10 on 10 - June 2016

Another 10 on 10. I started this project 3 years ago as a way to be more intentional about documenting my own life as well as finding a way to reach out to other photographers around the country with similar goals and ideals. It's been a pretty fun project. I've met photographers from all corners that I would have never met otherwise (in person and electronically), and have come away with some treasured photos of my own life. As photographers we photograph others so often and preach the value of documentation and storytelling, but we sometimes forget to do the same for ourselves. Because of this project, I have 3 years chronicled, every month. ...not to mention it has been how much of our family keeps up on our crazy antics in the PNW.

All this to say, that while the 10 on 10 project has been great, I believe it has run its course. Since I have stepped into the role of full-time photographer, I've been able to reevaluate how I run my business and what will be the best steps going forward. Blogging seems to be fizzling out as an important part of a small business. I've been more busy than ever, and I haven't been able to keep up or give the project the love that it needs.

36 10 on 10 posts down, and I write this as my last one. Before we get to some crashing waves at the Oregon Coast, make sure to check out these other fabulous photographers:

ANYA ELISE PHOTOGRAPHY | AMY STRAKA PHOTOGRAPHY

BUTTON MEDIA | LELIA MARIE PHOTOGRAPHY | POGO PHOTO

SATIN SKY PHOTO | TWINTY PHOTOGRAPHY

And now onto my last 10 on 10 post; this last month. Before 2016, we would go to the coast about once, sometimes twice a year. This year we have been 3-4 times in the first six months. I'm not complaining. I love the coast in Oregon. Even when the weather is terrible, it has an eerie beauty that is unique to the PNW. This most recent trip, the weather was not terrible. It was perfect.

We ventured out for a day trip on Memorial Day to get away from the city and listen to the crashing waves.

Thanks again to all the photographers who participated in this project over the years. You all rock and hope to keep in touch. For those who have followed along all three years (mostly dad and mother-in-law), thanks for keeping up with the Zerizefs. I promise I'm not done taking or posting pictures of our shenanigans. More to come.

Until next time...

10 on 10 - March 2016

This month has been a little cray ...in a good way. If you hadn't heard, I recently left my day job, and I wrote about it here. It felt so good to walk out those doors for the last time, and to know that for the next couple of years I will be working harder than ever, but for myself. Freedom!!

Before we get into my most recent happenings and where I plan to go from here, below is the list of other 10 on 10 contributors. ...and for those who may be new to the blog, 10 on 10 is an ongoing project with other photographers around the country. We post 10 photos of our own lives on the 10th of each month, because while we all continuously preach the importance of documenting life to our clients, our own lives sometimes get pushed aside. We are here to contribute and share our own mantra: life is worth documenting.

ANYA ELISE PHOTOGRAPHY | AMY STRAKA PHOTOGRAPHY

BUTTON MEDIA | LELIA MARIE PHOTOGRAPHY | POGO PHOTO

SATIN SKY PHOTO | SHAW PHOTOGRAPHY | TWINTY PHOTOGRAPHY

Now, onto my most recent shenanigans...

This last month has been a little chaotic; still getting the hang of being a student again, quitting my day job, and ramping up my business to be a sustainable income has been exhausting and sporadic. All of this to say, that this is the first time in 2.5 years that I'm going to cheat a little bit at 10 on 10. This series is from two different days this past month. One we spent with our favorite niece, and the other we spent with some very good friends who visited from Seattle.

Our niece is one of my favorite humans. Watching her develop and grow into her own person has been so much fun. She's not a baby anymore. She's a real girl.

Joey and Ryan are also two of my favorite people. Sometimes in life, your path crosses with someone that you feel an innate connection that seems to transcend a lifetime. Things click and we all just get one another without much effort. I feel lucky that they've been so close over the past year and are willing to travel down and spend some time with us. They even came on a nice, sunny Portland day.

That about wraps it up for this month. More posts over the next month, so stay tuned. :)

I quit! ...the corporate world

...not photography, the other thing.

This post has been a long time coming. The winds have been stirring around here in the last couple of months. 2015 was a year of build-up and it finally all culminated into some much needed changes.

1- I started a grad school program. Give me two years, and I will have three extra letters after my name: M, B, and A. I'm not exactly sure where this will lead yet. I have some thoughts and aspirations to go into coaching, consulting, or business education with other creative businesses, but who knows. My goal is to find new opportunities, to extend my horizon, and to basically become a business ninja.

2- My totally awesome husband recently transitioned into a vice principal position at a middle school. Oh the stories. I was never that young and naive, right? ...I can feel my mother rolling her eyes now.

3- As for the meat of this post, yes, I recently put in my notice at my day job. While I have a mix of emotions, for the most part, I'm really excited! I've been unhappy and stuck for a while. My drive hasn't been fulfilled and ultimately, I need a place where I can be creative. And by creative, I don't just mean keeping in touch with my artsy-fartsy side (although I like that too). I need to be able to implement my own vision; to problem solve, to critically think, and to construct change. I need to be able to be autonomous and flexible. Basically I need out of the corporate world, at least for a while, but maybe forever.

I can unequivocally state that starting and running a small business is one of the hardest things to do to make a living. I have so much respect for people that have built a successful business. It's one of the reasons I love Portland so much. Competition is fierce, but this city supports local business like none other, and the culture that has grown from that supportive mentality has made this city the coolest place to be. I've enjoyed all the perks of Portland's culture for 10+, and it's time to jump, cannon-ball style, into the thick of it. It's time to participate.

So I guess this post is my announcement. The start of a new story. I've been walking through the woods of entrepreneurship for a while, but have never lost site of the corporate highway. It's time. I'm moving out of the brush and into the thick forrest unknown. ...is the a deep enough metaphor for you? 

As I write this post, I feel vulnerable. It's like I'm opening my chest to give everyone a little peak of my heart. It's scary to expose myself, especially when I'm not sure where this journey will lead.

I use photography as my medium to connect with the world. Through running my photography business, I have found a passion for business. I'm excited to be able to spend my time honing my craft and getting my hands dirty in the entrepreneurial world. I'm excited to work with other creative businesses owners (more on that coming soon-ish). I'm excited to test myself, to find out what I'm made of and to see what I can really accomplish. So while I'm feeling vulnerable, I'm also feeling hopeful and eager; like a great adventure is on the horizon.

I guess I'm also hoping you'll tag along for the ride. I'll be blogging about twice a month about new adventures and my favorite recent shoots. I'm also going to keep running 10 on 10 (which is a blog series which photographers from around the country documenting and showing photos of their own lives on the 10th of each month). If you'd like to get notified with each new blog post, you can sign up here.

I'm also starting a MONTHLY NEWSLETTER. The purpose of the newsletter is mainly to document as I navigate through this new journey. It's a place to communicate challenges, hurdles, and accomplishments. ...at least that's what I think it's going to be. It may change or progress, but it will have different content than the blog. If that sounds like your jam, sign up here.

Lastly, I have a mailing list for photography specials and highlights. This will be sent out with promotions and client announcements. It's my way to give a little extra to those who have shown their support. You can sign-up for that here.

One more thing before I stop typing. I think it's important to recognize the support that I've had thus far. Two days ago I got the best random text from a client saying how much she cherishes her family photos. When I hear that, it make my heart swell. I love documenting of the best things in people's life to keep like a little time capsule, and I love even more being able to do that as a profession. My small way of making the world a little more connected.

A big thank you and an even bigger virtual bear hug to all those past, present, and future clients/friends. Thank you for your support on this journey. Thank you for telling your friends and for believing that your life is worth documenting.

10 on 10 - February 2016

This month's 10 on 10 is getting deep. It's about the strength of family and friends and the importance of love and community, about remembering those that are lost and spreading the love.

Before we dive deep, make sure to check out the other contributing 10 on 10ers who also chronicle a day of their own life each month and post it on their blog. 

ANYA ELISE PHOTOGRAPHY | AMY STRAKA PHOTOGRAPHY

BUTTON MEDIA | CASEY BRODLEY | LELIA MARIE PHOTOGRAPHY

POGO PHOTO | SATIN SKY PHOTO | SHAW PHOTOGRAPHY | TWINTY PHOTOGRAPHY

This month we spent a lot of time with good friends. As I move into a phase of my life where I'm taking on more work and my responsibilities are spreading more thin, I realize more and more how imperative it is to foster the relationships that I value; because when life is shaken at it's core, it's those relationships that bind even tighter.

About a year ago, a really sad thing happened to some good family friends of ours. Their family lost two very loved women. These two women were sisters, and daughters, and friends, and girlfriends, and one was a mother. It's an unimaginable hardship for a family to go through. As a friend, it's hard to know what to say because there is often nothing to say. If anything, it gives those closest the chance to show their love and support. To just be there and be available.

This last month, there was a memorial organized to remember these women. We wrote letters and notes, attached them to balloons and sent them flying. It was both personal and shared, and it really was beautiful. We shared moments of struggle, moments of happiness, and gave an overwhelming feeling of love. Love for one another and love for those gone too soon.

Sarah and Megan you are still so loved. We are here to remember you and to love and support your family.

Until next time...