Bokeh - lighting up a grey January

The gorgeous Oliver & family, complete with glowing orbs of mystery behind them - Kristin Burns

You can't swing a dead cat around a design or photo blog without seeing something about bokeh lately. Wikipedia says the "term comes from the Japanese word boke (暈け or ボケ), which means "blur" or "haze" - all I know is it's pretty.

How to make Andrew, 14, even hipper? Bokeh behind his spiky hair - Kristin Burns

I really like bokeh lights and it turns out Christmas tree lights look pretty cool all blurry. I usd the effect in a few of my holiday portrait photo shoots last month and my clients all flocked to those particular shots.

Bokeh glows almost as much as Erin's smile - Kristin Burns

There are some products out there to help you make cool shaped bokeh. But I enjoyed Lifehacker's tutorial for do-it-yourselfers. Maybe some heart shaped bokeh for Valentine's Day shoots? I'm starting to book up for the upcoming weekends so call or email me soon for your baby or child to have a session too.

January Goals and Busy December review

 

 Buck up, chica, January isn't that bad! Diana 12.19.09 Kristin Burns

Last month was the end of Jena's Modish Biz Tips monthly meetup, but luckily Liz at Athena Dreams has picked up the reigns. Welcome to all the amazing Meetup group! I'm hoping for more of the encouragment and inspiration from everyone here! Please comment with your blog/site so I can check out your goals this month too.

Although my goals are a week late (due as much to enjoying my husband's winter break from his PhD studies as to my procrastination) I think they're still going to get done.

First a look back at my December goals:

1. Really enjoy the holiday season with my friends and family - Done, with gusto!
2. Have fun at the chaotic, busy but rewarding days of shoots - be they in-home, mini-sessions or, gasp, Santa - Done, never had a busier $$$-er month as a photographer
3. Purchase/order/make thoughtful gifts for my favorite people - I hope so
4. Taxes! - Pushed to this month to take advantage of a fabulous new accountant
5. Reach out to people I admire for more support & ideas - Some but not enough 

Feeling a bit unmotivated this month. I really think I would have been smart to schedule some of the 765846 December shoots in January instead but I was really trying to get everything done before the holidays so my clients would have photos to share with their families. Now I've lost some of the momentum that carried (or possibly drove along tidal wave style) me through December.

Enough griping, here's January's goals:

1. Update photo galleries with new work

2. Prepare for upcoming art fairs

3. Reach out to people I admire for more support & ideas, including adding a blog-roll here

4. Blog ahead more

5. Schedule 3 in home shoots

Come out, come out, wherever you are!

Relax! I won't bite. Nina - Kristin Burns

Sometimes when I should be doing something a little more productive, I get caught up in Google Analytics. An amazing tool for tracking popular content on my websites and blog. Checking in to see pageviews and unique visitors? Great use of my time. But too easy too slip through the rabbit hole into maps and click overlays. Hours have been mysteriously lost.

One thing I've learned is that I have a lot of readers here. Hooray! But very few of you follow or comment. I know I'm guilty of the same thing since most blogs I follow through Google Reader instead.

So here's a no-judgment, come-on-out-of-the-woodwork post!

Your incentive? I'm working on a blog roll.  Comment with your website or blog link and I'll check it out and add it to the list. No blog of your own? Comment anyway to say Hi!

Not another New Year's Resolution Post

Instead, a look back. Sophie 12.19.09 Kristin Burns

Now not to get all mushy Christmas Letter, but 2009 was quite a year. I'm going to post my January goals in another post, but first a look back at the end of the aughts.

Luckily it's a mostly positive look back. I came through the first full year of motherhood relatively unscathed. We have a fabulous sitter that gave us a breather from the early days of relying solely on ourselves and our family. I loved most of my freelance photo editing jobs, including a wonderful 6 months at Reader's Digest. And most of all, my used-to-be-a-hobby baby photos turned into a business that let me balance it all while doing something creative and genuinely fun.

If I had a word for 2009 it would have to be "Yes." Join in an art fair? Take photos of a birthday party? A strings recital? Kids with Santa? Sure, why not?

It wasn't all hunky dory. I had one office gig that drove me to tears. Luckily (?) that ended when their funding ran out for me. I learned about it on what would be my last day in a meeting in front of 20 people who thought I already knew. P-p-p-p-pokerface, thank god!

Still, that brief project was at least well-paid and easily forgettable. I met so many amazing families through my photo work. I feel much more connected to our neighborhood. Our friendships - especially with my daughter's friends' families - are stronger. Our families expanded and got closer as the next generation spiced things up. My husband somehow managed to handle school/home/marriage/fatherhood and we actually got out on our own a bit more. And my daghter changed from a baby into a VERY independant toddler.Walking, talking, dancing, laughing, kissing - I can't count all the "firsts" 2009 brought us.

Still I'm excited to move on to 2010.