What’s Cookin’?

I’m embarrassed to admit how common it would have been to find me staring at a blank Word document during my high school years, wondering at what point the words would suddenly flood my brain and come flowing out my fingertips. Why must the task of writing as essay (and the occasional 10 page paper) be so daunting to me? After about half an hour of staring at the said blank document, my mother would appear, above my left shoulder, and say, “Annika, you’ve got to start somewhere.” So here I am, starting somewhere.

Helllllloooo world. hello? This is my debut. My very first SilverBox blog post! I’m all sweaty palmed. I’m all, will they like me? I’m all, will they think I have a funny name and not know how to pronounce it?

This post however, didn’t hover overhead like a cartoon raincloud and the words really did come pouring out…ok, ok after like an hour of THINKING about writing and only 10 minutes of staring at the page. Why was it different today? Two reasons. One, I used my handy tool of previsualization. Previsualization is the thinking/planning/dreaming/brain doodling/notes-to-self process that happens long before the shutter captures an image. But in this case, I previsualized what I would say, how it would look on the page, and how I could maybe, just maybe, bring a smile to your face.

THEN, I panicked. Will anyone read my post!? If they just see words will they even pause to know its me and this is something new and BIG!? Alas, the second reason taps me on the shoulder (as my mother would) and reassures me. Because, the second reason is that I am SO EXCITED to share with you what I’ve got cookin’! I have so many exciting things to share with you in the coming weeks and I’m feeling overwhelmingly happy about the wild ride that is my SilverBox photography career. I hope that your mouth is watering with excitement as well to see the wedding of the oh-so-charming-and-down-to-earth Ben + Amanda of Illinois, my recent Boonville family session with the sweetest, happiest baby EVER named Stella, and my <DRUMROLL> first 2011 High School Senior Colby from Cairo!

To hold you over here is a peek at what Ben + Amanda had cookin’ on rehearsal night. Coming from a farm family myself, I can say we know how to eat and realllllllly enjoy it. YUM! So stay tuned, Amanda and Ben are on deck.

Well, I’ve done it. I’ve written my first SilverBox blog post. I’m feeling refreshed! It wasn’t that scary. But it’d be so sweet of you to leave a note saying hi, maybe even where you’re from, if you are reading this. This is just the first post of many to come!

– annika