It's been exactly 24 hours since I made my complete exodus from Facebook.

Yes. I did it. Really.

And before you ask, yes, I'm okay! In fact, I'm better than okay. I feel great.

Why, you ask, would I leave Facebook? Am I still doing photography? How are you going to know what's going on?

Well folks, here's the long story I promised I would reveal.

This has been coming for quite some time, probably at least 6 months. I first toyed with the idea of leaving this crazy social network way back in the fall. But I worried about my photography business, and how it would be affected.

For so long, I have sought out other photographers on facebook for inspiration. Being fairly new to photography, I was searching for different ideas, and trying to figure out how to make them my own. I "liked" lots of different photographer's pages, including many of those photographers from the local area. My news feed on facebook was a barage of photos... not so much my friend's photos, but updates from photographers from all over... all their latest work. In fact, once you have so many "likes" on your facebook, you will probably start to notice what I did... that your real "friends" were hard to find! Still, I loved all the eye candy, the photos with delicious light, adorable families, bright colours, and unique props and backgrounds. It was constant stimulation of the photography senses.

That's when it started. One day I uploaded some photos to my photography page. These were photos I absolutely loved, and I was so proud of myself for being able to produce them. I thought to myself, wow, people are going to think my work is so awesome once they see these. The comments will come flooding in! Well, there were comments, a few anyway, but not tons like I had hoped. Then there was this other photographer I know. Well, she put up an album. I liked the photos, although they were completely different from mine. Not better or worse, just different - shot in a studio. (For those of you who follow my work, you will know I shoot only on location, using as much natural light as possible). The comments? Well, let's just say people were loving those photos. The comments were insane! I could hardly believe it! What did all these people like so much more about her photos than mine?

And that's how the self-doubt started. No matter what I shot, and how much I loved it (and my clients loved it), I was always amazed at how little "comments" I received on Facebook. I was always left wondering "why not me... aren't mine as good as hers?". I wondered if I should even be doing this thing called photography... if everyone loves her photos so much more than mine, why bother? I comment on hers, why doesn't she comment on mine?

That's when it hit me. A light bulb went off. Do I really need to look at all these photos for inspiration? What good is it doing me to look at all these other photographer's work, if all it does is cause me anxiety and self-doubt? I have expressed these feelings to a few good friends, and they wonder why I feel like this. They tell me how awesome my work is, and are amazed that I could ever doubt myself like this. So I took the first step in my facebook "detox" and I started removing photographer's from my facebook news feed. I didn't delete them, I just removed all their posts from my daily "gossip central". For awhile, it worked. I didn't see their multi-daily posts, and I was feeling pretty good. Then I started checking their pages occasionally, just to see what they were up to. Pretty soon I was checking them constantly again. And the feelings started to return. I thought to myself, I can't keep doing this. I need to take these people off of my facebook completely. That way, the temptation is removed for me, and I can go about my daily business. I might even get to see some of my actual friend's photos, like the ones from their trip, or their new engagement ring, or just what they've been up to this weekend. The stuff I actually loved seeing when I first when on facebook back in 2007.

Unfortunately, when you remove people from your facebook account, sometimes they take it personally. Of course, this was only personal to me, and had nothing to do with the people I  removed. It was to help me keep my own head on straight, and to help me focus on what was really important to me. Then I heard that someone had posted on their facebook wall about how I had deleted them. Obviously they weren't impressed with my actions. That's when the next a-ha moment came

Why am I even on here? Am I getting anything out of this anymore?

The answer is no. The only thing facebook was doing for me was causing me anxiety. Some people will laugh and call me crazy, but I bet if you talk to a few people, you will find I'm not the only one who wants to walk away from it too. It's a great place if you want to gossip, play games, and chat. But it takes up so much time in my day. And when you are busy (like most Mom's are), then you will soon realize if you weren't on facebook, how much more time you would have for other things.

I asked my daughter earlier tonight if she thought I spent too much time on the computer. "Yes Mommy".  What site am I on the most Emma? "Facebook". What if I told you I wasn't going to be on it anymore? "YAY Mommy!". Does that mean we will have more time together? "Yes! Now we can play games together or maybe even play on the Wii!". What's really important to me right now? My family and my friends. Obviously I still love photography, but I just won't be sharing it on facebook with anyone anymore. Of course, if you want to, feel free! Starting in 2011, I will be providing all my clients with a CD of web-sized, watermarked images, suitable for sharing on Facebook, Twitter, or just for e-mailing. So you may still see some of my work on there now and then :)  I will be posting my work regularly on my blog and my website though, and I hope you will all bookmark it and check it regularly to see what I've been up to! In the meantime, I want to share some of my favourite little person that makes everything I do worthwhile :)





I can't tell you how liberating it felt to deactivate my account. Although, if you do it yourself, be forewarned that they will do everything they can to keep you from completely deleting it. But once I was completely gone from it, it felt great. Of course, I'm not telling you to delete yours at all; but it was definitely the right decision for me, both personally and professionally.  Sure, I don't know what you had for supper, or what photos Photographer A or B did this weekend, or if you have played Bejewelled lately. But what I do know is this....

I'm ok!!

Call me! Email me! I'm not going anywhere, and neither is my photography. In fact, I can't wait to see what 2011 brings. I promise you, it's going to be the best yet! And I can't wait to share it with you all!

I have revised my current pricing for 2011. The link for portrait pricing is here:

http://www.fkphotography.ca/Pricing/Private-Portraits/12866817_rE8Sb

... and the link to wedding pricing is here:


http://www.fkphotography.ca/gallery/9713665_bhee4/1/658983996_BGteD


I also want to remind you of my client loyalty deals:  all former clients (wedding or portrait) get $20 off of the sitting fees... for LIFE. Also... refer 3 new clients to me, and once their sessions are completed, you get your sitting fee for free! It's my way of saying thanks for being such amazing clients. 

Providing you with portraits that are different, that are unlike what everyone else has.... portraits that you will be proud to display in your home... that is my goal. If you invest in me, I promise that this is what you will get.  They may not be your "typical" portraits that you would expect from many photographers; what they will be, though, are photos that are unique and reflect you as a person. I think these photos of the Rooney Family session from last summer are a perfect example of what I am talking about:







And who knows.... you might be surprised by just how much fun you have! There may not be a mud fight, like in these photos (which was completely spontaneous by the way)... but I assure you, you will have a blast!

I hope you all enjoyed peeking through my favourites of my business so far.... I still find it hard to believe that so many of you have trusted me in preserving these precious moments for you. For that I am so grateful. I look forward to many, many more moments being captured this year, and in the years to come!! So thank you from the bottom of my heart :)

With that said, I would like to show you the photos that really stood out in my mind these past 16 months. These are the photos that, I can only hope, will be printed LARGE and hung on someone's wall. A 4x6 print just does not do these photos justice!
























These photos stretch all the way from my beginnings of my business, to recent images at the end of 2010... it has been a fantastic journey so far and I look forward to having many more favourite images in the years ahead! Hopefully some of them will be your favourites too!!

So I have been promising to reveal all of my personal favourite images since I started doing photography on a professional basis. I thought it would be easy. Wow was I ever wrong! I have been so blessed to have had so many amazing clients over the last 16 months, and I had such a difficult time narrowing down what images to share. I thought I was doing well, when I realized I had well over 200. After careful consideration, still over 100. Well, I just can't cut it down any more folks. So here are what I consider to be "honourable mentions". I love these images for so many reasons.... it could be the expressions; the moments; the lighting; maybe it was a new photography technique I was able to try out; or maybe I just love it and I honestly have no idea why. Whatever it was, I was definitely drawn to these images.

I included a few shots of two of my favourite people, Emma and Mickey too, of course :) They are my ultimate inspiration!!  So here goes, hope you enjoy :)







Please leave me a comment, I love to hear your feedback! And don't forget.... keep your eyes open for Part II of this post, coming soon.... my ultimate favourites!!

As many of you who know me may already be aware, photography is not my main career. I am actually a pharmacist. And let's face it - a pharmacist is a very secure, highly-respected career. Because of this, I have been asked (on more than one occasion) WHY.... why oh why would you take up a second job... are you nuts? There are lots of other photographers around, so why bother?

Well, this post is to tell all of you just why I started doing photography in the first place. 

Let's go back a few years.... circa 2001. My first digital camera. My dad gave it to me as a graduation gift, as I was finally finishing up pharmacy school and heading into the real world. It was a Fujifilm, 1.3MP, and I'm sure terribly expensive. The quality of the prints was less than stellar. But I LOVED it. Film was great, sure, but you could see the photos on the back of the camera! How cool was that!

Then a few years passed, and along came Emma, September 2004. I wanted to capture all her little moments. But my original Fuji camera was no longer cutting it. So we sprung for a super awesome (and again very expensive) Canon digital point and shoot. Even more in love. What a fabulous camera. As I played around with it more and more, I realized how much I loved taking photos. Of course, I eventually wanted to upgrade, and along came my first SLR, the Canon Rebel XSi. All I have to say is WOW. Fantastic. I kept playing around with it and was just amazed at all the things you could do with it.

Somewhere in the middle of all this, there was some major personal turmoil. Maybe it's just because I'm getting older, but I started realizing how short and precious life truly is. People we loved and cared about were no longer with us.... sometimes without any warning.... and all we had to remember them with were photos. 
  
I think this song by Lady Antebellum is a perfect way to express that feeling:


One day, out of nowhere, I had an a-ha moment. I would love to be able to take photos for other people, photos that they would treasure for years to come. Possibly generations. Because life happens... and all we will have left to hold onto the memories are those photographs.  Sure I had a career. A great one at that. But what if?? What if I never pursued this, and when I'm old and gray I am left wondering "what would have happened if I had pursued that love of photography?".

I did not want to live with any regrets. So that's why I do this.... I live to be inspired by moments.... those moments that you will look at years down the road, and that will make you smile..... laugh.... maybe even shed a tear.   That's why. Because I love it.... and I so badly want you to be able to remember those moments of your own... and to FEEL.

Photographs. Treasures.  Works of Art.  Memories that last a lifetime. That's what your photos should be. If you grant me the privilege of capturing your memories, that is my promise to you.


Coming in a few days........ some of my favourite images, both personal and professional, from 2009 and 2010. And why they are my favourites. I can't wait to share with you! 

Thanks for reading, I know this was a long post.... and I really appreciate you taking the time to read it all. I look forward to being inspired by you and your family some day :)

Hi everyone! Thanks for checking out my new blog! This is something I decided I wanted to start for 2011. Stay tuned for updates coming very soon!