ClaytonGerard.com: A New Chapter

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Hello all! I am pleased to bring to you all the launch of the project that I have been working on for the last few months. After starting my blog in 2012, I knew that I wanted to expand down the road by taking the blog to my own domain. I knew that I wanted to create a domain that featured my own work and was just simply my name alike the name of this blog. I am pleased to announce the start of a whole new chapter of my life as a blogger. While this is as exciting as it is, this also brings a close to a current project, being this blog.

No worries though, I’m just moving homes! This blog will now function as an archive for the most part, as I am moving to a new domain. I thank you for all who have supported my blogging on this journey and I cannot wait to post more! Have a good one and see you in the new digs!

CLAYTONGERARD.COM

Social Media Spring Cleaning

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I have spent the last few months analyzing social media to find what is really the benefit of using it or how dangerous it can be. We all know that most of us thrive on social media and that it is almost a necessity of communication for my generation as a whole. The realm of social media has turned into a very efficient and prosperous place if you used correctly. If used inappropriately, it can be a much more toxic environment that can send your brain into pool of paranoia and distress. I have found myself under this intoxicating spell for the last few years, and I have been trying to discover a solution to better my use of the Internet.

IT’S ALL BALANCE

If you have been reading my blog for a while now, you would know that I firmly believe in balance, as I am sure that much of you would agree to as well. I feel this especially comes into play when discussing the uses of social media. There is, however a much more defined line in the realm of the online world that makes what you share with the world appropriate or just blatant over sharing! You must find a balance of what you are willing to share that is serious, rad, interesting, or even a little combative.

If you find that you are much more confident and willing to say things you wouldn’t in person, you probably are not in the right means to post what you want. That can be very dangerous, and I know I have been in that boat many times, where what may seem right to post at the time, may come to be super inappropriate a night’s sleep later.

SPRING CLEANING

I have learned to only present a problem to the table if you are only going to present a solution as well. If you are like me and find yourself connected to dead-ends of the Internet that may draw that toxic stench of inappropriate sharing, it may not be a bad idea to analyze your accounts every couple months and clean out the “dust bunnies” if you will. For me that meant deleting an account that accumulated so much filth from years ago. Now that is in an extreme case, but I can definitely tell you if something you are communicating online feels uncomfortable, deleting or rearranging feels so liberating that you will be celebrating once you do it.

On a smaller scale, you may find yourself unfollowing some accounts that may come off offensive or luring in a negative way to your presence as a person. Since we are so interconnected with social media now, it is not all left at our desktops now, it is everywhere. I can promise you that rearranging your follow count helps. I did a majority of unfollowing of tabloids, and gossip Twitters for they serve a negative purpose.

IN CLOSING

You may not even find yourself having to do a check up on your social media involvement with other people every now and then. There is a benefit for doing so though, especially if you feel a negative presence every time you log onto your social networks. Remember too, there is nothing personal with unfollowing  an account that does not suit your taste. It is just like putting a book back on the bookshelf. All I encourage you to do is at least step back and check to see what you are getting out of social media. Have a great rest of the week readers! xxoo

LookBook: Shop Stop Chicago

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I finished 2013 off on a very spectacular high note. I spent the weekend in La Crosse, Wisconsin doing the wedding pictures between some close family members of mine, and with that I was on my way back to GR with of course, one obligatory stay in Chicago, my favorite town in the Midwest!

Amounting the lack of heat in the city that day, I stayed relatively warm. I do regret not packing ear muffs though, and I may have had to take refuge in a Starbucks from the shops opened! Regardless, my body stayed relatively warm because one thing they teach you to do from child birth in Michigan is layers.. layers.. layers!

My favorites of this outfit are also a shameless repeat of the season. I have been getting much use out of my combat boots along with my sable-tooth scarf from H&M! We only stayed in Chicago for not even a whole day so shopping was a must, so I made my way in the morning to the shopping mecca of Chicago being Michigan Avenue, it was a shop stop well spent!

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It was relaxing to visit the city and not feel like I had to visit everything as fast as I could which made for a casual stop on the way back to the Mitten, a very cold one at that! How is the weather holding up in your neck of the woods? I am one snow day with one on the way for tomorrow! Stay safe out there! xxoo

2013: Year In Review

December 31st, 2013

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Hello all! Yes I am sitting in front of my computer screen on the afternoon of New Year’s Eve as I rummage through my photos from my “2013” file and I am really reminiscing on all of the marvelous things that this year has brought me. Of course, it has not been perfect, but things are really looking up for me. I am finding a confidence building in my work and being as a whole which is bringing a pleasant close to this year. Here in this post you will be able to find my favorites endeavors within this year along with some extra photos I never shared with you! A little behind the scenes, if you will… Here we go!

EARLY SPRING: GRAND HAVEN

I made sure this year that I would try to see more of Michigan, and viewing Lake Michigan during the Winter was no exception! While much colder then it was inland, the views were spectacular along the mitten’s coast!

SPRING: CHICAGO 

I have always found an attraction to the city even from an early age. Chicago has held a special place in my heart which is why I adore this photo overlooking the Chicago river.

SPRING: GR FLOOD

Early April definitely brought the phrase “April showers bring May flowers” to a whole new level when a flood hit the Grand River in Grand Rapids flooding much of the banks along the river. Nothing dangerous to the city other then property damage, but the event brought plenty of Grand Rapids’ citizens downtown to view the impact of the flooding.

BIRTHDAY ENDEAVOR

As a birthday present, my close friend Becca took me out to a local cabaret dinner to listen to some high schoolers perform their own chosen pieces which made my birthday pretty kick ass!

SUMMER: PENNSYLVANIA

The first weekend of the Summer break for American students brought for me a long weekend at my sister’s home in rural Southeastern Pennsylvania! The drive was long but once we were winding in the Pennsylvania mountains, the views were definitely worth it!

EARLY SUMMER: NEW YORK

June of 2013 also brought my little meet and greet with the fabulous city of NEW YORK! I fell in love from my first step off the train onto the Manhattan pavement. I couldn’t wait to return.

EARLY SUMMER: WEDDING

On June 21st, 2013, Annmarie and the love of her life Bradley were joined in marriage in Grand Rapids! The day was so wonderful and the family could not have asked for a better day!

MID SUMMER:

Working a week on the Mississippi at Quad Cities was spiritually cleansing and rewarding to do some charity work.

MID SUMMER: MACKINAC

The annual family vacation to Mackinac Island did not cease to impress my standards of Michigan.

LATE SUMMER: DOWNTOWN SWING

I spent many Tuesday evenings with the gang downtown to find new places to chill and enjoy GROSS(Grand Rapids Original Swing Society)

LATE SUMMER: NEW YORK, AGAIN!

In mid August, I got the chance to reaffirm my love for New York during a week’s visit to my sisters abode in Pennsylvania!

I❤NY

FALL: CARNIVAL

Fall is a great time for any sort of festival with friends!

LATE FALL: THEATRE

Late fall brought the busy, yet amazing few months of working as a lead for The Princess Bride: On Stage!

WINTER: CHI-TOWN

From a Wander-Lust junkie I felt very blessed that I got to travel to my two favorite cities twice this year! It was a great cap to the year of 2013.

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I know that I couldn’t include every single event that I took part in the year of 2013, but I know for sure that I was grateful to have so many to choose from and these were some favorites! I am ready to relax this evening with some sparkling cider and contemplate about what I want the year of 2014 to bring for me. I hope you have a great, and safe New Years and that 2014 brings you more than you could ever dream of❤

2013: Freelancing Like It’s My Job

December 26th, 2013

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Happy Holidays! The year of 2013 in Grand Rapids has brought a rewarding amount of local photo-shoot opportunities for me. Freelancing has probably been one of the best choices for me to pursue throughout high school. This being that I am not stuck working countless hours at a greasy fast-food joint for minimum wage. I am doing what I love!

I have found that a majority of the work I have been doing these past couple of months have been senior pictures for high school students. This has been quite enjoyable because I am working with peers that are my age so I do not feel the pressure of working under people of those older then I. It has been great experience getting acquainted with a field that includes much of freelance work and for which I cannot be happier.

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Another great experience this past season was doing some family photos for a coworker of my mom’s! And when I mean family photos, I mean the WHOLE family including aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews… you get the picture. Not having much prior experience to was definitely a lot less over whelming once I dipped my toes in the water.

For such a large group of people, the day was very enjoyable because the family was silly and willing to have fun with the pictures, which made my job much easier!

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I recommend for anyone that has any drive or motivation to do any sort of extra work for anyone to at least try freelancing. Whether you do it as a side gig, or as a full time job, the benefits can be quite rewarding as you make the rules and can approach your work as however you please!

This weekend I am off to La Crosse, Wisconsin for a day of wedding photos! I have looking forward to this project for a few months now, and it will be good to get away for a few days before the year comes to a close. I hope you enjoy your weekend readers and had a wonderful Christmas! xxoo

Fashion Files #1: Wear What Feels Wrong!

December 17th, 2013

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I feel like my personal style has undergone a rebirth or revolution if you will in the last few months. What I mean by this is that I have been experimenting with my wardrobe choices and how I accessorize myself. These experiments require taking risks. I have always described fashion-ability as this:

Whether or not you agree with that quote, it is the outlook I have on personal style and fashion as a whole. If you want to be fashionable you have to be willing to change the game with your own choices that involve risk. You will constantly receive criticism for what you wear if it isn’t the norm, so you could stick to trends, but where the hell is the fun in that?

For example. I decided to try wearing black nail polish for the first time just for fun. I know that men wearing black nail polish is not much but associated with the stereotype of the 90’s goth-macabre image, but I have been really intrigued by wearing a lot of blacks lately, especially in contrast with the Winter, so I went ahead and did it. I definitely did get some weird stares in public, and condescending questions from friends “Are you wearing black nail polish?” as if they couldn’t answer their question from their own observation.

Regardless of the public reaction, I liked how it looked and I looked badass. I expressed how I wanted to look in compliance with my clothes and I actually got more positive then negative reactions. I received comments like “Only you, Clay could pull that off.” That kind of comment makes me feel good because it gives me some sort of sense of identity. The main point being, I liked how I looked and I was glad that I took the risk and disregarded what others would think to produce a look that felt assuring to what I was going for.

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No matter how wrong that kooky-patterned button-up feels to wear, or how dashing that hot pink blazer looks on a store rack, do not be afraid to take the plunge and experiment. Getting over the hump of irrelevant opinions of others and wearing what you want makes you feel like a bad ass. Have a fantastic week readers! xxoo

 

Wishlist #1: Black & White Wear

December 16th, 2013

I find myself developing an addiction to black and white wear as you can tell by this wishlist. I probably should find more then Forever 21, and H&M to hand my wallet over to though, but their online store has the best selection!

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1. Essential Striped TShirt , 2. H&M Patterned Blazer, 3. Zebra Print Tie 4. Black Leather Look TShirt 5. Headphone Sweatshirt 6. Houndstooth Bowtie

Review: The Rough Guide To Blogging

December 6th, 2013

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 A few months ago, I found myself rummaging through an old stack of books lying around the house, and I came across a book I acquired some years ago, like 6 years ago. I don’t even remember why I purchased the book in the first place considering that I was in middle school and I had not even been serious about the blogosphere at the time. I actually cannot find a justification at all for the purchase in my memory, but boy I am glad I have it now!

I pulled it out again recently, because I am finding myself developing some habits I had spent time over the Summer trying to get rid of such as consistency of posting, and other rules of thumb. I needed a little kick that inspired me, and kind of reminded me of some of the fundamentals of blogging!

This book is a great choice if you are new to blogging, or trying to achieve my incentives from above. There is a lot of explaining of the principles of blogging and what it’s purpose is. It also contains many resources to online hosts, blog examples, html design and even has a whole section on Podcasting! It really does cover it all!

I will admit, one thing about this book is that it was published in 2006, making some of it’s resources and ideas out of date, considering that world of blogging has definitely evolved since then. While the actual online resources may be “out of date,” a lot of the principles shared from the early 2000s actually are much more helpful to review from a time when blogging was way less competitive and more about the content being posted. If you are looking to write with more authenticity, I think this is a great resource!

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I am enjoying finding old, and new resources as I grow to keep me motivated and keep me grounded when it comes to the fundamentals of blogging! I hope you have a fantastic weekend readers!

• Buy on Amazon!
• Jon Yang’s blog: jonyang.org

November Windup: Monthly Favorites

December 1st, 2013

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This month has seen endless exam preparation, fall play rehearsals, and freelance photography! All of these things I cannot complain about in the least! I did well on my exams, the fall play was a grand success, and my clients have been pleased with my work! The month has quickly brought temperatures in Michigan to an all time low, and the snow is coming in, which is bringing the holiday spirit to this home!

Kat, I have been waiting to feature you for my monthly favorites, even though you have been a favorite for a while! Kat Williams of RockNRollBride shares the alternative weddings of many love birds along with her own writings of life as a blogger and the business behind it. She also is a headmistress of the Blogcademy, a workshop to help bloggers reach their full potential! I am getting a kick out of looking through all of the wedding photos for inspiration!

Do you have that one accessory you recently purchase and cannot wear it enough? That is this hounds-tooth scarf from H&M! I find myself this winter wearing more black and white, and I cannot complain! It has kept me warm through my walks from the parking lot into school, and during photo-shoots with clients.

Although I have NOT seen Frozen, this song done by Idina Menzel was absolutely amazing! I felt nostalgia to her performance in Wicked, and she has such an amazing voice! I cannot get enough of it, and am quite tempted to go see the movie!

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This past month was a busy one bringing my senior year closer and closer to an end. Finishing one show, and bringing another show to a beginning is a lot of work but a lot of excitement as well! December is going to bring a close to a great year!

On Giving Thanks

November 28th, 2013

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Thanksgiving is one of those holidays that’s importance comes along with the contemplation of the importance of the holiday itself. As I watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade I am reflecting on what I am actual thankful for in my life. When I open up a new tab for my blog I shudder at the most recent post date is November 4th. I have not even been able to get myself to formulate a cliche post with excuses about why I haven’t posted.

That is when I stopped. Excuses? I should not have to feel sorry for the other accomplishments I have been focusing on my lifetime for my senior year. I gave way to turning my excuses into positive means of things to be blessed with.

Here are some things I have be thankful for on this day:

• Performing for a lead role in my last high school, fall play.
• Receiving A’s on all of my school work this past trimester.
• Maintaining photo jobs throughout the season.
• Performing in choir for a choral festival across the state.
• Developing a portfolio for school.
• Getting accepted to all of the universities I have applied to for school.
• Still keeping a strong relationship with my recently-moved sister.
• Being able to stay close with friends.
• Enjoying my senior year!

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So while these are only some monumental things I highlight to be thankful for today, I have come to love Thanksgiving every year when I take a step back  forgetting all of the great food, following sales of the day, and remember the true importance of the holiday and reflections that come from it. I hope you all have a great holiday and I am glad to be back in my writing game. Don’t eat too much turkey now. Happy Thanksgiving!  xxoo