CHICKEN - OUR REEL LIFE - Web Series

OUR REEL LIFE Web Series - Episode 14 "Chicken"
An unscripted web show, starring Charles and Jennifer Maring, that takes you behind the scenes of their creative journey as a married couple who make their living as artists.

Photography and Video by Maring Visuals
Filmed on the Lumix GH4, G7, and LX100

Trying to find the work / life balance

This is among our most exciting and most exhausting times of the year. We are excited because we have several artful projects in the works, and we are starting to get to see past clients on a regular basis for portrait sessions. We are exhausted because we just wrapped our busiest time of the year, and now are trying to find the energy we need to stay strong until January 1st.

Jennifer Maring capturing beautiful family portraits in meriden, Connecticut

The week leading up to Thanksgiving is always a push for us. We are coming off of a month of extreme hours, and trying to find a work life balance even though we know there is no such thing. We photograph a LOT of family and children's portraits this time of year as everyone starts gearing up for the holidays. Luckily the warm weather has allowed us to work outdoors in some beautiful locations as the fall foliage stuck around longer than normal this year. We adore this time of year though simply because we get to reunite with clients who's weddings and families we have photographed for decades. It's a big part of what allows us to see that the hard work we do has meaning, and it feels good to be trusted with such special memories. I joke about being the jester, but the truth is I love playing the fool in order to make the kids laugh. I dressed up in a chicken suit this Halloween, and that was the last time these kids saw me. It turns out that I have a real talent when it comes to chicken sounds:)

HOME FIXES AND IMPROVEMENTS

7 foot snow drift at our home in connecticut

We are lucky that for the warm fall for sure, but know that we have to get moving on getting issues around the house fixed before winter really kicks in. If we don't set aside time on our schedule for home repairs they will surely add up and get out of hand. As a small business owner this is easily the biggest challenge we face as we are so busy taking care of others that we forget about ourselves. It's just so hard to say no to business, yet we know that if we don't make time for simply keeping up, we will pay a price much greater in the long run.

IN ORDER TO GIVE OUR BEST WE HAVE TO BE OUR BEST

Jennifer Maring practicing aerial Yoga at Studio Ascend in North Haven

Health is another issue entirely, and Jennifer is right when she made the above statement. While many may think that the majority of our work hours are spent behind a camera, the truth is that we are sitting at a computer far more. The long hours of editing is bad for our health, and the fall doesn't allow us to exercise at all due to the demands on our time. Jennifer makes time each week for Yoga in the down months, and it's great to see her back at it. Studio Ascend in North Haven, Connecticut has some great Yoga classes and instructors, and Jennifer is addicted to their aerial class. Although I am not a fan of the gym, I go 7 days per week over the winter months just to stay on top of my health. So, I am looking forward to getting back into shape after the past few months hard work behind the computer.

ARTFUL PROJECTS

Charles Maring painting in the art studio at the CT home

As we have mentioned in other posts, we couldn't be more excited about what we are up to artistically speaking. Most know that we are photographers and filmmakers, but I am also a fine art painter. I've been getting up at 4am most days in order to work on finishing some large format pieces that have needed attention for the past few months. I have also turned the paintings into fine art fashions with a new brand we are launching called CHARLEE. The name comes from combining my name and Jennifer's middle name, and we are working together on creating the garments, finding the resources, and getting it all organized for launch. As my muse, Jennifer is showing her fashionable side by allowing me to photograph and film her in the samples we are getting in daily. I'm excited to see this all come to life over the next few months.

NEXT UP

Up next we start gearing up for Christmas. We have a lot of decorating to do, cookies to bake, and holiday portrait sessions galore. We look forward to sharing straight through the holiday season!