Mom's Pure Wisdom

I was recently presented with the opportunity to work with Nestlé® Pure Life® on their Mom's Pure Wisdom/Hydration Movement campaign, and it just seemed like such a natural extension of something I already wanted to talk about... so I jumped at the opportunity! 

During a time when my step dad Edd's suffering was at its hardest and ugliest, I remember talking to my mom one day about things going on in my life, and I remember feeling sheepish and hesitant to mention some of what I was struggling with because here she was, watching her husband suffer intensely and ultimately slip away, so what right did I have to talk about my petty "problems?" I said to her, "I know it's nothing compared to what you guys are going through, so..." and she stopped me right there and said something that made a big impact on me. It was along the lines of, "Jenni, I don't want you to feel like you can't tell me what's going on in your life because you feel it doesn't compare to what I'm going through. We all have our own struggles and they are all important, and I never want anyone to feel like their problems aren't big enough to matter because they don't measure up to mine or someone else's."

What she said made an impact on me for a number of reasons, because here she was, someone going through something more excruciating than you can imagine, and she was saying that my problems were important, too, and they were not diminished by the magnitude of hers.

So why am I saying all this? I guess I've been thinking about it a lot lately because, especially here on the Internet, it can be so tempting to belittle others who complain about problems we feel are petty or that aren't as big and bad as our problems or the next guy's problems - believe me, I've been there, done that. "What right do you have to complain when you could be having ___(fill in the blank)__ happen to you?" And there is something to be said for perspective, most definitely. I think we should all consider our blessings before we whine, especially publicly. But my mom, in that moment that she validated my feelings in the midst of her own much "worse" problems, helped me realize that it truly does others a disservice if we act like they have no right to feel what they feel since there are others going through worse things. There will always be someone who has it worse, just like there will always be someone with something bigger and better than what you have. We are all human beings in this life thing together, and we are all learning perspective and coping and strength along the way, whether our problems are big or small in comparison. Just a little something to chew on today, and to remember going forward.

*This post is sponsored by Nestlé® Pure Life® and is part of a campaign to promote hydration (as well as mom's wisdom!). Please be sure and visit the Nestlé® Pure Life® Facebook wall and leave a comment with the hashtag #momswisdom sharing what your mother (or grandmother!) told you and how it has made you a better person. :)

*Thank you to Linquia for the opportunity and ideas!

HAPPY WEEKEND!!

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Social media pet peeves? (a post brought to you by PMS)

Cinch Hitter Belted Coral Dress: c/o Lulus.com (discount code SOML15 for 15% off your order through July 1st! US & CAN only), Hat: can't remember where I got it... it was a shoe store at the mall! Necklace: Francesca's

Do you have any social media pet peeves? I DO. This has absolutely nothing to do with my style post today, but I have a lot to get off my chest, you guys, a lot to get off my chest. Incidentally, almost all of these involve Instagram. Here we go.

+ Let's start with posting photos of open wounds. Ew? I don't really care to see a photo of how you almost chopped the tip of your finger off while you were cutting a tomato. If I wanted to see some carnage, I would watch surgery shows on the Discovery channel. But since I'm not a huge fan of cut-open humans, I'd rather not see your gaping wound in my Instagram feed, either. 

+ Pictures solely of your bare feet - NO. Unless they are weirdly attractive, which rules out 95% of all feet. Disclaimer: I hate feet, so I'm biased.

+ This one is going to catch me some flack, but I also don't want to see your baby with drool or food all over his/her face. It's not cute, it's disgusting. (Funny cake smashing photos are an exception. Pureed peas and shiny dripping drool are not.)

+ Hashtags. The kind that go on and on and on and on forever, or the kind that are incorporated right into a sentence. For example:

I am really #hungry at my #desk here at #work and all I really want is a #big #fat #juicy #hamburger even though I packed a #salad.  

#lunch #nutrition #eatfit #skinny #cleaneating #eatclean #instafit #training #healthy #instahealth #lifestyle #fit #fitfam #foodporn..... 

Please stop that. I know you might gain a few new followers by doing it, but it's weird. 

+ The chronic duck-facer. Please stop doing a duck face in every single one of your pictures. We know you have great cheek bones. 

+ The chronic post-er of "look at my big boobs!" photos. We get it. You have a great rack and all your shirts and dresses show massive amounts of cleavage and occasionally some nip. After a while, it just gets annoying. 

Don't even get me started on Facebook. 

What are YOUR social media pet peeves? I'm sure I'll think of more of these the moment I hit publish! 

Now here's some photos of me wearing a short dress in a field. Happy Thursday!

Cinch Hitter Belted Coral Dress: c/o Lulus.com (discount code SOML15 for 15% off your order through July 1st! US & CAN only), Hat: can't remember where I got it... it was a shoe store at the mall! Necklace: Francesca's

The Steeping Room

The Steeping Room is a real favorite of mine here in Austin. There are what seems like hundreds of tea varieties to choose from, the presentation is beautiful, and the food is delicious. It's an obvious choice for dining if you're out shopping at the Domain or in need of a cute meeting spot up north, and I hear there's now a second location on Lamar, as well. 

My friend and I went for lunch the other day, and I ordered English Caramel tea (umm, delicious), and she got a flowering tea. It was the neatest thing - when your tea pot arrives, the flower is still closed, but you know the tea is done steeping when it opens up... so pretty! 

Here's a few photos from our lunch. Happy Hump Day. :)

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What does success mean to you?

That's an interesting question, isn't it? I've been thinking about it a lot lately. When will I feel like I've "made it?" The interesting thing is that the answer can be quite different from person to person - my idea of success could be very different from yours. For some people success is measured only in dollars. I've witnessed firsthand how some people who have them (dollars) automatically assume that people who don't have them are unsuccessful. But I've also witnessed firsthand that there are people who live a very modest life in terms of material things and income, but still feel successful and happy and enjoy their lives.

So what is the measure of success? Just thinking out loud here, really. I guess the conclusion I've come to is that there simply is no universal definition for "successful," unless maybe if it read "content with one's current state of being, lifestyle, and place in the world." Even then, I know people who consider themselves successful, but still seem discontent. So maybe for them, contentment isn't a requirement.

It's interesting to ask yourself what success means to you. What do you think it would take for you to feel that way? For me, I think I'd need a few things to feel like I've really made it in life:

1) The ability to travel and see the world. At the very least, one big trip per year. Preferably a few. I have pretty intense wanderlust that's only getting worse as I get older. A life without really seeing this incredible world we live in seems so sad to me.

2) The ability to spend extra money on the very best food for myself and my family, both with groceries and dining out. It's frustrating to go to something like a farmer's market or Whole Foods and know you can't afford to shop there more than maybe once every other month, for just a few items. Success, to me, would mean shopping in those places without guilt, buying mostly organic, and indulging my inner foodie. Bottom line: FOOD IS IMPORTANT TO ME, and presentation is too. Sorry, not sorry.

3) Meaningful, functional relationships and the love and even admiration of the people closest to me in life. If my personal life is in shambles and I feel people I love think ill of me, what would the point of all the rest be?

4) The ability to be generous with gifts. Almost nothing makes me happier than giving someone a really nice gift I know they'll love, or taking a friend out to dinner when she's had a rough week, or donating to a cause I really believe in. When it stops feeling like a pinch whenever I give generously, I'll feel like I've made it.

5) Personal fulfillment through creativity. In order to be successful, I think I'll always need an outlet for creativity and a little place in the world where I feel like I'm doing a good job and touching other people with my work. Maybe this will always be writing and photography, or maybe it won't be. Maybe someday I'll get really freaking into pottery making or interpretive dance or something. But probably not.

6) A feeling of security. This is really important to me. I don't need a huge house or pimped out car or a huge bank account, but I do want to not struggle. To have enough, and feel secure. To enjoy the money my husband and I make, and just not really have to think too much about it all. To provide for our family, to have some left over and set aside for a rainy day, and to live life to its fullest.

And when (WHEN!) I have all of those six things at once, I'll pat myself and Matthew on the back and say, "hey lookie here, we done made it in life!" Until that time, though, I can damn well still be happy ... and I fully intend to be. :)

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$100 to Outfit Additions

Happy Tuesday, you guys! Today's giveaway is a generous $100 to Outfit Additions, an online jewelry and accessory shop with styles for every single taste, really! And great prices, to boot, which means the winner of today's giveaway will be taking home a pretty nice little pile of new jewels. :) Enter in the rafflecopter below, and good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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At 4th & Guadalupe

Is there anything better than a farmer's market? I think not. The aroma of fresh tomatoes baking in the sun, cold-pressed organic veggie juice samples, friendly farmers, the best in bluegrass, happy pups on an outing with their mommies and daddies, and what seems like all of Austin out to procure the finest seasonal produce, freshest bread, prettiest flowers, and delicious food trucks, too. It's just an experience. I'll never tire of photos from the farmer's market... it's my way of bringing every bit of it home. :)

this last photo was actually from the Sunset Valley FM... we stopped by there too, to pick up something we forgot! This band was having such a blast... you simply couldn't help but smile to hear them. :)

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How will you be following SOML after July 1st? Hmm?

Hey, did you know? That as of July 1st, Google Reader will be no more? Yep, it's true. So now's a great time to make sure you're subscribed to this here blog in other ways, like with Bloglovin, Facebook, or email subscription. Might as well stalk on Instagram and Twitter too. It's aaaall good.

Here's a simple post on how to move your Google Reader subscriptions to Bloglovin, and here's another one that goes a little more in depth on why Bloglovin is awesome. I've been using it for quite some time, and couldn't be happier!

And now here's a few new friends for your Friday. Happy weekend!

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G Squared is a blog by sweet Brittany, a newlywed sharing thoughts about love, life, new home ownership, her recent turning of a quarter-century old (some great life lessons learned in that first quarter!), and everything in between. Brittany is witty, pretty, and fun, and you'll love her. :) Be sure and drop in to say hello (I think this post right here is a great place to start)!

Blog | Twitter

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Lynzy has a beautiful  life and style blog called Sparkling Footsteps, and there you will find lots of lovely fashion inspiration, life updates, fitness tips (including her latest post on working out while pregnant!), which brings me to my next point - Lynzy and her husband are expecting a baby! :) You will love this beautiful girl and her beautiful blog, so head on over and check 'em out!

Blog | Facebook | Twitter

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Chelsea is the mastermind behind Sunny With A Chance of Sprinkles, an adorable blog stuffed full of interesting posts about life, motherhood (this idea for a toddler activity is GENIUS!), great recipes (like the perfect hard-boiled egg and grilled salmon in foil!), and even cute fashion posts. This girl is absolutely adorable and will steal your heart, for sure. Also, fun fact: she bought my very first DSLR camera from me, and I am amazed to see how much better her photos are than mine were with the same camera. Good job, Chelsea!!

Blog | Facebook | Twitter

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Have a great Friday...

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Tips for beginner photographers, part one: How to get started

I can hardly believe it's already been a year since I've been in business with j. noel photography, but it sure has. I actually had my very first paid session in May of last year, filed for my LLC in fall of last year, and have been learning lessons and having a blast as a new business owner ever since! :)

I believe in spreading the love, so I'm going to share some of my biggest lessons and tips with you over the course of a few posts. Obviously these tips are aimed towards beginner photographers, but feel free to chime in and comment if you're a seasoned pro that has some tips, too! We can all learn so much from each other.

Today's focus is the very basics of getting started, but in following posts I plan to share some knowledge on the business aspect of things and working with clients during sessions. Stay tuned for more!

GETTING STARTED

1. Learn to shoot in manual... and then practice, A LOT. Once I fully understood my camera's capabilities and how to control its settings, a whole new world opened up to me and my photography improved by leaps and bounds. There were no longer any befuddling light situations or unnecessary hours spent editing photos that I could have gotten right SOOTC (straight out of the camera). 

I promise, if you aren't shooting in manual, your work is suffering!

A photographer friend recommended this amazing tutorial to me when I first got started last year, so I bought it (WELL WORTH the tiny investment), and after the few hours it took me to work through the thing, my world was turned upside down. I switched my camera to manual and never looked back!

Helpful hint: it WILL take you a while to get adjusted and start doing this second-nature. Practice, practice, practice, and after a little while you'll be changing settings in your sleep!)

2. Invest in the best possible equipment you can afford. Invest will be a key word in this particular part of your process as a beginner. It hurts, but it's necessary. I understand that not everyone can afford to shell out three grand for a top-of-the-line full-frame camera, but do research your options and go with the best you can afford, even if it pinches a little. Your lens is just as important, so don't forget to factor that in! Believe it or not, I currently own only ONE lens, the 50mm 1.4.  It's been running my business and blog the entire last year! It's really affordable (and the 1.8 is even more so, if you're on a very tight budget), and it produces amazing results and that beautiful depth of field (the blurry background!). Pop one of those babies on your camera, and your photos are already on their way to looking profesh! 

As far as editing equipment goes, don't mess around. Buy professional quality programs if you'd like to achieve professional quality results.  I sing Lightoom's praises all day long (it's very inexpensive at only about $100 to $150 depending what version you get - I use v.4), and it's super simple, super user friendly (WAY less confusing than Photoshop!), and super powerful. While I recommend having Photoshop on hand as well for skin edits and its other endless possibilities, it IS a pricey program and if it's out of the question, Photoshop Elements may be all you need to start. 

Helpful hint #1: This is a little sneaky, but maybe you can even find a student willing to purchase the programs for you with their discounts! We bought mine with my husband's law school student discounts, and it was a steal!

Helpful hint #2: Invest in this Lightroom tutorial. I don't know where I'd be right now if I didn't! It also comes with some really useful presets and, of course, tips you might never learn if you just play around with it yourself.

3. When it comes to editing, less is more. When I look back on my editing style one year or so ago, I recognize that I lacked confidence in my skills and somehow that translated into being really heavy-handed with the editing. It's kind of like that girl that plasters her face with makeup because it makes her feel more confident... because she doesn't recognize her own natural beauty. Funny enough, most photographers I talk to say this very same thing was the case when they first began, too! I know I, personally, relied a lot on actions and had no idea how to intuitively customize images myself, but over time, as I learned my editing programs better, I started to ease off actions entirely and just use my noggin when it came to making the adjustments a photo might need. My finished products improved tremendously because of it!

And that's all for now, folks. Stay tuned in the weeks to come for more handy photography tips for beginners, and if you have questions or comments, please sound off below!

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Disclaimer: I know I still have a looooong way to go in photography, and one year from now I'll probably look back on my work today and notice all the things I should have done differently, but for now, I'm proud of where I am and that's why I'm not ashamed to share what I've learned so far. Just wanted to put that out there! ;)

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