It seems funny to say ‘Welcome’ when we have already been living here building up our little farm for over a year now, time really does fly! But I have been encouraged by my husband to start blogging again, something I have done on and off since becoming a stay at home Mom over 15 years ago. I said to him, ‘But what will I blog about?” he proceeded to list multiple things that yes I could definitely blog about, and so I have agreed to give it a go again! I live a simple life, as that is what I love and enjoy, but even in it’s simplicity there are so many things to keep track of and care for. Feeding the family healthy meals each day…homeschooling three very different kids, hauling hay and water for the goats, tending to the many chickens and eggs that they produce, working away at making soap, packaging and selling it, volunteering at our church multiple times a week and so much more. So WELCOME to this little slice of our life, so grateful to have you follow along with what we are up to!

As a new year begins it makes me think about all the things that I can make into a resolution or a goal. There is always much to improve on and do or be ‘better’ at, and I start racking up a mental list in my head. I could get into a more regular exercise routine, I could learn a new skill, I could get out of my comfort zone with new things and people, and I could stand to remember to always bring my re-useable bags to the grocery store (every single time!) The list is endless, and can also be a bit daunting. When I start to think about all the things to improve upon in my life, it can feel overwhelming, and then something happens….I decide it’s too much and could end up not making any new changes at all. If your anything like me, then this has happened to you before too. The thoughts of ‘if I can’t do something at 100% capacity, well then I just won’t do it at all.’ Can you relate to that at all? If you feel that you can’t do something to the very best of your ability you end up tossing it to the side, and just sticking to what you know.

But what if instead of feeling overwhelmed by that ‘new thing’ we just….try it? We may not be very good at it, we may downright fail at it, but we may also succeed and most importantly learn so much from trying! I feel a bit like a poster in a Grade 5 classroom right now, but what’s the old saying ‘little by little, a little becomes a lot.’ Well, I am here to share that doing that ‘little bit’ is what my goal is. Not anything big like running a marathon, climbing a mountain, or starting a new business, just doing that next little thing that I feel God is calling me to do. When I keep those little things going day by day, they will add up to much more then I realize, and if I keep trusting God, I know He will show me that He is working through all those ‘little things’ too. They definitely wont be perfect or even awe inspiring, but I am still going to do them and watch and wait to see what God will do.

So if you don’t have plans to conquer the world this year, that is A-OK, just keep taking little steps, and watch them become bigger steps that will take you exactly where you need to be.

Happy New Year friends, hope it’s a cozy one ;)

-Shelley

Have you ever taken the Enneagram personality test? I had heard about it last year and was immediately intrigued. I love learning about different personalities and I think it is amazing that we are all SO different. God created no two the same, and yet we all are made to live together, and I think that is just really interesting, and also a way God uses to teach us so much. I am definitely not an expert on the Enneagram (so make sure to take what I say with a grain of salt, and do your own research), but I have read up on it over the last year, and have learned a few things, mostly about my ‘type’ and my husbands ‘type’. I have learned that we are VERY opposite, but have also noticed that many couples are opposites and it actually works in their favour! I have since encouraged my family and friends around me to take the test, because I want to know what type they are too. If you have never taken the test here are a few links to some that you can take. Though, from what I have read the test isn’t the only way to figure out your type, you only truly know what type you are when you learn about them and ask yourself the hard questions ;).

When I first took the Enneagram test I originally thought that I scored higher as a 2. Type 2 is considered ‘The Helper’ I shared this news with my good friend who is much more of an expert in her Enneagram knowledge then me, and she gave me a few good tips. The first was that many Christian raised women (who are now Mom’s) will tend to score high as 2’s because it is filled with traits that we are taught to have growing up, such as having a willing servant heart, being generous with what you have, tending to the needs of others with love. So even though I did have all those traits, they may not necessarily have been ‘natural traits’ but more traits that I had learned along the way, things that had already been engrained in me from my upbringing in the church. I had also scored very high as a type 9. Which is considered ‘The Peacemaker’. I had read my results and seen that one of the big traits of a 9 was to be a procrastinator. Ummmm…excuse me I am NOT a procrastinator! I instantly felt defensive and thought, yup there is NO way I am a 9. That’s when my friend again reminded me of another important tip when figuring out your Enneagram type. She said the things that make you the most uncomfortable when you read them…, the ones that make your cheeks get hot, think about those things again. Those are probably things that really are a part of your personality but are harder to admit. So it took a few days of thinking, definitely some hot cheeks, but I realized in many things I was procrastinating! A light bulb went off, and I started to read up more on Type 9. The more I got into it, and talked to my friend (who continued to encourage me in my 9-ness) I realized that yes, wether I liked it or not, that was my personality type, and in finding that out there was now so much to learn!

You may think, what is the point of knowing what ‘Type’ you are? Does it really matter? I look at it this way, those around me that I love and care about, I want to serve them well, and love them well. To do that, it is crucial to know how they think, what makes them tick, and why they are the way they are. This way I can understand others better, and understand myself better, which is also important for personal growth. Knowing your type doesn’t mean you are stuck in your ways, but it means that you learn things you can work on to actually excel in your specific type, and help the others around you excel also. So no, it’s not essential to know your type, but it is helpful and fun too! The Enneagram has recently gained popularity in the past few years, but it’s actually been around for a very long time, and there are a ton of good books and websites about it if you want to get started. I was recommended to ‘The Road Back to You’ by Ian Morgan Cron & Suzanne Stabile for a Christian perspective on the Enneagram, and have read a few chapters and really enjoy it. Like I mentioned before, the more you read about it, the more you can really understand your type, and the types of your loved ones.

So, I am a 9. What is life like as an Enneagram 9 you ask? Here are some of the basic personality traits as taken from the internet, a bit of the good the bad and the ugly of a type 9,

Friendly, Agreeable, Cooperative, Adaptable, Trusting, Easy-going, Empathetic, Focus on other people and the external environment, Going with the flow.

Basic Desire is Peace and Harmony, a skilled Mediator, Warm, Open-Minded, Caring, Amiable, Nature loving

Avoids all Conflict (like the plague), Stubborn, Indecisive, Low Self-Worth, procrastination, fear of separation from those they love, a people pleaser, tend to be complacent, simplifying problems and minimizing anything upsetting, Introverted.

Does any of this sound familiar to you? If you are a type 9 also, then I know you can relate! And if you are a close family member then I know you can probably see some of these things in me too. But besides all of those traits one of the biggest things I find that is tricky about being a type 9 is my love for people and wanting to help and give so much to them, but the fact that people drain me fast and my basic desire is to not be around them that much. Contradictory I know ;) I love people so much, and I want to help them and be with them, but it honestly sucks the life out of me. So how does knowing that help me? It doesn’t mean that I have to stay home 24/7 and never go out in the world (though if your a 9 that frankly sounds amazing haha) It means that I don’t plan too many social things too close together, I give myself time to ‘re-coup’ after being in an intense social situation, so that I can fill up my cup and be ready for the next one without using up all of my ‘peopley resources’.

Yes I am introverted, and definitely go with the flow of what other people want, I do not like to be front and centre, and PLEASE don’t ask me to pick what restaurant to go to when eating out, haha (good thing we don’t go out too much!) What if I picked the wrong place and the food was gross? I want everyone to be happy, more then I want to choose what to eat, I will honestly eat whatever you like. I can see multiple sides of a situation, so to me every person has a story and comes from somewhere and acts the way they do for a reason. I am able to see all different sides to something, life is not black and white to me. I do.not.like.conflict, and try to avoid it at all costs, which is probably a factor to why I am more introverted. Conflict stresses me out and disturbs my ‘balance’ and I usually will not rest until it is resolved, and get frustrated if it cannot be resolved. But I do have a bit of an ‘Inner Mama bear’ when it comes to my kids and husband, there is usually no indecisiveness when it comes to what I believe is best for them and I typically stick to my guns to protect them. I also don’t mind being considered ‘different’ or living life ‘outside the box’, which you can see from our choice to homeschool and live up North, to my career path with photography.

Yes it’s true, I do procrastinate for some things, I practice piano the night before I am playing on the worship team in the morning, when I should be practicing all week. I give up on my photo editing, because it’s dragging on and I have other more creative things to do. I wait to make my meal plan and grocery list until the minute before I get in the car and head to the store (speaking of I should do that right now lol) Yet for other things I don’t rest until they are done, the difference? I do not know. Somethings just make me procrastinate more. I have always had the ‘work before play’ mentality, so as I mentioned before, it was hard for me to admit that I can be a procrastinator, but it’s helped me tons now that I notice it, I can push myself a bit more in the right direction to get things done when I am feeling a procrastination station day coming on.

The way to fill my cup would be spending time being active in nature (either a hike or a canoe) with a loved one, breathing in fresh air and seeing the beauty the outside surrounding me. Nature fills me up like nothing else, I almost get a bit of a ‘high’ from it, a fully natural high, haha. I don’t tend to really ever say what I want, again most likely to avoid conflict, and for my wanting to please people around me and make them happy. So if I do say something specific it must be something I REALLY want to happen. Or if I post something online, comment on something, or text something that is only because I have really thought about what I was going to write, I don’t blurt. I have quite a bit of patience, and to phase me would probably take quite a lot. So if your kid is screaming in the grocery store, I am definitely not judging you, I am empathizing with you in my head and sending good vibes ;). I truly always want the very best for people.

Going to conferences is probably one of my biggest challenges, yet I still do it here and there to support my husband and to get out of my comfort zone. But if you ask me to share my deepest feelings with a stranger I will probably run in the opposite direction ;). I like to keep things light hearted and positive, peaceful and happy. I love dogs, they are loyal and loving, cuddly and cute and they don’t talk back to me, they show love with no expectations which is just perfect for me. I connect better with one person at a time, and have a hard time connecting with multiple people in a group, but will always do my best #churchwife. If I feel someone really truly ‘knows’ me and has taken the time to, that means SO much to me, and I really love to get to know people well too and serve them how they love to be served.

All in all being a 9 isn’t so bad, but isn’t without it’s challenges. Learning all about my type has really helped me to step out of my comfort zone more, and to know when to take a break so that I don’t crack ;). Also knowing that sometimes conflict is essential for growth has been such a big lesson. I simply can’t avoid all conflict or discomfort and I have really seen how God can grow me through it, and use it for good! A few years ago I may not have been able to say that, or see that. I have also learned a lot about my husband’s type but that is for a whole other blog post I think ;) If you think it would be fun to hear how two opposites like us get along so well, I will do a post about that soon! And If you are also a type 9, or know what type you are, leave a comment and let me know, because were in this together!

stay cozy friends,

Shelley

I just hit EXPORT on the last wedding that I needed to finish editing and I am doing a happy dance, inside as well as outside ;) The end of our busy season is always a breath of relief, but then it’s always a ‘now what?’. Now it’s time to get booking for next year! Starting the first week of January that is, when we get back to shooting our first wedding of the year in photo and video. We are looking forward to that, but also looking forward to a little break too. One of the things that gets put on the back burner during my busy season is my blog, if I get time at the computer I use it to edit or reply to client e-mails and not to sit down and write blogs. So now is the season I get to blog again! It’s something that is so fun for me, and a great creative outlet besides photography. But since photography is still fresh on my mind right now, I thought it would be fun to do a Photographer Q & A! I have been shooting professionally for 11 years now, and I have learned so much along the way. I have grown and had set backs, and learned hard lessons, and had so many great moments too. I know having a photography business can be a trend for some, it’s exciting at first and you get a bit of a high, thinking “wow I could do this forever!” and then there are ebbs and flows and you have days where you really want to throw in the towel and call it quits. (thankful my husband is there during those days to talk some sense into me, love ya ;)) But I decided at the beginning I wanted to do my best at it and stick with it, and I am so glad that I have all these years. I know I won’t and can’t do it forever, but for this time right now it really helps out, and gives me a creative outlet and a way to help provide for my family while still staying home with my kids during the week. If nothing else, those things alone make it extremely worth it. I complied some questions that I thought would be interesting to answer as well as some I got through instagram, and I am excited to share them with you today! These are all based on being a ‘Portrait or Wedding Photographer’ and I tried to keep the responses short, so that it didn’t get too long ;)

What is the Best and Worst thing about being a Photographer?

The best thing is making my own hours and being my own boss while getting to work outside and be creative, also you can’t beat being given a first class seat to so many people’s special moments in life. I also like the fact that I am providing a good service for people and they like it, there is something satisfying about that! The worst thing is putting yourself out there for judgement, and also having to spend so much time in front of the computer with the editing. It’s been killing my eyes so much lately that I ended up buying ‘blue light glasses’ to get me through the long hours, and it really does help! Also, the occasional not so nice client, but honestly I’ve worked with 95% the kindest people and I am so thankful for that.

What interested you about Photography and how did you get started?

I always enjoyed taking a nice picture ever since I was pretty young, with my little pink film camera. I am also pretty creative minded, and love creating things, photography was something I could create and enjoy the process and share with others. I consider it a form of art, and that is was draws me to it. Once I had my first son and subsequently moved out of the country, it was my mission to document his growing up so that I could share his growth with family and friends back home. I received my first ‘big girl’ camera as a gift that year, and I had so much fun taking pictures and posting them. I then started to get people asking me to take photos of their own families, and that’s how it all started! At first I was adamant that I did not want to charge people, as I really didn’t know what I was doing at that point, and I was nervous that charging people meant I had to do a perfect job. So, I started with doing portraits for basically free in the exchange that I could use the photos to build my portfolio. Eventually my husband convinced me that I needed to start making a business out of it, and the first few years I was really motivated and did so many sessions which really helped me learn, and realize what kind of photographer I wanted to be.

How did you know you wanted to specialize in weddings?

If you had asked me 10 years ago I would have said NO WAY would I ever shoot a wedding, I was absolutely terrified of even the thought of shooting a wedding. Then my good friend’s sister asked me if I would photograph her wedding, and I hummed and hawed, but ultimately decided I should try it. (Again with the encouragement of my husband, he really helped nudge me along to do new things with my business) So I shot my first wedding, and decided I didn’t hate it! Yes it was nerve wracking, stressful at times, and a huge responsibility, but I had done it and realized that I could definitely try to do it again. I also saw the interest out there and thought that it would benefit my family more financially to do weddings. Once I started accepting weddings, I realized it was a lot of work, and I couldn’t take on too much more then that, so that’s when I decided I should stick with mainly one genre. I still do portrait sessions here and there when I can fit them in, but I make weddings the main focus. I like that I work one day out of the house on the actual wedding day and the rest of the work can be done at home in my own time.

As a busy Mom what is the max number of weddings you do each year?

I believe that the most I could take on realistically with Homeschooling also is 15 weddings a year, and that would also include engagement sessions, and the random portrait sessions I shoot as well. Shooting the wedding is only one day, but the hours of computer work associated with each wedding is what adds on so much time. If I had more help with the editing, I could probably take on more. But 15 ish a season is the most I have ever done or wanted to do at this point. I also don’t want to start hating it, haha and if you pile on too many your creative juices run out really fast and your going to feel burnt out.

What camera do you shoot with? And what is your favourite lens?

I have been shooting with the Nikon D810 for about 5 years now, and I am quite happy with it. It took years to get the camera that I really wanted, I had to work hard for that , I shot with a less then amazing camera for years, but made it work with what I had! It’s been nice to have the camera I really wanted to for a while now. My favourite lens for about 8 years has been the 85mm 1.4, Ohhhhh baby! I practically never take that off of my camera, you have to pry it from my hands ;) Thanks to my parents who gave it to me as a gift to support my business years ago. When talking to me you will find out pretty quick that I am not a ‘gear girl’ though, I am quite happy with my simple set up, and make it work for me without too many gadgets or gizmos. It’s all about the light for me! Give me some good natural light and I am a happy photographer. I can also add for inquiring minds that I edit with ‘Lightroom’ and not Photoshop, and I have been using Lightroom for about 10 years, I am pretty stuck in my ways with it and probably will never end up learning anything else to ensure I can continue to have a good and quick editing flow. I am encouraging my oldest son to learn Photoshop though, so maybe he can help me out in the future! ;)

When did you become confident in your Photography?

This was a great question that I really had to ponder! I don’t think I am ever 100% absolutely positively confident going into weddings each time, and that is because a wedding is not a ‘controlled environment”. When I book a portrait session, I get a say in the location, I know exactly how many people will be involved and who the people are, I also get to choose what time of day to have the session, which means I get the most ideal lighting that I can hope for. With weddings, you don’t generally get to choose any of those things. You’ll walk into an extremely dark hotel room with one tiny window, black ceilings and have to pull our your photography unicorn skills to get the type of photos you want for your client. Much of the time with a wedding you are not shooting during optimal lighting, (very common actually) where our outdoor ceremonies are in harsh direct sunlight with big casting shadows and again those unicorn skills need to come out. So I think with portrait sessions I feel pretty confident as I have a bit more control, but with weddings I do typically feel more ‘on my toes’ which I actually think is a good thing as it pushes you to do your best and pay attention. You can’t be lazy and ‘check out’ during a wedding!

What is the hardest thing about shooting Weddings?

To go along with the last question, besides the responsibility of ensuring your clients get the wedding photos they always hoped for, the hardest thing would probably be that you have to be ‘on point’ the whole time for however many hours you are there. You can’t wander off and relax, you need to be available, not only there for the bride and groom but being a positive and helpful person to the family and wedding party, holding flowers, getting water, picking leaves out of wedding dress trains etc. all while shooting in many different situations. So you kind of gear up for it, and you go into the day knowing “Ok this next 8 hours is about doing my best for these people, I am going to give it my all, I am going to get tired and worn out and I can rest after!” Also, this is my big tip, go pee and have a quick snack and drink whenever you have the opportunity on a wedding day, because it could be many hours before you could have a free minute to do those things again!

What is one piece of advice that you would give to someone starting off?

I would say to shoot A LOT, every day take your camera out and shoot, in all different lighting, and situations, with different ages of people. Just experiment and see if this is something you really love and try to find your niche if you can. Then you can start to target to your specific client. Once you have figured out what type of photographer you want to be, wether it be a newborn photographer or family photographer, go all in on that one type and learn about it, practice it and make it your speciality. Also know your worth, I have always had trouble with this. Charge what your time is worth and don’t feel bad about it! (preaching to myself too haha) Don’t be afraid to say no to something that doesn’t fit with what you offer. It’s ok to say no sometimes and to not take every booking that you get. Go with your gut and obviously keep challenging yourself, but if something feels off and there are red flags, pass on it. Not every inquiry is going to be the best fit for you and that is ok. I am a big proponent of following your instinct :) One more thing, your style of photography wont be everyone’s style and that is also ok. Put out work that you love and you will attract the people that want what your putting out there.

What do you do while you edit to pass the time?

I mainly put in my ear buds and listen to upbeat music or interesting Podcasts, and try to get into the ‘zone’. To do this I need to close down Facebook and Instagram and take away those distractions (my kiddos and pups are distraction enough LOL!) Chris and I were just chatting about how nice it is when editing photos you CAN listen to Podcasts and things to pass the time, with Video editing you cannot do that, because you need to be listening to your video sound and music to be able to properly make a film. So I’ll take it ;) Snacks that are easily popped into mouth and not messy are always a bonus too.

How do you stay creative and inspired?

Great question! It’s so important to make sure you don’t get run dry, as you don’t want to stop enjoying what you do. I get inspired by nature and natural settings, so a new interesting place to shoot like a new waterfall or trail I hadn’t been to before would be a great inspiration for me! Also I think it’s important to always take time to shoot ‘just for fun’ wether it be your own family or for me shooting nature around me, even just in my backyard. I try to do this regularly to remind myself why I love capturing a beautiful picture. It’s also important to always keep learning, so research and try new techniques and keep challenging yourself in different ways. I will never have ‘arrived’ there will always be something new to learn.

To sum it all up, I am so thankful for the unexpected opportunity I have had in my life to run my little photography business. I never would have thought growing up this would be my occupation! It’s been such a learning experience, and I am very glad that I have stuck with it through the highs and the lows all these years. I am always delighted and grateful for every inquiry that I get in my inbox , and smile at the little excited butterflies that come over me before a wedding. I know that God has used this job to grow me in many ways, and will continue to. And always very thankful for all the lovely couples who have put their confidence in us to capture their precious wedding day memories <3 There are so many more things to share, but I didn’t want to go overboard ;) if you have any more curious questions, leave a comment!

Love,

Shelley