Posts Tagged ‘friends’

Lisa Nikole | Shoot Day | JLS Studios

Wednesday, May 26th, 2010

Every so often I get a chance to shoot with my best shooting buddy James. For some reason James always comes up to Saint Louis, I so owe him a trip to Springfield, Mo.

Every time we hang out, we love to find new places and people to shoot. We challenge each other to capture tough shots and strengthen our image taking capabilities.

We visited: Forest Park, The Graffiti Wall, City Park, Union Station and we even found a cemetery (yes we all know I love to shoot cemeteries)

Forest park we challenged each other to get flowing water from the fountains…This is mine:

We also took some promo shots of each other:

Beautiful colors, and it was Missouri hot that day!

Did you know STL had a Graffiti Wall, a legal Graffiti Wall? It’s a mile long and it’s way amazing, you can expect many more images from me down there! I’m actually working on a shoot project down there as I type!

We then headed over to city park, an amazing multi block wide city park. While looking for people to shoot we were approached by a group of kids asking us questions about the art in City Park. What I found amazing about these young people was their maturity and this cool fact…they don’t take many tests (okay I’m so cool with that ) yet they seemed poised, mature and handled themselves well. They were a class from The College School, Seventh Grade Urban Experience. What a great group of young people, gives you hope for the future when you see class like that!

and lastly… This amazing cemetery, it’s huge and amazing.
Calvery Cemetery offers so many different opportunities.

We had a great time and I look forward to many more shoots and seeing much more of Saint Louis, and yes Springfield, Missouri.

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Moving On | Lisa Nikole | A Year Ago

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

Wow, does time fly…

It’s been a little over a year since I moved to Missouri.

I came here crying so much that when my husband and I went to have utilities turned on or open up accounts I could not stop crying and I knew they thought he abducted me or something, no jokes, it was pretty bad!

I determined never to make a friend and felt I was losing every friend I ever had. I left my daughter and her family in Ohio and that,was something that devastated me for a while. But I had to go on and thank God for the internet and webcams… we made it through and in that separation both of us learned more lessons.

A dear friend asked me about my story, moving my business and making a success in just one year. She prompted this blog!

So the story is like this..I lived in Ohio most of my life, my husband got a transfer to Missouri and we decided as a family, this is the road we wanted to travel. My daughter still lived in Ohio so I knew my Ohio based business would be fine.

Starting over was not the adventure I wanted in life, but as I look back now, I am so glad for the move and the new friendships and the amazing people I have been exposed to.

Sometimes living in a small town you forget there is a great big world out here and there is so much to learn, if you just open the door and step outside, sure a move of this size is NOT for everyone, and I thought for sure I was that everyone, but turns out… I had a lot to learn, even in my own attitudes that I thought were so finite, I was exposed to things that made me take a second look at the condition of my heart!

The first thing we did was find a church, we knew that was the most important thing to our survival and it did not take long before a door was opened up and I now attend the most amazing church, filled with the most awesome people in the world! Here’s the link if you want to check them out: COTR

I started to get my paperwork together, it’s important that when you are starting up, or moving on, to make sure you do it right, don’t play around with things that will come back to get you later, so I found out exactly what I needed to do, local, city and state and started all over again.

Starting over gave us the chance to change our name from what it was Creations Photography (talk about a dated name) to Lisa Nikole. We never did like the name Creations but it’s where we started, we’re just happy where we ended!

Social Networking made all the difference in the world. IF, you are a business person and you shun social networking, you’re going to be lost shortly in a world that no longer exist. Some fear the internet, but I say bring it on. As much bad as you can say about it, I can say good with proof!

I started to connect with Saint Louis photographers and even hosted a first photographer get together, which by the way, we will be doing again, this year!

I attended one bridal show and spoke with many other people about business and visited local bridal shops, florists and the Chamber of Commerce.

The doors were opened up and jobs just started to come, at first it was pretty even with Ohio, but this year I can say Missouri has broken wide open for us and I’m loving meeting all the amazing couples that have contacted us to be their wedding photographer.

That’s the short story *smiles*… and here’s the dramatic ending….

As I write this blog, my daughter and her family are traveling across Ohio, Indiana and Illinois to make their home in Missouri.

Don’t worry Ohio, we’ve not forgotten you, we’ve never been one state photographers we shoot all over this amazing world. But for us to be together again means only one thing…

Look out Missouri!!!! :-)

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Thankfulness

Thursday, November 26th, 2009

I spent the day yesterday, being very purposeful in being thankful.

Everyone has the usual I am thankful fors: mom, dad, brother, sister, husband, wife, God, church, family, friends and so on.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m very thankful for all these things in my life, but as I went through my day yesterday I kept in the front of my mind…being thankful.

I went to Wal-mart to pick up a few last minute items, and I was thankful that I had the freedom to run into a store and grab a few items and leave.

I was thankful for vision that keeps me doing what I do. I’m thankful for family because there are so many lonely hurting people out there, even people in a crowded room of family can be lonely.

I had a shoot in Old Saint Charles of a wonderful family and I was so thankful to be able to capture their family together and enjoy just a short moment of their love for each other.

I met my husband for lunch and was so thankful we had the abilities to go out to lunch and make time for each other.

Now, this is where it gets tricky….because my husband made a couple errors on directions and I got lost and well… I can still be thankful I have a husband and that I made it home! :-) There’s a big dark grey area here, but we’ll leave it there :-)

I made it home and iced brownies to share with a few friends. I’m so thankful I have friends to share with and laugh.

I went to church, I serve as an usher and I’m so thankful for everyone on our team and everyone that has enriched my life in the last year at COTR. There are just way too many to name, but you all know who you are!

We had our family picture taken for our Christmas Card. I’m thankful that even though “the shoemakers family has no shoes” I at the last minute could ask a friend to take our picture so I can get the cards done and sent out to you.

We came home and baked a few more cookies and I made the pumpkin pie. How can you not be thankful for the abundance in our lives.

I went to bed…and I’m thankful I woke up this morning to tell you about my day!

So often we go through our days and nights consumed in a me, myself and I attitude. Us four no more mentality and I am so grateful and thankful that I am continually reminded on a regular bases that there are people out there that do not have warmth, love, someone to hug, trust, food, care, health, peace, sound mind, a job, vision, beauty, sunshine, freedom, safety, an iphone, the internet, a phone period, music, a pillow to lay their head down upon, a sound sleep, joy, money, enough money, passion, trust, happiness, smiles, friends, family and the list can just go on, and please feel free to add to it if you like.

I’m thankful that on a regular basis I am reminded that there are amazing and wonderful people out there that do good for others, serve in other nations so I can have freedom in mine, help a school in need, help an unemployed person find a job, send money to a mission, help a lonely person feel loved, give a blanket and food to the homeless, give time and money to complete a project for someone else to have shelter, family, warmth, provisions, love and peace.

Sometimes all you need to do is just smile! I’m thankful I can hold my head up and look at people when I am out and just smile at them and wish them a wonderful day.

Sometimes all you have to do is give of yourself, get up and get out and find someone in need, find an organization that helps others and reach out and you’ll find you have SO MUCH to be thankful for, even if you are not the richest, prettiest, most wonderful person on the earth. But, when you reach out, you become a most amazing person to someone in need.

I’m thankful my heart is not hardened by what I’ve seen in the past and what happens around me on a regular basis (just reading the news can hardened your heart and soul).

I’m thankful for all of you. For Photographers who push me to the next level and help me get through the level I am at. For Musicians who create the most amazing sounds that is filled with such passion and soul, with out it my slideshows would be worthless. For the people that smile back and me, and those that don’t. I just have to keep trying. For the brides and grooms I’ve gotten to spend time with, thank you for allowing us into your life and trusting us with such an important part. For our future couples, just wait, it’s going to be amazing.

So, today I’m thankful, but what’s better then that is I’m always reminded to be thankful of what I have. A phone call can change your life in an instant. Just the snap of a finger and things can change. Be thankful…everyday…. and do me a favor…Smile! :-)

Happy Thanksgiving everyone

AJ-Lisa NIkole Wedding Photography Saint Louis Missouri-80

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Diamonds no Disses….

Wednesday, June 10th, 2009

As early posted I have way more likes then not.

This is one of those Diamond posts that has more meaning them most.

Before I moved from Ohio a group of girlfriends and I would go out for each others birthdays, we would pick a place to eat and just go and talk and have a lot of fun. During the years we’ve met in many different places and in an array of different things going on in our lives. There have been way happy occasions and a series of very sad and confusing events that wrapped our lives together in a drama filled saga that continued far longer then I would have wanted.

But during these times, we became family. Then people move on, make choices in life that remove them from the midst of that “family” I don’t think it makes them less family, but it sure does make being family more of a choice and an effort.

But this is what this post is all about, During what was to be my last birthday party (however I did not know it) I got a gift from my girlfriends that I believe is the best gift ever and I wanted to share it with you. Because every time I use it I think of them. I’ve had this now a few years, and I use it off and on.

If you think about it, it’s a sweet gift to give anyone, because the memory of you is in it each and every time they use it, it does not have to cost a fortune but, it can.

Either way…

You have someone special out their and you want them to keep on thinking of you and your kindness and thoughtfulness I suggest a gift like this one.

I have three main perfumes I wear: bvlgari – Tea Time, Cannabis Santal and this…
img_5116
Paris Hilton:Paris

It’s a great gift and a way to be remembered in a persons life for a long time to come. Just make sure you pick something he/she likes and give a gift that keeps you in the thoughts of the person you care about!

So here’s to: Flo, Anne, Heather, MD, Lucy and Sandy, my “old’ birthday buddies.

THANK YOU!

PS, you notice the bottle is almost empty and my birthday is at the end of this month… I’m just sayin’ ;-)

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Along comes a note…

Monday, April 6th, 2009

I love to share the notes I get along the way…This one comes from an upcoming bride to be! Allison!

Lisa and Raquel,

I just wanted to take a minute to thank you so much for giving Sean and I this wonderful opportunity.

The photographer to me is one of the most important parts of the whole day. Just that you take time out of the year to do something for the community is so wonderful.

I spoke with you on the phone about the arrangements, it is still some time away, we will pick the ceremony and reception sites within the next few months and get them to you ASAP. I wil probably contact you sometime ove the summer to have the engagement session.

Once again, thank you so much, it means so much.

Looking forward to meeting you soon,

Allison

We love our brides (and grooms)… and I love getting to know them, it’s so much more then “just shooting their wedding” I know we have that covered, but to actually become friends, to meet then to email, facebook and twitter and connect, just makes it even more special.

So here’s to Allison and all our brides in 2009 and 2010. We look forward to sharing in your special days!

js-355l

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The Gym!

Thursday, January 8th, 2009

Last year I made a commitment to myself to join a gym, and workout. Now, I’ve been working out in my home for about a year prior to this with Gilad and weights.

Nothing beats a gym! My membership expired at about the same time my move did, so I had to say good-bye to a year long of friendships that have been built.

I’m really going to miss the Gym People!

I’ll be building my own gym in my basement and I really am looking forward to that.

Right now I miss the gym, I can feel it, so I do what I can here now. I NEED TO WALK, RUN….anything!

So…I’ll miss you guys, and I hope we stay in touch on facebook and emails.

Global Fitness is such a cool place and the owner and company are awesome people, so are my gym rat buddies.

Missing YA!
so I made this video of the shots I took on my last day!

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