Yearly Archives: 2017

Want to know a secret?!  I set a goal for myself 2 years ago that was pretty exciting and scary at the same time!  A goal that once upon a time when I wasn’t quite as educated as I am now, I would have thought was pretty lame.

Want to know what that goal was?

2 years ago, I decided that I was going to shoot my heart out, acquire what I thought was an impressive portfolio of work, and apply to be a Click Pro.

For those of you who don’t know what a Click Pro is, you need to check it out here 

Click Pro is a part of Clickin Moms and it is a pretty huge organization and also a pretty big deal.  In our profession as photographers, our work is art.  It’s subjective.  What one person loves might not be another person’s cup of tea.  Most of us are also self taught so measuring your skill level can also be a bit tricky.  We are taught to respect certain rules but then at the same time, sometimes breaking the rules can be valued as well.  It’s really confusing once you get down to the nitty gritty!

There are also a ton of us photographers out there now and competition can be pretty brutal.  The comparison game is very real and sometimes photographers can be downright mean to one another and towards themselves, especially!  Our inner voices can be harsh and we desire acceptance and more importantly that pat on the back that says you’ve made it more than anything else.  That voice that says… hey you,  I SEE YOU, you work is good!

I wanted a place where I could have my work evaluated by a group of professionals who I respected and then I wanted to have something behind my name that said yep, you’ve made it.  You’ve done well in teaching yourself this craft!  You’ve grown and you’ve accomplished something outside of just the subjective piece.  I wanted something just for me that I could stand behind that wasn’t subjective.  I wanted something objective!

Click Pro grades on a rubric scale in 7 categories:  Exposure, Color and White Balance, Use of Light, Composition and Posing, Processing Cohesion and Polishing, Technical Skills, and finally Creativity!

It’s no laughing matter and the board of panelists that review your work is no joke.  These guys are tough as nails on your work and the images you submit better be 150 of your very best images.

So I set out a year ago and submitted, and two weeks later I got a letter that said my application was declined.  I will never forget that day.  I was heart broken and I stared at the computer for the longest time.  I had failed!  I set a goal, I sent in what I thought were my best images and I FAILED!

What was worse, I failed by 5 points!  It wasn’t like I was that far off.  I missed by 1 point in just a few categories.

Ya’ll, I studied that e mail and the rubric and the suggestions that were made.  I couldn’t even make sense of some of it.  What did they mean?!  How can I fix that?!  What can I do better?!

That whole entire month I felt awful.  I didn’t feel like picking up my camera at all, and I didn’t!  I was crushed.

But slowly, about a month and a half later, I came around and the camera began to feel at home in my hand once again.  I decided when the timing felt right, I would apply once more after I build up another portfolio of new work.

Almost a year later this November, I decided to send in my second application!  Ya’ll, it took me a full year later to feel prepared and I have to admit, I was scared this time.  I had an entire new body of work and this work was completely different than the last portfolio.  I felt like I had really found my style and had some growth over this past year.  I had spent the year learning from breakouts thanks to Clickin Mom’s and I was challenging myself in ways that I hadn’t really thought to do before.  I felt ready, a little nervous, but ready!

So I gathered my 150 images and nervously submitted my application once again!

And once again, 15 days later after we got off the cruise boat I found an e mail in my inbox waiting for me that said your application has been denied.  Once again, I sat staring at that e mail for the longest time, again for the second time I had set out to accomplish this goal and I had failed again and this time by a mere 3 points!  I couldn’t understand what I was doing wrong or what it was that I wasn’t doing right!  What is it that the panel is looking for that isn’t showing up in my work?  How can I fix it?  Why do I not understand the feedback they are giving me?

I realized that even though there is a rubric, the panel is still looking at my work through their eyes and that means this is still all subjective and that makes things a little more difficult.  On the other hand it makes things a little easier to swallow.

So here we are:  Big Goal, Two Failures and One whole year that has passed!  Where do we go from here?

Most people that I’ve spoken with have told me to give up.  They’ve said it’s not worth it or why waste your time on this!  But this is the point:

No matter how many times you fail or fall, you have to keep getting back up and trying, especially if it’s something that is important to you~

“Just because you took longer than others, doesn’t mean you failed, remember that”

There is something to learn from falling down, or not succeeding on your first try, or failing at your first attempt and that is how much you want something!  It’s easy to try for something you know you can win, or something you know you will attain or are good at.  It’s also easy to give up and walk away when you don’t succeed.  The real test comes when you have to struggle for something and when you finally succeed that’s when it will really mean the most!  That’s when you know you have the heart!

Failure teaches us perseverance.  Failure teaches us to be humble when we get to where we want to go!

So where do I go from here?

I TRY AGAIN! Third times a charm right?!

I start pushing myself with my camera in ways I haven’t pushed myself before.  I dive into a project where I can harness my creativity and capture raw emotions.  I shoot for myself and for my family!  I seek out new Clickin Mom breakouts that will help me grow and maybe in doing these things I will be ready.

At the end of the day, we make our goals for ourselves for a reason!  We don’t just choose our goals at random, they have a special meaning in our lives and it’s up to us to honor them!

I won’t quit on my dreams, no matter how long it takes me to achieve them!

What about you?

florida child and family photographer brooke tucker

 

 

This sweet sweet family, they remind me of one of my most favorite songs.  In fact, I usually start singing it while I’m on my way to meet them and always on my way home from a session with them.

“I’ve got sunshine… on a cloudy day, when it’s cold outside, I’ve got the month of may!  I guess you’d say, what can make me feel this way….”

I sing it because no matter what is going on around them or with them;  no matter what chaos or craziness the day might be bringing them, this family always brings a little bit of sunshine and a lot of happy wherever they go!

Florida Lifestyle Family photographer brooke tucker

The Van Zetten’s are no stranger’s to this blog or to being in front of my camera!  We’ve been to the beach, we’ve been downtown in roller skates and we’ve been doused in glitter!  One thing always remains the same:  I always leave happier than when I came and I am incredibly blessed to spend time with such an incredible family!

This time, we met for a quick mini session in a beautiful open field in between rehearsals for plays, singing lessons and play dates!  It was short and sweet but I was able to capture some of my most favorite moments up to date!

Be sure to check out one of my most absolute favorite memories at the very end that just melts my heart!  Make sure your sound is on too because you won’t want to miss a thing!

Everyone is just growing so fast and although we all can’t get together as often as we would like because everyone is so busy driving our little’s around to all their incredible activities; the time we DO get to spend together is so amazing!  I appreciate every tiny second of it!

Florida Lifestyle Family photographer brooke tucker Florida Lifestyle Family photographer brooke tucker Florida Lifestyle Family photographer brooke tucker Florida Lifestyle Family photographer brooke tucker Florida Lifestyle Family photographer brooke tucker Florida Lifestyle Family photographer brooke tucker Florida Lifestyle Family photographer brooke tucker Florida Lifestyle Family photographer brooke tucker Florida Lifestyle Family photographer brooke tucker Florida Lifestyle Family photographer brooke tucker Florida Lifestyle Family photographer brooke tucker Florida Lifestyle Family photographer brooke tucker

Everyone, come join in now!

Florida Lifestyle Family photographer brooke tucker Florida Lifestyle Family photographer brooke tucker

Oh my goodness… and these delicious little blonde curls!!!

Florida Lifestyle Family photographer brooke tucker Florida Lifestyle Family photographer brooke tucker Florida Lifestyle Family photographer brooke tucker Florida Lifestyle Family photographer brooke tucker Florida Lifestyle Family photographer brooke tucker Florida Lifestyle Family photographer brooke tucker Florida Lifestyle Family photographer brooke tucker
Who has the best big sisters in the whole entire world?!!!

Florida Lifestyle Family photographer brooke tucker Florida Lifestyle Family photographer brooke tucker Florida Lifestyle Family photographer brooke tucker Florida Lifestyle Family photographer brooke tucker

 

And because there is nothing like a little video with the most ADORABLE ending (spoiler alert, these two ^ singing) let’s just add a video!!!!

 

 

 

 

  • December 13, 2017 - 1:59 am

    Amy - What a sweet post! We feel the same! Always have so much fun with you! Love the beautiful images you create for us to document this fleeting time.💖ReplyCancel

  • February 7, 2018 - 8:06 am

Oh ya’ll, I know some of you loathe the little friend of Santa’s that flies around the house bringing creativity and mischief, but I LOVE him!  When I was growing up, my brother and I had elves and this was way before the shelf one made an appearance.  My mom was just cool like that.  I like to think she was the first creator of the tradition and these shelf people were just copiers.  Anyway, our elves (Christina was and still is my elf’s name) watched over us all YEAR long (take that shelf people) and would leave a wrapped present by our door Christmas eve with a handwritten note.  It’s pretty genius if you think about it because that was the one gift my brother and I could open as soon as we woke up on Christmas morning no matter what time we woke up.  It totally gave them an extra hour of sleep!  GENIUS!  Anyway, so you can see why I love the elf tradition!

Our little guy is named Fargus McGummySmiggens.  Yes, Linc totally  named him that himself when he was barely even two.  I don’t know how or why but that is his name and it’s also kind of genius.  Maybe we had been watching the movie Elf way too much at the time, who knows.  Anyway, last year was fun because he had started to understand the concept of Fargus.  He would look for him and actually would talk to him!  He expected him to move around and knew that he would talk to Santa and report back.  This year however, it’s a game changer.  Not only does he truly understand the concept of Fargut, but he also is completely into his magic!  It’s AMAZING!  He looks for Fargus everywhere.  He talks to him.  He leaves him treats.  He is freaked out by the fact that Fargus talks to Santa.  He wants to know all about his home and what he does during his “off”season.  It’s a mother’s dream, especially this mother.

Now let me get to the good story, most of you know my kid.  Linc is wild and crazy.  He is super strong willed and very athletic.  He never sits still for a moment and most of the time he’s a pretty good/goofy boy.  Sometimes though, when he is tired or hungry, or heaven forbid both, he is terrible!

Fargus made his appearance after Thanksgiving on our Merry Time Disney cruise and that was super fun.  We even had our stateroom guy Bart in on the fun of Fargus and not being from the United States he was super confused and enchanted.  When Fargus flew home though, he was exhausted.  He kind of sluggishly moved about the house for a few days and finally ended up driving our little red truck with the Christmas tree in the back.  When we finally settled back in to a normal schedule with Linc back to school, you could tell Linc was exhausted.

He was watching Fargus but he wasn’t doing a super great job of listening to mom and dad.  Fargus wasn’t impressed.

Finally one afternoon/evening after coming home from school and not even being home for 5 minutes, Linc’s attitude hit the fan!  He wanted a snack but dinner was being served and he threw a full on tantrum.  I mean the dramatic’s were on point.  He threw himself on the floor (it was emmy worthy) screamed at the top of his lungs (I”m sure the neighbors heard) and started to kick and punch!  And Fargus had a front row seat.

There was name calling involved (Linc on mommy) and the whole scene progressed upstairs to Linc’s room.

After about 10 minutes or so when Linc had time to calm himself down, he wandered back downstairs, apologized and began to look for Fargus in the red truck.  I mean hey… the guy had a front row seat to his anctics, he needed to make sure he was good so that he wouldn’t report the outburst to the big guy.  Guess, what though, Fargus was no where to be found!

Fargus was OUT.  He flew the coop!

Linc panicked.  Where was Fargus?!

We explained to him that Fargus got scared when he started screaming and flew away back to the North Pole!  He doesn’t like it when he has to report to Santa that Linc who usually is a good listener wasn’t listening that day, or wasn’t behaving and he was really afraid to tell Santa about the outburst that evening.

Linc asked when he was coming back and we said we didn’t know… but of course I do,  Fargus and I talk!

I’m telling you, this was great for us.  Fargus had been away for 2 days and Linc had been on his best behavior!  He constantly asked about Fargus and I just told him that Fargus was still checking in with Santa and it was Santa’s call when Fargus could come back.  I totally had a plan for when Fargus made his re-appearance, and it was going to be a slow one!

Seriously though Ya’ll… how many elves only make it 5 days and have to leave because of a kid’s behavior?!  I mean is that a thing or is it just our house?!

Fargus ended up coming home and Linc was ecstatic!  I am happy to report that his behavior has been pretty stellar!  We made a slow drawn out (very dramatic) reappearance starting with a beautiful elf door.  Santa gave Fargus special permission to put in this elf door since he was using up so much of his magic in reporting all of the shenanigans that had been going on so far.  Santa thought the door might be easier for travel.  Fargus also made Linc a special behavior chart in the elf workshop so Linc could see how he was doing and when he was in danger of a “Santa report” and could make a change if needed!

So far, it’s been an amazing turn around and Fargus is happily back to his fun and silly games.  But I mean.. it’s only December 6, can we take bets on how long he will last this second go round?

Anyone else have similar stories?!!!