I know Julia and her family through our dogs. Our Cera and their Rudy are siblings. You might remember this post where we got the whole family together for a shoot at the studio. Good stuff!
I had heard that Julia was an uber-talented singer/songwriter, but it wasn’t until this summer that I had the chance to see her perform live at Natasha’s in downtown Lexington. I once fancied myself as a musician, too, so I’m speaking from experience here—she’s the real deal. Julia has a perfect balance of old-soul and fresh youth. Stage presence. Lyrics that speak to a deeper understanding of life than you might expect at her age—15. And her work ethic? Wow. She inspires me to work harder at the things I’m passionate about.
Julia’s mom Gina contacted me to help out with the photography for the first album being released. So one sunny fall afternoon, I met up with them at an empty, older farm house in Paris (thanks Kris and Molly!). I love how this session turned out. It’s such a tricky thing…I wanted the images to reflect that juxtaposition of youth and maturity that Julia embodies so well. She’s thoughtful and poised one minute, then light and spontaneous the next.
Here are some of my favorites from that session:
Fast-forward to January 5 of this year. Julia’s fans packed Natasha’s for the album release party. Standing room only. Julia sold and signed albums, and then took to the stage to perform both some solo numbers, and well as some with her musical friends who’ve been so supportive along the way.
David McLean is her guitar instructor, mentor and friend.
Julia surprised him with a new look.
Victoria is not only a supportive younger sister, but she’s also quite a talented artist. Some good genes in that family!
Raw talent is essential to grow a successful music career, but equally important is the unconditional support from those who love you most. Steve and Gina are great role models on how to motivate your children in the pursuit of their dreams. In this shot, they presented Julia with a framed copy of her album.
And I got a signed copy. Pretty dang cool.
You can follow Julia’s musical journey HERE. Thanks for stopping by!
587 days ago, I posted THIS. I checked in last night to see how many of my 101 goals were complete. Turns out I have 67 goals still left with 414 days remaining. Not bad, really, but I’d better get a move on if I hope to complete them all in time.
But here’s the beauty in the 101 in 1001 list:
I completed 34 goals.
That’s pretty cool.
If you made a list with me back in May of 2010, I’d encourage you to revisit your list to see how you’ve been doing. What may surprise you is that, without even checking back in on your list regularly (I didn’t either), you’ve probably managed to knock quite a few out. How’d that happen? Call it hocus-pocus, but I believe that writing down goals prepares the body and mind. Once you’ve imagined yourself getting things done, it’s much easier to recognize opportunities for action as they arise.
If you didn’t make a list yet, you might consider checking into it. Need a bit of incentive? How about another little contest?
Between now and this Friday (1/6/2012) at 5PM, please post a link to your 101 in 1001 list from Day Zero in the comment section below. If you feel like you’d rather not have your list made public, no worries. You can send me the link to your list via email at shaun@shaunringphotography.com
I’ll draw at random one name. That person will receive one-hour of my time for a photography session or photography instruction. Cool?
If you feel so inclined please share this post with the people you know and love. It’s on the studio’s Facebook page if you’d like to share it from there. Yes, I realize your odds of winning will go down as more people join, but it’s a beautiful thing when people encourage each other to get positive things done in their lives.
Ready. Set. Go!
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Shaun -
Thanks for the link to the project! I had read about this a few years ago and had created my own list. I’ve updated it, and added it to dayzero’s site. Here I am: http://www.dayzeroproject.com/user/jeana . Here’s to positiveness, getting things done, and improving life! Happy New Year!
-Jeana
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Here’s mine – I started it after you first posted about it, so I’ve got 412 days left and I’m 44% complete. Time to get crackin’! http://dayzeroproject.com/user/skinnyemmie
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Hey there! I remember reading about this in 2010, but never did it. Now, I challenged myself to do it…and make it realistic. It was harder than I thought! Here’s my list: http://dayzeroproject.com/user/ahorse.
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33 done. Not bad! I think I got a little ambitious with my travel goals though, lol. Hawaii is on my list too
Hope you’re doing well, Shaun!
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Oops! And the link: http://dayzeroproject.com/user/disquogirl77
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Just finished making my list….only 1000 days left to get everything accomplished. http://www.dayzeroproject.com/user/bison09
I just moved forward with my final Christmas gift purchase. I wanted to make sure I got Katie just the right thing. She’s going to love it.
Perhaps you’re needing just the right thing for someone in your life. Would photography be a good fit?
If you’d be interested in purchasing a session, package, or even one-on-one photography lessons for that person, I’ll be available through Christmas eve to take care of you. You can email me at shaun@shaunringphotography.com
I can take an online payment and email you something to print and put in a card. Easy, eh?
Just wanted you to know you have options!
And no post would be complete without some recent shots of cute kiddos.
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