Owning Your Photo Session

Once upon a time (i.e. yesterday), there was a girl who owned her photo session.

She said yes to a planning meeting with me, in which I asked her, "What are you envisioning?"

"Flowers!" she replied. "And also, fields."

"Flowers!" I thought. "I love them too!" 

So I suggested my favorite garden, because it has all these beautiful flowers. And also an adjacent field. The best of both worlds! We scheduled it. I mentioned to her that if she happened to be a Pinterest fan, she might start a board with photos she liked and share it with me. Which she did.  It looked like this:

Not at all like the garden I recommended.  Rather, wildflowers and a lot of grasses, with glowy light. And also dogs.

I looked hard at her board, and emailed her a few photos of the flowers and fields in my mind's eye. I asked if she thought it was a good match, or whether she might like some other options to consider. And also whether she might want to bring her dog. She wisely chose to shift gears and go for another location option that better fit the vision she was showing me on her board--which called for rescheduling as well. And she did decide to bring her dog, who has been her constant COVID companion.  So he was perfect for helping tell the story of her senior year.

This is a girl who got what she wanted. As I showed her the back of my camera to see what she thought so we could adjust along the way, she said, "If Pinterest showed these to me, I would have pinned them too!"

Lessons learned:

1. Taking time to communicate--really listen, ask questions and dialogue back and forth, increases understanding and yields better results for everyone involved.

2. It's OK to ask for what you really want.

3. A picture really is worth a thousand words.

To the Class of 2020

There is a time for everything,

and a season for every activity under the heavens:

a time to be born and a time to die,

a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal,

a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh,

a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,

a time to search and a time to give up,

a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend, 

a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate,

a time for war and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Dear Class of 2020,

Oh my goodness, is it ever your time.  You came into the world under the cloud of the Twin Towers, and COVID-19 blew your senior year out of the water.  As if it needed an exclamation point, it all ended with tragedy, protests, and curfews.  A time for everything indeed.

You have made this a time for so many good things too:

    

To choose community as the best realization of self.

To envision a new reality.

To dance a new dance.

You've rejected pity in favor of resilience and innovation.  I want to thank you.  I know this wasn't your reality every day or in every moment.  But you are going to take these experiences with you, and we are all going to benefit from your insight and ability to be flexible for decades to come.  

Remember, there is a time for everything.  I'm wishing you faith and hope for a bright future that right now is uncertain--so you can embrace the possibilities of every today. Go forward with courage, graduates!  You might not hear us today, but we're cheering for you!!

To the Class of 2018

Dear Class of 2018,

We go way back.

I met you the day we moved into the neighborhood, 

when you toddled across the yard to meet my tiny son.

I watched you grow up on the baseball diamond, 

from picking dandelions in the outfield to picking runners off at second.

You played whatever game was in season in our backyard with the neighborhood kids.

I watched the beginnings of your football career.

You're all smiles now, but you did have a pretty serious game face when you were on the pitcher's mound,
just learning.

When I was your age (and much younger),

 I swam with your mom.

I just met you for the first time this year, 

and I'm so thankful to know you.

Whichever it is with you, there will never be another class that graduates from high school with my firstborn.

Here's what I want you to know:

When I was your age, it never once crossed my mind that I would be a photographer. In fact, when I started my photography business four years ago, I STILL never dreamed I would be a senior photographer, and that I would love it. Instead, all along, I just kept taking the right next step, from one chapter to the next. This year when you(r mom) showed up on my doorstep, I felt so grateful to be ready for you. Just look at all the fun I had with you!

Your life will be like that. You might know exactly what you want to do. You might not have a clue. But your actual future will unfold one day at a time, and it really just comes down to taking that day's best steps.

Your college plans are not the most important thing. Your career plans aren't either. But with each new thing you do, you will meet new people and grow in new ways, and these are the things that will change you forever. So choose well for today, and tomorrow will take care of itself.

One more thing:

I think God did an amazing job on you. He made you to add beauty and richness to this world unlike anyone else. I hope you'll stay in his hands and let his light shine through you, no matter where your journey takes you.

Congratulations, Graduates!

Lifestyle Photography: Your story on display!

One of the beautiful things about lifestyle photography is that the photos tell a story.

When I do a session, the client gets bunches of photos.  

It's the collection that gives the big picture, rather than one image.

The challenge is, how do you put all those photos to good use?

1.  Make prints.

Just go ahead and make plain old 4x6 prints.

Put them in a box in a place where you'll see them.

(And yes, Stella actually did come and plop herself down there
as if to enjoy the pictures--after all, there she is with her favorite girl!)

I love having my most ordinary moments at my fingertips.

Any given morning.

My baker.

My comedian.

My sweet (and often goofy) husband. 

That day our kids were both on the field.

For rival schools.

One of those "Mom's choice" outings.

Ah, yes.

2.  Make photo books.

I love these.  I make them every year.  Almost.

They are priceless.

Really, the perfect way to tell your story.

I've used a lot of services, 

and I think Shutterfly is the most user friendly by far.

Definitely a matter of personal preference.

3.  Make a wall collection.

The possibilities are endless.  I've been working on a few at my house.

I had a friend make this frame with chicken wire for me.

There were so many different possibilities for materials, but I wanted simple and pretty rustic.

I painted the quote on it, and used decorative magnets to put my photos up.

When I swap them out, they'll go in my box.  :-)

Alongside them are some of my old favorites through the years.

We used to play these games at my grandma's house when we were kids.

I made a wall grouping with them, and a simple frame I found at Michael's.  Same idea.

There are so many collage frames and frame sets out there

in every imaginable style, size and price range.

They can be repurposed easily with fresh photos.

4.  Photo canvases

You can obviously make canvas prints or framed prints to hang on the wall, 

but I really like these easels for smaller canvases.

My robin photo up there is an 8x10 

(I remember when I thought 8x10 was a really big print!), 

and below is an 11x14.

When I want canvases, I go to Groupon and look for the best deal in the size I want.

They're very affordable, and so far I haven't found a lot of variation in quality.

That bunch of crocuses is one of my favorite photos.  

I took it a few years ago, and it just came out looking like a painting.

Plus one of my favorite photos of my babies.

At a studio.  Because that's what we did back then.

Hopefully these ideas will help you get started,

or they'll prompt you to think of some others that will work for you!

Your photos are too precious to stay on a computer.

They deserve a special place in your home.
Because you and the people you love are a priceless work of art.
Your story isn't like any other.
It deserves to be told.
And remembered.

It's Your Move

Meet the lovely Therese.
She is graduating from high school this weekend.
She is ready.

Therese has a huge heart and several loves,
but the highlight of her high school career was being
captain of the chess team.

It just made sense for us to do her photos at the depot,
among the giant chess pieces.

It was really great of her to give me a little tutorial about how the game goes.
It turns out that it's all about making the king your top priority.
Therese does that.
Jesus is her King.  She loves serving him.
She served him on a life-changing trip to Mexico last summer.
It's all been a process of learning that serving him
means receiving from him so you can pass his love along.
She reflects him quietly and beautifully.

Now it looks like she is just waiting for the train to take her to her next destination.

Therese, it's your move.
You have wonderful plans to pursue a career that will help others live a healthy, productive life.
Your college sees your heart and your potential, and they are wisely making an investment in you.
I'm so excited for you!  You do not move alone.  Your King has led the way and is going with you.
Congratulations on all you've accomplished!
I'm looking forward to hearing how the path unfolds before you
as you continue to walk with the Lord Jesus and honor him.

"Now to the King eternal,
immortal, invisible,
the only God,
be honor and glory
for ever and ever. Amen."
1 Timothy 1:17