Monday, January 30, 2012

Out with the old..

2012 is shaping up to be an exciting year so far!  My husband and I are getting ready to put our house on the market and hopefully build our own home in Deerfield, WI!

This is exciting and also scary at the same time as I have built up such a wonderful client base in Madison and would be so sad to lose any of my fabulous customers!  I really do form a personal connection with my clients, especially when I have the opportunity to see their children grow and change from session to session.  I would be sad to lose any one of those clients, but have to make a decision for my family that I feel is in their best interest.  Hopefully it is a good decision all around!

That being said, Deerfield, which is only 15 minutes East of Madison, is a great place to raise a family, with excellent schools and a close knit community.  We are very excited and I am even more excited to be adding a separate photography studio with great natural light, as well as a separate entry.  I only hope my customers will find it worth the trip.

In addition to a new studio space, I also just got my brand new computer today which is going to streamline my editing process and make like so much easier!

While we are in the selling process I unfortunately will not be able to take any new appointments other than on location sessions as our house will have to be available for showings.   Once we get settled however I will be able to do sessions at my home studio or on location. 

Thanks again for your business and I am looking forward to capturing many more beautiful moments in my new home studio or at your special location or event!

Sincerely,
Jessica Dunbar
Sweet Pea Photography

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Photography & Yoga- Two of my loves and what they have in common

You might wonder what in the world photography and yoga have in common, but I find that yoga sparks creativity and photography increases patience....here are a few ways I believe they compliment each other.

1. Encourages Present Moment Awareness- In both yoga and photography attending to the present moment is encouraged and very useful. If you are thinking about what to make for dinner during a photo session you very well may miss the shot as the shot happens in an instant, which is this instant!  Similarly, in yoga if your mind is wandering not only will the benefits of practice be reduced, you may fall out of the natarajasana you may have held for another 30 seconds had your mind been still.

2. Seeing Past Outward Appearances- In photography you will never get very far if you are just snapping a picture.  To get a shot that stirs the soul you must see past the outward appearance and see what's hiding underneath. Every person, tree, flower, or building has this depth. In photography the task is to bring this out as much as possible to bring it to life.  In yoga the same principles can be applied, although the focus is on yourself and your mind.  Seeing past the surface thoughts and judgements to what lies beneath brings your practice to life and can transform your outlook on yourself, others, and life.

3. Judge Not- If you practice yoga and have learned any of the philosophies you have probably heard many times to check your judgement at the door before sitting on the mat.  Judging yourself or your thoughts is not helpful and can actually hold you back from personal growth and understanding.  Similarly, in photography, if we are constantly judging our work too harshly or comparing our work to others, we will start to feel resentful and will close ourselves off from learning and growing. 

4.  Lightness, Joy, and Flexibility- Yoga should always be joyful and light, and well flexibility is a given.  It shouldn't be an obligation, but rather a time to relax, reflect, and have some fun!  Photography should also be light and joyful, have fun with it and don't take yourself or the person or object you are photographing too seriously.  Your attitude brings out a similar attitude in those around you.  If you are having fun, they will most likely have fun as well and your pictures will show it!  Of course flexibility is also very useful and usually required as many photographers will tell you.  The weather, people's moods, and your equipment are not under your control and so being flexible becomes a necessary quality.

For me, yoga benefits many areas of my personal and professional life and I highly recommend it to anyone who needs a little more balance in their life and it is a great workout too.

Monday, January 2, 2012

New Year, New Resolutions!

Well, one of my resolutions this year is to write more on my blog, so today I begin! It has been a busy and successful year and I have had the opportunity to meet lots of great new clients, as well as build on my existing customers.  I also added another member to the family on August 17th, Declan Jonathan was born, and has since lit up our lives in so many ways.  We have been truly blessed.

Now,  after a few weeks off to spend with family, I am ready to get busy!  I am also looking to add an engagement package, as well as a senior package to my pricing and to do some advertising and perhaps a photo contest?

Hope to write some more next week, take care...