And we're off....

Well, as I blogged last time, I was waiting on a few big things to happen. First, I have my passport! I hadn't ever had a passport before so this is pretty exciting and I am SO ready for my trip to Mexico! I also have my own copy of my magazine submission.

The cover and the inside photos are my work, my husband wrote the article that accompanies the photography. I know this won't be the last time I submit to this magazine (or others) but it will always hold a special place in my heart since it was the first. They did a very good job with the layout, and it was exciting to see that my article was the center spread for the magazine.

I also can finally share some VERY exciting news! I have been picked to be the team photographer for the Silver Glen Springs Exploration Project. The project is led by cartographer Eric Hutcheson, who created the maps for the system nearly 20 years ago.

He is returning to cave diving and this system after being in a motorcycle accident that took his ability to dive from him for over ten years. As a team, we are going to explore, document and share updated information with the National Forestry Service and others about this system. This is all very exciting and I am looking forward to creating and sharing many great captures from this awesome project.  Here is just a peek at some stills I shot on my first dive in this gorgeous system.

Keep posted, I'll have more to share soon! I have updated my site with new work, and hope to have much more to share in the near future.

www.krbernotphotography.com

Things to be thankful for.

Most of us only think about being thankful for things around Thanksgiving, let's be honest, between work, family, a social life, and your own schedule most of us just aren't focused on reflecting. I've been doing just that the past few days and boy do I have a lot to be thankful for!

Not to say my life is perfect and blissful all the time (don't I wish!) I just wanted to say aloud all the things I'm grateful for. And what a great month for it with Easter approaching.

First and foremost, my husband recently was asked to come along on a dive expedition to Weeki Wachee cave system. For those who don't know, W.W. is pretty much akin to the Mt. Everest of cave diving. It's deep, very deep, the flow is insane, and is still being explored and mapped (hence the expeditions). My husband was very excited to be going along to check the place out and was gearing up to dive with the last group that day. That dive however, never happened. Unfortunately, one of the members of the team that had entered the water previously didn't make it back safely to the surface. A poor young man (just 2 years older than my husband) lost his life that day. Very sad news, and I send my thoughts and condolences now to his friends, family and team members. I enjoy cave diving very much, though it is risky, we cave divers must each weigh out the risks and benefits before each dive. The kind of dives these divers are doing are amazing albeit extreme and can come with great rewards, and sometimes great sacrifice as well.  I just hope that those effected by his loss find solace and peace in some way to help them through this.

I am also thankful that I've been able to do quite a bit of shooting in the past few weeks. Some underwater and some above.  Being able to create art really restores my soul, be it painting, drawing, or photographing.

I am waiting on a few big things as well. First, the magazine I submitted to should be out in the next week or two. I'm really excited to see the cover and article and hold it in my hands! I'll be sure to share it as soon as I have my copy. :) I'm also waiting on my passport. I'll be heading to Mexico this summer to do some cave diving, this is also a photo expedition for me. The first time I've been anywhere outside the U.S. other than Canada, so this should be very awesome! A lot of big things going on to be thankful for...

Really though, I'm even thankful this month for having had food poisoning. I know what you're thinking....how can you be thankful for being sick!?  I tend to take for granted that I'm able bodied and do some pretty amazing things. Sometimes it takes a challenge or bump in the road to make you remember not to take anything for granted....sometimes it takes loss. I hope that all of you will remember this and keep it in mind as we approach the holy holiday of Easter.

My little girl, growing up

On January 19th four years ago my life was forever changed. That was the day a tiny angel was placed in my arms. I remember when I first found out I was pregnant I was a bit mortified (I know, probably not every mother-to-be's first thoughts). I couldn't believe it, I wasn't ready to be a mother yet! My husband was slated to deploy in less than a year and all I could think of was 'what am I going to do if I have to have this baby and take care of it on my own.' I knew many others who were in that same position.  Eventually, I got over the shock and came to terms with it, and even started to become excited that I was going to be a mom.

As fate would have it, a miracle occured, and my husband didn't end up deployed after all and I was lucky enough to have him there with me on the day she was born. Actually, if he had been delayed one more day in California, where he was overseeing some training, he might have missed it.

I can't believe the wonderful little person my little girl is becoming. She is perceptive, sweet-natured (though she has her moments), vivacious, and cheerful. She aspires to be a pediatrician one day. She spends her time running like crazy, playing in dirt, chasing her pets, imagining and pretending, drawing and coloring, and always has something interesting to talk about. Her favorite colors are pink and blue. She LOVES fruit and often chooses it over sweets for a snack.  Her smile puts a light in my heart no matter what else happened that day.

I love my little girl, I'm so lucky to have her in my life.

New Year, Big Changes

It's a new year and most people make a resolution only to 'forget' it a few weeks later. Most strive to get thin, quit smoking, become a better person in some aspect...and while, yes, I would love to better myself, I am more dedicated to my goal this year. My big goal involves my photography, more specifically my underwater work. I am making a commitment to try to get something published in print this year. I think I can accomplish this goal.

I feel very blessed for everything that has happened lately. I keep wanting to pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming.  This area seems to be a networking mecca in some aspects. Thankfully I dive often and I'm pretty sociable. This has allowed me to meet some pretty interesting and inspirational individuals. I've been extended two very promising opportunities in the past few months that could easily help me reach my goals. I'm excited to see how these things progress and I will be posting as things develop.

In the meantime I'll keep diving and shooting. Here's one of my recent favorites. I had this printed and sold some prints (also a first other than to my portrait clients). :) The image is of the river at the end of the spring run in Ginnie Springs (a place I frequent on dives lately).