Inspiration

I know . . . I know . . . I haven’t been here in a REALLY long time.  In fact, it has been so long, that I am getting stopped in the streets by people whom seem to know me, but I have not ever been “formally” introduced to ~ they say to me, “hey, aren’t you that picture lady?”  I usually repond by saying, “well, I do like taking pictures, yes.”  and then it comes . . .”Well, we check your blog everyday, and you haven’t posted anything lately.  Have you not been very busy?”  AUGH!

I decided I better share a secret with you sweet internet.  I am a butterfly.  Seriously, I float from one flower (project) to another, and I usually don’t stay on one flower very long.  Except on those beautiful summer days when something wonderful about that flower or season around me distracts me, and then I sit.  I sit and watch – watch and wait – wait for inspiration, take time for reflection:  sit, watch, wait, reflect, BLOG.  I want those moments to happen every day.  I want to lock myself in the bedroom or bathroom, or closet ~ away from my five children, my wonderfully chatty husband (ha!), the work that screams out for me to finish~ I want to escape into my loud music and reflect on the beauty of the pictures that I have been so lucky to have taken.  I do.  I want to sit and reflect on the expressions, stare into the eyes, and enjoy the work, the moments, the memories that I have captured for my clients.    It’s as if, then, it become complete. 

 When I have time to sit, to reflect, and then to share, it is then that my joy becomes complete.   There was once a man named John, and I think he felt this same way about his work.  He met this man, Jesus, and he felt like it was his job to tell everyone about him, and when he did, his joy would be complete.  In a letter he wrote, he said, “We saw it, we heard it, and now we’re telling you so you can experience it along with us, this experience of communion with the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ. Our motive for writing is simply this: We want you to enjoy this, too. Your joy will double our joy!”  Isn’t that great?!  Your joy will double our joy!  So, today, I am taking a moment to share with you, so that my joy will double!  🙂  I hope you enjoy looking over some of the memories that have been captured these past couple weeks.  .  .  starting with this incredibly ispirational image of my daughter Adah – her father was making her do some “spring cleaning,” and she thought the vacuum was wonderful – in more ways that one.  😉

You may recognize this sweet couple from their maternity pictures a couple months ago.  I was so excited to meet their beautiful girlie ~ it is always so so amazing to me when moms and dads take pictures with items that are special to them (i.e. booties, blankets, toys, etc.) and then to take the newborn pictures with those szme items.  What a miracle those babies are! 

  It not only amazes me how amazing those newborn babies are, but how fast they grow.  Yesterday, I told my friend, “Can you believe, in six years, my son will be 18?!”  He is such an amazing young man, but sometimes I look at him, and wonder where he came from.  How he grew so tall!  How his feet got so big!  I look at time and wonder where did all that time go? 

 

This boy, Steven, just turned one.  His parents and I have been friends for years now ~ in fact, their wedding was the very first I was fortunate to photograph.  Since then, I have watched as their family has grown from two to five, and have been oh-so-lucky to take their pictures every step of the way!  Happy Birthday, Steven Jr.!  Happy Birthday!

It is also the season for dance recitals and pictures!  Hillary Hansen’s School of Dance will be doing their annual recital on May 7th and 8th.  How exciting!  Here is just a sample of the hundreds of pictures we took last week.  For those of you whom keep checking to see your your child’s pictures are online yet, they will all be posted next week ~ the first full week of dance after Spring Break.  Only those kids whom had permission forms filled out and signed by their parents will be posted.  If you have any questions, please feel free to call!

Look at all these great costumes!  Aren’t the great!?!

 

 

Oh!  And can you believe that there are still some 2010 graduating seniors whom have not gotten their senior pictures done?!  🙂

 

 . . . and you thought I hadn’t been busy . . .

 

Last year, we started offering our brides a couple of different options for their wedding photography.  I wanted brides to have time to really caputre this time in their lives when they felt the most beautiful, the most excited, the most fabulous!  I have always offered a “formal” bridal session with my photography ~ a time before the wedding when a bride can get all done up, as if it were her wedding day, and get some pictures done.  We do this in order to make sure that we have time to get all those details of the hair, make-up, dress, and jewlery without being stressed out on the wedding day.  Last year, I started pormoting two other options – options in which to capure the more creative side of wedding photography.  These two options were a trash the dress/rock the dress session –  a session in which the bride again, got all dolled up (usually far in advance or after the wedding) and got a little wild in her dress – climbed a tree, jumped in a river, laid out in a field, etc.  ~ anything to be fun and fabulous in her wedding dress.  The second option I offered was a boudoir session.  A boudoir session is a time when the bride gets to take some sexy and classy pictures for “His Eyes Only.”  These sessions have been so much fun.  Brides grabbed their favorite music, favorite friend, favorite bottle of wine, and of course their favorite sexy clothes!  These pictures are then given to the groom as a gift on the morning of thier wedding . . . in anticipation . . .

Brides these extra sessions are so much fun and totally worth the time.  Don’t miss these opportunities to feel FABULOUS! 

 

Well, I think that that updates me a little bit of what has happened in the past couple of weeks.  One more thing, though.  I must tell you that I am deeply disappointed in my lack of being disciplined to my blogging, because several first anniversary’s went by this past month, and I was so awful not to wish these couples lots of love an happiness.  I will try and do better.  Last year, March 19th, an incredible couple were married, and I have thought about them so often these past weeks ~ thinking about how wonderful their wedding was, and how I know that it was just  a reflection of what their lives together would be like . . .full of smiles, and kindness, and graciousness, and lots and lots of laughter.  I just have to share a few of their images in memory of their sweet sweet wedding one year ago.  Happy Anniversary Derek and Shelly Larson . . . late!  🙂  Blessings.

 thanks for letting me share . . .double joy for the day . . .