It happens every year.  The ball drops and along with a new year comes new resolutions.  I vow not to do this or I vow to do more of that.  But yet it often seems that we are creating the same resolutions year after year.  In fact, studies show that the most typical resolutions are time management and weight loss.  So, how can we work on improving our chances of success rather than perpetuating the same resolutions year after year.

1.       Set Goals rather than Resolutions.   What is it that you would like to achieve this year vs.  what you resolve to start or stop doing.  Setting goals that are achievable and attainable are more likely to come with positive results than creating a resolution.

2.       Set benchmarks.  When we set large goals for ourselves it can be a little deterring after a while if we aren’t seeing results.  Creating smaller goals within those big goals can help us keep on track and feel as if we are continually being successful.

3.       Keep yourself accountable.  Set times to check in regarding your goals – i.e. weekly or monthly.  Have a checklist to keep you on track with what you want to get done.  Set calendar reminders to help you remember to do your task – or to send you encouraging reminders that you are doing well.  For example set your calendar to send you a text message on Monday mornings saying “It is going to be a good week.  Take control – you’ve got this!”.  It is amazing what positive encouragement can do.

4.       Let others know your goals.  Tell friends and family what your goals are.  The more people who know the more you are accountable.  It also gives you a built in cheer team.  If you are worried that the people around you are not going to be encouraging I would suggest finding people who are.  This may mean joining a local support team online or at work.

5.       Try and try again.  Don’t let yourself give up if you have a few setbacks.  Setbacks are part of life.  As soon as you realize you have gotten off track turn yourself around and keep trucking.  The point of the goal is to reach it, not to give up.  It doesn’t matter how many times you try - just keep trying.  Also, try new things.  If your goal is to learn a new language and studying flash cards just doesn’t seem to work for you, perhaps books on tape would be better or taking a local course.  Think outside of the box, but keep working toward the goal.  

6.       Redefine failure.  So many times we think as soon as we mess up that we have failed.  That is not true!  The only true failure is giving up.  Even if you have setbacks unless you stop all together you have not failed.  Think about this - if you have 30 days of positive progress and mess up one day, you have not failed, you have successfully completed your goal 30 out of 31 days.  If that was a grade at school it would be a 97% - that’s an A +!!!  So many times we have an all or nothing mentality which equals complete self sabotage.

7.       Remember, reaching your goals won’t happen overnight.  The main purpose of the goal is to not have to make the same resolution next year.  Any forward movement is positive.  Don’t put unrealistic timelines on yourself.  Breaking a habit that took years to create doesn’t happen overnight.  Just keep thinking “I just don’t want to be in the same place next year”.

I would love to hear what your goals are for 2013 and how you plan to reach them.  Have any thoughts on the post? Agree or disagree? - I’d love to hear!  Leave a comment and let’s discuss!
 

(Thank you to http://solution4computer.com/happy-new-year-2013-wallpapers/ for use of image)

Kudos to all the stay at home moms out there - I am not sure how anything gets done with kids at home.  Especially sick kids : (  Now don't think I am cold hearted.  I love having all this extra time with my children.  I also feel horrible that they have been so sick and there is not much I can do about it other than pump them with fluids, make sure they rest, and give them lots of TLC.  Additionally, snuggle time goes to an all time high when kids are sick.  That said, by week three, they are stir crazy and so am I.  They are well enough that we are trying to get a few things done, but still not well enough for school - and the whining and crying has hit record levels : (

So, with three weeks of sick kids, I've been unable to keep up with anything that is truly non-essential for the business.  So anything short of shooting, editing, and fulfilling orders has had to be put on hold.  That means I have not updated my blog or social media sites in at least a month!  Ack.  

Tonight my husband gave me a free pass to go sit in my office for a little bit and get some work done before heading to an early bedtime (I am trying not to get sick myself).  That didn't leave me with too much time, but at the very least I wanted to at least say a belated happy holidays and a happy new year!  

Here is a sneak peak at some of the sessions I have done in the past few months that I haven't had a chance to post.  I have a few more above and beyond this - so if you don't see your session, don't worry I didn't forget you!  For this one, I just focused some of my recent family sessions.  

Lastly, a sincere thank you to all my friends, family, clients, and supporters out there.  I love being able to capture such amazing memories for so many people.  I am constantly humbled by my job and never take for granted the privelage it is to be the one invited into your lives.

She carves time out of her day early in the morning, in the evening, and even during her lunch break to get her training done!  That is one tough mother!  The great thing about Teresa though, is despite carving out time for fitness, she always has time for family, friends, and fun - and a nice cold beer ; )  This was definitely one of my favorite shoots to date. 

Teresa is certainly an inspiration to me.  So it was a great compliment when she hired me as a reward to herself for all of her accomplishments.  What a wonderful gift to yourself. 

I met Samm and Alex about a year ago at our local Professional Photographers Society of Central Florida (PPSCF).  They showed me the ropes and welcomed me with open arms.  In the past year I've gotten the chance to spend a lot more quality time with Samm and Alex and simply love these two!  Working with them is always a blast regardless of whether they are in front of the camera or behind it.  I was thrilled that they chose me to take their portraits because I knew a day of fun was in store.  

Samm and Alex are actually not photographers by trade - they are cinematographers and EXCELLENT ones at that!  They have developed their company Imprint Cinema and offer heirloom wedding films.  I highly recommend checking out their website: imprintcinema.com- especially if you are planning any events that need filming or if you are ever in need of a promotional video.  

Well, without further adieu...here are some images from their session...

Kathleen did such an amazing job capturing the feel of the day and I believe it is a beautiful represention of the whole portrait experience.  I hope that you enjoy watching it as much as I do!  And endless thank yous to Kathleen for all her hard work and for Sara for allowing us to capture her session for the video. 

I'd love to hear your thoughts! 

Like Jessica, Sara was such a positive person to work with.  She smiled all day (with the exception of the "pensive" poses) and kept us laughing.  There was so much good energy throughout the session that I could have shot for several more hours without noticing the time.  She worked the camera and never squawked when I contorted her into awkward poses.  I loved the variety of looks we got from Sara too.   She just kept transforming.  And with her that day, she brought a unique piece of jewelry that she requested be part of the images.  The necklace (worn in the upper right hand picture) was the necklace that she wore on her wedding day.  What a beautiful piece to adorn a beautiful woman!  I loved that she brought it with her and was able to incorporate it into the session.  Whenever I look at those images, I always think of a modern day Greek Goddess.  

Because Sara is such an amazing sport, she had agreed that it would be okay for a dear friend of mine, Kathleen Frank (of Kathleen Frank Photography) to film the experience in order to make a behind the scenes video for my website.  I am excited to say that the video is in the final stages of production and Kathleen has done an AMAZING job!  I am eager to share it with you.  So this won't be the last you will see of Ms. Sara!  Til then, here are some of the images from her portrait experience.  

And as I said previously, even more rewarding than a good image, is the positive feedback from a client.  Here is what Sara said about her experience:

Jessica was one of my first clients to book a beauty experience.  She came with her good friend Sara (who you will meet next week) to experience a unique day of hair & makeup, champagne & laughter, and unforgettable memories.  Jessica is a wife and a mother of two beautiful young girls.  She is an artist herself, so in addition to valuing a day of pampering, she also seemed to value the creative process.  

Jessica basically radiates positive energy and has a smile for days.  Her laughter filled the studio and was absolutely contagious.  It was wonderful to watch Jessica slowly transform from this radiant girl (during the basic beauty look) to this stunning, sexy, woman for her glamour look.  Despite her nerves at first, by the end of the shoot you would have thought that Jessica lived in front of a camera.  Her energy connected so well with the lens.  

It is this natural progression of confidence, that I love most about my work.  Despite always telling them to trust in me, have fun with the experience, and just let go of all insecurities at the door, there is certainly a warming up process.  It is such a beautiful experience in itself to see the women I work with gain confidence and start to rock the session.  By the end of the day, these women are owning their beauty and the images can speak for themselves.  And this was definitely true with Jessica.

I loved the images that we were able to capture of Jessica - she truly looked stunning.  But even more rewarding than good images, is the knowledge that a client truly enjoyed their experience.  Shortly after our session I received an email from Jessica about her beauty experience.  She wrote:

"It truly meant the world to me. It's been a long time since I've felt like I wasn't invisible so to have an opportunity to spend such a lovely day with such lovely ladies felt great. I love the creative process and knowing how committed you were to us having such a great experience gave me the green light to try my best. It gave me a new found confidence and I thank you for that".

Wow.

As a wife and a mom of two young kids myself, her words resonated within.  I could identify with her use of the word "invisible" so well.    I also feel like each woman I work with makes me grow as an individual and a photographer.  There is a true vulnerability with being photographed, but when you let go and trust the process - the images come out so genuine and so true.  

This past week, I was working on organizing my back up system and perusing through some of my past sessions.  I came across a bundle of images I had taken at last year's CeFlo retreat.  Despite the visions I had for the outcome of these images, after returning back home the brutal reality of taking care of my then not quite one and two year old forced me to put the images on the back burner.  I kept telling myself that I would eventually find time (ha ha) to cull and edit them.  Unfortunately, personal projects do not take precidence and so over a year later, I finally dipped into the bunch and let myself simply be free to create.  I didn't have an end image in mind, I just had a feeling that I followed - and this is what I ended up with.  I am very happy with the outcome, as I truly feel like it moves me.  I am glad that I let myself endulge in this process, because I realized there is an artist in me needs that to be nurtured.   

Through our love of photography, our kids, our husbands, and other numerous areas we have in common, we have built a long lasting friendship that I cherish.  Since the day we met, Sarah and I have joked about going into business together (albeit at first we talked about an event planning company), but the stars never quite aligned and we went our separate ways in business.  Sarah's business developed faster than mine as I have always split my focus between photography and mental health counseling.  And although I often second shoot weddings with Sarah, weddings were not (are not) my main passion. So, needless to say a true business partnership did not form.  

That said, as we both day dreamed of owning a studio, it dawned on us that sharing a space may be the right path to follow.  We are after all not direct competition and neither one of us needs to utilize the studio on a daily basis.  So we started looking at spaces and realized that in order to get the type of studio we wanted, that it may be advantageous to bring on a third person.  Sarah posted to our women's photography group and Rebecca, of Rebecca Jill Photography expressed interest.  We all met for lunch and it seemed like a match made in heaven.  With Sarah focusing her business on weddings, engagements, and boudoir and my focus being on beauty portraits, head shots, and model development, Rebecca's focus of newborns, babies, and families seemed to hit a perfect trifecta of the photography industry.  

Before I officially signed our lease, Rebecca and I had the opportunity to fly together to New Orleans for PPA's Imaging Conference (a professional photography convention).  Flying out there and rooming together gave us the perfect amount of time to connect and bond before becoming studio mates - in fact some of the commonalities between us was eerie!  Now, almost a year later, I consider Rebecca a very close friend - not just a studio mate.  And did I mention that her newborn photography is phenomenal!    

I really feel so lucky that the stars aligned and that I was blessed with such amazing studio mates - and friends.  I feel such an energy when I am around these women and we constantly push each other to think outside of the box, challenge ourselves, and reflect upon our journey.  We have learned a lot so far this year and we are anxiously awaiting the renewal of our lease - at which time I think we will FINALLY be planning an open house (An idea we have discussed many times this year, but hit a lot of roadblocks that have forced us to wait).

I am glad to be able to introduce these wonderful ladies and I encourage everyone to check out their sites (just click on their pictures and it will direct you to their pages). 

Images © Jess Regan Photography 2012

I cannot control all variables in life - stopping a rainstorm, curing illness or injury, creating money from thin air - but I can control my attitude around it.  How we react to things handed to us in life (good or bad) is up to us.  Will we do it gracefully or will we be boastful? Will we let it crumble us or lift us up?  How are we going to react is our power.  Now let's be honest - we are human and it is natural to have a negative reaction to a negative event.  I do not expect anyone to be able to constanlty be happy go lucky and let the bad role off your shoulder, BUT it is imperative to work towards changing our attidue as soon as we notice that we are not happy.    

Every day can not be perfect.  And although the quote "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade" is a great one, the reality is sometimes life hands us rotten lemons and no amount of sugar is going to make them taste good.  So when you have a day where it feels like everything is going wrong and you think to yourself "can't this day just be over" - stop yourself and realize that every day is a gift and the amount of days we have on this earth are limited - so throw out that rotten lemon and start anew.  What can you do in your power to turn your day around so that you can enjoy the remainder of time you have?     

One thing I am most guilty of is getting upset with myself that things are not happening for me at a faster rate but if I sit back and reflect on my life I would realize that if the flood gates opened right now that I would drown.  I have to take down the walls of the dam piece by piece and let the water slowly ease in.  This will allow for a smooth flowing current that I can handle for the length of time rather than getting swept away by the current.  I am huge into metaphors and analogies, so you just have to bare with me if that's not your thing, but it helps me better visualize my life.

If we stare too closely at the door in front of us that just closed, we may not see the windows and doors that are open all around us.  Or better yet, if we don't see any doors or windows, what stops us from pulling out a [fill in the most appropriate power tool for the job] and creating our own door or window.  If you want things to happen in life, then sometimes you have to make it happen.

I truly believe that a lot in life is simply mind over matter, so if you say you can't then in the end you won't.  It is time to really start believing in ourselves and pushing just outside our comfort zones.  It's time to make things happen.

I have started a few entries, only to sit there unfinished waiting for me to have a few more moments alone, but the editing and shooting come as a priority and then the stories become old - or at least that is the excuse that I give.

Being a small business owner is a challenge.  There are so many things that you have to learn and attempt at mastering - not just the craft of photography which includes shooting, lighting, retouching, posing, etc., but marketing, bookkeeping, advertising, managing workflow, budgeting, purchasing, selling, keeping up with business license, insurance, equipment...and then throw social media on top of all that - it makes my head spin.  It's not that I dislike writing - in fact I love the idea of sharing my thoughts with others, who may want to listen (or read), it's just that it doesn't always get to the top of my priority list.  

In the past few weeks we have traveled to Georgia to visit family, had two sick kids whom I stayed home with (and NOTHING gets done with sick kids), a car that died down on me (in the middle of a crazy intersection) which lead to unplanned car shopping, a husband away on travel, and a handful of shoots and events.  And then throw training for the marathon on top of it all and my time has been spent (and then some).  When focusing on the priority of work, I always have to put shoots, editing, and proofing way ahead of social media because my clients are top priority.  I cannot justify having a new blog entry if I am short on time and am fighting the clock to get clients their images in a timely manner.  And since health (and sanity) is a big priority I cannot pull all nighters like I used to do prior to kids.  

I then find myself with weeks passed and no entries.  The question is, what do I do?  I like the idea of vowing to overcome this hump and write weekly, but until I find the natural groove (which is hard to do with a one and two year old), it seems like that may just be failure waiting to happen.  The next question I ask is do I simply put blogging aside and decide not to have a blog until I can truly commit to it?  And that doesn't feel right either.  So for right now I just hope you all bare with me as I settle into my groove.

I am going to start playing some catch up to showcase some past shoots that I did this year, which never made it to the blog because I was in between the old and the new.  I also have so much to talk about in regards to health and fitness, family, and upcoming events.  I hope that this week  I can sit down and really explore these topics in a written form.  Until then, here is a little bit of what has been keeping me busy!

From now until Monday, September 3, 2012 you can book a beauty portrait session for ONLY $99 (regular price $180).  The best part is you get to bring a friend (or mom, sister, cousin, daughter...) to join you in the experience for free!  

And just to clarify - your session doesn't have to take place during the holiday weekend, you just have to book your session by end of day on Monday (9/3/12).  

There is no better time to celebrate you!  

Contact me at [email protected] or 407-494-1142 for more details about the portrait experience or to book your session.

** For more information on pricing and products go to www.jessregan.com and click under the studio portrait tab >> pricing and products.  

Kalyn is a senior at Seminole High School.  She is currently involved with the choir and has been active in musical theater since middle school.  Other passions of hers include debating, movies, and music.  It is Kalyn's current dream to join the Peace Corps after receiving her degree from a 4 year university.  She hopes to spend her time traveling the world while helping others in need before venturing off to purse her Ph.D.

Kalyn's dreams may seem big, but as soon as I met her, I knew they were certainly achievable.  Kalyn has spunk and charisma and was a joy to photograph.  It will be fun to watch her navigate through her senior year, getting one step closer to achieving her goals.  

Here is a small preview of the images from Kayln's portrait session:

I am currently booking sessions for the class of 2013 high school seniors.  If you are interested please contact me to set up your sessions. Details about senior sessions are available on my website. 

Feel free to leave some love for Kalyn and also come check out my facebook page and "like" me! : ) 

I recently signed up for probably the biggest challenge to date in my life.  If you couldn't already tell by the title of the blog, I signed up for a marathon.  The Disney Marathon on January 13, 2013 to be exact.    

My sister's best friend - who has practically been my 3rd sister for the past 21 years, talked me into it.  Well, to be exact she asked if I had any interest in running it with her and once I got the idea in my head I couldn't say no.  What can I say?  I like challenges.

I have never considered myself a runner, until now.  I was the girl in high school who nearly failed P.E. because I could barely make it around the mile track.  But, today running is my release.  It is a way for me to challenge myself, de-stress, sort out my thoughts, and to dream.  I love when I hit new milestones with speed or distance.  I can barely believe that I am running several days per week and increasing my mileage on a regular basis.  Mostly, I can't believe how much I love it.  I am now a runner.  

So with the help of my runner friends (who have all showed me so much love and support)  I have created a nice color coded spreadsheet for my work out and actually feel like this challenge is achievable.  Today I went my farthest distance since re-starting my running efforts last month, which was 4.66.  Just think...only 21.34 to go : )

I look forward sharing my journey with you - it's going to be a long one.  For now, I leave you with some of the images from my training thus far and of course my color coded spreadsheet.

•  Why are you a photographer?
  • I would have to say that I am a photographer because I love to capture the beauty of people in images.  Since I was in high school and began studying photography I have wanted to be a photographer.  I love to take pictures and I especially like taking pictures of people.  I would say that most photographers consider themselves artists, but for whatever reason I have never really resonated with this term.  Perhaps it was because both of my sisters were traditional artists and so I didn't feel like my photography was in the same category.  I consider myself to be an engineer of sorts, perhaps a photographic engineer, but I hesitate to say that because I do not want people to confuse that with a Photoshop engineer.  My focus is to create the best image in the camera by working with the subject.  I like to spend time with each individual focusing on increasing their confidence in front of the camera and posing them in ways that brings out the best images possible.  I love how it feels to have someone who says they are not photogenic or do not typically take good pictures fall in love with images of themself.  It gives a new sense of confidence within a person and that is priceless. 
•  What makes you excited to get up in the morning and get working?
  • This question is a difficult question because my days are so varied.  I currently work two days a week as a mental health counselor, providing individual therapy to college students.  On the other three days I focus on the photography and the business.  And on weekends I focus on family.  I suppose the question is geared towards the three days of photography though, so that's where the focus will be.  What gets me excited?  Hmmm.  Well, there are a lot of things, so I'm just going to say them all:  creating something new, working with clients, working with my makeup artist, going to the studio, checking things off my to do list, showing people their finished pictures, shooting, editing, researching, brainstorming, but especially getting one day closer to my goal - that's what really gets me excited. 
• What is the purpose of your business other than photography?
  • The purpose of my business other than photography is to make people feel beautiful inside and out.  I cannot stress what an integral part of my business this is.  My goal of each session is to make each individual that I work with walk away feeling absolutely beautiful - inside in out.  I hope everyone leaves with a greater sense of self, higher confidence, heightened sense of purpose, and increased ambition.  The experience is not just about the photographs - it is about you and getting a well-deserved day of pampering and a focus on beauty - the pictures are just a timeless reminder of this day.

Well, I hope that gives you a little more insight into who I am and what my business is about.  It sure made me think long and hard.  Regardless of what you do in your life, whether you work or are a stay at home mom (which is work!) - I would challenge you to answer these questions about yourself.  Why are you a [fill in the blank]?  What makes you excited to get up in the morning and get working?  What is the purpose of your business other than [fill in the blank]?  Feel free to comment and let me know what you learn about yourself.

Until next time.

(Photo credits to: Ryan G. Poirier and Caitlin Battersby)

In life, it sometimes seems impossible to move forward, or at least at the speed I like to go.  There are so many days where I feel like despite all I have on my to do list, the only thing that gets checked off would be the things added last minute and perhaps one or two small tasks.  Today, despite my daunting to do list, we had to take an unexpected trip to the doctors.  Luckily, my baby girl is just fighting  a bad ear infection, but having a 1 and half old home all day (especially when sick) definitely keeps things from getting done.  

It's days like these, that I especially need to keep life in perspective.  I have to continue to remind myself that things will get done in due time and that life is not a race.  My business may not grow at the pace I would like, but that I should be proud that I have a business and that I do something that inspires me and that I am passionate about.  I need to keep the overachiever in me at bay and just focus on being present with my children and my family, as they are the ones who need me most.  

This past year we have spent a lot of time trying to focus on family and what is important in our lives.  Focusing on health, fitness, and spending quality time together.  We don't always get to spend as much time together as we would always prefer, but we do try to make sure the time we do have is spent well.  Today in addition to taking the kids to the doctors and caring for my daughter I have managed to get a few important tasks taken care of during her nap (i.e. paying my sales tax, balancing the checkbook, paying company bills, and preparing client orders) - now any additional editing I get done is simply bonus.  I am not even going to trick myself into thinking I will have time to focus on marketing today because if I do I will only end up compromising the time I need to spend with my daughter while she is ill.  One day, she will be older and self sufficient and I will find a little more time on my plate, but I am not at all ready for that day and do not want to speed time.  

As I sit here writing this I can't help but think of the irony of my mother's own recent setback.  My parents just went on a trip to Scotland and Iceland and only a few days into the trip my mother slipped and fractured her ankle very badly.  She had to have surgery today and they fly home tomorrow - cutting their trip very short.  It will probably be 6 months before she is healed which seems like a major set back in so many ways.  I hope that instead, it gives her the break she has been needing (no pun intended) and allows other people around her to take care of her for a change.  

I guess my thinking is a little all over the place today, but the main thought that I want to put out there is how important it is to slow down and be present in our lives.  Sometimes when we don't slow down on our own, life may slow things down for us - and when that does happen instead of letting the anxiety of due dates and task lists get the best of us, I hope we can all just sit back and take life in.  

That's all from me today.  

I think one of the main reasons for my lack of blogging is that I was afraid.  I didn't think anyone would care to read what I wrote.  So, thinking that I didn't have anything interesting to say, I would say nothing at all.  Well, I am trying to change my perspective on life and stop using excuses that get in the way of my end goals and change my lifestyle - in both health and business.  

At the end of the day, if I want to blog, I need to blog for me - so that I feel good and not because the masses are demanding it, because right now, honestly there are no masses breaking down my door begging me to write.  

So I am going to embark on a new journey of online journaling.  The blog will be about me in all areas of my life, not just the business.  It's going to be around photography, inspiration, well-being, health, fitness, happiness, beauty, hopes, dreams, aspirations, and whatever seems to come my way.  It is my hope that in being 100 % genuine through my entries that I will in the end connect with other like minded people, whether they be photographers, business owners, women, moms, or people who are seemingly complete opposites of myself, that I will indeed find people who hear me.  

I was lucky enough to have an opportunity to work with a business coach earlier this year, Jeffrey Shaw (www.jeffreyshaw.com), who spoke a lot about "finding your tribe".  He would often say that not everyone will like your work (or your writing), but you aren't looking to be a photographer to the masses, you are looking to find the group of likeminded people who connect with you, understand you, and appreciate you.  Well, that is my focus this year.  As I have shifted my focus of photography from mainstream (newborns, babies, kids, children, families, weddings) to a specialization in fine art beauty portrait sessions, I too will shift my blog.  

I sincerely hope that you will enjoy going on this journey with me and getting to know me.  I invite your feedback to each entry and will work on either commenting back or perhaps even creating a new entry in response to the feedback if it seems that it calls for greater focus.  

For today I am simply going to leave you with a little vision board that highlights some of the elements that make up who I am at this point in my life.  This is by far not all the important things, but just some of the daily pieces that make up a bit of who I am.

Thanks for your time...and until tomorrow.

p.s.  Wondering what was on the old blog...or what happened to it?  I am leaving it up as of right now at jreganphotography.blogspot.com.