Multi-Tasking

For a number of years we have heard how we need to multi-task to make the best use of our time - to get as many things accomplished in one day as possible.  But let me ask this, at the end of a day of unending multi-tasking, do you feel like you've accomplished as much as you possibly could have?  By the time you fully engage in your first activity it's time to switch to the second.  So, you disengage from the first to emmerse yourself into the second only just in time to move on to the third item.  So, you disengage from the second to ... well, you get the picture.

Really!?!...is this how people have always done things?  Not that we're all Einsteins, but do you really think the geniuses that came before us danced around from topic to topic, only to arrive at groundbreaking, revolutionizing ideas?  Now, I know that the majority of us will not come up with something as world changing as the light bulb or the sun being the center of our solar system, but still it's food for thought.

I, to an extreme the last couple of years, have had to be a multi-tasker and now see a huge problem with it.  I just don't get enough completed at the end of the day.  Is it just me?  Sure you make some small steps in many things, but hardly complete any of them.  And, you probably don't do as good a quality of job as you could have if you had emmersed yourself into it and finished one thing before moving on.  I understand that the ability to multi-task is a necessary one for some situations, but having to multi-task and making it a part of everyday life...I just have to say that I don't think it's the most efficient use of time.

What are your thoughts?

~Kevin

Hendrix Family Mini-Session {Family/Senior 2011}

Last week we got to spend another fun night with the Hendrix family. This time we were photographing more senior portraits for Donovin, as well as grabbing a few family portraits.  One of the things that Donovin really wanted for his senior session was portraits with a Mustang.  We were in luck when we went to photograph the Mustang of a family friend - there was another one parked right nearby!  We strategically parked the red car next to the blue one and had fun with all of the great colors!

Our only disappointment with the evening was that it was overcast so we ran out of sunlight quicker then expected.  Regardless, we got a lot of great shots and a nice variety to add to Donovin's senior collection already.  To see teasers from Donovin's first session, click here.

Reality Check

I'm not sure about you, but I'm a little tired of hearing about how great 'they' have it.

There are a few things that I've always tried to keep in mind when viewing others in order to keep a check on reality:  We all have good days and bad days.  We all have days where we wonder if we can continue on.  As silly as it may be ... we all go to the bathroom the same way and have some of 'those' days.  We all brush our teeth at night (hopefully!) before laying down for bed.  

We often put people on pedestals that no one could really ever live up to.  We tend to create these false realities in our heads about others, then we talk to our friends and family and spread those false reality as though they are facts.  And then we start to believe that Michael Jordan really can fly.  Sorry to disappoint...he can't, but he was an incredible ball player that practiced unendingly so that he would be the best at what he did.  Or how about Lady Gaga?  Don't you think she...the first time heading out to perform...maybe thought, "what are these people going to think of me?", but she went ahead and for all intents and purposes, made a fool of herself.  But look at her now! I still shake my head at some of the "works of art" she turns herself into, but no one can argue the fact that IT'S WORKING FOR HER!  Other artists: Prince, Elton John, Boy George (from back in the day)...were these people talented?  Absolutely, but ask yourself how much of it was talent and how much of it was choices that they made.  Lastly, how about Steve Jobs?  Look at what this man has done for Apple...incredible...but he is still human.  These people, however successful, are still just people.  My boss, and yours as well, are still just people.

So, what is it that is so different between the ordinary and the extraordinary?  What keeps you and I from being as great as we believe these others to be?  If they were able to achieve the incredible or seemingly impossible, why can't the rest of us?  There really isn't much standing in our way except for the choices we make and the way we think about the world around us.

One simple choice that I'm making, beginning today as I write this, is what time I choose to wake up.  I've always looked at the weekends as the time to get caught up on my lack of sleep...I don't know about you, but going to bed around midnight and getting up at 5:30am catches up with you.  But you know what, I won't get to where I want to go without making some sacrifices.  So where I used to sleep in as late as I could on a Saturday (not much past 8am if I made it that far), I'm gonna shoot to be up no later than 6:30am, if not earlier.

John Maxwell says "There is a surprisingly small gap between ordinary and extraordinary.  This gap can be narrowed daily by doing a few small things consistently."  The only difference between ordinary and extraordinary is just that little bit extra.  So, if we simply do what we already do, but also continually push ourselves to do a little bit extra...we will be on that path to being extraordinary.

So, think about it.  What small 'extras' are you going to set in place to change the course of your life?

~Kevin

Elizabeth Hunt {2012 Senior}

Elizabeth is our third and final 2012 Senior Model, and we were very excited to photograph her to round out our Senior Model Program.  Tuesday night was quite hot, but we were glad for sunshine and no storms, since it seems that has been the norm for our senior sessions recently.  The evening was gorgeous as the sun slipped behind the horizon and we were even able to capture a beautiful field full of mist as the evening cool rolled in.

Elizabeth was so much fun to work with and we loved traveling trough the back roads of Howell with her mom and sister to capture some amazing images.  Can you see how absolutely gorgeous the color of her hair is and that her eyes are an amazing color combination of green and amber?  So beautiful to capture in camera!  We are excited to share these few teasers with you and will be publishing the rest of the images to our storefront soon.

Enjoy!

~ Kevin & Heather

FF - Coffee!!!

Hey all, if you're at all like us...we LOVE our coffee!  Specifically, Caribou Coffee (I know, I know - hard to believe in this Starbuck-crazed world!!).

 

Kevin - Turtle Mocha - Dark Chocolate, Non-Fat, Extra Hot, with Whip

Heather - Mint Condition - Dark Chocolate, Non-Fat, Extra Hot, No Whip

 

As much as we love these, we all know they can get to be quite expensive.  So I, Kevin, have taken it upon myself to master making my own Turtle Mocha at home...at least as close as possible without an expresso machine and an endless supply of Caribou Coffee beans.

For me, mint and chocolate just should not be combined so as for the mastering of Heathers drink...well she's on her own - no taste testing will be done here.  :)

That being said, if you're like myself and are interested in saving a few bucks, by all means, continue reading.  For my Turtle Mocha knock-off I use the following (all measurements are approximate, and make about...well my travel mug size ~14 oz):

- 1.5 Tbs Chocolate Syrup (Hershey's Special Recipe Dark)

- 1Tbs Carmel Syrup (Hershey's)

- 2 tsp Sugar

- 2 tsp heaping Instant Coffee* (we like NesCafe brand from Costco)

- 8 oz Hot Water

- 3-4 oz Milk (your choice on fatiness)

 * We like using instant coffee because it allows a bolder, more expresso-like flavor than regular brewed coffee, and it can be easily tailored to taste. *

And there you have it, nothing super exciting about the ingrediants...but it's close enough to Caribou's that I'm happy drinking it everyday.  And seeing the nutritional info from their site (snipit below), I'm pretty sure that mine is a little bit 'less bad' for us.

 Tutle Mocha

Serving size (g): 479.0

Calories: 580.0

Total Fat (g): 27.0

 YIKES!  An occasional treat - yes, but not everyday.

~Kevin