.from a relaxing weekend at home.

. i like the idea of giving little insights as to what is going on in my world, so i hope to post more of these little sneak peeks every now and then :).

.goodness, since being out of work to stay home with my little one’s and starting a photography business i have never felt so busy in my life! am i complaining…absolutely not! i LOVE it!  I just shot a beautiful intimate wedding in the Berkshires this past weekend, and will have some sneak peeks to post up soon. The weather was crazy from being miserable and rainy in the morning to bright, sunny and rediculously humid in the afternoon…interesting day for lighting to say the least. I am looking forward to rockin out an awesome wedding this Saturday then an engagement session with a super fun couple on Sunday! I am a bit bummed to be missing the Irish 2000 festival this weekend and Enter The Haggis, but i love what I do and can’t wait to get out there and shoot…that it certainly makes up for it :).

.other than that i am just busy keeping things in order around the house and with the kids, who are just too fun for words.  the cool fall air has slowly started to settle in and the leaves are starting to change…this is my favorite time of year, i just wish it wasn’t so short lived.  i am looking forward to my family’s annual tradition of heading over to the beautiful Indian Ladder Farms to pick apples…this year I will have the little man in tow, so my husband won’t be able to throw apples at me :) HA! My weekends through November are pretty booked, though i do have a few days here and there open for either last minute wedding reqeusts or portrait sessions, so be sure to hit me up to snag a date while i still have them.  i have a bunch of stuff coming up, so i hope to be able to keep this blog updated. i have some posts planned that i will get up soon :)

So what’s new with you?

.wow, i have been a bad photog mom…taking forever to take and post pictures of the new man in my life! Miles was born back on 08/01 after only four quick hours of labor…i can’t belive how fast it went considering Evie took 27 hours! he is an eating machine and a cuddle bug.  Evie has warmed up to him already and seems to be taking on the role of big sister with ease (so far!).  my daily routine is still pretty shot and i am still trying to find the time to get everything done.  i am working in between naps, feedings, laundry and chores as much as i can, but i am looking forward to the next few months where i hope things will fall a bit more into a routine and he starts sleeping longer at night – which is when i usually work on my photography editing and such anyway. i am looking forward to shooting my weddings coming up in a few weeks and getting back out there for some headshot, engagement and family shoots! My poor 40D has been ready and waiting to get out there and I will be ordering some new glass soon to shoot – woot!  I have been booking weddings for 2009 and even into 2010, so if you are a potential client interested in booking a session please do contact me to make sure your date is reserved. i hope to be posting more often now that Miles is here and things are starting to calm down a bit. I am still behind on posting session sneak peeks and have one to post this week.  well, back to the grind while the little man is asleep and my daughter is staying out of trouble…it’s a bit of a madhouse here lately but we are all doing well. :) hope you and yours are enjoying the summer while it is still here….cheers!

…still i am patiently waiting for the arrival of our little man…i am officially due on Monday, though by now i thought he may already be here.  I am most definitely ready and long for feeling like myself again.  i have a plan ready to get myself back in shape and back in action and i can’t wait to get started :) i’ll be sure to update here with any breaking news, most likely via Twitter, so keep your eyes on that little blue box above.

. i am working on some long over due edits for a slideshow i am going to try to impliment on the blog. rather than having a bunch of images for you to scroll through to see, i am attempting something a little more user friendly and fabulous :).  the above image is a sneak peek from an engagement session back in May and the rest i hope to feature in the new format.  i hope to have it ready tomorrow or the next day, unless there is a baby on the way.

. my website will soon be separated into two parts, one for portraits and one for weddings – which will have some new features like a featured wedding section where you will be able to view images from an entire wedding -  as well as larger images and a fresh new look.  there are some other changes i am working on and will be sure to post when i have more information. i also see some of you have stopped to take the poll below…thanks! it’s interesting to see who is visiting and will help me tailor posts in the future.  i love to hear what you have to say too so feel free to drop a comment here and there.

.thanks to all who took advantage of the sale i held on my actions this week.  i may have another one closer to the holidays, but we’ll see. i am working on some fun new textures i hope to have ready soon.  if you have any requests as to what you would like to see in the store please let me know.

. on a more personal note…my daughter at bedtime tonight, just before falling asleep told me that she didnt like her baby brother (whom she has yet to meet) , i asked her why and she just said “because”… i am in for some interesting days ahead :) hope you all are well :)

. my grandfather came up from Florida this past week for a visit…what makes this amazing (to me) is that he is 94! 94!!! goodness, i hope i last that long and with the same amount of spunk and wit he still has.  he lives on his own in a condo/apartment overlooking the Gulf of Mexico and flew up here on his own accord.  i swear he hasn’t looked a day older from as far back as i can remeber :)  it was great to see him on his visit, and for him to see my little one too – not too many people i know can say they met at least one of thier great grandparents .

. this weekend is our annual 4th of July celebration at our  cabin in the Adirondacks.  this year looks as if it is gearing up to be just as great if not better than last year, as long as the weather holds up.  you better believe i will be back with lots of pics! hope you all have a lovely weekend :)

.goodness, i really have been a bad blogger! i’ve been busy catching up with client orders, meeting new clients, preparing our house for the arrival of baby M and feeling pretty tired in the process…i don’t know how i am able to muster up all the energy to get it all done, but somehow it’s getting there.  i am truly looking forward to having this baby and feeling like myself again :)

.in other news – i have a new website! I have been coveting a Blu Domain site for quite some time, and they came up with a template that I love so I snatched it up while the getting was good! i am still adding photos and information to the site, and tweaking things here and there…evetually I will have some cool videos to add as well, but that will be a bit further down the road, but lots of goot stuff to stay tuned in for. Don’t get used to the squares or logo…all is changing, i just needed something to post up quick :) Be prepared here too for a few changes in the look of my blog. Oh, and the fabulous Blu has featured me in their Daily Life section on their blog!!! Go check it out…i’ve heard some bad hype about Blu, but I must say my expereince with them has been nothing but wonderful, i am soooo happy I made the switch!

.my webstore for my actions and textures is temporarily down.  it was on my old server/host which i cancelled and i am in the process of making it look new and fresh as well as adding some cool new products.  i will be sure to post an update when it is offically ready, though if you are interested in purchasing an action or texture set you can still do so by emailing me your order and I will send you an invoice via PayPal and email your order to you ASAP.  i am also trying to figure out if there is a way to make the downloads automatic so my fabulous customers don’t have to worry about remembering to check that darn download button before adding a product to your shopping cart. the news address to the store though is going to be www.sarahsmithphotography.com/store  …yeah…much easier :)

.i am currently looking for a graphic designer to help me figure out who i am…in terms of branding my image.  right now i am basically looking for that logo that will help define my overall style that will eventually spill over into other apsects of my business.  if you know someone who has worked on your logo or graphics or someone you have seen around the web that you would recomend, please email me or leave me a comment with a link to their site.  i have tried to figure it out myself and realize that sometimes you just have to outsource :) i would also love to hear your suggestions about my site, design and blog…what would you like to see more or less of, what design elements work or what would you suggest i change? Feedback from clients and fellow photogs is important to me and i would love to hear what you have to say….so long as it isn’t too harsh ;)

. i have lots and lots of pics and sessions to post…i have this thing where i am really anal about posting things in order which is why i haven’t gotten around to it yet, but i realize i need to get on the ball with keeping this blog a bit more updated not only with session sneak peeks, but with more personal info so you have the chance to get to know me a bit better too! i also have photo tips and info to share and lots of good stuff coming in the future as soon as things slow down a bit…i hope ;)

.in pregnancy related news…all is well, the little one moves around like crazy…you would think there was a miniature performance of Cirque Du Soleil going on in my belly! i have about a month to go, though my doctor said i could be two weeks early since my daughter was a bit early, so you could be seeing a ton of newborn images here pretty darn soon.  we have been working on rearranging our house to make the best use of our space when the little one arrives…it is amazing the amount of junk one accumulates without even knowing it…i had no idea how much stuff i had until we decided to rearrange rooms…i must have either thrown away or donated close to 20 bags of clothes and knick knacks…seriously, it was quite a liberating expereince to just get rid of the clutter! but all is well and i will be sure to update on the progress :)

.dont forget you can stay updated with my blog automatically through Bloglines.  I adore bloglines and use it to stay updated with all of the blogs i love to lurk around.

.ok…so back to work so I have time to write again tomorrow…hope all of you are doing well and that you have a fabulous week should I happen to slip off the blog wagon again ;) Cheers!

. i have a bit of a lull in the action the beginning of this week….though starting this weekend things are going to get hectic again…for which i am truly thankful for ;). i have tons of images to post here, so i hope to have the time to get some editing done, as well as work on some other projects during this time.

.i posted this pic of my hubs a while ago, but i went end re-edited it as i am having some large prints made up for my studio space.  since the space i am using is in my home, i wanted to be sure to have some great pics of my family up, and this one is my favorite one of my hubs…all the others i have of him are just silly, hence the one in my blog header.   i just can’t get him to keep a stright face when i try to photograph him. it isn’t as technically correct as i would like it to be, but i just adore that expression ;) he has been such a huge supporter of my photography – not only of supporting my artistic side and being there to take care of things when i go off on shoots, but helping me with the business nature of my work.  he is an economics major and works as a profitability analyst for a company here in the Northeast…he definitely has been huge help in pointing me in the right direction when it comes to business decisions.  we make a great team because, like most photographers i think – at least in the beginning, i am more artistically oriented rather than business savvy and he is able to make sure i learn about the aspects of running a business and helping to make sure i stay on track with monitoring and keeping track of all the behind the scenes work. he is also an amazing musician and a fantabulous chef…and just an all around good guy ;)

. i am off to go finish a project i started for my studio space…i can’t wait to show it to you when it is ready!  cheers !

.back on April 8th my friend Kat and i headed out to Syracuse for this seminar Captivated By The Light hosted by Ed Pierce. It was a very informative seminar regarding both studio lighting and enhancing natural light.  the entire time it made me realize how badly i would love to open a studio of my own….some day ;)

.the seminar started off with a trade show, mostly of vendors that i already go through for my print products, but it was good to see first hand the albums, print press items and such that they offer.  i got to play around a bit with the new Canon 1D Mark III…good lord, that is another one of those “some day” goals :).  the seminar was about 3 hours and was hosted by Ed Pierce himself.  he went over some of his lighting techniques as well as playing some videos regarding lighting on location that were really helpful.  i may be working with some reflectors soon to try out and hiring an assistant for outdoor portrait shoots, but that probably won’t be until next summer.  we also left with an additional 4 hours worth of really helpful material on DVD from some of the nations top portrait and wedding photographers.  I have laready watched both DVD’s and have already put some of the tips to good use. 

.i had heard mixed reviews about the seminar, but i think for the money and for someone fairly new to the business of photography it was a good investment.  i am always up for a roadtrip with freinds and this one was too fun!

. in other news, i am still booking weddings for this year, i just booked another yesterday that I am really excited about.  I will be back in action as of late Septmeber, so if you are getting married later this year I hope that I will have the date open for your wedding :).  I am still shooting portrait sessions through the end of June and have only a few weekend spots left…all good things :) . i will also be launching a new product in my store early next week so stay tuned ;)  i have more news but i’ll save it for another post…

.have a beautiful weekend!

.so this past Sunday, i woke up to the oh so pleasant surprise of my computer not turning on.  no power, zip, zilch, nada!  my hubs and i lugged it to the Geek Squad at Best Buy and indeed the motherboard had been fried-awesome! luckily all of my photos, client and business info were backed up to my external drives with the exception of a few files here and there that my friend Dustan is able to recover from the old hard drive for us.  the good news is…i have one kick ass computer.  it is rediculously fast (quad core, 3g and 500g memory) and i now am the proud owner of a 22″ HD LCD flat panel monitor that makes editing, viewing and presenting photos a dream come true.  the new Photoshop and Lightroom run amazingly fast and smooth.  my work flow has sped up to the point that i’m having a hard time adjusting :) i’ll be sure to post a pic of my lovely little work station when i put the finishing touches on my office space…my little space is a perfect place for client meetings so i am setting things up a bit different to be client friendly and to show off my goods.

im in the process of finally finishing up my site, which i am thrilled about because i can finally get my mind off of it and devote time to other things i have going on.  i’ll be posting soon about my charity event coming up, which i am truly looking forward too…as well as other things i have going on. i am also working on some new actions, textures and finally some template which i hope to release soon.  i just need to clear my plate before the wedding season starts next month and i won’t have time to do the little things i want to do.

the new computer thing has also been good because it has forced me to be a bit more organized with my files and work on here – which was getting a tad out of controll on my other system.  just be sure to back up your files people…it would have been a tragic loss if they had kicked the bucket too.

well that’s the long and the short of it….if i dont get the chance to hop back on here before the Holiday weekend starts, have a wonderful Easter to those of you who celebrate it (and a wonderful weekend to those of you who don’t ;)

Cheers! 

so i am finally spilling the beans here…i am pregnant – almost 5 months to be exact and today we found out that we are having a boy! so my little daughter will have a baby brother – we all couldn’t be happier!

so this explains most of my absence here in blog land, i have been going to sleep early (for my standards) and resting during the day whenever my little one allows.  not having the energy late at night has put a bit of a damper on updating my website and such, but i am managing slowly but surely – thank goodness the morning sickness is finally gone! I am going to attempt some of my own self-portrait maternity shots, i have some really interesting ideas I would love to try, so if they come out as I hoped i will be sure to post some here.  If not, i have a photographer friend whom I trust completlely to take amazing photos, so we shall see… ;)

Needless to say my pregnancy has also put a bit of a damper on this summers wedding schedule.  However I am available for weddings up until the end of May and I will be back in action as of October this year. I am still meeting with clients for the 2009 wedding season and already have a bunch of weddings booked, so please contact me to set up a client meeting if you are interested. 

June through Mid-July i am still available for people and pet portraits as well as Photoshop lessons and such – again, i will be back in action full force in October. If you are in need of a wedding photographer for June/July/August of 2008 please feel free to contact me as I have a wonderful photographer I can refer you to. 

Speaking of pet portraits, I am so excited to be doing a Dog Day charity event in May up in Saratoga to kick off Pet Appreciation week….i’ll be posting more about this shortly!

Hmmm…what other news…oh, on a smaller, girly note, as you can see in the above pic, i am back to being a brunette (i like it better than the blonde – so much more easier to maintain!).  I also bought a new bike and am truly looking forward to warmer weather so I can go out on some bike runs after my little one is asleep and pull her along during the day. Other than that I am trying to keep up with working on the FINAL changes on my website, using this time I have coming up before the baby arrives to get my business in order since I have been getting busier with my photography (yeah!!!).  Things are good here :)

Now that i have spilled the beans, I plan on posting more often – especially since my energy levels are back.  I’m off to work on some photos, sip some tea and relax for a bit.  Looking forward to posting here more often !