New Year and a New Camera

So I admit, I got off to a rough start with my photography blog. With the weather in New Jersey being uncooperative and sort of yucky overall---I haven't been out shooting at all recently. That being said, I did find the time to upgrade from my Nikon D60 to a Nikon D90 and am ABSOLUTELY in love with it. It's a great camera, lots of neat extra features and amazing performance at higher ISOs. It's definitely been a lot of fun playing with so far.

For Valentine's Day, my Hubby Erik had planned a trip out to a local vineyard to do some wine tastings and let me try out my new friend. Unfortunately, after 2 hours of driving we couldn't find the place and ended up scrapping the idea and headed home. I did end up with a shot of the roses that I got for Valentine's Day that I really ended up liking, so I thought it would be a good first image to post as a late present to anyone who may be reading this. Hope you had a great V-Day. I'm not big on this holiday, but it's always nice to have an excuse to get flowers---right?

Here is the shot I took while putzing around a few days after the 14th.




The weather tomorrow is supposed to be less than pleasant (we're expecting about 10 inches of snow here in New Jersey) but who knows, maybe since I'm stuck inside it'll be the perfect opportunity for some pet photography and getting a better handle on my SB-600.

Until next time,
Ann!

So I decided to create a photography blog.

And here it is. This is my first ever blog and I hope it's something that I can update pretty regularly, although I can make no guarantees that the content will be even remotely interesting.

First let me start out by introducing myself. My name is Ann. I'm in my mid-20's and am married to my High School sweetheart, Erik. After a bit of bouncing around due to Erik being in the US Navy, we are finally settled in our first house in Southern New Jersey along with our six cats and two dogs.

Photography is something that I enjoy, something that I am striving to learn more about everyday and something that I (one day) hope to do for a living because as the saying goes "If you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life." I see photography as a way to express myself, a way to capture special moments so you are able to appreciate them for the rest of your life and a way to bring joy to others.

There have been few things more rewarding in my life than the gratitude expressed by clients after completing a job. Seeing parents look at photographs of their newborn and how their faces light up when they see the first shot of their little fingers and toes, seeing a Christmas card come in the mail with the smiling faces of a family around the holidays and knowing that I helped create it and made a little impact in their lives. It's a wonderful feeling.

My preferred shooting style is more photojournalistic in nature. I love candids. For me, they seem to offer a little peek from an outsider's standpoint at the individual or family and what they are feeling. Photos of a child tasting their first apple and the way their cheeks pucker at the sourness of it, photos of a stranger sitting outside painting and enjoying what they are passionate about or even photos of an individual standing alone on a street with a look on his face that tells you he is lonely----all of these images tell a story and evoke emotion.

My goal for 2009 was to start putting myself "out there" more and I am currently in the process of re-vamping my photography site, starting my blog and designing advertising materials to distribute locally in order to get my name to the masses! So here's my little plug...

If you know anyone who is in need of an affordable photographer, whether it be a birthday party, family portrait or bridal shower---keep my name in mind!

Please feel free to contact me for additional information such as pricing, availability or if you would like to see sample photos.

Ann Lusas
A.M.L. Photos
andrea.lusas@gmail.com
http://annnewjerz.smugmug.com

Have a fantastic week and looking forward to shooting your special event!

Ann