Well hey. It’s been awhile since I published over here. I find myself not sure of where or how I should post anymore. To say I am busy is an understatement. So lets talk about what’s been going on.

There are and have been a fury of projects. Seems as though just when I accepted a part-time job over at the middle school, my work through Aeolidia picked up again as well. The kids activities for the Spring are now in overkill and yes, I still train for triathlons. Are you with me?

It’s funny, but I thrive in chaos. I may not always be breathing well in the midst, but when I am busy busy, it makes me appreciate the down-time even more.

I’ve really had the lovely pleasure of working with some amazingly creative clients in the past six months. I’ve learned so much in working with each of them – which is something I love about product photography. There are always new things to learn – each artisan and their craft different from the last. I thought it would be great to highlight them all.

The baby shot is for a company called Terra Zizu. They make those cute little training pants pictured on the babe. I briefly forgot how active 14-month old babies are. Briefly. And then I was thankful I bought the 108-inch seamless paper instead of the 53-inch from B+H Photo.

I also had the pleasure of working with a company that specializes in creative items for adoptive families, called Twenty Birds. I photographed some of their products for their website.

I love this print so much I have one hanging on a wall in my work room. I had a great time working with Municipal Prints Company to photograph their huge 30×30 “Compass to the Northern Sky.”

Currently I am working with three(!) new companies and can’t wait to show you their goods.

The biggest change for me was in December when I accepted a position working in Learning Support with 8th graders at a local middle school. I realized with no children at home to care for during the day, I needed to get out again. Staying at home all day was just not working for me. I missed working with kids – especially zany teenagers. All I can say is my day is never dull. And I work with a great group of teachers and kids.

So hey, how are you?

]]> http://jenniferwayphotography.com/holy-cow/feed 1 http://jenniferwayphotography.com/unplugging http://jenniferwayphotography.com/unplugging#comments Wed, 16 Feb 2011 14:59:43 +0000 Jen http://jenniferwayphotography.com/?p=299

It is true the internet makes the world a smaller place. People I would of never met or interacted with, suddenly are acquaintances and friends. But with that sometimes come the feelings of inadequacy. The question of “what the heck am I doing?”

And I answer: “I don’t know.”

I take pictures. But does that make me a photographer? I don’t believe so.

Is it a job? No – I can’t say it is.

Do I want it to be? Not sure.

The internet makes me jealous at times. Envious of things I don’t really need or need to accomplish.

Isn’t that awful? I think so. So at those moments I need to put myself in check. Kick myself into gear.

I want to remember to take pictures for the sheer joy of doing so. And I find myself forcing that lately. And there is nothing to be proud of when you “force” something. When you make yourself do something with no feeling just to do it.

So I thought a break would be the best thing for me right now. Complete unplugging. Nothing until maybe summer. Which I am almost certain will be hard. But I feel, very necessary.

No -I am not sad (well sometimes I am). There is nothing going on. Everything is OK. It’s just I am coming to a crossroad soon. My littlest will be going to Kindergarten in the Fall and things I thought would be in place by then either went away or never transpired. So, I am trying to figure out what is next for me. Where I am going. And for the first time, I have no idea how to get there. Which to be honest, is very unsettling for someone like me.

But I thought you should know, rather than disappear. OK?

So, I am not going to end on that note, but rather some current inspiration.

Really excited for these girls and their book.

Wishing I was in Austin a month earlier.

Longing for summer.

*GASP*

Cuteness overload.

This project is just amazing.

A reminder Spring is on it’s way.

A new-to-me blog.

Love them.

See ya.

]]> http://jenniferwayphotography.com/unplugging/feed 0 http://jenniferwayphotography.com/a-playlist-of-sorts http://jenniferwayphotography.com/a-playlist-of-sorts#comments Tue, 18 Jan 2011 22:56:49 +0000 Jen http://jenniferwayphotography.com/?p=296

Sometimes I see people asking for suggestions for music to workout to. While I don’t have one type of music that I favor over the other, I have to admit I like a good tempo. The only time I listen to music is when I train on my bike inside. Otherwise I don’t listen to it when I run. Too dangerous. So I thought I’d throw out some songs I listen to when I am biking away in our basement.

Black Eyed Peas – Any one of there songs is great – I love “I Gotta Feeling” and “The Time (Dirty Bit)”

Katy Perry – “Firework” – sorry, I love this song.

“Secrets” – One Republic

“Club Can’t Handle Me” – Flo Rida

“Live Like Were Dying” – Kris Allen

“Empire State of Mind” – Jay Z

“Crazy in Love” – Beyonce -LOVE her

“Strobe’s Nanafushi (Satori Mix)” – Kodo

“Streets Have No Name” – U2

I like some of Eminem’s songs too, I don’t know why.

“Bittersweet Symphony” – The Verve

The Fray – they are so good.

What are some songs you listen to when you are moving to a workout?

]]> http://jenniferwayphotography.com/a-playlist-of-sorts/feed 1 http://jenniferwayphotography.com/tulips-push-love http://jenniferwayphotography.com/tulips-push-love#comments Wed, 12 Jan 2011 18:48:06 +0000 Jen http://jenniferwayphotography.com/?p=295

All of these were shot with The Impossible Project’s SX-70 Color Shade PUSH film.

Certainly dreamy if I do say so myself.

Wow. What a year! I keep thinking to myself I can’t believe it’s over, that 2011 is here. What!?!

As many of you know, I’ve had some wonderful accomplishments with racing this year. By no means do I use this spot to brag. My point being is you can do anything you set your mind to. Being an athlete has been a huge part of my life. It began when I was in elementary school and has continued. There have been hurdles and low points along the way. Mainly when I stopped competitive swimming and after the birth of my third child. But what I needed was a swift kick in the pants to jump start again. I needed my husband telling me I was a much better person competing. Or, a once-a-year appointment putting me on a scale, blaring numbers I hadn’t seen for 15 years. Whoa. Those were reality checks.

Lately I’ve been talking with women about getting started. Doing a marathon. Completing a huge swim, or, a first triathlon. These ideas, or, steps I am going to list pertain to anyone. I am not an expert. But I have years of experience in what has worked for me. Decades of changes in my own life where I’ve had to rethink and work around others. For the most part, I want you to get up and move and believe you are worth it. That the time you spend on yourself is equally, if not more, important than the time you spend on everything else.

So let’s start.

1. Stop the excuses.  Just stop it. OK? Everyone has time during the day to move. Many people use work as an excuse. Blah Blah. I’ve done it all. With and before kids. Because training and exercise were such an important piece to me, I’ve always made the time. If it meant eating while I worked, then I did that to have an hour to work out. Or, like now, I wake up at 4:30 AM in the morning to swim. That way I am home when the kids wake up and can get them moving and ready for school. I am a firm believer in working out in the morning. Early. My mind is so much better at the start of a day if I get an early workout. But like you, sometimes I can’t, so I fit it in when I can. If you have injuries, find something you can do. Not everyone wants to run or do triathlons. Biking is an awesome exercise as well as swimming. Structured sports are great ways to meet people and have a reliable source of exercise. The point being: you have no excuse.

2. Set goals. This will help so much with the excuse issue. If you set goals for why you are doing something, you are more likely to stick with it. I am a firm believer in signing up for races. If you pay money for something and it’s set in stone, you are less likely to back out. Some races are expensive, so if you are plunking down that cash, you better be serious. This is me. I need races scheduled a year in advance to stay motivated. Some races sell out so quickly that I have to sign up for them now. So if I can see my schedule for next year, I know what I have to do. Do you want to place? Do you want to complete it? These are thoughts when signing up for goals. It’s not just as simple as saying I want to run a 5K. It’s more like, when and where. And did you sign up? I know many people want to lose weight. And for some that is a goal when working out. But what I’ve learned from my own experiences, is when you focus too much on the weight, it doesn’t seem to work as well. When you start focusing on achieving a goal, it has a domino affect. You want to sign up for other races. You eat better. You lose weight. You feel and look great. You are a happier person. It really is that simple. I am not joking.

3. Find (a) partner(s). I’ll admit it. I train alone most of the time. And it’s hard. But I’ll also admit I am very regimented and very good at keeping myself in check. I also learned this summer, by biking with a group, it is way more fun to train with others. Not only did I get faster, I looked forward to the ride every week. It was very empowering riding with men. I was unsure of myself when I started – and I had no idea it would be mostly men. But it helped me tremendously and held me accountable for a really great training day. I now run once a week with a friend. She approached me about training for her first marathon. Since we live near each other, I offered to run with her once a week to keep her on track. It’s been a plus for her as well as me.

4. Invest in equipment. Now I am not saying go out and plunk down $$$ for a bike. Don’t be silly. What I want to express is that you reap what you sow. Buying cheap shoes will cause you more problems than you know. Go to a shoe place and get fitted. Not everyone is the same. We are not all neutral. And by that, I mean most shoes you find in places like Kohl’s or Target are made for a neutral foot. It took me awhile to figure out what type of foot I had. Once I did, it made a world of difference in my running. Now, I love Brooks. They are my shoe. They are expensive and I usually wear them out in 3-4 months. But because I am a regular, I get a discount from our local running shoe store. This pertains to any type of shoe. Just get fitted. Get the right shoe for your activity. You will be happy you did.

Everyone is different. I know that. But we aren’t in some ways. We all want to feel good. At the beginning of each year we set goals. Many are to get in shape. And then we are wondering what has happened by the end of February. Winter is hard and many of us don’t have the luxury of hopping on a plane to go somewhere warm. I train outside year round. I don’t belong to a gym. I swim at a local high school in the wee hours of the morning. This works for me. You have to figure out what works for you and do it. But once you do and you get into that rhythm – you will be amazed at how easy it is to make it a part of your life for good.

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

It was a pretty good year.

Yesterday, we had our fridge repaired. And now, we have a helicopter in our house at all times.

Chocolate chip pancakes. BBQ. Playing – lots and lots of playing. Dark and Stormy’s (in which I do not recommend using Goya ginger beer). Peanut butter chocolate cake. Macarons. Jen and her girls at our house. Someone not liking talking robots, or, maybe robots that are two-feet tall. Curls – lots and lots of curls. Polaroids. New friendships. Fall light. Cool nights.

Hope your weekend was just as full.

P.S. – thank you so very, very much for your comments and congrats on my race. xoxo