21 Years.

Thanks for all the birthday wishes!

Andersen Family | Greeley Family Photographer

This family is so special to me. I spent last semester working for them, watching their two boys. They're one of the nicest, sweetest families I've ever met. David is all boy, running, jumping, wrestling the dog. He has his tender moments too and his downright hilarious moments. Erik is a gentle baby who likes making you laugh. He's smiley and happy and likes to observe. He also has a heart condition and cerebal palsy.

Erik was born with both and had to have surgery on his heart when he was just a little guy. Now, he has to have surgery again on Friday to replace the valve. We met tonight to do some family photos before Erik's surgery.

So if you're a pray-er, positive thought-er or just a hope-er, spare a couple minutes Friday to think of their family.

Andersen family, I adore you. I'll see you in August!

This is David being "sweet" to his brother. Or something like that.

The day that changed everything.

Do you have a day in your life, one day, that you can point to and say "That's when everything changed?"

December 11, 2009.

That's my day. The day everything changed.

I was attending my first photography workshop. The Fast Track Photographer with Dane Sanders. I'd read the book. Now I wanted someone to point me in the right direction and say "go." I wanted someone to give me the rule book, to let me in on all the secrets. I got something else entirely.

I had never really thought about why I wanted to be or why I was a photographer before that day. If I asked myself why, I answered "Because it's what I'm good at." When I closed my eyes and tried to see what my future might look like, it was murky and foggy. I eventually gave up trying to figure it out.

Finding my purpose or vision for my business was not a concept that was foreign to me. I'd heard it preached by countless photographers.

And I laughed it off every time.

Vision wasn't important. Talent alone would drive my success. No need for a road map or gps directions; I would blindly stumble my way through, led by my talent and my ability to make people laugh.

I was asleep at the wheel, foot to the gas, hoping and praying I had magnets in my shoes that would keep me close to something that could be called a road. I was veering comically and dangerously off course.

I wanted someone to give me the secrets, the rule book, the magic equation that would make everything work and would guarantee me a multi-million dollar, 50 year running business.

But until I woke up, none of that would be any help. How can you learn, grow, accomplish when you're asleep?

Dane asked me to wake up. My fellow Fast Track Photographers asked me to wake up.

I was surrounded, for the first time maybe ever, by photographers with talent, drive, vision and the ability to make people laugh. I would drown trying to support myself simply on my ability to push a button.

I panicked.

And then I started to close my eyes, push away the fog and figure out what I wanted.

I stopped the car, pulled over and drew my own map.

My vision isn't complete. There's moments of total fog still. But I don't let myself blindly drive my life anymore.

I can't afford to.

And ever since I started letting myself dream? Some pretty outrageous things have popped up in that head of mine, like Photographers For or a road trip across 48 states.

Maybe sometimes the best dreams happen when you're asleep, but my best dreams have happened since I woke up.

You know what? Ever since I started dreaming, some pretty crazy opportunities have come my way. Small confirmations that what I'm doing is right. It fits.

Would these opportunities have come if I had kept driving in kamikaze fashion? Maybe. But zonked out at the wheel, I would have let them whiz by.

So December 11, 2009? That's the day that changed everything. Focus, vision, passion. Things in me I didn't know were there. Things in me I didn't care weren't there. Suddenly, they were there. Front and center, as if they'd been waiting for me to just lift the fog and invite them to speak.

There was no rule book handout. No A+B = Success equation. But I got the secret formula anyways. Vision + Focus + Passion = Unstoppable.

Dane Sanders and his team are headed back on the road for RoadShow 2.0 across the U.S. the latter half of this year and beginnings of next year. If you're a photographer, I highly recommend these workshops. The friendships alone are worth the price. To find out more dates, visit the Fast Track Photographer store here.

Friday Favorites

Well it's been a little while since we've had a random posting of things I love this week. So here it goes.

1) Pedigree's Adoption Drive: Both my boys came from shelters. I love shelter animals. Somehow, I think they're more loyal, loving and happy companions than other animals. Pedigree started something really cool- Click "Like" on their Pedigree Adoption Drive page on Facebook and they'll donate a bowl of food to an animal in a shelter. Find out more here. You can also donate to shelters and find out ways to adopt or volunteer at animal shelters across the country. Also, this commercial makes me cry. And I never cry at commercials.



2) Summer mountain weddings: Almost three weeks ago, I second shot with Kristi Crosson in Vail. Last weekend, I third camera'd for Marilee Langner Sturgis in Beaver Creek. What do these two weddings have in common? Amazing, stunning mountain locations. The mountains are the reason I love Colorado. Not so much for activities that happen in them, like hiking, skiing (I've never even been!) or mountain biking but mostly because of their views. Even better when people get married up there! And I get to photograph it!

3)Weird small world stories: Isn't it weird when you find out that so-and-so knows so-and-so? One of my close friends from high school is on a study abroad trip to Mexico this summer with my best friend's brother. SO random. But very very cool!

4) Yankee Candle's Lemon Lavender candle: This candle smells divine. I want to eat it. It also gives me the strong desire to bake a lemon lavender cake.

5)Etsy shopping: Etsy is a dangerous place for me. Everything is so cute. And handmade. And run by small business people. I love it all. Like this gray bag I bought myself. Or this adorable jersey top with delicate flowers. Or this dress. Or this convertible wrap dress. I mean, really. The shopping could go on all.day.long. And that would be really, really, really dangerous.

6) Summer dinners: Summer meals are so easy and so fresh. Lettuce from the garden drizzled in oil and vinegar, meat cooked on the grill and thick, crusty bread. Yum yum yum!

What are you loving this week?

My birthday wish.

I remember reading the website's homepage for the first time. More than 1.1 BILLION people lack access to clean drinking water. Not million- billion. Not access to water, just access to stuff that's clean and safe.

How could this be? Something I take for granted, something so simple. I turn the faucet on and there it is. Clean water. I never worry about getting a disease that will keep me out of school and could potentially kill me.

Thirst Relief is my favorite organization. Literally, I love them. Not only are they doing a remarkable thing but the people who run it are just so darn awesome. Like Jim Davis-Hicks: wedding photographer, Thirst Relief creator and really cool guy. I got the opportunity to meet both Jim and his equally awesome wife Lara at WPPI in March. It's hard for me to listen to people who are so passionate about what they're doing because it makes ME passionate about what they're doing. And Jim and Lara, well you two sucked me in. I've never met two people more focused on a goal and more driven and passionate about a cause.

Not only is Thirst Relief run by awesome people, it's an organization who's strategy is one I love. Dirty water causes health issues- 2 million people die from waterborne illnesses each year, many of them children. It keeps sick kids out of school, causing countless other problems down the line. Instead of throwing money at treating the illnesses or the other results of dirty water, Thirst Relief goes to the source.

Clean the water.

Everything else will take care of itself. The coolest part of that? Thirst Relief's solutions to cleaning the water are sustainable. They take care of the root problem and they take care of it for a really, really long time. And for a lot of people.

It's my 21st birthday next Thursday. As a present to me, would you donate to Thirst Relief? The really cool part is all it takes is $5 to save a life. Instead of a coffee, you buy someone clean water.

Click here to donate.

You can do so anonymously or fill in my email: bookings@kelseybigelowphotography.com and I'll send you love, kisses and adorations.

Happy Tuesday everyone! Thanks for letting me share my passion with you. :)

Music Monday: Cary Brothers

The first time I heard Cary Brothers was on the Garden State soundtrack. I thought it was a band of brothers, not just one guy. Once I cleared up my confusion, I discovered I actually really like the one guy that is Cary Brothers and his music. His new album "Under Control" came out in April and I've been listening to it a lot while editing, site creating and airplane riding. Enjoy!

Where in the world? Headed to San Diego.

There's just certain cities that have a hold on me. There's something different about them. Maybe it's their food, their skyline or their culture but there's something that lingers in me after I've left them.

San Diego is one of those cities.

It's not because of the food, the skyline or the culture. It's because of my family.

I've been visiting San Diego since before I could walk or talk or sit up. It's where my aunt lives and it's where my memories live.

I'll be gone today through next Tuesday, loving the city and my family it keeps.

I won't be able to answer emails, but hang tight and I'll get them when I get back.