My Top Five Most Viewed Posts of 2013

Well, 2013 is officially over, and 2014 has begun!  I'm not going to bore you with goals and resolutions because I would only be boring myself knowing that I NEVER sincerely follow through with that stuff. Instead let's have a looksy back at the past year and see what you guys liked the most of what I had to say and share.  Shall we?

No. 1 -- AUSTIN CITY LIMITS 2013

Not gonna lie...I tried really hard to take some legit pictures to share with you guys.  ACL is one of the more aesthetically pleasing festivals, as it takes place at Zilker Park every year with gorgeous views of downtown Austin in the background.  Now that I think about it, it's pretty easy to photographically portray the beauty of the experience.

No. 2 -- COUSIN LUNCH DATE IN BASTROP, TX

Back in August, I met up with my sweet cousin Sarah for some lunch and wandered around in the small town of Bastrop, just about 20 miles east of Austin.  We shared some mouth-watering coconut cream pie at Maxine's and took pictures all around the cozy little downtown square.

No. 3 -- JASON'S 30TH

My little heart nearly melted when tons of close friends and family helped me to plan and execute the perfect surprise party for Jason's 30th birthday in late September.  Absolutely nothing could have made the night any better - good food, great drinks and even better company.

No. 4 -- PLAYLIST POST, FEBRUARY 2013

I have to admit I'm pretty proud of this one making it into the Top Five.  I am an avid music lover and an avid music sharer.  I can be kind of snobby when it comes to music, but I also like other people to discover and love the brilliant artists and bands I've come across.  

No. 5 -- WEST COAST TRIP: SEATTLE DAY ONE

I had such a blast sharing stories and pictures from our week-long west coast vacation in early September.  It is so neat to know that I can just access my blog in order to relive the trip as many times as I want.  Now the small details will never be forgotten and memories of our trip are simply at my fingertips!

Photography Friday Link-Up

I'm pretty excited to be participating in my first Photography Friday Blog Hop hosted by Jessica of This Analog Adventure and co-hosted by Sarah of Sarrrahgirl.  I am by no means whatsoever a self-proclaimed "photographer."  I'm just a lady who likes to take pictures occasionally, but Sarah encouraged me to try this out, and I'm glad I did.  I'm always searching for new ways to get to know myself and one of the best ways to do that is to express yourself artistically as much as you can.  I surprise myself on the daily when I let my freak flag truly go wild.

I like to call this series of photographs Procedural Beauty.

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Guest Post from Sarah of One Chance

Today's guest post comes from one of my newest friends, Sarah from One Chance.  I met Sarah through Emily a few years ago, but we've just recently gotten closer through our mutual interest in blogging.  Sarah is an amazing photographer.  I am always in awe of the pictures she takes and shares on her blog.  She truly has an eye for capturing the little everyday moments and making them come to new life through her lens.  I was so happy to see she decided to share some photography resources she utilizes because she is definitely one to learn from!

Hello everyone! I'm Sarah and I blog over at One Chance I can also be found here photographing semi-regular OOTD collaborations. I was thrilled when Kassie asked me to guest post for her while she and Jason are living it up on their trip to the Pacific Northwest. I hope you'll enjoy reading some of my favorite resources for photographers.

My interest in photography really peaked in high school in yearbook class and in college I was fortunate to be able to minor in photography. Learning to shoot film was pivotal in my understanding of the camera. It forced me to get out of my comfort zone, step away from auto and really learn the process for shooting in manual. If you have the opportunity, I can't recommend taking a film photography class enough. A lot of photography classes come with a lengthy list of prerequisites that, unfortunately, may make taking a class unattainable. Luckily, the internet is a great supplement and I am going to link you to some of my favorite photography resources. 

Intro to photography final - July 2010

Jasmine Star
Jasmine is a great resource for photography tips, although she is a wedding photographer, the tips she shares easily transcend a specific genre of photography. If you read any of the tips listed below, I urge you to start with Jasmine's! 1. How to shoot in manual 2. The benefits of using prime lenses  3. How to photograph with wide apertures

Melissa Jill
Melissa is a wedding photographer based out of Arizona and like Jasmine, she loves to share her knowledge of photography. Here is a link to her blog featuring her photographer resources.

July 2013

A Beautiful Mess
I love their photography section because the girls tailor their tips to a non-professional audience. A few of my favorites are photographing with backlight & sunflare, tips for lifestyle photography, tips for outdoor photography.

Delightfully Tacky
Elizabeth is a fast favorite for inspiration and she offers a ton of tips and how to's for those interested in photography. Self Portraits - This resource is one that I keep returning to. It is chock full of tips and how to's, it definitely pushed me to think differently when behind the camera. Camera vs Lens - This post is a great point of reference for those looking to but their first dslr or lens.

Creative Live
This online resource streams live courses online that are taught by top-notch photographers. You can watch live for free or purchase a course after the original air date.  Watch their calendar for topics that might interest you.

August 2013

I hope you enjoyed these links, as they have helped me learn a lot along the way and I continuously look to them for inspiration. Be sure to leave your favorite resources in the comments!