It’s been quiet around here – too quiet.  You know that means there’s a lot going on!

First, there were a lot of sick kids.  2 weeks later, I found out my two youngest had ear infections.  Before you criticize – we’ve never had an ear infection before.  I didn’t know what was going on.  Whoops.

Secondly, we went on a family vacation.  Phil had a conference in Seattle, and we decided to go with him and make it a whole week together.  It was a blast!

Third, the washer broke just as we were leaving.  I did the laundry in the tub.  It’s fixed now.

Fourth, I know I said I was retiring from business to raise our kids, but um, well, this photography thing just jumped up and slapped me in the face and, and….

I really love photography.

So now I have a photography business.

For real!  I’m no longer running under the radar as an amateur.  I do commercial work – real estate & food photography, as well as content photography.  (Please do not use any of these images for any reason – they are copyrighted.  You’ve been warned.)

This means if you’re selling your home or you’re a realtor – you probably need me.  Show and sell!   

If you are creating a recipe book as an heirloom for your children or for sale – you definitely need me.  YUM.  For quality control and taste testing, at least.  Right?  Right?

(*silence*)

If you’re an etsy seller, jewelry or clothing designer or retailer – you need me.  I can rock your catalogue!  There’s nothing like bad lighting and a photo snapped on a cell phone to kill your sales.

And I need you.  I really enjoy the creative challenge of putting places, people, and things together with light and making beautiful and compelling images.  (I do portraits, but for now, I’m focusing on commercial photography and real estate to keep demands on my time under control – however, feel free to contact me if you’re local and want portraits done.  I can be flexible and I’ll be straightforward about referring you to other great photographers if I’m too busy.)

This week, I’ll be announcing my photography website and revealing it to the world – but I have a fun little giveaway in the meantime.

Do you have someone who always wants to use your camera?  Someone small?

They need one of their own!  A Fischer Price Tough Kid Digital Camera in blue, to be exact.

And since budding photographers never seem to know which eye to keep open, this fun little digital camera lets you use BOTH.  It is a very sturdy camera – you can toss and drop this thing and it just bounces and keeps shooting.  It also comes with a USB tether and a memory card – it actually works!

Full Disclosure:  This is my daughter’s camera that she got for Christmas.  She has used it.  It is in great condition and I refuse to throw a perfectly good camera in the garbage – one, because it’s a $60 camera.  And two, because it’s wasteful.  And three, because I know some of you have kids who would LOVE this thing.  It does NOT sing or wiggle.  It does have a flash.  It beeps when you delete a file.  That is all.

So it’s up for grabs!  Celebrate my photography business by giving a child a camera.  I guarantee you’ll be surprised and amazed by what they do with it!

To enter, tell me who you would give it to. 

Comment below or facebook this link (but comment that you did or it won’t have a number!) – winner will be chosen by random number generator.  You can enter once per day.  Giveaway ends on 2/15/2010 noon CST and the winner will be announced immediately.

Good luck!