{is is just ME???}

Is it just me or does anyone else feel like they are just uploading posts on their blog to share their lives with everyone and those posts are just floating off into the atmosphere, without being read? Don't be shy to leave comments people! :) They don't have to be hilarious or even life changing. :) Hope to hear from more of you very soon.
Have an amazing day! :)

It's finally DONE!

Okay so my website is officially up and running! It has literally taken forever to get to this point because I have been learning all the technical stuff along the way. I might add that there is STILL so much to learn too. And those of you that know me well...will not be surprised if the look of the website changes here and there. I love so many different styles and don't just have that ONE favorite one that I know I'll stick with forever. But none the less, please take a look around the new site and tell me what you think. I am so passionate about my business, not only because I love to take pictures. But i have loved every minute of meeting new friends through this venture and love all the knowledge that I am gaining about people, life, photography and myself. I just want to thank all of you out there who have been there for me through all of it. I have a wonderful, supportive and loving husband who has been there for my MANY stresses and breakdowns...YES breakdowns! You cannot do this business and breakdown once in awhile. A business that you have put all of yourself into, your love, passion, time, talent, sweat, tears and blood...yes blood! Sometimes it's necessary for that perfect shot. :) I love what I do and I hope that you can see that in each picture that I take. I have a lot of learning and growing still to do but I am willing to do whatever it takes to reach the goals i have set. Those of you that have allowed me to photography you and/or your families...I thank you for trusting in me and allowing me to be a little part of your lives. :)

http://www.bekahjeanphotography.com

My Photography Blog address is now: http://www.bekahjeanphotography.com/blog

{special giveaway}

This is officially my first CONTEST GIVEAWAY and I am so excited to do it! It starts TODAY and I will be drawing the WINNER at random in two weeks...on November 25th. I will be posted the WINNER on MY PHOTOGRAPHY BLOG and posting other giveaways in the near future, so be sure to check it often.

You must be a Utah resident living in Salt Lake, Tooele, Davis or Utah Counties to WIN, unless you are willing to travel. Please still feel free to add my button to your blog(s), become a fan of my Facebook Fan Page, or subscribe to my Photography Blog. There will be other CONTESTS and GIVEAWAYS at later dates in which everyone can take part.

{What you will WIN if your name is drawn}

- one FREE Portrait Session with up to 2 hrs. of shoot time.
- one FREE high resolution CD with 20-25 artistically edited images.


There are 3 ways you can enter:

{ONE ENTRY}

- Add my "Photography Button" to your own blog(s). Then click on my "Photography Blog" link on this site. Check out my photography blog and leave a comment to let me know you have been there. Then feel free to come back often to visit. Be sure to leave me your blog address within your comment and your email because of course I will be checking.

{ONE ENTRY}

- Subscribe to my "Photography Blog" by clicking on the link and then check out my blog. The subscribe button is in the menu bar.

{ONE ENTRY}

- Go to my "FACEBOOK FAN PAGE" and become a fan. Leave a comment to let me know that you were there. Here's the link:

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?ref=profile&id=1137260782#/pages/Bekah-Jean-Photography/100971406373

You must be a Utah resident to WIN this giveaway. Please still feel free to add my button to your blog(s), become a fan of my Facebook Fan Page, or subscribe to my Photography Blog. There will be other CONTESTS and GIVEAWAYS at later dates in which everyone can take part.

{day of amazement}

Okay so let me just start out by saying that today was an amazing Sunday. :) At first, I was just excited that it was fast sunday because I was planning on sitting back and enjoying the spirit that is felt when others bear their testimonies of the gospel of Jesus Christ as I usually do. That all changed VERY quickly and I found myself at the pulpit blubbering like an idiot. :) Something happened today that I didn't see coming for quite sometime from now. Braden leaned over to me and said, "Mom can I bear my testimony?" Can I just say that I had to pick my jaw up off the chapel floor and then told him "of course" as I wiped the tears away from my face. :) As Braden got up BY HIMSELF and walked towards the pulpit...Ben asked me where he was going and I told him that he was bearing his testimony. Then after Ben picked his jaw up off the floor he simply said, "WOW". For those of you that don't know Braden, he is a very fun loving and energetic boy, but when it comes to asking him to stand up and do anything in public he has always curled up in a little ball and refused. Today was a milestone and quite a break through and it knock both Ben and I for a loop.

It has been quite awhile since I have shared my testimony in sacrament meeting and I could not hold back today. I am kinda embarrassed that it finally took my 8 yr. old to get me back up there. But I am so glad that I did! :) It really is silly how scared we can allow ourselves to get over something like this. We know that our ward families love us and still we hold back ourselves and the blessings from sharing our beliefs from them. If you haven't shared your testimony lately I challenge you to take the next opportunity you get to do so. Nothing bad can come from it! :)

I am so grateful for the true gospel of Jesus Christ in my life and the peace, knowledge and blessings that come from living it. I know that our Father in Heaven and His son Jesus Christ love us and are always there for us, if we will but take time out of our busy lives to make it a priority each day to have some quiet time where we can truly stop and listen to His still small voice. :)

{okay so i'm back}

So several months ago in my last post I said that I was going to get rid of my family blog and just combine my personal and professional posts onto my photography blog. Well, after several months of trying to keep track of friends and families blogs without the quick links on my sidebar...I was lets just say "going crazy". So I have updated the look of my family blog to blend well with my photography blog and hope that you will enjoy checking back often for updates on both. Life is crazy right now but good! :) I was recently called as the 2nd Counselor in the Primary Presidency, right after a ward split. The majority of our primary leadership and teachers are now in the other ward so we had to start off from scratch. I am over baptisms and cub scouts, which has been insane but things are started to mellow out a little now that the main part of the cub scout leadership has been put into place. Did I mention that the WHOLE cub scout program came to a complete halt with the ward split because the entire leadership is now in the other ward also. Yeah! I've been busy! :) Even though things have all been crazy and I am trying to continue on with my photography business amongst all of this too... I am loving the calling and the opportunity to serve. I love the other members of the presidency and have really enjoyed working with them so far an learning from their examples. It's amazing what each individual brings to the table and how all of our ideas just seems to mesh together.

As far as my photography business goes... things have slowed down a little since I got this calling but I am still continuing to take on shoots and weddings and loving every minute of it. I am in the process of saving up for a much better camera and some lenses. I am a little frustrated because I always want things RIGHT NOW even though I know it takes time to accomplish goals that you set. I am amazed when I sit with Ben and talk about the beginnings of my business. We often look through old images that I took when I first started and reflect on how far I have come. I still have so far to go when I look at where I want to be... and sometimes get very frustrated that it's not happening faster, but then I look at other photographers work and feel so inspired to keep learning and growing. I a so grateful for the talent my Father In Heaven has blessed me with in the arts and try with each shoot to improve and share that talent with everyone I can, whether it be by capturing their family in images to keep forever or simply sharing information or techniques I have learned with others that share the same passion as me.