Category Archives: Personal Development

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Monday Musings

Another week has gone by. Week after week, month after month the calendar keeps rolling by. January is complete and there are 11-months left in the year. I’m not sure where the month of January has gone but it definitely feels as though it has raced by. I am beginning to believe there is some truth to the statement, “Life seems to go faster as we grow older.” As the months progress and the calendar pages continue to peel away, we move closer to Spring and the warmth that follows.

The days are noticeably growing longer. This is good as we or should I say I need the daylight to ensure a better mood. As I drove to my office today I was greeted by blue sky and the sun. Sometimes I feel like a pagen worshiping the sun when I see it during the winter because the appearances which it makes are all too infrequent and all too brief. This past week was difficult with respect to the weather. There was little sunlight and additional snow graced the area. I found myself behind the snowblower on several occasions. Friday’s frigid weather saw temperatures with wind-chills dipping below zero. My windshield cracked on Friday as I drove to work through those sub-zero temperatures. 

There were highlights to my week and included Saturday night with my son for the North Tonawanda High School Senior Boys Night. We first stopped at the Pearl Street Grille for dinner and refreshments. I love the atmosphere of the Pearl Street Grille and look forward to shooting my first wedding reception there this October. After we finished our meal we moved on to the HSBC Arena for the Buffalo Bandits game. I had never been to a Bandits game and when I heard they had lost the first four games of the season, I wasn’t too excited to see this game. I have a habit of looking for the positives in everything I do. I didn’t say I always found those positives, I said I always look for them. I knew I was spending the evening with my son and I looked forward to that. He’s such a surprising young man who has adopted a set of values that would make most parents proud. He is intelligent, introspective, respectful and helpful. He has a level of understanding for others that completely blows me away and when we talk I feel as though I am speaking to someone much older. The fact the Bandits won 11-7 was the icing on the cake. I still cannot believe Stephen is a senior and the trips we have taken to look at colleges all seem surreal. I look forward to him moving on to the next phase of his life and know whatever he touches will be better for it.

The other highlight of my week was spending a few hours with Kristina and Jason completing their engagement shoot. The couple left the location of the shoot up to me and I was excited to try some new locations. The locations were new in that i had never shot there before but they brought back a lot of great memories from my childhood. I knew it was going to be cold and we didn’t want to spend the entire time outside. Instead we drove to several different locations and spent approximately 30-minutes at each. We came away with some pretty amazing photos of a pretty amazing couple. A preview of the couple’s shoot is coming later in the week. I will share this photo from the Hamlet of Olcott, NY. I love this area and especially these shops pictured below.

I finished the week editing photos from the engagement session and watching the Grammy’s. Here’s to another week gone by and another week upcomimg. The days will continue to grow longer in duration, the temperatures will grow warmer and the sun will begin to make more frequent appearances.

Keep coming back and thanks for reading.

Christopher

Monday Musings

This past week has been busy. No busier than other weeks really but for some reason it felt busier. There are people in my life who wonder how I do it. How I accomplish what I do and how I keep everything straight in my head.  There are times when I’m not sure. A lot is due to my drive and determination and my desire to provide a high quality product. These were gifts which I received from my parents. A words like “quit” is not in my vocabulary. Stephen Covey’s “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.

Additionally I meditate every day. I write every day. I read every day and I listen to music every day. These things nourish my soul and without them I would not be able to achieve what I have achieved. It is important for me to take these daily steps. In many ways it is no different from the training done by a world class athlete.


January 9th I photographed Megan and Rob’s wedding. I edited those photos, burned DVD’s, put together an album, designed a website and uploaded photos to my blog, my main website, the couple’s website and my fulfillment site. I also delivered prints and an album for another couple. This is all in addition to my full-time work. .

Saturday, my son Stephen, his friend Kyle and myself drove to Washington, PA to visit Washington-Jefferson College. After a whirlwind trip there and back (8-hours) and meetings with coaches and staff we arrived home. Once I arrived home I cleaned camera gear and charged batteries and then passed out. Sunday morning I was off to Stockton, NY to complete an engagement shoot for Sara and her fiance, EJ. We were a little concerned about the weather being forecast for Sunday. After months of cold temperatures and snow, the forecast was for rain. Normally in Buffalo, NY in January the concern is about the snow, Sunday was about the threat of rain.

We met at the home of Sarah’s parents and the shoot went off without a hitch until we were about 5-minutes into the shoot when the rain started. We did the best we could do under the circumstances yet everyone walked away disappointed. I know Sara was disappointed but no one was more so than me. I make promises to couples to provide the highest degree of customer service and when I can’t complete a shoot I feel as though I’ve not fulfilled my end of the agreement. The weather was something out of my or anyone else’s realm of control but this has done little to relieve the concern I feel for my responsibilities. We will schedule another engagement shoot to make up for the one cut short by the weather.

As busy as the weekend was I wouldn’t trade it for anything. It’s the fact I have my camera in my hand that makes it all tolerable. Again, I’d like to give a shout out to all of my clients and say “Thank you.” Without you and your trust in myself and my abilities I wouldn’t be able to work toward making my photo business full-time.

Thanks for reading.

Christopher

2009: A Year in Review

2009 has been a pretty amazing year for me in so many ways. I have also experienced a few losses this year. I am thankful this year was marked by more highlights and I am blessed to have the people who are in my life. 2009 marked my first full year as a wedding photographer and in that saw some pretty amazing growth. Despite this growth I still have a family to think about and I wasn’t fortunate enough to be able to “go full-time.” Not yet anyway. I did change full-time jobs and in that left many wonderful relationships. Technology has made it much easier to maintain these relationships over long distances. If I had to choose  ”my biggest joy” this year, I would have to say it was witnessing my son’s successes on the football field. His team, the North Tonawanda Lumberjacks reached the end of a successful season with a 13-0 record and captured the New York State Class AA State Championship. I am so proud of him and the team’s accomplishments this year.

I really can’t believe it’s 2010. I mean that’s just crazy. My kids grow older as do I only I don’t want to admit it. The great thing is, I don’t feel older. As I grow older a feel a sense of urgency to work even harder for my clients and to build my business. I have been so luck to be able to turn a fun hobby into a successful and growing business. I am even more stoked to be able to spend time with some of the wonderful couples who have allowed me the opportunity to be a part of their very special day and to capture those moments for them. I am grateful and thankful. The excitement I experience being able to document a couple’s wedding and then watch their eyes widen into a full-face smile as they see their photos is unmatched.

I have always loved to read and have been frustrated by my inability to finish books. I thought at first it was just the fact I have so much going on in my life. Then a friend introduced me to the Kindle from Amazon.com. Oh my God. I purchased one in August and have read at least two books each month since. I actually forgot my Kindle at my office the other day and when I discovered it missing I wasn’t quite sure how I was going to get through the night. I no longer enjoy reading. I LOVE to read again. Thanks Amazon.com. A friend turned me on to a website called goodreads.com. It’s a website where you can share your thoughts about the books you’ve read and read real world reviews from people about books which you might find interesting. Awesome website. Check it out.

One of my favorite things which happened this year was the development and renewal of some pretty amazing relationships. I realized how many people were out there and wanted to see my succeed and were willing to help out in any way they could. Again, I am so blessed to have these people in my life and thankful for their friendship, their help and their guidance. I saw my blog grow as I worked hard to post at least twice each week. I love to write and saw my writing improve and grow more personal. I have been told by several consistent readers it is this personalization which they have enjoyed the most as it has opened up my soul and made me more accessible to them. I have been told by the same readers it is this personalization they see in my photography and has helped me to book new clients. I have invested in others and they have in turn invested in me. This year has allowed me to see the fruits of that labor as those relationships have continued to blossom and to grow. I have also enjoyed the relationships I have been able to forge with my clients. The trust and appreciation has been incredible.

When I reread some of my blog entries and the ones which remain in “draft” format waiting to be finished, I am amazed at what I have been able to accomplish this past year. I know that with continued hard work and perseverance 2010 will be just as exciting and productive.

Thank you to everyone who has touched my life. I am also thankful for those who have touched my life in a negative way as I have learned from those relationships as well.

Thank you all so much for allowing me into your lives. I am so thankful to have forged the relationships I have and look forward to growing these. Have a great New Year and keep coming back to read.

Namaste,

Christopher

Winter Solitude

The winter months can be difficult for many people, especially those who live in areas where we experience days which lack sunshine, daylight is abbreviated and punctuated by snow and cold temperatures. I like to use the winter months as an opportunity to slow down. This is a reminder I often needs as I can be like the Energizer bunny and go non-stop for days.

Wedding season has come to an end. Thanksgiving and Christmas come quickly on the heels of Halloween. December 21st, the Winter solstice, brings hope to those of use who struggle with the light shortened days. December 21st is the shortest day of the year. Everyday thereafter brings more daylight and the hope Winter will be coming to an end and warmer weather will soon follow.

Winter used to be a huge downer for me. I’d sit in the house and complain about the cold, the darkness and anything else that would cross my path. I rediscovered the outdoors through a return to skiing and snowshoeing. Snowshoeing fit my personality perfectly. I love the outdoors. I love hiking and I love the solitary feeling of being in the woods. I take a backpack and a thermos full of coffee, my hiking poles and my thoughts. I also bring a notebook and my camera. Several times along the path I stop to photograph with both my camera and my mind, the beautiful scenery laid out by God for my enjoyment. I hear snowflakes gently falling and settling on top of their dearly departed relatives.

As I make my way across the open field, breaking a path through knee deep snow, I look up toward the top of the ridge and I see it; “meditation rock. “Meditation rock” is how I refer to this rock which has provided me with countless opportunities to be introspective. The rock juts out from the ridge and appears to be ready to fall at any time. As I make my way out toward the end of the rock, I remove my backpack and ultimately my thermos. I sit and see other winter hikers below me. They do not see me. I am invisible to the world if for only the time I spend on the “rock.” As I sit I remove my notebook and pen from my backpack and try to capture the thoughts racing through my head begging to be written down. No one sees these words but I know they are there. They are my comfort. They complement my photography and combine to tell the full story; a story that words alone cannot capture. At some point I need to resume my hike. I don’t want to and a battle ensues within my thoughts. I know there is more beauty to see along the path but I am happy, content where I am. After a few more minutes I rise and replace my notebook and thermos. My backpack rejoins my back and I return to the path; the path used by others. I begin hiking and search again for that spot where I can find the quiet, the solitude and be comfortable with my thoughts once again. A smile crosses my face as I come to a bend in the path. I am familiar with this section of the path. It leads downward and comes to an abrupt turn where, as my eyes glace further along the path they spot a large stand of pine trees. I know these trees. They provide a similar sense of quiet and solitude as does “meditation rock.” As I leave the path my eyes search for another comfortable spot on which to find a perch. The sequence of removing my pack and its contents is slowly and thoughtfully repeated. I sit. I contemplate. I write. The feelings at times become overwhelming and I find tears leaving my eyes. I have thoughts of my grandmother who left us two years ago. I think of my family and the successes I have experienced. I think of the love I share with my wife and the tears of sadness turn to those motivated by joy and happiness.

The summer months accompanied by their long, sun filled days are an opportunity to get things done and to feel productive. There seems to be a natural slow down during the winter months. Weddings are still being booked but are not being photographed, especially at the pace they are during the summer.

Thanks again everyone for reading. I hope you find my photography and my writing inspirational. Please keep coming back and please leave comments at the end of the post.

Have a great Christmas. Be safe and God Bless.

Chris

Sunsets

As much as I love mornings, that’s how much I LOVE sunsets. I’m not sure what it is; the end of the day, the culmination of all things good. As a photographer it is the colors. They are vibrant and alive and unmatched anywhere. The painter and photographer, try as they may cannot mimic what God has created.

The words escape me and most who know me know this is a quiet time of day for me. A time of quiet introspection and reflection.

I love this quote by John Muir. “I only went out for a walk, and finally concluded to stay out ’til sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in.” I cannot think of anything which captures the beauty of a sunset so spectacularly. For once in my life I am left speechless. I will allow the photograph to speak for itself.

Thanks again for reading and please scroll to the comments section below and leave a comment.

Chris

sunset