merry christmas to me

I feel like I've just completed a marathon that took 4 months to run! It's been a crazy fall semester and I've been so stupid busy it's ridiculous. I am being a whiner right now thats for sure but I've been waiting a solid 6 weeks for this day to arrive and be over! I was able to take my NEW camera for a test drive this weekend though and I'll be sharing more from this outing.

OH and MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone!

when bad photoshop happens to good people....

my waaaaaaaay!

 I'd have to classify myself as a musical person. Not that I'd want to which is a wierd thing but I have always LOVED to sing. I dreamed of being in musical theater but was turned down for the 2 plays I auditioned for and then just never did anything else. Except bob she bobs. Anywho last weekend some friends and I went to Nanta the Korean Karaoke Bar and I seriously lost ALL sense of control of myself. Give me a mike and a stage and I'll go nuts!

 Those two pictures are NOTHING compared to the video and shots other friends got. Seriously after my turn each time I would just hover by the stage front and if no one got up in the first 10 seconds of the song I was up there!

I sang about 10 songs in total. I duet-ted with 2 random fellows. There may of been lap sitting, swaying, twirling, crumping, and hand moving along as I sing Whitney Houston style. So consider this a disclaimer when taking me out to sing karaoke. I will probably embarrass myself beyond reason but I will most likely be a form of entertainment!


Being musical and having the ability to play piano has been a blessing and a curse some times in my life. December has been crazy. I am singing in 4 performances coming up and accompanying a total of about 20 songs. One is the institute choir's Christmas concert which all are encouraged to attend.

Oh, and I also quit my job. Lots of reasons have gone into this decision. I'm FINALLY going to have some time for myself and for working on my degree (my piano teaching arct with the RCM). Tuesday I was gone from my house for 13 hrs and then came home and played the piano for another hour. My schedule was like this last year too. Something had to change and soon! So I can't wait for January when I finally have time to focus on my website and branding and everything photography! Wahooo.

So expect pricing updates soon and I'll be updating with more pictures too! Just for those interested in business plans OR have any questions please ask away here! It's a new questionaire thingy my sister told me about and think it's just great! Seriously ask away. Anything at allllll! They can be photography questions, editing questions, business questions (what I plan on charging and why, will I offer prints or cd's, why do photographers only offer prints sometimes) whatever you'd like!

best decision ever.

There are two things in my life I consider the best decisions I've ever made.
1. Laser eye surgery. I don't regret this in the slightest! It was worth every single stinking penny! I probably wouldn't of paid more to be honest with you. Just don't tell Lasik MD that though. Plus did you know they have trays and trays of free cookies in the waiting rooms? If someone had told me this I would of been in that office even sooner!!

2. Buying my camera. Changed my life. I can think of my life in two separate times. BC (before camera) and AD (after diving into the photo world) haha

To say photography has become an obsession is probably an understatement. I just wanted to make a list of things I wish I would of known back then. Things I wish someone would of told me. Luckily my sister was there to basically do that though haha

*A clearer difference between Canon and Nikon.

It's the only thing I researched before I purchased my camera. I knew I was either going to buy the Canon 50d or the Nikon D90. I found lots that talked about each brand and how they are both great camera makers, but then came across a great compare and contrast by Karen Russells via my sister. Click here to read it. My opinion now is Nikon's focusing system is much better in their upper end cameras especially then Canon's but the Nikon lens selection is nothing compared to Canon! Seriously, Nikon needs to get itself in gear!!

*Don't buy the kit lens. I walked away with my D90 and the kit lens 18-105mm f3.5-5.6 G ED VR lens and I remember when I called my sister and told her what I'd done she made me immediately regret my decision. I remember she asked me "Do you even know what at f-stop is??" I didn't. I really didn't want to admit it either. So I listened to her explanation (which went right over my head basically) and then followed her instructions to go back and I purchased the 50mm f1.4 lens. I love love love this lens. This could be my 3rd best decision ever. I am obsessed with this lens. I hate zoom lens' and don't know if I can ever purchase one....

*Take an course. Either it be online, at a local college or from a local photographer just take something! There are SO many resources where you can learn about how to take pictures. I'd recommend Karen Russells the photographers workshop but it's a long long waiting list. Any type of course do give you some creditionals if you do want to step into the buisness side of photography. Not that many clients really want/care if your credited or not. They only judge you by your pictures. A course fast tracks your knowledge though and therefore will fast track your skills.

*They say your first 1000 photos are your worst so take as many pictures as possible and think of them as one more down, 999 to go!

*Have some PATIENCE. One day you will be more confident with your photos. I actually remember knowing that I would get "there" but I was just so annoyed I had to wait to get "there"! I finally stopped comparing myself to professionals and would start keeping a folder for inspiration of other pics that I liked and would jot down poses that I would like to try and would spend my time learning something new rather then sitting and staring at so and so's work thinking, what's the point, I'll never be as good as them!

*Stop whining and get to work. Storytime. This past couple of weeks I hit a wall with all my upper level piano students. Were cramming for the Christmas recital and it's been stressful! I finally got every single one of them to admit that they didn't honestly believe that they were any good at piano and that they probably never would be great at piano. I then lectured them. If they weren't gonna believe they were any good then they wouldn't be getting better any time soon. They then decided they did want to get better and I made them say it out loud to me til I believed them. Ha I like to torture them. I then gave them the tools to improve their songs. I have been AMAZED by their work. Every single one of them came into lessons the following week actually excited to learn and had improved so so much!

If your not excited to learn or don't have a desire to get better well then enjoy sucking! Quit throwing yourself a pity party and just get learning!!

*No talent sits idle. Your either improving or your slowly digressing. Whether it be cooking, photography, scrapbooking, teaching, dieting, doing your hair, doing your makeup, working, reading, playing your piano, or seriously anything?! If you don't water a plant it doesn't just sit there until your ready to come back and give it attention! No. It will die. So practice practice practice! :o)

*Don't be afraid to take others pictures. I was terrified to take people's family pics! I took only my friends pics so it was way less pressure but instead of stressing about how I was going to ruin them I wish I would of focused on just how to improve them!

and prob the most important

*STOP thinking about what others might think. Who cares if someone see's your taking pictures and mocks you for jumping on the photography bandwagon and that your not any good anyways! Seriously, WHO CARES! Your having a blast with your camera and have loved learning a new skill and just overall learning something so new and unknown to you. So screw what others think. If they want to waste their time and breath all concerned about your time and talent then thats their problem. 
I still have to remind myself of all these things and this post was just for my review basically but thought others might get insight from it also.
SO, I have news! I'm now going to give someone else the opportunity to start this journey all in time for Christmas. 
I'm selling my camera!!!!
It's upgrade time! So I will be selling my camera, body only for $500. It retails for $680 + GST. I will also sell you my lens which is the 50 mm 1.4G for $500 which is only $20 cheaper then retail. ( Only because I will basically be going to buy the EXACT same lens. I LOVE IT! I honestly think it's the only lens that's truly needed for the everyday photographer. I'll also be including my UV filter and camera bag. I have original packaging also.
So email me if your interested or have any other questions at leahlorna@gmail.com
 ps less then 1 month til I get to shoot this fun, cute, adorable, amazing friends wedding! wahoooo!

pps why didn't anyone tell me it'd been two weeks since my last post? Sheesh!