I’ve been up to something.
Something both yummy and provoking that challenges my self-doubt and insists I push through the fears I’d rather avoid, thank you very much. It’s exciting and terrifying in the very best of ways.
I’m now selling my photography.
The idea fell into my head several months ago with such determined assurance I felt for sure it hadn’t come from me. And the way it quickened my heart and stirred up my fears confirms (as it always does) that it’s exactly what I’m suppose to be doing.
Of course, as is my fashion when I’m confronted with facing my own self-loathing demons, I procrastinated a good four months. But thanks to Visionary Mom and her awesome teams, I’m finally moving forward with a dream I’ve only toyed with for several years.
I’m still wracked with doubt. As a self-taught photographer, there is much I have left to learn and I seem to insist on perpetuating my doubts by comparing my work to the work of the many other fantastic, experienced artists doing their thing.
I almost gave up completely until this quote was whispered to me:
“Use the talents you possess: the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best.” – Henry Van Dyke
I am very, very far from the best. You could write encyclopedias on what I’ve yet to learn. And some of my attempts make even me laugh. But occasionally I stumble across a shot that lights me on fire, and am in awe to hear it do the same for others. So, this is me singing my little bird song, adding my voice to the chorus of very best in the woods.
To add to my awe and amazement, within a week of putting my prints for sale, I sold my first! Not only did I sell my first, I sold it to someone in the UK. And I don’t care what anyone says, no one is bursting the bubble of excitement I create by calling myself an international photographer. 
So without further ado, I’d like to introduce my RedBubble.
It’s where you can find my favorite prints, and order them to your specifications. You can also find cards and postcards with some of my favorite shots combined with some of my favorite quotes. And if there is something you’d like to see added, let me know!
The Giveaway!
I can’t wait to share my prints with TWO lucky winners:
- The first winner will receive an 8×12 laminated print: you choose your fave photo and border color.
- The second winner will receive a collection of each of my cards: you choose either postcards or notecards or a combination of the two!
How to enter:
There are FIVE ways to enter:
- Leave a comment here telling me your favorite print or what you’d love to see me place on RedBubble
- Tweet this giveaway (you can use the ReTweet button below) including the name of your favorite print
- Share this giveaway on Facebook, including the name of your favorite print
- “Like” The Organic Sister on Facebook
- Blog about this giveaway, linking back here and to my RedBubble account, as well as sharing the name of your favorite print.
Be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry for them all to be counted!
The giveaway will close August 31st at 8pm CST and the winners will be announced shortly after.
Good luck!
I'm Tara Wagner, life coach and creator of the Digging Deep process, where I coach women out of survival mode to recreate their lives and families.
The “open road” picture is beautiful!! =)
http://www.redbubble.com/people/tarawagner/art/5720199-2-the-open-road-card-with-quote
Congratulations on your decision to pursue your photography dream. You are very talented and have a lot to offer. Thank you for sharing your journey with us.
Ok, seriously? THOSE PICTURES ARE AWESOME! I am the worst picture taker in the world. I cute off people’s heads and everything probably because I’m only 5’2. haha.
I love: Many Steps, Red Barn Windows, Yellow Petals, Open Road, Maggie’s Hanger…HUGE FAN! and now I want to win.
RETWEETED at familyofmovers twitter.
Facebook shared! I’m already your friend on facebook silly.
Love it, Tara, the photography and the post. It’s going to be hard to write my own launch for my children’s book podcast. It was to say almost exactly what you said here (INCLUDING the quote!! lol) but much less eloquently. You have such a gift.
And my favorite is http://www.redbubble.com/people/tarawagner/art/5702760-1-slowing-down-gonzalez-tx – it reminds me of my lovely little sister who rides a bike like that and would be in heaven if she’d ridden it to a place like that.
woo-hoo!!!!! so proud of you dear sister!!!!!!
xo
~e
ps ~ my favorite is “good morning anne!!!”
It takes courage and a leap of faith to put one’s art out in the Universe. Kudos to you for jumping in the river. The water’s fine
I like to quality of the light in your work and the sensitivity with which you treat your subjects. I love looking at other people’s art because it gives me a glance into how they see the world.
That being said, I like all your work. A favorite? Don’t really have one, but I do like the sunflower and the clothespins
Best of luck.
Yay!!! I am so happy you are doing this. You totally deserve to call yourself an international photographer and get all the kudos for it! I love your work. (‘cept now you gotta travel internationally and take some photos…Mexico or Canada would work.)
It is very, very hard to choose but the “slowing down” pic is my favorite. If I don’t win, I’m gonna buy it someday.
I’m already your friend and your fan on Facebook!
I just shared on Facebook, too!
LOVE, Love, love Clothespins! All of your pics are fantastic! Shoot for your dream girl, you can’t go wrong! Best of luck!
I love Many Steps and Open Road (It’ll be a tough choice, come winnin’ time ::bg::)
Tweeted!
Liked!
Shared!
You sure do have an eye for photography! Such amazing photos! If I could pick just one I would pick “The Open Road”
Liked on FB
I love your photos! The Slowing Down and Clothespin ones are my favorites. Thank you for the chance to win!
Oh my goodness! Your work is AMAZING!! I dream of taking photos like yours… How do I ever choose a favorite? The Open Road perhaps or Many Steps or… I’ve also “liked” you on Facebook.
I “liked” you on FB
Love the red barn windows. Congratulations on your new endeavor.
hehehe
Commented (twice), tweeted (twice), facebooked, liked, pinged, and blogged.
http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2010/08/cool-photo-give-away.html
That was fun.
lol
How can I choose?
The Earth laughs in wildflowers.. or the open road… or… or!!
Liked on FB
Tweeted
Shared the giveaway on facebook
Tweeted
Linked on facebook
I ” like” you on facebook. I’m crossing my fingers for the red barn window print.
Fantastic! You are a natural. I am particulary drawn to photo art of unusual signs and things like doorways. For instance I have a huge poster of people’s doors in the centre of Amsterdam. Good luck, I’m sure you’ll do really well.
Boxcar dream is my very fave. Open road would be next. Beautiful work Tara. You are an inspiration. You just closed your eyes and jumped! Yay!
I “like” on FB.
I FB’d the giveaway…and shared my fave with friends.
Your work is great, Tara! I’m glad you’re making your lovely photography available to the world. Congrats!
My favorite is slowing down.
favorite print available: Clothespin
some recent favorites that might translate well:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/26696967@N03/4414450221/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/26696967@N03/4864776614/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/26696967@N03/4746369320/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/26696967@N03/4745772173/
Just wanted to say congratulations!! I love the zen froggy.
retweeted
posted on facebook
Wow.. gorgeous! I think my favorites are Boxcar Dreams (appeals to my gypsy soul!) and Good Morning Anne… because I love Queen Anne’s Lace flowers. Congratulations on your shop and your sales… I wish you much success in your new endeavor!
OHH My favorites would be Open Road & Clothes Pin! You rock!
Your photography is amazing and inspiring. My favorite is “slowing down” . I can’t wait to see more of your work.
Tweeted about the giveaway http://twitter.com/2bKate/status/22379871134
Liked on facebook (Kate Perdue Bowles)
Shared on facebook with fav print Slowing Down.
As the Be Good Tanyas tell us, “The littlest birds sing the prettist songs”:)
Love the boxcar and clothespin pics. Also have always had a special place in my heart for queen anne’s lace….
Beautiful photos. I love the light. My fave is Good Morning Anne. So lovely.
Liked on FB…..love your artwork, you are so very talented!!
I really love “Slowing Down,” and the mood that it portrays. I need that in my life more.
I like you on Facebook!
I’m happy for you and feel good about this move you made. Of course you should sell your photos! I love the one of the frog… He did look like a zen master there on that long leaf… good luck with everything! I love your blog.
you have an eye for it! my favorite out of those selections is “queen anne at sunrise” i love the sun in the background and dripping off the bottom of the flower! beautiful.
i became a fan of yours on facebook!
i re-tweeted too.
posted about your sweet giveaway, family and mobile services too:
http://fieldoftansy.blogspot.com/2010/08/organic-sister-giveaway.html
facebooked about it too!!
“So, this is me singing my little bird song, adding my voice to the chorus of very best in the woods.”
Wow, I love that!
Your art is beautiful. Love the red barn window, the open road, but slowing down is my favorite.
already liked you on fb
I love the print Red Barn Windows-so gorgeous!
Boxcar dream is beautiful
At first glance, I’d say my fav. is Slowing Down. I also dig the yellow with the Emerson quote, but I have a major crush on ol’ Ralph.
Thanks, and congrats on your new venture.
So cool! I can’t pick a favorite, but I really like the open road and red barn. Congrats on the new venture and I hope it goes great!
I can’t decide between The Earth Laughs or Louisianna Wildflowers. They are both beautiful.
I am already a friend on facebook.
Posted about your giveaway on facebook.
Kathi Weiss
I want “Good Morning Anne” please and thank you very much! I also Looooove your toes on the train, but the flower photo is just killer and I’m usually up before anyone in my house, I always feel like those first few moments are the best way to start the day!
I shared it on my FB!!
I “like” The Organic Sister on FB!
my fave is the bicycle, and I would love to see more tree shots
Great pics Tara! I have two favorites: The Open Road w/quote and Clothespin w/quote.
that’s really a good step
)
keep it up
Yea for new ventures! I wish you luck in this. I don’t have *a* favorite photo, but I do so love the following: “The Open Road,” “Clothespin [w/ quote]” and “slowing down.”
I just “liked” The Organic Sister over on facebook.
That’s fantastic, Tara. Oh! how i envy and admire you. this is something i’ve been toying with for a couple of years now, but…damned! those voices of fear, doubt and self loathing. you’ve inspired me to re-toy with the idea again and all day long one phrase has kept popping into head, “it (my art) doesn’t have to be perfect, it just has to be me.”
again, congrats!!!!!
I am so happy for you! I’ve admired your photos on your blog and flickr for quite some time now and am so glad that you have taken the leap!
I’d love a chance to win your giveaway too. My favorite photo from your store is “Posted – Nashville, TN”
http://www.redbubble.com/people/tarawagner/art/5720485-1-posted-nashville-tn
sunflower. yum. its my totem flower. so inspired by your courageousness. inspiring me to commit a similar act of bravery with my own art.
on facebook.
**double liked** on facebook
I’ve always admired your photography! It’s so hard to pick one fave……love Billy the goat, the cruiser in Texas, and The earth laughs in wildflowers. And all the rest of the too.
Yay for you for taking the plunge to “expose” yourself!
There were many that I really liked, but Chillaxin is (I think) my fave.
Congrats on moving forward with this!!!
Just “liked” you on Facebook.
I love the Good Morning Anne print. Queen Anne’s Lace is one of my favorite flowers. It reminds me of my grandmother.
Love reading your blog!
Love these prints! My favorite is for sure the earth laughs in wildflowers – but the slowing down one is amazing as well!
Okay my friend, I have hooked it up with all the available entry options.
You can check out my blog post here: http://anotherkindofdrew.com/blog/2010/08/29/as-luck-would-have-it/
I like your FB Fan page already. I tweeted it appropriately. It is currently my FB status update. And I am commenting.
As for many others I adore “The Open Road.” And if the gods of random.org are on my side it soon will be mine! hahahahaha.
Seriously though, congratulations! The RedBubble looks great and I know you are gonna make some sales indeed.
I love them all but if I had to choose one it’d be the Open Road. Great work!
Liked on FB!
Oh my goodness. More commenting from me.
Okay, I hit the ReTweet button above.
That is entry #2
…..and I blogged about the contest. http://anotherkindofdrew.com/blog/2010/08/29/as-luck-would-have-it/
That is entry #3.
….and I ‘Like’ your FB Fan page.
Entry #4, thank you very much. hahahahah
…aaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnnd, I posted it on my FB status.
Entry #5.
Who’s your biggest fan now, Sister? hahahaha.
Do not doubt your talent for even one second! These are amazing!
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them all, but my favorite is the clothesline close-up! Just love the simplicity of that picture and the laura ingalls quote! Makes me stop and think of all of the simple pleasures I need to remember to be grateful for!
Best wishes in this new journey!
P.S. that hand w/heart close-up from the other day needs to be added to your art gallery! beautiful!
I’m really excited that you’re doing this. I have been loving your photography so much. I think my favorite is the bike – Slowing Down. I also will never forget that photo for Bench Mondays with the turkey and the Ford. Oh – so beautiful.
Good for you!
slowing down – Gonzalez, TX
…is my favorite. Love your work, Tara.
I did not see my favorite on Red Bubble, but it is easily what I will call “Turkey on a Mercury”.
i mostly want to say YAY!!!!!! go you.
i’ll follow at some point, with my art, and i don’t even have half the confidence you lack. lmao
might as well throw myself into the hat – faves are, boxcar dreams and slowing down. gorgeous.
Facebooked
Twittered
Liked
I love the Open Road,it brings back memories of how I loved the open road to travel & gump,and to just lay on and dream as I looked up! I also feel a strong pull from the Sunflower sweat as it reminds me of my earthly departed best friend,mine grow for her! Congrats on your shop,your work is great!I love your blog so no biggie to me! Continued happiness on your journey and thanks for sharing with us!
retweeted @ eventingmum
shared on FB and already like your page!
Beautiful photos! It’s hard to choose, but one of my favorites is “Billy the Goat – Gilcrease Nature Sanctuary!”