Why film?

Film is something I am passionate about.

Film for me is not a fad.

It is not something I shoot because 'all the cool kids are doing it'.

Film has always been, for me, a source of magic.

It has always been a connection to something bigger than myself. Film has the ability to help us remember times gone by, and those whom we love so openly and fully, we remember them because of film. The miraculous nature by which it came about, and and of itself is magical. For me, each and every time I make an image on film, that magic comes alive for me, and I see sparkling glitter fall from the sky. Silly? Perhaps. Truthful? Certainly.

Fuji Instant Film Negative.

Shot on a Polaroid 600SE on Fuji fp3000b

When I was 15 I knew in the deepest corners of my soul that I needed to be a photographer. I don't know why, or what compelled that desire in me. Perhaps it was my grandfather. Perhaps it was his relatives who were asked to photograph Zion's National Park. Perhaps I knew at that young age that it was my destiny to capture moments that can so easily slip away. It wasn't until I was a mother, and was given the opportunity to learn, to shoot. It was on film that I learned. When the digital cameras started coming out, and were 'all the rage' I stood on the sidelines. Secretly wishing for one of those new fandangled contraptions, but still holding to my love of film. It was real, it was tangible. I was saving my pennies for a medium format film camera. That was my dream.

That year I was given a digital SLR. I loved this camera. Imagine my surprise when it was frustrating to learn to use. So different from the film I was accustomed to shooting. With time, I learned to master that digital camera although my heart still longed for film. For years I had been stalking the blog of one Jonathan Canlas. Well, I wouldn't say stalking because I left comments almost every time I went to visit his blog. It wasn't before long that I realized why I was drawn to his work. He shot film. Only film. I loved this thought. I wanted this to be me. Much to my surprise he had his first workshop in 2008. I was determined to attend that workshop. Hell or high water, I would go. And. I. Did. I wouldn't say that the workshop changed me immediately. I knew going into film that I needed to make a commitment to it. I was one of those people that had to have all or nothing. It was so deep in my soul that I knew leaving that workshop that I would one day shoot only film. Two years, almost to the day from attending that workshop, I made the switch to 100% film. I have never regretted that decision. It has forever changed me. I am lucky to call Jon one of my greatest friends. I am lucky to call him my mentor.

I get a lot of emails asking about why I shoot film, asking how they can shoot film, should they shoot film, should they just get a digital SLR. My answer to them is YES they can shoot film, and they SHOULD. Don't wait for anything. Life is short. Go and dust off that 35mm, I don't care how old it is. Grab a roll of film, load it and SHOOT it. "But isn't that hard." You ask. Well, my friends. Jon has just written a book that is about to change your life:

I have this book. I have devoured it already. It is beautiful, it is breathtaking, it is a work of art, and I am not lying when I tell you it will change your life if you let it. I don't care if you are a mom taking photos of her babies. I don't care if you are an empty nester. If you have access to a camera, please, please pick it up and shoot something on it this year.

Jon's book was released today. It is available in PDF format for immediate download and is on sale for an introductory price of $89 until February 23. I highly suggest you buy your copy before it goes to it's regular price of $149 which is still killer and worth every penny. (I spent more on one college book studying photography and didn't learn a tenth of what I have learned from Jon.)

Jon has given me the opportunity to offer this book to you. For each book that my friends and readers buy, I get a small portion of the sale, but even if I did not I would support this book, as I do now, with my entire being.

Let film change you as it has me.

Get your book HERE.

I'll send the first five people who buy it a little something special in the mail to get them started on their own film journey. Simply send me an email to: kimorlandini[at]gmail[dot]com.

Cheers.

In Peace

I will try to ignore the way this 'funeral' came about.

I won't tell you it is because this tiny bird was sitting across the street on the porch of the vacant home probably since Millz was born.
I will try to not get into the fact that every day my children have gone over to look at the dead bird that fell out of the nest.
I will even refrain from telling you that yesterday my kids ripped off one of the dead bird's wings with their
bare hands.

I won't tell you how I freaked out when Memms brought said wing to me, or how I began ranting that we need to respect life, la la la la la.

After I washed hands and gave baths, I reset myself and we taught about respect for living things, and so...

A funeral in pictures:

Budget, Fudget, Mo Mudget...

Oh how I hate thee...let me count the ways. Oh wait, this post isn't about that. It is suppose to be about the "freedom" I am feeling with my budget. (Cough, cough, lie, lie.)

But 'fer realz' people let me educate you on the ways of my last month of budgeting.

It all started when the economy started going all crazy like. My husband, well, you know he helps people find and sell houses. He loves his job. He is THE best at it. With the economy the way it is, and with all of the mortgage lenders going kaput and struggling, it has really hurt the housing industry hard. That goes for all the little people involved too, from plumbers to electricians, etc. So, so, so sad really. :( Frowny face.

So, Hubbs and I sad down and had THE. TALK. The talk we have had for eight years. The one that inevitably tells me that I can no longer visit Target. The one that I know means I can no longer "wander" aimlessly through Wal-mart for hours while "grocery shopping". Ug. It came down to this: "Do you want our kids to have a roof over their heads?"

Cry. Cry. Cry. Commence me FREAKING...and realizing that something had to be done. (I didn't have the best spending habits, if I saw something I wanted or THOUGHT I needed, well heck I bought it. This included luxuries large and small.) This also brought up the fact that my business was in fact helping our family in little ways, and that for us to be able to stay in our home, I would have to stop giving such great deals to everyone. Which is SO hard for me because I photograph for the love, but now I MUST photograph for the need. I feel SO blessed at this time to have this gift, that it is blessing my family enough to put food on the table while hubby scraps up enough to pay our house payment. (You all know how this is though, because WE ARE ALL FEELING THE CRUNCH!)



Anyway, back to the positive of my budgeting.

For a little over a month, I have been on THE strictest budget EVER. I won't go into details as I believe finances are very personal, and each family is different, and no one can truly understand how someone gets from point a to point b. I just hope to inspire someone else out there who had my same PROBLEM of over-spending and 'retail therapy'. Oh how many days did I walk the isles of Target to soothe my fat butt and aching heart?

BUT GUESS WHAT?!!! In the past month I have been able to:

• Not walk into a store unless I know exactly why I am walking in, what I am going to buy and if I even need to buy anything.
• I have discovered how amazingly and totally awesome the Salvation Army store by my house is. Dood, guys, it is AWESOME!
• I have probably saved my family $1000.00. I am not joking. Not.
• Shot 10 sessions before the month is through.
• Without realizing it, I haven't taken my anti-depressant for TWO WEEKS.
• And best of all, remember this? I finally saw that EXACT same number again this week. It has been FOUR months. I am proud.
• We got a FRONT YARD. (Post to come...post to come.)

Coincidence? I think not. I think there is something truly powerful to be said about being in control of one's life. I am happy. Striving to live my religion has blessed us tremendously as well. Tithing has always been SUPER important to us, and now I feel we are seeing a blessing in our lives for having always paid it.

There are times when of course I feel like a slave to my pocketbook. I am sad when I can't just join my friends out to eat all the time. But, I am happier, my kids are happier. And of course, HUBBS is happier. :)

Audrey Woulard Workshop

June 2008



It was neat to be able to meet one of photography's elite. Audrey was very down to earth, very open and very honest in her workshop. She is an incredibly talented woman. It was neat to hear about how she got into photography...and really great to see her in action.

She has a way of making anyone feel at ease.

It was totally awesome to see the famous 'loft' and to be where much of her stunning work is created.

This baby was delicious. I think she was five weeks old?! Seriously. Cute.

This image may not seem like much, we learned how to photograph a subject in full sun. Something not easily done.

This kid was stunning. Some back alley work.

And this one...nice.

And one of my BFF's.

Chicago was totally rawkin'. Stay tuned for the next while and I will show you just how rawkin' I thought it was. This seems like SO long ago...and yet it wasn't. Wow...I need to get back on track.

The best things about the workshop were learning some of Audrey's business savvy, and learning to trust myself shooting many people at a very wide open aperture. It can be done. Hello low light, you are no longer my demon friend...I welcome you.

PASSION!

Passion that I feel in my heart...but don't have the words to express it as eloquently as Mrs. R does. Go, tell her how awesome she is...and consider her words.

Week in Review

I wish I had a photo for today. It was a lazy day for me around here. I photographed a wedding yesterday, it has been a few months, I forget how physically and mentally draining they can be. Every muscle in my body hurts. I hurt in places I forgot I had. Looks like I need to hit the gym twice as hard! ;) I had a young woman come and job shadow me. She was SO nice and it was so great to meet her. Hope she decides to come back and maybe help out a few times this summer with the weddings we are booking like crazy.

Luckily, this week I have only had a few mild headaches, hoping that by avoiding some of the things I think have been triggering my migraines, I can avoid them, or avoid as many as I have been having.

We got a new vacuum today. I made the mistake of letting a vacuum salesman into our home the other day, did you even know such things existed? He left the vacuum for a few days. Seriously like four, and Flav, being the vacuum man around here (it is one of his TWO chores) really liked it. The thing can SUCK...it has some massive sucking power, even I was impressed with, never saw anything clean so powerfully even with a FULL bag. YES, the bag was FULL after going over our entire house. Disgusting. So, the dude was trying to sell it to us for this insane amount of money. Flavio, being a terrific sales-person himself talked him down to an insane amount of money on the other end. We vowed not to repeat that insane price. I think we won. Tee hee. Is it strange to be so excited about a vacuum?!

Let's see. My husband made a boo boo this week. Claiming he talked to me about some MAJOR purchase, which, in fact he did not. Oops. I forgive him. I think. ;) Sorry honey, just have to put it out there for the wold that you, in fact, did NOT discuss it with me. I still love you though!

My kids are weeds. WEEDS I tell you. Emms hair has grown an inch overnight I swear. Leaving me the need to put "pretty ponies" in her hair everyday because it is SO insanely long.

I was able to do some presentations for a local junior high school on adoption this week. Miss Carly had asked me to join her. As I had mentioned earlier, with my crazy busy week, it was the last thing I thought I could fit in/do. I am so thankful that I did. I know there was a reason I had to be at those particular presentations, I felt like we really got through to some of the students there. Three girls in particular, two of which had older sisters who were parenting. It was really neat to get their perspective. Also, one young lady in particular who was SO hard at the beginning of the presentation, SO much attitude, who, by the end had softened and was so utterly respectful as to why we were there. It was great. I love to get them thinking, thinking about the statistics between those choosing to single parent, those who choose to abort, and those who choose to place. The numbers are astounding, I like to see the looks in their faces when they realize, in their own words how "messed up" that is. It truly is messed up. I hope that they can take what they learned this week and always keep it close to their hearts, and share that adoption is a beautiful option in this crazy world who would have us believe otherwise. Thanks for the call Carly!

Well that is about it. Long posts with no photos are hard to get through I know...here, let me dig you up an oldie but goodie...

I call this her "ugly face". Sounds mean, it isn't . I say, "Emm, show me your ugly face." She contorts her features until this is what I see. Usually with a lot less tongue and more teeth. Anyway, this is the face she makes when she is "whining". I hate whining but that is another post entirely. Enjoy your weekend. I am off to bed!

Hoping to Adopt (Again) Part 4

Meet Ben, Amanda, and Isaac.

It has been my honor to meet this family a little over two and a half years ago as they were beginning their adoption journey. It has been wonderful to watch Ben and Amanda become parents. Amanda is such an amazing mother. When I talk to her, I know that she takes this job seriously and helps me want to be a better mother myself. Ben is an amazing person as well. He is very kind, smart, and caring to his wife and his son. I admire that in a husband.

I would love nothing more than to see this wonderful family grow through adoption. So, keep them in your prayers, and please, if you know of someone who is considering adoption. Consider them!

Hoping to Adopt (Again) Part 3

Meet Tim, Cassie & Alyssa

If I could use one word to describe Tim and Cassie...H I L A R I O U S !

I met them about, oh what? THREE years ago? Seriously? It seems like I have known them forever. We met this fabulous couple during our adoption education classes when we were first beginning our adoption journey. I think we sat by them, like the entire time? Even then I had this overwhelming LIKE of this couple. A couple of months later I was asked to serve on our local Families Supporting Adoption board, and luckily so were Tim and Cassie. I was so excited to finally get to know them better and to work with them. I fell IN LOVE with them.

I remember when they were announced to (told that Alyssa would be joining their family). We were all gathered for a new education class, and their worker pulled them aside. I was like...."Here they go!" I remember sitting breathlessly waiting until they came out of that office. When I saw their faces and the tears, I lost it. And I lost it the other day when Cassie retold it.

My heart has ached this past year for this couple. Who is so deserving, and so wonderful, and yet given so much trial...I want them to have another child so badly!

Tim and Cassie are specifically looking for a child through a Designated Adoption. Meaning they need to find their. own. birth. mother. This is not an easy task. More than likely their adoption will be private. So, their situation is a bit different, so if any of you out there may know of a birth mom who fits this category, let's hook them up!

Good luck on your journey to #2 Tim and Cass!

Hoping to Adopt Part 2

Meet Ron and Jessica.

I had THE wonderful opportunity to meet Ron and Jessica a little over a year ago. I met them through our chapter of Families Supporting Adoption, right as they were finishing up their paperwork (right? I am right? Right?!) What can I say about them? They are funny, witty, honest, and most of all? They love eachother. It has been so fun getting to know them better, and so hard to not see them as parents. Go. Read. About. Them. If you know of a birth mother for them...please contact me, them, us...

If anything, they blog...HE blogs. And that is totally cool.