Curves up ahead / new jersey photographer

This year has been a wonderful roller-coaster of events, weddings and portrait sessions. The time has really flown by and I look back and all my weekends were full! That makes me feel like I'm headed in the right direction, don't you think? Working, starting a business and taking further graduate school courses has been slightly insane. Didn't you know I like to keep busy? No not just busy, really really busy. My friend Judy knows, just ask her!

To start my business, I put a few things on the back-burner. I realize I must get back to doing these things if I want to stay healthy and energetic enough to keep up with my blooming ideas! A year ago, I was focused and running regularly. This past year, I've been a slacker! Chris wasn't always thrilled about healthy eating, but he's really picked up my slack this year for me. This week... he says "why not have all our dinners without meat?" - my husband said this, yes, truly, he said it. I am thrilled!!!

So, all of these changes this past year have changed me. My photographic mind has changed. I worked this year to start to develop my style. I've found that I'm really attached to sharp, crisp images. What got me starting to think was the other day I took a completely blurry photo. I saw it and just stared a moment, I didn't want to delete it. Sometimes a sharp image isn't what tells the story.

Over time, I've learned that I don't like people to look like statues or be posed with a static background. I like nature, wind, sun, clouds, shade, shadows and so much more that the world has to offer in connection with people in an image. I apparently like blurry too :) Over the next year I'm going to be more true to myself and my style in my sessions. I have a lot to offer, if I just allow myself to be me.

This year I posted a lot of session images, but not too much of myself or my experience. I've had a lot of criticism in starting my business. I got to the point where I wouldn't even mention that I was a photographer to people I'd meet. It's very hard to keep going when you hear constant criticism. Even other photographers I've tried to connect with locally were not kind to my approach. Thankfully, Chris has been my biggest fan and has really encouraged me this whole time. So have my awesome, amazing clients - seriously, each and every one of them has been so encouraging!!!

In the next year, I'm going to try to share information on how I do things to help whoever reads my wacky blog. I've been blessed to connect with Liz Cook, who has shared so much with me! Without her inspiration and guidance, I might never have started this journey. I have to thank Jasmine Starr too! She shares so much with the world on her blog that inspires me to continually improve.

While I spent a lot of time this year following others, next year I hope to use what I've learned from them and start to offer the world what is Katelyn Nesi. I hope you'll continue on this journey with me :) I'm also planning to take better care of my body and mind, and well, my husband too!

Here's the blurry photo in question that just made me take a deep breath and reflect...