Memories and Tidbits

You may have seen this circulating around over the past few days: Portraits Are More Than Paper

It hits home for a lot of us. We take pictures out of habit, in hopes that we might ever get them up on Facebook, or even into albums and scrapbooks. But what happens when they are all we have left of someone we love?  The simplest snapshot takes on new meaning when someone in it is no longer with us.

I just came across the picture above - a little selfie I took in August with my point and shoot. I love this moment. Our days are so full that even though I might remember feeling this way, I doubt I could ever recall the moment without a photograph, and certainly Lillia never will.

It's not about getting your portraits done. Its about existing in living memory. Sure, not every moment needs a camera - but the sweetest moments need memories. We don't pass down spoken memories as societies used to, so it only makes sense that there is a shift in the way we maintain our history. A picture is one of many simple ways to do just that.

It doesn't matter how you capture your memories - just do it. Jot down your favorite moments of that day. Take a snapshot with your phone. HAND YOUR CAMERA OFF TO SOMEONE so that you are in a picture. Guess what? Your family loves you for who you are, and if you're avoiding the camera, you're depriving them of preserving memories they love.

That one letter has spurred a memory revolution - feel free to join in any way you would like. What am I doing to make sure my girls remember our beautiful, imperfect life?

I've started a 366 Tidbits Project.  (Yes, indeedy! It's a leap year!)

I'll be jotting down one tidbit each day and posting it here (informally, and not necessarily with a picture - gotta keep it simple, people!). I haven't kept up on the girls' monthly letters, and I feel their memories melting together and drifting away, which I hate.

So check back here for 366 days of tidbits - things I noticed, something quirky about my day, something that inspired me or made me giggle. It coincides nicely with my second project 365 that I started in October (which you can view here).  Hopefully through this, the girls will get to know the me they loved before they were old enough to really remember. 

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Golden

Boy, do I have a great sneak peek for you tonight!

This was a session thrice rescheduled, and we were so lucky to catch one of the last days of beautiful evening sunlight. My favorites are below - I couldn't help but share a few more than usual!

What a family! Ashwin is the perfect mixture of sweet, goofy, and energetic. He was all over the place exploring the park.

Such a gorgeous evening, and such a delightful time spent with friends! We also did a few head shots during this session for Tara's business, Startup Recroot, so there's more to come!

P.S. My parents moved cross country to join us here and my schedule gets busier every day! I'm working on posts left and right and can't wait to share some of this year's favorite client slideshows with you soon.  :O)

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Flying High

Sommmmebody turned two last week!

Here's her sneak peek. She gets more and more beautiful every time I see her!

Can't wait to share the highlights of her birthday party! TWO cupcakes for one adorable two-year-old. :O)

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A very good morning

Oh my goodness, there is so much I could say about what an amazing time I had with this family last week.  They invited me into their home on a very special day and fully embraced capturing the beautiful, everyday moments. I love this image so much!

 

Pancake mornings are a favorite tradition of ours, too, and this moment is exactly why.  More soon!

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In sync and care free

(Even the grown up - and really, when do grown ups ever relax?)

Apparently I have a slight fascination with swings. (What, this swinger and this dreamer didn't prove it already? You just wait, I have more.) If I could take swinging portraits all day long, I think I'd be in heaven. I mean, swings can be both magical and cathartic. Adventurous and relaxing. It's all there in the air.

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Hurry up and relax!

If you didn't notice (Seattle residents may very well have not), Summer is here at last!


And in case you forgot,


Summer is the BEST time to get your family portraits done!

Why do it now?

1.) We get great weather all through September
2.) Everyone in the family still has that rosy look and it's not from a head cold!
3.) By the time the holidays are here, you'll already have your specially designed cards up and ready to go - which leaves more time to enjoy pumpkin pie!
4.) Who doesn't love a framed photo, and that's one less trip out into the holiday shopping crowds (see also: pie benefits, above).


There are a few spots left this summer and you won't want to miss out!

Sign up for any full session before August 21st and you will get two free mini albums (woot, two gifts off your holiday list!) and 25% off holiday cards! What's not to love about that?

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More Sisters!

I got a little waylaid by my computer virus, but I'm back on track now, chugging through sessions!

There's nothing better than a session that makes you laugh out loud while editing. This is one of my favorites:



These sisters are so full of happiness. Remember what happened here?  Can't wait to show you more!

P.S. If you missed out on Alexandra's headshots, take a peek! It's worth the click. :O)

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The sweetest thing

While planning my East Coast trip, I timed it around my dear friend Meg's due date. I was staying three hours from her, and spent half the time nervous that I wouldn't make it in time when her labor started. It was so important to me that I be there for her. Indeed, I made it with plenty of time to spare and was there to witness her intense and beautiful labor.

Of the whole day, this has to be my favorite image. It's victory, peace, happiness, relief, and love all rolled up into one little moment.

I'm so glad I could be there for Lily's first moments on earth. Thank you so much, Meg.

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Those bitty toes

Here's a sneak peek of a recent newborn session. I have to say, I've been waiting on this little girl for quite some time. She's a punctual little thing and surprised her mama by not arriving late like her sisters.

My favorite bit? Those cutie pie chicken legs. It makes it almost possible to imagine that just two weeks ago they were curled up in a wee little home.

Thanks for sharing your Mini Me with me, Adrienne. She looks so much like her sisters that I can't wait to see who she becomes on her own!

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A little treat

This little guy was here on a quick visit and hopped on a plane a few hours after this. No worries. It had been a year since I saw him last and I'll do whatever it takes to squeeze myself into his PNW visits. Who could resist those eyes?

Mr. Max, I hope it's not another year before I get to see you again. I can't possibly imagine what you'll be into by then! (And how many hearts you will have broken....)

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Joy of Love Day 2, 3, 4

In continuing with our Joy of Love series, I made my husband pose for a photo. I have very few pictures of him without Bella. If he's home, she's glued to him.

Day 3 had us thinking about what they do. Bella loves stacking things and lining things up. I have a picture in my mind that is so similar to this moment a year ago. It's driving me nuts that I can't find it, but I will post it when I do.

Day 4 asks what our loved ones wear. Bella is on a PJ kick, if you haven't noticed, and these are her Squishy payjays. This was just after I wore her to sleep for her nap and put her in bed. She'd wear PJs all day and if you ask her to put something else on, she'll find a new pair of jammies to wear.

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A beautiful home labor

Whew, this post is a long time in coming - but I figured I'd better post it before I post this family's holiday session!

Just a few weeks after my own daughter was born, a friend of mine went into labor with her daughter. We had arranged for me too be there for her home birth, so I headed over in the evening when things started picking up.

Ronnie was beautiful in labor!

Unfortunately, not fifteen minutes after I got there the midwives decided this baby needed more attention than they could give. Ronnie just rolled with the punches. I've never seen someone so relaxed in labor.

Ronnie labored a bit longer as the midwives got everything ready, and then it was off to the hospital. I had my own two week old with me and wasn't allowed in to help her labor, but she was in great company. Just a few hours later little Haydee made her dramatic entrance into the world. Let me tell you, she is cute as a button!

Stay tuned for their awesome family session in Georgetown!

P.S. I can't recommend birth photography enough. It's an amazing moment to have captured forever.

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Joy of Love Day 1

As you may know if you follow my tweets, I'm participating in The Joy of Love this February, a whole month of free photographic prompts and tips. It's for all levels of photographers, so if you haven't joined yet, go sign up! A bit of extra creativity never hurt anyone.

You may notice a busier blog schedule than in the past, so enjoy!

The first day today was What They Do.

Oh I could go on and on about this. It's the core of who I am, capturing the little happenings that make up our days and our lives.

Bella gets up with Dave in the morning and they snuggle on the couch until he's ready to wake up. Some time later she walks him out the door with a Have a good day!

Lia can crawl forward, but when she thinks about it she ends up pushing herself backwards, gives up and assumes the sky diving position until she gets rescued (or finds an interesting bit of trash to entertain her for hours on end).

She nurses with her hands in her face.

Bella writes her own Very Important Lists all over my lists.

She and Lillia could stay in the ball pen forever, especially when I'm making it rain.

When I got up from my computer this morning, Bella declared, Steps for you, Mama! And indeed she had laid out the red carpet for me.

And of course, what they do... well it's evident at the end of the day. They do everything.

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savoring: a picnic

Right now I'm savoring the bits of sunshine we had last week. Winter weather here is very gray, so much so that Bella shouts Look, it's sunny! when the cloud cover this out a bit. This was a day so bright that she kept squinting, saying, It's too sparkly today.

So, we ran outside for a sunny little picnic. (We do things like that since you never know how long it will last.)

Lia has apparently gotten over her fear of leaves and Bella enjoyed the grass (So squishy!), chatted with a spider, and took delight in an optimistic winter dandelion.

Whatever strikes your interest this week, I hope you'll take time to savor it (and come back to share!)

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How to Decorate a Christmas Tree*

So we continue our little How-To series with How to Decorate a Christmas Tree*

*when you are two

First, find your shiniest ormanenns.

Begin by placing each ornament on the tree at shoulder height.

This will create an even, orderly garlandesque appearance.

Indulge the adults when they insist the decorations be spaced out along the height of the tree. (It makes them feel better about themselves.)

When you find a good sturdy branch, use it for all it's worth.

And don't forget, ornaments can hold their friends, too!

Most importantly, do not forget to admire your masterpiece with giddy (maniacal) laughter.

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a little advice

I'm headed out of town for the weekend and can be reached by phone if necessary. Regularly scheduled sporadic posting will resume upon my return. I have a fantastic sunset session that I can't wait to share, and of course photos of the family I will be visiting this weekend!

In the mean time, my dear friends Ronnie and Greg will demonstrate how to get a sleepy baby to smile for family photos:

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Rainy day fun

When you live in the Pacific Northwest, you can pretty much guarantee that if you book a session between November and March, it will rain. I mean, check it out: six inches of rain is average for November! So you can see now why July is my FAVORITE month to live here and take photos.

But back to the good stuff. I'm a lifestyle photographer. That means capturing the beautiful moments of people just living up life anywhere. Everyday moments like hanging out at a cafe are worth remembering - in fact they are just what you miss when you grow up.

This mini session got rained out (poured out, really, since I was prepared to shoot in the drizzle) so we headed indoors to Urbia Fresh Cafe, a new cafe right in downtown Kent where the food and drink are local and the staff are awesome and accommodating.

This family rocked the indoor session! Board games, smoothies, dancing and hugfests. I love my job because basically it's hanging out with awesome people, snapping some photos along the way.

Moments in life just don't get better than this:

Michelle, Aaron and Miranda, thank you so much for this laid back session. Your family is sweet and goofy and loving , and definitely warmed up my rainy morning.


***As if I have to remind you by now, but be sure to leave them some comments! When they hit 20, they get a free 8x10 print! :O)***

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The Engagement Mini

Lauren and Brian are engaged! I happen to know Lauren through knitting and was so excited when she shared the big news. A Holiday Mini Session turned out to be just what they needed for engagement photos!

The rain had JUST stopped before their shoot, so I ran right over from the cafe session I was doing to meet them at the park. The trees were still sneezing on us as we tromped up and down the muddy hills, and these guys were superstars about it!

Apart from all the love in the air, my favorite thing about engagement sessions is getting a glimpse of just how gorgeous the bride will be. Lauren was absolutely beautiful, and I cannot wait to see her on her wedding day.

Brian's daughter, Elaine, joined us as well. She is so sweet and so funny, and I wished I'd had an entire session with them together. They're such a fun group. Thanks so much for a great mini session!

***Don't forget to leave them good wishes here on the blog! When this post reaches 20 comments, they get a free 8x10. Woohoo!!***

P.S. Next week is a great big week - two chances to join me in Seattle at Artist & Craftsman. Tuesday at 5:30 for the first of three photo classes and again on Friday for the opening of the U-District Art Walk!

P.P.S. Who's as excited as I am about Harry Potter? Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!

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A Mini Sneak Peek!

Oh my goodness. This year's mini sessions were so much fun. Of course, out of the entire week, THAT was the day it rained. It cleared up in time for a few muddy outdoor sessions, though! (And yes, oh yes, I slipped and fell in the mud.)

Let me just warn you - the family in the following photos is too cute for words. They picked out some awesome clothes to go with the foliage, and of course, little Wyatt was a perfect match sporting that snazzy red hair!

Wyatt was a bit of a milk-drunk space cadet for the first part of the shoot and spent most of the time enjoying the scenery.

There is no doubt about it; this boy is loved. He is lucky to grow up in a family with so much laughter. (AND FIREFLY, just sayin'. They've got good taste, too.)

We did get Wyatt smiling a bit towards the end. Laura really wanted a shot of his awesome dimple (cute x1000) and what I love about this shot is that Karl has the same expression. :O)

I had so much fun with you guys. Thanks for braving the slippery bridge and mud with me. (And Karl, if you can't find another pair of Wyatt's awesome socks, Laura will just have to learn to knit socks next!)

***Be sure to leave some love for Laura and Karl here on the blog! When this post reaches 20 comments, they get a free 8x10. Sweet!***

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