by Kelli France, Editor-in-Chief
Every Sunday we post something to encourage you and help you feel more confident in your photography journey…
My 8 year old son has been on this kick where he walks around saying phrases like, “I’m awesome.” All.day.long. I’m pretty sure he does it mostly to annoy his little brother but I secretly like it because he’s confident. It reminds me of a story a lady in my Church shared about her teenage daughter whose text signature line was “I am awesome. That is all.” The confidence that can be found in youth is a quality we all need to strive for.
It seems that as we grow older we sometimes forget that we truly are awesome. Women, especially, compare ourselves with other women who might be skinnier, prettier, richer, or better photographers than we are. It’s easy to do and we all do it.
But guess what? You are awesome, just the way you are! And you should be saying that to yourself, the way my son shares it with the world, all.the.time.
In fact, I give you permission to make your text or email signature line say: “I am awesome. That is all,” because it’s true. You ARE! And don’t you forget it.
Don’t you forget you are awesome when you are looking at someone else’s blog and you see their amazing photos and you start to question your own photography skills.
Don’t you forget you are awesome when someone posts a photo on Facebook that gets a zillion comments when your latest Facebook photo got only two.
Don’t you forget you are awesome when another photographer in your town seems to be super busy with clients and you are hearing nothing but crickets.
Don’t you forget you are awesome when you are trying your best to make your photographs look beautiful and yet you still can’t seem to get it just right.
Somedays will be good. Somedays will be hard.
But don’t you forget:
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My best summer vacation memory was my husband and I spending our 30th birthdays in Hawaii. While I wish I had better pictures (I had just purchased my DSLR 2 months before and shot on AUTO) it was the best vacation ever.
June 27, 2012 at 7:36 amAlready a FB fan of GHC
June 27, 2012 at 7:36 amAlready a FB fan of Chic Critique
June 27, 2012 at 7:37 amMy best summer vacation memory is from 5 years ago when my husband and 4 friends stayed at an amazing Villa in Puerto Vallerta. We were there for 7 days and it felt like one!
June 27, 2012 at 7:37 amPOsted the giveaway on FB
June 27, 2012 at 7:38 amI am a fan if Girl Hearts Camera on FB!
June 27, 2012 at 7:38 amAlready subscribe to the newsletter
June 27, 2012 at 7:38 amI am a fan of Chic Critique on FB!
June 27, 2012 at 7:39 amI tweeted
https://twitter.com/SGPhotoArt/status/217990801848934401
June 27, 2012 at 7:41 amI am a member of the Chic Critique forum and LOVE it!
June 27, 2012 at 7:42 amI subscribed to the newsletter!
June 27, 2012 at 7:43 amWhat is your best summer vacation memory ever or where are you going this summer?
June 27, 2012 at 7:50 amThe best summer vacation memory ever is when I went to Acapulco in Mexico when I was 12. It was a summer of sun, beach and exploring! I went on a boat trip to a tiny island and they served fish on a grill. I ate raw oysters on the beach for the first time and discovered how much I liked them. I used coconut oil until I realized it was baking my skin, lol. We were only there for a week or so, but it felt like eternity. I only wish I had more than my 110 film camera with a light leak to capture my memories.
Fan of Girl Hearts Camera on Facebook
June 27, 2012 at 7:56 amA fan of Chic Critique on Facebook
June 27, 2012 at 7:56 ammentioned on twitter
June 27, 2012 at 7:57 am@chic_critique is giving away The Photographer’s Planner: http://tinyurl.com/75htmpl
subscribed to chic forum newsletter
June 27, 2012 at 8:00 amMy favorite summer memories go back to Girl Scout Camp. The friendships, camp fires, hiking, swimming, and getting letters from your family… they all made me who I am today
June 27, 2012 at 8:04 amI’m already a fan of GHC on Facebook
June 27, 2012 at 8:05 amI’m already a fan of Chic Critique on Facebook!
June 27, 2012 at 8:05 amBest Memory – spending time at my grandma’s house with my cousins. I think playing capture the flag with them was probably the best!
June 27, 2012 at 8:32 amI already like Girl Hearts camera on Facebook.
June 27, 2012 at 8:36 amI like Chic Critique on Facebook. Thanks for the awesome giveaway I would really like to win, it would really help keep me organized
June 27, 2012 at 8:38 amoh my greatest giveaway ever!! I am going to spend my summer at home, swimming with my kiddos. They just figured out they love the pool at it is awesome!! So fun to have two little fish at home.
June 27, 2012 at 8:41 amI am member of the forum.
June 27, 2012 at 8:42 amI am subscribed to the newsletter.
June 27, 2012 at 8:42 amtweeted …https://twitter.com/cblayloc/status/218006826099286016
June 27, 2012 at 8:44 amI am fan of CC on FB
June 27, 2012 at 8:45 amWhen I was little, we used to go to WY every summer to visit extended family. I have lots of fond memories of all the time spent with cousins.
June 27, 2012 at 8:54 amI’m a fan of Girl Hearts Camera on FB.
June 27, 2012 at 8:55 amI’m a fan of Chic Critique on FB.
June 27, 2012 at 8:55 amMy greatest summer vacation memory is definitely making homemade peach ice cream on the patio with my family. The idea that you could make your own ice cream amazed me the first time, and it was my mom’s favorite flavor to make. And I’ve never tasted another peach ice cream that was that good in the 40 years since!
June 27, 2012 at 8:56 amI liked GHC on FB.
June 27, 2012 at 8:57 amI am a fan of Chic Critique on FB
June 27, 2012 at 8:58 amMy best summer vacation memory was when we took our yearly road trip down to St George’s Island in FL, but this time we rented a house big enough to accommodate the whole family on my mom’s side. A week on the beach with all our family and deep sea fishing with my grandpa.
June 27, 2012 at 9:02 amI am a fan of Girl hearts camera on facebook.
June 27, 2012 at 9:02 amI’m a fan of Chic Critique on facebook.
June 27, 2012 at 9:03 amI am a subscriber to the Chic Critique forum newsletter.
June 27, 2012 at 9:03 amI think my favorite summer vacation memory was when myself and my 3 best friends in high school got to spend a weekend at a condo on Hilton Head beach! It was amazing, we had SO much fun… and yes, our parents trusted us to be without adults (we were good kids, didnt get into trouble, and this was about 14 years ago!)
June 27, 2012 at 9:27 amIm a fan of girl hearts camera on Facebook! (Elizabeth Lynch Garland)
June 27, 2012 at 9:28 amIm a fan of chic critique on Facebook! (Elizabeth Lynch Garland)
June 27, 2012 at 9:29 amFavorite summer vacation memory…I grew up in Wash. state, but every summer from the time I was 12 until I was 23 I flew to Nashville to stay with my granny and extended family. I ran around the holler with cousins, and enjoyed being in a place that I loved. I still go back every Memorial Day with my family, giving my son a chance to be part of a life that I treasure.
June 27, 2012 at 9:29 amI am a fan of Chic Critique on FB
June 27, 2012 at 9:31 amI am a fan of Girl Hearts Camera on FB
June 27, 2012 at 9:31 amTweeted the giveaway! @LizGar01 https://twitter.com/LizGar01/status/218018646637817857
June 27, 2012 at 9:32 amI also get Chic Critique Newsletter…
June 27, 2012 at 9:33 amSubscribed to the Chic Critique Forum newsletter!
June 27, 2012 at 9:34 amMy best summer memory was just a few weeks ago! My husband and I took a road trip to Chattanooga, TN for our 2nd anniversary. We stayed in a wonderful quaint Bed and Breakfast on Signal Mountain-and got to meet a photographer from Cleveland who photographed a session of us. It was the first time in 2 years we have had time to ourselves for a few days…and the beautiful TN country made it perfect!
It makes me excited to find another reason to go back and visit TN!
June 27, 2012 at 9:34 amI am a new subscriber to the Chic Critique Forum!
June 27, 2012 at 9:35 amTweeted the link on my Twitter! photographybysk is my name on Twitter.
June 27, 2012 at 9:37 amAlready a fan of Girl Hearts Camera on FB!
June 27, 2012 at 9:37 amAAF of Chic Critique on FB
June 27, 2012 at 9:37 amMy favorite summer vacation memory was taking my now 8yo and 7yo triplets to see Thomas The Tank Engine in Boothbay Harbor, Maine during Summer Vacation! They were so crazily happy, it was AWESOME to see them that surprised and happy. We left it a complete surprise to where we were going, and man, the looks on their faces when they saw Thomas the train chugging toward them out of the woods was irreplaceable! I’ll never forget that trip, and I know they won’t either!
June 27, 2012 at 9:52 amGrowing up we always went up north to my Aunt’s Cabin. We did this every year for over 20 years. We now take our kids up there as well. It was always so relaxing and fun.
June 27, 2012 at 9:54 amI’m a fan of Girl Hearts Camera on Facebook! Love em!
June 27, 2012 at 9:55 amI am a fan of Girl Hearts Camera on FB.
June 27, 2012 at 9:55 amI’m a fan of Chic Critique Forum on Facebook!
June 27, 2012 at 9:55 amI am a fan of Chic Critique on FB
June 27, 2012 at 9:56 amMy best vacation summer memory was our honeymoon in Cozumel 6 years ago! 2 kids later I want to go back!
June 27, 2012 at 9:56 amI Tweeted about this giveaway. https://twitter.com/jrosencr/status/218024716974309376
June 27, 2012 at 9:56 amI’m a fan of Girl Hearts Camera on Facebook!
June 27, 2012 at 9:57 amI am a fan of Chic Critique on Facebook!
June 27, 2012 at 9:57 amI “shared” @chic_critique is giving away The Photographer’s Planner: http://tinyurl.com/75htmpl” on Facebook!
June 27, 2012 at 9:57 amI’m a fan of Chic Critique on Facebook!
June 27, 2012 at 9:57 amI “tweeted” @chic_critique is giving away The Photographer’s Planner: http://tinyurl.com/75htmpl” on Twitter!
June 27, 2012 at 9:58 amI am a proud member of Chic Critique Forum! Join me and many others! Chic Critique ROCKS!
June 27, 2012 at 9:59 amJoin me and subscribe to the Chic Critique Forum Newsletter, I did!
June 27, 2012 at 10:00 amI think the last time that I had a really fun vacation was when I was 12. My dad was stationed in Italy and that summer we got to travel all around Europe. I don’t think that I have really had a vacation since then. Between my husband’s job in the marines and three kids…big vacations have not been in the equation. But I am planning and hoping for a good one soon.
June 27, 2012 at 10:02 amBest summer memory? Too many to narrow down! But this summer we are going to Sea Ranch and I’m enjoying a week on the beach with my family!
June 27, 2012 at 11:40 amI’m going to Alaska this summer!!
June 27, 2012 at 12:05 pmI am a fan of Girl Hearts Camera on FB.
June 27, 2012 at 12:05 pmI like Chic Critque on FB.
June 27, 2012 at 12:06 pmI subscribe to the Chic Critque Forum newsletter.
June 27, 2012 at 12:08 pmThis is more an embarrsing vacation memory than best, but still my most memorable.
Sometime in grammar school my family and another family took a trip to the beach. I headed up the day before with the other family. On the day my familywas suppose to arrive, we were swimming in the pool, and I saw my dad, and ran up to give him a hug. Thing is I am blind as bat, have been since first grade. I did not have my glasses on, and “Dad” was not my dad at all but a complete stranger. I realized this when I was less than a foot away ready to wrap my arms around this guy.
June 27, 2012 at 12:25 pmFan of GHC on facebook.
June 27, 2012 at 12:39 pmFan of Chic Critque on facebook
June 27, 2012 at 12:40 pmSigned up for newsletter.
June 27, 2012 at 12:52 pmHeaded to the beach this summer!
June 27, 2012 at 12:56 pmAlready a fan of Girl Hearts Camera!
June 27, 2012 at 12:56 pmAlready a fan of Chic Critique!
June 27, 2012 at 12:56 pmThis is so great reading through everyone’s favorite summer memories! Summer is a great time of year. Mine were always getting together with cousins that I rarely got to see.
One time we played with rubber band guns on my Grandma’s staircase for an entire evening with one set of cousins up-stairs and another set down stairs both shooting tons of rubber bands back and forth at each other. Parents were in the other room just talking — glad to finally have kids out of their face for a few hours.
I remember thinking and wishing to myself that the moment would last longer and that we could do that exact same thing over and over again. Life is funny though, most of those cousins i never saw again and the moment always passes by. Guess you have to enjoy things while you are in the moment. Thanks again for sharing! Keep the entries coming.
June 27, 2012 at 1:55 pmMy best summer vacation memory is the summer my mom agreed to stop pushing sport lessons on me and let me read all summer…i rode my bike to the library every other day to replenish. Heaven!
June 27, 2012 at 3:31 pmI like girl hearts camera on fb
June 27, 2012 at 3:32 pmI like chic critique on fb
June 27, 2012 at 3:32 pmI tweeted the give away…
June 27, 2012 at 3:34 pmhttps://twitter.com/crankymommy/status/218109819264040960
I am a member of the forum
June 27, 2012 at 3:34 pmI subscribe to the newsletter
June 27, 2012 at 3:34 pmBest summer vaca memory? Definitely the first real vacation that my husband and I took together. We hopped in his convertible and spent over a week roadtripping from florida to north carloina and down the entire length of the blue ridge parkway. Loved every second of it!
June 27, 2012 at 6:11 pmfan of girl hearts camera on facebook!
June 27, 2012 at 6:12 pmfan of chic critique on fb!
June 27, 2012 at 6:12 pmtweeted the giveaway!
June 27, 2012 at 6:13 pmhttps://twitter.com/imKathleenFrank/status/218149673242853376
subscribed to the newsletter!
June 27, 2012 at 6:13 pmOh I’d love to get away this summer but we are selling our house and can’t get away. My favorite summer vacation is hands down Disneyland when I was younger! Can’t wait to take my kiddos.
June 27, 2012 at 8:19 pmFan of Girl Hearts Camera on Facebook!
June 27, 2012 at 8:26 pmFan of Chic Critique on Facebook!
June 27, 2012 at 8:26 pmI mentioned the giveaway on Twitter via @mlp_melissa.
June 27, 2012 at 8:30 pmI’m a member of the forum (my fave btw!)
June 27, 2012 at 8:31 pmI also subscribe to the Chic Critique newsletter.
June 27, 2012 at 8:32 pmThe best vacation I had was in 2010. My husband and I loaded up all 4 kids (our 1 year wasn’t conceived yet) and headed from Chicago to Georgia and then to Florida to spend time with family that we hadn’t seen in years because of having to travel so much with the military. It was the first time I had seen my grandmother in 10 years and sadly the last because she past away. We had a blast on the beach!
June 28, 2012 at 5:59 pm