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).

I'm feeling creative!

Long time between blogs, I know! I'm horrible at keeping up with these things sometimes. I've had a bit going on the past few weeks.

First, I've been shooting a bit underwater. It's something that I've wanted to start focusing on for a few years. Finally I have a lot more opportunity and time to do it. I've added several shots to my underwater/underground section on my website. I am getting much more comfortable with the gear and have seen great improvement in my shots there over the past year. Always great to see and know you're improving and learning more and more. Though, I still have a lot to learn. 

I've been given two pretty big opportunities lately, things that could really jump start my career in a serious way/direction here. The first is some product work for a major dive manufacturer. I had the chance to photograph some product for Dive Rite for use on their webpage and in dealer emails. Take a look at my shot and the screen capture below:

This is VERY exciting for me! This is officially the first work I've had published! As a diver myself, it's kind of a big deal.

Dive Rite is a company that produces some wonderful equipment. In fact, before we moved here to Florida our dive shop in North Carolina was a Dive Rite dealer. We always loved the products that came in to our shop and raved about the quality of the equipment they produced. Dive Rite is a pretty big name in the industry and it's just amazing to have my photography on their site.

The second opportunity is in the works, so I can't give away too many details. But I will say that a pretty well known individual in the cave diving community is taking a chance on a relative new-comer (me). I'll get the chance to photograph and hopefully write and publish an article about it, it certainly warrants it. This could be the opportunity that gets me in the door so to speak. I'm beyond words blown away that I would be given a shot like this and so soon after moving here. I'm just very honored and am looking forward to sharing more as this progresses.


For now, I'm going to keep getting in the water with or without my camera and enjoy the fabulous diving! I'll leave you with the link to my underwater work on my site so you can check out the new shots!

http://krbernotphotography.com/index2.php#/fgallery/1/

long over-due update

Time to clear the cobwebs here...I've been neglecting my blog a bit...I really have been doing a bit over the past few months. For starters I am selling my crochet products in a small store here in the next town over. :) I am super excited to be included there. The store is Sprout Learning Resources in Alachua, FL. They focus on childrens educational toys and supplies for teachers.  I've also been trying to set up crochet classes at the store, hopefully soon I will have my first group to instruct.  I've been, as you can imagine, busy crafting, I have also started spinning and dying some yarn of my own.


I can also finally announce that my husbands probationary period with his new job is up so I can brag that he now is an official Dive Rite employee. He's the new service manager/customer service rep. It's pretty much the perfect job for him and we are both so happy that he is a part of the team.  This has been a dream come true for us, the timing, everything has been just unbelievable! Needless to say, we've both been cave diving a LOT over the past few months. In fact, I've been diving at least once a week since we've been here (some weeks more like two or three times). Here are some fabulous shots from one of my latest excursions at Ginnie Springs:

I still have yet to really start full on marketing here, mostly because I am still getting things settled here and taking some time to shoot for myself and enjoy my free time with my little one. I think after the holidays I may start thinking more seriously about getting back into the business end of things. I just am not there right now, though I do miss meeting new clients and taking portraits. Maybe I'll warm up by doing a few trade sessions or something similar once I get more focused again.

Anyhow, Thanksgiving is coming up, and I'll have my first visitors to our new place. My mom and brothers will be here. I am very excited to show them around the area and take my brothers diving with me. :) Hopefully I won't get too caught up again and let this blog get all dusty again!

Big *SIGH*

So it's been over a month since we got here, and even though I love it here and have been doing a bit of diving...I'm finding myself a bit bored.

I got so used to going to work at the dive shop almost every day for a long while, and now that I don't have that, I find myself impatient and well, lonely. I'm a very social person, and it's hard for me to drag around my only human interaction during the day (my three year old princess) and pretend I am completely fine.

I really miss being able to meet other photographer's (I've had little luck getting that together here sadly). I would love just to meet some here and make some friends and hopefully network a little. I miss shooting other people too, badly. I really enjoy meeting clients and taking portraits.

For now, I'm shooting the 30 day challenge (which I post on my facebook daily: https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/K-R-Bernot-Photography/145906697487). We are on day 9 now, and I'm having fun with it. :)  I've also been dragging my camera along on my canoe trips up the Sante Fe here in High Springs. It's just beautiful! There are so many turtles and birds, it's like a nature photographer's dream! 

In other news, I am trying to get involved in teaching crochet at a shop in historic Alachua down the street. I'm also putting together more projects for the farmers market here in town. I should be ready by October!

I'll leave with a parting shot from my last canoe trip. This turtle just sat and sat until we were right up on it! Amazing!

Florida, settling in finally!

Well it's been a few weeks and I think I'm fairly settled in here in Florida. I know my way around town for the most part.

I L-O-V-E it here! It's so lovely, and green everywhere. We have a state park family pass, so we can go dive the caves, and swim in the springs and hike whenever we please (which we have already taken advantage of.) We also have an annual pass to Ginnie Springs (which is open to divers until midnight, allowing my husband and I to dive any evening during the week as long as one of us is watching the little one.)

There's also a farmers market every thursday here in town ( http://farmersmarket.highsprings.com/ ). I have every intention of crafting my heart out the next few months to get in on it. :) I've already got a few projects finished and a few more close to it. (I'll be sharing pics soon!)

Little one is enjoying the two libraries within 15 miles of the house, and they have story times two days of the week. Great! She can be around other kiddos her age!

I have been kind of laying low in the photography market so far. I haven't done much preparing or setting up since this move was a 180 from our original plan to move to Oklahoma City. This is not to say I haven't been shooting. I've been toting my camera around here and there (and into the earth on a cave dive or two), I just haven't set myself up for clients yet....I hope to change that soon. I do miss having other photographers I know in the area to chat and network with....it's kind of a bummer I have to start from scratch on so many levels. I just have to work harder to get out there. Guess I'll have to get some marketing material out there to some of the local shops and such, maybe see if any of them need some promo photos for websites or anything in exchange for passing out my cards and such.

Well, that's it for now. Got to get to the Farmer's Market for some more yummy pumpkin bread! <3

-Kristi

New section on my website

I just updated my website with a new section: Underwater Underground. This is a feature gallery which involves a personal project of mine; underwater photography (showcasing mainly water-filled cave systems.) This gallery brings together my two great loves (aside from my family of course) SCUBA and photography.

I have been training for a few years now to get to the level I am at. Very rarely does a SCUBA diver have the interest to venture into caves, I just happen to be of a rare breed who sees a strange beauty in these hazardous and space-like environments. Add on the fact that a camera is about permenantly attached to me, and that puts me in a very unique position indeed. A cave trained diver who also is fairly well trained in photography is VERY hard to come across. I hope over the years to add to my underwater portfolio not only stunning images from cave systems that so few people get to see, but also, open water images as well.

This is a very personal project for me, and I am very happy to share it, and my experiences with those who care to see it.

You can visit the new gallery here: http://www.krbernotphotography.com/index2.php#/fgallery/1/

Until later, safe diving (to my fellow divers) and happy viewing (to the rest). :D

-Kristi