today is january the 18th. twelve years ago, one of my best friends passed away.
my uncle michael.
he was really a kid at heart. from flying kites to swinging on an old maypole, my uncle always had a fun activity for us to do up his sleeve. i always loved to be around him because he had such a cheerful soul. he had such a beautiful outlook on life and viewed the world as an empty canvas to paint a colorful masterpiece on. he always had a way of bringing laughter to any conversation, and was always so kind to others. whenever he was around, it was inevitable for him to say “mufasaaaa!” the lion king was the first movie i ever saw in theatres, and my uncle michael was notorious for doing funny impressions to get a laugh out of me.
i really believe he made a lasting impact on my sense of humor and inspired me to not take this life for granted.
yes, that would be me flying in the upper left hand corner of this picture. looks fun doesn’t it?
he was truly an artist. he was a genius at working with stained glass and custom made some of the windows at excalibur in las vegas. he was a painter and a poet, but among all of his talents, his music is what i remember him by the most. he taught my mom how to play guitar, and she then taught me when i was around ten years old. i still play to this day, and on the very guitars my uncle used to play on when he was alive. in a way, i see it as his legacy. this is a piece of him that will always be on this earth. my favorite song he ever wrote is called “why” you can read the lyrics below.
why
written by: michael reese allen
why does my heart go on beating? why does the soul go forth seeking?
why? the questions pose. seek, that the truth may unfold.
why are the stars brightly shining? why is your heart humbly hiding?
why do rainbows grow? why, cause god has made it so.
why do the trees keep on growing? why is a snowflake a floating?
this, i’ll tell you so. why, cause god has made it so.
why do the waves keep on breaking? why do you let your heart keep aching?
seek and you will find. a love of truth that’s divine.
why does the sun keep on rising? why are a bees wings a buzzing?
why, i’ll tell you so. why, cause god has made it so.
look at the stars deep in heaven. taste of the bread that’s unleavened.
drink of his holy wine. seek my child and you will find.
why are there whales in the ocean? who placed the planets in motion?
seek and you will find. then you’ll have your place in time.
i will never know exactly why my uncle had to leave this earth so early, but as he wrote in his song,
“because god has made it so.”
we may never find our answers to all of life’s questions, but we need to trust in god’s plans that he has for us.
in you, lord my god, i put my trust.
psalm 25:1
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Happy New Year! I am so excited to start fresh and let you all in on what is to come! I have been making BIG changes, and have lots of new and fabulous things for you to be expecting!
WORKSHOPS
I started teaching my workshops in April and have had so much fun meeting with all the students to teach them more about photography and helping them explore their creative side. I am going to be continuing these classes and you can sign up for my next photography workshop online at my website: www.jordanpalmerphotography.com under the info tab. Information should be posted in the coming months, so keep checking back! Hope to see you there!
PET PHOTOGRAPHY
This year, I will be offering a new photography service for those who love and cherish their pets! I will be offering a great package for those who are interested, and hope to debut this sometime very soon!
365
Over the years, I have been following many photographers, and have seen a great deal of them doing what is called a 365 project. What’s this you ask? Taking a picture everyday! I’m sure you’ve heard of it, and it’s something that I have always wanted to do. I will be posting my daily picture on twitter if you would like to keep up @jpalmerphoto Or, at the end of every month, stop by the blog to see my entire collection of photographs that I have taken!
GIVEAWAYS
I will be utilizing social networking quite frequently for contest purposes, so keep your eyes peeled and you could have your chance to win something at one of my giveaways! There will be an opportunity for this right around the corner, so keep checking back!!!
PERSONAL BLOGGING
I love writing, and have found I haven’t been using my blog to it’s fullest potential. I don’t even know how many people read my blog, but just to document the personal happenings in my own life is something I have wanted to do. I really want to write a book one day, but that’s a little bit too much to handle at the moment. So, blogging it is!
PHOTOGRAPHER FRIENDS
I have met some awesome acquaintances at my workshops, and know a handful of photographers. However, I would really love to meet some of you out there who maybe follow my work, or are local aspiring photographers. It’s great to learn from each other and get opportunities to network. So please, don’t be shy!
PRICING
I am revising my pricing for 2012. Since starting my photography business in 2009, I have given away MANY free photo sessions, promotions, and low pricing to expand my portfolio, client base, and overall knowledge for running a photography business. However, I have spent thousands of dollars on purchasing professional photography equipment so that I can provide clients with the best possible images. This in return, raises my prices. I have many business expenses, and at the end of the day, need to make a living for myself. I believe that my new pricing is definitely what I’m worth. If you disagree, feel free to check out this affordable photographer, which offers the same great prices as I used to!
Ah, I feel better already. So, with all of that said, I would just like to thank each and everyone one of you who has believed in me, and helped me along the way of bringing my dream to life. I have had a remarkable time getting to know so many amazing individuals and am happy I got to be part of creating a lifetime memory for many of you. Knowing I may be able to bring a smile to someone’s face generations from now is what keeps me going. I still have so much to learn and experience, but I feel like I’m headed in the right direction. This is going to be a good magnificent year.
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