Fast forward two years and life is incredibly busy. I still go in to take tons of photos of the kids and have enjoyed every minute of it but I’ve been too busy to make a book each year and to provide the parents with the photos. I feel guilty because if I were the parent knowing a professional photographer was visiting the class taking photos of my child I would be eager to see the photos and would be more than willing to pay for copies of the photos. I just have no  way of sharing the photos easily for the parents to both see and download without having an online proofing system. The little bit of funding that would make this process of sharing photos easier for me to share with the parents would be enough to recoup the expenses to enable a secure online for the parents to proof photos of their children. Add in the time I spend to take photos of the kids and as  you all can see – the efforts are more to ensure I enabled the parents a way to acquire photos of their children that I know they’d cherish.

I suppose for me posting photos online has always been a concern but with the security available these days through online photography proofing sites I’m a little surprised to hear the school not supporting the idea. I proposed the idea of posting photos for the parents online securely to purchase the downloadable digital files at a very affordable rate, enough to ensure parents had a way to obtain the photos but to also ensure it recouped the expenses of a proofing site. I definitely would never compromise sharing photos publicly without consent of the parents, which is something I always receive before sharing photos I share with you all.  Maybe I’m the only one obsessed with photos of my children but I would think (or hope) parents would be interested in seeing photos of their children. I highly doubt it would be a profitable portion of my business in comparison to the other photography but I’m so devoted to education that I have no doubt that if it were profitable it’d lead me to do more to help the school.

So with that I would love to hear everyone’s thoughts. If you knew a professional photographer was at your child’s school or an event would you be opposed to the photos being posted online if they were accessible through a secure online proofing site? I’d appreciate everyone taking a moment to take the survey below and then if you have comments please let me know your thoughts.

Since September I’ve been anxiously awaiting to meet this special little guy.  I think you all will enjoy finally meeting the son of the late Coach Wenstrom, here’s 2 week old JC.

In early September I learned of Coach Wenstrom’s passing and was very touched hearing how many lives he touched and that he left behind his wife, Melissa, and a new son on the way. I’ve learned that Coach Wenstrom was admired by many and was such a selfless man who influenced the lives of many kids over the years. I managed to get in touch with his wife and let her know I wanted to give my photography to her family knowing that they would cherish the moments I’d capture. I know there’s not much I can do to heal the hurt felt since his passing, but perhaps in seeing these first moments with his son will help remind others of just how much good he has brought to the world. I’m sure he’s had many great accomplishments in his life, but I think we all agree that little JC is his greatest.

Though I never knew Coach Wenstrom, I did see the one photo that was used in his memorial online and found JC to resemble his father. I bet those that knew Coach Wenstrom would agree.

I was thankful that Erin McLain was willing to stop by to give me a hand with this session. Though I’ve done most of my photo sessions on my own, I have to admit that with newborn photography it’s great to have an extra helping hand to help in posing the little ones. JC was such a strong alert little guy so we tried positioning him in one of the more challenging poses for newborns.

He did amazing considering how squirmy he was! He even held his head up high all on his own!

JC was an active little guy, but he settled down quite a bit once we swaddled him. He seemed so full of thought and was such a mellow little guy.

Of course I can’t help but capture tiny features like his perfect little lips and feet.

Yes, he’s such a perfect little guy.

I can only imagine the emotions Melissa must be going through to have lost her husband during her pregnancy. While we were tending to JC’s needs she took a moment to share a photo and told me about her husband. I admit it put chills down my spine to realize how suddenly her husband was taken from her, yet somehow God managed to find a way to make sure she was blessed with this little miracle. I imagine every time she looks at her little blessing she will continue to be reminded of an amazing man who touched the lives of so many. For me it’s just a constant reminder that we all should take the time now to take the time to let loved ones in our lives know just how special they are because we don’t always have control over what tomorrow holds.

JC is definitely one of the most special little ones I’ve photographed in the last 2+ years that I’ve been doing newborn photography.

One of the things I love most about newborn photography is that sometimes you can begin to see a little piece of who this little person will become someday. Something tells me Coach Wenstrom will always be a big part of this little guy’s life. Just look at how thoughtful this little guy is, I know someday he’ll get to hear all the stories of what an amazing man his father was.

Melissa I hope your family and friends enjoy the photos of little JC. He was such a precious little guy. I have no doubt your husband is looking down  on you both proudly. Hold this little guy tight, and always remember his father’s memory will always live on through him. Best wishes to you and your family raising this little guy – you’ve definitely been blessed with a little miracle.

“Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.” -Robert Brault

Things have been so crazy these last few months that I’ve put off taking the kids to the doctor until today. The kids have been doing well and I could tell they were growing, but I never really know just how much they’ve “grown” until  we schedule a visit with their doctor. I’ve come to put off the doctor the last few years with the kids once they’re past a year or two old, I suppose because every time we visits it seems they end up sick a day or two later. A few weeks ago I realized that it had been many months since when I should have taken them in for their check up so I scheduled an appointment and we finally went today.

The only time available that fit into my schedule was when Hope was in school still. Jaylen was excited to take a trip up to school to pick Hope up a little early. He brought along his puppy that he refers to as “bu-duh”. Not quite sure  where “bu-duh” translated to “puppy”, but we know that’s what he means and that’s all that matters.

Hope was not too enthused about the idea of going to the doctor. She is always reminded of her memories of getting shots and being sick so I don’t blame her. Thankfully we got there at a time when not many people were there so hopefully the kids didn’t end up picking up any germs. They played as we waited. Of course I’m the over obsessive mother who loves photographing so much, yes, I even bring a camera to the doctor’s office. I ended up taking pictures with my iPhone and nikon today and captured quite a few memorable moments worth sharing. I’m sure years from now the kids may hate me for it, but right now, it’s little moments like these that are so worthwhile to capture because they remind me how some of the littlest moments will some day be the big moments that I will remember best. Like the one where Jaylen farted in the waiting room and they both laughed hysterically. I just happened to have my iPhone out taking pictures of them when it happened. Yes, I know they have no manners to say “excuse me” yet – they laugh at one another instead. Laughter is far more important, right?!

Of course my favorite part of their doctor’s visit is getting to see just how much they’ve grown. I really wish I could keep them little forever, but I know they’re going to grow so I’ve come to try to embrace the moment I get to hear how much taller they’ve grown and how much more they weigh.

Hope who’s 8 now weighs a massive 42lbs and is 45 1/4″ tall. She’s grown several inches since her last visit! Of course I say “massive” because we all know my baby girl is actually very petite – she’s always been in the 1-3% for both weight and height and the doctor said she was right on track at 3% again this year. I was very proud of Hope because she was questioned a lot by the doctor did an awesome job letting the doctor know just how much she knew. She let the doctor know how broccoli and macaroni were her favorite foods. She rattled off our phone number, address, favorite school subject, and all the things she’s been doing in and outside of school. When the doctor asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up she said “a baby doctor” and let her know that she wanted to help take care of the babies to make sure they were safe. I can tell her little heart is still pretty heavy too since October. I think she really impressed the doctor.

Jaylen is still so young so he didnt really understand exactly what was going on, but something tells me he remembered his past visits to the doctor. Today was the first time he wasn’t weighed on the “baby scale”, however, the nurse still measured him there. He’s grown so much that I am confident next time he’ll by pass all the “baby” measuring – which is just another sign to me that he’s becoming such a big boy. So I took the last picture of him on the “baby scale” as the nurse took his vitals.

Go ahead, say “awe”. I did. Yes, I have taken a picture of him EVERY doctor’s visit on the “baby scale” since he was 8 weeks old. If you really want to see how much he’s grown take a look at him the entire first year and again at 21 months old. It’s okay, I’ve come to realize there’s no keeping this little stinker from growing. He’s now weighing in at 29lbs and is 35 3/4″ tall. That’s put him in the 50% for weight and 90% for height. Yeah, Hope didn’t pass 29lbs until she started kindergarten (when she was close to six!) if that tells you anything about their difference in size!

After weighing in we all waited to see the doctor. Jaylen played on my iPhone and well, I took out the nikon and got the little guy to laugh quite a bit.

Of course Hope sat beside me worrying. She hates shots. But who doesn’t? As I turned around she gave me this look and said, “I do NOT want a shot today!” I suppose she thought the serious way in which she told me would make a difference. And as you can see, she thinks its funny to “act tough” these days.

Jaylen saw me taking pictures and cried to take pictures too. People think I’m crazy to allow my kids use my camera. I can’t say I trust him yet, but with a little mentoring I bet he’ll be pretty good with a camera soon! As I held the camera he took pictures of his big sis.

And she was busy taking pictures of us with the iPhone.

After the doctor came in to visit with the kids she let us know they both needed one more vaccine and that it’d be the last one for a couple years. Hope was devastated. She cried as if the world was coming to an end because she had to have a shot. Jaylen is absolutely adorable these days because when anyone cries he’s right there worried and he quickly ran to Hope to help console her. He gave her hugs and tried to cheer her up. Seeing this bond these two have so young just makes me smile and hope that they continue to stay this close as they grow and grow. Yes, Jaylen just really wanted to help “Bah” (how he says Hope).

Jaylen tried to put on Hope’s shoes and hat in hopes that it’d make her happy. It really didn’t matter what Jaylen did to try to cheer Hope up, she was still devastated that she had to get another shot.

I give the little guy kudos for trying, thankfully he didn’t quite understand or he’d have likely been crying too. As you can see, he was all smiles trying to cheer Hope up.

Yes, the shots were a horrible experience for Hope. Jaylen went first. He didn’t cry at all. He flinched for half a second as if he was thinking “ouch this hurts” but then he got right up as if nothing happened. I had hoped this would help Hope, but it didn’t. She screamed louder than I think I’ve heard her scream ever and cried for quite a while afterwards. But thankfully she survived the shot!

I surprised the kids after their appointment by stopping by steak-n-shake to pick up 1/2 priced milkshakes for the kids. It made their day. They decided they’d enjoy them out front while they colored on the sidewalk together.

One of the most reassuring parts of today was hearing the doctor tell me I need not worry about Jaylen not talking much yet. I told her about his delays and shyness and she said it’s completely normal, especially for a boy. He’s beginning to say a lot more words and even combines 3-4 words together, but he’s a stubborn little guy who seems to enjoy not sharing all his thoughts with the world yet. Many times he surprises us saying things like “more ketchup”, “what’s that” or “get in bath” but the moment we ask him to say it again, he refuses. He loves to color and that’s one of the few things he will repeat. He loves to point out just about every color. Of course I understand just about everything he tries to communicate, so perhaps that’s only influencing him from saying more. There’s no doubt that he understands as much if not more than a typical toddler. The doctor said it’s very common, especially when there’s a big sister with this age difference for there to be a delay in talking. She said as long as he’s saying at least 10 words she isn’t worried at all. She said she wouldn’t be surprised if how emotional and clingy he is with me still is connected to all the emotions he sense from me after the miscarriage. She affirmed that it’s expected for a child to be more emotional when their parents are going through so much. So for now, I’ll just continue to give my little guy lots of loving…something I think we both need right now…but knowing he’ll always be my baby boy no matter how fast he grows!

I hope you all have enjoyed a few “little” moments with the kids. Yes, they’re growing too fast and today was definitely confirmation of that.

I thought I’d take a moment to update you all as I gear up for the last 9 days of course work towards my masters in the winter quarter at SCAD and the final week before Valencia’s spring break. I finally see a little bit of a break ahead, but I know the next week will be insanely busy for me. I often write updates in my twitter account and as I stay busy this next week and I hope you all aren’t too shocked to hear my latest update:

After learning I miscarried exactly four months ago I never would have believed you if you told me I would hurt more today then I did then. But I do. And though it’s not necessary to explain the hurt that has come to exceed that pain I felt back then I am not ashamed to speak up and say that my heart aches so much more today. Those that have lost someone or something in their life that was meaningful understand how trying the journey can be to healing a heart that aches. You never forget no matter how hard you try. I suppose I’ve come to take a lot for granted that now has come to make me a little more emotional than I have been in months.

Over the last few months I’ve been so touched by those of you who reached out to show your sincere care and everytime I find myself emotional the words posted by one of my colleagues, Angelique Smith, posted on my blog four months ago continue to echo through my mind:

“There is healing in tears and allowing yourself this time to grieve. Cry like pouring rain when sadness takes you over. Instead of straining to keep a facade of peace, Cry alone until tears run dry… Cry, cry and cry… Tears are there to protect your heart. When tears finally run dry, your heart will be calm and quiet. Feeling clear inside, You will be left with the transpicuous sense of being blessed with life. So, look for beautiful things around you, And you will find a hope, a hope to move on and remember that you are blessed.”

Amidst the busy and emotional moments I find I do what I do best. I reflect. No matter how much hurt surrounds me I realize just how much good I have done just since October. I found myself up early this morning doing just that. It’s not uncommon that I find myself busier as I cope with emotions, it is what keeps me going. Reflecting this morning helped me realize:

• Just since my recovery in October I have done 24 photoshoots. 20 of those came before the end of 2009.
• I have photographed a total of 10 newborns since late October. 8 of those came in a two week span after I recovered physically from the chaotic month of October.

• I volunteered and was accepted as a photographer with Now I Lay me Down to sleep. Just since being approved as a volunteer photographer in December 2009 I have photographed 7 babies who passed away. It’s something I always hesitated to volunteer to do before miscarrying but it is one of the most moving things I have done, knowing I am helping others families in the healing process as they struggle to find peace in losing their little ones…just like the peace I still search for.
• I volunteered with Help-Portrait in December 2009 and worked alongside other inspiring photographers and volunteers to take photos of families who are homeless and could not afford photography.
• I continue to teach at a fulltime capacity at Valencia Community College. My students inspire me and lift my spirits every day more than I ever tell them in person.
• I continue to pursue my masters at SCAD fulltime. I managed to somehow pull off finish the remaining two courses from last quarter that I initially received an incomplete for due to the miscarriage — all while beginning a new quarter full of classes at SCAD.
• I presented two classes at Valencia’s Learning day to an amazing group of colleagues who were willing to listen to all the knowledge I had to share.
• I continue to remain reminded of the two little blessings I have — and am reminded every time I see them that miracles do happen. They remind me of the good I have brought into this world. And I am equally reminded the amazing strength Jason has been as he has tried so hard to protect me from so much hurt.

HERE’S HOW YOU CAN HELP ME.

“I’m thankful to those who said ‘no’. Because of them, I did it myself.” ~ Albert Einstein

Those who know me best know that I have a giving soul. Giving lifts my spirits. I can’t explain it. It just does. I have given a lot over the years. I’m a little surprised because this past week I attempted to give a free photo session for a silent auction for Relay for Life and for some reason it apparently received absolutely no bids. Not even a dollar. I’m utterly shocked and this has only added to the many disappointing things I have experienced lately. Yes, rarely do I accept “no” – it only drives me to do more and try harder.

So here’s how I need you to help me. I want to give. But I need your help giving too. As some of you know, Relay for Life has been a cause I have always supported, even as a student. Both of my husband’s parents passed away due to cancer. My own father has had cancer. And so many others I have come to know have somehow been affected by cancer. I have not always been in a position to give like I intend to this year. I have already given. I now need you to give too. And in return I am offering 2 FREE photo sessions this month.

One of my former students, Sakina Zorayq, is helping lead a local Relay for Life team and it is my goal to help her EXCEED the goal she has established to raise funds for Relay for Life. Whether or not you’re interested in being put in the drawing for a free photo session, it would mean the world to me if you found it in your heart to help me give.

Everyone likes “FREE” and I’ve been told so many of you like my photography – so here’s what I need you to do if you want a chance to win a free photo session with me this month.

• Go to Sakina Zorayq’s Relay for life page and donate to Relay for life. The minimum donation is $10.
• Donate a minimum of $10 dollars and email me proof of your donation to amanda [at] amandakern.com – to do this either take a screenshot of the confirmation page or proof of payment. Here’s an example of my confirmation:

• When emailing me share with me your name, contact information and the ages and number of people of who you wish to be photographed so that I can get back in touch with you if you are chosen.
• On March 12th I will arise from my coursework and randomly pick 2 winners. The names of those who have helped me give will be put in a hat and I will let my two little blessings randomly help pick 2 winners. Entries for a FREE photo session will be accepted until 3pm on March 12th, 2010.

If you win you will receive:

• A free photo session with me that will last 1-2 hours for you, your family, or someone you wish to give the session to.
• The photo session will be valid through December 31, 2010.
• You will receive all unedited and edited photos in HIGH DIGITAL RESOLUTION format. Yes, I said FREE. That means I earn NOTHING from giving.
• You will be given permission to print and share online all digitial photos for personal use.

*By participating if you win you agree that photos may be used in my portfolio.
**You must be in the immediate Orlando area or willing to travel to Orlando if you win.
***The value of a custom photo session w/high resolution photos is $650.

So take a moment to help me give. If you don’t have it in yourself to give monetarily, then help me spread the word so that I can give…not just to Relay for life – but families who would value the memories I could capture for them.  Helping me give would warm my heart and lift my spirits.

P.S. If you’re not already a fan of my photography in facebook, go join: http://www.facebook.com/amandakernphotography – this likely won’t be the last time I give this year and my fan page is a great way to stay updated!

One day a year Valencia Community College holds Learning Day. We cancel all classes, give the students the day off and all full time faculty and staff get a chance to learn. It’s a nice break for us all but also a great chance for us enrich our professional careers by taking classes from other faculty and staff. In years past I’ve always had many colleagues during or at Learning day who tell me “you should teach…(classes on all the things that excite me)…at Learning Day”. So this past fall when I received the invitation to teach presentations I jumped at the opportunity and was excited to have both my presentations approved.

My first class “Social Media and online tools for educators” received a great response and turn out. I was a little shocked to see that there was such an interest that a handful of those that attended were willing to sit on the floor because we ran out of seats. It was the second session of the day so I knew everyone was anxious to head to lunch, but I think it turned out to be a fun one for everyone to learn more about how faculty and staff could use social media like twitter, facebook and more to help communicate, collaborate and inspire students and colleagues.

For me social media has become an invaluable tool as an educator so it was exciting to share the ways I was using various outlets online to hopefully inspire others. Before I started class I made sure to twitter as the group gathered.

This class was so much fun because many of my colleagues I only knew through twitter and facebook – so while I was presenting…they were twittering. Of course I completely approved. I think for many who may not be using social media that it was eye opening to see the possibilities and benefits. There was definitely a nice response after the presentation and many have expressed interest in more classes in the future to help faculty and staff learn more ways to use social media effectively in education.

I have elected to share my keynote presentations using slideshare for those of you who would like to refer to it again or for any of you who may have missed my presentation. It doesn’t share the hilarious youtube video included, but the rest of the main points are present.

After lunch those of us from graphics and the art department headed over to Jason Ellison’s office to check out the new screenprinting set up he had going. You may have heard the rumors, but Jason has done an amazing job at setting up a screenprinting set up in his office so that we can use it in the future. This is exciting news and will likely lead to many more fun creative projects for our students and graphics program. I thought I’d share a little sneak peak with you  of his office as we were all checking out his office because it really is that exciting to see how much work he’s put into it all. And if you’re wondering what all those awesome posters are of – just go check out the Pinup girls, killer robots, and toast event that we’re holding next week. Our amazing alumni, Kevin Scarbrough will be back in town to school us on the topics of freelancing as a designer.

I was most excited about my photography presentation that was held at the end of Learning Day. I think they must purposely put the awesome presentations at the end to excite people to stay for all the sessions but it was pretty clear that crowds began to fade after lunch. I must admit that for me I was a bit nervous because they anticipated a possible large turnout due to the topic and so they put my presentation in the second largest speaking venue on campus. I presented to a reasonable size group for it being the last session of the day.

Thanks to my friend, Giancarlo (a.k.a. Blue) Brand, I have a few photos from the presentation to share. I think as teachers we all don’t have enough photos of us doing what we do just about every day…teaching. For me it definitely left me a little more nervous because it was the first time speaking connected to a microphone but once I got use to the echo it was no different than teaching in any other setting. So I feel pretty fortunate that Blue was willing to take time out of his day to help me document a bit of the day to share with you all. (thanks again Blue – you rock!)

My photography presentation was exciting because it allowed me to not just share my knowledge of photography but to also share my work and offer examples throughout the presentation. Because I knew I’d have a diverse audience I had to make sure not to over teach or under teach the subject matter. I also couldn’t teach to a specific camera because the functions on cameras varies so much by brand. So I hope given the time that I was able to inspire everyone with some things that have greatly influenced me in growing as a photographer these last few years.

I think one of the most rewarding parts of the day was the sense of community amongst my colleagues. Teaching a couple sessions definitely connected me to many more colleagues than I typically would interact with. But along the way it was very helpful to also have amazing support from my own colleagues in graphics. Thanks to Kristy Pennino, Jason Ellison, and Meg Curtiss for attending both of my sessions and offering an amazing amount of reassurance and encouragement all day. You guys rock!

Yes, I have to admit, sometimes I think it’s more challenging to teach to a group of people you know. So at first, I wasn’t so sure how much I liked the idea of having the colleagues who knew me best in my presentations. But it was great to have their support. I really love this photo Blue took of Kristy as she sat in on my photography presentation. I suppose it’s a little odd now that I am the one teaching many of my own former teachers. Thanks again Kristy. I know many of you believe I should say “no” a little more with all I’ve been doing, but I had fun sharing my knowledge and found it to be a very rewarding experience to inspire my colleagues.

Two of my favorite photos taken by Blue today are of my Dean, Wendy Givoglu as she sat in on my photography class. Just like Kristy, she too use to be one of my favorite teachers when I was a student at Valencia. I think I’m still having a hard time believing that now I’m the one teaching my former teachers.  Thanks for showing your support today Wendy!

I’ve also placed my photography presentation online. It also doesn’t include the brief video that was shared during the presentation but the slides are there. Not hearing me speak with these may not give you the full experience of actually being in the session but I know there’s a lot of interest in seeing the presentations and many who attended are interested in looking back at some of the things presented so I hope you enjoy.

Thanks again to everyone who attended my presentations and to those of you who have put up with me the last two weeks as I’ve prepared for these two presentations. Finally, I’ve conquered Learning Day and now it’s time to return to a big pile of homework and grading!

If you guys have questions or comments about either presentation feel free to post comments to this post!

Three months to the date that I learned I miscarried I’m incredibly relieved to share great news from the hysterosalpingography (HSG) procedure I underwent today. The procedure today confirmed that “I’m normal”. Okay, so perhaps some of you might believe that I’m not totally “normal”, but the procedure today ruled out all the suspicions of any conditions with my uterus that arose in October after the miscarriage and surgeries.

Though many of you may have kept up with the challenges and emotions that came in October after miscarrying – I haven’t really written about it much the last two months. I can’t deny the experience still affects me just as much today as it did three months ago. It’s tough to make it past a day without the thoughts of what could of been or how much I truly wished to move on. But until today, it’s felt more as though I’ve been stuck in the moments, emotions, and fears from that chaotic month that I still would prefer be erased from my memory. So this news could not come at a better time because it has helped bring me the reassurance that after all I’ve been through, I am okay.

After the procedure the doctor was able to explain to me everything he saw clearly through during this procedure. Though suspicions arose in October that I might have had a condition with my uterus, this procedure confirmed that all those suspicions were not accurate and that I am perfectly healthy and capable of conceiving again when we are ready. Of course this doesn’t rule out the risks of more recurrent miscarriages, but we no longer have to worry about how that condition they suspected could have affected me and our decision to conceive again. The doctor also forewarned us of a slightly higher risk of placental issues if we were to ever conceive again. Apparently women who have had multiple pregnancies and/or surgeries are at a slightly higher risk for such conditions – but not so high that they would discourage us from trying again. And as scary as this sounds too, I have to admit I continue to be relieved that the doctors have continued to be very upfront and honest, giving us a clear understanding of what we’re up against and the worst case scenario as it will influence us moving forward.

So yes, finally, three months later…tears. Tears of happiness that I can stop worrying about one big concern that has plagued me for months. It feels like finally we can begin to move on…and as we do I can’t help but remind myself how blessed I am. Blessed to have an amazing family. Two beautiful children. And such caring friends and family who have said so many prayers and sent such caring wishes our way. Again, I thank you all…finally, the prayers seem to be working.

I’m sure most of our students agree. Yes, it’s the end of the semester. With it brings additional stress to many of our students, especially those students who take our portfolio review course. It’s one of the last courses in our program where students assemble a portfolio, corporate identity system and self promotional pieces to promote themselves as they begin to seek employment as a designer. During portfolio review students participate in a few mock interviews with local design professionals. Though it’s one of the most challenging courses our students take, it’s certainly one of the most rewarding courses for me to be a part of. For many of these students we see the students over a course of 2-3 years so we’ve come to see our students grow and develop as designers so it’s always a exciting to see our students finally begin that big transition towards beginning their careers. Over the last few years I’ve photographed every review I’ve been a part of so again last night I spent a portion of the night documenting some of the moments from the evening. Here are a few of the highlights:

I’ve posted a lot more highlights from last night’s portfolio review in our Valencia graphics flickr account. If you’re interested in meeting with the students who completed portfolio review this semester to see their finished portfolios or to ask them questions directly we’ll be having a portfolio review show’n'tell next Monday evening for all of you interested.

INTERESTED IN SCAD?
I’ve had many people ask me about going to Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) since I began attending their elearning program in 2007.  This Thursday SCAD Admissions Advisor, Alec Ridley, will be on campus to chat with any one interested in attending SCAD. I’ve posted more information on the graphics blog if you missed it.

DON’T FORGET TO HELP ME GIVE!
That’s right, I am still accepting nominations towards my Giving is Awesome project. I will be accepting nominations through Dec 23rd, 2009 to offer photography to someone or a family who is truly in need. And if I choose your nominations you’ll get a photo session too. You can find out more information from my original post.

Okay, back to a ton of grading…

A SENSE OF PLACE
This is my first quarter working on my masters in Graphic Design at SCAD and I have to say that if it weren’t for how chaotic last month was, I’d have truly enjoyed my classes. I completed my bachelors this past spring, and I must admit that thus far the masters program is pretty exciting with some challenging and enjoyable projects. A lot more emphasis is placed on conceptual ideas and process. I’m still behind after being out for nearly a month due to the miscarriage and all the complications that followed so I will end up receiving incompletes which will give me a little more time to work my heart out on these remaining projects.

I’m closest to finishing my photography course. I just finished another project tonight that I thought I’d share with you all. For every project we receive a project description that lets us know what the theme of the assignment is. For this project it was “A sense of place”:

You will use the photographic medium to express a sense of place for the city in which you live. This assignment is not designed to capture a selection of tourist images of your town or city, but rather should express your own feelings and thoughts about the place. The images do not need to be recognizable as the place where you live. It is more important to provide an emotive experience for the viewer that describes an almost palpable experience of the environment.

For our project we had to create two final digital images – a collage and a montage. I have to admit it’s a term I’ve easily interchanged as a designer and after focusing so heavily on it with this assignment it’s good to finally be able to discern the difference. I imagine other designers still mix up the two terms. For the purposes of the project, we were given a clear description of each:

A collage is composed of portions or fragments of photographs secured from many different sources. Preprinted magazine images might be combined with actual photographs, drawings, prints, photocopies, or even real world objects/textures to create a rich pattern of textures and imagery. The images are usually sourced prior to deciding the conceptual basis of the image and, in turn, should determine the look and concept of the final piece.

A montage is a composite photograph created when two or more separate photographs are combined to create an illusionary or surreal print. A photomontage is distinguished from a photo-collage in that it is a composite printed exclusively from photo images taken by the artist. A montage is usually based around a central idea which is considered prior to sourcing the imagery. A photographer may then go and shoot the required source photographs to create the finished image.

I thought long and  hard for weeks before and during the time I was going through all the surgeries and time in the hospital. How could I represent a way to give a sense of place for where I live? And then it dawned on me the weekend I had to return to the hospital to stay the entire weekend. After a fourth trip there – the hospital was almost like a temporary “place” I resided that heavily impacted my life last  month. Yes, so much so that during my stay in the hospital I made sure I was armed with my nikon handy every day. I imagine the nurses thought I was crazy to want to take pictures when I really felt so cruddy.

Though I had my camera, and took plenty of photos, I didn’t approach this project until the final day in the hospital. The same day that I got to go home. That morning I was up before sunrise and set up my tripod and took lots of photos using my remote throughout the morning. I was a little annoyed because the light changed so quickly in such a short period of time. It made it tough to control the exposure and it posed problematic a bit when I was montaging. So I just took as many photos as I thought would work for my project and prayed they’d be sufficient, because I had absolutely NO intentions of stepping foot in the hospital again any time soon after that last stay. So here’s the montage of 3 photos that really help give you a glimpse of what it was like in my hospital room…the same “place” that definitely impacted my life.

I was far more excited about the collage portion of the project, because I felt it would allow me to be more creative. I used the outside of the hospital to set the scene. I took the photo the hour before sunset and was disappointed with the sky. I envisioned a darker or more ominous sky. I even went back to reshoot the hospital and a security guard told me I wasn’t allowed to take photos of the hospital. So I had to use what I had already taken. I montaged in the sign on the right, the sky, and then an overlay to create the “rays” and red color. I also used a photo of myself, taken just the day prior to the first surgery. To me it just seems fitting. Seeing it reminds me of why I’m so thankful I am doing the 365 photo project because looking back there’s no way I’d have ever taken that photo (or many others) if it weren’t for my commitment to finish 365.  I did lots of scribbling too – including all the type – it was all scribbled with my wacom tablet. Here’s what I came up with for the collage.

The type on the throughout is ALL rendered by hand using the wacom (except for what is on the signage). Here’s a close up view of the left side in case any of you care to read the words. I have to admit this project was really challenging for me to finish because to be honest, it just brought back so many tough memories.

And one of the finishing touches was to add in this little bit of handwriting that is so important for me not to ever forget.

So that’s it…countless hours later…one more project down…tons more to go. I should have a nice stinky fish photo project to share with you all tomorrow!

Hope you all enjoy a glimpse of my crazy busy work at SCAD!

SUGGEST FANS
One of the easiest ways for you to share my work with others if you use facebook is to head over to my facebook fan page and choose the link to “suggest to your friends”. It’s located on the top left of my fan page and once you choose the link it will prompt you with a list of your facebook page. Hopefully this screenshot will help you guys find the link.

Thus far I have 365 facebook fans – so I’m curious to see how much of a difference you all can make in promoting my photography to others who might be interested in seeing my work.

SUBSCRIBE TO MY BLOG
My blog uses RSS, which means you can subscribe to it – much like you can subscribe to a newspaper. You can do this either by email or by using an RSS reader. On the bottom right of my blog is an email subscription link – which means as I update my blog you will receive an email with updates. If you’re unsure of RSS but interested in subscribing to the RSS instead I’ve written a couple tutorials over on Valencia’s graphics blog { 1 | 2 } that may help you understand it. RSS is definitely one of the biggest things that has simplified my life and helped me stay updated the last few years – and it’s definitely the easiest way to know when I post something new on my blog. I will continue to post updates regularly in the coming months to share with you all my photography and other things of interest that I’m involved in.

JOIN FLICKR
Flickr is another way I share my photography. It’s by far the best photo sharing web site out there – so I use it regularly. I continue to post work in flickr to share with family, friends and others interested in my work. Through flickr you are able to comment or favorite photos of others and you are able to post your own photos to share online. Best of all, it’s free to join! Here’s the link to where I’ve been posting some of my photography.

WORD OF MOUTH
I realize not everyone is on facebook, twitter, flickr, using email or RSS – so if you know of others interested in my photography you may share my web site: www.amandakern.com. I’ve come to learn just in this short of time that word of mouth is by far the best way to promote a business. In fact, virtually everyone I’ve photographed to date has been referred to by someone who somehow knew me. So though moving forward I may begin to seek out other ways to promote my photography – I must thank all of you who are already fans – thanks to your support I’ve been able to come such a long way with my photography in less than two years.

So enough of the sappy moments, don’t be shy…no pressure — go have fun suggesting my photography to your friends and family.

And seriously…thank you all!!!

My first full day at the hospital has passed. The day began with me feeling pretty cruddy. In just the first day I have discovered a few of the things being in the hospital:

• The doctor saw me first thing this morning. She said my HCG levels came back and they’re down to 91! Yes, that means she’s almost certain I’m in the clear from having to take methotrexate. This is a big relief, but I won’t feel fully reassured until I hear my levels are at zero.
• I was given information about endometritis which is what the doctors suspect I have developed, basically meaning an infection to the inner lining of the uterus from going through the three D&C surgeries. Yes, it’s scary to me still but after being here a day getting amazing care from the doctors and nurses I truly feel better knowing how much worse I’d likely have gotten if I didn’t come in to the hospital last night.
• I’m on fairly strong pain medication which has me feeling comfortable. No need to worry – they’re taking very good care of me making sure I will be better soon. I’ve been on darvocet the last day and after getting headaches this evening I’m back on motrin too.
• I’ve been put on estrogen supplements twice a day, which will likely continue for a few weeks. Of course the thoughts of being on hormones leaves me concerned but the doctor has told us that it will help the lining of my uterus heal from all it’s been through. Last night the doctor said all the medicine he’s putting me on is the best precaution he can take to ensure he protects my fertility and prevents me from having any further surgeries. Though right now the furthest thoughts from our mind is having more children, we’re reassured to know the doctor cares enough to protect the fact that we will be able to make that decision for ourselves some day.
• Ambien is awful. I really have no trouble sleeping usually so it was my first time taking sleeping medicine. It really scared me feeling so doozy before finally sleeping. But I did sleep really well last night. Last night I had no option, the doctor required that I take it to rest. Tonight it’s optional, and I have no desire to take it.
• Being connected to an IV all day and night really sucks. I have to pray that this vein stays strong so they don’t have to move the IV. I’m getting use to having it in, though it’s no fun feeling so stuck to it – it’s definitely no fun trying to go to the bathroom while I’m on this IV! But I’m reassured that it’s for the best that I’m connected to the IV with all these meds, though at times the antibiotics really do feel so cold going through my veins and sometimes they burn or sting as the go through my veins. And it’s hard to believe, but something going through my veins tastes sooooo awful.
• The hospital food isn’t too bad. Thank goodness. I really haven’t been too hungry, but the nurses remind me to eat. When I don’t I begin to feel nauseous so thankfully the hospital food is pretty good.
• Having wifi in the hospital rocks. I have been resting a lot today but in between restful moments I have been thankful to have my laptop and iphone handy to pass time.

This morning Jason and the kids stopped by to visit. It was one of the best things that happened all day. Seeing my kids made my day.

I have to say that I feel so thankful to have so many of you show so much care and concern – it’s been reassuring knowing how many are pulling for me to get better. These last few weeks have been very tough for my family and it’s been reassuring to be able to step away from things like work and school and have no worries other than getting better. I truly feel lucky to work with such amazing people – I’ve never had to stress about work through the last few crazy weeks that all now have blurred together. I really feel as though October is one big blur. Today my “boss”, Kristy Pennino, stopped by for a bit to visit me in the hospital. As my former teacher, colleague, and now my supervisor – I have to admit that she’s just as much of a good friend, especially during times like these. It was good to finally catch up after not seeing her since I was last on campus over three weeks ago. Yes, it’s all a blur and I’m finding it hard to believe I’ve been going through this mess for more than three weeks. Thanks Kristy for helping offer a little distraction today, I definitely appreciated your company and though I know I need to rest right now – I seriously cannot wait to return to work and move on past all these tough moments life has brought lately.

So many of you have touched me with your sincere thoughts and wishes and all the efforts you have made to comfort my family during these tough times. I have to say that I was most moved last night when I heard news that our family pulled together to buy my brother-in-law, Adam, a plane ticket for him to fly down from Chicago. To know that he’s willing to drop all his own personal obligations to come down to help us in the coming days means the world to me. I can’t deny that just thinking of how much he is sacrificing to be here for us as he has his own challenges life is bringing him definitely leaves me feeling all teary eyed, just knowing he cares that much to be here for us. Tonight Adam, Jason, the kids, and Connie stopped by to visit me.

It always stinks to know it takes bad things to help family reunite, but I’m thankful to have family here. Adam has been amazing in just the short time he’s been here. I’ve heard how much fun the kids are having with him. Hope is having a blast having her uncle here to goof around with.

They really are goofballs together, there’s no denying both of them are in the Kern family!

For me it puts my mind at ease having Adam here. I admit I worry so much about how the kids are coping these last few weeks. I know Hope has been challenged with her own emotions, and now that she’s seen me in the hospital this many times and now having to stay all weekend I just worry so much about how she is doing. I remember being about the same age when my own mother had been in the hospital a few times and I remember as a kid I always worried about my own mother so much even fearing she might die, even though things weren’t really that bad. I imagine Hope is feeling those same fears so I have no doubt that having Adam here is a great distraction for Hope so that she doesn’t have to think to much about her worries. Adam it means the world that you’re here…thank you.

Tonight the kids were here when I had dinner. Hope insisted on having dinner with me. I was amazed to hear she was willing to pass up a happy meal for a dinner with me. Even Jaylen was excited to sit with me as I took time to eat.

It was a memorable enough dinner that I asked Jason to take photos, despite how cruddy I feel and look.

So one day down. I am anxious for the weekend to be over. It’s time I rest to hopefully help this nausea go away and yes, to get better.