2023 - The Year to Come
Every year, Mike and I aim to shoot one “special” photo per month for the entire year. I believe we’ve missed one or two annually due to sickness, busy schedules, etc. Like Edison, we don’t give up. This year, we’re planning on doing extra shoots (one is already completed) to prepare for the busy photography season (usually from the end of June until the middle of November).
The purpose of doing these shoots is to have fun and try new things. Fantasy photography is my passion, and I love preparing each shoot with costume choices, color, time of year, props, storyline, etc. Even though we have had lots of fun of the last few years, we wanted to share some of the goals that we plan to achieve this year:
- 12 special shots for 12 months – we are going to challenge ourselves to something unique in each shoot (suspended glass, reflections, etc.)
- Focus on stories – this has been a goal of mine for years. I always tell people that I am a writer and a photographer. When asked why I don’t choose one and stick with it, I explain that they are the same thing - just different media. The root of both passions is storytelling. We don’t want to just take a photo of a pretty girl in front of a pretty background. We want to show an actual story taking place. It is a very hard goal for me to practice as I have done wedding and portrait photography for so long that I’ve been trained to do “pretty.” There is a game called “Legend of the Cryptids,” and their images are the best storytelling pieces I have ever seen. My goal is to be able to tell stories in my photos just like them.
- ALWAYS strive to be better – I love photography and I am always checking out new training and classes to become the best that I can be. You would be floored if you saw how many hours Mike and I put into learning new techniques. We love to learn and are constantly pushing ourselves. I hope to continue this for the year. Every day I get closer and closer to my utopian photos of how I want them to appear. Every time I do a photoshoot, I get closer and closer to have the image from the photograph be the same as the one I envision in the original concept.
- Post more on social media – if you have ever met me in person, you would believe that I am a social butterfly. Ironically, it is just a front. I am horrendously shy and just pretend to be extroverted. I get embarrassed easily (which looks strange on a six-foot female) and babble when I am uncomfortable. I repeatedly fail to post about myself – and our business. It is my goal this year to post more (and be consistent in the long run) and find a good rhythm that does not burn me out. There is a second goal within this one. It is to take you on this journey with us. We have so much fun! I want you to see – and feel – it. I ask most people “What do you do on the weekend?” Their answer? Nothing much. My answer? “I did a shoot on mermaids today and jumped in the water with all my clothes on to get a great shot. Afterward, I went to my husband’s choir performance and giggled whenever I heard the occasional drips on the floor from my soaked garments!” (That is, ironically, a true story. Better yet, the photo came out lousy because I knew nothing about underwater photography and the cloudiness that comes with it, but I would do it again in a heartbeat.)
There are, of course, more goals in our cabinet of dreams, but I wanted to share with you our “big dogs” so that you can follow us in our journey and
be our accountability partners throughout this adventure. I have a few huge goals waiting in the wings, but I need to complete these first.
Future shoots - You'll hear more as we get closer, but we do have some plans to do some bigger shoots and some bucket list items this year. I am currently gathering a group of individuals to do a "Mermaid's Treasure" shoot, and I am looking for a group of Lord of the Rings fans to do a special shoot of a fey walk in the woods. There will be more details later. We are also signed up to be at TerrifiCon this year at Mohegan Sun (July 28-30th) as vendors in the cosplay section.
Thank you for listening and I hope that you enjoy the ride with us!
Sincerely,
Melissa Damon
December 2022
December 2022
The Season of Giving…
Blog – The Light in the Darkness
Word of the month – looking out for other’s wellbeing over our own (altruistic)
Season – Fall/Winter
Time of Day – 12p-6pm
Element of the year – fire
Moon of the year - waning moon
Sunset
Astronomy Event – Winter Solstice
Popular Holidays – Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas, boxing day, Omisoka, New Year’s Eve
Things to do – shopping,
Caroling, fall cleaning,
Winterize backyards and homes,
Get 2023 planners,
Finish reading challenges,
Prep new year goals and plans,
Attend Christmas parties,
Cut/decorate trees,
Hang out with family (or friends),
Make soups, bake treats, etc.
December is the end of fall and the beginning of winter. I sometimes forget that fall doesn’t end until the week before Christmas. It is the season of giving…although many kids will give you compelling arguments that it is about receiving. To me, it is about the light in the darkness. December 21st is the winter solstice (the longest night of the year) and it is somehow lessened by the beautiful lights of the holiday season. It gives me hope…and happiness. I know that winter is coming (thank you to the Stark family) but I also know that I am not alone. The lights remind me that we are all in this together and we will forge through the snow storms and cold weather to resurface in the beauty of spring and sunshine.
Upcoming Shoots:
We completed our yearly Christmas photo at my house. Although it was good, I felt as though I rushed it and could’ve done better, but isn’t that true for many of our creations? I haven’t done much for photo shoots this fall due to sickness (Mike and I both got Covid at different times) but we plan on focusing on the family for the remainder of the year and starting fresh in January.
Events:
Christmas parties
Christmas Carol at Granite theater
November 2022 - Giving Thanks...
November 2022
Giving Thanks…
Blog – Gratitude
Word of the month – forge (to, form, shape, make, fashion, create, etc.)
Season – Fall
Time of Day – 6pm-12am
Element of the year – fire
Moon name – Beaver Moon (November 8th)
Moon of the year - Waning moon
Sunset
Popular Holidays – All Saints Day, Sadie Hawkins Day, DST, Election Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, Total Lunar Eclipse (Blood Moon)
Things to do – cook, fall clean,
Walking/hiking,
Switch out summer clothes,
Close up the garden and start canning,
Start holiday shopping/planning,
Join a turkey trot,
Host a “Friendsgiving,”
Volunteer,
Attend a festival (beer/wine),
Play football,
Bake cookies.
November is the time when things cool down and kick into holiday gear. It starts the day after Halloween and ends right after Thanksgiving. Back in the colonial days, this is the time when our ancestral “worker ants” would bring in the crops and prepare for the harsh winter to come.
As the leaves change from the bright hues of October into the darker maroons and browns of November, we also feel the changes in society. To me, it is the time of gratitude and resilience. I love to pull from the concept of Thanksgiving and the gratefulness of helping a friend in need.
Long ago, my ancestors were on the brink of starvation in a new land. People that they had judged to be savages ended up becoming the heroes that saved them in the end. The tribes taught the colonists how to farm the land. Ironically, there was no turkey or pies in the original dinner. Although there are many variations of the story, I would love to focus on the gratitude of survival that the original dinner encompassed.
Upcoming Shoots:
I unfortunately don’t have nay shoots for November at this month (fantasy photo wise) as I have been very sick (lovely Covid) in the last few weeks but I am hoping to get back on the right path and sneak something in before the end of the month.
Events:
African Leadership Awards – Marriot in Manhattan
Trip to Florida
Turkey Trot
Holiday Shopping
Thanksgiving
Working on fixing up a camper
October 2022 - Living in the Moment
October 2022
Living in the Moment…
Blog – Diving into Fall
Word of the month –Lionization (treating something as an object of adoration)
Season – Fall
Time of Day – 6pm-12am
Element of the year – fire
Moon of the year - Waning moon
Sunset
Popular Holidays – Halloween, Columbus Day, Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Things to do – Pumpkin picking,
Walking/hiking,
Watch scary movies,
Decorate for spooky month,
Enjoy all the pumpkin themed foods,
Visit a vineyard,
Go on a hayride,
Watch a soccer game,
Have a campfire,
Carve pumpkins,
Watch scary movies.
October is the visual cue to the beginning of fall. In the colonies of northeast America, we tend to flourish in the roots of our ancestors. The world is painted in bright colors of corn, pumpkin, and apple. To me, it is the time of creativity. I love to create decorations, costumes, and more during the month. It is when I slowly change over from summer clothes to winter as the nights get a little cooler.
This month is about enjoying the colorful world around us and spending time with friends and family. It is warm tea in the morning while snuggling with my son, sweaters and fleece tops, soccer games, about finishing up summer bucket lists for the year and enjoy the last of the season before bunkering down for the colder months. This month’s photo shoot is a reschedule of the mermaids and sailors and I am hosting my own amazing murder mystery Halloween party.
Upcoming Shoots:
I have a wonderful photo shoot coming up with Andrew and Alexandra. It is a reschedule from last month due to sickness. We are doing some recreations of the classic story of Hans Christian Anderson’s Little Mermaid. I am hoping to lean more towards the original story and less on the Disney rendition (not that there is anything wrong with our little red headed fin princess and her beau).
Events:
A rescheduled photo shoot for Little Mermaid
Murder Mystery Halloween Party
20th High School Reunion
Pumpkin Picking
Adventure Park Ropes Course
Creating a Halloween costume
Although September is the official start of fall, I wanted to make a bucket list for fall. I have a PDF available on the website. Although many people are sad when summer is over, I love that October has so many festivities to keep us busy. Feel free to create your own fall bucket list so that you don’t miss out on items you want to fulfil.
September 2022 - The Start of Something New...
September 2022
The Start of Something New…
Blog – reconnect with the community (connectedness)
Word of the month –Nexus (a series of things linked together)
Season – Summer/Fall
Time of Day – 12p-6pm
Element of the year – fire
Moon of the year - full moon
Noon
Astronomy Event - Autumn/fall equinox (daylight/moonlight are equal September 22nd)
Popular Holidays – Labor Day, Mabon, Oktoberfest, Michaelmas
Things to do – Apple picking,
Walking/hiking,
Complete unfinished projects,
Clean and prepare to hibernate,
Plant bulbs,
Winemaking,
Renaissance festivals,
Weave corn dolls,
Hazelnuts,
Baking bread,
Scarecrows,
Start school,
Replenish office supplies take college classes
September is the end of summer and the beginning of fall. To me, it is a mark of new beginnings. Even though it has been years since I was last in school, I feel the buzz of excitement over new outfits, bags, supplies, growth for the start of a new school year. It is bittersweet as each day is so beautiful to me and I want to freeze time. In the spring, I can’t wait for the leaves to come in and for it to warm up. In the summer, I bask in the glory of the season while wilting away in the heat. In September, I know that summer is drawing to a close and that fall is just a breath away.
This month is about finishing up summer bucket lists for the year and enjoy the last of the season before bunkering down for the colder months. I would love to get some hiking and fairs within the month, but I know that my son’s soccer games will keep me busy throughout most of the weekends. This month’s photo shoot is about mermaids and sailors and I have an amazing murder mystery house warming party that I am hoping to blog as I have a feeling it is going to be very exciting.
Upcoming Shoots:
I have a wonderful photo shoot coming up with Andrew and Alexandra. We are doing some recreations of the classic story of Hans Christian Anderson’s Little Mermaid. I am hoping to lean more towards the original story and less on the Disney rendition (not that there is anything wrong with our little red headed fin princess and her beau).
Events:
Labor day weekend with a last rendezvous at the beach
Murder Mystery House Warming Party
A Surprise Birthday Party with a Farmhouse theme
A few projects where I dive back into creating clothes
Although September is the official end of summer, I wanted to make this month’s blog about our wake from the Covid hibernation and going back into the community of fairs, events, visiting families, etc. in hopes of never having to face this beast again. Life is too short to live within an isolated cage and humans are social creatures that thrive on the community to nurture themselves.