Meet Shelley Dee Hohe . . .

Shelley Dee Hohe

I am "Simply Inspired" by the way a photograph can tell such a

beautiful story filled with so much emotion. ~Shelley Dee

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.~Phillipians 4:13

A parents life is a childs guide book ~ author unknown

Location: Roseburg, OR.....will be relocating to the San Francisco north bay area with in the next 6 months

DOB:  June 7

Children:  Boy/Girl Twins

Husband: Robert

Animals: one cute cat

Contact Info:

Name of Business: Shelley Dee Photography & Artistic Design

Website:  http://www.shelleydeephotography.com/

Blog:   http://www.shelleydeephotography.blogspot.com/

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/shelley.hohe?ref=profile

Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/shelley.hohe?ref=profile#/pages/Shelley-Dee-Photography-Artistic-Design/332149965054?ref=ts

Twitter: http://twitter.com/HohesHappenings

Email: shelley@shelleydeephotography.com

What's in your bag? (if you are building your bag, what do you desire for your bag?)

Nikon D90, 2 Nikon rechargeable batteries, Nikon Grip/Battery Pack, Nikon SB 600 AF Speed Light, Gary Fong Lightsphere II, 2 SanDisk 8GB Extreme III memory cards, and a Nikon remote. As for lenses I have all Nikon lenses which include- 70-300mm AF-S VR Zoom, 18-105 mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR AF-S DX, 50mm f1.8.

As for what I desire, I am saving up for the 24-70mm f2.8, 70-200mm f2.8 and the 50mm f1.4 and of course the Nikon D700. My equipment now would be used for backup because I would love to do weddings and it is so important to have backup!

For studio equipment I own a back drop stand and a few back drops. I prefer using natural light coming through a window but it would also be nice to own a lighting kit for backup.

What's your favorite editing software?

Lightroom and Photoshop CS4 which I will soon be getting once I get my new Macbook Pro for on the road and the iMac for home. I currently have PSE 7 and didn’t want to upgrade till we did the big switch from Windows to Mac

Favorite Food:

Probably anything that is not good for me J I love lobster, all Italian food, my brother in law’s famous chocolate pecan pie. My Grandfathers authentic Swedish pancakes which I have not had in 15 years since he passed away. A good combination pizza from Round Table, Hawaiian Sweet Maui Onion Chips (the best!) and I love, love, love chocolate!!! Especially my Ghirardelli semi sweet chocolate chips.

Favorite Color:

Well it all depends if it’s decorating my house or if I am wearing it. My all time favorite color is pink, loved it since I was little. But now that I am older I love darker colors to wear like black, green, plum and teal. For house colors I love natural colors like bowns, ivory and sage, with a hint of deep reds here and there.

A few of your favorite things:

Going to church and worshipping God, spending time with my wonderful family, Starbucks decaf, soy latte, my Lancôme pressed powder, lip gloss and hand moisturizer, Origins underwear for eyelashes, my Solia flat iron, watching the Steelers win the super bowl, going to Disneyland with the fam, snuggling up under a warm blanket on a cold rainy day while watching a good movie, book stores, first nights sleep after putting on some crisp clean sheets, flip flops, buying cute clothes for my kids, manis & pedis (when I get them as a treat from my husband). Of course photography falls under this category as well J

What and/or Who inspires you?

My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, He is full of mercy and grace. He inspires me to lead a life that is holy and pure. My family inspires me to always do & be the best I can. I am also inspired by my mom for introducing me to photography at such a young age and to my grandmother for introducing the love of art to me. The one thing that inspires me most in photography is a photograph that can tell a beautiful story filled with so much emotion!

Name something you just have to have everyday:

The word of God, prayer, hugs and kisses from my hubby and kids, my blackberry, coffee in the a.m., a little time to connect with friends and family on facebook J , my Lancôme pressed powder, lip gloss and hand moisturizer. Oh and don’t forget food and water, we need that right???

Tell us all about your journey into the world of photography. When did you realize that this is what you wanted to do and why.

It all started when I was a young girl. My mom was into photography and she shared her love of photography with me by taking me out on photo shoots and buying me one of my first real cameras in junior high school. I have loved everything about photography since I could remember. One of many special memories I have is sitting with my grandma for hours upon hours listening to her as she shared her stories life in pictures. I really do love how photos tell a story and they capture moments that you can look back on for years to come.

Over a year ago I started looking into stay at home jobs so I could help out financially in our family. I kept running into dead ends and I realized photography is what I should be doing when God gave me the discernment to do something I had a passion for. That same month I was blessed with my first dslr camera, at that point I knew in my heart this is what I was meant to do.

If you already have a photography business please tell us about it, type of photography you do, how long you have been doing it, etc...

My business is Shelley Dee Photography & Artistic Design. Let me tell you the meaning behind my business name. First of all I had a hard time deciding on a name. I wanted something meaningful so I thought Captured Moments, but so many photographers use that. I prayed for God to show me and it was then when I started questioning where my inspiration and love of photography came from. That is when it all came together, “use your name“. Shelley is what my mother named me and Dee is my middle name which stands for Dorothy; my grandmothers name. After figuring out my business name I wanted to add a slogan which is Simply Inspired, I decided on Simply Inspired because God is my true inspiration in life. I then designed my logo which has a big “S” and “D” in it which stands for the two women in my life who inspire me. Susan my mom and Dorothy my grandmother. To top it all off, while creating my logo I realized I could work in Simply Inspired. The “S” being the first letter in “Simply” and the “D” being the last letter in “Inspired”. I love how everything just came together!!!

I love all photography, but as far as my business I am a lifestyle photographer. I love meeting new people so I knew this would be the best for me. I also love capturing life’s everyday and beautifully unique moments for my clients. I get so much joy knowing how happy and excited my clients are when looking at their photos for the first time.

My approach to taking photos of people is to make sure they are having fun and that they are being themselves. In some cases I do like to set up shots for those special occasions like an engagement session, or maybe for a special holiday photo session I will incorporate some fun props. I love fashion as well and that is why I developed that my exclusive photo sessions “Cutie Couture” for girls and “Cool Couture” for boys. For these sessions I offer accessories to give a high fashion look to my clients attire & btw there are NO age limits for these special sessions J I really enjoy taking photos of babies, I love being able to capture them from when they are newborn and follow them in their first year of life that is why I offer my special Le Bebe photos sessions. Babies grow so fast and I believe it is so important to capture these precious moments with your baby while you can!!!

I am in my first year of business and still in the process of building my portfolio.

Who is your favorite photographer that you follow and why?

Well this for me is sort of tough because I know so many friends who are photographers and I have been so blessed by their willingness to teach what they know, share what they have and inspire me to be the photographer I am today. But if I were to pick one I would have to say Me Ra Koh! Me Ra is such a huge inspiration in the world of photography to me. She is the "Jillian" of photographers, she pushes and challenges you to not give up on your dreams. She is a great mentor and her work is absolutely breath taking! I would love to attend one of her work shops....one day!

Besides photography, what else do you do , i.e. work, domestic engineer, volunteer?

Besides photography, I am blessed to be able to be a stay at home mom. I love staying home and taking care of our family and house (yes I love to clean). I also homeschool our children, we are going into our 5th year and it works really well for our family. I also help out with my husbands business by doing any graphic designing he needs done or making sure his bookkeeping is staying updated.

What are some of your other hobbies and/or things that you like to do besides photography?

Besides photography enjoy writing and blogging, I love being able to express my feelings by putting them into words on a page or a blog. I love graphic designing. I will never forget my first experience in graphic designing, it was a class I took in high school. I loved it so much it was the one class I didn’t want to end. Since then I have dabbled in doing designing for previous employers and did even more for my husbands business.

Do you have any other businesses that you are incorporating and/or combining in your photography business or that is separate other than photography?

Yes, graphic designing. That is why I added “Artistic Design” to my business name. I love designing logos, photo greeting cards, baby announcements, business brochures, fliers for advertising specials and events. As a matter of fact when we move to California my husband wants to open up a marketing firm where he would help businesses with his marketing and business expertise and I could do all the graphic designing. How fun would that be J

If there is one thing in the world that you would like to change, what would that be and why?

Any type of cruelty towards humans or animals should stop. Especially human trafficking, slavery and any kind of abuse. It is just so sad!

Name three things you would like to do before you die?

Lead others to Christ, train our children in the way they should go and I would love have another baby! I know it says three things, can I add a 4th...my husband has always wanted to go on a cruise. So I would love to get a week alone with my husband on a cruise J

List three goals you would like to accomplish in 2010:

3 personal goals is to 1)be a good example to our children. 2)lose weight so I can get healthy enough to have another baby. 3) to not let anything get in my way of my walk with God.

3 business goals is to:

1)develop loyal clientele by implementing a marketing strategy focusing on top of mind awareness.

2) becoming more involved in my community by offering my services to non profit organizations and charities

3) to challenge myself to learn all I can in the photography business by attending workshops, reading literature and keeping up to date with the latest resources and technology.

Please tell us about the photos you are submitting and why they are your favorites.

 This is one of my first pictures taken with my new dslr and

it happens to be my favorite to this day.

I love this picture not just because she is my niece but I like the composition,

the back light and I love her eyes in this photo.

In this photo I love the feeling of emotion I get and

I really like the side light coming through the window.

The reason I love this photo so much is because I get so much joy out of capturing the pure sweet innocence of a newborn baby...I just love it!

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Thank you Shelley Dee for sharing with us.  Good luck with your endeavors and we look forward to seeing more or your photography and artistic design work!

Meet Christine Barker . . .

Christine Barker

“Of course, in order to make art, the frustration of not working has to be greater than the frustration of working. I try to push images as far as I can. Sometimes I go too far, then as time passes, I think, “That was stupid or overkill” or whatever. But you have to go to those places. You can’t just say, “We have an hour to talk on the phone, let’s only be profound.” You start wherever you can and then you work at it.”

~Jerry Uelsmann

Location: Baltimore (Towson), Md
DOB: 04/29/1978
Children: Liam (1.5 years)
Husband: Cary
Animals: Not right now

Contact Info:

(social site) www.christinebarker.us
(Email) cbarker3241@me.com

Name of Business: Christine Barker Photography (C Barker Photography)
Website: http://www.cbarkerphotography.com/
Blog: http://www.christinebarker.us/
Facebook: Yes
Twitter: Sometimes
Skype: always
Linked In: I try

Most all can be found on my social site.

What's in your bag? (if you are building your bag, what do you desire for your bag?)

Currently in bag:

Cameras:  Canon 5d ; Canon T2 (35mm) ; Hulga (120mm film toy camera) ; Sony Cyber-shoot

Lenses:  Canon 55-250mm 4-5.6 EF-S ; 100mm macro 2.8 EF; Borrowed Lenses (relative with more camera stuff) 50mm 1.2 EF ; 16-35mm Ultra Wide Angle 2.8 EF ; 24-70mm 2.8 EF

Darkroom:  Color enlarger (even though I only develop B&W) ; Medium format and 35mm development supplies.

What's your favorite editing software?

My dark room is what I am most comfortable in. Two weeks ago I downloaded Lightroom, and purchased a student edition of Photoshop (it was required for one of my classes anyway). I am hoping to become more used to the software soon.

Favorite Food: Surf and Turf     Favorite Color: Pastels     

Zodiac Sign: Ooofff ….Im an Irish Taurus , Poor hubby

A few of your favorite things? (other than photography):

My son’s laughter. * Sigh* Ice cream. The rain.

What and/or who inspires you?

Seeing the love expressed within families. Things like the love of a mother, the caring of brother and sisters, or the tender heart of a father. OR seeing the passion on the face of someone completely enthralled with one of my photos… that can ALWAYS keep me going.

Name something you just have to have everyday:

COFFEE! And laughter. (not suggested at the very exact same moment, but work nicely together overall)

Tell us all about your journey into the world of photography. When did you realize that this is what you wanted to do and why:

This is kind of funny, well not really so funny… ok scratch the funny… cuz only funny to me doesn’t mean funny to everyone else. (Mental note – PLEASE stop arguing with yourself on paper… its just crazy talk… or type) Ok, back to the question. I was in school taking a biology course. In order to defer my student loans from my associates degree I needed another class to keep me in part time status. I signed up for a photography course because I thought it would be fun. I mean I had been taking photos with my point and shoot and had a passion for capturing the moment. Little did I know how much I was to thoroughly enjoy it. At first I had a feeling of guilt. I was sure that most of my family was going to look down on me for desiring a profession in the arts. After all … its not really work.. right? Something in the back of my head kept telling myself that I should enjoy what I work at anyway. So I kept pressing my professor for information as to where I could find employment in the profession. His answer was to check out some of the local photographers and see if any of them would hire me as an assistant.

I looked around locally and had a hard time finding someone hiring. I went back to my professor and asked him for advice; the best he came up with was for me to check out the PhotoExpo in New York…. It was that weekend. I scrambled to figure out what to do. We had no expendable expenses. I figured if I stayed with friends I could get in on a student pass for 60.00 but I wanted to hear from photographers.

I decided to sign up for a few of the lectures, but only a couple so I could keep expenses down. I saw Joe Buissink and Me Ra Koh. I also saw such passion for photography that upon my return home, I began to think that one really could make a living at this profession, the “they could do it, so I could too” syndrome.

The interest was there, but when Me Ra posted the announcement of SOAR I was immediately in! Admittedly my video was not all that creative. After I submitted it, I backed myself up saying that if I could say out loud that this is what I wanted to do; I could then do it.

If you already have a photography business please tell us about it, type of photography you do, how long you have been doing it, etc...

I do not currently have a photography business, but would love to revisit this question next year.

If you are dreaming of starting your business, what are you learning and/or doing to move you towards your goal?

I have decided to obtain an art degree, and enrolled full time to Towson University. I have proposed to many of our friends and family that I do some photography work for them. By signing up for school we had to find a babysitter to watch our son for the very few hours in the day I will be in school. Come to find out she became engaged over the winter break, will be married this summer, and would love for me to take her pictures. By talking to my friends and family I have two other people interested in me taking photos for them. This wont produce income, but it will allow me to build a portfolio, and with it being friends who have no expectations that I have created (I’ve been very upfront explaining my semester in school, but little experience otherwise). I can do it in a fairly low stressful situation.

Who is your favorite photographer that you follow and why?

I have a few. I love Jerry Uelsmann’s hand developed photos. They are surreal, and most are hard to tell that he did NOT use Photoshop. Joe Buissink because of his feeling behind his photography. Last but most certainly NOT least Me Ra Koh because of her vibrancy for photography and an AMAZING mind for business and marketing.

Besides photography, what else do you do, i.e. work, domestic engineer, volunteer?

I am a full time student. I have two rental properties (one is the top floor of my house, so its not to intensive), and I am a full time mom (hubs watches the young one when I am in school). My husband works a full time Mon-Fri 8-5 job, then teaches masters classes at a local university in the evening and now has started his Phd in information security. (we just give up on sleep and breathing, its how we get it all done) But, no, really, we just like to stay very busy.

What are some of your other hobbies and/or things that you like to do besides photography?

My husband and I make homemade …. stuff. We have homemade soap, jewelry, clothing (even my wedding dress was hand sewn by me). Meade…etc

Do you have any other businesses that you are incorporating and/or combining in your photography business or that is separate other than photography?

My husband and I had a few rental properties. Ok, wait, stay with me. From going though the process of buying and selling houses we have an appreciation for the process, and a new friend in our real estate agent. I have asked her to take pictures of her next couple of houses to see if she likes the photos I take (hence the reason for borrowing the Ultra Wide Angle in my “bag”). Hopefully if all goes well, she will see potential in my work, and promote me to others in her office.

If there is one thing in the world that you would like to change, what would that be and why?

I would like to change the comfort level of those children that struggle with family issues that are above their age level. Divorce, alcoholism, drug abuse, unemployment, separation from siblings, and abuse are some of the issues I dealt with well before I should have as a child. For any one child that I help though a time such I feel as if my previous situation was for a purpose.

Name three things you would like to do before you die?

1. Run my own successful photography business.
2. Travel over seas
3. See my grandchildren as happy as I hope their parents will be.

List three goals you would like to accomplish in 2010:

1. Progress though building my portfolio and make it to the point where I can feel confidant charging for my services.

2. Successfully complete three semesters of college (summer semester included)

3. Have my writing grow to the point where I don’t feel like I offend everyone I write to…. It’s a confidence thing…

Please tell us about the photos you are submitting and why they are your favorites.

My photos start with my favorite of my son. It was Halloween and my husband, who was unable to find a Dalmatian outfit for my son’s first real trick or treating adventure, came home with a small cow outfit. I borrowed a DSLR camera from a family member for the local trick or treat night and followed my husband taking my son around from door to door to gather candy. The period of time that my son was interested in performing said task was a very short period. I love how the picture has so much blur. I feel like that was the feeling of the entirety of Halloween for us. He was so cute and scared, but still it was over quickly. That is the same feeling I get from the photo.

The second picture is one I “fixed” in Photoshop. My son’s vision is so impressively bad that my brother put my son’s glasses up to his face. After about 10 seconds his eyes watered so bad that he couldn’t look though them much more. Which means as an older sister I made him do it again so I could take a picture of how big the glasses made his eyes look. It shows our sense of humor I think, it’s a great funny photo. I added blur and removed as much clarity as I could.

The third photo is one I took again with a the same borrowed camera from Halloween. I wanted to scope out a place for one of my class assignments so I would use the digital to see how it was and then shoot the 35mm (hey man, times is tough). We were at a local park and I chased my son around with a macro lens, and with some luck got a few shots of ONLY his face. I love this pic.

Lastly is a photo that I am sure will come out very small. Taken with my Sony point and shoot about 14 days after my son was born it is the one I have hanging in my house as soon as you come in my front door. Can you tell my son is my favorite subject, but really, what mother doesn’t have their child as a favorite subject?

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Thank you Christine for sharing more of yourself with your Sisters. 

  Christine has graciously taken on the challenge of heading up the

SOAR Hall of Fame, which is now in the works. 

Her ideas and hard work mean so much,

as you will all find out soon when the Hall of Fame is revealed. 

 Good Luck Christine with your photography journey, you are going to be great!

Meet Kris . . .

You miss 100% of the shots you don't take."  ~ Wayne Gretzky 

Ugh, how apropos is that??? It's so true, Mr. Gretzky; I totally agree with you.

Name: Kris Fulk
City, State: Houston, TX
DOB: March 27
Husband: Adam
Animals: Maxie and Aries, my lovely cats.

Contact Info:

Photography: http://www.krisfulk.com

Illustration: http://krisfulk.daportfolio.com


Facebook: http://facebook.com/krisfulk
Twitter: @krisfulk
Skype: mari-kris
Linked In:
Email: marikris@marikris.com

What's in your bag? (if you are building your bag, what do you desire for your bag?)

Canon 5d markII gripped + battery pack, 24.70L, 135L, 50.14, 580EX (2), Sekonic 308S, radiopoppers studio JRX trans + receiver (2), umbrella bracket, 12 Eneloop + 6 Energizer rechargeable batts. Those are all in one bag and go with me to every shoot, then I carry my light stands, tripod, softboxes, White Lightning 1800/ABR800 Ring Flash as it suits the session. I'm saving up for a 70-200L 2.8 IS and 35L lens, but more importantly, I need a second body if I want to start shooting weddings.

What's your favorite editing software?

Lightroom + Photoshop. I archive and make collections through Lightroom. I love that the digital footprint is so small and I can even output straight to Smugmug or Facebook. Batch edits are done here too. Then I export the special images to Photoshop and do the more extensive retouching there.

Favorite Food:  Anything with chocolate.

Favorite Color:   It changes every so often because I love so many different ones. I grew up loving yellow and being derisive of pink because of my favorite TV show in the Philippines. It was similar to Mighty Morphine Power Rangers if that explains it better. In the summers, I love white. More year round, I love gold, orange, red and some yellows. I'm the fiery type of girl, I suppose.

Zodiac Sign:   Aries. Maybe that explains my color choices.

A few of your favorite things:  Puffy sleeves, pencil skirts, floral/feathery head bands, Copic markers, Prisma color pencils, football, Mechanix gloves, peacock designs, Disney's The Little Mermaid movie - to name a few. Honestly, Mechanix gloves are awesome! I have really tiny hands, so I have had to order special sized pairs. But they come handy (no pun intended). Like when you're changing your tire in the middle of the night while a bucket of Cold Stone ice cream is melting in the back seat. Or when you're trying to open a door on the wing of an FA/18 Hornet and the person who had screwed it closed had over-tightened the screws. Mechanix gloves, trust me on this one.

What inspires you? Art inspires me a great deal. I graduated in Studio Art and do illustrations when I'm not behind my camera. Mucha, Klimt, Van Gogh...I love their decorative style and their choices of color and composition....Fashion inspires me. I started out as a fashion design major in Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC a long time ago. I love to look at editorial photos and own several books, a few of which are David Lachapelle's surreal collections. Ana Gaskell inspires me. Her images are haunting, though the narrative is oft-times dark and strange. Her Alice in Wonderland series was the most influential factor in my photography in my senior year in college.

Name something you just have to have everyday:

I have to have my daily serving of twitter and facebook, and various forums I troll. It's almost ritualistic how I get up from bed, crawl my way to the computer and click through the various tabs. I'd like to add, "As I sip my coffee," but unfortunately, ever since I developed chronic insomnia when I was in the Navy some years back, I'd had to give up coffee. Hot chocolate is an awesome alternative, though, and I like to think of myself as a connoisseur of gourmet hot chocolate. Ever heard of Frozen Hot Chocolate? Absolutely yummy.

Tell us all about your journey into the world of photography. When did you realize that this is what you wanted to do and why.

My senior year in college, I realized that I was the happiest behind the camera. My college only offered a very cumulative degree in Art. There were no specialties, but you can "focus" on something, and I started out with my focus on Illustration. Right around my senior year, I changed that to photography and illustration, but my college didn't have a very extensive offering in terms of classes. Technique wasn't emphasized.

Questioning your intentions and your influences were: who were you as an artist? These were the things that shaped my start in photography. But you might also be wondering why I seem to have chosen the camera over my color pencils. Actually, I love using markers, but I suffer from a terrible artist's block. Blank paper terrifies me. It's something I can circumvent when I'm photographing something or someone. I can work with reality instead of creating from a blank page.

If you already have a photography business please tell us the name of your business, type of photography you do, how long you have been doing it, website address and blog information.

I started Kris Fulk Photography last year. Mostly I am doing portraits and lifestyle. Recently, I've branched to boudoir. I love the idea of boudoir. A few years ago, I saw a special on TV where a therapist in NYC was helping a teen age girl love her body by showing her how beautiful she was through a boudoir session. This was before boudoir was popular, maybe before it was even given the term and definition as we know it today. But don't quote me on that. Anyway, that's something that I've thought long and hard about. I want to help other people see how beautiful they were. To love their bodies.

On a different note, I'd love to one day shoot weddings too. It's the happiest day of a couple's life, and I want to be there to document their smiles, how in love they were. I know, I know. I get pretty sappy - every time I see The Notebook, I bawl my eyes out. I was still in the Navy when I got married, and we had to route a chit to ask permission to go to the court house. We didn't have our family present, just Adam and me and a couple of our sailor friends to stand as witnesses. We had two disposable cameras between all of us. While I treasure these snapshots, I wish I had someone who was there capturing our story. I want to be that person for others. I want to give images that will make you smile and remember how beautiful that day was 50 years from now. I'm a big romantic: I believe in forever.

What are some of your other hobbies and/or things that you like to do besides photography?

I like to read. A lot. It started out as an obsession with the Baby Sitter's Club when I was in the 4th grade. I didn't really start to like reading till then. Now I'm a big fan of fantasy and romance (romantic fantasies/paranormals are my favorite). I love to draw, too, as you might have surmised. It just takes me a very long time to finish a drawing sometimes. I write when I can. My writer's block is even worse than my artist's block. But usually if I'm not reading (or with my camera), I'm on photoshop improving my skills with retouching and post-processing. I really enjoy that aspect of the workflow. It speaks to the illustrator in me, I suppose.

Do you have any other businesses that you are incorporating and/or combining in your photography business or that is separate other than photography?

I'm thinking about incorporating my illustration somehow, but I'm not really sure how yet.

Name three things you would like to do before you die:

I would like to travel with Adam. He's been everywhere, been to so many countries, especially while we were both serving in the military. I would like to see these places with him because I didn't get to travel; I "held down the fort," so to speak. I would like to go to the Superbowl (especially if the Giants are playing). Also, I would like to write an Epic Novel. Or my memoir. I really dig writing.

List three goals you would like to accomplish in 2010:

Right now one of my main goals is to start shooting weddings in the future. I also need to market myself better, to generate more excitement in what I'm doing. Lastly and most importantly, I'm working on my branding. I have a logo in the works from a graphic designer, and I already have a list of things I want to put that logo on (i.e. product packaging etc).

Please tell us about the photos you are submitting and why they are your favorites.

Portrait of Elizabeth

This was from one of my first sessions. I love the way it's very editorial, illustrating

Elizabeth's personality and her chic-ness. This series remains one of my most favorite.

Virginia

This was my first time working with a model in a studio setting. It taught me a lot about photographer-model interaction, as well as interacting with other photographers. I was also still fiddling a lot with Photoshop, so when I look at this picture, or this series, it's accompanied by a lot of other things than just the image itself.

Traci 

I love this image. Traci wanted to build a portfolio, and she emailed me when I first moved to Houston. Not only was she awesome to work with, but the geek in me was totally tap-dancing with joy when she let me experiment with lighting. To me, this isn't just a head shot; it's a photograph of a beautiful friend.

Lisa on her walk down the French Quarter

Sometimes you're just in the right spot at the right time. I was second shooting for Jessica (of JVallecorsa Photography) for Lisa and Jay's wedding. It was not your traditional wedding: there were no guests, just the couple and their maid of honor and best man. The ceremony was held at Oak Alley plantation and took about 15 minutes. Then we walked down the French Quarter for a few hours. I was trailing behind the company when Lisa saw this horse-drawn carriage. It just seemed like a magical moment.

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Thank you Kris for sharing your information with us!  I love your passion for life, photography and

illustration.  I wanted to include some of your illustration work too.  So without further ado...

To see more of Kris's illustration work, be sure to visit her website at

http://krisfulk.daportfolio.com/

Please note:  All images and illustrations are protected by copyright laws.

Meet Michelle. . .

 Michelle Rose Slape

“Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever. It remembers little things long after you have forgotten everything.”  Aaron Siskind

Location: Fairfield, CA

DOB: July 11

Animals: 200 an Indian Ringneck, Danger Cookie the leopard gecko, and Lexus a 3 month old Miniature Schnauzer puppy – disclaimer: my older son named the first two J

Facebook: MRS Photography (fan page name)

Twitter: MRSphotog

Blog:  http://www.mrsphotography.blogspot.com/

Website:  MRS Photography

Email: MRS@MRS-Photography.com

What's in your bag? (if you are building your bag, what do you desire for your bag?)

Canon 40D, 50 mm 1.8, 85 mm 1.8 and 28-135 mm 3.5

What's your favorite editing software? Most definitely, Lightroom

Favorite Food:  Mexican and Italian

Favorite Color: Pink

Zodiac Sign: Cancer

A few of your favorite things:

Coffee, Oprah, Scrapbooking, Photography, Traveling, Reading

What inspires you?

My children and the desire to give them the fulfilled childhood that I had.

Name something you just have to have every day:

My Blackberry! I feel so disconnected without it.

Tell us all about your journey into the world of photography. When did you realize that this is what you wanted to do and why.

I never wanted to be a photographer. I just loved taking pictures because I was a “memory preserver”. I have albums and albums full of pictures of all the places I’ve lived and the friends I’ve made along the way. I can remember exactly what was happening in each image. I wanted that same thing for my children. For them to have a memory of their childhood.

When my first son was born, I took pictures of him almost every day (6 years later he is beyond tired of taking pictures J). It was no different when my 2nd son was born 3 years later. Only this time I had the Refuse to Say Cheese DVD set and knew more techniques for storytelling. That made a HUGE difference in the way I took pictures of my children. Friends began to notice the difference too and started asking me to take pictures of their children.

My accidental photography business started in 2008. J Then it took about a year hiatus when I moved from San Diego to Northern California. After taking the Confidence workshop last June, I rediscovered the passion I had for photography and got my jumpstart again.

If you already have a photography business please tell us the name of your business, type of photography you do, how long you have been doing it, website address and blog information.

MRS Photography began in January 2008. I enjoy doing natural light, casual photography. Last year I took any session I was asked to do. J This year, I have a different mission. My desire is to become a specialist in photographing children and adults with Down Syndrome. http://www.mrs-photography.com/

Who is your favorite photographer that you follow and why?

I have two – Me Ra Koh and Carey Schumacher of Barefoot Memories. I was introduced to casual photography when Carey was first starting her business and she took pictures of kids in our playgroup. I loved that my son looked so natural in front of the camera instead of the “constipated” look in front of a studio camera. J I began following her work religiously and she in turn introduced me to Me Ra’s work. What I love most about Me Ra is her ability to relate to us. Even at her level, she shares the sames fears and hesitations that those of us starting out feel and most impressively, she shares them openly.

Besides photography, what else do you do , i.e. work, domestic engineer, volunteer?

I have the most fulfilling, yet hardest working job I have ever had in my life – full-time mom. I miss working in an office environment, but wouldn’t trade this for the world.

What are some of your other hobbies and/or things that you like to do besides photography?

I am an avid scrapbooker, or should I say collector (my craft room is LOADED with products that I don’t want to use because they are too cute J). Reading relaxes me so I try to do that frequently.

If there is one thing in the world that you would like to change, what would that be and why?

In my best Miss America response J – In my life there is nothing that I would want to change. Everything that has happened to me, good or bad, happened for a reason. I honestly believe that within all the “bad” there were lessons to be learned and because of that I would not change anything.

Name three things you would like to do before you die?

1) Visit every country in the world
2) Watch my children grow old and enjoy their life with their own children and grandchildren
3) Get caught up on scrapbooking!!! J

List three goals you would like to accomplish in 2010:

1) Establish myself as the go-to photographer for children and adults with Down Syndrome in Northern California
2) Lead my business without fear (is it just me or do any of you fear success as well?)
3) Learn better time management and not feel guilty for spending time on my business

Please tell us about the photos you are submitting and why they are your favorites.

This is the picture that I took right after watching Me Ra’s Refuse to Say Cheese DVD. I had received so many compliments on it that it is the one that made me decide to make the transition from mommarazzi to starting a business.

This image is from Me Ra’s workshop and I just love how the dad’s hand looks so safe

around the baby’s head. Without seeing the dad’s face you can still sense

his adoration and protection for his baby.

 I just love that they were sharing a “moment’.

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Thank you Michelle for sharing and letting us get to know you better! 

I think it is so commendable that you want to specialize in

Down Syndrome Photography and wish you the best of luck!

Be sure to become a fan of Michelle on FB and follow her blog and leave some comment love!

Meet Crissie!

Crissie graciously volunteered to be the first sister to be in the spotlight.  Over the last month and a half, we have all grown to love this amazing woman and I am sure you will all enjoy learning a little more about her! 

 Crissie Fields

 The only way to get through life is to laugh your way through it. You either have to laugh or cry. I prefer to laugh. Crying gives me a headache. - Marjorie Pay Hinckley

Location:  Meridian, Idaho

DOB: March 29

Children: Austin 14, Sara Jane 10, Corban 7, Hudson 6, Emmeline 4

Husband: Scott, Boy of My Dreams, Pack Mule, Spider Squasher, Best Friend, Hit Man, Pool Boy, Trusted Advisor

Animals: 2 dogs, 2 cats.

Contact Info:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/crissief

Twitter: www.twitter.com/crissiefields

Skype: Crissie Fields

What's in your bag? (if you are building your bag, what do you desire for your bag?)

BRAND NEW Nikon D300, successor to the D70. SB600, Tamron 28-75 2.8, Tamron 70-200 2.8, Nikkor 50 1.8, Fong Diffuser. At home I have 4 AB600s, a giant softbox, a few umbrellas and a Vagabond.

What's your favorite editing software? The only software I've used to date is Elements, so I'll have to say that! I'd like to buy Lightroom and upgrade to CS4.

Favorite Food:  In-n-Out Burgers          Favorite Color:   Blue                  Zodiac Sign:  Aries

A few of your favorite things:

Sticky kisses, the smell of the ocean, coming home to a noisy house with all of the lights on, my Scott, my Dad, good dreams, my nice sewing machine, giving, road trips, my sister, singing, good sheets, Boise State football, laughter, leaves in the Fall, Diet Pepsi, intelligence, Project Runway, affirmation, learning

What inspires you? Color, line, strength, love, beauty, texture, light

Name something you just have to have everyday:

I was tempted to say Diet Pepsi, but it really and truly is my beautiful family. It always has been... I had a very difficult childhood being the daughter of a mother with mental illness. That legacy haunts me to this day... During the rough times of growing up, I always promised myself that when I could choose my family, I would choose someone I could rely on.

I met my husband when I was 19, and I'm not ignorant to the fact that getting married at 20, things were statistically against our success. I am very blessed. As I frequently tell him, he's the only good decision that I made at that age. Together we've been through 3 stillbirths, 5 live births, 2 intubations for my asthma, financial prosperity and unfortunately conversely lean times.

On occasion, he has physically fed me, clothed me and made sure that I got up in the morning. He has buffered me from some of the ugliness that the world has to offer. He cried when our first dog died. He got up each work day for 14 years and went to a job that he didn't particularly enjoy so that I could enjoy the comforts of a nice home, car and satellite tv. He let me name each of our children. He sat in line for 8 hours each home game this season so that he could secure me a good seat from which to photograph the game. He is the more organized, rational side needed to balance my creative, throw caution to the wind personality. He is always considerate of my comfort. He paints toenails. He's H O T hot.

I'm a very lucky girl and the only thing I need every day is my Scott.

Tell us all about your journey into the world of photography. When did you realize that this is what you wanted to do and why.

I've loved photography since taking a class in high school, but the flame was reignited after we lost our twins. When nothing made sense, I could still find beauty in photos.

If you already have a photography business please tell us the name of your business, type of photography you do, how long you have been doing it, website address and blog information.

I haven't yet taken the plunge into photography for profit. On occasion, I've photographed families from Church, friends, etc.

If you are dreaming of starting your business, what are you learning and/or doing to move you towards your goal?

Next month, I've been invited to start a great PhotoShop class and I'm really excited! I just got a new camera and I've diving right into learning it. I'm going to spend the football off-season photographing other sports, honing my skills and getting ready to find a freelance job next Fall. I absolutely adore sports photography. I'd also love to do commercial photography for the athletes, but I haven't quite figured that out yet. I'm hoping to practice on some of our athlete friends and see where that takes me. I'm still figuring things out.

Who is your favorite photographer that you follow and why?

I really enjoy Carey from Barefoot Memories for several reasons. Probably the first is the way that she's structured her business so that she controls her business and her business doesn't control her life. I admire that. Also, since I listed the ocean as one of my favorite things, I definitely enjoy her beautiful images.

Besides photography, what else do you do , i.e. work, domestic engineer, volunteer?

I am first and foremost the mother of 5 amazing children. We homeschool the 4 school aged children, so I'd probably consider this my full time job.

What are some of your other hobbies and/or things that you like to do besides photography?

I really enjoy sewing! I love to make outfits for my girls, although at 10, Sara Jane has just about outgrown wanting to wear "mom-wear". In case you didn't know (hahhaa) I LOVE football, especially our local college team.

Do you have any other businesses that you are incorporating and/or combining in your photography business or that is separate other than photography?

Along the sewing line, I am really interested to explore the option of combining my love of boutique clothing with my love of photography. I think it would be fun to offer mini-sessions that include a custom t-shirt, say to celebrate a first birthday or something similar.

If there is one thing in the world that you would like to change, what would that be and why?

I've never understood why so many children are in foster care waiting for a "forever home". As soon as we're financially stable again, I hope to be able to adopt a few children out of foster care.

Name three things you would like to do before you die?

Raise my children to be happy, self-confident, contributing members of society with families of their own. TRAVEL! Have photos published in Sports Illustrated. ;)

List three goals you would like to accomplish in 2010:

Be accepting regular clients by May. Mastering my studio lights. Finding a freelance job for the football season. :)

Please tell us about the photos you are submitting and why they are your favorites.

Cannon Beach last March. It remains my all-time favorite photo.

From the sidelines at a Boise State game this season.

 My favorite sunset (doesn't everyone have at least one of these photos?)

This is a photo that I took of my daughter for my dad, who is a big Lakers fan.

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Thank you Crissie for sharing with us!  Be sure to connect with Crissie via Facebook, Twitter & Skype!

Welcome

The Soar Sister Spotlight profiles a soar sister every few days so that we, as a new community, can learn, grow, support and connect with one another.  Every three to four days, there will be a message on Facebook for the Spotlight.  The first person who answers will get the spot.  You will then be sent an email with a list of questions to answer.  Please do this as quickly as you can.  You will receive the email the day before your spotlight time.  If it is not returned, the person who commented after you will get the spot and you will have to wait until the post is up again.  This is just for fun and is public, so please use your discretion and comfort level when answering the questions.  You can be as open as you wish, whatever you desire, the spotlight is yours.