Anne Ruthmann Photography

LOVE IT: Laura Barrett

It was Thursday, February 11th, at the Wilbur Theatre in Boston. My husband and I were there to see The Magnetic Fields, but when the opening act came out with a kalimba in hand, we were intrigued. What followed was mix of delightful kalimba virtuosity and fun geeky lyrics. I was instantly drawn into her world and fully captivated. When she announced the title of an instrumental as "Stop Giving Your Children Standardized Tests", I officially declared my love. This quirky Canadian has me hooked, so much that I now must share her talent and fearless individuality with you. If you fall in love with her as I did, you can check out more of her work on iTunes and see her tour schedule on MySpace.

Here's a little interview with Laura Barrett, and what inspires her:
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March Desktop Image - When Life Intervenes

(Click an image to instantly download a copy for your desktop.)



“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” ~Maria Robinson

"When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves." ~Victor Frankl



You make plans. You make back-up plans. You make just-in-case plans. No matter how hard you plan, sometimes life just has a different plan.

When I was in elementary school, I had planned to be a lawyer by day and a jazz singer by night. When I was in high school, I had planned to be a broadway star. My first year of college, I planned to be a teacher. My next three years of college I planned to be an advertising executive. My last four years of college I had planned to be a music teacher. I never planned to be a photographer, but life had a different plan. Little did I know that everything I had done, even when I wasn't working toward "my plan" was actually preparing me for what life had planned.

My first two years in business as a photographer, I planned to always be able to live in Michigan. Life moved us to Indiana. My second year in Indiana, I planned to always be in the Midwest. Life moved us to the East Coast. One small business, three different locations, in five years. It's fairly well known that it takes two full years for a business to become established, reach a point of sustainability, and gain support in a community. Each time I've reached that second year, my husband has found a better job in a different market, and I have had to start all over again. I'm planning that won't have to happen again for at least 5-10 years.

If I cared more about my job than my marriage, I wouldn't have moved. However, life gave me a wonderful husband when I was planning not to meet anyone, and I continue to embrace everything that comes with being married to him. Life also prepared me from a very young age to deal with change and to learn how to cope as a perpetual new girl. As a child, I was in a new place every 1-2 years, which meant new schools, new people to make friends with, new streets to learn, new clubs to join, and new opportunities to define who and what I wanted to be. I can't even begin to imagine what it's like to live in one place all of your life! In fact, I have yet to know what it's like to live in just one place for more than 5 years!

Just because life may change your plans at any moment, doesn't mean you shouldn't plan. Often, it is by pursuing the plan that you've set for yourself, that you encounter something which is even better along the way. It might not always seem that way at first, and you might be forced to change when you aren't ready for it, but if you seek to make the most of what life gives you - you're guaranteed to live a more rewarding life in the end.

Standby - Communication FAIL

I've been having a terrible time sending and receiving all sorts of communication lately. I would like to blame Mars being in Retrograde (since it is my ruling planet, and therefor tends to wreak havoc in my life every 72 days or so) but I know the issue is far greater than what one planet can magnetically throw out of balance. Please know I'm working on it and hope to return to a more regular stream of communication soon.

LOVE IT: 10 Reasons Why I Love Pictage

I've been a Pictage Photographer for almost 5 years now and I can honestly say that every single year my experience has been better and better. With the recent change in leadership, Pictage has become a true lovemark and partner in taking care of me and my clients. With the amount of travel I do, I need to have instant access to my images, albums, and slideshows no matter where in the world I am, and Pictage has always been there for me. While there have been a few growing pains along the way, it has always been in the relentless pursuit of improving services and products based on photographer suggestions and feedback.

I know there are a lot of people out there who struggle getting their photography business off the ground, or who spend so much of their time doing everything on their own and end up sacrificing their quality of life or their dedication to their clients. I'm not receiving any compensation for sharing this and I'm not asking you to participate in any referral program. I'm simply providing my own reasons for why I enjoy working with Pictage, and you're welcome to read them or ignore them. I'm happy to answer any questions you have in the comments link at the bottom of this post and please note that I have provided many links to more detailed explanations of what everything means.

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT PICTAGE:
1. Unlimited high resolution off-site storage and back-up of all images.
2. On demand FTP access and downloading of all previously uploaded images.
3. 100% guarantee on all the products they offer with great customer service.
4. A variety of viewing and searching options in the galleries to make browsing more efficient.
5. Customizable photographer and client folders make finding selections of images super easy.
6. Online album design software and service fully accessible and editable from any computer.
7. Several different levels of gallery privacy for ultimate client protection.
8. Beautiful packaging, a variety of shipping options, complete order fulfillment.
9. Payment plans and automated billing with advance automated reminders for clients.
10. Online gift certificates, sales, discounts, and free print campaigns for clients.
11. Quick & easy slideshows with great royalty free music stored on Pictage servers.
12. A private online community message board of Pictage photographers and great educational opportunities through PUG meetings, Podcasts, and the annual Partner Conference. Not to mention special member discounts on other services in the industry.

OK, so that was more than 10, but I didn't want to leave anything out. My first weddings were uploaded to Pictage during a 6 month discount on Pictage's Pro Plan about 5 years ago, and I can honestly say that I wouldn't have been able to grow my business without all of the help and services that they've provided me and my clients along the way. I want to publicly express my sincerest thanks to the entire Pictage Team who continues to be my support system behind the scenes!

Message In A Bottle Wedding Invitation

You know it's going to be a fun wedding when the invitation arrives in a Coca-Cola bottle with sand, an island map, and smells of sweet piña colada! Makes me wish I was there already!