New blog

I am so happy to announce that I have a new blog.

www.siamcdonald.com/blog

I am currently working on a new website which should be up shortly.

Thank for checking out my new space!

Handbag heaven

Can you ever really have too many?

Probably. Although...I'm pretty confident this statement doesn't apply to handbags.

I have been eyeing the super adorbs Kelly Moore camera bag for some time now. I finally buckled to the temptation and am so happy I followed my handbag heart. I have been looking for a bag where fashion meets function and this bag totally fits the bill. I am able to hold my camera and a few of my favorite lenses (including the 70-200 which is a beast) plus the pockets are great for more storage. I went for the grey and with the long strap like that the bag can be rocked cross body. Needless to say I think I am going to have to break up with my old school black boring camera bag. I'm just not that into you.

The Workshop: Jasmine Star

"Stay fabulous."

That is how the super fly Jasmine Star sends us on our way. A room full of eager-to-learn photographers who are filled with inspiration and excitement knowing that they have been given a few more tools to succeed. Earlier this week I had the amazing opportunity to attend Jasmine's workshop. Jasmine is a tremendously talented wedding photographer who has earned herself world wide fame and fans and it was an honor to learn from her. It is obvious that she is sincere, passionate and driven and that she strives to elevate the photography community. The day was filled with some serious knowledge bombs and I left with my head full and ready to explode. I left knowing that good things are ahead. Thank you Jasmine and JD for your willingness to share and for your kindness. The day was absolutely amazing and I look forward to upping my fabulous quotient.

Jodi and Matt working it

stunning dress by Joan Shum

J* demonstrating fierce

beautiful flowers - The Treasured Petal

Here is the workshop crew - photo by J*. It was so great to meet all of you. These people are nothing short of rad. Yes rad.

Pirates and fairies

This darling three year old thinks pirates are pretty awesome. I would have to agree with her. I never met a pirate joke I didn't like. Something about those wittily placed arrrrrrrrrs always make me laugh. There is even a day dedicated to talking like a pirate - September 19th for the curious.

When she met me at the door she proudly showed me her fairy tattoo which is a pirate must-have. She wore her pirate hat as she did twirls in her fancy dress and her "high heals". Thank you to this sweet Little Miss for spending an afternoon with me! I hope you enjoyed that bowl of ice cream.

iPhone pics

I try to deny it but I am a little bit of a tech geek. I blame it on my husband, Paul, also known as the head nerd in charge. All of his geek speak is rubbing off on me. I know way more than I should about coding, servers, python, and linux boxes. Often times I only hear "wa wa wa wa" like when the adults speak in Charlie Brown. This means that he always has to get his hands on the latest and greatest gadgets.

A few years ago on the day the iPhone was first released I laughed at Paul when he took the day off to stand in line with the hoards of people waiting for the phone. Hours and hours later he had two coveted phones in hand and I was among the new owners. At first I didn't really buy into the hoopla but thought I would give it a try. Turns out that little thing became my favorite piece of technology. Ever.

I love that there is always a camera at my finger tips. It may not produce the best quality pictures but fabulous pictures aren't about the equipment that produced them but rather the imagination and creativity that inspired them. Amazing photographs are amazing because of how they make you feel - how they can just simply make you smile.

guess who's back?

February. Seriously. How is it already here? I intended on being a better blogger but clearly the month got away from me. So here I am ready to recap January's happenings.

iphone pic of the huge Christmas tree at the Opryland Hotel from the boat tour. Full on tourist mode.

Early in the month Team Mac packed our bags and headed to Nashville (affectionately referred to as Nashvegas by our family) for Imaging USA. The convention was held at the Opryland Hotel which in and of itself is a sight to see. The place is enormous. It took a good 20 minutes to walk from my room to the convention hall. Those early morning 7 am classes were a struggle to get to. I had a wonderful time both learning from the speakers and also getting to meet new friends in the industry. There was some serious talent there and it was a pleasure to have the opportunity to learn from them. I'm so thrilled that I have met so many people who have been willing to share their knowledge with me and who are so giving of their time.

This month I purchased a used Canon EOS 3 film camera. I have been wanting to experiment with film again for my own personal projects. I used to shoot film way back when I used to develop pictures in the dark room. Over the weekend we headed to the zoo and I shot a roll of my darling fam. The pictures are straight out of the camera. I need lots more practice but had a great time playing around.

In addition to always improving my technical stills as it relates to photography I have committed to reading more business based books. My education and former career gives me a great foundation but as with anything there is always so much more to learn. I started reading Linchpin by Seth Godin. So far it is proving to be a fabulous read! He breaks down what is required to be "indispensable". It has really hit home with me as it relates to my art of photography and the business of my art.

"Art is unique, new and challenging to the status quo. It's not decoration. It's something that causes change. Art cannot be merely commerce. It must also be a gift."

I'm looking forward to sunny skies in the upcoming months so my camera and I can play outside with my clients!

Rebuilding Together San Francisco

Rebuilding Together San Francisco is a wonderful organization that repairs the homes of residents in need as well as the facilities of community organizations. I have participated in their National Rebuilding Day for a few years and have enjoyed the opportunity to give back to the community. I donated a portrait session to their silent auction held last fall at their annual gala. This sweet family had the winning bid.

These two are the sweetest pair of siblings. Older sis is enjoying her freshman year at college and little brother is itching to get a drivers license. They have a special bond and were kindly teasing one another during the session. They have not had their pictures taken since they were in grade school. Their grandmother has been requesting pictures so we thankfully were able to squeeze one in while older sis was home from college. Thank you to this family for giving back to your community and for letting me spend a rainy fun filled afternoon with you!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! 2009 proved to be a wonderful year for my business. Last year I decided to leave the oh so thrilling world of accounting (heavy heavy sarcasm) for the full time pursuit of my dream to become a professional photographer. It is without a doubt the best career decision I have ever made. It has been a lot of work and a year of tremendous growth and I have enjoyed every step of this new found journey. Plus my inner accounting nerd still gets a little loving as I get to play with my books and have a few excuses to bust out my excel skills.

I am thankful for the many families that have trusted me with their photographs. I have amazing clients who happen to have the most presh families on the planet. Seriously. I am especially grateful to my own family who has been so supportive and who are always a source of encouragement.

I am looking forward to an even better 2010. I have an enormous desire to learn and to keep stepping up my game. I am thrilled to be attending a few industry conventions as well as a few workshops put on by the best of the best in the industry. I have so many goals for this year and my dreams are just getting bigger as I see what potential there is out there. I could not be more excited for what is to come.

Toddler Photo Session

This little man is in love with his trains. He has a darling train table and was so happy to show me all of his trains moving along the track. I was so glad we were able to sneak in a last minute session before the holiday madness began.