Got Milk?

Life is a journey, as they say and we all know by now, it is not about the destination. Most of us believe it, but even still we often get ideas in our head that when we reach a certain status, or accomplish a goal of some kind, we’ll feel as if we’ve finally arrived. We all have a little of that in us, even if we know that there really is no true end to our dreams and ambitions (thankfully).

Of course, we might ‘make it’ to certain milestones, or gain the recognition we have sought after but is there really ever a time we totally surrender, slam on the breaks, stop and say to ourselves I have arrived ? Even if only for a little while?

The other evening my family and I attended an intimate media event for the Great Gallon GiveMilk Campaign. As we approached the lovely grounds of the W in Los Angeles where the event was held, I saw my sister and my nephew as they were getting their milk mustaches in place for a Got Milk Studio portrait. An official Milk Mustache Portrait? Gasp! I had no idea how much I really coveted those ads until that moment. I felt as giddy as a school girl! I realized that in fact, this was a dream coming true. For the rest of the evening, I felt like I had arrived!

Maybe it was just the feeling a part of such a clever, photo centric and visually stunning campaign even though the only place you’ll see this photo is right here on this post (or on my mantle). Or maybe it’s because it’s I have a honest to goodness love-affair with milk (no, I’m not kidding). Whatever the reason, there was something wonderful about it. It was an unexpected highlight for me and for just a few hours I was able to hold onto that feeling. It was like a little bit of magic.

Is there anything in your life that could present itself to make you feel like you have arrived? Or maybe there is there an image you've captured that makes you gasp with giddiness, “I did that and it is marvelous”.  Share your school-girl excitement with us today!

To answer the question Why Milk? and see the totally adorable new addition(s) to the Milk Mustache celebrity list visit the why Milk? website. Image above courtesy of photographer Mark Davis.

Comments

[Marcie]

What fun!!
For me - it's finding the unexpected that makes me feel as if I've 'arrived':
http://www.marciescudderphotography.com/index.php?showimage=1036

[Samantha D]

I keep telling myself that I will have "arrived" when I can do photography as my full time business, instead of my part time business. Or that I will have arrived when I get a photo published. Or when I have the money to upgrade to more professional (read: expensive) equipment.

Sometimes though, my only goal is taking a picture that captures how beautiful a moment really was...

http://robandsamphoto.com/artwork/1148074_Kai.html

[Debbie E]

WOW look at that mustache!! love it and your camera,,yeah you can just hand that over hehehe
lovely!!

[Isabel Kallman]

iconic, baby! I'm giddy for you.

[Darlene]

What a fun image!

When I come home from a photo shoot and quickly upload my images, I scan to see what catches my eye. I'll edit those first. And then, maybe days later, I'll go through some that don't jump out at me but are worth editing anyway. After editing and cropping I soon discover the "wow" in that image. That is when I feel I've arrived - when I can take an ordinary image and change its essence.

Here are a few I just did: http://www.whimsicalyearsphotography.com/blog/1273/reason-and-passion-maine-lifestyle-photographer/

[APeetsMom]

I LOVE THIS PICTURE of you so much!!!! And the one of you and the girls I must have!! Terrific! xo k

[Tracy]

As a self taught photographer - I often have felt along the way, a need to prove myself. A need to one day arrive in a moment where we all can see that yes, in fact, I might actually qualify to do this professionally. I do this professionally, by the way, and yet there still is that wish....to be deemed by someone or some institution, professionally worthy. Whenever asked 'what do you do' the inner gremlins awaken and begin their chatter....and in the past, I sputter out quietly and without much steam, 'I'm a photographer'. I work at this year after year, and have found myself standing taller and more assured, more confident in my work and accepting of my own talent. It's glorious to work at something you love and validated or not, arrived or not...I'm doing great. And I loved this new state of being. And almost right after finally getting to that point of arriving in my own self acceptance...something magical happened. My work was published in a European magazine. And then another. And then another. All in the course of two months. And the thrill of that - of seeing my name beside those photos, would not have been so exciting, had I been still waiting for that validation. I beamed with pride...and shrieked like a girl, with each call and email that came with the wonderful news. And that feeling, where others see in your photography, what you saw in the first place that moved you to photograph it, is the buzziest feeling ever. And what I truly wanted from all this, way back when. To share my perspective. That's my 'arrived' moment. And by the way, I want to arrive over and over and over!

[Trude]

LOVE that shot of you Tracey! :) So much fun! At this point, where I'm in they grey area between amateur and professional, being able to post a selection of my fave shots from a session really makes me feel like I've arrived. It's something tangible that I can show the world, KWIM?

http://recoveringfirecracker.squarespace.com/blog/2010/1/10/lena-jenn-and-erik.html

[Toni | Daily Vignette]

I remember very clearly my last "I've arrived" moment and it was when you, Tracey, asked if I would do a guest post here at SS. I was so dang excited and could not wipe the grin off my face all day long. Thank you for that! =)

[jeanine]

oh dear! i don't know if i'll ever feel like i've arrived and it's not necessarily for any sense of accomplishment or success. it's that i feel like i will always be searching for adventure opportunities. having said that... hmmm. being a shutter sister might make me feel that way haha. also, at this moment in time, my heart feels as though it has arrived and it hasn't felt that way in a really, really long time.

ps. great stache ;)

[Melissa G]

Too much fun! I love it.

My moment of arrival came in the form of a big pile of Estonian knitted lace.... http://knititall.wordpress.com/2009/12/23/wrapped-up/

[tracey clark]

I was there too! =)

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