Why Alexandra loves Photography, and you can too!

Hi friends! It’s guest blogger week and we’ve got Alexandra over here to talk about her love of Photography! I asked her to guest blog for me a while ago and the next thing I knew her post was in my inbox. She’s on top of her stuff. Then, I got an e-mail from her asking me to guest blog so I did…5 things I love about Texas. Go look today too!

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Hello everyone! I’m Alexandra and I blog over at myurbanfamily.com. I’m thrilled to be guest posting for Molly – especially because I love her “why I love ___, and you can too” prompts. I’ve read all the others and as soon as she asked me, I knew I wanted to write about photography.

I am a huge photography nerd. While I do try to keep my obsession to a minimum, if you get me started I can gab about cameras, lenses and my favorite locations to photograph around Chicago all day long. I am also that friend that pulls out her dSLR anytime someone mentions taking a photo – you know, instead of my phone.

So why do I love photography so much? Because it is the perfect way to be artsy/creative, sentimental, expressive, and aware of your surroundings all at once. It can also pique your curiosity, and make you look at the world a different way.

Being Artsy

So many of my friends tell me that they’re just not good at art and can’t be artsy. But photography is the perfect introduction to get in touch with your artsy side. And if you have a smartphone, you really have no excuse as to why you can’t start trying! I know by saying that anyone can do photography with a smartphone I may make a few photographers angry. But I have a BFA in photography and I still feel very strongly that anyone with any tool can create art – it just takes time and effort.

Being Sentimental

What better way to capture a moment than with a photograph? The older I get the faster time seems to be moving but I am so grateful that I’ve always taken lots of photographs along the way. It’s a perfect way for me to look back and reminisce, laugh, and just be reminded of why I am so lucky each and every day.

Expressing Yourself

Photography is a great tool to help you express yourself. I know my mood always shows through my photographs and I’m sure if you went out and took some photos you would be surprised at how much yours does as well. When I’m in a great mood I tend to come home with bright photos that are zoomed out, showing a lot of the world in front of me. When I happen to go out in a bad or sad mood with my camera, I tend to come home with darker, more dramatic shots. At first I didn’t notice the correlation, but over time it’s become more and more obvious.

Being Aware of Your Surroundings

Walking down the street with a destination in mind and walking down the street with a camera in your hand can be two totally different experiences. With a lense in front of you, seeing the world around you and really soaking it in can be so much easier. The camera gives you that extra excuse to quite literally stop and smell the roses – and then take a photo of them.

Those are just a few of the reasons I love photography and think you can too! To give you a taste of my photography, here is one of my favorite recent shots:

A photo posted by My Urban Family (@myurbanfamily) on Oct 25, 2015 at 4:27pm PDT

 

I would love for you to follow along on my Instagram or my other social media outlets: Facebook // Twitter // Pinterest // Bloglovin!

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Thanks for blogging over here today, Alexandra! I always wished I had an eye for photography. I love, love, love pictures – you can ask my family and friends haha they get so annoyed! And I love everything you said about photography today, especially about it being sentimental!

Ps if you’ve missed any part of this series about what we love, check them out:

Why I love Running, and you can too!
Why I love Yoga, and you can too!
Why Kylie loves Spinning, and you can too!
Why Jamie loves Celebrating, and you can too!
Why Christina loves Hosting, and you can too!
Why Julie loves Hiking, and you can too!
Why Randi loves Pittsburgh, and you can too!
Why Angie loves Self Care, and you can too!
Why Mattie loves Zumba, and you can too!
Why Katie loves Reading, and you can too!
Why Lindsay loves Hot Yoga, and you can too!
Why Emily loves Decorating, and you can too!
Why Tara loves Cooking, and you can too!
Why Erika loves Online Shopping, and you can too!
Why Lauren loves Traveling, and you can too!
Why Shelly loves Giving to Others, and you can too!

Happy 2016!

Hello everyone! Welcome to 2016!!!

I am so excited to be ringing in the new year with each of you. I don’t know if I would still be blogging if it weren’t for meeting y’all and the support you have given me. I know I tell you all the time, but I just look forward to your comments and e-mails so much! And I truly mean that.

Today’s assortment are a couple random things that I haven’t shared with you yet. 🙂

Last week, Alexandra featured me as a guest blogger. 5 things I love about Texas…check it out!

If you remember, my friend Tara at Hill Country Heart won my ultimate Chranksgiving (I made this word up) giveaway. Well I came home last week after work so it was super late and I was in a mood for who knows what reason. I see that there is a package from Tara to me. I was like there’s no way that she sent me something but remembered that she had my address since she won my giveaway package. She sent a pair of her favorite boot socks and a little prayer box for me with a thank you for everything in the giveaway. I mean, seriously. I have THE best blog friends and i’ve worn the boot socks approximately 3902572 times already.

Speaking of THE best blog friends, Kylie at Kylie McGraw is one of them. So I get home the next night which just so happened to be Christmas Eve and my sister’s like “you got a package, open it” and I couldn’t wait until the next day so I did. And Kylie sent me this cute M keychain. I love it. It’s already on my purse looking faaabulousss 🙂

THANK YOU KYLIE AND TARA!!!! You both made my entire week by that your thoughtful gesture 🙂

The other morning I had bought a Starbucks coffee and didn’t like it, so I took it back and got a new drink. Well I decided that I wanted to take that drink to my dad at his office, so I did. I don’t even remember snapping this picture, but apparently I did cause I found it on my phone. I think he was very appreciative even though he said “bring it earlier next time”. Beggers can’t be choosers, pops.

This is my new favorite flavored drink. I love vitamin water and this is Costco’s brand. Raspberry and green tea. They just go together. And green tea is supposed to be very good for you, I always read that we are suppose to drink it so here I am…drinking it!

And for fun…I loved seeing which posts other bloggers have found to be their most viewed, so i’m adding mine today. Here’s the top 6:

Show and Tell: Your Yard
Favorite Things: Target Edition
Show and Tell: Your Home
Show and Tell: Beauty Routine
Show and Tell: A Day In The Life
Meet My Peeps

So I should just Show and Tell all the time i’m thinking 😉

And the top 6 most viewed pictures…are random. Apparently we all have a mutual hatred for Wednesdays.

And you all loved my yard.

And apparently really loved my sister’s sprained ankle…

And liked what I put together back in November of 2014 🙂

So random, right?

Next week will be another week’s worth of Online Bible Study. I’ll be sharing my resolutions for 2016 and recapping 2015’s. And don’t forget about Bookworm Wednesday!

I hope you eat some black eyed peas, collard greens, and pork today 🙂 Happy January 1, let’s get started on our new goals!