​Could you take a few minutes to go on YouTube and look at Playing it Forward Coaching as a great resource for your family?


Do you know of any parents who may be looking for the following for their teens or young adults:

1. Do you think that helping them moving toward self-reliance is important?
2. Would if Tim Law and his Playing it Forward Coaching program could help your son or daughter with the reality of a good work ethic?
3. Are you open to a free, no obligation discussion to see if you have a good fit with your teen/young adult with Tim as there is nothing to lose and a lot to gain?

Give Tim a call or a text at 717-781-4078 as soon as possible as he is very busy.

As someone who has spent his career helping students of all ages in the classroom, the athletic arenas and with important life lessons, Tim has developed a variety of strategies, ideas and tips to assist teens and young adults.


He firmly believes in three core principles that will absolutely allow everyone applying them to achieve success literally in any area they are involved in.


What are these core principles?


They are a solid work ethic, continually improving people and communication skills and always going the extra mile with their efforts in the world of work and life. These are things Tim can help your teen/young adult with quickly and effectively.


With so many others doing just enough to get by, this three pronged formula brings into play what is known as the Law of Contrast. Anyone using these three principles will immediately and absolutely STAND OUT in whatever work or endeavor they are involved in.


Take a few minutes to subscribe to Tim’s YouTube channel, Playing it Forward Coaching and then a few more minutes to watch the interview he and I did. 


If you or your teen/young adult are interested in speaking with Tim with a no cost, no obligation Zoom or FaceTime call of about 15 minutes or so, let me know and I can set this up. 


This way, both of you can get an idea whether you have a fit for you to experience his unique and successful coaching. I know you will like what you have to hear and he can show your teen/young adult the key ideas that will allow them to accelerate their progress with these three principles and many more.


Always remember, you and your kids are ESSENTIAL and Tim can absolutely help them become much more self-reliant. Isn’t this what every parent wants for their children, self-reliance?


Tim’s schedule is extremely busy but this kind of help is truly his passion. Check out his YouTube channel and, if this makes sense to meet and speak with him, I can help you set this up.

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Click the link below to get to our Ford story.  We are 5 months in with this car... and it's only just begun....
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OMG, check out my new business cards?  I can't believe the quality and the design... I am just floored.  I highly recommend getting your next order of business cards through Moo.com.  Click on the link below to get a 25% discount on your first order. 

It's that time of year again where we are getting ready to pack up and move to a new location.  We are still patiently waiting for my husbands orders to come in... I say patiently... I'm lying! 

Anyway as provided in the past I have an excel spreadsheet and checklists for helping you move...   please feel free to download these and share if needed.  These are yours... do what you like....   Thank you and best of luck!   

What a year 2018 has been for us Griffin's. As I am eagerly waiting for 2019 to begin, I am thinking of the projects I have not finished. (Yes Mom, Its less than 28 unfinished projects) I've been trying to not add to the list over the past year.
One of these projects is to get all our Elf endeavors up on line. I get a lot of messages and requests... It's become a staple for our holiday traditions. Well the most of a tradition you can get while moving every 3 years... Note to parents (Pack your Elves in the halloween boxes!!!!) This needs to be part of my October newsletter! LOL

So as the new year is approaching, Here is a look at our Elves’ past shenanigans!

This blog is brought to you because of Terry !
Thank you for all the encouragement of mischievious-ness!



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From our family to yours, we wish all of you the very best.  No matter how our paths have crossed, from family or friends or service to children... it's been on purpose!   

This Box Experience entry is how to overcome the obstacles if any!  :)
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Building the box, no wait... building this rectangle was easier than I thought it would be.  While I'm not impressed that I bought blueprints for $20 for a box, it did wind up being fabulous.  

I have an Einstein Light directly behind my camera which is on a tripod.  I shot this at f9.  If you need furthers settings just message me.  

Here is a video of our test shoot!  Click the box below!!!
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I will be recording the composite edit and placing it here.   I should have it done by Friday sometime. The edit was not too bad. I should have definitely made the box template first but I was too excited to see the sample.  

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If you're going to have anything hanging out of the box like a leg or arm, keep it to a minimum like 2 or 3 shots like this.  It was a challenge collaging them together.  Making them make sense. 

If there is a foot dangling be sure to add the right shadow to it. 

Dangling hair was not fun.  You'd have to be advanced in photoshop or something.  I was not a fan of the work involved in that. 

Have it planned out prior especially if your doing minis... Know what you're going to use prop wise! 

Also I told my clients that I am including the images separate.  This was a bad idea!   This is a composite and should be kept that way.  

​I am offering Christmas cards for a print option.  I will update as that progresses!  :)

UPDATE:  There was a man named James in one of the groups I belong to and he suggested using a measuring tape to measure the height for the camera position and I suggest using the cameras internal grids.  Good luck this has been fun so far!
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If you are doing the box experience and need the psd file. Please message me and I will happy to get it for you.  

A friend of mine is part of a great cause! Rescue Dogs Rock NYC.  I too believe in this more then ever!  We don't need pure bread dogs!  We have plenty of dogs here that are in dire need a a loving home! Check this out!  Get a ticket!  Be part of something great!  For more information click on the button below!  

I am beyond proud of my girl!   Arianna has been working her butt off practicing and perfecting her makeup techniques!  She's done quite an impressive job and the feedback has been wonderful.  I am proud to say that my girl is going to be joining forces with me and offer makeup services to our clients.  We don't have many professional photos of her work just yet but we will be building up her portfolio.   You can reach her website at the link below.   

So get this!  I have added a drone to my services!   I am so excited! Going to be fun learning to play with this thing!   I plan to offer aerial photo, scenic, real estate and event photos! This is going to be AMAZING!!!   Are you excited???  

Want to leave a comment... Click the comment button above!
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I am not big on resolutions.  I have never made one in my life.  If a change needed to be made I just did it.  I made a few changes in my life that I am beyond happy with.  There were times where I wished and prayed change would come, or not come.  Unanswered prayers.  I used to be thankful for my prayers not being answered.  It wasnt until recently that I realized that those unanswered prayers were actually heard.  The big man upstairs did hear them.   They were just answered in a way I did not understand or were too difficult to handle at the time to ralize that my life events happened just as they were supposed to happen.  I am so thankful.  I truely am blessed for the person who I have turned out to be.  I'm not too bad! 

I am going to start off this year with blogging more.  If you want to read great!  If not... that's fine too.   I will write this as if you are sitting here with me talking.  I will not pay attention to grahmer, spelling, typos... I may even stutter here and there.    This is who I am.  You will either love me or hate me.  

I have been reluctant to post my life on here or social media really.  I don't know why.  But I want to start documenting my life and what I have to offer the world.  

I was reading some blog ideas and it was suggested that I start off talking about why I started photography.  I don't know if my story is interesting at all but it's mine and here it goes. 

6/18/2011 Mike and I were married up in NY.  We got there by RV with his family.  It was the best wedding we could have had. Fun was had by all.  Soon after we returned back home in TX I got really sick. They thought it was viral meningitis or Typhus fever.   It was insane and intense.  That lasted 9 months. In that time I was thinking of what I wanted o do for work and what could follow us from place to place as we were moving soon.  I had just seperated from my employer that left a horrible taste in my mouth.  I chose loyalty instead of money and got burned int eh process.   (Follow the money, when it comes to employment) lesson learned.  So I thought about becoming a photographer.  That would be so easy and I would love it!!!   

My husband found me a DSLR. A Nikon D5100.  I was so excited and was confident that this camera was going to give me perfect photo! Everytime!!   HAHAHA   (Laugh with me)

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That's one of my firsts!!!  I was so distraught. I could not get this camera to get an amazing photo.  LOL   So I decided to read the manual.   
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It helped a little.  Not much.  It was all confusing and I really didnt understand it al all.  So we decided to send me to school. The local classes were filled and we would be transfering out before the next semester would start.  I found an online school.   New York Instute of Photography.  I would be able to start it in TX and take it with me to FL.  Finish it up there.  Soooooo....I read and I studied.  I took photographs.... 

I started to see some light at the end of the tunnel.... (the begining I should say!)

Things began to click.  I began to understand the ability of my camera was not inside the camera but inside myself.  Once the relationship clicked. I began to start applying the knowledge.  (And then again our world got turned upside down again. Michael got into OCS and he would be leaving for CT for 5+ months.  We decided to stay with my parents in NY.  Photography school was rushed.  I wound up finishing while in NY but was no where near where I needed to be.

Looking back at these I really have an appreciation for my sister Lori, the girls, Kristina, Robin and their girls, Kelia, Frank Steph and Nicholas.... They really let me put them thrugh the ringer!!! They still do. My family has been very supportive. They have helped wiht advice, props.... LOL disasters and sucesses! Thanks guys if you ever read this! I really needed your help to do all this!
My biggest thanks are to my husband. He was the start of all this and has learned to let me do my thing. It will be ok. He is the type to plan things to the T. With all this you just really can't. Art is unpredictable. I remember the day we both realized that I am ok. This is not at bad thing in any way. He saw my first mini session at the church to be a diaster. At the start of it, I thought so too. But as the hits kept coming we made it thru them and it was a success. We made it! And we did ok. He said to me, " You keep on surprising me. Everytime I think things aren't going to work out ok. You somehow pull through. I always held his hand with this photography adventure. And my sisters'. Now, I got this. (I think).

So that brings us to today... I still feel that I am not where I need to be. I know I need to keep pushing myself more and more. If you're looking to get into photography. You're going to hear it a thousand times. Its not the camera... It's the photographer.

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With all the craziness that comes with a PCS, I really was not planning on doing a mini session for Christmas.  After all we just had a buzy senior rush in October and November.  I did not see Christmas as around the bend, let alone throwing together any sessions. But It's here and it's happening. I am beyone excited and nervous to have throw somehting together so fast and everyone has been amazing with scheduling and sending me ideas.  I appreciate it all.  And to those that are helping make it happen.    I can't wait!!!!   

Here are some things to take into consideration...

1. Time
You book your session for an hour and you think that is it. Done. What you're not thinking of is the traveling time to reach the location, sometimes set up time, time spent talking to the clients prior and post session, getting everything ready, the actual shoot, transferring and backing up the data, post processing (editing), reviewing, delivering the photos or scheduling a pick up. Each photo has its own process.  It needs to be opened and converted weather it needs any enhancements or not. Each portrait gets at least 20 minutes from me.  So if you get 10 edited images, that is at least 3 hours of work.  

2. Equipment
My gear is a full frame DSLR.  The lenses I use are top of the line. Plus there are several to chose from for different needs. - it's the best.  Lets not forget the most important gear... experience and education.  I went to school for this.  Its not just point and shoot.  Its lighting, angles and posing.... so much more.  And I still have more to learn!   One big thing especially for larger jobs, is that sometimes an assistant is required.  A second set of hands are always handy! 

3. Online Services
Maintenance of a website is no easy task. You need to learn how to build one or pay someone to do it for you. Either way it still costs money for it to exist.  A FaceBook account requires time to set up and time to maintain.  

4. Skills
Apart from being a good photographer, they have to be CEO, marketing manager, CEO, salesperson,  production worker, buyer, negotiator, driver, networker, organizer etc. That’s the kind of skill-set of Professional Photographer. Experience is the one thing that may beat everything. The Professionals are vastly experienced. They can advise you over a number of thing which you would not be able to decide. They know whats right and what could go wrong. What will work or not work.  The professional will push themselves to get the best shot possible. You are choosing a photographer for their ability to take and create a beautiful photograph.  This is not a forced photo such as you get at school.  We take our time and skills to take the best photos possible. We are not pushing through a couple hundred children. 

5. Insurance and Taxes
A legit business carries insurance. Yep thats not free either.  We need to cover ourselves just in case just as you would your car or house.  We also need to pay taxes.  So we need to either pay for someone to do our taxes or in my case learn how to do it myself.  I am learning as I go and making my own system.  That takes time as well.  So you see there is a great deal of time and care put into a photography business.  You're getting someone who cares about their work and product.  
 
5. Worth
The truth is that you get what you pay for. I gave out free sessions and the photos taken were that of a beginner photographer.  As time and experience progresses so did the photographs and the pricing.  You will get photographs worth the time and money involved. 

Here are a few favorites from our Mini Sessions!  I wanted to post before Easter but then realized that maybe some might have wanted to save them as a surprise!!!  So here are some of the photos from our interesting and extremely fun day!!!!  Thank you for all that chose to participate.  I hope you had fun too!!! 
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It's official! We are moving.  Around the end of the school year we will already have begun the process of transferring to our nations capital. Washington D.C.  This move was not expected and really didn't think that it was in our cards but none the less this is where we are destined to go.  
I believe we are being sent there to fore-fill a purpose. Just like we were sent to NJ.

 I will never forget the day Mike told us we were going to Philly.  I laughed and immediately thought of Nicole Reaves.  She had the great pleasure of being involved during my first transfer with Mike.  Her husband Charles and mine worked together in Corpus Christi.  Nicole and I worked together under the umbrella company that shall never be named.  (She helped me get the job!)  Anyway, Nicole called me up one day while I was at home. She said "Girl, has your husband called you?" Me, I said no with question of what was going on.   She told me that orders came in and how pissed I was going to be. I begged her to tell me, promising that I would never tell.  She tells me Humboldt, CA.  She continues to tell me how awful it is and mind as well be living in Seattle.   So I promise to not say a word.  We hang up.....

I'm sitting there thinking how bad can it be... It must be bad if Nicole called me to warn me. 
Just then my phone is ringing.... My husband calls and tells me to sit down.  He tells me that the orders came in and I love my husband to death I really do, but he takes 10,000 years to get the news out.   He says that we are moving to Key West.  (Ohhhh I love it there 6 months of beautiful)

​So you can imaging the surprise on my face when he tells me we are moving to PHILLY!!!    I think great he will joke and tell me we got someplace at least a little warmer..... NOPE.  He was telling the truth.    WHERE IS THE COAST IN PHILLY????

Needless to say we learned quickly where our coast was going to be. The Delaware River and his station at Delaware bay in Philadelphia, PA.  

We chose to live over the bridge in NJ.  I am NOT going to tell you how much I hate NJ or cut it down. I met a few moms here that have made this stay a great one. Lisa, Mandy and Jeanette.  They are truly great.  The good news of all this is that we get to have just a little more time to share till we leave and Washington DC is just a couple hours from where our friends and family live.   

So my father in law got my husband and I a ride over NYC with Sky River Helicopters.  I think this may have been one of my most favorites moments. Maybe EVER. Besides the kids.  
It was a 90 minute ride. Every single minute was breathtaking!  What a blast!!!   Below are some of the photos that I took.  We had to have the doors on so shooting through helicopter windows kinda is a bummer, but WHO CARES!!!

Despite getting motion sickness from looking through a lens, I would do this 10,000 times again! 
 
This ride was absolutely amazing.  I hope one day to do it again!!!! :)
Next one I really want it to be with doors off- over volcanos in Hawaii!!!!!
Could you imagine????
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So today we had an amazing day!!!! It started out with meeting an awesome makeup artist Amanda Wheeler.  

Amanda definitely has a gift! Her make up skills were perfectly matched for each person in our Zombie shoot! If you have a chance please hop over to her FaceBook Page and check out her work!  You will love it!!! 
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Want to check out the rest of our Zombie collection! Head over to the Zombie Gallery!
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I would like to thank Lisa, Mandy, Chrissy, Jeanette, Amanda and all the kids... This was such a fun filled day! 
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Please feel free to send me your play and I will post it here to the blog for sharing.... Be sure to mark your photo so we know who edited it.   Thank you!