365 Day Photo Project/New Years Resolution

     So after a summer of taking lots of pictures.... and several photo shoots..... I hit the school year and all of that came to a screeching halt. Life got busy and I became exhausted. Trying to balance being a mom, wife, and teacher in the midst of a photography career was just too much. I decided I really needed and wanted to take some more photography classes, get more training.... I felt like if I am more confident in my ability to take consistently good pictures I would not be as stressed. 

    I also remembered that this was supposed to be fun. It was supposed to be a journey. I wanted to learn. I wanted to grow. I wanted to take pictures that move people. The other day I was able to take photos of a newborn. It was my first experience with a newborn and she was so sweet! The whole family was just beautiful. I felt that familiar self doubt start to creep back and I about made myself sick worrying about the weather and the light... and really just about anything you can imagine... I worried about it. 

     When I got there it was raining and the light was as bad as light can be but I just started to take pictures and was hoping for a few decent ones. When I got home and started going through them and started to edit.... My jaw dropped.... The baby was gorgeous... we got several that I am very proud of and the ones that I could nit pick on clarity and light hit the mark in composition and warmth of the moment. 

     These parents were in love and it was clear. I have to say.... I remembered why, in the end, taking pictures is important to me. Catching a moment. One of my favorite was of their little boy looking at his sister under the tree. It was just the perfect picture. We had tried so hard to get a picture of him kissing his new baby sister but to me this one was perfect in every way! It was so simple and natural. And just like that I was in love all over again.... I love taking pictures! 

 I could just squeeze him he was so cute! All boy!

So where does that leave me for 2015? I am not sure. I am not ready to give up on photography.... I love it too much! A class right now is out of the question. I just can't afford it. I can't afford the time or the financial cost. I am going to try to take some classes this summer but until then what can I do? I started to think about how I can I push myself to grow as a photographer and I started thinking about a 365 day photo challenge. I had looked at them before and some of the topics were just too crazy and didn't appeal to me. I searched for one again today and I found one I really like that I am going to do. It is the Bethadilly Challenge. I am going to be using my iphone and my Nikon. So here is my New Years Resolution: Complete a 365 day photo challenge..... using both my iphone and my Nikon... trying at least one day a week to shoot in Manual Mode. I had to be realistic that some days I may not be able to get my Nikon out but I want to use it as much as possible.... So here is my first assignment

 January 1st: Resolution  

 and here is my photo:  

I chose a photo of my Nikon to represent my goal of taking 365 photos using my Nikon as much as possible

Happy New Year from Vivian @1squareinch