Need a Little More Coffee

There are several things going on in the studio right now that I can't really blog about...for lots of reasons. But please know that if you are waiting on a sneak peek, proofs or an email I will get back to you just as soon as absolutely possible. Right now I'm running on only a few hours of sleep each night - so I'm doing all that can be done. Of course, if I can convince a doctor to give me an IV for coffee I might get caught up!

Speaking of coffee...it's midnight and I still have a solid two + hours of work in front of me so I'm gonna have another cup of the good stuff and make this short. I'd love to write something meaningful, but right now my brain just isn't working. Hmmm...kinda like that zombie state you tend to be in when you have a newborn...

Speaking of newborns... welcome to the world sweet baby "S" Sweet sweet girl with all of her girly outfits. You KNOW I was lovin' it ; )

Coming Soon...

Another baby boy! Congrats "R" family! I can't wait to meet baby boy #2!

The Story

Petites are a great way to do a quick session, focusing on one particular thing. They're quick, easy and cost effective. They're really great as "filler" sessions for those of you who only do a big session once every other year.

But sometimes, one shot doesn't do it. Sometimes...sometimes you need the whole story.

If I showed you this image all by itself...you'd say ok - sweet kid - sweet expression...

but if I show you THIS you get the whole picture

(which would be "ha ha MOM...I'm not wearing that hat!!")

By the way, I get lots of calls asking what, exactly, is a storyboard? Voila. A storyboard consists of multiple images printed onto one large print which tell a story.

Now that doesn't mean that every image should fit into a storyboard or that you couldn't pull one of the images off the storyboards above and use them as a print all by themselves. Of course you could. It doesn't mean that petites aren't a great option either. It just means that sometimes, you need a full boutique session to tell a story. 'Cause sometimes it's all about the story. And sometimes it's all about the expression.

Finding Myself part II

So yesterday was a serious post...focusing on my career path and the why of it all. But part of discovering who I am has been the realization that I'm not a very serious person. I can be serious - don't get me wrong - but it doesn't last for very long.

So today's post and sneak peek is about the lighter side of finding myself.

Here's some of what I know about myself now that I'm older...

I love my sleep

but I'm so tired from running a business and keeping up with three little boys that I often fall asleep in strange places

I'm becoming quite the fan of clean and simple...modern. Definitely did not see that one coming.

I really like to bake and love natural and organic recipes

I have a serious time management problem

Once upon a time I wasn't a very "girly girl" The older I get, the more "girly" I become. Pink has moved from totally unacceptable to acceptable at times

going along with the "girly" thing, I've found that having my hair done right can make a bad day good.

and most importantly ... to you, my clients ...

I am a total sucker for baby eyes

and I melt with a toothless grin (which I may have one myself if my cavity problem doesn't go away soon!)

Welcome to the world baby "K"! Enjoy the ride sweet girl.

Finding Myself

There's a myth out there (at least here in the midwest & in the south where I grew up). It goes like this...

-One graduates from high school and goes to college

Said person then spends the next four years finding themselves and discovering who they really are. what they stand for. what makes them laugh, cry, angry, calm. what they're really good at and what they're not so good at

One then graduates from college and immediately goes into their career and life fully enlightened, educated and ready to take on the world.

This, my friends, is a myth. At least I think so.

Reality goes something more like this -

-One graduates from high school thinking they know everything...

Then goes on to college where they spend 5 years playing a role of half kid/half adult - and discovering more about their tolerance for a lack of sleep (among other things we won't talk about) than their inner selves. inner self? huh?

One then graduates from college only to feel like they've been dumped into a tornado with no basement in sight...

then, over the course of the next 10 to 15 years, slowly, this person is being built into who they are. they don't realize it. 'til one day - a few short months before their 35th birthday - they realize that they are becoming very aware of who they really are.

"Said person" would be me. I'm betting it's you too.

So what {WHAT} does this have to do with photography?

15 years ago, I would never have dreamed that I'd be here right now. There's so many things that makes each of us who we are. But I'm gonna focus on career for now.

After stumbling into photography as a career, I've spent years photographing just about anything portrait related. What I've discovered is that my creativity, patience, love is with the little guys. 10{ish} and younger ... that's my thing.

And my real real deal "thing" is the newborns. I went through a stint where I really thought I wanted to be a L&D nurse. But the reality is, I don't have the brain for the science and I don't have the stomach for the delivery part of the L&D. But I have the patience to sit and hold them 'til they relax and squish into that perfect shot. I love spending hours with a fresh baby. Love capturing the things that make them newborns ... the baby rolls, poofy lips as they practice their sucking reflex in their sleep, curled tiny perfect toes, little fingers with deep crinkles ...

now, if I could just figure out how to bottle that newborn smell...

Meet baby "S" ... with her toes and rolls and lips and yawns and wrinkles and newborn smell

(you'll just have to imagine the last part)

Circle of Life

Cliché, yes.

But this session deserves this title. Shortly before my session with the "L" family began, I received a phone call that my Grandfather had passed away. And while most would think I would immediately call my client and reschedule, that wasn't my inclination. What better session to have on a morning like this, than a brand new baby. How healing to hold a new life on a day when you've lost a loved one. My Grandfather would have told me to shoot the session. He loved holding babies.

Congratulations to the "L" family on the arrival of sweet baby "J." And "Grandpa H," this one's for you. You will be missed but I promise to hold lots of babies for you. ; )