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Friday Randomness : Science Edition
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I n high school, Mr. Sims, the beloved Chemistry teacher, made his students memorize the periodic table. I sat in his AP Chemistry class and watched as he neatly solved scientific equations on the board and spoke about ionic bonds. I don't remember much from the class (except I liked the smell the bunsen burner produced...weird, I know), but what sticks out to this day was Mr. Sims' passion. He'd stand in front of the class with his black shoes and white socks and wave his arms trying to get us to care more about alkali metals and less about prom.
I never worked harder in a class than I did Chemistry, partly because I wanted Mr. Sims' approval and to show I cared about chemically bonded elements (well, sort of). I guess it goes to show that if you love something with all your heart, you'll get others to care about it as well.
Mr. Sims, this Random Friday post is dedicated to you. |
| This is what the periodic table looks like to me these days... |
| I don't know if this lamp is scientific, exactly...but I love it. If a kid asked me how these balloons were illuminated, I'd simply say: SCIENCE, duh. |
| The science of cleaning... |
    
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The Christmas Bush...and a CONTEST!
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O h, how I love the Christmas season. I begged JD to decorate our house with lights and after much debate (Jasmine, why don't we just put lights around our front door instead of the entire house?), we're officially the first on our block to glow at night. I still have to work my St. Nick charm because JD is determined to find a Christmas tree less than two-feet tall. Not only is that very Grinch-like of him, foliage under two-feet is a BUSH, not a tree.
He claims the two-foot Christmas tree/bush is better because he doesn't have to string more lights. His comment was so unseasonal I told him somewhere in the North Pole an elf lost his ears.
Speaking of lights, I received a few emails asking me to clarify the lighting I use to photograph wedding receptions. The answer is two-fold:
1. I use an off-camera light (I breakdown the exact set-up in this post) and my mounted Canon 580 EX II flash for dancing, speeches, candids, cake cutting, and most of the events through the course of the evening. To see an example of how I worked at a recent wedding, you might find THIS POST helpful.
2. I use the DotLine video light for detail photos. JD will stand to the side and illuminate the details exactly how I like them...he uses it like pin lighting if it's not available or fill light when pin light is available. |
| Occasionally I'll use my mounted speed light and video light, but more often I'm using the ambient light and the video light to illuminate the details. |
| I prefer to shoot wide open, so it's very common for me to photograph details at f/2.0 or wider. This allows me to leverage ambient light (even if there's very little) and use the video light to illuminate, say, a centerpiece just the way I like it. |
In light of the Christmas season (I worked hard for that pun), the lovely folks at Adorama are giving away a DotLine video light to a lucky winner!! Ho-ho-hop on over the comment box and let us know the best Christmas gift you received and the winner will be announced this Saturday. The deadline for the contest is this Friday, November 30, 2012 @ 8pm PST.
*******THE CONTEST IS NOW OVER**********
Happy Thursday!
Edited to Add
Big Congrats to JEN SHANNON for winning the DotLine Video Light!!! :) |
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Omaha Wedding : Courtney + Rob
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© Jasmine Star. This post cannot be republished without permission. Stealing makes me sad. |
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M uch to her parents' surprise, Courtney offered to go with them to the conference. It was an annual event in her household, but her dad raised his eyebrows in delight when his daughter offered to walk the trade show aisles of a Salvage Conference in Nebraska with him. Yes, salvage. Classic cars were the family's lifeblood, passion, and career, but Courtney shied away during high school and opted to be involved with a myriad of activities that didn't require four wheels.
As she and her parents walked the trade show floor, Courtney was introduced to Rob and--as the story is often recounted--his chest swelled to twice the size when he talked to her. Rob raced cars, but nothing sped his heart like talking to a sweet girl from Pawnee City. Soon enough, he was driving from Omaha to spend his evenings with Courtney and their love accelerated past the point of no return.
A year later and together with 400 of their friends and family, they promised to love, honor, and cherish. Running from the church, they hopped into a 1956 Chevy Bel Air, but not before Courtney gave a special wave to her dad. He restored the car for her, for that moment, and she radiated with delight.
Courtney and Rob, hope you enjoyed your honeymoon on the Mexican Riviera and worked up a tan that'd make any Nebraskan jealous this winter! Thank you for making Omaha feel like home and spoiling me with true midwest hospitality...I can't express how appreciative I am for your beautiful friends and families! I wish you a lifetime of happiness and, Court, don't let Rob work too late on that new house of yours! Much Love and Appreciation... j* |
| This wedding was held on an absolutely gorgeous winter day in Omaha and though it was windy, the sun shined in all its glory for such a special day... |
| Courtney's mom, Sherri, was extraordinary in planning a perfect day, dressing her daughter, and being a lovely host...she made me want to move to Nebraska and be her neighbor. |
| Courtney and Rob opted to see each other before the wedding and it was perfect! Not only were they excited to see each other, we had time to navigate the random gusts of wind that blew through the city and capture wedding photos... |
| Courtney's dad is so good at restoring cars he made this classic Bel Air look brand new...I don't want to sound creepy, but the carpet was so immaculate I could've dropped a piece of gum and put it back in my mouth without fear of germs. |
| As we drove from one location to another down the street, JD captured this moment of the couple sneaking a sweet kiss... |
| I have a soft spot for Courtney. On her wedding day, she reminded me of the first time we met. Much like meeting Rob, we were introduced at a conference in Las Vegas. I chatted with her and she asked if I'd travel to Nebraska to shoot her wedding one day...her mother jokingly interjected Courtney had yet to meet the right guy, but furthered the invitation. Three years later, I felt incredibly blessed to get her in front of my camera, in a beautiful wedding dress, with the man of her dreams. |
| Courtney and Rob are two of the most fun and playful couples I had the honor of photographing this year. They're always making each other laugh and softly tease under their breath, but in quiet moments, it's only about their love. Wholly. It's as if for a moment the world stops and it's only about their love. JD captured one such moment during their First Dance... |
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FAQ : How to Avoid Procrastination
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I 've been meaning to write this post for a while, but I let other things get in the way...which is ironic considering I'm offering tips on how to avoid procrastination. But, hey, at least I can say I'm a work in process, right? One of the hardest things about owning your own business is setting work hours (especially since I imagined the minute I became self-employed I'd work by a pool and have a cabana boy nearby by to hoist frosty beverages into an umbrella'd glass).
The issue wasn't the inability to work, per say, it was the inability to get things done. There's a big difference. Huge. I'd find myself doing a million things, but at the end of the day I couldn't pinpoint, precisely, what I had accomplished for the business. I mean, it was as if filing my nails, surfing Facebook, or scrubbing my bathroom sink became the utmost important thing at the moment when I was supposed to actually work. |
Through the years, I've noticed a few things that've helped me trim the social fat and be productive...
1. Set a Schedule
Not having a set schedule is one of the main reasons why people procrastinate. It may help to use a day planner or an online app to stay organized, but it's easy to forget to do something, or to avoid doing something if you're not holding yourself accountable at the end of the day. Continuously look at your schedule throughout the day to ensure you're on track.
*Tip: Plan for full work days. For example, the Monday following a wedding is always blocked on my calendar. I don't plan meetings, shoots, or social events because it's a day dedicated to cull, back up, and begin the edit. Allocating a full day to work in my yoga pants, blare music, and plow through organization is extraordinarily helpful in my work/life balance.
*Tip: Set attainable goals. If you try to cram too much into one day, you'll immediately find a myriad of reasons to procrastinate. On your busiest days, set big goals, but also schedule time to relax as well.
2. Break Apart Your Tasks
Sometimes procrastination rears her ugly head because the task at hand seems too large. An example would be culling images from a wedding day. You may have thousands of images to comb through and just the mere though of going through them all is too daunting (particularly if it was a difficult wedding to shoot). In this situation, tell yourself you'll sort through the images in sections of 300, then move onto another small task. By breaking a big edit into smaller sections, the job will get done little by little, with a fresh set of eyes and less frustration. However, set a timeframe in which you must complete this task to hold yourself accountable. (I'm a huge fan of To Do Lists, but you can also see HERE how I divide my tasks on a daily basis)
3. Take Breaks
Taking a break has been the hardest lesson for me to learn. I discovered that instead of being a productive locomotive, I turned into a runaway freight train if I didn't take brief pauses in my day. Because I was determined to get things done, I wasn't doing them at my best...and my work suffered as a result. After you accomplish each small task, give some time to yourself. I habitually give myself a few 15-minutes breaks during the day, during which I walk my dog, waste time on social media, or read a book. This helps keep my sanity in tact.
4. Do It Now
When it comes to little things, simply take care of them at the beginning of each work day. All those little things can add up to serious stress if you continue to procrastinate. If this means paying a bill, go online and pay it. If this means addressing an album redesign you're dreading, do it. Set time aside each day to do the small things that add drama and unnecessary stress in your life.
5. Give Yourself Firm Deadlines
When you have a particular task you must accomplish, don't leave anything up in the air. Give yourself a firm deadline that you must adhere to in the end. When I give myself deadlines, I find myself prioritizing my day around each goal and not focusing on other things I can be doing.
On my busiest days, I create an hour-by-hour schedule to ensure I can accomplish everything I need to in a single day. In this schedule, I make time for lunch, dog walks, checking Twitter, and/or learning a new dance routine in my office. Sure, this may sound ridiculous, but my productivity has increased, my clients are happier, and I turn off my computer at a designated hour every night.
I hope this helps and if you have tips for me, I'd love to hear them! |
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Featured : VeraWang.com
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© Jasmine Star. This post cannot be republished without permission. Stealing makes me sad. |
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H appy Monday and I hope you had a splendid Thanksgiving weekend! I spent time with friends and family...eating copious amounts of carbs and reveling in every second of it. Speaking of appreciation, I'm beyond thankful to work with amazing clients who allow me to do what I love. Sonya and Eric Barton were such clients and their Terranea Resort wedding was one of the highlights of my year.
Of course I might sound biased (as well as the girls from Sterling Social, who planned the wedding goodness), but when Vera Wang contacted me about featuring this wedding on its website, I was beyond honored. Being a wedding photographer is a dream come true, but to see my images grace the pages of Vera Wang makes me feel like the luckiest girl. Ever. |
| As my wedding season comes slowly to an end, I'm incredibly appreciative to pursue my dreams and follow my photographic passion. Many thanks to my beautiful brides and to Vera Wang for designing gorgeous dresses for them to wear. |
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