I took this and didn't delete it. Victory.

This is the tree outside my window. Every year, its the first tree to start shedding, but its always the last to drop its final leaves.

Sometimes I wonder if I'm like this tree. Stubborn in my ways to complete change, hanging on to that last little bit.

“All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another.”

Much like fall, its time for change.

Meet Erica's kids, well, at least three of them. Erica is a talented amazing stylist at Donaylle Nicole Hair Studio and she's been stylin' my do since I was a freshman in high school. We recently got together to get some fun pictures of the kids and family - and after days of delays due to weather, we really lucked out. They're so stinkin' cute and easy to shoot!

Recently my sister took her kindergarden class to the apple orchard for a field trip and I got to tag along both as a chaperone and to document a few pictures along the way.

Pumpkin patch.

She's growing up so fast.

These kids are from my trip to Honduras this past summer. While there we handed out school supplies to sponsor children at a bilingual Christian school my church assists with - its also the same school my sister and brother-in-law taught at for a year. These kids, along with several others, receive help paying for tuition, uniforms, books and and this case, school supplies. I got the privilege to take head-shots of all the children receiving sponsorship and those needing sponsors so that hopefully, someone here would help them get an education.

If nothing else, maybe I'm just trying to find my niche.


I still don't know where I fit in photographically.

Central Michigan defeated Michigan State, 17 years to the date of the last victory over the Big Ten school.

I got to be on the sidelines.

The village of La Union in Honduras

Now that I'm home, I've been spending a lot of quality time with this cutie, my personal baby model.

More sailboats, however, this came about by accident, rather, it wasn't my intent.
My dear friend Norm along with my ever gracious boyfriend came to town to beach it up for the holiday weekend. After being cooped up due to the cool temps and my hair appointment it seemed fitting to take a stroll down the boardwalk. Always being conscience to have a camera at all times with us, I napped mine, threw over my shoulder and headed out. We stopped near the end of the pier and because of the rising temperatures in the day and cooling temps at night and near frigid water, the water has been creating a hazy, misty fog outward, making it boats entering the harbor appearing to be emerging from the mist. I snapped a couple of this grand ancient looking sailboat not thinking anything of it until today when I was at work on toning some friends photos. Friends and family have given me an astonishing amount of feedback concerning this image, which strangely, is what I needed to hear. It just keeps reminding me to continue to shoot because after all, you never know what you'll find when you're not looking.

I helped my mom's good friend out with her daughters wedding. We took a couple of updated photos of the happy couple for a surprise board for the wedding. It was a great sunny afternoon, especially after days and days of clouds and rain.

Driving home from running errands, I took a stroll past the channel and saw this scene. I ran home, grabbed my camera, some long glass and went back hoping for more sailboats coming in from the fog. Lucky me, one last one.

Well. This has been a long time post I've been writing in my head for quite sometime. Graduation had come and gone and now I've found myself in my childhood home, surrounded by cardboard boxes of books, clothing and trinkets of my university days - trying to squeeze myself and my life for the past five years into a place I don't quite remember. It's a strange thing coming back, coming back to a town and a house that doesn't feel like home anymore. To place where you have no plans, no future or no prospects. Its a scary and uncomfortable adventure. It's weird being this age, in this time in my life. I still feel so young, so native, however with the pressures of advancing to a more adult and mature way of life. I guess I'm here to declare the transition my life has taken. I don't know where I'm going but I know where I've come from. I've spent five years practicing a craft I know in my heart I adore, the question remains, where it will take me. However, as seen above, I have an amazing family that I will always continue to document.

Stay tuned.

Recently I was granted the opportunity to do some freelance work for two high school graduations. It was really nice to get out and make some fun, creative, news pictures. I kept repeating, 'find the light, find the light' over and over again in my head. I hope these echo that sediment.

Memorial Day weekend.


Ahh yes, its finally summer.

Oh the many faces of bath time.

ROTC
What an experience. I got to ride in a military helicopter, eat MRE's, and spend an entire day with the ROTC. Granted, it rained all day, leaving me with very wet socks, shoes and muddy jeans, all while improvising a make-shift raincoat for my camera gear out of an extra garbage bag I keep in my camera bag just for these instances. However, aside from the rain, cold and nearly losing my breakfast on the very bumpy ride to Big Rapids via helicopter, it was an amazing experience resulting in some amazing photographs. I'll be sure to post more.

Here's to those late nights, seemingly endless parties, hidden moments and people I'll never forget.

The protest heard'round campus.

Above is one the final shots I was able to make at the Jock Rock event at Central Michigan University before this happened:


I've always been teased for being a bit on the clumsy side and unfortunately this last minute, late night, deadline assignment after a already long day of shooting caused me, rushing back to the office, to drop my lens on floor. As you can see, cracking the casing and jamming the inside. It's been sent out for repairs and I'm crossing my fingers that its repairable and at a decent cost. Ah, the price of my major. Lessons learned.

***On a side note, hopefully I'll be updating more frequently. Its been a very long and stressful couple of weeks, I was away for Easter but should be getting back into the swing of things, wrapping up classes, work and making my way towards graduation.

Here's the story: Lifeline feature shot for a section all about wine. Racking my brain on how to do something "artsy" without being too artsy - this idea popped into my head. So to create my own inexpensive soft box, I simply stuck a white sheet in the ceiling tiles at work in front a window, and ta-da. Instant soft box. Just proving if you get a little creative, you can get exactly what you want - for free even.

Threads. It was my first time and unfortunately last time getting to cover this event, but I had so much fun spending the day with all the designers and models both on stage and backstage.

It's been awhile since I've posted a news/feature type photo. So here you go.

I can't believe graduation is a mere 33 days away. I've spent five years of my life here at Central and I don't feel nearly ready to leave it yet. I've also spent nearly two years working for Life and I know, despite the sometimes drama and overwhelming work it can be at times that I wouldn't be who I am and where I am without it. Not to mention all the great people I've met along the way.
So here's to another five years and another new adventure.

Its baseball season and its Michigan, which means, its still cold as hell outside!

New Website

Check out my new website:
www.jessicalscott.com


***Its still under construction but I hope to have it fully functional by the end of the week or so depending on how quickly I get over this flu!

Grandpa.
There's a lot of things I could say.
I remember how he always wore plaid, red and green it would seem were his favorites. His love of cars, gas station memorabilia and mostly flowers, gardens and tulips undoubtedly.
He said hello in a way I couldn't begin to explain or even articulate but in a way that was uniquely his own.
He loved coffee and donuts in the morning and indulged in chocolate covered cherries and sweets whenever possible.
I'll never forget his greased jet black hair or the white hankies he carried in his back pocket and strangely enough the sound of him blowing his nose.

This picture isn't how I'll remember him. I want to remember a more vibrant agile man that he always was before succumbing to the reality that is age and terrifyingly enough, cancer.


But that's the beauty of pictures.
We can capture something we want to remember long after its gone.

I know what you're thinking. Jessica, more wrestling?

I was recently privileged the opportunity to travel down to St. Louis MO to watch Central Michigan University's Mike Miller take on the number one seed, University of Michigan's Steve Luke in the 174 weight class in the NCAA National Wrestling Championships. Despite the fact it was nearly an 8 hour drive there and back, and the fact that we literally got out of the car, inside the Scottrade Center and shot, then back in the car to make the trek back to Michigan all within 24 hours, it was still amazing. Yes Miller did lose, 8-4, but he did it with class and still became an All-American and second runner-up.
The atmosphere was contagious and the wrestling, which I'm big fan of, was spectacular.

I'm really thankful I got to do this before I graduate and I'm really thankful it was for such a great sport and team as the CMU wrestlers.

I made it my goal this semester to get better and better at shooting sports, particularly wrestling and I think I did pretty well.

There's always room for improvement but I achieved something it making it this far, nevertheless.

St. Patrick Day fashion - both green and color and added green for your wallet. All the fashions featured in this photo and others are courtesy of your local Goodwill and fitting as well, the backside of many local Mount Pleasant bars made for wonderful backdrops. Check out the story at CM-Life.com

Time to update this little one, hard to believe she'll be one year old in April.

The wrestling team won its eighth straight Mid-American Conference Championship Sunday.
The Chippewas took first with 111.5 points and Kent State finished second with 82.5.
The team had four wrestlers score individual championships, along with five others getting second.
"This was a big step for the team," said head coach Tom Borrelli. "They were very disappointed after the dual meet lose to Kent State. This team is young and resilient, every time we get knocked down, we have responded in a positive way."

I love shooting wrestling. Even though I'm on Spring Break, Matt and I volunteered to head to Eastern Michigan to keep up with the team at the MAC Championships. Even though I probably won't get paid or my gas covered but I don't care, the experience and the chance to shoot more than totally worth it.

I can't wait for the National Championships in St. Louis later this month.

Some SIBS weekend out-takes. This girl was such a ham, she had great expressions.

Michelle and Jeff's wedding in Milford.
I loved the colors and the church was big, beautiful and full of light. Which exactly what I need to make some great pictures.

It was a gorgeous wedding, and I wish the both of them a happily ever after!