AllisonJeanPhoto

I’ve moved!

allisonjeanphoto — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 07:36:33 +0000

Check out www.allisonjeanphoto.com. We finally got it up and running!

Just for fun.

allisonjeanphoto — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 07:29:42 +0000

So it’s almost been a week since I decided to start my project and the first really big project I want to do calls for really good weather. Well. All we’ve been having is super crappy weather. SO. I decided to post these pictures I took of Matt the other night when the lighting was PERFECT outside and I dragged him out there with me

That night we created some new banners and fun stuff for his website so make sure you go check it out and see what he’s been up. to.

Stay tuned for my official start to the 52-week project!

Ready or not.

allisonjeanphoto — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 08:40:16 +0000

Throughout my whole life I’ve set so many goals for myself. As these goals were set, so was the pressure to fulfill them. Everything from getting a tattoo to getting my doctorate to traveling the world as a single woman. I’ve put this enormous amount of pressure on myself to not regret ANYTHING later in life. My biggest fear right now is reaching a point when I’m thirty or forty or on my death bed and saying to myself, “If only I would have taken that chance or jumped off that ledge.” I’m terrified. I’m terrified of making decisions because I’m terrified I’ll wish I’d done things differently. I’m terrified that I’ll see someone else’s life and be envious of it. But as I think and process all of these things, I’m coming to the realization that the fear of regrets is almost more paralyzing than the potential reality that I could have done things differently.

I’m limiting myself and hurting myself so deeply because of this fear. And I’m ready to get rid of it.

THEREFORE!
(drumrolls and stuff)
I’m doing it.
I’m starting this project I’ve been dreaming of for way too long.
I’m going to do a 52-week project very similar to the 365 project a lot of photographers do. Usually, a person would challenge themselves to take a picture a day (self portraits most of the time) in order to challenge themselves to learn new techniques or editing styles or whatever. I, however, do not have the attention span or the time to really put enough effort into a project of that proportion. So I’m shrinking it a little bit. Every week for a year I’ll try a new genre, new lighting, new editing…new SOMETHING to finally challenge myself to get outside of this stupid box I’ve put myself in.

I had a whole bunch of rules and guidelines for myself, but heck. Screw it! I’m sick of regulating myself and not allowing myself the freedom to just experiment and learn and (heaven forbid) FAIL! I love this. Be looking out for my first project. I have a ballin’ idea.

Here I go. Ready or not.

Avery Grace

allisonjeanphoto — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 06:55:58 +0000

What better time to post six month pictures than just in time to take her seven month ones?? I’m a little behind huh. Here are just a couple of favorites.

Check out my beautiful sister’s blog! She’s a very entertaining blogger to say the least I get to see both of those girls this Friday and I’m counting down the hours. I miss my family so much! That’s all for now. Goodnight world.

Nostalgia. Gets me every time.

allisonjeanphoto — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 20:53:15 +0000

Today is just this gigantic, wonderful day of nostalgia for me.

Tomorrow I’m going to be 20. TWENTY. That seems so grown up. I just read this blog because my sister posted it on hers. It’s all about the things that this mother of four is going to miss once her kids grow up. For a mother, it makes sense that the writing would make you tearful and nostalgic. So I’m kinda wondering what exactly it is that’s making me want to cry. I think it just makes me look at things from MY mom’s perspective. I love my mom more than words can express. She’s so good to us and so supportive of everything we want to do. I know, for example, she probably hates the idea of me traipsing around Europe this summer, but she’s being supportive of all the crazy staying-in-hostels-and-meeting-friends talk that I’m throwing her way. She loves the fact that I play soccer and comes to every game she can make, even when my first games back from mono are all the way in sucky Mississippi. I don’t think I’ve ever questioned her love for me. So now I think about it from her perspective. I’m her baby. I’m the last teenager of the family. It’s like I’m the only one she can hold onto now. Both Heather and Aaron are married and starting their own families, and Nick is starting his first real job. Once I’m gone, that’s it.

Thinking all of this makes me really treasure the childhood I still have left. Just because I’m turning 20, doesn’t mean I really have to be a full adult yet. Don’t get me wrong, there’s a lot of things I’m learning like responsibility and how to get by on my own, but there’s a part of me that I always want to be five years old. I want to always get excited when I see chocolate chip cookies. When cartoons come on TV, I want to always be able to laugh at the boulder falling on Wyle E. Coyote’s head. When I’m sad, I want to cry. When I love someone, I want to say it at the top of my lungs. I never want to be too old or too mature for those things. I never want my birthday to lose its magic.

Something about my birthday is always just SO magical for me. It’s like Lorelai and snow. (For those of you who watch Gilmore Girls.) It’s just that time of the year that I just think about how so utterly blessed and loved I truly am. I always start a countdown to my birthday. (It’s that five year old thing.) I called Matt and Natalie on my way to school this year gushing about how I’m turning TWENTY IN ONE WEEK!!! Because of this, I’ve heard a LOT of opinions on birthdays. I get a lot of the, “You didn’t do anything to be born! Why should you celebrate??” or “It’s just another day in a year. It’s not a big deal.” What the HECK? First of all, I hate when people rain on my parade. Second of all, did they just have really traumatizing birthdays as children?? Birthdays are when you find out how much people really love and care about you. Hearing about all the secret plans and knowing that starting tonight it’s gonna be all about celebrating my life just makes me feel…so nice. I wish there was an actual word for the feeling. Almost warm and fuzzy. Just loved! And the fact that I didn’t do ANYTHING to be born and knowing that God gave me this life because He LOVES me is the PERFECT reason to celebrate.

So this weekend I am celebrating because I didn’t do anything to deserve this love and these friendships and this salvation that God has given to me. I’m celebrating because despite every way I feel like I come up short on a day to day basis, He STILL decided to choose me. And I’m celebrating because thinking that ANY day of the year is just another day of the year is a tragedy. As cheesy as it really is, every day of the year is a gift and sometimes it takes a special (or not so special, depending who you talk to) day to really make you realize that. All that being said, Happy Birthday to me! Tomorrow that is.

Happy New Year!

allisonjeanphoto — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 16:30:48 +0000

Yes, I realize I’m just now saying Happy New Year on January 7th. Yes, I meant to make a post long before now. But hey, what better way to start off a new year than with a little procrastination! Actually, my new year started off with the stomach flu. Twenty-four hours of I’m-gonna-die-cover-your-eyes-and-plug-your-ears kind of stomach flu. I’m not gonna lie, I’m kind of a baby when it comes to getting sick, but I am not exaggerating when I say that was the worst day of my life. I’m glad I could get it over with this year.

Today marks my real new year – the day I go back to school. I’m going back three days early for my rockin’ RA job that I’m kinda regretting now. (That’s a lie and I’m just being dramatic.) This is the first semester I’ve had that I’m really just not ready to go back to school yet. I wanted to get together with so many people, and the time just got away.

I guess it’s time for all the wonderful new year kind of lists. I love lists.
First, let’s look back on the old shall we?
Here’s a list of some 2009 highlights:
1. I went to Venezuela without family or my church. It really was just so different and it allowed me to learn so much more than I would normally have learned. This was the first trip I’ve been on where I was actually ready to be home afterward. Idk if that’s a good or bad thing.
2. I became the worship leader for Genuine. Before college I was praying for a church to get plugged into and praying that I’d be able to sing or play piano somewhere. I was imagining for a small church or youth group or something like that. I never would have thought that it’d be for the biggest college ministry in Brownwood leading a band of older guys and 120 students every week. God is funny.
3. I started dating Matt Kresge. Aww. It’s so funny thinking back to that because we started out so rocky, and I never really expected it to last (isn’t that awful??). But here we are almost a year later and I can say that I couldn’t be happier. Our relationship has taught me so much about myself, people in general, and God. I think that’s all that really matters. He’s actually the reason I’m on here right now because he FINALLY blogged. Check it out!

Man, I know I have more highlights than that, so I’ll come back later. But I really can’t think of anything anymore. What a loser!

And now for my 2010 goals. I’ve learned not to make resolutions in my life as in, “I’m going to procrastinate less!” or “I’m going to read my Bible more!” For me, I need real, tangible goals that allow me to see results.
Here are a few:
1. GO SKYDIVING. I thought I’d start out a little adventurous… I had the chance last summer to go with some people I’m not really that close with, so I opted out. But this year it’s bffs and airplanes and parachutes baby!
2. Start (and complete) a photography project. I’ve been throwing the idea of doing a 365 project around in my brain for a few months now. I met up with my friend Rebeca the other day. She’s in the middle of her 365, and it made me realize how much I can learn from a project like that. My problem is that I KNOW I would get behind. Or I would just take a crappy picture in a rush for a day I don’t have a lot of time. And if I’m doing something like that, the last thing I want is to do a crappy job. SO, I’m looking into the idea of doing a 52-week project where I have one specific photography goal each week. That way, I can plan out a photoshoot more in depth and I’d have a lottt more time cushion. Stay tuned for more details…
3. Finish my daily message Bible. My dad got me this Bible for Christmas last year and I really thought I’d be able to do it. Turns out I’m really bad at doing something every day. I stopped around May, so I’ve decided to just pick up where I was (I’m gonna have to ignore the dates) and not have a ton of pressure on it. Hopefully by 2011 I’ll be able to say I’ve read the entire bible.
4. Work HARD at soccer. I realize this is kind of ambiguous and just the sort of goal I said I was not going to have, but I’ll add tangible stuff onto this once the time comes. This year, I want to go back to school FIT and ready to play. Since I was out with mono this season, I was so not using my abilities to their full potential and I wanna make up for that next year.
5. Improve my photography equipment. I’ve been shooting with my Rebel and kit lens for almost four years now. (Whoa I’m old.) I’ve been saving up for a new camera and hopefully lenses, lighting equipment, etc. I’m going to freeeeak out when I can actually afford everything! Yikes!

That’s all I got for now. I may be coming back to make some revisions or add pictures, but we’ll see. Probably not actually. haha. I still have to post Avery’s six month pictures Love that kid!

Happy Thursday and Happy New Year!

Jenna + Jason

allisonjeanphoto — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 06:53:16 +0000

It’s been so much fun getting to know Jenna and Jason! Jenna is my sister’s neighbor’s sister. (Don’t you love those random connections??) We met about a month ago to talk about what they’re looking for in a photographer and gave me details on their wedding, and I’ve been so pumped for this session ever since. They are amazing, down to earth people who are so stoked to be marrying each other after a very long time coming. Jason’s kids are adorable, and today was just so easy! I love sessions like that. We took a tour of the McKinney Performing Arts Center where they will be getting married in March. It’s such a unique location (they’re getting married ON STAGE!), and I can’t tell you how excited I am to be a part of their journey Love you guys!

The Pendery Family

allisonjeanphoto — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 19:45:10 +0000

This is one of the prettiest families I know! (I got in trouble for saying they were THE prettiest family I know when I said that on facebook…oops!) We headed out to Kimmel Park the other day to shoot some fun pictures for their Christmas cards. I’ve been frantically editing them for the past couple days to give them a chance to make it by Christmas. I’m finally done, and here are some favorites.

Happy Tuesday!

Late discovery…

allisonjeanphoto — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 02:30:08 +0000

amor

Originally uploaded by allison harp

I was going through pictures late the other night while I was cleaning up my harddrive and I found this from Lauren and Brian’s rehearsal dinner. I looove the way he’s looking at her! I just thought I would share

The Nance Family

allisonjeanphoto — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 06:50:11 +0000

Christian is the college minister at the church where I lead worship. He and his wife, Tammy, adopted the cuuutest little girl from China named Daphne. When they mentioned me taking some family pictures for them, I was THRILLED. I love this little family so much. Working with them has been such a huge blessing for me throughout the time I’ve been at college and involved at Genuine. We headed out to Riverside Park right off the highway in Brownwood. This is seriously one of my absolute favorite places to go. It’s right along the river but includes playgrounds and a walking trail, so it provides so much variety. PERFECT for our pictures

Happy Thursday Well…Friday I guess technically…