Monotony

Florida life is beautiful. It’s December right now and yet it feels like summer. I am seriously considering going to the beach today simply because I could. This might seem silly to someone who’s lived near the beach or vacationed on a beach frequently but for me, having grown up and lived in a landlocked state my entire life, the ability to visit the beach on a random warm day is quite a feat. 

Currently, I am blessed and cursed with the luxury of endless time on my hands. Since I turned 16 I have always worked at least part time to more often full time or 40 hours+ a week. When I worked regularly I would fantasize about a time when I would have ‘time’ to pursue art to my hearts content and yet now here I am with endless time and I feel more unproductive than ever. There is a myth or lie that our culture teaches: busyness = productive. Of course, just because you are busy does not mean that you are being productive or successful. I heard someone say that Samsung is really busy, but Apple owns 90% of the smartphone market with iPhones. I’m not busy at the moment because I just moved to a new city, therefore I don’t really have any connections or obligations. I’m not working, although I will definitely say that watching my 16 month old is a full time job. With that said, I don’t remember ever aspiring to being a stay at home mom, yet I essentially am one. My life can be summed up in one word: Monotony.

My desire is to create something, something great. Yet, I find myself immobilized and trapped by daily life with an infant/toddler. It’s hard to accomplish anything when the only time you really have to give something your full focus is the 2 hours when she’s napping. My head was spinning with an idea for a book but I barely accomplish the little blogging that I do so I don’t know how I would ever time for a book. Then, I have an idea for songs that I would love to compose on my guitar but it’s hard to play the guitar when you want your child to be sleeping. Plus, I feel a desperate need for a piano to help chord. I desire to paint but I would have to finish painting before the paint dries out…I love art, and I desire to do art and I don’t have anything draining on my time besides my one sweet child so why haven’t I created anything? I’m not sure if this post is more of a lament or more of a desperate command at myself to do the things that I want to do. Just do it.

Not feeling so fierce so I am telling myself my mantra, “be fierce”

(un) fiercely,

alexandria

Weddings

Oh my goodness! You’re engaged(mini freak out dance)! Congrats! I’m so happy that you’re checking out the details of my wedding stuff. I know you have lots to do; invitations, venue, THE DRESS, the SHOES, cake, flowers, bridesmaids, guest list, you have got to decide how to do your hair and makeup and etc, etc.

You might be thinking oh yeah I do want to hire a wedding planner now! And then on top of all that you have to find someone who can capture your day and immortalize it in pictures! Seriously, what’s the point of putting in all this work to make the happiest day of your life the happiest day of your life if you won’t be able to look back on the day with great pictures? It’s your wedding day, after all. You want to have great photos to put on the mantel of your casa with your spouse. Gollee, so much to do! Take a deep breath. Your day is going to be great!

So here’s the deal, I have four wedding packages. All packages include an engagement shoot and an online viewing gallery.

Package I $2000

Engagement Shoot

10 Hour Wedding Coverage

Disk of images with photo release

4 8×10 prints

Package II $2700

Engagement Shoot

10 Hour Wedding Coverage

Disk of images with photo release

Lay flat album with best photos

 Package III $3500

Engagement Shoot

10 Hour Wedding Coverage

Disk of images with photo release

Lay flat album with best photos

25-40 prints & 2 canvas prints

Package IV $4000

Engagement Shoot

10 Hour Wedding Coverage

Disk of images with photo release

Lay flat album with best photos

25-40 prints & 4 canvas prints

I am in the Jacksonville, Florida area but I’m available for travel anywhere! You wanna get married in Europe? Cool! Alaska? Awesome! Hawaii? Heck ya! Email me at alexandria.fierce@gmail.com for travel rates. My general policy is the cost of the package you pick + travel expenses if you want an idea of how much it’ll be. I do special rates for elopements and/or weddings with 30 or fewer guests ( but like if you have 33 people that qualifies!). Email me for pricing on those! Email me for booking. Pretty much email me for everything! alexandria.fierce@gmail.com

 

I hope you have the wedding of your dreams! I hope whoever you have photograph your special days captures it exactly how you want. Some of the best advice I got on having a successful marriage was “besides the whole God thing…the way to have a great marriage is to screw everyone else.” Ha! Seriously, someone told me that at my wedding shower. SO. I offer the same advice to you, it’s you and your spouse now. You have to change your mentality to an it’s “us” against the world. I also offer that advice to you for wedding planning! It’s your day, plan the day you want – screw everyone else!

Fiercely,

alexandria

 

New Theme

Fiercelings,

I was scrolling through my blog and felt super bleh about my theme and the way it looks so I looked at some new themes and volia! I hope you like the way it looks now. I hope it is a bit more user friendly. I tried to find a theme that highlights my photos and provides more eye candy.

While I was updating my theme I went through some old posts and came across this one. I wrote it in June and I was talking about how moving to Florida was at least 9 months away but I was of the mindset that we should just move immediately or at least sooner. It’s funny how here I am 5 months later already in Florida. We have been here almost 3 weeks. I’d be lying if I said I was not a bit homesick. I am happy we’re here but simultaneously I am missing my family, friends and the familiar. With that said I am excited about making this city our home for awhile.

The one wonderful thing about being in Jacksonville of course is the beach. My daughter loves the beach. When we first went to the beach I thought she might be scared or hesitant to have the waves wash over her but to my delight she is fearless when it comes to the beach. She runs toward the waves much to the horror of her father and myself. I told my husband that maybe we should just let her fall head first into some saltwater because then she wouldn’t be so keen to tread into deeper and deeper water. But he looked at me like a crazy person just for suggesting the idea. Anyway, it sure does make for some fabulous photos.

I guess there are worse places to live then somewhere that enables you to go to the beach in November!

Fiercely,

alexandria

Queen Fierce

P.S. Let me know what you think of the new theme!

Florida

Well, it has finally happened. I am living in Jacksonville, Florida! Eeeeeekkkk! I am not quite sure how my hubby and I moved so quickly but it just kind of happened. We have gone to the beach twice so far because evidently that is normal to do in November in Florida. Haha. Seriously, though, it has been in the 80s almost 90s. It is really good beach weather. As much as I love the beach I am somewhat longing to see real Fall weather…I long to see red trees and lots of fall foliage. Everything is primarily green here still however I have been told this is unseasonably warm even for Florida. Perhaps I am homesick…

Now that I am in Florida I should have some more time so I am highly contemplating doing a photo a day challenge and then thinking I’ll post all of my photos weekly. Or I could just do a 52 week challenge and do a photo a week.

Picture of my girl because why not!

Fiercely,

alexandria

P.S. If anyone is in the Jax, Florida area I would love to make new friends!

Change & Create

It seems 2015 is a year of change for me. Changing and creating. While I was visiting my sister and her family in Maryland my husband calls me and is emphatic about moving to Florida to be with his dad. I tell him, I’m game – I can pursue my photography, art and creative identity near the beach =D plus I really want to learn to surf. The “good” job that my husband had just landed at the beginning of the summer turned out to be a a “good” job for the summer and not much else so our thought process is that if we want to pursue our own businesses (because we really don’t like bosses) we can easily do that in Florida, once again near the beach. My daughter has yet to meet her Papa so this is a great opportunity for us to spend some much due quality time with my husband’s family and be near the beach. Hehe are you getting the beach theme yet? So I’m happy to state we are moving in less than 2 weeks now (gulp!).

Here are some shots I took in DC while on the Metro. I REALLY want to create more photographs like this. They feel so moody and pensive. I keep feeling drawn to fine art photography versus being a family photographer/ wedding photographer. I am…evolving in my taste as a photographer and becoming more precise with what I like, don’t like, consider good/bad photography. I’ve always been an opinionated person and I am happy that what I want my style to be as a photographer is becoming more defined. Changing and creating. every. single. day.

Fiercely,

alexandria

“Day by day nothing changes but pretty soon everything is different.” ~ Bill Watterson