Color is a constant inspiration for me – and an essential piece to my photography, so of course it was a huge honor to have Vicki choose to showcase my work on her wonderful blog, Simply Hue. The company my photos are featured alongside are truly lovely. You all need to check out Vicki’s spotlight on photographers going on all this week – there are some great print give-aways as part of the fun.
In other a Very Story happenings – we are putting the final touches on our etsy store and are excited to get that all up and running. More details to follow soon!
Have a colorful week friends!
When I started writing this post it was quiet in the house – well, as quiet as it gets around here anymore…nap time for the minis was in progress and I had my favorite chair, my laptop and thoughts I could actually hear for the moment. Now, a few hours later as I sit back down at the computer all that sleepy-time serenity has long since vanished along with another hopeful attempt at making it through a day without raising my voice {double sigh}. Oh, and I realize I could just go on and post what I had intended on saying without the confession of suburban chaos and you may never be the wiser, but I’d know better… And if there is one thing I never want this web journal to become, it would be the Pollyanna version of my real life with some pretty pictures thrown in. So for now I’ll try to balance the tension of being honest with boundaries – you know, to protect the innocent (or guilty as it may be). I hope you are up for the journey, while I work to figure it all out.
So getting back to the regularly scheduled posting….
This week marks a creative anniversary of sorts here on my little bubble. It was one year ago when I finally stopped with the “I shoulds” and the “I wish I coulds” and shut up (momentarily), and actually went and “did.” Last winter I took a photography class, something I had been talking about doing since college- ‘talking’ being the appropriate word here. And somewhere in the middle of ISO, shutter speed, metering and aperture the puzzle pieces came together for me, and I learned how to use my camera to create the images I had been seeing in my head all along. Looking back at it now a year later, it’s as if I learned how to speak another language in those few short days. I walked away with the foundation necessary to begin communicating with the world differently. And my gratitude for that knowledge overwhelms me.
So while my list of things ‘yet to learn’ grows longer by the hour (I may never fold that fitted sheet correctly), I am encouraged thinking of the few new skills I have picked up. I’m optimistic on a couple of fronts – including that of try as they might, having kids has not completely shut off my faculties to learn things outside the boundaries of play doh and pat-a-cake. I’d love to hear what new things you have been learning or trying – especially if you have the hot tip on that fitted sheet issue! Post a comment and maybe we’ll all learn something new from you.
Oh, I can’t post without a photo… When I started thinking about the class at Dove (who incidentally announced their next set of classes while I was writing this post), I went back to look at some of the photos I took and saw these – and actually still like these a whole year later. Happy Wednesday friends!
-S
I’m sitting in our home office writing, and good grief
it.is.freezing.
I’m literally thinking about putting my gloves on while I type.
indoors.
Warming myself by a fire is out of the question given I can’t even keep my little guy out of the
pantry, trash cans, toilets. . .
So, I’ve taken to warming myself by the edge of a photograph.
a.Warm.Sunny.Photograph
of something new…
As I sat working at the computer this rainy afternoon
I glanced up to see a rare january rainbow
outside my window.
So remember the sweet baby in the Santa hat? Yeah, well he’s back on the blog – and growing so fast this one is! Grayson’s parents booked one of the My First Story packages I offer to capture his first year of life, and below are some favorites from our four-month session.
These First Story packages are super fun for a few reasons – I of course love being able to photograph a little one multiple times in a year to watch how they are developing, but also to build an overall volume of images for sleep-deprived parents to look back on and recall each stage, while celebrating their survival of the initiation into parenthood. One other big reason I love these types of shoots, is getting to know my clients throughout the course of a year- to connect with them over the shared experiences, frustrations, setbacks and small triumphs that fill our days as parents. If I’m honest I truly just love people, and talking with them about their lives – and photography is a natural way for me to be able to connect with a variety of people outside of my everyday circles. That said, I’m excited for a new year and the possibilities of talking with new families, staring into new as well as familiar faces, and sharing some of my new crazy with all them {and you}.
So enjoy sweet Grayson at four months – he’ll be back a couple more times this year to show us his latest tricks.
Showing off his super "holding my head up" strength
And on that note - his "super drooling strength" as well
Grayson is one loved little man - lots of huggin' from mama and daddy
"watching" the game with dad - for many Saturdays to come
Okay, so it isn’t much – but we’re working with what we’ve got! Everyone north of the Tennessee state line – you can insert your eye roll and joke at us southerners’ expense here.
Happy Snowpocalypse 2010!
I know buddy - I kind of feel the same way
From our story to yours – may your season be merry & bright. I pray we meet for more laughter, tears and hot cocoa in 2010.
With Love,
-S
Okay, so how many Christmas cookies have you had already today? Are there crumbs on your keyboard? I’m headed back into the kitchen myself in just a few to continue the baking process. And it has been a process this season – with two mini-elves running around here I’ve been baking in waves. Someday I’ll put those elves to work for me… maybe…
Before you head back to the cookie platter let me introduce you to the gorgeous Carr family and their holiday mini-session photos. I have loved working with this growing young family on a couple of shoots now and can’t wait to share more of their images in the weeks to come. Baby Grayson is a complete natural already at only four months – keeping his eye on the camera at all times.
So enjoy, and stop on by the house for some Christmas treats if you are in the neighborhood!
Merry Week of Christmas everyone! I will be catching up on a lot of blogging this week – and am feeling warmer just looking at these family sessions shot earlier in the fall. Today please meet the Bogard family – so fun and so relaxed despite the rain showers threatening to derail our plans. And if any of you have ever attempted to get a family of four dressed and out the door on time {not to mention be camera-ready} you understand it would have taken a downpour and hurricane-like winds before we would have thrown in the towel. Thankfully though, the raindrops cleared out literally as we started to set up and held off until after we captured this beautiful family. Enjoy friends, more tomorrow!
Growing up I pretty much idolized my mom’s younger sister, she was only a handful of years older than myself but decades ahead in “cool.” I specifically recall her attentive kindness towards me during a particularly rough age when it felt like the mean girls may very well bury me alive out on the school playground. I think about those days often, so many years later, as I watch her children and now my children grow and learn to navigate the world. And I see the roads and cycles of life converging as I am able to love her kids well and in turn they are loved and admired by my kids. And the beautiful redemptive circle keeps spinning. . .
The Snarey family are some of our favorite people ever – the kind of people we vacation with, hang out in our pj’s and unbrushed teeth with, or laugh with until our drinks come out of our noses – okay, so that was just me, but the point being this is a stellar family. And bonus, they are our family and our dear friends. We had a great time grabbing some family photographs of them when we were all together earlier this fall.
Enjoy – thanks for stopping by!
-S
Today is actually Tom & Heidi's wedding anniversary and as you can see they are still crazy about each other.
This image just makes me smile.
the lovely and driven Kasey
the tender firecracker Anna
the easy-going and kind Sean
by sarahrichmond
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