So I thought I would share that today is my wonderful mother’s birthday!  Happy Birthday Mom!!

I’m so blessed to have such an amazing mother who is so supportive of me, and has been for years, even when I was traveling around the country living out of the back of my truck.  I wouldn’t be who I am today without her influence, love, support, and guidance.  I love you so much Mom!!!!!

How Fun!! his morning I got an email from my friends Enna and Matt at Grazier Photography saying that they “tagged” me. In this wonderful online community of professional photographers, friends are writing 8 little known facts about themselves on their blogs, and then “tagging” 8 others to do the same. Sounds like fun!! Feel free to leave any questions or comments in the comments section, and I’ll answer them when I can!

1. Many of you know that I grew up on the east coast in MD before moving out west, but did you know why I came out west? When I was 18 I won a trip to California! I was in a waiters race where we had to run through restaurants and alley ways carrying a tray filled with glasses with drinks, and I won. The trip was for 2 to a winery in Napa Valley, but since I was 18, and don’t drink anyway, the coordinators were kind enough to let me choose somewhere else. They told me as long as I could accommodate myself, they’d get me to wherever I wanted to go in California. I’ve always loved hiking and nature, so I looked at a map and thought to myself, what’s the closest park to San Francisco, Yosemite! So I made plans to go to Yosemite for a week with my best friend Brad. We did our first backpacking trip, and hiked to the top of Half Dome, and just had an amazing trip. This trip was very life changing in 2 key ways. First, I knew this was where I had to be. I totally fell in love with Yosemite, and knew in my heart that I had found my home, the majestic Sierra Nevada so wonderfully represented in its most Grand Valley. Secondly, this is when I fell in love with photography. Brad had a little point and shoot camera and a couple rolls of film, but he wasn’t taking any pictures. So I asked him, can I use the camera and shoot pictures for us, and a new love was found.

2. I worked for 11 summers waiting tables in Tuolumne Meadows, one of the most beautiful places on earth. It’s located in the high country of Yosemite National Park, and I wouldn’t be who I am today without the wonderful experience and amazing people of living in Tuolumne. Even though I’ve owned a photography business for the last 6 years, I still worked in Tuolumne 3 months a year to make some extra money and to just be able to live in such a special place. This is my first year working completely for myself, and while it is bringing a new level of satisfaction and excitement for life, I do still miss sleeping by the river.

3. In my early years of working in Yosemite, I got turned on to a cool alternative lifestyle where people would work for 3-4 months a year in Tuolumne, and then travel and follow their passions the rest of the year. Growing up in MD I would have never thought of anything like this, but once I got exposed to the idea I was hooked. So for 5 years from 1997-2001, I would work the summers in Tuolumne and then drive around the west living out of my truck for most of the rest of the year following my passions of climbing, photographing, and exploring the western landscape. I would hike in different mountain ranges, climb peaks, cliffs, and boulders, explore the southwestern desert, mountain bike all over, and photograph beautiful landscapes along the way. Even though I absolutely love shooting people now, landscape photography was my first love with photography and still holds a really special place in my heart.

4. Another lifestyle that Yosemite really instilled a love in me for is rock climbing. It is such a simple activity of moving over stone, and yet it fills my life with this incredible joy and excitement for life. Some people think of climbing as some adrenaline filled sport of conquering mountains and cliffs. While it may be this for some, it is not at all like this for me. For me it is like a moving meditation, a way to connect with myself and the earth at ever deeper levels. You must be so present in the moment. No what happened yesterday or what’s for dinner tonight or who’s watching me is going on in my mind; you must be totally focused and present, which is very grounding. Its like a ballet on the rock, a subtle dance where you flow with beauty and grace, and have to artfully respond to the moment and choose your next move. No physical activity I engage in brings me the inner calm and peace of being able to move over stone. I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t have climbing as a part of my life.

5. The pursuit of climbing is very special to me, and yet it is only a part of one of my deepest loves, and that is a love of being in nature. There is no words I can use to describe how grateful I am to live in and be surrounded by such beautiful nature. A walk in the mountains, to sit by the river, to look up at the stars, to do yoga on a hilltop, to swim in an alpine lake, to look out over the clouds, to sit on a mountain summit with a dear friend. These are all simple experiences that touch my soul and give me much fulfillment in life.

6. As much as I love being outside and being in nature, I have another love that is equally as strong, the love of music. My dad got me to play my first instrument in 4th grade when I played the sax for 5 years. When I got to high school I picked up the guitar, and it has become a really good friend through the years. I love playing with others and I love recording music. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of letting music flow through you. It can be a magical experience. While music was my main interest for years when I was 17-23, it kind of took a back burner slightly when I met climbing, and it totally got put away for some years when I really got into photography.

7. So I’ve actually been playing more and more music in the last couple years and have really gotten back into recording. So I’ve been working on a project that I’ve been pretty quiet about until now, but I want to give you a little sneak peak. One of the most asked questions I see on the forums is “where can one find good music that is legal to use on our websites and slideshows?”. So I’ve been working with a website designer and a whole collection of talented musical artists, and we’re in the process of building a site specifically for photographers and videographers where you can listen to, purchase, and download great music that comes with a sync license so you can use the songs to market your business’s. How exciting!!! I’ll keep you posted as we get things ready for hopefully a grand launch this fall!!

8. I wanted to end with no secret or little known fact, but some love for both my parents. They have been so incredibly supportive of me even when I was traveling around “homeless” living out of my truck for years. They are both huge inspirations to me, and I wouldn’t be who I am today without both their influences and support. I love you very much Mom and Dad!

These other wonderful photographers have also been tagged!

Naomi Claire
Frank Simon
Jill Higgins
Joy Moody
Erin Kate
Chris Humphreys
Bruce Steffine
David Jay

SR

So I was thinking that I always post up picks of other people and beautiful places, but not so often do you get to see the man behind the camera. So I thought I would post up a few images of me while shooting. These are all self portraits, and I just thought this would be fun. Hope you enjoy!

Shawn

These next 2 shots I let 2 kids take of me at my last wedding with my camera.

I shot these next 4 when I went up and shot Kate and Larry’s E-Session in Tahoe in April. I was scoping out The Valhalla, where they eventually got married, and found a killer mirror.

SR

I’ve been playing around with some new border ideas, and put together a new look for the photolog. I like it. What do you think?

SR

So I pretty much finished putting up pictures on my new website a few days ago. I have a few more galleries to add, but for now I’m happy. I’m really happy actually, as I LOVE the way the new site has come together!! Its been alot of work, but I’m super stoked.

I haven’t done a release yet though, because I’m wanting to record a complete soundtrack for the site. This’ll take me a few weeks, but I’ve been recording alot over the last 2 days, so I’ve got some new stuff to put on. So exciting! So check out my website. Both the wedding and landscape/lifestyle sites have new music.

I recorded some of the songs myself and some with my friend Eduardo. I also have some music on there from my friend Jim Omealy. He’s one of the most talented pianists, or musicians of any instrument for that matter, that I’ve ever met. Hope to have another song or two up by the end of the weekend.

Rumor is that the Tioga pass to Yosemite is going to open this weekend, and so I think I’m going to head to Yosemite in a few days. Yay!!

SR