the wedding photographer's saga | chapter two

Want to begin at chapter 1? the wedding photographer's saga | chapter one. 


chapter two
I was spun, so I began my wedding hibernation.
I deleted the wedding slideshows from the website, referred all incoming inquiries to other local photographers, and began to reconnect my relationship with people through the camera. 
Old and new portrait clients filled my appointment book; babies, bellies, their families, and lots of loving moments. By nature, weddings have lots of loving moments, but they are fast paced and extremely amplified; hence all the joyful tears and laughter. Portrait sessions are a relaxed kind of love. The kind we live on. Like oxygen, it's simply there and it sustains us. The kind we often take for granted. The photograph that hangs over the mantle reminds us of that life-sustaining love. 

As I photograph and catch up with my old clients, we discuss my wedding hiatus. I'm never eloquent about this, afterall, I probably photographed their wedding and wouldn't want them to think it was a dreadful experience. Quite the contrary. My clients' sympathetic assumptions that I was leaving due to the infamous Bridezilla creature couldn't have been more off base. I've never seen the beast. My brides and grooms are cool people.  Sure, they get emotional, overwhelmed, a little impatient at times, but not insane. So, it wasn't about them. 


Maybe I didn't want to leave the industry? What if it was something else that was causing my discontent? I decided to make a list and get to the bottom of it.

to be continued...

Crushing Diamonds

I love my wedding ring. It's a white turquoise. They don't exist anymore. Let me rephrase, the mines are dry and no new ones have been discovered.  My ring was from one of the last white turquoise mines in Ely, Nevada. The Nevada connection made it even more special. Since our wedding day, my husband has given me a new turquoise ring for every anniversary.
I have only ever photographed diamond rings for my clients. I stumbled upon this Canadian diamond company that keeps with our ECO Christmas theme. If you are planning to pop the question this season, consider one of these ethically mined rings at  http://www.brilliantearth.com/

Have you considered a ring other than diamonds, gold, platinum? Your relationship is unique. Celebrate that by making all the symbols of it special too.

O. The hang tags. Scrummage through the house for old playing cards, old photos that you have yet to put into an album, groovy catalogs, recipe card that you know by heart. Unless you are Santa himself, that's enough tags for most people. Cut, tie, paste and you're good to ECO-Go. You need to save money considering the ring you just checked out above.

When I've exhausted my  Eco coffers, I think I will move onto The New Bride for the The New Year. The New Bride is one who gives herself permission to make it her own--her own style--her own flair all smushed together with her lover's brill ideas. This is going to be fun and I can't wait to shoot those vintage, indy, eco, rockin' couples in 2010---they do it their way so damn cool!