The Uniform

So...  I don't know if you've noticed this, but I kinda like taking pictures.  hmmm....  did you know?  Had you ever noticed that?  Yes.  I heart it.  Big, shiny hearts floating above my head.  It's been a problem for a while.  When I had a cheap little Sony film 35 we went to Italy for our first anniversary.  I knew nothing about photography.  Squat.  And yet I still spent the majority of our vacation with my face behind the camera.  Well, that and following around our friends because I was too busy gushing about sunlight on stone walls to have the slightest idea where we were.  Yes.  Completely lost.  For ten days.  Not a clue what was going on.  The entire time.  It's my way.  I'm super charming like that.  There's a story about stiffing a terrible Venetian waiter his tip and running from him through the windy streets of Venice...  But I digress.  Today is not about my being drug from a crowded restaurant on the Grand Canal confused and disheveled, the polizia hot on our heels (okay, not really.  But we did hear a siren.  And that made speed walk through those narrow streets like no body's business, boy howdy.)  So anyhoo...  Chris complained that he wished I was spending our anniversary with him instead of with my camera...  But I can't help it.  Can't help it.  Can't help it.  Nothing has really changed.  Well, okay a lot has changed.  I'm not in Italy any more.  I'm in the suburbs.  Which is almost the same.  Okay, not at all.  And we have three boys.  And that really isn't the same.  But I still always have a camera on my face...  Which brings me to the point of my story.  I like my camera, kids.

A couple of weeks ago, I was asked if I do bridal photos.  Uhhh...  Yes!  But, not really.  Because I had never done that before.  But I would.  And I was excited to try something new.  And a bit nervous...  Because these were grown ups.  And that's different...  Tim and Sabrina's wedding had already taken place, which was handy because we wouldn't be as freaky about her dress getting dirty.  But that meant that she already had wedding photos.  Beautiful wedding photos.  That made my armpits sweat a little bit.  My internal monologue went something like this.  Awww, crappers.  What if everything I do is what their wedding photographer has already done?  Only not as good?  waaaa!!  waaaa!!!  What if the other photographer's work makes mine look like poopy?  What if my work just plain looks like poopy?  waaaa!

My husband.  My dear, wonderful husband talked sense into me, as is often the case.  "Remember, she asked you.  She wouldn't have done that if she didn't like what you do.  Just do your thing and be yourself."

Just do your thing and be yourself.  My husband is so awesome.  That one little phrase totally changed my perspective and made my arm pits stop sweating.  We all know that it isn't a good idea to compare ourselves to others and beat ourselves up about it.  So the next time you do...  (Because you will, it just happens)  call my husband.  He'll fix ya.  Do your thing and be yourself.  I need that on a keychain.

So, the bridal portrait day.  Was great.  Wonderful.  A super fantastic way to spend an afternoon.  Tim and Sabrina were beautiful, crazy in love, and really fun.

I know...  She's gorgeous.  The dress.  I know.  Her shoes.  I know.  Fabulous.  And she will tell you those shoes were ten dollars.  Which makes them even better.

 As it turns out, grown ups are really fun.  Did you know that they hold still??!!  Amazing.

 Navy uniform.  Seriously.  Flippin' fantastic.  I'm kinda a sucker for a sailor, because my Grampa was one.  I never see that uniform without thinking of him.  He was wearing it when he met my grandmother on a crowded San Fransisco street.  She dropped her hand bag.  He picked it up.  And they never looked back.  I have a feeling that Tim and Sabrina won't ever look back either...

 Three cheers for love.  Three cheers for big white dresses. And four cheers for Navy uniforms.