1968 Limited Editon

1968 Limited Edition

In a few weeks, I'm turning 50. I think fifty is a natural time to review where you've been an where you'd like to go forward. So, I've been doing that lately. Just to see if I focused on the things I said I would about ten years ago. I narrowed it down to five things: My spirituality, My kids, Art, reaching financial security and good health. In that order, it's what I wanted the just of my life to be about. The first is great, my soul is calmer, kinder and more peaceful then it's ever been. I've really mellowed out. Things where a little out there with the kids, since all of them where going through teenage years an graduating into adulthood. They are pretty well adjusted. Settling into adulthood fine. And I'm even going to be a grandmother in early 2019. My first grand baby an I'm looking forward to him. Financially, I've managed to pay off my house but my income could be better. But my health took a real nose dive about a year ago. I had a breast cancer scare an my thyroid has gone ape shit. But I did manage to move my career into an art field. I'm proud to say I'm apart of. So my focus will remain on those five things. With a emphasis on art, security an health.

I'm getting older so it's a must.

In astrology (cause I'm into that kinda stuff in detail), they are saying look back at 1993 an 1990 to get a idea of what the next few years will be like for yourself. Those where major transformable times for me. In 1993, I was twelve, going on thirteen. I joined the yearbook. Picked up a real camera for the first time. An learned the power it held. It's fitting to came up in my chart: Not that everyone believes in that kinda stuff. But it also fits with the times we are living in: When everyone owns a camera. An can snap shots of their lives. It reminds me of how I was a little before my time. Bring it home to document what was happening in mine. It was by far, one of the hardest time periods in my life. The hardest thing I ever did, in fact. I turned my parents into child protective services for abuse. It took me a while to do it. I was terrified of getting caught telling anyone. I got beat for just being on the telephone with my grandmother, for even giving her a hint that things weren't alright. In retro, my parents where probably going though one of the hardest financial situations in their life. On the verge of splitting if I'm correct. The flying off the handle was a an all time high. Living in our home was like walking on eggshells. An little thing could set one of them off. An you couldn't predict what would land you in a ass beating. Someone had to do something.

An I figured that someone was going to have to be me. So, after my sister was beaten for forgetting to bring in the garbage cans, an my year an half old sister beat for playing to loudly at her play table I decided I was going to do something about it. Specially when the 8 year old was beat again the next day. The bruises where from the very bottom of her legs to the mid of her back. An I was very protective of both of them. In some ways they where like my own children. I took care of them so much. I cried my eyes out every time the belt hit one of them. So the following day, I went to a guidance councilor an asked questions. I checked out the schools camera: brought it home an started taking pictures of all the bruises.

They where bad.

To make a long story short. We where taken form our parents that Thanksgiving weekend I turned 13. An the photos I had taken where seen. That's when I learned the true power of the camera to right a wrong. Life got immediately better. The beatings stopped.


No if, ands or butts. I went through years of being rode hard emotionally an work wise but it was worth it to me. It ended something that needed to stop. Years later, I was told by most of my family members I did the right thing. An was vindicated of doing anything wrong. My grandmother an I remained close because of it. An it's one of the best relationships I've had in my life. But doing that wasn't easy: being a journalist of your own life. An the years following were much better for my siblings then they where for me. They had much more normal lives. The relationships with our parents improved.

In fact they have gotten better ever since.

A little better each year. At least in my eyes. The youngest doesn't even remember any of the turmoil having never been treated that way from then on. So the camera can be powerful. An it actually means a lot to me. It changed my life. More then once.

It's not much of a surprise I'd end up on photography later.


I think it saved my family. An to me it is one of the most important things a family could & should do together. Portraits of your family. Of each other. Happily together. Making beautiful memories together. An in the times we are living in there is no excuse not to have pictures of your loved ones. I can't stress how important they are. An how valuable they will become to you. So I do recommend having them done professionally an getting them printed up. I have a whole wall dedicated to family portraits in my home.

There are years upon years of happy faces an smiling eyes now looking back at me verses what was once scared shy withdrawn eyes. It's priceless. An it's a honor to me to be able to help loved ones capture that. The camera has always been about family to me. I cant begin to express what it's like to do a job where people giggle an smile at you every day. I get so much joy out it. My camera is one of my best friends.

I've seen it's power at work.

I had an older women come in, who's husband was dying of cancer. She at first was putting off having portraits done because getting out an about was so hard on him. He didn't have very many good days left. He had one an they came in. Both knowing this was probably the last time they would ever stand in front of a camera together. They had been married all their lives. The love in the room was over whelming when I took their photos. They didn't have the money for them at that time. But that ways okay. They be there when she needed them.

He passed on Christmas Eve.

I was the second person she told. She came in an shared it with me in tears. Picked up the portraits an thanked me so much for being presistant about doing them. I can not begin to convey how much a professional session can mean to you. Your family. Or how much photography can change your life. Just how much portraits of loved one can mean to someone. How devastating it can be to loose them. An how grateful you can be that you had professional ones done. In our digital age, we seem to take the camera for granted. That we will get around to going to have them done. Or how we put it off saying: I'll just use my phone. How easily they are lost if something happens to your phone. Or the regret that sets in that you didn't get prints.

People need to remember (an will) that it's just like a instant camera.

It's not the same as having them professionally done. The quality is different. The prints are not as good. The lighting or backgrounds off. Studio's are declining in the US. The millennial generation is surrounded by so much photography they take it for granted professionals are gonna be around. Do it for nothing or they can always get a free print. Well those days are over. Quality prints cost money. Make the investment. It's about your family.

An that's kinda what me reviewing my life, turning 50 has been about. It's what came into my life around 13 an hasn't left. It changed my life back then for the better, an renewed my soul about ten years ago. Giving me some of the best years I ever could have imagined. Running the studio, doing photography put me back on the right path: In Art. Stabilized my finances. Was good for my health. An enabled me to focus on what mattered most: Family. So I'm looking forward to next decade. My hope is to do more of it. It's been good for me. Them. An the people around me.