photos

With the cold weather settling in, my photography business has started to slow down a bit. I am quite thankful for this-I have been a bit in over my head the last few months.

August-November seem to be the busiest months for photographers, and it was definitely the same for me. There were some weeks where I would have two photoshoots a day. I am very thankful that people want me to take their pictures, but I definitely get a bit overwhelmed sometimes.

It gets difficult to balance the business side of photography as well as not start looking at photography as a job. I never want it to come to that point. I love photography, and it is a vast part of me.

I thought for this blog post, I will explain the process of a photoshoot. (In a very simplified form)

People usually contact me via e-mail or phone to book a session. Once their session time comes, I take their pictures (anywhere from 45min-three hours.) Afterward, I explain how the postprocessing goes. I tell them that their photos will be up on my website within a week. I give them a password that allows them to look at their photos once they have their own gallery on annalongworth.com

I let them know that I edit about 15 of the photos, and leave the rest unedited. I do this for two reasons: 1) If I edit all of the images, it is a waste of time. I found this out the hard way. Obviously, they aren't going to order every single image, so putting in hours of unnecessary work is just foolish. and 2) So they can see the difference between the edited and the unedited. (I put the edited images at the front of their gallery so they can see the best ones first.)

I also let them know that if they choose to order a image that is unedited in their gallery, it will get the full editing treatment and everything before it is actually ordered.

About a week later, if they haven't contacted me, I will contact them about ordering. They will then let me know what sizes of what images they want.

Once this happens, I usually start from the RAW file of the images they ordered. I want their prints to be PERFECT, so I spend lots of time on these photos. Especially if it is a large print. For example, someone from a recent session ordered a 30 by 40 print. Yes, as in 2.5 feet by almost 3.5 feet. This was one large print. I zoomed in sooo close when In was editing to make sure that everything was precise and perfect.

Then, I order the prints. Anything larger than an 8x10 I have matted on a styrene board for protection and longevity.

Once their prints arrive, I deliver them, and walah! That's the process.

If you actually read this, thank you! You rock.

If you want to see my photos, check out my website: annalongworth.com

or my facebook page: facebook.com/annalongworthphotography

Thanks for reading!

holidays

Can you believe the holidays are already here? I sure can't. And actually, the last few years never seem like the holidays when they come around. Maybe that is just a part of getting older...Who knows.

I wish I still got in "the spirit" like I did was a kid, but I just can't really bring myself to do it. I am not a fan of Christmas music much at all. Being cold all the time is annoying. The food haunts me, for I fear gaining weight. (haha)

I do love being with my family, the warmth from the fireplace, the coffee hot chocolate (my famous recipe, I'll share below,) and the thrill of seeing everyone so excited.

The world has really cultivated the holidays in a way I really don't like. They seem to come earlier and earlier every year, just so businesses can take advantage and make more money. Heck, Christmas things were up at Wal-Mart the day after halloween.

I also don't like how the focus has become so materialized. I believe that Christmas is meant to be celebrated because of Jesus' birth. And it makes me sad that it has become so much about "stuff."

I won't go any further into that, but I definitely think I am going to try and keep my focus on the real reason.

Anyway, I do happen to kind of like some Christmas movies. My family always watches Chevy Chase's Christmas Vacation, A Christmas Story, and Elf. They are all so funny and it's so fun to watch them and laugh with my family.

I really miss having that childlike wonder when the holidays come around. But, I really do think it fades with age, unfortunately. Oh well....I'll do my best to be positive and stay cheery and appreciate this season; after all..it only does come once a year.

AMAZING COFFEE/HOT CHOCOLATE RECIPE:
okay, it is super simple....but I am mildly obsessed with it.

-2 parts coffee, 1 part vanilla light soymilk
-stir in a hot cocoa packet (I use Swiss Miss Diet Hot Cocoa, it is 25 calories!)
-microwave for 15 seconds since the soymilk cooled it a bit

Enjoy!

fading into winter

The transition from autumn to winter is somewhat melancholy.

Autumn is my favorite season, yet at the same time it saddens me...it just comes and goes too quickly. Enjoying the colorful leaves and crisp air sometimes seems like a race against time.

I leave my house every morning at 8:25am...and every morning I examine the trees while I drive down my street. Everyday I think, "Today I will sit outside with nothing but a notebook and pencil-no phone or technology. And I will just absorb the beauty of this nature."

But, that day has yet to come. September is gone, October is gone, and the middle of November is upon us.

This morning as I drove down my street at 8:25am, I noticed the trees beginning to look bare. Almost a blue look to them-no longer full of vibrant life.

It left me feeling a bit empty-like something just slipped through my fingers.

Then, I flicked my windshield. I heard ice chunks fall to the ground. I looked to my temperature gauge and saw that it was 31 degrees. 

Reality is setting in-the cold is here. Many of us suffer from a bit of Seasonal Affective Disorder. I think everyone does to a certain extent. But it really gets me down.

I guess all I can do is turn on my space heater, burn warm smelling candles, drink coffee, and try to think of all the beautiful things about this frigid season.

the great gatsby

I'm sure many of you have read The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, yes? It is a classic, and for good reason. I am currently reading this book for the second time. There are just so many amazing quotes that fill the pages-Fitzgerald was such a talented writer.

Here are a few of my favorite quotes from the book:

"I was within and without, simultaneously enchanted and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life."

“So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.” 

“And I like large parties. They’re so intimate. At small parties there isn’t any privacy.”

“Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.”

And so many more. How can a book get boring when there are rich quotes and content on each page?

It is a wonderful book, and if you haven't read it yet-I highly recommend it.

I was thinking about creating a new cover for The Great Gatsby for our next project, but I haven't decided yet....

I'm looking forward to this project! Book design, movie design, album covers, etc-that is all right up my alley!