Reasons I Can't Write {Kansas City Baby Photographer}

I need to write something profound.

But I can't.

It's not in me.

Why?

Let's start with #1 - it's 3:35 in the morning

Then there's the been-working-since-6am-straight excuse

And I need to finish up my work so I can pack for the "Oklahoma Tour" - gotta leave in a few hours

I need coffee to write and, well, it's 3:35am. Should I find the time to sleep... I'd like to fall asleep instead of staring at my ceiling angry 'cause I need to sleep and can't.

I'm hungry. Can't eat 'cause I saw a photo of myself this weekend. No late night food for me.

And there's the possibility that what everyone has always suspected may actually be true...

I am, in fact, truly blonde.

So I'm just gonna post the photos - that's what you're after anyway, isn't it? Not really my profound writing.

All the same - I'll get some sleep this week since I can't process photos on my laptop in Oklahoma. I'll eat something too. And I'll be ready for coffee and profoundness when I get back to Kansas.

Expression {Kansas City Newborn Photographer}

ex•pres•sion [ik-spresh-uh n] noun

facial aspect or vocal intonation as indicative of feeling

and just because it makes my ovaries hurt...

Summertime at CCPhotodesign {vacation coming}

Summertime!

What do you think of when I say that?

Water?

Fireflies?

Crickets & Frogs at Night?

Parks?

Grilling?

Relaxing?

Summer for photographers isn't really full of these things. We're almost as crazy in the summer as we are in the fall. I've noticed that the days and hours get sucked into my computer and camera and suddenly summer is gone and I'm in the whirlwind tunnel of holiday season. I'll elaborate more on the time and computer factor of this job a little later (as well as chat a little about the up-coming crazy season {holiday season}). For now, I wanted to let everyone know that the studio will close for a few weeks in late July. I'm calling it my inspiration and recovery effort. The studio will remain closed to all but newborns July 25th through August 23rd.

I'm traveling a lot this month, but not for summer vacation purposes. The travel this month is all work. I wish I had a new laptop that could handle my programs so that I could process images while I'm out of town. I don't. I have an old laptop that flips out if I try to process an image. I can keep up with online things but no processing. Maybe next year. For now, please know that I am doing absolutely everything in my power to get everyone's proofs & orders done. At this point, I'm gonna have to spend that entire inspiration & recovery month sleeping!

Now, let's talk a little more about those summer things... this family met me at the park on what was a very steamy summer evening. We had everything but relaxing & grilling going on! (although there were plenty of on-lookers who were doing those two things). We even had water...as in one little guy falling in the water and nearly dragging his mom with him! No worries...he's fine, it was at the end of the session - so no ruined photos - and I think {truth be told} he may have enjoyed the water and some of the adults would have liked to have fallen in as well! People, I'm telling you - it.was.hot.

Thanks for your patience as I'm in and out of town everyone!

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to my dear husband and the Father of my favorite kiddos.  Thanks to my friend Kami Brady for helping me with this shot.  You would not believe what we went through for this shot. There was {obviously} lots of mud involved but what you can't see is the amount of sweat pouring off of me and Kami.  Oh goodness gracious wow-ness.  It wouldn't have been a big deal except that my children - who are normally thrilled to get messy - weren't too thrilled when it was mandated by me.  I've had this vision in my head for well over a year.  What wasn't in that vision was screaming, crying, melting suckers, what had to be 99% humidity, fogging camera lenses...you get it.  All the same, it was all worth it.

And while this shot was meant for my husband - it is also appropriate for my Dad who would have laughed at me during this and probably thinks I deserved such a scene - what with me being an angel child when I was younger ; )

Happy Father's Day to my Dad and my children's Daddy.

More Birthdays

Lots of Birthday babies this week. Gotta include these two! More of them to come on the blog when I return from DC as well! Happy Birthday "L" & "C"!

And that's it from me...it's 4:20am and I gotta fly with 3 kids in a few hours...gotta get some sleep! We'll chat after I have had 4 grande lattes...after waking up the morning after this trip.

Happy Birthday M!

The studio will be closed today, June 18th through Wednesday June 23rd. I am traveling to Washington DC to speak to Congress about Pancreatic Cancer Research.

But - as I sit here thinking about how I need some sleep before I board a plane with three children and head to Washington to speak and *hopefully* sound intelligent and not groggy and sleep-deprived (helllooo I hope they have Starbucks on the way to Congress!)...

I can't help but post a very fast sneak peek (more to come when I get back). Today is his 1st birthday! Happy Birthday baby "M!" What a thrill it is to photograph this little ham!

The Girl with Many Hats

I'm not a hat girl - if you see me with a hat on, it's because it's a really *really* bad hair day. Hats and me, we don't get along. I wish we did. I admire them - constantly convince myself that I can wear them when I see someone else wearing one - and have a tendency to purchase them only to remember that I don't look good in them. sighhh.

But hats and babies? Well - now that's where I stray from the not-a-hat-girl stance. I love babies in hats. Don't know why ... maybe because all three of my children refuse to wear them? Probably. Yes - that must be it. Or maybe I'm pushing my desire to look good in hats off onto these little peanuts who have no choice and always always make them look good.

Ok, enough psychology for today kids. Let's get to the good stuff. A peanut who, bless her heart, put up with me and my hat obsession. Imagine my total glee when her mamma showed up with more hats to play with. And in non-traditional girl colors. Oh what fun. Seriously. My heart is filled with hat joy. : )

an interruption for another love of mine...baby toes...love me some baby toes

ok, now back to hats

hey! She has a big brother - he has eyes that melt me. I didn't put my hats on him - much to his relief.

in spite of my hat love, I also love baby noggins...especially when they are covered with sweet red hair

one last hat to wrap it all up

Promises Broken

I am an artist. You know what that means?

It means I stink at accounting, book keeping - anything that requires my left brain to wake up from its eternal slumber and actually function.

That means I'm behind in that little aspect of my business. And that's not good.

So I promised myself {triple pinkie swore with myself} that I would not *could not* look at today's session until I got my accounting in order.

I broke my promise.

But they were red heads. We all know my soft spot for red heads. There was no way I could NOT look at it. No way.

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

Barns & Fields & Stereotypes

Stereotypes.

You know them. Living in the midwest certainly opens you up for being the target of a stereotype. There are people (oh yes - there really are - I've met them) who think we {midwesterners} ride our horses to work each day. When we moved to Florida from Oklahoma - I can't tell you how many times we were asked if we lived in a teepee while in Oklahoma. For the locals here in Kansas - how many times have you talked to someone living elsewhere in the country to find they think we all get hit by tornadoes weekly, live in farm houses and that we don't have neighborhoods, running water or *gasp* Starbucks & Anthropologie?!

Now, I have to be fair. Midwesterners can build up their own stereotypes. Just because I lived in Florida doesn't mean I have seen a shark up close and personal. Texas is not one big desert. I promise. My friends and family who have lived in California do not know how to surf. The English guy I used to work with hated tea. etc etc. You get what I'm saying.

But in spite of most stereotypes being somewhat inaccurate, they do surface from somewhere. Sharks do swim the waters around Florida, Texas does have a desert climate in some areas, California does have significantly more surfers than Kansas ... and Kansas - well - we have a good share of farm houses, barns and prairies.

I happen to think it makes us diverse. Not too many areas have 8 lane highways, spanish premium shopping districts & Starbucks - all neighbored by historic barns, prairies of tall grass and old farm houses - some falling apart, weathered by the snow, wind and tornadoes and some still beautifully maintained and used.

What better session backdrop for someone living in KC than a barn and prairie - kindly welcomed in by the owners with the typical attitude of the area - "absolutely neighbor - come on over and use what you need"

That's a stereotype too - but that's ok. We like having that stereotype.

Say hello to baby "M"

his big brother "J"
and the princess, "B"
by the way - he's 1! You saw him here on the blog last year.