Jesse has been getting really into rock climbing this semester. He and our friend Mike both work at the rock wall on campus, so last night I went to hang out and take some pictures as they climbed. Usually, no one really shows up, but last night they had a few friends hanging around, some athletes working out, and a whole audience of touring prospective students cheering them on. They both conquered some difficult routes that they've been working on. It was great to see them so proud and accomplished.

Things have been absolutely insane for me lately. I got a new camera, a 5D, but it was defective, so I had to send it back to the seller. I'm still working out the refund thing, so it's a pretty nasty process and it's frustrating because I really just want to upgrade. I even bought a ton of accessories for it that are useless to me for the time being. At the same time, I broke my 50mm f/1.4 and had to buy a brand new one to replace it. So, I've been spending a lot of time and money trying to step up in the whole photography thing, but so far I'm not seeing a whole lot of the benefits.

However, I did decide to start making photography more of a business and not just a hobby. I started a facebook page and it's been so encouraging to know how many people are supporting me. I have a couple of "sessions" lined up in the next few weeks. I'm just trying to remember that although it is kind of difficult trying to be a pro with beginner's equipment, it's not just the camera that determines the quality of the picture. I know I'm getting so much better at this than I used to be. I'm just going to do the best I can with what I have for now, and hopefully soon, upgrades will be able to happen.

I also agreed to shoot my first wedding this coming summer. You might remember Paris & Robert from their beautiful proposal that I got to photograph. I'm so excited for their wedding, but also very nervous-- it's going to be entirely candlelit. I'm determined to grow and learn as much as possible before then. Here we go.