Dear Families,

First let me say that all of my clients who have been waiting for portraits, you are so very patient and kind.  I know how hard it is to wait when you are so eagerly anticipating portraits!!!  This week on top of my 10 loads of laundry, two weeks worth of shopping at the grocery store, homework projects that have piled up and lots of other “Mommy” chores (two weeks was a long time to leave my family), I promise to finish each and every one of your sessions.  I went to France with your pictures and came home empty handed.  I went thinking, “oh, I will have time to work on these clients portraits while lounging in the gardens of my hotel.”  I came back so utterly exhausted from not having a single spare moment.  National Geographic worked me to the bone.  I was up at 6:30 every morning for breakfast.  Then we were in the classroom at 8:30 sharp.  Some days we had a break for lunch but most days it was straight off to as assignment in the countryside or a local village.  We were lucky if we made it back to our hotel by 11:00 and then I had at least an hours worth of work choosing and processing images for review the next morning.  So, sorry if you have been checking the blog everyday in hopes of seeing a sneak peek!  There just wasn’t a spare moment.

So how was the workshop???  Well, funny thing.  I realized after a few days of taking pictures of architecture, produce and flowers…that people are my true love.  I found myself slipping into the dulldroms everytime we had an assignment.  Finally I said to myself, “Jennifer, people are what you love.  You came hear to become a better photographer not a new type of photographer.  So though you will never get a job with Geographic, you can stick to people!”  So for the rest of the week I stayed true to myself.  Interestingly enough, I was drawn to children everytime.  I think The French children of Provence think they have made it bigtime!  I took so many portraits of beutiful French children it made me start to miss my own children all the more.  I went to France a Newborn / Children’s photograper and came back the same but a little better.  Apparently the “Mother” in me is just as strong as the “photographer”.

Unfortunately it is against French law to use pictures of French citizens with out consent.  Even editorial photographs have to be treated that way.  So no pictures of all those beautiful pictures on my blog since it is a business blog.  I simply couldn’t get model relases for all the people I photographed.  I hope you enjoy the grapes.  They are in no may as beautiful or full of life as the children and families I photographed, but they were REALLY yummy!