I have a confession. I love to edit in little photo editing marathon sessions. Now that I’ve picked up on this, I’m working on a schedule to take advantage of it. Especially since over the next few months I have a total of 7, possibly 8 weddings to photograph. Most of the engagement sessions are done for the spring though, so that makes things a little lighter.

I am testing out the beta of Lightroom v. 2.0 now - and I just have to say that it is SWEEEEET! I am loving it! It is so cool that you can spot edit now, tweaking exposure in just certain areas of a photo. At this point, I’m only opening PhotoShop while proofing to add my logo to images before posting them online. Nice! It makes things so much faster!

Of course, I’ll still be doing the final edits before printing client work in PhotoShop - there is just some magic that can only happen there.

Today I wrapped up editing on Kara’s bridal session at Champion’s Country Club and Kara & Bryan’s engagement session in downtown Houston. Of course, I can’t post the bridal photos online yet, but the engagement session was such fun, I couldn’t wait to share it!

New editing schedule:
- Weekend shoot
- Proof Monday & Tuesday (ideally the wedding I just shot, but I know I’ll have other things to proof too.)
- Blog about event on Wednesday or Thursday
- Upload files as needed, burn backup copies to DVD, backup on external drive
- Fridays are my day off, along with most Sundays
- Lather, rinse, repeat!

Here are a few from Kara & Bryan’s shoot - there are more over on the Wedding Photography blog for you to check out!

Summer is here, and with summer comes the new ad for Christine Tremoulet in Weddings in Houston magazine! This time around, we’ve decided to go BIG! It will be full page ad that will come out in the very near future - I’ll keep you posted when it hits the store shelves! Swoon!

(PS - I totally blew off getting this ad turned in yesterday by writing the 8 year Blogiversary post instead. Shhh… don’t tell! I have to have some priorities!)

Whoa. It is May 8th (and I haven’t posted in over a week - oops) and my blog is 8 years old today!

The Golden Birthday! I couldn’t let it pass without pointing it out. Happy Blogiversary!

Crazy to think how much has changed in 8 years, and how much this blog has been a part of it all. From the incredible amazing people I have met - especially Mike! - and all of the life altering things that have happened as a result.

- I wouldn’t have met or married Mike if this blog wasn’t a part of it.

- My photography wouldn’t be where it is today. (See below. Several times.)

- I wouldn’t have met Kathy who set up the original Bayou Blurb which lead to H-Town Blogs and meeting Elaine which lead to my previous comment about my photography being where it is today.

- I wouldn’t know Chuck, my go to political advisor, who is actually the first person that Mike met in Houston and who I finally got to meet in person the same day I met Mike. UPDATE: I just commented to Mike that I probably would have met him eventually thanks to Chuck, and he pointed out that HE is responsible, at least in part, for Chuck blogging. How is THAT for circular?

- I wouldn’t have met Ann through her blog and her photography — and she was one of the first bloggers Mike ever met in person over in London, and she kept nudging me to meet him when he was back in Houston. (Ann still gets credit for me meeting Mike, not Chuck. Ann pointed out his blog while he still lived in London, probably 6-8 months before I met him. I never read his blog much though because it was way too geek for me.)

- I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to meet Jennifer, who means a lot more to me than she probably even realizes (my fault) and has helped me out a zillion times over with a slew of blogging things. She truly is the ScriptyGoddess. I’m thankful for her letting me visit her when she still lived in fabulous Boston, and I dream of visiting her now in Salt Lake City someday.

- Boston of course leads me to thinking of Erika, Su, Sooz (who was a huge help in putting together the big blogger bash the second time I visited Boston) and really - more people than I could list.

- Blogging lead me to meet Mac who inspired me to knit - and to attempt spinning - and graciously let me come visit her, took me all around Philly for knit shop tours (this is a very big thing for knitters), and best of all - let me visit for a trip to Maryland Sheep & Wool last year! Mmmm… fiber. Lots of fiber.

- Then there is the whole knowing Matt since he was in high school - before WordPress even was a dream yet - and spending days at the coffee shop with him & Mike as he geeked out and talked about the dream we would later know as WordPress. Once I gave it a name.

- OH! And HOW can I forget about Chris Pirillo and the Call for Help days? I think talking to Chris on the phone was one of the first time I squealed over meeting a geek celebrity. First of many times, I’m sad to say.

- While I’m naming names, I should point out Heather Champ who has been a huge source of inspiration since day 1, and a big supporter back when I launched Picture Yourself. She also lead me to Flickr, my constant addiction.

- Flickr then lead me to Laanba who lead me to meeting
countless awesome photographers in the Houston area that I didn’t already know through the blog circles. I learned later that my blog was one of the first blogs that she followed. The crazy circle of blogging.

- And my blog wouldn’t be where it is today if Ben & Mena hadn’t come up with the fabulousness that is MovableType that saved me from Blogger back when Blogger went through a slump and Greymatter couldn’t handle my posts. I resisted leaving MT for a long time and only converted when Matt came over to my house and did the migration himself. It is INCREDIBLE to see where SixApart has gone since MT first launched.

- Another VIP in the blogistory? Robyn, the blogger formerly known as Tampa Tantrum. Like Erika and Su, it is incredible to think of how much our lives have changed since those early blogging days of 2001. She has been an incredible help for my photography business - and a constant inspiration. I’m most grateful.

My list could go on and on and on as I pondered everyone I know and how they all interconnect. At the root of it all is the blog. 8 years, nearly 5000 posts, and countless memories.

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to every single person reading this. My life truly would not be the same without you. Say hello if you have a moment - it is a day worthy of a celebration!