a work in progress....

will I ever be more?

hopefully not;)

2010 was an interesting year for me. I learned a lot about myself as a photographer. I was in this funk. I was working, but not enjoying it as much as I used to. I got really down. I can't believe I have my dream job and I'm STILL not happy? I had to make a change. One thing I have heard over and over in my 3 years in the photography business is to find what you love to shoot and find what sets you a part from everyone else and go with it. You can be okay at everything or really GREAT at one thing. Does that make sense? So what do I love to shoot, where do I think my strengths are, what really sets me on fire..... it's definitely without a doubt shooting people in love. I love Wedding Photography. This really freaks some photographers out. I have heard many times from them WHY? and the answer is: I have no clue? Maybe I'm an adrenaline junkie. I just love the fast pace! and of course all the beautiful flowers:) No.. really...I love it. I love seeing the Bride nervous with anticipation, but also glowing with the happiness of living out something she's been dreaming of since she was a little girl. I love seeing (and meeting) all the family and friends that come together to witness such a special occasion. You meet people from all over the country! and for the most part everyone is always in a really great mood. What's not to love? The one thing that I love the most though is knowing that I'm doing  something that really matters. These photos will be passed down through the years, to children, and then grandchildren. These photos will out last me. When I'm gone a piece of me will go on in every photo I took. That really means a lot to me. 

I never thought I would be a photographer in the first place. This was something I just kinda ended up doing because I loved taking pictures of my son Jackson. I just found myself taking photos of flowers and trees and everything else under the sun, and I realized I really loved it. I wanted to get back to that feeling. For a while I had lost that passion. I knew I had to find what I really loved about this business and just go for it. Now I'm not saying I will NEVER do any other kind of photography. I have too many wonderful, faithful, tried and true clients that have supported me from the beginning to just say "sorry you'll have to find someone else." I will definitely still do all different kinds of portrait photography, it will just be on a limited basis. Some months I may not be able to take on other shoots if I already have quite a few weddings booked. I just want to be able to devote all the time I can to my Brides. With Wedding Photography, or at least for me, it's a process. From the first meeting until the actual wedding date I will have meet with and talked with the Bride many, many times. I want to get to know them, find out who they are, and what kind of wedding photos they are envisioning in their head. I feed off of those ideas and try my best to bring them to life. It's really cool to watch how it all comes together on the big day after you've talked about it for so long. I just really enjoy the whole process and I want to devote as much time as I can to making myself the best Wedding Photographer I can be. So that's why I've made the choice to specialize in Wedding and Engagement Photography. If you would like to book a session that is not Engagement or Wedding related please by all means still contact me, I'm sure we can set something up somewhere along the line, even if it's not right away.


So that is why there have been some changes to the website and blog, and me:) I'm happy to be starting this new chapter and I look forward to where it takes me.

Carrie Olson Carden