Archives For scott bourne

Starting Fresh in 2011

Tasra Dawson —  January 1, 2011 — 8 Comments

Summing up an entire year is quite a task, so I won’t try to cover everything. Even Chris Brogran kept his summary minimalist and encouraged others to do the same.

Planning for a new year is an equally large task, so I’ll focus on the highlights.

Doing a bit of both is inspiring, powerful and will engage the best parts of you, so I highly recommend creating your own year-end successes and year-ahead plans.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS (in no particular order)

  • Lost 20 pounds
  • Completed tasra365 photography challenge
  • Spoke at SPA (Senior Portrait Artists), POSH, WPPI Pictage booth, MTPPA
  • Launched Teen Identity Photographers Network
  • Launched Teen Identity Model Program and shot most portrait sessions in a year
  • Featured in PPA Magazine for Teen Identity Portraits and Magazine
  • Partnered with C28 and Christa Taylor clothing lines
  • Designed/selected new logos for The Femme Fotog and Teen Identity
  • Created and shot photo series, “Voices of the Victims“
  • First gallery showing of images
  • Guest blog on Scott Bourne’s PhotoFocus blog, including selection as Top 100 WordPress blog post
  • Teen Identity Models selected as SPA Model Finalists
  • Won Ronzoni + Mom Central, Snap Suwanee, and POSH Inspiration photo contests
  • Emerging Photographer of the Year Finalist
  • Images selected for display in COLOR gallery
  • Selected for CreativeLIVE David DuChemin Vision Driven Photography Event
  • Planned and created Suwanee Festival of Books + Teen Identity Fashion Show and Event
  • Attended Spread the Love and Fast Track Photographer

2011 PLANNING (initial ideas for who I want to be and what I want to do… still working out the details)

  • Healthy
  • Maintain weight loss
  • Relaxed, peaceful
  • Take trip to Europe
  • Increase and enhance Teen Identity Model Program
  • Shoot 100 or more teen/senior photos
  • Edit and publish teen novel (two drafts already complete)
  • Consistent blogging on The Femme Fotog and Teen Identity
  • Launch The Femme Fotog Coaching Program
  • Write and publish tasra365 book or ebook on improving your images 300% in one year
  • Attend photo workshops and conferences

So, what’s on your plate for 2011? Have you taken a moment to celebrate your 2o11 successes? I’d love to hear about them and celebrate with you!

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How Photographers Really Get Better (D365)

Tasra Dawson —  August 31, 2010 — 26 Comments

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It’s not by spending thousands of dollars on the latest gear and lighting equipment, according to Zack Arias who learned his lesson the hard way.

It’s not by pretending to be someone you’re not because we’re supposed to K.I.R. (“keep it real”)… at least that’s what Jasmine Star says and it seems to be working pretty well for her.

It’s not by taking a perfect picture because Joe Buissink says they don’t exist.

Have you figured it out yet? How do photographers really get better? How do they go from the green box of automatic to the masterful “M” of Manual?

tasra365 finale photo collection How Photographers Really Get Better (D365)

One word: WORK.

Encapsulated in that one word are variations on the theme like discipline, commitment, perseverance, sacrifice, connection, vision and honesty.

The work isn’t always external with the camera, sometimes it’s the hard work of hammering out your vision or unearthing your passion. Sometimes it’s about taking a good long look in the mirror and changing the things you don’t like staring back at you.

tasra365 finale photo collection 3 How Photographers Really Get Better (D365)

How do I know? 365 days of doing the hard work has netted me some benefits and improvements in my images that are not only unexpected, but have been highly rewarded as well. From publication to awards, accolades and testimonials, the return on investment in the tasra365 project has been more than I set out to achieve.

Did I really believe it was possible to improve 300% in one year when Scott Bourne issued the challenge? Not really. I thought maybe 100% and would have been happy with even those results. But I have to admit… he was right.

tasra365 finale photo collection 2 How Photographers Really Get Better (D365)

Dedication to taking an image every day, reading your camera manual and studying the work of master photographers will yield photographic improvement you never dreamed possible. I’m speaking from my own experience and that of over 520 other photographers who joined the challenge at some point in the last year.

The process works. It’ll change your images. It’ll change your life.

The only question left is… are you ready? This is your time. Tonight. Today. This moment. This now.

Don’t leave the moment of today without making a commitment to yourself. Whether that’s signing up for the challenge, getting connected with other photographers (have you signed up for the newsletter?), staying inspired, or reading a camera manual page ever day.

Do something.

Do the work.

tasra365 finale photo collection 4 How Photographers Really Get Better (D365)

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Skipping School: Skip’s Summer School (D341)

Tasra Dawson —  August 7, 2010 — 2 Comments

It’s true. I’m skipping school this year. Skip’s Summer School starts tomorrow with an all-star lineup of speakers, but sad to say my hubby and I won’t be there. It’s not for want, but for priorities. With two kids walking through major milestones on Monday into their first years in public elementary and high school, we need to be home.

So I’m cheering the photographers on from afar and reading over my notes from last year’s event. Ron and I were honored to be presenters and spend the week with some amazing photographers. Skip’s Summer School was also the genesis of tasra365 at dinner with Scott Bourne.

I thought I’d share a few other highlights from the presenters last year… notes recorded in my trusty moleskin….

tasra365 skips summer school Skipping School: Skips Summer School (D341)

Scott Bourne on social media:

  • Set clear goals for what you want to do with social media, i.e. Twitter
  • Identity an audience and tweet/talk to that audience
  • Twitter rewards the person who is generous, i.e. time, resources, products, information

Bambi Cantrell on saying no to clients and “perfect” images:

  • Shake your head and say “I wish I could.” It’s a soft way to say no.
  • Focus on expression over perfection

Kevin Kubota on finding flow and Lightroom:

  • Strive to fill 60-70% of your conscious time with FLOW activities.
  • Delegate office processes and use computer shortcuts

Dane Sanders on who you are as a photographer:

  • Capture moments that are time sensitive and fleeting.
  • You are not what you do, what you have or what people say about you. You just are. You have a value and essence beyond your understanding.
  • The potential to change the world is in you but you don’t believe it.
  • You will not thrive in the photography business if you make your business about the photography.
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75-DAY SPRINT TO THE FINISH (D293)

Tasra Dawson —  June 20, 2010 — 17 Comments

tasra365 friendly eggplant organic challenge 75 DAY SPRINT TO THE FINISH (D293)If you’ve been around since the inception of the tasra365 photo challenge (started after a dinner conversation with master photographer Scott Bourne and later watching Julie & Julia in the theater) then you know that our time is coming to an end. (Cue sad music.)

There is something exciting, liberating, and also saddening about nearing the end of a challenge. So instead of just sitting back and meeting status quo on this challenge, I’m taking it up a notch for myself (and you if you’re up for it).

Yesterday I announced that I’m launching a full campaign and challenge to take better care of myself. I also confessed that the time I’ve spent reading my camera manual (nearly 3 times from start to finish), looking at others images, and taking my own images every day is time that I haven’t spent focused on improving or at least maintaining my health and weight.

75-DAY SPRINT TO THE FINISH

Starting tomorrow, I am giving myself the remaining ten weeks of this challenge to get myself and my body back.

In practical terms… I’m committed to losing 30 pounds in 10 weeks.

It’s a challenge, to be sure, but so is tasra365. I didn’t know if I could really do that and I’ve surprised myself. So why not do it again? I’ve broken it down in manageable pieces. I know exactly what I’m eating (based on Detox for Women 75 DAY SPRINT TO THE FINISH (D293) by Natalia Rose and Winning by Losing 75 DAY SPRINT TO THE FINISH (D293) by Jillian Michaels). And I know exactly how many calories I need to burn every day.

I’ve been inspired by the new Biggest Loser spinoff, Losing It with Jillian. Have you seen it? Seriously inspiring and seems more realistic because she only works with the families for one week then they are left on their own for the remaining 7 weeks before she checks up on them again. In the latest episode, one woman lost 78 pounds in eight weeks. I know Jillian is a bit much, but you have to give her credit for the results her clients have.

WANT TO JOIN ME?

You may not need to lose weight, maybe you just need to exercise more or sleep more. Maybe it’s as simple as drinking more water. I’d like to challenge you to pick something you’d like to change and focus on making it happen over the next 75 days. It’s a sprint to the finish… the finish of tasra365, the end of summer, and for me… almost right up to my birthday.

HERE ARE THE STEPS TO GET STARTED

  1. Define your goal. For me, that’s 30 pounds lost in 10 weeks.
  2. Break down your goal. 30 pounds = 105,000 calories = 10500 cal/wk = 1500 cal/day. I need to create a 1500 cal deficit every single day. Make it daily like the 365 challenge… one image, one page in manual, viewing other images. You can do anything for a day.
  3. Do the math. Even if you just need to increase your water intake, do the math of how many times you need to refill your water bottle. For me I had to get my BMR, which I had tested about 18 months ago. You can use an online calculator to figure it out too. My personal BMR is 300 calories less than the calculators say which is important to know… otherwise I’d be eating an extra 300 calories a day and wondering why I can’t lose the weight (but it’s a good base number to start with if you haven’t had yours tested). Based on my BMR, I need to eat 1200 calories a day, which means to create a calorie deficit, I’m going to have to rely on exercise and burning calories not starvation.
  4. Set the timing. Now that I know exercise is key to my success, I have set a schedule for when I am going to work out, how long and what I’ll be doing. I even joined a gym for the first time in two years and already went for the first time today.
  5. Get buy-in from key stakeholders. My husband is a key stakeholder in this process. It’s going to mean strict adherence to eating and exercising, not to mention extra time working out. Making sure he’s committed to the plan as well will go a long way toward my success. Think about who can help and who can sabotage you and work to get their buy-in, help them see the benefit of them supporting you.
  6. Find a buddy and accountability. My daughter is joining me in the healthy eating portion of the plan (not the weight loss). It helps to have a friend along. I’m also enrolling you as support too! Please feel free to check in on me daily via the blog, twitter or facebook.
  7. Prepare for setbacks. I know 75 days of complete commitment will be hard. I know I’m going to be sore, tired, and may even want to give up at some point. That’s why having buy-in from key stakeholders, having a buddy and accountability, and planning all need to be done ahead of time. But even then, when the setbacks come it’s crucial to be flexible and roll with the punches instead of giving up altogether.

So… what do you think? Let me hear your thoughts, your goals and whether or not you think you might join me… even if just in some small way!

DON’T WAIT UNTIL THE STARS ALIGN TO START

There are things I would like to have to make it easier… a Body Bugg 75 DAY SPRINT TO THE FINISH (D293) to accurately track my calories eaten and burned, a Foam Roller to ease my aching muscles, weighlifting gloves so I don’t get calluses… BUT I’m going to start anyway. Maybe the stars will align and someone will send me a Body Bugg they aren’t using or the company will send me one to review. Perhaps I’ll run across a clearance sale on foam rollers. Until then, I’m going to make it work with what I have… and trust that what I need will show up.

Today’s images are a result of our grocery run to Whole Foods (aka Whole Paycheck). We stocked up on healthy food for the entire week and have a clear plan. The eggplant will be part of our evening stir fry. The butter is straight from an Amish farm! How cool is that. Butter will be used to cook instead of oils… you may think that’s weird since I’m losing weight, but it’s about eating whole food, not processed and the butter will be used sparingly.

tasra365 minerva buttter organic challenge 75 DAY SPRINT TO THE FINISH (D293)

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Monkey See, Monkey Do (D289)

Tasra Dawson —  June 16, 2010 — 1 Comment

When I taught junior high in the inner city, I took this phrase to a whole new level. Seriously, I found a monkey like the kind you see at circus acts or on the street. He’s pretty mild and cute until you press the “on” switch. Then he becomes this crazed screaming, cymbal crashing creature.

The students in my classes LOVED him! Instead of using the traditional clap of the hands and getting the students to follow along, I would use the monkey instead. When the students heard him, they knew that better get back in their seats right away. If they were out of their seats when the monkey stopped screaming, there would be consequences.

Sometimes it pays to get a little creative, even when it comes to discipline (especially when it comes to discipline!).

tasra365 monkey see Monkey See, Monkey Do (D289)

Today’s shot is a one light shoot in the same set up that I’ve used the last couple days. It’s interesting to put different subjects under the same lighting conditions and see how it turns out. Pretty basic. Didn’t add any presets or actions, just a bump in sharpness and contrast and good to go. Notice I even got his eyes with clear catchlights at 2 o’clock!

Technical knowledge and images: Looked at images from the latest Emerging Photographer of the Year on Scott Bourne’s blog, PhotoFocus. Have you checked out all the finalists?

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8 Easy Tips for Completing Your 365 Photography Project

Tasra Dawson —  May 21, 2010 — 2 Comments

Guest post by Steve Gallow, sharing his insights on successfully completing a year in photos.

steve gallow image1 8 Easy Tips for Completing Your 365 Photography ProjectIn January of 2009 I was listening to the “This Week in Photography” podcast episode 63, in which the hosts were discussing their New Years Resolutions. In one form or another many of them stated that one of their goals for 2009 was to take more photographs. While listening to these great photographers, I began to think about a method of inspiration for me to take more photographs.

I decided that on May 1st, 2009 I would take photographs every day for a year. From those photographs I would select a daily photo that I liked the best, and publish it on the internet in a blog. This revolutionary idea was going to help me improve my photography.

Shortly thereafter, I launched the blog Steve Gallow – A Year in Photos. Very quickly I discovered that thousands of others were already doing this. At first I was a little disappointed that the blog wasn’t unique. Disappointment quickly turned into elation as I began to find inspiration from the tips, lessons, discussions, and the community of others who had embarked upon a similar journey. In addition to many online people, I also began discussions with others in my local community that also enjoyed photography. This has led to the formation of a local photo club where local photographers and wannabe photographers meet once a month to learn through discussions, photo shoots, and guest speakers.

The journey for me began with learning how the settings in the camera would effect the photos that I was taking. At first I was spending lots of time with a tripod taking photos of the same subject, but modifying my camera settings. I would then load all the photos on my computer using Picassa to analyse the results. I began reading more books, magazines, and online material including Scott Boune’s Photofocus for tips on how to improve.

As the year has progressed, my skills have improved so that I can now quickly change the settings on my camera create the desired results. I have also been working on developing my eye for interesting, and creative photos. I realize I still have a lot to learn, and am constantly looking for new methods for expanding my knowledge.

steve gallow image3 8 Easy Tips for Completing Your 365 Photography Project

One section of the daily blog that many people have commented on is my “Lessons Learned” section. With every daily post, I would attempt to write about something that I learned that day. Some of the subject repeated themselves, this has allowed me to reflect on my techniques and experiences.

Top Lessons from A Year in Photos…

  1. Photograph your interests, or what catches your eye.
  2. Have fun!
  3. Be Observant.
  4. Learn how to use your camera.
  5. Carry your camera with you whenever possible.
  6. Experiment.
  7. Try photographing the subject from many angles.
  8. Watch for interesting light, weather, or seasons.

What would you add to the list of helpful tips? I may start a post with all the tips I’ve read and heard over the last 260 days and include your ideas!

steve gallow image2 8 Easy Tips for Completing Your 365 Photography Project

Special thanks to Steve for sharing his success and insights!

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An Unforgettable Evening with Gary Vaynerchuck, author of Crush It! (D200)

Tasra Dawson —  March 19, 2010 — 4 Comments

It’s Day 200 of the tasra365 photography project that started with a challenge from Scott Bourne, photo guru and PhotoFocus blogger. What a wild ride it’s been, with more than 400 aspiring and professional photographers joining me on the journey.

DAY 200 MILESTONE MOMENT
The milestone of Day 200 had to be pretty incredible. I decided to spend the evening with Gary Vaynerchuck, author of Crush It! An Unforgettable Evening with Gary Vaynerchuck, author of Crush It! (D200), the book that will forever change the way people (bloggers especially) look at themselves. Specifically, the way they define and share their personal brand. I spent about 3 hours with him, taking notes, jotting down ideas and action steps, and generally just being inspired beyond belief.

This guy is so passionate, full of energy and enthusiasm, as well as information, that I walked away from the time together ready to take action and “Crush It!” as Gary would say.

You may be wondering where and why I got to spend this time with him, surely he’s a busy guy in high demand. So I thought I’d let you in on a little secret about where you can get the same insight and information…

tasra365 barnes noble An Unforgettable Evening with Gary Vaynerchuck, author of Crush It! (D200)

That’s right, dear friend, Barnes & Noble. Don’t be disappointed. Really, I didn’t mean to lead you on (well, kind of). But did I say anything untrue? I don’t think so. I did spend an unforgettable evening with Gary Vaynerchuck, reading and absorbing every word of his new book, Crush It! An Unforgettable Evening with Gary Vaynerchuck, author of Crush It! (D200). Gary’s strong personality and brand leapt off the page and I felt like I was having a private consult or chat with him across the table in the Starbucks cafe at Barnes and Noble.

That’s why I love Barnes & Noble… I believe Tom Hanks said it best in You’ve Got Mail…

Joe Fox: Do you know what? We are going to seduce them. We’re going to seduce them with our square footage, and our discounts, and our deep armchairs, and…
Joe Fox, Kevin: Our cappuccino.
Joe Fox: That’s right. They’re going hate us at the beginning, but…
Joe Fox, Kevin: But we’ll get ‘em in the end.
Joe Fox: Do you know why?
Kevin: Why?
Joe Fox: Because we’re going to sell them cheap books and legal addictive stimulants.

So friends, my recommendation, for anyone who is a blogger, aspiring photographer considering going pro, or with the entrepreneurial bug, is to pick up this book. I wasn’t given a free copy or paid anything to say that… I just really believe the information is valuable and inspiring… and you know I like to inspire and be inspired.

Picture of the Day
Today’s shot was a bit of a last minute thing… we didn’t leave Barnes & Noble until they kicked us out at 11 pm and I still had to get my 200th day of shooting in, so I grabbed this shot as we drove away. Processed in Photoshop with Kubota Actions Daily Multi Vitamin and added MCP Finish it Action set for my border.

Special Thanks
There you have it… day 200. A million thanks to those of you following and joining me on this journey. I cannot tell you how much it means to me to have fellow friends to keep me inspired and accountable. I hope I’m able to continue to do the same for you! Cheers to you tonight!

Manual: Page 163
Images: Photo Trekking

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How One Photographer Literally Stumbled into Project 365

Tasra Dawson —  February 26, 2010 — 5 Comments

Today’s Feature Friday photographer is David Abbishaw, also known as _iDavid on twitter and found at funkydunky.net. His story will have you laughing and learning all the way through.

Stumbling into a 365
How I got started with Project 365 was quite by accident – literally. I’d been unfortunate enough to badly sprain my ankle whilst out cross country walking and had been told to work from home as I was perceived to be a health and safety hazard in the workplace. As I couldn’t get out and about with my camera I decided that I should channel some of the lost time into reading and learning as much about photography as possible.

Whilst reading everything I could get my hands on I came across some posts by Scott Bourne and decided to follow him on Twitter. A few days went by and he posted his congratulations to Tasra on taking his suggestion to take 1 photograph every day to improve her photography by 300%. I was instantly intrigued and read back through Tasra’s time line and then followed her on Twitter. My aim was to join her in the challenge as soon as I was back on my feet walking again.

No More Excuses
A few days went by and I awoke to the realization that, although I couldn’t walk, it was no excuse not to start Project 365. I started that day using items around the house as my subjects – in fact on day 1 I created a tale of war between two tribes of Smarties – with a little twist around the shadows.

Day1 How One Photographer Literally Stumbled into Project 365

What have I achieved? Well, apart from posting one picture every day and increasing my right brain and beginning to find my style, I’ve entered a few competitions; one that’s run by my local council has chosen my work for the front cover for three consecutive editions, with a circulation of around 60,000 copies. More recently I’ve been lucky enough to donate 5 images for the “Images without Borders” Haiti appeal. Most importantly though, I’ve found my first real outlet for my photography where other people are enjoying and commenting on some of my work.

Spread the LOVE
One of my biggest delights was when Tasra linked to a pasta triptych photograph that I’d created for one of her Twitter challenges. I was amazed when I saw the statistics stating that several hundred people had checked it out. My only disappointment was that no one left a comment.

Day48 How One Photographer Literally Stumbled into Project 365

More importantly, I’ve amassed over 100 new followers on Twitter who regularly view and comment upon my work. This alone has been enough inspiration for me to keep going, even when it’s been hard. I think one of the main reasons this has been so important to me is that before Project 365 I was struggling to find an outlet for my photography and find people who didn’t really know me to critique my work and hopefully give me honest feedback.

Well I’m now more than 160 days into the challenge and although I’ve yet to miss a day, I can honestly say that recently the challenge has become harder. In the early days I had several good ideas every day. In fact at one point I even started a list just to make sure I always had something to take daily. I guess I’m one of the people that like to plan things.

If you’re wondering whether I post-process my images, I can confess to post-processing all my images – I shoot in raw plus large jpeg. I have a general rule not to spend more than about 5 minutes on each image although it’s usually less as I tend to make the same adjustments to most images and have created the odd action in Photoshop or an Adobe Raw Preset. I’ve also learned the keyboard shortcuts for my common tasks which I’ve found to really speed things up.

The Future Looks Bright
I’ve secretly started my own offspring project; I’m calling it Project 12. The idea is to take 1 good seasonal photograph every month that you don’t publish or show people, then come Christmas there will be a set of 12 good unseen photos for a Calendar that I’ll gift to friends and family.

Day69 How One Photographer Literally Stumbled into Project 365

I’m hoping that spring will bring some new inspiration, the last few months in Britain have been fairly bleak and grey, and it’s not too inspiring travelling to and from work every day in the dark.

A Warning & Challenge for YOU
For anyone that’s reading this and thinking about following Tasra in her challenge, I’d say go for it! It will truly improve your photography, but – isn’t there always a but? – I’d also like to warn you that it can be hard work and a real challenge some days, but those days can also be the best days. I’d also like to say that to get the most from the challenge I’d recommend you search on Twitter for #tasra365 and look and comment on other peoples work that you like. Leave a link to your website or blog and I’m sure that people will be more likely to come and comment on your own work. Give it a try – it can be a real inspiration. And don’t forget you can also chat to fellow #tasra365 people on Twitter.

Day100 How One Photographer Literally Stumbled into Project 365

Oops nearly forgot – Tasra – Thanks for sharing your project 365 with me and thank you for the opportunity to be a feature Friday guest.

Special thanks to David for sharing his story & images. Stop by his site and give him some comment love!

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Shooting on the Edge – A Teen Identity Photo Shoot (D145)

Tasra Dawson —  January 23, 2010 — 9 Comments

Today’s word of the day was… EDGY. Our home and studio were temporarily taken over by teen girls in preparation for our first Teen Identity Models photo shoot of 2010. The bedroom exploded in clothes and there was a full-on salon happening with hair, makeup, nails, and stylists getting everyone ready.

tasra365 edgy Shooting on the Edge A Teen Identity Photo Shoot (D145)

We’re preparing to launch our new model program for 2011 Seniors and are so excited about what we’ve got in store for upcoming seniors and all teen girls. So, we thought we’d try out a few new and fun things, get the models ready and shoot a bit on the edge.

tasra365 edgy 3 Shooting on the Edge A Teen Identity Photo Shoot (D145)Today we did individual photo shoots in studio with white seamless background. I had two Westcott lights from their Photo Basics line on the background and one soft box to the left side of the girls. Obviously we adjusted the lights as we switched models and poses, but that was the basic setup. After the studio shots, we had some pizza, then decided to brave the outdoors and head to the park for some fun group shots. We had plans for a few different poses, but due to the extremely cold Atlanta winter weather, we decided to just grab a few shots, have some fun, and head back indoors.

tasra365 edgy group Shooting on the Edge A Teen Identity Photo Shoot (D145)Today was a banner day for me. I absolutely love doing photo shoots like these. To top it off, when I got home and checked my twitter account and tasra365 challenge photographers list, I saw that it had increased by nearly 100 photographers! When I see increases like that, the first place I check is my good friend Scott Bourne‘s twitter feed… yep, this is what he said about the challenge:

I’m very proud of the nearly 250 #photogs who have joined Tasra in the challenge I gave her to improve her photography http://bit.ly/63Xf7f

I’m so proud of them too… that means you! If you’re new to the challenge, welcome! Make sure to say hi, sign up and get listed on the tweeps page. We’re happy to have you here and know that you will start improving your photography right away! Enjoy the journey!

Manual: Page 23—Using the Remote

Images: Looked through Glamour, Seventeen, and Elle today for image inspiration for the photo shoot.

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D116: He Finally Got It!

Tasra Dawson —  December 25, 2009 — 3 Comments

tasra365 look 397x600 D116: He Finally Got It!Yep, his fifth Christmas and he finally really got it…Santa comes down the chimney, eats milk and cookies, gives us presents and we get to open them. But don’t forget about the real Christmas story and prayer before opening presents. Or about the three presents Santa promised when Daddy called him since it was too scary to meet Santa in person.

No, we definitely can’t forget those details. Nor will we forget when our son prayed last night before dinner…including God, aliens, Santa, cookies, and more. It even reduced Chris Brogan to tears (from laughter)!

And then this morning, he actually started to pray to Santa. Um, I think he’s a little confused. But, when he opens every present and says, “This is exactly what I wanted!” how can you do anything but smile and love his innocence.

Today’s image was one of those moments when he could hardly contain his excitement. It represents the excitement of the day for him and for all of us. I hope your day and memories are bright this year. Hold on to them until the next. Merry Christmas!

Feature Friday: Since it’s Christmas, I’m going to postpone Feature Friday until next week. Hope that’s okay.

Manual: Yes, I read a page since I hadn’t heard from Scott Bourne about whether or not I could skip it. Page i—Table of Contents.

Images: Looked at images in my new book about handpainting photographs. Interesting idea.


Joshua’s First Christmas Prayer from Ron Dawson on Vimeo.

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