Back to square one!

Weather
Well good day to all. It has been a good while since an update in this old blog. Well, the weather has been crappy here. The last time I posted about it, it was bipolar, but now it has remained steady and sadly over 100 degrees. We did get a "cold front" over night from Monday night into Tuesday morning, but they tend not to last around here. It might stay like this for another month or 3, but we shall see.

Fredericksburg, Texas
So for our 4th of July, my husband and I took a trip to Fredericksburg, Texas. It was only a 2 1/2 hour drive from our home and we decided to stay a couple of nights over there and explore the city and the surrounding areas. We got there on time for the parade, have breakfast, drive around and then storms came to ruin the evening. With that being said and done, we thought that there wasn't going to be any fireworks happening anywhere, ate dinner at a Mexican restaurant and then we decided to stay in our hotel room and watch tv while keeping ourselves company. The next day was still a bit cloudy, but no small rain or clouds was going to stop us. We explored Enchanted Rock and then downtown Fredericksburg, with all their small shops on their strips and had our leftover food from the Mexican restaurant we went to the day before. Our last day, Friday, we left our hotel and continued to explore all around other areas. I have heard and read about Stonehenge 2 in Ingram, Texas and it was about a 30 minute to 1 hour drive from where we were staying. I thought it would be in a big open field with its own parking and well not near a busy road or highway. Oddly enough the area worked where it was at, but there shouldn't be any baseball field or any sports field next to it or at least no fence near it for better picture taking. Then we had more time in our hands and tried to find other tourist spots and one was recommended to us by google called The Coming King Sculpture Prayer Garden, a mouthful isn't it? This attraction is in Kerr, Texas and throughout our trip there were pictures taken for sure.

We did have some mishaps during our trip, like Eric falling in Enchanted Rock, our camera stand to record our drive didn't work, the hotel blaming us for selecting the room we did, construction going on in the hotel and the rainy weather. We got all of them fixed in one way or another or just didn't bother with it and we still had a great time in our mini vacation. For sure next year, we will decide to go to Niagara Falls again and spend a good long time there and more pictures. We do have other trips planned for the rest of the year and already have one planned for the next year, so we're hoping to have many small road trips at least one weekend every month. We shall see if that can be pulled off and what photos I can take!

Photography
Speaking of my photography, I have been improving it in other possible ways. I might enter into having a "side gig" of product photography and already have been practicing. I think this genre of photography will best suit me since there's no one to hassle with, settings are basic for the camera and you don't need to second guess yourself on the settings or lighting. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't turn down an opportunity for someone to book me for a session, that is still offered and available especially a genre that I have never done.. like Newborn or Real Estate photography. For now I will focus the best that I can with Product Photography and there aren't many of people doing this genre in my area, so if someone notices my work and website, then I don't mind. I almost had a session with someone I didn't know at all, but they backed out due to "money problems". With any session, I have a discussion with the potential client in asking them if there's a theme, a location in mind and so on and once that is all covered or when they ask, I tell them my fee. You're lucky if we set this up a week or more prior, gives you time to prepare for it or gather the money if need to, but when you seal the deal and money is not an issue then, then it's set. Do not come to me once I sent you an email reminder of this session and say you don't have the funds for it and yet you still want the session. I'm sorry, I might be practicing in this field, but I need something in return than experience. If I am going out of my way to make this happen for you and I'm talking about traveling wise, distance, then I need at least the money we agreed upon for gas. Other than that, I am glad you came to me to help me out and yourself out in having a session with me. I appreciate your time and business!

I almost had the chance to change my path or career twice recently. In both occasions, I did not accept the offer. A lot of cons instead of pros were given to me and the only 2 pros were the monetary amounts that were offered with the positions, but it will be  a set back for the both of us in many different ways. We travel a lot and like travelling, so the offers given weren't going to be paid, ever, and  I couldn't settle for contract. I need something that is stress free, worry free, and that will benefit me in the end. It may look like I took a step back or back to square one, but this chance is giving me time to reflect and actually study for something or a career that will benefit me in more ways than one. So we shall see what I read up on to move forward and get a better job or so. Until next time!