Dear Canon 70-200 2.8 IS,

I want to thank you for the beautiful work you have done for me over the years. Your bokeh is incredible, your compression unrivaled, and I have many loving nicknames for you, most of them involving "sweet" or "mack daddy." But I have been thinking about us a lot lately, and I'm afraid I need to end things.

Frankly, you just weigh too much. Your superior glass and image stabilizing motor tip the scales at 3.2 lbs. I have an old sports injury in my shoulder that sends me to the cupboard for handfuls of ibuprofen after you and I spend any time together, alas. This weekend I have a date with someone you might know, however -- the 70-200 F4 (much slower F-stop, yes, but half your weight). You will be with me in spirit.

By way of thanks, here are some of my favorite shots that you have given me over the years. You have allowed me to get close to skeptical children who would otherwise run from a camera, and let me peek in on secret moments that no one knew you saw. I will always love you. You are amazing. But the use of my left arm is just too important to me, so I must bid you farewell.

Much love always,

Abigail

Note: All of the following images were shot with the { Canon 70-200mm 2.8 IS lens }. All images are at F2.8, my go-to setting 90% of the time. I have rented this delicious lens from { LensProToGo }, an outfit I highly recommend. I'm renting the lighter lens from them this weekend, so I'll let you know how it goes!

Marissa Kaplan showed up in our office four years ago with a black art-store portfolio and a willingness to help with whatever we needed. She was a high school senior here in Greensboro and photography was her passion. She went away to college that autumn, and would come by on every school break, intern each summer, and "trailed" us at weddings until she eventually became a second-shooter herself. She recently travelled with Traci and me to photograph a wedding New Jersey (images to come soon), and her talent just continues to blossom.

As she enters her senior year at Boston College, I wanted to give her a shout-out and a chance to showcase her work. She is a rising star and I am honored to have her as my friend and colleague. Here are her thoughts on her journey so far, and a few of her favorite images follow:

When did you first get interested in photography?
The summer after my freshman year in high school I went to Costa Rica for three weeks on a Spanish immersion trip. I loved the land and culture so much I ended up taking so many photos. When I returned from my trip and reviewed my pictures, I came across a photo I had taken through the window of a moving bus passing by Arenal Volcano. The weather was poor and the visibility was limited and it was my goal to get one decent photo of the volcano. For only a quick second, the clouds broke and a slight glimmer of light afforded me the opportunity to capture that sight. The challenge of balancing motion, character, intent, and substance became a thrill for me.

What was your first camera?
My very first camera was a Polaroid Instant Camera that I got when I was 8. I was so enamored with the instant photo that I would go around taking pictures of anything and anyone, just as long as it gave me the chance to shake that photo! My first serious camera was a Konica Minolta Maxxum 5D my grandfather and my brother Zachary gave me when I was about 16. That's when I became very serious about photography. I schlepped that camera all over the place until I finally outgrew it.

What does this coming year hold for you?
I am fortunate that Boston College has enabled me to study Human Development and Photography. In doing this work, I am able to better understand the impact of photography and communication as a method of both story-telling and tangible memories. It excites me to know that I will be shooting for various photographers as well as within my school, capturing the excellence of our Dance Ensemble, assisting in directing the Arts Festival, and being a council member of BC Art Club. In addition, I am humbled to photograph exceptional children at our Campus School. These are all part of an independent study investigating the definition and expression of an image and its perception by its viewers as well as by those depicted in the photograph.

What camera do you shoot with now and what's your favorite lens and why?
I currently shoot with a Canon 5D Mark II which I adore! My favorite lens is probably my Canon 24-70mm f/2.8. It is versatile, fairly lightweight, and has an amazing range -- I think it is the best all-around lens for the buck.

Where do you see yourself in five years?
In five years I hope to be an established photographer - shooting and sharing stories that reveal truth and hopefully move those who see it. Oh, and working for National Geographic would be fine, too!

During my high school senior year, when I had taken a beginner's class in black and white photography and thought I might become a filmmaker someday, I became friends with a funny and smart sophomore girl at our school. She was very tall and gangly, but instead of being a dithering Valley Girl like the rest of us, she was quiet and watchful, like a rare bird. I once saw a tattered paperback copy of The Peloponnesian War next to her bed -- she was reading it for fun. The guys at our school overlooked her completely (boy, aren't they sorry now!), and I felt very protective of her, even though she was nearly 6' tall.

One afternoon we hung out together and I took a roll of Tri-X Pan with a Nikon EM and a 50mm lens (my only camera and lens for many years, btw):

The thing that strikes me most about these images is how little she has changed (24 years have gone by), and yet how powerful she was in front of the camera, even then. I had no clue what I was doing (hey, I was 19, remember?), and I got the sense that she was taking the photos, I was just pressing the shutter.

A few weeks later I was in her apartment when she got a phone call, after which she said calmly, "I just got a part in a movie." (It turned out to be "Dangerous Liaisons").

Needless to say our worlds diverged pretty rapidly, mine focused on dorm life, clove cigarettes and learning how to print in the darkroom; hers was suddenly handled by lots of people, including publicists, agents and managers. When we have touched base occasionally over the years she has always been gracious and lovely, never a diva.

I feel honored that her blithe spirit brushed past mine as it whirled on its way (and I'm really glad I had my camera with me that day!).

I spent the afternoon in Charlotte yesterday listening to Justin & Mary Marantz give a very inspirational talk on how to be a small business owner and still have a meaningful, enriching life. I learned so much, and one of the most interesting exercises of the day was that we were asked to write our own obituaries. Despite all the books I have read over the years on how to set goals and think backward from where you want to be in the future, I have somehow never completed this task. It was a moving experience and one I highly recommend as a way to get very clear about what you are really about. What came up for me is a quote that spoke to me years ago and I realize is a driving force in my life even still: "Of all sad words of tongue and pen, these are the saddest, 'It might have been.' " (John Greenleaf Whittier)

So many of the decisions I've made in my life were spurred not by "what will happen if I do this," but "what will happen if I DON'T do this." It has created a path for me that, while bumpy at times, has never been dull.

Does anyone have a motto/quote that sums up your philosophy of life or just inspires you? I want to start a page with this collection and would love to get some new ones. You can leave it in the comments below or send me an email. I'll draw a name next week and send you a fun quote book as a thank you.

****SOLD OUT!!! Thanks to everyone who has signed up, and I will be doing another workshop in a a few months. Be sure to sign up for my newsletter in order to be notified first. If you'd like to be put on a waiting list for the next workshop, send me an email. Thanks again!!****

I am truly excited to be able to announce the upcoming Intro to Photography Workshop I'll be teaching next month. Click on the image below for more information and to reserve your spot. Looking forward to seeing you next month!