Hi everyone!
Well, as you can see, I’ve been away from blogging for FAR TOO LONG! I have a backlog of beautiful images to share that is a mile long, but I am also starting a new series that I am super excited about, and I’m calling “Photo Tip Tuesday”. Each Tuesday, I will share something handy to know if you are preparing to go have portraits made. We’ll talk about everything from styling to safety (yes, believe it or not, safety IS something that I think about when I enter a portraiture session!).
So, here we go!
Today’s post was inspired (unfortunately), by a dear photography friend who lost a sweet 6 year old family member to Rocky Mountain Fever. For those of you who may not know, Rocky Mountain Fever is a dangerous illness that is transmitted through tick bites. Medicine has come a long way since this illness was discovered, but it can still prove fatal if not treated early. Initial incubation is about 1-2 weeks after a tick bite, and according to the CDC, symptoms present as the following:
Initial symptoms:
- Fever
- Nausea
- Emesis (vomiting)
- Severe headache
- Muscle pain
- Lack of appetite
- Parotitis in some cases (somewhat rare).
Later signs and symptoms:
The point of sharing this information is not to scare you, but with summer in full swing, and prime conditions, we know that we coexist with ticks. So, to practice caution, the CDC offers good suggestions on how you can minimize your chances of getting a tick bite. Rather than try to simply summarize, I’m linking you directly to their site, as they provide additional links and supplements. You can find the information on the CDC website HERE. Also, you can find a list of repellants HERE, and you can find a source for NATURAL repellant advice HERE.
I make a point of reminding all of my clients, upon the the end of a session, to make SURE they check for ticks, and to do it before they get in their cars. It offers a humorous end to our time together to engage in a relatively funny “grooming” session, but as funny as it is, it IS important and it is something that is easily overlooked.
So, don’t let pesky insects ruin your summer fun, or your beautiful portrait session. Practice prevention, and enjoy your time in the great outdoors!
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