101 Goals in 1001 days...The Next 10

51. Play my guitar every weekday for a month
52. Run Contest on Facebook
53. Ride Mountain Bike RT Christiansen Trail
54. Ride Bike TO trail at Reach 11, do trail circuit and ride back
56. Visit with Jim and Monica
57. Add a Press Page to website again
58. Go to Arches National Park
59. Go to Canyon de Chelly
60. Book 25 weddings a year.

Help A Young Film Maker Live His Dream

I've known Will for just forever...and watched his challenges with Type 1 Diabetes. Will has dreamed of being a film maker since he was a small child and winning the Omnipod Video Competition will bring him a big step closer. Please Help...

What is Omnipod? It is an Insulin Pump that can literally change the life of a juvenile diabetic. Omnipod is giving a Powerbook with filmaking software to the winner of their video competition.

How can you help? I've attached the email I received from Will's mom below. Will produced his video for The Omnipod Competition and votes are counted by the number of viewings. Please use the link included in Harlene's email below to see how the Omnipod gave Will the freedom to pursue his dreams.



P L E A S E pass the following around to everyone you know.....



Our diabetic son William, now 21, is a very talented film student at SBCC. Since he was diagnosed with diabetes at 14 he has struggled with it despite his/our constant attention and care. Earlier this year William began wearing an Omnipod insulin pump and it has changed his life.

Now to the reason for this email. Omnipod has opened a video contest titled "How The Omnipod Has Changed My Life" exclusively for Omnipod wearers. When William learned of the contest it was a natural fit for him as a young filmmaker. The contest is judged on three merits, one being views/hits. We have sent the link to everyone we know, however, we were hoping you would consider sharing it with everyone you know in your email address books. We need a viewership of thousands to be competitive. William has put his heart and soul into this 3 min. piece. The Omnipod has given him so much hope for his future and he is finally feeling he can realize his dreams of being a filmmaker. The prize for this contest is a MacBook Pro laptop (with filmmaking software included) which he desperately needs for his college classes at SOMA-SBCC.

Here is the link to William's video (submissions must be made through YouTube): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQU5U9ADo-Y

Thank you so much for anything you can do to "spread this video"! If you have any questions, please feel free to call us anytime
at 805-964-7612. From the bottom of our hearts we wish each and every one of you a happy, healthy and prosperous 2009!


Love,
Gary & Harlene
You're The Star Video Productions
www.seeyourmemories.com
Voted "2008 Best of Weddings-Videographer" by The Knot Magazine

Hiking Dreamy Draw

Did a short hike today and it was just beautiful! Dreamy Draw Trailhead, trail #220 is an easy to moderate hike that takes you up to a small rock outcropping and then loops around back to the parking lot in about 1.5 miles. So enjoyable ;-)

Adelya + Greg

Stunning, simply stunning... Adelya and Greg tied the knot at the Royal Palms Resort in Scottsdale. Congratulations and thank you for having me be a part of your day!

101 Goals in 1001 Days - The Next 10

41. Have lunch at LoLo's with Wendy
42. Photograph an engagement session in Tucson
43. Re-finish media cabinet in gallery
44. Develop 2 casseroles that can be frozen and kept as staples
45. Print 3 canvases to go over couch in gallery
46. Go to gym twice a week for 3 months
47. Ride bike once a week for 3 months
48. Make amethyst necklace that I've had materials for forever
49. Make Christmas earrings for Amy
50. Learn to play Taylor Swift's "Our Song" on my guitar

An Incredible Photographer - An Amazing Friend

I have this wonderful friend. The warm kind of person that calls just to say hello and when something is wrong steps up to the plate without hesitation. Keith happened to call just moments after I received particularly disturbing news about Bogey and without hesitation asked "how can I help, what can I do?" "A Family Portrait", I blurted out.

I regard Keith Pitts as one of the most outstanding photographers in the country and was truly touched that he would do this for us. Keith did such a wonderful job on our family portrait. It was a horribly rainy day and Keith found a way to shoot it anyway.

Keith and I often chat about the more creative aspects of the art of photography and lately we have been talking a lot about blur. I was thrilled when he decided to create a series of blurred images of us and this one is my favorite.

Got a few minutes? Check Keith and his beautiful images out.

101 Goals in 1001 Days - The Next 10

More of my goals:

31. Check into LLC
32. De-clutter my clothes closet
33. Bring a drink to the guy that holds up the bar stool sale sign on the corner of
Kierland Blvd and Scottsdale Road that always waves and makes me smile when I drive
by.
34. Get a Noguchi table for gallery
35. Get a 52" flat screen tv for gallery
36. Learn to do slide shows at weddings
37. Develop marketing plan to photograph 2010 high school seniors
38. Organize guest room closet
39. Photograph a wedding in Sedona
40. Photograph an engagement session in Sedona

Snowshoes!

One of my goals is to go snowshoeing. With everything going on right now I truly don't know if it is going to happen this winter, but I got a chance to move one step closer last weekend when REI had a snowshoeing clinic. They had a snow strip in the parking lot and even though it was relatively warm out we got to mush through with the different models and drink hot chocolate! It was so much fun and I can't wait to get on real snow up in Flagstaff and try it for real.

Update on Bogey

It's been 4 days since Bogey had his first round of Chemo and he is doing outstandingly! Thank you all who have inquired, prayed, sent good energy and thought good thoughts for our beautiful Bo and our family. It means the world to know how much you care.

Bogey, 24 hours after Chemo.

About Bogey...My Dog

There are few things in life that make your heart stop, time stop, the earth stand still.

Last week, Bo's neck acted up again. A couple years ago he took a header on the pool deck and has had the occasional bout with his neck binding up. This time, it was so bad that meds weren't going to do it, it was time to make a trip into the animal hospital.

Mike is our vet. I think he loves our dogs as much as we do and is one of the few animal docs around that will make house calls. On this trip, Mike was spending to much time rubbing Bogey's belly and not enough time checking his neck.

Lymphoma...

The word stopped us cold. Bogey is 13 years and 2 months, the life expectancy of a golden retriever is 10.5 years and the survival rate of untreated lymphoma after diagnosis is 4-8 weeks. Mike wrapped his arms around his big head while we tried to wrap our minds around facts and figures, protocols and side effects.

We chose chemo.

Dog chemo is not like human drugs. The emphasis is on remission, not cure. With this 15 week round Bogey has the potential of as much as another year of chasing frisbees and summer swims. He has the opportunity to spend a bit more time believing he is still a 2 year old while the world ages around him.

This morning I woke to 92lbs of fur under the blankets nestled in my arms. Bogey blew old dog breath at me with a smile that almost said, "Do I really get to spend the day with Mike...and go for a ride in the car to get there?"

As I write this Bo is attached to a drip with Mike at his side, reading the sport page out loud to him (I hope) recapping the Suns latest win. J. is trying to keep busy at work, Our young dog Zuri is pacing the house, whimpering and looking lost and I am trying to make it through the day working to build the belief that Bogey will go into remission and I'll spend many more mornings waking up to stolen blankets and old dog breath.

Not too long ago I fell on a walk, blacked out and when I came to my big old hero was standing over me, a monster paw on my back crying for the world to hear. He stayed there calling for help, he refused to move or be moved until my husband was brought to my side and he knew I was truly safe. Tonight it's our turn to be his heroes, and I hope we can achieve his level of loyalty and service, that we can serve him as he has served and protected us all these years.

101 Goals in 1001 Days - The Next 10

A few more of my goals:

21. Take Zuri to canine rattlesnake training class
22. Design and order new thank you cards
23. Drop one pants size
24. Actually sit in my vintage lawn chair out front and read (I always forget it's out there)
25. Win an award in PPA International Print Competition again
26. Bake Christmas Cookies
27. Go Camping
28. Photograph Christmas Card image
29. Cook a real dinner and have JT over
30. Take Zuri to 3 Dog Bakery

Weird, Wacky Places and Ways I want to Shoot Wedding Portraits

A list for brides who don't mind getting dirty:

A laundromat
A mom and pop grocery
On a stoop eating ice cream cones
The hot dog cart by the Orpheum Theatre
Surrounded by Peacocks
Jumping into a pool
Underwater? YES! underwater (preferably a destination wedding in the Carribean)
On a motorcycle
Skateboards, anyone?
Playing on Railroad Tracks (oh yeah, been there, done that)
Lying on the ground with puppies, lots of puppies...
Dogwalking really alot of dogs
Playing in the snow


...what's the most insane place or way you'd like to have a series of your wedding portraits done? What kind of ideas do you have?

Goals Accomplished - 25 Books That Will Change My Life

Here's what I've done so far:

Goal #8. Donate 10 pieces of clothing I'm not using. Didn't do much to declutter my closet but it feels good to know that what I am not using will give someone else pleasure.

Goal #24:Actually sit in my vintage lawn chair out front and read (I always forget it's out there)

Goal #44. Develop 2 casseroles that can be frozen and kept as staples. Found a GOOD recipe for an easy old family favorite of my husband's...Tatortot Casserole. Not quite like mom's but deemed damned acceptable. One enjoyed, one in the freezer. King's Ranch Casserole..WOW! Wonderfully fulfilling comfort food that is almost a balanced meal in a baking dish! This recipe is an old Texas Bunkhouse meal and it turns out that one batch will make enough for dinner for two and the freezer! Need to modify just a bit to be nutritionally conscious, after all, does ANYTHING need a full pound of shredded cheese BESIDES pizza?

Goal #49. Make Christmas earrings for Amy

Goal #55. Make Christmas earrings for Lauren


Book #1 of 25...read: Three Dog Nightmare

I just finished reading Three Dog Nightmare by Chuck Negron. So many of us have had our lives touched by magnificent people who killed their bodies, their spirit through addiction.

This book made me realize that sometimes compassion and love make us enablers. That the greatest love of all could be to stand back and allow another person to sink or swim in their own private nightmare.

Reading this forever changed my reality of how I have to deal with addicts in my life. It made me understand that no matter how much I love someone I can't help them if they love the bottle or needle or a little red pill more than themselves, if they have reached a point that their body deems that drug necessary to survival.

Chuck Negron changed my life growing up with his music and has changed it once more with his honesty and candor.

If you have someone in your life that needs chemicals to live while dying, this is a must read.

101 Goals in 1001 Days - The Next 10

Here are the next 10 goals from my list. Adding them in little chunks makes the job so much easier and fun.

11. Design a wedding workflow checklist
12. Shoot a destination wedding
13. Take a road trip and stop along the way at cool places to take photos
14. Get my phone set up so that I can access the internet anywhere on my laptop
15. Go Horseback Riding
16. Make new business cards
17. Display 3 framed photos with vendors
18. Post on DWF once a week for 3 months
19. Day-Trip to Bisbee. AZ
20. Add 5 more weddings to my website

Happy Holidays - My Facebook Has Been Disabled.

Well, it's happened. I was in the middle of responding to an old friend I recently re-connected with on Facebook when suddenly I was logged out. When I tried to log back in I got the following message:

Account Disabled

Your account has been disabled by an administrator. If you have any questions or concerns, you can visit our FAQ page here.

Just earlier, I had written on the wall of an event I created to respond to a few people that had misunderstood what I was offering. I got a stern warning that I was spamming... WHAT?!?!?!?!? Then I tried to send a friend request to a girl who had signed up for my fan page...Again a stern warning: You are approaching your friend request limit, you will be blocked!!!! Then this.

I miss my facebook. I miss seeing Gary Fong's mobile uploads, I miss my friend Wendy and her twittering and Julie flinging Flair my way. I miss the picture of my friend Keith kissing the Stanley Cup. I miss the the long lost friends and clients that came looking for me on facebook because they still wanted a relationship with me.

Did I abuse the privilege as I seem to be accused of? I don't know...social networking is a new species of animal. I truly believe that web 2.0 is the wave of future communication, for personal relations, for business. We are all feeling our way through it and sometimes blundering through it and the new etiquette it demands.

It's been 2 days since I was vanquished from my own personal circle of 802 friends ;-) Do I still want my facebook account? Absolutely. Will I get it back? Maybe not. I've written to facebook and prostrated myself in the hopes they will have mercy and re-instate me (I read on the internet that was a good thing to do). Some people have gotten their accounts back because their friends wrote to facebook asking for their friend back and twittered the cause (hint, hint). And if someone wanted to start a group to petition to bring me back on, well, just know that you would have my undying gratitude and of course I would throw myself in front of a bullet to save you or start a petition to get your facebook back, which ever situation came first.

Friends and Fire

Our good friends B. and M. lost their home in the Tea fire in Santa Barbara last week. The house and all it's contents literally melted in the intense heat destroying decades worth of treasured items collected. I can't imagine the loss. It's got nothing to do with stuff... stuff can be bought again. It's the "stuff"...the finger painting done by the 5 year old that just graduated college, glass bought in Venice, 50 year old Christmas ornaments, wedding photos.

On Sunday we went shopping. A skillet to start the kitchen over, some treats to stock the pantry. We shopped through our Christmas ornaments, too, sharing the memories we've collected through the years with our good friends.

Tod O'Driscoll Headshot

Recently I got to break bread with a good friend of mine and create his new headshots.

Tod and I met for breakfast at Sal's Omelet House, a little diner on Thunderbird and 32nd Street in Phoenix. After breakfast we searched the strip mall for a gritty grungy background and found this great wall at a car repair complete with two homeless guys on the other side of the wall (they enjoyed watching us work!). Thanks Tod for being such a great subject!

HA! I did it!

Got my 101 goals list finished...got extremely hard after about 75, either I'm not very goal oriented or I've done alot of what I've wanted to do ;-)

Keep an eye out here on the blog. I'll be sharing my goals list a little at a time and as I complete each one I'll let you know how it went, too.

101 Goals in 1001 Days

Last night I attended a marvelous program at one of the networking groups in the area. The speaker was Melissa Jill Hester, one of the really fabulous photographers here in Phoenix. This was a different kind of talk. While the second part of her program was photography related, the first was on goal setting. Melissa is taking part in a current trend "101 Goals in 1001 Days".

I'm so intrigued....I'm going to do it, too.

Melissa was kind enough to not only to share her 101 goals, but suggest that the audience steal any of her goals that looked good. So many of hers were so good that making my list is going to be really easy ;-)

I thought it would be fun to share the goals here along with how I do. So here are my first ten. As I work on it, you can watch the progress of making my final list on my TADA LIST.

1. Blog twice a week.
2. Hike once a month
3. Read 25 books that will change my life
4. Learn how to make broccoli-cheese strata
5. Improve the packaging of my products
6. Go Snowshoeing
7. Do a Trash The Dress session
8. Donate 10 pieces of clothing I'm not using
9. Make 1000 friends on FaceBook
10. Get a wedding published in Arizona Bride Magazine

Goth Bride

Happy Halloween!

My Wedding Wish List

I've been thinking about this alot and decided that there are definitely some places that I'd like to shoot weddings at. I'm loving Phoenix and the opportunities here and would like to have the experience of creating memories and great images in:

Sedona
Tucson
Grand Canyon
Aspen
Las Vegas
Key West
Rocky Point
The Yucatan
Paris
Anywhere in Italy

Where do you want to get married? Got a great place in mind? Where could we make some beautiful pictures together?

Sometimes An Adventure...

...turns up from a car ride.

On Saturday we were at the REI Garage Sale at 5:30am(!) to get the best buys and find me a set of trekking poles. My BFF Jim had convinced me that the more I hiked the more I was going to appreciate them once I had them. Well, we scored royally. A set for each of us brand new along with a bunch of other stuff we were sure we needed. I wanted to try the sticks out right away, J. wanted to sleep.

Sunday morning J. surprised me with a trip up to Flagstaff to try out the sticks and check out areas we might be able to have some snow fun in later this winter. We got to Snowbowl and found out that the Skyride was closing that day so of course we had to ride it up to the top. So, we detoured up the chairlift to 11,500 feet and could see all the way to the Grand Canyon!!! On the way up, we saw patches of snow and ice, the tops of aspens and Christmas trees (I mean pines) and a bald eagle. I was so excited that I almost forgot about hiking.

On the way back we found a great little trail on the mountain that wound it's way through lichen covered boulders and aspen groves. Heaven.

Me and Dogs

Everyone that knows me knows that dogs are huge to me. Nothing brings more joy to me than the soft touch of a pup. Here is a guy I came across.

Attention Soon-To-Be-Marrieds!

$99 Engagement Session Blow-Out!

What a fantastic opportunity to try your wedding photographer before you make your big investment!

Outdoor session includes clothing consultation and up to 2 hours photography time. You'll have your own personal website to share your images with your family and friends and value priced print options.

Sessions are limited, be sure to book yours today.
Marcia The Art of Photography
480.366.4476
www.marciaphoto.com

Remembering Paul Newman

Goodbye to one of the world's most popular actors. You made me laugh, you made me cry, and gave this girl the tingles every time you lit the screen. Thank you for so many good times. Vaya Con Dios.

Sedona and Me

I love Sedona...oh yeah, everyone knows that.

Yesterday we did a fast buzz up to catch a lecture by a friend. You might remember Eric Maisel from the interviews we have done together here on my blog. Eric is regarded as America's foremost Creativity Coach and author of more than 30 books. Eric made a little whistlestop on his way to Santa Fe NM for the Creative Cities Conference to do a dry run of his presentation on ways to create experiences for tourists with artists and we were invited to be part of the audience.

We left Scottsdale at 3 and were on Airport Mesa's Vortex before 5. The trail there is so beautiful and it always feels so good to be at one of the vortices. We didn't have time to do the whole loop but got far out enough to get away from people a bit even though it is a popular trail.

I was starving after that (yeah, I know, I'm always starving) so we tried Red Rock BBQ back at the Y. It was FANTASTIC! J. got the pulled pork sandwich and the damn thing was 3 inches high!!! even the people at the next table were asking him how he was going to get his mouth around it. The prices are as good as the food and I love that I can get a 1/4 rack of baby backs.

By then it was almost dark and time to get to the Sedona Creative Life Center. We got to see the beautiful building and chapel right before Eric spoke. I'm going to find out if they do weddings here and see if I can get involved with that.

Back in the Car and home by 11pm with a side trip to Sonic for late night shakes. Sweet.


Me on Airport Loop Trail


Me and Eric Maisel...yeah, I know, the itty bitty flash on my blackberry is really crappy, but the battery in my camera went mysteriously dead on the trail...damn that magnetic energy! ;-P

Al Summers Headshot

Some people are just too much fun. Such was the case with Al Summers who is the Voice Over King of Phoenix (at least I think he is).Here are just a few of his different moods.

From The Archives

Every so often I like to share an image from way back when. I was doing this wedding in Santa Barbara and all of a sudden the family dog decided the most comfortable place to pop a squat was right on the bride's train! I guess he knew a comfortable spot when he saw it!

I am so pleased to announce that our brand new re-designed website is up and ready for viewing! Thank you to all my good friends that have supported me along the way with advice and beta viewings, you all were fantastic.

www.marciaphoto.com
Click here to see it now.

It's almost here!

Aren't unveilings fun? I've been working on my website redesign for what seems to be forever now and it's just about there. Keep checking back here for the official notice that we are up and running!

What do you get when you turn 95? Well, if your party is at Copperwynd, the chef creates something like this.

I recently did a very lovely shoot. Julia Baker Confections is a most remarkable baker and candymaker. Her wedding cakes are sublime and I got to spend some time becoming intimate with them. Here's just a few from our time together.

Well, sort of took the summer off from blogging. Attended to other things. I'm redesigning my website, become a facebook junkie and shot some personal stuff, designed some albums. Glad to have Fall come and ready to share with you.

Getting hitched in the Arizona Heat has it's perks. We offer this special only once a year, only for July and August events. Getting married this summer? Take advantage of our "Sizzling Summer Savings" now!

See our website by clicking below then contact for details through website. Be sure to mention "Sizzling Summer Savings", looking forward to working with you.

Marcia The Art of Photography
Photographing Fashionable Southwestern Brides since 1999
http://www.marciaphoto.com

Alexis and Matt got married and it was a most whimsical wedding at the Boojum Tree!

Thanks, you two for such a wonderful night! Loved working with you!

Weddings are so good...they're even better when it's a friend. I've known Nicole for some time now and nothing could be better than capturing her wedding. Nicole and Fielder had a wonderful day at the Arizona Center and the Wyndham Hotel. Here's a glimpse of Nicole and Fielder's Day.

Jes and Jim got married at the Desert Botanical Garden and it was such a unique and touching ceremony. I was so honored to be a part of their day. Thanks and Congratulations you two!

Talk about GORGEOUS Views! Did my first wedding at Outdoor Desert Center, Lake Pleasant. Congratulations Mariah and Rich! A beautiful wedding for sure.