially like to thank you, all the readers of my blog, for looking at the pictures that I worked so hard for.
This year I shot 40 weddings total. There always seems to be an overwhelming and unending to-do list, but it is passion that keeps me going. When I work during all hours of the day and sometimes full nights (80+ hours a week), and when I’m too tired to even think straight, passion motivates me to keep going. Sometimes the work can feel very overwhelming after many hours into the endless to-do list. (Organizing the photos, retouching, making slideshows, burning DVDs, arranging prints, blogging, etc … etc…) I am however, very lucky to be doing something that I love. I was taught that everything I do in life should be done in the most driven, passioned and intense way possible, in order to do the best I can. Shooting 12-14 hours on a wedding day doesn’t feel like hard work, rather, it’s exciting, stimulating and fun. My drive pushes me to always try to be better in what I do. And the more hours I’m behind the camera, the more experience I gain. The more knowledge and experience I acquire, the better an artist I can be.
I am thankful for my husband who unwaveringly supported me on this journey, who really understands what a workaholic I am. :) Since he’s probably going to read this, Adam: Thank you for all the help in this endeavor, you are truly the backbone of it! Thank you for pushing me to follow all of my dreams. You focus me and understand who I am. We make a fantastic team. Together we are sharing all the happiest and most difficult moments, and in the end it’s worth it. I love you!
Thanks William, my fabulous office manager. I know it’s not easy to work with me. I look for perfection and care about the tiniest little things. But I hope you understand, that which pushes us harder improves us every day and helps to get the best results possible. Thank you, William, for all your hard work, motivation and loyalty. You fit right into our family. I’m so lucky to have found such an incredible person to bring on board. (My cats approve too, they love him so much they cuddle on his lap every day. :) )
This year was so much fun; I shot a wedding in India and an Indian wedding in Florida. Next year I will have a wedding in the Virgin Islands and one in Canada, both of which I am eagerly anticipating. This year I won the WPJA, I had some weddings featured in some beautiful wedding magazines (Including one in Japan) and on some industry leading blogs. I am so grateful for the doors this year has opened up to me.
Part of the process of artistic growth is to gain knowledge. I really enjoyed visiting the WPPI and the Foundation Workshop this year. I learned so many important lessons like how to challenge myself, how to improve, how to grow and take big steps, how to shoot from the heart, how to think outside the box, and how to bring new ideas.
In two days, I am leaving to visit my family in Israel. Every year I take a short break between the wedding seasons to charge myself up for the next one. It’s so important for me to take that break, to just relax and breathe and keep my mind clear. I see my family only once a year, and I’m super excited to be in Israel already. Visiting them really puts everything in proportion. Sometimes we get so caught up with things, it’s good to take a break.
While I am there, I will visit Santorini, Greece. I’m so excited to bring my camera with me. I don’t often get the privilege of personal photography during the intense wedding season. It’s so important as an artist to nurture my creativity.
When I return from Israel, I plan to expand my horizons in photography and begin exploring fashion photography. Each area of photography is unique and has its own demands and style requirements. Each is its own form of art. Not only is it fulfilling to explore new areas, but I look forward to new inspiration. And for the fashion and wedding photos to feed each other with new and creative ideas.
I have so many goals for the next year, and part of that is continuing to be true to myself while I shoot. To shoot from the heart and try to let go of all the things that can hold me back. I want to set high expectations and big dreams. It’s never easy, but the key is to get out of the comfort zone and never fear failure. This will push me to explore and be creative. It will force changes and growth to continue my evolution as an artist. As artists we are always growing and developing. We have to always keep creating and pursuing growth. I have so many new ideas and changes that I am going to have in my life. I can’t wait to see where it will take me!
by admin