Hello.  Welcome to some insights into my brain, my personality, my work flow, my techniques, and whatever else I may feel like sharing throughout this blog experience.  

First, let me introduce myself.  My name is Rachel.  This is me:  Oh, crud.  My bad.  I don't have very many pictures of me- classic photog faux pas.  I'll work on that.  Instead, let me pepper in some pictures I've taken that make me smile :)

Mara's bedroom eyesA little come hither from my pupper, Mara. How can you resist?

I have been photographing whatever strikes my fancy for about 20 years now (ouch- that hurts to admit!).  I have been very fortunate in my photo career to have been paid to shoot a wide variety of subject matter.  Everything from working as a contractor for the military as a base photographer at the Air Force Academy, to working and living on cruise ships, to photographing for plastic surgeons.  I like to work in natural light, but I love to be able to control the light in my studio.  I've been digging some macro recently and have been loving some of the results. 

AnneMarie Beard's fabulous purses

This past year, my fiancee and I decided to pick up and move from Austin, Texas, to Guilford, Vermont.  Why- you may ask.  Partially to be closer to some of his family members, partially to get out of Texas (it's just too stinking hot!!!), and partially to quell my natural nomadic tendencies.  So far, I am totally digging Vermont.  Yes- even through the winter.  I'll let you know how I feel about things after mud season though!  The new town and the new state has given me the opportunity to reconfigure my photo business, to decide what I want to focus on, what the community might need in a photographer.  I'm not going to lie- it's hard to move to a small town across the country from friends and connections and try to compete with photographers the towns-folk have known their entire lives.  But I do love a challenge.  

So I'm going to be spilling my guts about this process on this blog- the good, the bad, and the hilarious (because mistakes WILL be made, and I choose to laugh, learn and move on).  With total transparency, this blog is in part to boost the bleeping SEO, because I'm told the more words on a website, the more attention said website gets from search engines.  Also, the more I update the website, the higher it stays on the 'interesting' lists and I might get some action (in the digital business sense- get your mind out of the gutter!).  I will be shocked if anyone other than my mom (hi mom!) and my fiancee (thanks babe!) read it, so I kind of feel free to throw pretty much anything up here.  But maybe any other photographers who are struggling with the same issues I am will stumble across it and get something out of it.  Maybe just a chuckle, or maybe some actual tips and tricks and ways to avoid pitfalls.  Who knows?  

bwaahaahaa

Have a great day!
 

Rachel

LifeSketch Photography