Derby in Denver

So, I'm sad to say that I am no longer going to Hawaii. It's not that I'm sad that I'm not going, I'm sad that I found out 10 days before I was supposed to leave, but I'm the queen of compulsive purchases so I threw all plans in the wind and bought tickets to Denver, Colorado. I have a good friend that lives out there and I figured I'd get to have fun visiting her and seeing a new place still. I already had made all the arrangements for time off and a dog-sitter, so I didn't have to change anything besides my destination. It all worked out great!!

Now for the greatest part, she used to play on my derby team here in Michigan so she looked up the team out there and there's a bout going on the day I land...yep, you guessed it, we're going to see the Rocky Mountain Rollergirls (5280 Fight Club) take on the San Diego Derby Dolls. Here's the Facebook event if you want to check it out. Also, there's a store dedicated to everything roller derby, right in Denver!!! I'm SO excited, we're going to hit it up on the way to the bout. It's called Derbyville and here's their website. We're going to have so much fun, I can't wait! And of course, keep checking back for tons of pictures...t-minus 10 days...

T-Minus 16 Days

I can't believe that time has flown by SO fast!! I leave for Hawaii in 16 days!! I can not wait until my massage on the beach at 9am and chillin' ocean side taking beautiful photos.

Hawaii Update

The dates are set for Hawaii! I'll be there from September 29th - October 4th (really the 5th since it's an overnight flight home). I'll be staying at a resort and spa, so there's no way I'm not getting a full body massage while I'm there. I've never had one before so it should be amazing. I looked over what they offer and I think I'm going to do the sunrise one in the cabana outdoors...mmmmm...

I had been feeling rather nervous about shooting the wedding without an assistant, I've done it before so it's really no big deal, but this is my first destination wedding and I definitely don't want anything to mess it up since this could potentially open SO many new doors for my business. Not to mention when I went to the Sandy Puc tour I asked her what her best advice was for me and she said, "get an assistant." So I placed an ad on craigslist and had a HUGE response, much more than anticipated. It was nice being able to pick from a range of skill levels, but I finally found a woman who's style compliments mine and who shoots weddings regularly. Now my brain is finally at ease (at least for the moment).

Hit the Ground Running

So fresh off the plane from Ireland and I get an email asking me to photograph a wedding in Hawaii!! Right now it looks like I'll be there in early September, she's still trying to coordinate the dates with all the family and friends. I've always wanted to go to Hawaii, just the idea of lush, tropical paradise got me...hook, line and sinker. Not to mention the photos I'll be able to get there. I just received my gallery blocks from Artsy Couture and they are the most gorgeous pieces of art I've seen (and I'm not just saying that because my images are on there lol). The craftsmanship and print quality are outstanding! I hope to be able to buy some from Ireland and I can only imagine how awesome Hawaii photos are going to look.

So I hope to be able to knock "volcano or lava flow" off my photographer's bucket list with this trip. I've been googling things that I can do while I'm there and there's SO many sweet things. Horseback riding, helicopter rides, botanical gardens, surfing, snorkeling, zip lines, hiking, roller derby team (this is a must!!)...I really don't know how I'm going to decide what to do. The bride said that they plan on doing some hiking and whatnot so I'll probably hang with them for a bit. I'll be there for a week so I'll have time to be able to do some things on my own if I like as well. I'm super excited, I've dreamed of being asked to do a destination wedding and didn't think that it would happen, but it did! Now just to loose some weight so I'll be beach ready and not so self conscience :)