The only time we could all get together was on Christmas eve. Everyone is spread out now, with their own lives. But I thought it was nice of them all to take some time out and do this for their mom.

So, here are the photos:

Becca Barrett Photography

Becca Barrett Photography

Becca Barrett Photography

Becca Barrett Photography

Becca Barrett Photography

Here are some of the photos I took in 2011:

Becca Barrett Photography

Becca Barrett Photography

Becca Barrett Photography

Becca Barrett Photography

Becca Barrett Photography

Becca Barrett Photography

Becca Barrett Photography

Becca Barrett Photography

Becca Barrett Photography

Becca Barrett Photography

Okay, so I didn’t take that last photo. My sister did. But it is my favorite pic of me this year, at my graduation. I can not wait to see what 2012 brings!

Becca Barrett Photography

This is the whole family, minus me…because I’m taking the photo. If I had thought about this photo more I would have asked a few people to change place. I don’t like where everyone is standing… lesson learned I guess.

Becca Barrett Photography

Like every family, ours has a lot of stories. My grandma came to America from Mexico some time in the late 1920′s. She and her twin sister grew up on a farm in Kansas. When my grandma and her sister grew up they became nurses. Grandma moved to California and had three kids (My dad, aunt and uncle that are seen above).

My dad grew up with his siblings and his single mom in San Francisco. He listened to cowboy shows on the radio, went to Catholic school and collected comic books. A year after graduating high school he joined the U.S. Army. He eventually got accepted to West Point but turned it down and got stationed in Germany.

Becca Barrett Photography

My uncle, grandma and cousin. I love the laughter in this photo!

Becca Barrett Photography

My aunt and uncle (both teachers!!!), grandma and cousins.

Becca Barrett Photography

All the grandkids! Thanks dad for taking the photo Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Barrett family!!!

1)      Become better at posing people

Posing people has to be one of my biggest weaknesses as a photographer. I often get stuck in a shoot. Furthermore facebook photos have created the standard, hand-on-hip, twist your torso and smile look, as good posing. I understand why girls do this pose: it is very flattering. However if you are using the same poses in every photograph you are recreating the same photos over and over again, just with different people.

I sincerely want to move away from that. I want my photo shoots to be as individualized as possible. Each time I shoot I am photographing a different person, in a different part of their life, with a different story. The posing should be a part of telling the story.

2)      Focus more on writing in the blog

I am REALLY dyslexic! I am sure it shows in my writing. I have poor spelling and bad grammar. Because of this I have shied away from posting blogs with too much writing in them. However, I have decided that photos cannot stand alone. Photography is about telling a story but words help tell that story. National Geographic does not just stick a bunch of really nice photos in a magazine and call it a day. No! They pair the photographs with articles. It is time for me to do the same.

 3)      Meet more photographers

I really do believe that meeting other people who are doing what you are doing is a great way to learn. Every time I talk to another photographer about photography I learn something new: tips about new locations, poses, fashion trends or how to deal with clients. I find that by swapping stories, lessons are learned and friendships are made. I become better because I know good people and I learn with them. That is true in every aspect of my life. Photography is no different.

4)      Have enough couples photos to create a couples page on the site

Someone recently told me that the type of photos you put out there, are the type of clients you attract. Basically, if you want to shoot senior photos then profile senior photos on your blog and if you want to shoot weddings then profile weddings. I think I have the senior/profile photos covered (though I don’t want to stop doing them) but I feel I have not shot enough couples. I would really like to do more couples/engagement photography. In 2012 I am really going to work on building that portfolio.

 5)      Get  a new laptop

I am currently working on a 6-year-old laptop my mom got me my senior year of high school. I love that computer more than anyone can possibly know but it is time for a new one.

6)      Get Photoshop (I love you GIMP but it is time to move on)

I am currently using GIMP to edit my photos. It is a great FREE online software but if I want to take my photography to the next level… it is time to upgrade and get Photoshop.

7)      Invest some money in a pro WordPress site

Investing a little more into my website is the next move to establish my online photography “brand.” Showing I’m serious by investing a little money in my site (aka how the world mostly views my work) is a good thing. I would also like my blog to expand it is content next year. I think it would be good to do more than just show my photos, random quotes or stories of what I’m up too… that gets really boring. Next year I would like to post more interviews with photographers, have more “how to posts” and more posts that get clients ready for their shoot. My blog needs more information!

 8)      Be comfortable enough with my skill to raise my prices

Charging people for photos still seems strange. However I am beginning to understand how people can make a full-time living off of it. Being a photographer is a lot of work. You have to scout locations for shoots, do pre shoot prep work, shoot the event and the edit all the photos! It takes an awful lot of time. And I am coming to realize my time is valuable. I work a lot hours in my day job. So my free time is a valuable recourse.

I am also noticing that as I become a better photographer I am more confident in asking to be paid. I know I can produce at least a few good photos and I know that I am at least a little better than some other photographers out there…I am still not great. I am probably not even good. But I am okay. And that is better than I was before. I should have confidence in my work and realize it is okay to ask to be rewarded for it.

9)      Do some street photography!

I do not always get to book shoots as frequently as I would like. When this happens it is easy not to pick up my camera for a while because I have “nothing” to shoot. The major lesson of 2011 was that the more I shoot the better I become. I NEED to shoot more!!! With that in mind, I think street photography will help me do that. There is no excuse not to do street photography. I can do it on my own time, anywhere I am. It is perfect for me and my crazy schedule!

 10)   Read more about photography and about photographers

There is a lot to be learned from reading books. However, I don’t think I have read many books about photography or about other photographers. Time to change this… it is easy enough.

So these are my photography goals for 2012. Wish me luck!!!

Becca Barrett Photography

I was so excited for this holiday season! It is my first Christmas in my own place and I’ve been planning how I want to decorate since late October. If I had my way I would have spent hundreds of dollars on a tree, decorations and other holiday items. However, I scaled my plans back. I have a small tree and lots of lights. Though it is a scaled back decorating plan, I still think it looks great!

Thank you to my friends who bought me lovely Christmas tree decorations! They make my tree so much more special!

Anyone who knows Sara understands how prophetic that story is. Four year old Sara was showing the same tenacity that is a core aspect of her character today (she is now 22).

Morgan is the “cool” one. She wears the cool clothes, knows about make-up and is artistic. She is also younger than Sara and probably was a little de facto cool because she had an older friend. Morgan also does what she wants, no matter what people say. She will climb tall trees, drive too fast and or go climb on some high rocks.

Becca Barrett Photography

Both girls did swim team together and girl scouts together. Sara looked out for Morgan in high school. After all, Sara was a senior and Morgan was a freshman. Sara’s protection grounds Morgan and Morgan’s risk taking is an adventure for Sara. (There is a certain concert tour bus chasing incident that really proves this point but will remain unspoken here because it’s too embarrassing).

Becca Barrett Photography

Both Sara and Morgan’s parents live in the same houses they did when both the girls where little. But Sara now goes to school in Tennessee and only comes back to California once or twice a year.  It is nice that when Sara is back home both girls still live near each other and are able to hang out. This photo shoot is just one of the many winter break plans they have.

Becca Barrett Photography

Though they are not related by blood both of them call each other sisters. Because they are.

Becca Barrett Photography

I hope you enjoy the video as much as I did and that it might inspire some outfits for future photo shoots!

I also highly recommend checking out the rest of Wendy’s site. I spent a good few hours checking it out and learned how to walk in high heels and what clothes its okay to wear my jean jacket with. There is also some really great photography on the site. I really think photographers can learn a lot about posing from looking at sites like this.

Becca Barrett Photography

Bowser is extremely curious and incredibly cute! Bridget and ken have their hands full trying to train him. They have been doing some major dog whisper lessons!

Becca Barrett Photography

It is nice photographing Bridget and Ken. I’ve been taking photos of them since they started dating. It is a great experience documenting them as a couple through different stages of their relationship. I have photos of them when they were dating, then when they got engaged, and now when they are married and have a puppy!

Becca Barrett Photography

Becca Barrett Photography

Being dyslexic, reading is a struggle for me. However, I made it a goal to try to continue reading in my post college life. My reading habits are a lot less vigorous than they were a year ago. I am not reading three or four books a class per academic quarter. But I am reading and I am reading books I like.

Here is a mini review of three of the books I’ve read in the last six months:

Of Mice and Men: I have wanted to read this book for a long time. I had heard the phrase “the best laid plans of mice and men” and I have always wondered what it meant. Now I know. The book is about two men traveling in California. They stop and work on farms, trying to make enough money to one day buy their own farm. However, despite their best planning, the two characters plans do not come to fruition.

The Help: I saw the movie previews and thought it looked good. But I missed seeing the movie in theaters and so while waiting for it to come out on Netflix I thought I would read the book. It was FANTASTIC!!! I have not had that much fun reading a fiction in a long time. The story is written from the perspective of three different women in the south in the 1960’s. Two of the women are black and one is white. All three of them are trying to find their voice.

Bossypants: I have been mildly curious about this book since it came out. I loved Tina Fey’s Saturday Night Live sketch about “bitch being the new black” and her Sarah Palin impressions. At the time I had not seen Thirty Rock but heard good things…so I figured, why not read it. The book was laugh out loud funny but it also had some tongue in cheek advice for women working in a male dominated workplace. That was a nice bonus to the book.

Becca Barrett Photography

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.  ~Albert Camus