A New Year!

A new year. This is the time when I sit down and make a list of all the things I plan to accomplish this year. Starting a blog was on the list from three years ago!

First of all, I have to take time to thank all of my clients, without you I wouldn't be where I am today!

A little background: after being in the accounting field for too many years to count, I was given a camera as a birthday gift. I excitedly ripped it out of the packaging, expecting to take the most fabulous photos on earth. In reality, the first pictures were HORRID. The camera was not a "look at the screen on the back" and click kind of apparatus. I actually had to learn how to use the darn thing. One day my very very significant other rented me some studio lights, just to play. I fell in love. I loved the ability to change the way a photo looked just by turning the lights up or down. Or by moving the lights from one position to the next. After that I just wanted to take pictures. I took so many of my kids that they became permanently scarred, now they see my camera and duck. So I begged people from the gym to bring their kids over. Robin G's darling babies were my very first child subjects. Then I advertised. I took pictures for free for six months before I charged my first client.

In the meantime, I was growing more and more unhappy with my 'day job'. Putting up with verbal abuse on a daily basis was no longer fulfilling for me. After a particularly bad incident I packed my desk, dropped off my key, and walked out the door. I never dreamed I would be able to take pictures as a career, I just knew that my career was getting in the way of me taking pictures. Bella Bleu was born! Now I work way too many hours for not enough money, but I couldn't be happier doing it.

And all of this is thanks to my clients. Obviously there are way too many to name, but Casey Jones and everyone at the Stingray Cheer Company deserves a HUGE thank you for helping me to get started.

So in the new year I hope to see many more of you. I have set up the capability of setting your own appointments, enjoy!