Things are shifting in the world and everyone knows it. Yet somehow I’m happier than I’ve ever been in my life. I’ve taken everything I’ve ever thought I’ve known and thrown it off a cliff. I’ve taken on a beginner’s mind, a mind like a child. We are in a time of rapid information and change. Children learn so rapidly that they are neither afraid of not knowing nor convinced they already know what they don’t. I figured I could take a lesson or two from that. After a certain age, we start to feel like we know quite a bit about life and no longer feel the need to seek out experience. In essence, we become teachers and get rusty. We take pains to avoid the exposure of ignorance and act as though we know, even when we don’t. But here’s the thing: if you accept and love yourself as you are, engaging in the vulnerable act of learning without fear of looking foolish, you put the desire to grow ahead of defending your ignorance. This applies not only to learning new skills or activities but to all we think we know about life. Don’t let deeply ingrained beliefs limit your experience. For example, we think: “If things get good, something bad will happen,” or “I can’t really have what I want in life.” Sure, you can insist on these beliefs, beat yourself up, guilt yourself into believing you don’t deserve them, self-sabatoge your heart with your mind, find facts from your past to support all this evidence, build a case for why they are so. Doing so shuts the door to the opportunity of experience. As only an empty cup can be filled, so your heart must be empty of pride and what it thinks it knows to receive the gift of wisdom. Embrace humility. Meet life head-on. Drop the case you’ve built for yourself and make room to grow.
We are all changing together. Hold on to one another and keep peace in your hearts.
A brother is a gift straight from God. These two get to share childhood memories and grown up dreams.
Tonight I intently listened to cracks in the sky and took in the gush of pine perfume. This weekend I opened all windows + doors and listened to song birds as I accomplished household chores. I guess the outdoors were missing me again because this short burst of a storm called my name. Nearly as soon as it came, the storm was gone. The stars were out again, cutting the darkness with diamond fire.
18mm, f/3.5, 30 sec exposure
I keep getting a feeling like I’m more connected to the stars and all the people I’ve ever met than I realize. Living in nature helped propel that connection. I am grateful for my sacred space on this Earth, for it is a space of wonder, amazement and creativity. A place to get lost and feel the joy kindred to that of a child. A safe space to learn, grow and create. I am even more grateful clients can enjoy it too. =)
Here is a roundup of the sky this week. It looks like the Moon and Orion are going to either have a duel or a dance off.
–Jamie
I’m still working on some of the pics from this shoot but wanted to post a few of my favorites. My mother in law and Laurean made this shoot happen! Laurean is such a professional and my mother in law used her horse whispering skills to ensure both models were happy!
I designed this shoot by the way. Laurean looked like everything I intended- intelligent, fierce and wild.
Adelynn has a very special place in my heart. I met her on the Vegas strip and now she’s in Texas splashing around with me in rain boots. Her mom and dad have their hands full but she’s one of the cutest lil hams I’ve ever laid my eyes on! Enjoy these fun pics that were taken on my property! It was a fabulous idea to get a house that can double as a studio. These were for fun.
Lil Miss Explorer finding treasures in the yard.
When we were on the back porch, she made friends with my Siddhartha and said, “Baby! Hi baby!” Her momma and I were cracking up.
Welcome to the world prince Hawke!!
Today was special because:
Here are a few shots chosen at random and there will be more where this sweetness came from.
Hello friends! I’ve missed you and know it’s been awhile so here is quick update.
Every cloud has a silver lining.
I moved to the Texas country and choose to spend almost all of my free time on the front and back porch. I feel like I’m in a great creative thinking phase and already have some new ideas to implement into my brand. My father is here and getting settled in. He loves his new doctors and seems to be at peace in the country. He picked out a beautiful color of pale robin’s egg blue-green and the paint looks beautiful on the wall, framing the beautiful view. I have also painted my master closet and bathroom. Next on the list is refinishing tile and painting kitchen cabinets a cabernet red. School starts in a few weeks and I am itching to learn how to code smartphone apps. But for now, I am busy working on the house…
(living room pic below)
Also, we got a new dog!!! Welcome to the wolf pack Cosmos Christoffersen!!!! She’s a 9 m/o pit mutt mix and soooooooo sweet. We were driving by PetSmart and the adoption trap was out front. The sun was shining on Cosmos and I saw something so peaceful in her amber eyes. I turned around and told my hubby that I just wanted to turn around and look at her. Thirty minutes later, we had a new dog with a wonderfully sweet disposition.
Cheyenne is nearing the end. She’s almost succumbed to Cushings Disease, which we now know she had years ago when she drove me insane with accidents. I try to make Cheyenne as comfy as possible but I know the day will come soon. She is losing so much hair and can barely walk. Please send out positive thoughts and/or prayers for her please! She’s such a sweet dog but I can tell that she’s really tired of being in her aching body.
I’ve missed my brother more than ever. I still feel him in my heart and mind. I hear his soft, informative voice. I still wait to read a new beautifully written article or receive a funny and witty text message. I still hear him say, “love you too.” I suppose death is something one never really gets over. You just gotta get through the days and be as positive as possible. It’s so easy to be cynical. It takes work to be positive but I’m up for the challenge. What’s the other option? Be miserable? Not on my watch.
Working around the new house is my meditation. Some think that mediation means sitting in an upright position with your legs crossed in total silence or that it’s anti-Jesus. I don’t think that’s entirely true. Being mindful is meditation. Being in the present and not lost in fearful thoughts is meditation. Flow can happen when you do what you love. I love moving into this house and making it come alive. I love watering the plants. I love how the light in the pine trees gives me a really close guestimate on the time of day. I love hearing the birds, crickets and wind. I’m with nature, where I’ve always belonged. I’ve seen deer in the day and shooting stars at night. And I hope that, somewhere up in the beautiful incomprehensible abyss, my brother is listening to a kick ass song and smiling down on me as I bask in the beauty of the Mother Nature. After all, we need to mind our Mother.
Toodles love poodles. May you have peace and patience in your hearts.
–Jamie
“No, this is not the beginning of a new chapter in my life; this is the beginning of a new book! That first book is already closed, ended, and tossed into the seas; this new book is newly opened, has just begun! Look, it is the first page! And it is a beautiful one!”
― C. JoyBell
Since Jason (amazing photographer friend, Click here to see his awesome work) moved to Houston, he’s demonstrated how to up my photography game with external lighting.
Jason booked the beautiful model, Regan Barwick (Time Talent Agency, LLC) and we set up a shoot by the Menil collection in Houston. I joined Jason as the second photographer on this shoot.
The very talented Lydia Lutz was a true artist with the makeup and styling. See/like her work by clicking here!!!!!
How cool is Regan’s hipster hippie vibe in this shoot?
I love her long flowing locks!
Here are the favorite shots I snapped with my camera…
So, now that I get the science behind external lighting, plan on seeing my pocket wizards, 2xSB600s and SB900 and soft box in future shoots. Having the knowledge of external lighting will make a huge difference in a photographer’s career. If Jason ever gives lighting classes, I highly recommend any photographer to go and listen to the way he teaches- thorough, easy to understand and legit.
Art is the best, isn’t it?? It allows us to let go outside and create. Life is a big classroom and art class has always been my favorite.
Please take a moment to relate this timeline in millions of years to your short span of life. Simply amazes me.
At Houston’s Museum of Natural Science, I took a tour of the world and its history. These pictures were taken in a single building. So many tragedies have occurred lately. It was nice to go to the museum and fill the emptiness with knowledge, perspective and the wonder of Earth’s conundrums.
Enjoy the slideshow!
Jamie Christoffersen Photography 