I took a group of teenagers to see an inspiring motivational speaker one day. Not the type with cheesey quotes destined for office posters. No, this guy was real, raw, and honest. He said something that really, really stood out. Dreams don’t come true, Goals do (andagoat.com). Josh Shipp really challenged us to write down our goals, not just live in our dreams.

So I began thinking to myself of all the things I’ve dreamt that just passed me by. So here’s a list of things that have been on my heart and mind. I’m tired of things just passing me by quickly only to discover myself looking back and thinking what could have happened. I’m one year from 30, and two years from 31, time to get cracking.

My 31 things by 31. Items with a strike through I’ve completed since I began this list in December.

31 by 31

1. Get published in a wedding magazine
2. Take pictures of the Redwoods
3. Start a family
4. Start and finish a photo series about the personalities of old, rustic barns
5. Attend a photography workshop
6. Have 3 senior reps at 3 different High Schools on a continuous basis
7. Make a photo series of 20 old doors that inspire me
8. Shoot a trash the dress session in the mountains, desert, city, and ocean
9. Help organize a photo workshop
10. Become a motivational speaker again
11. Shoot a wedding in another country
12. Be the speaker / teacher at a photo seminar
13. Hang out with a Nat Geo photographer for a day (Thanks Jim Richardson)
14. Begin a Photo Club at the local high school
15. Start working with Alien Bees and Strobe Lighting
16. Buy a 5D2 camera or whatever replaces it
17. Start shooting with Primes (85 1.2 and 50 1.2, 24 1.4)
18. Re-Brand my studio to truly reflect who we are and where we
    

I am so pleased to announce that we are now offering the finest flush mount albums that are hand made in Italy to our brides. I have to be honest. over the last few weeks when I knew the albums were being finished, I felt like a little kid again waiting for a Christmas present. Man, was the wait worth it.

First Obversations

• Man, it is HEAVY!!! We all know that weight usually means quality in this gorgeous 16×20 album. I know that’s huge right? But they come in tons of sizes from 8×8 all the up to the 16×20. It has a brushed aluminum cover with engraving in it. The greatest part about the cover? Don’t worry about finger prints, just brush them off with the rag. The cover is solid, fastened to the album that will last and last.
• Image Quality – WOW. I love metallic metal prints, so we chose to go with a Metallic paper for our album. It brings out the highlights and skin tones like no other and the shadows really add drama. I’m really, really picky about my prints, and I am very happy with the quality of them, especially since the full spread images are almost 3 feet long!
• Attention to Detail: The leather seams, the pages, everything is perfect! When they say hand made in Italy, they are really meaning quality here.
• Style – They are beautiful, stylish, a little edgy, and everything else that Italy symbolizes.

Other Goodies

• We also have Parent books to offer which are identical sets of the large books available for our brides. These can be up to 8×12 and are printed on beautiful textured Linen paper…cool
• Purse / Pocket Albums – A little bigger than my Blackberry, these are identical layouts to the large coffee table wedding albums but fit in your purse or pocket to show friends, family, etc…

So, here are a few pics when I woke up early this morning at 6:00am….without an alarm clock….for the second day in a row. Here’s to being a morning person.

I ordered the brief case separately for me to take and show my clients and other vendors. It’s custom made to fit the album.

Well the end of 2010 didn’t quite happen how I wanted it to, snowed in our house with most of the roads impassible with ice, but 2010 was seriously an amazing year.

Some Personal Highlights

I got Engaged (Wohoo!)

I got Married (Even bigger Wohoo)

We moved to a small town but we’re still super close to Denver

Found a Church I love

Realized just how much I love being a Denver Wedding and Senior Picture Photographer

Visited my parents in Sunny San Diego and finall had REAL Mexican food again

Met tons of new people in Colorado with many awesome photographer friends

Went on a great Cruise to Mexico