Basics of Lillypad Studios

My name is Samantha and I enjoy taking pictures of about anyone and anything. Photography is something that I greatly enjoy and finally and progressing from taking a hobby into a business.  I am able to do a variety of types of photography including engagement, special occasion, wedding, maternity, boudoir, family portraits, baby portraits, and milestone; pretty much anything you can think of! I am willing to travel short distances (up to 50 miles) to your location and I am familiar with some picturesque spots that I can personally recommend. With your session fee, I include all digital rights to your photographs that have been individually edited with professional software and a print release to have the images printed at the location of your choice. I also offer professional prints and several different photo keepsakes including books, available upon request.

Contracts must be signed for large scale jobs (such as weddings) and a 50% deposit is due when contract is signed: an additional 25% is due a week before the wedding day, and remaining 25% upon completion of products, and the cost of any additional products or prints. 

When you decide you are ready to book, please contact me with the following details:

-What is your occasion? (wedding, maternity, etc)

-How many subjects will be photographed?

-Where are you located and your desired location to shoot? (a local park, your home, a church)

-What date are you hoping for? (I prefer a range of dates if you’re able!)

-Any special requests/styles you prefer (such as more artistic shots, formal/posed, candid, etc)

- A little bit about you and any special poses or ideas you have/have seen that you like.

Thank you for joining me on the journey!

This blog is officially becoming my website promoting my photography business! I will be posting past photos and current client's pictures periodically, as well as my occasional thoughts :) looking forward to sharing my new adventure!

walking with Dr. Francis

 The walk with Dr. Francis was really interesting and fun- I asked him where his favorite place he'd ever been was and his answer was "here, right now." Talk about living in the moment. He is a talented banjo player and very entertaining to talk to. 

 UD had some beautiful flowers!  As we were walking, a reporter for the Dayton Daily News stopped and interviewed us- glad we took the "razor wire route" :)

Although the day was a little overcast, it was comfortable weather for a walk. It was nice to meet both Dr. Francis and Furaha; When we arrived at the Sinclair campus, I was able to show off the student gallery in building 13 (which incidentally is one of my favorite places on campus) Unfortunately, I wasn't able to hear his lecture, but given the choice between the two, I'm glad I was able to go on the walk!

Ginsberg and the malicious blather that ensued

Ginsberg's Howl is awe inspiring, raw, and beautiful. James Franco's portrayal of him is nothing less than stellar. I actually pod cast the Allen Ginsberg reading of Howl (and 7 other poems) from iTunes and Franco was spot on; the animations in the film (that were inspired by Ginsberg's actual illustrations, awesome) were vivid and organic and followed the feelings that inundate from the poem. 

I did not agree in the slightest with people in class that stated this poem is only valid due to the context of when it was published- sexual and social oppression is an ongoing monster that should be completely extinct in the year 2014, yet here we are, in a country so afraid of honest sexuality that we bury our heads in the Bible and spout words of religious nonsense. Homosexual couples are no different than heterosexual couples, just as interracial couples are no different than couples of the same race. 

DIFFERENT IS NOT BAD! it's just different! BE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY!

a sneak peek of coming essays

In writing the literary essay assigned for Streetcar Named Desire, I spent an obscene amount of time trying to come up with a new perspective of the play, something that both interested me to write and would be interesting to read. I settled (with the help of Professor Cassel) on looking at Blanche's character from a psychoanalytical point of view. With the help of the DSM V, the internet, and a past professor, I feel that Blanche, while in my opinion still not a character I particularly care for, is a sympathetic character. She suffers from horrors in her past unknown to most of the supporting characters in the play, leaving them to take what they see and make judgments against her.

Histrionic Personality Disorder is defined as "constant attention-seeking, emotional overreaction, and suggestibility. This personality's tendency to over-dramatize may impair relationships and lead to depression," and coupled with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, alcoholism, and abandonment issues, Blanche is three gallons of crazy in a two gallon bucket. She doesn't have a choice but to be all over the place. Stella has been indulging her whims their entire lives and continues to do so, literally until the end when the doctor and nurse escort her out of the run down two room apartment.

I won't give all away in this post, but the above snippet helped me to have a better acceptance of Blanche as a character.

and now a word from E.E. (coupled with more talks of disparity and clarity so it's pretty good)

Please bear with me as I complain about my progressing mental process and try to take the journey with me, as I know on the surface it may appear that I drift. I've been thinking a lot lately (which can be dangerous, ask pretty much anyone) about my future and how obtainable it feels, while concurrently feeling that I'm never going to get there. My goal is to teach literature at the college level, which I am fairly confidant that I am capable of doing; my struggle is time. I checked my course requirements for transfer and I'm not four classes away, I'm eight: which isn't a terrible stretch (well it's twice the original number but still) but that eight classes is in addition to the remaining (approximately) 20 classes I have to take before I'll even have my bachelor's degree. At that point, hopefully I can get picked up by a school to teach freshman comp while I get my master's and then I can teach for real. Ideally, this will take about 3-4 years and I'll be able to stay in the area, preferably at Wright State (not going to lie, my heart wants Miami but it's an awfully long drive to Oxford from Huber). But there are no guarantees, no certainties that I am doing the right thing with my time, money, and life.

“It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.” 

― E.E. Cummings

thank you, E.E. for always having an appropriate sentiment for my trials and tribulations. I was surprised to see his name absent from the American Lit 2 syllabus, but understandably as every person has specific preferences when it comes to authors and poets I won't always have the opportunity to always focus on my preferred works. To be honest, the following is probably one of my favorite poems (and happens to be an E.E. Cummings work!)

she being Brand

she being Brand

-new;and you
know consequently a
little stiff I was
careful of her and (having

thoroughly oiled the universal
joint tested my gas felt of
her radiator made sure her springs were O.

K.)i went right to it flooded-the-carburetor cranked her

up,slipped the
clutch (and then somehow got into reverse she
kicked what
the hell) next
minute i was back in neutral tried and

again slo-wly;bare,ly nudg.       ing(my

lev-er Right-
oh and her gears being in
A 1 shape passed
from low through
second-in-to-high like
greasedlightning) just as we turned the corner of Divinity

avenue i touched the accelerator and give

her the juice,good

                              (it
was the first ride and believe I we was
happy to see how nice and acted right up to
the last minute coming back down by the Public
Gardens I slammed on
the

internalexpanding
&
externalcontracting
breaks Bothatonce and

brought allofher tremB
-ling
to a:dead.

stand-
;Still)

I laughed all the way through this poem the first time I read it, and still laugh as I read it now. I adore everything about it- the structure, word choices, double entendre, the whole nine yards. For anyone whom is unfamiliar with E.E. Cummings, please check out his work. It's fantastic. 

The point I am trying to reach is that no matter the seeming set-backs and slip ups, there is always a silver lining to everything. I may be 30 by the time I am out of school, but the point is that I'll be doing something that I love so what does it matter how long it's going to take to get there? I'll be getting paid to read and talk about books with people. How awesome is that? not to mention that I can decide (within the guidelines obviously) what we do in the classes I teach. I've had so many influential professors (and teachers before college) that inspired me and made me think that I cannot wait for the opportunity to (hopefully) inspire others and make them think. 

an extensive recap of the preceding three days

to begin, happy belated St. Patrick's Day- the annual celebration of my favorite color and an excuse for the general public to drink on a Monday before noon and not be judged too harshly. this particular year however, I became an auntie again! Abel Jay was born at 7:33 am 7lbs 8 oz <3

from there, my husband and I took advantage of our rare day off together and had lunch, shopped unsuccessfully for a new shower curtain (if he'd just accept that what I like is the best choice for the bathroom, we'd have a new curtain.....), and began "spring cleaning" that morphed into "let's remodel the kitchen!" We pried the paneling off the wall and spent some quality bonding time demolishing our home. 

after a field trip to Home Depot for paint and other supplies, we got to watch Frozen (because Disney Movie Club membership has perks like getting a movie the day before it comes out since it was pre-ordered in January) and have some family time with Dallas <3

Throw in a few other events, such as me submitting sculptures into my first college level art show, laundry, work, a doctor visit (this time for Rob), and we've arrived at the present. Thanks to medical issues and resulting doctor appointments, I missed the last two classes and so therefore had an intense apprehension of approaching James Watson and his Double Helix. I detest science in a manner that I cannot adequately express with academic language so we'll leave it at science is an unwelcome subject. I read the posted literature and watched the accompanying videos, and still did not feel confident. However when I began reading, he wasn't as terrible as I'd anticipated (luckily). The scientific terminology was exhausting, but manageable. I particularly enjoyed naming my two assigned chapters (chapters 5 and 11) but was not a fan of seeking out allusions. I fear that I may have taken too much "common knowledge" for granted- it's difficult to gauge whether or not someone else's understanding is equal to my own when it comes to wording, but what's done is done (thanks Macbeth). I named chapter 5 "The Journey to the Beginning" and chapter 11 "The Art of Disproving" (a clever nod to Elizabeth Bishop in my book) and found 3 allusions to each respective chapter. Here's to hoping my group members have similar titles and allusions!

Ohio is for snowbirds

I am disgustingly tired of Ohio's swing state status- yesterday had the most beautiful weather of the year and today it's this:

and getting colder by the minute. ridiculous. i feel like the snow man from Wallace Stevens. and I "have been cold a long time" O_o can we just get through the winter already? I am not a fan of hot weather but at this point I am so sick of the snow and slush and crap that I am ready.  I am ready for drive ins and cookouts. I am ready to see spring flowers and green grass. I am ready to see leaves waving on trees and most of all I am ready to wear my flip flops everyday. 

simultaneous conflict and clarity

I selected a poem by Emily Dickenson to memorize and recite for the Unpack a Poem project that will be due after spring break. My dilemma is that while I discovered I personally relate to the poem "The Bible is an antique Volume" I hate memorization and reciting things to a group of people. Here's the entire piece (which for full effect would require reciting)

The Bible is an antique Volume-

Written by faded Men

At the suggestion of Holy Spectres-

Subjects- Bethlehem-

Eden- the ancient Homestead-

Satan- the Brigadier-

Judas- the Great Defaulter-

David- the Troubadour-

Sin- a distinguished Precipice

Other must resist-

Boys that "believe" are very lonesome-

Other Boys are "lost"-

Had but the Tale a warbling Teller-

All the Boys would come-

Orpheu's Sermon captivated-

It did not condemn-

poem credit Norton Anthology of American Literature

I selected this because I feel Dickenson is creating a commentary of modern (and this was penned in 1882) religion and their hypocritical actions. The contents were relevant at the time it was written and should be taken with a grain of salt, not exploited to suit the desires of whomever is in power at the given time. My husband and I have conflicts concerning this, as he was raised devoutly Pentacostal and while I was raised Catholic, not strictly, and have always been more Spiritual; his opinions are "it says in the Bible" and he's not alone, there are many a "Christian" whom spout the same lines of divine inspiration in concern with a book. My argument is with the selectiveness that everyone seems to participate in- for example, "Christians" say that homosexuals are against God becasue the Bible says so. However, the Bible also says that should a woman not be a virgin on her wedding night that she is to be stoned. It also has multiple instances of polygamy. And what about how suddenly in the New Testament God decides he's through with being vengeful? All of these points are not made to spark a religious debate (just in case that is to inevitably happen) it is to make a point that there is no perfect guide that has the answers to everything, and it, as with everything else on this planet, is imperfect because it was made by man, and faded ones at that.

upon this Groundhog's day an epiphany has been discovered

So there's been a lot of struggle in my brain lately and when laying in bed this morning it settled in a manner that is explainable in words. At this moment, I am 26 years old. I am married, have a 4 year old dog, a mortgage, and a decent paying job with good health insurance. I am in college trying to become a literature professor, and that is a slow process. I'm often discouraged and debate giving up, as this path is going to take several years at minimum to complete. My biological clock is going TICK-EFFING-TOCK, more so now than ever, especially that it seems like EVERYONE around me is having children. I worry that I am making a mistake in waiting to have a family- my brother, sister, and I were the youngest of the family; our cousins were at least ten to twenty years older than we were. I want my children to grow up with their cousins and with our friend's children. But I also want to be through school and out of my current job before trying to juggle kids. In a quip, I want my cake and to eat it, too. At this point, I start to think of regrets I have about choices I've made concerning my delay in return to college and about prioritizing my career path over a family. My husband, ever the realist, points out the practicality of my decisions and will tell me outright that I want kids just because everyone else is having them. There is some truth in what he says, but I can't make an unbiased argument one way or the other. Living in my pity party brought to mind a poem that helps soothe my torn soul.

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

Robert Frost

Poem Credit http://www.bartleby.com/119/1.html

I know in my heart that the choices I am making now are only going to help me and my family. Being able to provide the things I want to for my kids, giving them opportunities I didn't have because of finances will be worth it. With every choice there is a sacrifice one way or another. I can't have it all right now, the world just doesn't work that way. I am thankful for the good things in my life: my husband, my family, my home, my job, my ability to recognize everything I'm blessed with. This may not be a strictly academic post, but the tie to Frost felt appropriate for it. 

in the end, I'll always be a romantic

This post has 2 parts, the first my own experiences with "the frontier" and the second my personal preference in style. Until 2012, I had never been any further west than Kansas, and even Kansas wasn't an adventure, it was helping family. My husband and I decided to go to Las Vegas for our honeymoon, and during that trip to the Grand Canyon.

The first view of the Grand Canyon in Arizona

This was the first time I felt a true sense of awe in Nature- I felt inspired and could not imagine having been a settler in the nineteenth century and coming across something as amazing, beautiful, and massive as the Grand Canyon. I know the west was discovered and developed centuries ago, but it felt so incredible to be in this environment. It was an untouched refuge of sorts; Nature is truly wild and untamed, bigger than man could ever be. 

This was my attempt to be a part of the landscape sitting on the edge of the canyon.

Recently I discovered that I am decidedly a Romantic, in the sense of romantic literature that is. The sense of escapism coupled with the power of the imagination creates a fantastical experience for me within literature. I enjoy the odd and unusual, as with Edgar Allen Poe, as well as the eccentricities of Walt Whitman. I love the story of the individual, in relation to the world as a whole; great tales of improbable circumstances but with relatable themes. My husband and I are so different: I am ever the romantic- optimistic, focus on the positive potential rather than the seemingly mundane reality. He is most definitely a realist- he focuses on realistic outcomes, whether they're positive or negative (and whether I want to hear it or not...) I appreciated the new information about the three main genres of writing, it brought new light to my own preferences and helped break down what drew me to it in the first place.

ice and snow

The three assigned readings, "To Build a Fire" by Jack London, "Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening" by Robert Frost, and "The Snow Man" by Wallace Stevens shared common themes and imagery, all three encompassing nameless main characters as well as discuss the simultaneous beauty and danger of the cold.

In "To Build a Fire", the reader is able to feel the building fear and anxiety of the man as he fights for life and approaches his eventual death; the character of the dog  lends an interesting insight to London's point of view of man's "superior knowledge" of survival. He urges the man to seek shelter and stay by the warmth of the fire, yet the man's determination to adhere to his schedule and ignore the dog's evolutionary programming causes the man's death.

"Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening" depicts an almost longing by the narrator to remain in the cold and deadly forest, but the animal companion (the horse) brings him back to Earth and acknowledges his agenda before he is able to do so. There is a mystery and allure of death, which the frozen and dark forest is symbolizing, that draws a person to it.

"The Snow Man" was my favorite of the three pieces, specifically the final stanza:
For the listener...nothing himself, beholds
nothing that is not there and nothing that is

There is a relation to holding onto the threshold of life while peering over the edge, observing death from a detached, removed point of view that allows the reader to breathe in the imagery and marvel at the beauty of nature.

photo credit Kilian Schoenberger
"The Snow Man" Wallace Stevens

let's start at the very beginning

a very good place to start.

this is my first blog so we'll begin with the basics- I'm a literature major with the goal to eventually become a professor. I love baking, especially cupcakes and my dream job is to own my own "Cupcakery". I've been married a little over a year, but my husband and I have been together for going on 8 years. We have a fur baby named Dallas (a 90 pound Chocolate Lab) and she's wonderful. 

reading is my heart and soul (next to cupcakes and ice cream, cause let's face it, a big girl's gotta eat). I love love love the Harry Potter series, I grew up with Harry- I started reading when I was 11 so it is very near and dear to my heart. I'm fairly obsessed with Tim Burton; his dark and whimsical style has drastically influenced me and my aesthetic from the time I was 6 years old. I don't always get to read as much as I'd like to, but anytime I'm having a bad day, I go to the bookstore and wander aimlessly for hours. This should be an interesting experience and I hope everyone who reads this if nothing else is entertained. Here's to a good semester!

These are my favorite books/authors

 -Harry Potter Series by JK Rowling

-The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy & Other Sad Stories by Tim Burton
-The works of Roald Dahl
-Dangerous Angels by Francesca Lia Block
-The Outsiders by SE Hinton
-Grendel by John Gardener
-Go Ask Alice by Anonymous
-Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carrol

- The works of Edgar Allen Poe