As an adult I learned I enjoyed taking apart the old history of home and breathing new life into the walls. Maybe this is was because my father and I renovated old homes when I was young. Or maybe it is the genetic blood I have in me. Either way discovery has been apart of me as long as I can remember. Now in my third chapter of life I have found the wonder in fiber. When I pick up a skein, roving, ball, or even the bagful of wool straight from a farm the wheels in my mind start spinning. Not just for the next project but I yearn to know how the animals are fed. How they are treated. Are they being apart of our environment in a natural way.
This joy, brings me back to discovery and love I have for our land. I photograph my props, newborn through toddler everyday wears in the outdoors where the fiber came from. I drive and well yes I have had many weird glances! If I see an old barn I pull over. If I see a river that is shining in the sun I stop. I even climb over rails and trees to get that shot for my items. My items are my babies. And I love sharing them with photographers!This Wednesday Spotlight is with April Showers Photography https://www.facebook.com/pages/April-Showers-Photography of Bakersfield California. Hits directly home for me. She has the spunk to get the shot in the rarest form. From natural light to locations she scouts for and finds a piece of herself in land that surrounds. Her talent and raw ability is seen through and through in her art.
Grab your coffee sit back with your feet up on a porch railing and enjoy her discovery!
Let me introduce myself, I am April Salazar a natural light photographer of April Showers Photography. For 10 plus years I was an interpreter for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students, which I absolutely loved. I remarried in 2008, and in 2009 I gave birth to my son, and this is where my journey into the land of photography began. So here I was just had my son, and not knowing what to do. I knew I didn't want to back to work and allow someone else raise my son. For the first year, I lived off all of my vacation, maternity leave and parent leave. Once all that ran out, I was stuck I knew we couldn't afford for me to just hangout with him all day. I took on a babysitting job when he was almost a year and lets just say, I didn't enjoy that like I thought I would. Something about changing someone else's kids stinking poopy diapers is just not my thing. I sat and thought and thought what to do, then after taking my son and daughters photos at the local Sears (which I was not impressed and spent few hundred) I thought I could do this. So here I went and got a camera, edited on the internet, like many of us do and that is where I fell in love. So I started a business like so many newbies do, not thinking about all the consequences that come with running a business. I thought yeah I can do this until I was slammed by a local photographer in my area. I was extremely crushed, after talking to one of my good photographer friends she help me to realize I needed to learn more. That is exactly what I did, I began taking a course online, watching, reading everything photography and stepping out of my comfort zone. Am I a professional, no for I am still learning new things everyday. I think if you are a professional then you know everything there is to photography and I don't feel I like that is me. However, I am trying new things and getting out there and trying to out do the last session with the one I am doing at the moment. If there is one thing I have learned in this journey is that you are your own competition, and not with all the other photographers. 
My favorite sessions to do are hmmmm......to only pick one, I can't. All of my sessions are all so different, however if I have to pick I would have to say anything outdoors. I love that late evening soft or as photographers call it "Golden Light." Its that hour before the sunsets, and its the softest and prettiest light. If I am working with a baby outdoors, which I know many of those little guys/girls cant do late evening sessions because that is their bed time, we use the weee early morning soft light. I like to work what is best for my clients schedule instead of trying to push for the unattainable. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE using new locations, the rustier, the rural, different is the BEST! I must say I have tons of wonderful clients that will drive to go to these remote places I find out driving around. Like all photographers, I don't tell where these locations are at either. I like that I have something special I can offer my clients that they wont see in someone else's work.
Do I only like the outdoors?? No, for I do love doing
newborn sessions too, they are so sweet and so squishy. They are the only sessions I do indoors, I set up a little studio in my living room and open up the windows so I can use the natural light from the sun. I tell all my new moms to just bring over their cute bundles, whatever food source they use, a binky, diapers, and love....and the biggest thing to make themselves at home and not stress. I have so many wonderful boutiques owners I use for all my baby props such as PinkPoppiesStudio, Little Bit Knits, Maes Creations, and Sunflower Freckles. 
Thank you for stopping by the Wednesday Photographer Spotlight
If you are a photographer and would like to be considered
please leave me comment!
Maes Creations
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