I honor the greatness in you

‘Tashi deley’  In Tibetan it means I honor the greatness in you, a way of greeting someone.  During the winter months when it’s slow I read a lot…a lot.  I read during commercials when I’m watching Modern Family.  I read in the line at Starbucks, thank you Kindle Fire.  I read while I’m eating breakfast.  After the busy season I think I just need to recharge my batteries and catch up on reading.  The Other 90% by Robert K. Cooper is my current can’t take my hands off book.  I’ve read it before, but since returning from Nepal it has all sorts of new meaning.  It’s one of those books you read every year, just to refresh and recharge.

Robert talks about a trip to Tibet and how the Tibetan people view life, it’s challenges and the people around them. The Tibetan way of life isn’t far off from what I experienced in Nepal.  Just an overwhelming sense of happiness. You hope for better, but life is good and as it should be right here and now.

Tashi Deley. Just to stop and let those words soak in, I honor the greatness in you.  Everyone has greatness.  And to slow down life just a little and recognize that, is a beautiful thing. Finding my why, why I do what I do.  Why am I a photographer.  Has been a challenge and incredibility empowering journey.  And it’s not over yet.  I know that I want to use my photography and change lives.  How I’m not 100% sure yet, but it’s going to start with the Ronald McDonald house.  Photographing families that are in a situation we hope we’ll never have to face.  Enduring things that can break a person down, but if you let it, build you back up to be an even stronger person.

I can’t wait to share the first family with you all!

xoxo – Rachael

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Project People, week one

Winter is always a low time for any photographer, especially a wedding and portrait photographer.  So naturally there are fewer opportunities to get out and shoot, so I’ve decided I need to do a personal project that would get me outside and shooting.  I wanted something that would push me and make me almost uncomfortable.  Approaching complete strangers on the street is definitely something I don’t like to do, let along asking to take their picture.  It literally took passing by about 4 people before I worked up the nerve to ask this first couple.  But they were great, a little shocked, but obliged none the less.

So I pull the camera up and click off three frames without even really thinking about it.  And he totally called me out on it!  Which I’m so glad he did!  He’s right, I said one picture and I took three.  So challenge number two is, I get one frame.  That’s it!  I have to think about what I’m doing and the shot already in my head before I even pull the camera up.  Which I have to say is really easy to get away from shooting digital.  You don’t have to worry about how much film your using or what it’ll cost if you over shoot.   You have to think before you press the shutter.  Something very easy to forget.

But alas, here is week one.  Three complete strangers in one frame.  My hope is to blog each week on Friday and to do this as long as I feel inclined.  Maybe a year?  Hope you enjoy!

Love that this guy didn’t look at the camera.

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