Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

The holidays are upon us again, and it's such a happy time of year!!!  However, let's remember that this isn't just a holiday, it's a Birthday.  So remember when you are eating your cake, put a candle in it, light it, and tell Jesus how much you love him, and blow out his birthday candle!!!  Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year to you all.  May the blessings rain upon you!!

Our Engagement Photos

Our wedding is October 23, 2010 so we were due for Engagement portraits.  My friend, Jennifer, took the photos.  It was awfully dark, so we will have to do a reshoot.  But these below are just a sneak peak of what she gave me on Facebook, so I copied the images and played with them a little. :)  I am really looking forward to the reshoot Friday, I know we'll have some fantastic photos with the right lighting. :)

These are my favorites from the day :

Going for a Walk

If you've never been to Hays, Kansas, make your next vacation plans to at least stop there for an overnight visit.  You must visit our many parks, and of course The Old Fort.  Main Street in Hays, Kansas is so  historical.  Buildings that have been around for 200+ years, are still standing and in wonderful condition.  I walked around Downtown Hays last night, and through the Old Fort.  It was around Sunset when I started taking pictures of the Old Fort and the carvings in the Limestone building that Soldiers and real rough neck Cowboys had been at, fought at, and stood there carving their names and the year they were there.  As if they knew, someday in the far future, someone was going to see this.  It's been 129 years since the oldest carving that I saw (I'm sure there are older).  I am just in LOVE with my hometown and it's history.  Below are several pictures that I took from last night, starting with the Sunset. ENJOY!!!! 

 

History at it's finest

Oh how I wish I could post all the pictures on here, but it would be a lot.  
I have always known about this building in downtown Hays, Kansas.  It was the Opera House back in the late 1800's to mid 1900's.  It was a landmark in Hays.  Now it's just falling apart.  But when you stand near it, and touch it, you can feel the people's happiness around the building.  They have carved their names and initials with the year in the building. 
Also, I have found other beautiful hiding spots in Hays that are not noticed unless you go searching down alley ways and in between buildings.  The findings are beautiful.  I am more in love with my hometown now than ever!! 

Walking around....

I love going on walks now and then with my camera and finding nature's mysteries and photographing them.  Flowers, Sunsets, Trees.   I love the things that people build that may not be art to most people.  But to me.... well it stands out.  
From last night's walk....

Starting my business

I have had a dream for quite some time to own a Photography Studio in my hometown of Hays, Kansas.  The industry is dying out in my hometown, because the ones that have studios here, have been doing it for more than 30 years and they are retiring.  So there is now only the Picture Me Portrait Studio that is getting all the business and that's located in Wal Mart.  Now, don't get me wrong, they do good portraits.  But they are limited on what they can do.  I know, I worked there for 2 years.  


I have a location in mind that I want for my studio that is available, and at a GREAT rental price.  I have talked to the Realtor and we have agreed that this will be my place.  So I am working harder on getting my financial profile in order in my business plan, so that the banks want to give me the loan in order to get this place started.  I am super excited!!!!  
This is the building I will be moving into.  (pic below) It has beautiful hardwood floors and picture windows. It's a perfect sized building for me. 

This building is historic and I used to live in the apartment upstairs with my Mother when I was about 8 years old.  This place has a lot of meaning for me.  

I have the layout already designed in my mind.  It's going to be just amazing to look at.  The lighting will be art gallery style.  (example)   

                                 

The furniture in the seating area will be so comfortable.  Leather Furniture, beautiful area rug with coffee table and end tables to match.  Portfolio Books on the tables for Customers to look at and get a feel for the portraits I do.  It will be a calm environment with calming scents through out the building.  People will feel happy, but calm.  This helps with little kids also, not getting all "riled up" and being impossible to handle.  :)  Below are examples of the furniture I have picked out.  There will also be a love seat that matches the sofa. 

I will have this on the left side of the building, the seating area.  So on the right side will be my office.  Which will have a desk similar to this:                                     

                             

But of course the desk will be turned so that one side is long against the window and one is facing the customer seating area.  It will have an iMac desktop computer with a 27" monitor on the desk.  

                                          

Then I'm going to separate the Office from the Studio with Room dividers that are similar to this: (would put 2 side by side to separate) 

                           

Then behind those partitions will be the studio area.  When it gets all built up, I will take pictures of the progress and the end of the project and post it here.  I am truly ecstatic about the opening of my Photography Studio.  CM Photography will hopefully be opening in November 2010.  

More to come.....