An excerpt from the ever-enlightening Seth Godin’s blog:

Here are six random ideas that will help you fail better, more often and with an inevitably positive upside:

  1. Whenever possible, take on specific projects. (to-do listing your goals)
  2. Make detailed promises about what success looks like and when it will occur. (goals)
  3. Engage others in your projects. If you fail, they should be involved and know that they will fail with you. (involving others in your goals, support for the highs and the lows)
  4. Be really clear about what the true risks are. Ignore the vivid, unlikely and ultimately non-fatal risks that take so much of our focus away. (be realistic about your goals, specify)
  5. Concentrate your energy and will on the elements of the project that you have influence on, ignore external events that you can’t avoid or change. (focus on what you can do best for your goals)
  6. When you fail (and you will) be clear about it, call it by name and outline specifically what you learned so you won’t make the same mistake twice. People who blame others for failure will never be good at failing, because they’ve never done it. (rewriting your goals)

So I kind of related this post to goals because I am a huge goal-writer/to-do lister. I wouldn’t be where I am today if I wasn’t. Every day I have a to-do list and every day I get things done. These daily items on my list are all backed by solidified goals that I’ve set and continue to re-work, re-write and re-do. I fail often. I try and try again regularly. And I continue to dream and DO daily.

I love failing. It’s rarely fun in the moment, but it’s the moments and days after that really count. Rising from those falls, climbing over those mountains and continuing to be lifted through progress is what really matters. Overcoming failure…it’s a beautiful and worthwhile journey. Sit down and think about it. You might realize you’ve loved it too.

So don’t be afraid to fail, like Godin says. It’s the stuff successful dreams (goals) are made of.

desintation wedding photography www.lovatoimages.comPINME

image shot on streets of Granada, Nicaragua, March 21, 2011

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A few weeks ago I scooted up to Hollywood (early of course, to miss traffic and get in a fab little dinner date before!) to shoot Hugo’s 50th birthday party on the rooftop of the London West Hollywood Hotel. I know Hugo and his wife Irene from church and consequently knew plenty of their guests…including the ever fabulous mama and papa Lovato. So I was excited from the beginning to document an event with such an amazing group of people.

Then I arrived and the excitement quickly morphed into pure gratitude. Hugo and Irene are a gracious and generous couple who have worked hard throughout their lives to accomplish all they have. They are extremely blessed with a beautiful family, a dynamic support system through their friends and church family, solid work, a healthy home and an inner Light that always shines. I don’t even know them that well, but all of this was evident at their event. I was just surrounded by abundance and love.

Everybody had a fantastic time. The location was spectacular, the food was detailed and delicious, the music got people movin’ and the mood was just right. Seeing Hugo and Irene swing around together on the dance floor and laugh and joke with all of their best friends made me feel so thankful. Thankful for them and their gorgeous celebration of Hugo’s 50th year and their 20-some years together. Thankful that such deep and grounded happiness can be achieved. Thankful that I’m able to share such intimate moments of peoples lives through my work. But mostly thankful that I have such steadfast role models in my life. If I can have just a fraction of the bounty and beauty they have when I turn 50, I’ll be one happy camper.

hollywood event photography www.lovatoimages.comPINME

hollywood event photography www.lovatoimages.comPINME

hollywood event photography www.lovatoimages.comPINME

hollywood event photography www.lovatoimages.comPINME

hollywood event photography www.lovatoimages.comPINME

hollywood event photography www.lovatoimages.comPINME

hollywood event photography www.lovatoimages.comPINME

hollywood event photography www.lovatoimages.comPINME

hollywood event photography www.lovatoimages.comPINME

hollywood event photography www.lovatoimages.comPINME

hollywood event photography www.lovatoimages.comPINME

hollywood event photography www.lovatoimages.comPINME

hollywood event photography www.lovatoimages.comPINME

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There are times when I feel low. There are times when I hurt. There are times when I cry.

This is life.

But then there are times when I feel excited. There are times when I rejoice. There are times when I laugh so hard it feels way too good to be true.

This is the beauty of life.

There are shadows and valleys and then there are peaks and ferry rides across Lago del Nicaragua. There are car crashes, and then there are free truck bed rides that save your feet a mile. There are memories that are so painful you want to forget, then there are memories you never want to let. Go.

This is the realness of life.

I am so unsure of so many things. But I am so on top of so many others. There is such certainty in my few years, I am honored and blessed to feel and understand all that I do. My faith has a fighting chance. And it’s winning.

This is grace.

We’re in this together, peeps. I’m trying to build my life and business. You’re trying to mold and shape yours. I’m working on positivity and possibility. You’re smiling too and taking advantage of your open doors. Let’s look in the mirror once in awhile and reflect. But let’s remember to look out our windows every day and do the same.

orange portraits www.lovatoimages.comPINME

self portrait. Orange, CA. 03/28/11

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  • April 5, 2011 - 5:20 pm

    Kan - So poetic and touching Miss J. Love you!

  • April 10, 2011 - 11:36 pm

    rinku mathew - Poignant reflections, Jackie. But I love the picture even more. Very beautiful.

So much of what I do in my portrait work is revolved around listening. In order to truly tell a good story with my images, I think it’s important to know a little bit about the story behind the people in front of my lens.

So when Simone contacted me and said their family would like to do a shoot to honor their father and his 60th birthday, my ears perked right up (via email. yea, i can hear through email. can’t you?). In Korean culture, she told me, the 60th year is a huge hallmark. On top of that, her father recently overcame a battle with lymphoma…working hard to continue to support his family the whole while. This was a story I knew I had to share.

Because to me, so much of family is support. In some cultures and traditions, it is the father’s role to lead the family and create a backbone of support. Financially. Physically. Spiritually. A father is shelter. A father is protection. A father is guidance. The ultimate form of support. This is how I’ve known it to be anyway.

But in turn, the family supports the father right back. So many men go through so much to support their families. I understand this. I understand what my father has done. I understand much of what Simone’s father has done. And so we families hold hands, link arms, get down low and create a base for our fathers. We weave together and tie into a foundation of family support for not just our fathers, but for one another. Because that’s what families do. To me, family = support.

The Kims are the perfect illustration of this equation. Overcoming obstacles, growing up and into solid adults, binding together, becoming a unit of indestructible support, the Kims are a beautiful example of what family is all about. I heard it in their story before I met them. I heard it more when I spent an hour with them in San Juan. And it continues to ring in my head and my heart as I hear their story all over again here.

orange portraits www.lovatoimages.comPINME

orange portraits www.lovatoimages.comPINME

orange portraits www.lovatoimages.comPINME

orange portraits www.lovatoimages.comPINME

orange portraits www.lovatoimages.comPINME

orange portraits www.lovatoimages.comPINME

orange portraits www.lovatoimages.comPINME

orange portraits www.lovatoimages.comPINME

orange portraits www.lovatoimages.comPINME

orange portraits www.lovatoimages.comPINME

orange portraits www.lovatoimages.comPINME

orange portraits www.lovatoimages.comPINME

orange portraits www.lovatoimages.comPINME

orange portraits www.lovatoimages.comPINME

orange portraits www.lovatoimages.comPINME

orange portraits www.lovatoimages.comPINME

orange portraits www.lovatoimages.comPINME

orange portraits www.lovatoimages.comPINME

orange portraits www.lovatoimages.comPINME

orange portraits www.lovatoimages.comPINME

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  • April 1, 2011 - 2:04 pm

    Magic - Beautiful story Jackie! Love the nod to good fathers, husbands like Mr. Kim. Prayers that this little “bump” in the road (like that pic) leads to a long healthy journey for this family!
    Magic

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