Oh my been awhile again

Time is passing me by. Ever since we got verbal orders to Naples Italy in February, time has been going by quickly for everything except the hard copy lol.

Hard to believe we are already in July. Last week was crazy, the husband's ship went to the Bahamas for some shindig. Unfortunately no photos to scrap for DH's album as he only got to step about 5 feet outside of the gate. They were only there for 2 days and he had duty the full day in port. Go figure lol.
He finally got home about 6pm Saturday night, which made for a very short 4th of July weekend. We lounged with the kids on Sunday cause it was way too hot to go any where during daylight hours. We did wind up going to see some fireworks that night. Started off by heading to Downtown Norfolk since I was able to get some beautiful shots there last year. After sitting in traffic and realizing most parking decks were completely full we got out of there and hit 264 and heading for Va Beach instead. Stopped at a parking deck on Independence Blvd so we didn't have to fight the Mt. Trashmore traffic. If you are just wanting to "see" the fireworks it was a good location but I only too my 90mm as a "just" in case lense and it was too short. I had trees (which are ok) and powerlines in the way. But all in all I got some ok shots. Hopefully next year in Italy I can get some beautiful shots again.

I will post a collage in a bit of the kids and the fireworks.

Oh and we did take the kids to Kings Dominion on Monday, and OMGoodness was it ever so hot. I literally thought I was going to have a heat stroke or something. It was fun but too hot to really enjoy it.

But I just wanted to say I have been pretty busy with processing clients photos and designing albums.

Like I said before things have been way fast since getting the orders, we have gone to 2 workshops for the move and have another to go but can't do that until we have orders in hand. The kids are moving from phase one in braces to phase 2. Can I just say "Sticker Shock?" This is a busy time of year here in Hampton Roads for photographers, but it has been so hot that many of mine have been moved indoors. My house and studio are turned upside down as we have been packing things we want to keep but no need to take. You know that huge dining room table that is not going to fit in the 1400 sq ft houses over there lol. Yeah that has been oh so fun. We have gone through things and had a yard sale, but gonna have to have another. We are lined up to go to a TAPS class soon, hard copy should be in soon and we are no where near ready. The husband will be in and out until he detaches in Nov., so most of this move will be left up to me again. And after our last move I could so do a DITY but that would be too costly for an OCONUS move. So I am stuck with the movers the Navy hires.

My house is turned upside down and I have another shoot tomorrow. I gotta run and clean but again here are a couple of photos from our 4th of July weekend.

Been an interesting day here today

Not sure how many of you know but we have orders to Naples Italy!!!!! We are so excited, the time to go can't get here fast enough. Anyway....
The hubs and I had to meet with the Orthodontist this morning. We have one child that is still in phase 1 and ready for phase 2, one that has finished phase 1 and should be ready for phase 2 around July. The 3rd they are hoping can hold off until she is a bit older. Any way we were there today to decide what route we want to take for phase 2. We can do just plain extractions and make it all much better. Or he can have surgery and extractions and make it "perfect". I am pretty sure we are leaning towards just the extractions and make the best of what we were dealt. But the real question comes into play with no knowing what Naples has to offer for dependants with braces. So tomorrow at some point I get to try and call or go into Boone clinic and talk with Dental to find out if they have the orthodontic facilities or not. So that was sticker shock, insurance will only pay another 750. Our portion is almost 4000 dollars. Not counting what we have paid for phase 1. But we have started this process, we need to finish it I guess.
Once that was over we actually had lunch together as the hubs was going to miss it on the ship by the time he got back. He left back for work, I tried to schedule that drs appt. that I have been trying to get since Friday still with no luck. Worked on some photos, and took the kids to Soccer practice. It was parents against kids scrimage. Yeah that was a mistake. Pretty sure I broke my toe lol. It won't bend and it hurts like crazy to walk. Go figure, that is my luck. We are home and settled in for the night. While fixing dinner on the George Forman I burned my arm, blisters and all lol. Now waiting on the hubs to get home, as he warned me that this week will be late nights due to training.
So yeah I know this has nothing to do with Photography but I figure if I get into the habit of posting regularly the photography part of it will fall into place lol.
Hope everyone had a more productive day than I have. As I am still trying to search for answers about our DL's (North Carolina and Texas) as we need them valid for the entire length of the OCONUS tour.

Update for Father's Day

"A Father carries pictures where his money used to be - so why not give him a wallet with a picture on it for Father's Day!"

I said yesterday that I would post an update with more info on the Father's Day Specials. I am awaiting the samples from the company to actually show you some of the products. So until then I will just post a reminder that we have until June 14th to hold the session and get the session fee at 50% off. As soon as I get the samples I will update the post. So check back often!

Father's Day Specials!!!!

Book a session now for Father's Day!! 1/2 off the Session fee (some restrictions apply for locations) Hold your session between June 1st and June 14th for this special. Session fee is $75! That is 50% off. I offer many items that make great gifts for dad, mouse pads, mugs, wallets, shaving kit bag etc... Call or email to book your session!

Amanda & Antwan

I had the pleasure of photographing Amanda and Antwan's Wedding last August at Fort Monroe. It was a beautiful intimate beach side ceremony. They had their reception inside the Bay Breeze Community Center.
Absolutely beautiful ceremony and couple. I hope you guys have a wonderful life together. Well atleast once he gets back lol.

Lots of new updates coming soon

Unfortunately I had a major Hard drive failure last weekend. I found out on Friday that nothing was recoverable :(. So after running software recovery on all of my CF cards I was able to get most everything back. I am missing about 6-8 months worth of clients and personal photos. I have since learned that you back up tha back up. So with the new click free hard drive having arrived today and the first one being defective I am in the process of backing everything I saved up. With that said there will be lots of updates coming from past clients that I just haven't had time to post.

If you take nothing but one thing from this please make sure you BACK UP everything!!!

My broken A700 :(

Here are some images of my unfortunate accident :(. I learned my lesson. You don't leave a 70-200mm 2.8 attached to the camera for extended periods of time and then pack it into a camera bag backpack. I did this but accidently dropped the bag and it snapped the lens off the camera :(. Oh I was sick. Thankfully I have an extened warranty and Insurance. The lens appears to be ok thankfully and the camera is out for repair. I sure hope they get it fixed soon so that I can have it back.

Any way try not to make the same mistake I did.

Sorry for the crappy quality it was low light and with my P&S.

This is for Sommer

My dd loves this song and video so I have decided to put it on here for her. As we have now banned them from youtube. So there may be several more to come lol. She loves Miley Cyrus and since she can't get Party in the USA on CD yet, I am posting it here so that she can still watch and listen when ever she wants.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M11SvDtPBhA

The Picture A Day posts start today!

I started shooting them on the first like I said I would. I will not post them everyday because I know for one that I will not get on here everyday and 2 that will bog down the site. So I will try to post every few days or so. With that said on Friday the first I decided to shoot a ring that was inscribed. In my photography course one of my photo projects was to photograph something with the smallest Apeture. I have an idea for this but it is just too cold for this girl to go outside unless I absolutely have to. So I decided to try it with a ring instead. With a ring I knew I would need my macro lens so I pulled it out and opened it up to 2.8. I shot it at several flash settings (which automatically disqualifies it for the assignment as no flash can be used). Any way I didn't get exactly what I wanted, should have actually stopped it down just a tad. But I am sure I will have plenty of chances to keep trying since it will be so cold here this week lol. Hope you enjoy the BW of it.

With the new year comes new changes to Breezy Cranford Photography

Well I am certainly hoping that 2010 will be better than 2009. Many things happened in 09 good and bad. My husband was a geo bachelor in Mississippi while we were here in Hampton Roads VA until May, which certainly has it's challenges. Family sicknesses, cancers, surgeries and deaths. I hope they are all behind us now.
But with the bad there was some good too. The kids and I were able to go to Charleston SC to visit Daddy while they were commissioning the ship. We wound up in DC just to get away. We went to Oahu and Kauai over the summer for our family vacation. And then Disney had to put out their Military Discount that is always too good to pass up. So for Thanksgiving we wound up at Disney World. So lots of good traveling atleast.

I met some great friends and clients in 09. Photographed lots of couples, families and weddings. OPLOVE really took off here, so much so that we can't possibly help everyone who requests it.

With all of that said I am ready to start 2010 off right.
I am enrolled in a photography course, cause as we all know you can never learn too much. I am always looking for new ways to do this or that. I have a photoshop course lined up for later this year.
I don't make New Years Resolutions, so I am going to make "goals" instead.
A few of my goals personal and business wise are
* to get fit.
*get more organized and balance my time better (purchased software to help with this and made schedules)
*Practice new lighting techniques.
*Spend more time together as a family since the hubster will be home for the majority of the next 6 months.
*Try to remain open and understanding when the talks with the detailer starts for new orders (this is probably be the hardest of them all lol)
*And I hope to take atleast one photo everyday.
I will post the images here but it probably won't be everyday. But I definitely plan to post here atleast a couple of times a week. So be on the look out.
I have 6 photo projects that I need to get done hopefully before I leave for Nashville and Imaging USA. I had an idea today that I practiced with but unfortunately it won't work for my project. I will post it here later and start fresh again tomorrow.

Also if you are following this blog please friend/fan me on facebook as I have an awesome contest going on.
For all of my facebook friends/fans I am asking you to help me get more fans for the new year. From Jan.1 through Jan. 14th at Midnight who ever refers the most friends to my photography page will win a 2010 calendar with a collection of images from our Hawaii trip. I will do a different contest starting the 15th through the 31st. These contests will continue through June 30th. At that time who ever has referred the most people overall will receive a complimentary Snaptotes clutch bag with the portrait of their choosing. With your help I know that 2010 will be awesome. If you refer someone please have them put your full name in a message so that I know who referred them. If you click on the title of this post it will take you to my photography facebook page.
Thanks for your help and I look forward to meeting many new people, reuniting with old friends and making new ones.

Hampton Roads Navy Birthday Ball

Been a while since I posted. But just found out that the date for the Navy Birthday Ball this year for Hampton Roads will be Oct. 24th.
The time is 6pm-1130 and no child care offered.
It will be held at Rockwell Hall on NAB Little Creek.
I guess this will be dh's birthday dinner again.
I sure hope I can drop atleast 10 pounds between now and then. Hope to see some of you there :D

2 week Baby shoot

Today I had the honor of photographing a beautiful baby boy today. He got a bit cranky but we waited for him. Hope you enjoy. Doug and Shauna thank you guys so much for having me photograph him. I hope you guys have a safe trip and that all goes well in OK. And keep in touch!

Thanks again!