overcoming negativity and hard work

I get so wrapped up in all of the business side of photography, that I forget why I love it so much. Isn't the whole point of this suppose to make me happy?

Some photographers work is amazing, and I am in awe of how wonderful their images are. I ask myself "How did they do that? I want to do that too." I feel very inspired by others work, but at the same time I get bogged down by feeling inadequate. It is easy to compare someones middle to your beginning. But how fair is that?

Not enough money or not enough time are just a few of the excuses I tell myself. But then I get overwhelmed and lack any motivation to improve. The only thing that will make any difference is work. A little bit of work at something is better then nothing at all. But where do you get that drive and confidence to pick yourself up and keep going?

I wish that I had all the wisdom in the world on how to get out of a rut. Is anyone an expert? I have been working hard this last week to overcome the negativity and rise above. I have had moments where I have felt like I might drown, but I don't give up. A few things that have helped me is:

Set goals: I write all of my goals down in a notebook and I look at them a lot. Some of my goals are big dreams! But others are daily and weekly goals. Little things that I can achieve and see immediate progress. It is important to see progress. It keeps us motivated.

Create an inspiration board: I have set up many places so that I can be inspired. I have a notebook filled with ideas, my phone is filled with saved pictures that I love, and my computer has several bookmarks of websites. I work hard to surround myself with motivating photos and ideas.

Take a mental break: I need to shut down my computer, turn off pinterest and just enjoy "the now." I will sit down for dinner with a promise to my husband that I will not talk about anything photography and enjoy being with my family. No stress, no emails, no thoughts about work. It feels good and it is very refreshing.

Check yourself: I tend to forget all of the progress I have made. I am planning so far into the future and thinking about what is next for my business that I don't notice all the good things that have happened. But it is not all about the good. Remembering the mistakes I have made has helped me become a much better photographer.

It doesn't have to be something creative or relate to business. Finding the time to exercising, that huge pile of laundry, any of those tasks that are not getting done. If you have been feeling a little discouraged and don't know where to even begin, I encourage you to think of something, even if it is tiny, that you can do today to help you reach your ultimate goal.

Guest Blogger | Mandy's Recipe Box

Have you ever thought about starting a blog? Mandy from Mandy's Recipe Box is an amazing food blogger and it is filled with delicious recipes and pictures. She will be sharing some great tips on how to get great food photos!

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Hello! I am Mandy from Mandy's Recipe Box. I am happy to be here on Leslie's blog to talk about food blogging. Leslie's husband and my husband are cousins and it's always fun to see each other at family get-together's. I love her photography and gotta get her to take my family's photos this year! Now, let me tell you a little about myself...

I have been married to my farm boy for 12 years and we have 3 great kids ages 10, 8, 4, and one due in February. I grew up in Ogden, UT and met and married Lance in 2000. We moved to the middle of nowhere, Idaho and I have been converted to country girl. The nearest store is 30 miles away so I have to be well stocked in the kitchen and my food room. There's no making a quick trip for some vanilla extract where I live, especially in the winter!

I started my food blog in 2009 because I wanted to share my favorite recipes and love of food with whoever wanted to read about it. I have learned so much on taking great photos of food since I started. Here's an example...

This was how my photos looked at the beginning. Not so awesome.

Here's how they look now...

Much better, I believe. Here's what I've learned.

1. Always take photos in natural light when possible. I never use a flash. There are lots of tools you can use, such as light boxes and a light scoop, but I just use good old fashioned natural light. I have my kitchen table with french doors to the right of it. Then I put a large white poster board to the left of my food to reflect the light back on the food, eliminating shadows.

2. I use a Canon Rebel T2i with a Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Camera Lens. I use it for all my food photos. I used to have a regular point and shoot camera which is what I used in the old style photos above. It was fine, and I know lots of bloggers who only use a point and shoot camera rather than a DSLR camera. But I also take my kids' photos and photos for other people so I wanted to upgrade to something nicer.

3. I use the internet for tips. Sites like The Pioneer Woman and Kevin and Amanda have great tutuorials. Check them out.

4. I look to other bloggers for photo ideas. Some of my favorites are Chef-in-Training, Life as a Lofthouse, and Something Swanky. These are just a smidgen of bloggers whose photos I admire. It's ok to use other blogs to get ideas for your own. Just make it your own. Don't be a copycat. Be your own unique self.

5. I use Picmonkey for my editing. It's great and simple to use and suits me just fine. 

Other than that, I just experiment and do what feels good.

I get my ideas from family recipes, favorite cookbooks, and other bloggers. I also love finding something I love at a restaurant and re-creating it at home. I hope you have learned something useful! I'd love to hear from you so please visit me on facebook, pinterest, or drop me a note at mandybird208{at}gmail{dot}com.

Thanks for having me, Leslie!

snow day | rexburg, idaho

It is such a beautiful day today! Patrick has been dying to play in the snow and the moment we go out there and he realizes how cold it really is, it didn't last long. It has been nonstop snow all day. We will now just sit inside, cuddle and drink hot chocolate for the rest of the day.

Goodbye sun and warm weather, see you in April. 

paradise island

I am finally getting to post my photos from our most recent trip to the Bahamas! I couldn't believe it myself, that we got to leave all our responsibilities (literally!) and the cold weather for the beautiful and incredibly warm waters of the Bahamas.

We left little Patrick with my parents and even though it was only for 4 days, I was heartbroken. Everytime I saw anyone that reminded me of Patrick, I was a wreck. I was constantly saying, "Patrick would love this", "Patrick would have had so much fun" or "I miss Patrick."

However, I still had such a great time. It was nice to have a mini vacation with just Tyler. We ate a ton of food, relaxed in hammocks under the trees and swam in the crystal clear ocean.

In with the New! {limited time}

Finally! I am so excited to announce that I will be doing some way fun and super cute mini sessions for Valentines day. The super nice, Gary Rasmussen of The Cocoa Bean Cafe has agreed to let me have my sessions in his shop. 

I couldn't be more excited! 

I only have a very few opening available, so call (or email) me right away! 

360.850.8673

hello@leslieleavittphotography.com

my week from instagram

Follow me on instagram @leslieleavitt

Favorites of 2012

I took a rather long break from work and blogging to enjoy being around family and I even got to go to the Bahamas! Now I am ready and refreshed to work hard and have fun in 2013!
I thought I would put together a few of my favorite photos from last year. I had so many, it was hard to pick just a few! I had such a great year because of all the love and support from you!