Getting Back to Me

Spencer Spit State Park, Lopez Island, WA
© CND Photography 2010
I believe that there is a subtle magnetism in Nature, which, if we unconsciously yield to it, will direct us aright. ~Henry David Thoreau

Hello everyone! After a much needed vacation, I'm back and feeling refreshed. It's funny how alittle time in nature can really help you to refocus, ground & center yourself so you can get back to being productive. Personally, I never feel more centered than when I'm outdoors enjoying the planet! That's what I really needed when I went on vacation last week. With the economy being what it is, I knew I couldn't go far, but I wanted to get out of Seattle, so I went to Lopez Island (the smallest of the San Juans; highly recommend it for nature-lovers). It's a very small place, very natural. The locals are very protective of it and are very eco-minded. Many people don't drive or drive little, and often bike around the island. Not having done much biking since I was a kid, I thought this would be perfect opportunity to see the island, and get around. So I biked, hiked, and kayaked my way around the island for 4 days, which was really wonderful. I was completely exhausted, and had no idea my legs could be so sore, but it was completely worth it.

I'm hoping to have a photo essay put together by next week to show you some of the highlights of my trip, and the little cottage I stayed in (seriously, so cute and the perfect place to get back to nature while still being close to the center of town). Until then, I wanted to share with you the image above. This was taken at Spencer Spit Park, and it just a beautiful image of the island. This was the only day I was there it was sunny for more than a few hours, but that's life in the Pacific Northwest! Have a great week!

Freelance photography & being open to change

Working freelance is a strange creature sometimes, especially in this economy...

It's really made me look at how I work currently, and how I want to change my business going forward. I love the freedom of working freelance, and essentially choosing whether or not I accept an assignment. But there's also the reality that you end up waiting to be paid, sometimes much longer than was agreed upon. And it seems like, in our current economic situation, the latter is happening more and more often. It's during these times that I think it makes you really evaluate where you really want your career to go, and formulate a way to get there.


I'll always enjoy commercial photography assignments; I honestly enjoy the chance to work with products and people I would otherwise probably not get a chance to experience. I especially love working with small businesses; there's so much time and passion put into what they do. With that said, I think the changes in the industry have forced me to see how much I really enjoy doing fine art photography as well. Now I'm not saying that selling art in this economy is easy either, far from it. But I enjoy the creative process & complete freedom in it.

For those of you that are pro photographers or are selling your imagery, what do you think? How do you feel the economy has affected you and your business? What new strategies are you trying to employ in an industry that is, honestly, going to be forever changed?

Pay It Forward with Photography

Happy 4th of July for those of you it the U.S.! I hope everyone is having a great weekend. So this week, I will be showcasing a few images by other photographers as a Pay It Forward gesture. Be thankful for the freedoms we have; many in the world don't....

by Samara Peddle

by Danny Hammontree


Unknown Photographer


by Matt Knoth

by larainy

Unknown Photographer