Happy New Year!
Welcome! I thank you for joining me here!
This website has been a labour of love. I am both relieved that I have managed to learn how to design a website and ecstatic to have this space to share my work, connect with families and start to blog! I feel a bit giddy with the idea of “blogging!” It’s something I have always wanted to do.
I am not exactly sure how I will use this blog space just yet. I foresee posts about babies (of course!) and a place to share photos from some of my sessions. But I also anticipate this as a place where I may share personal work - or personal musings. Naturally, there will be photos that speak to me in some way. I hope that there will be something of interest to at least a few of you out there and that you may join me on this journey.
My first blog post on the first day of a new year – 2019! How did that happen, people?! How is it that time seems to be passing at such speed? This passage of time is something I struggle with. The undercurrent of sadness that comes with a good-bye to one year, paired with the sweet anticipation with which I welcome another… It feels like an ongoing theme in my life. Perhaps, I will write more about this topic on another day.
I am not one for resolutions per se, but I have been getting better the last couple of years at setting some simple “goals” to focus on and keep my brain positively occupied. Here are the thoughts, goals and desires that I have running through my head, as I look to 2019 (I will not be making a list of measurable, specific goals because that is just not where I am at and I am working at letting go of expectations of myself. I hope the goal gods can live with that!):
Finishing yearly photo books for my family! I’m currently working on 2015 and 2016 and I hope to catch up this year (after I finish my Mom’s Christmas gift of course)!
Adding some personal projects to my photography work. I really, really wanted to do a, “This is 10” portrait project this year and I am hoping it is something I can still do before my daughter turns 11. I am also hoping to do a project around Motherhood, possibly involving black and white portraits.
I want to grow in my ability to document my family’s life, where we are, exactly as we are. No staging, no pretence. Like the sign on our mantle, “This is Us.”
I want to get in the frame more. I am always the one with the camera, so most of the photos of me are staged or posed. I want to learn to do self-portraits. Or to document moments more real life moments, with me and my girls. This one feels hard! I am not one to love photographs of myself (unless the “conditions” are right), but really that is just not okay. I want my kids to look back when they are older and remember me, remember that I was always there. I am anticipating this one will be my greatest challenge.
A goal I have this year for Liana Maione Photography is to add maternity work to my portfolio. The ability to grow a human inside our bodies captivates me, and still, to this day, absolutely blows my mind. I want to capture this miracle for women expecting babies this year!
I have a strong desire to find a way to holiday more with our kids. We haven’t been on many “trips” (just a few actually) and I’d love to find a way to build that into our family culture. I have been an avid traveller and have visited many countries of the world (pre-children) and am desperately missing this part of my life. Right now, I’m dreaming about a beach holiday, but there is so much to experience in this world. I hope for more travelling adventures at some point in our future and am not sure if that will happen for us this year or next!
Teach my oldest photography! This past year, I gave my daughter my old camera. We went on a “photo walk” date and she (and I) loved it. I want to build on her desire to learn and for this year to be a pivotal one for us in sharing this together.
I did a great job taking time to read more in 2018 and I want that to continue in 2019. I foresee another blog post about books I have read and want to read.
I have some “fitness”related goals too. They are pretty cliché, although necessary. So I will break out the Orange Theory vibes and yoga mat and keep working at it.
I would love to hear a few of your goals or hopes for 2019, if you would like to share! Feel free to comment and share your thoughts!
I will end here and say thank you to those who have cheered me on this year; for every word of encouragement and praise and for family and friends that are along for this ride. And of course, thank you to all my clients, who welcomed new tiny people into their families and chose me to capture their first portraits. It’s an honour and I am grateful.
Warmly,
Liana
