Photo Story Friday: Pause.

  • June 6, 2013 8:10 pm

I feel like I’ve spent the last two weeks cramming.

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Cramming in shooting and editing, end of school projects, concerts and programs, parties and activities…cramming in life. Tomorrow is the last day of school. The last day I will ever have a kindergartner. The last day I will have a son in junior high. Big things are on the horizon.

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It’s a cliche and I know it, but lately there are moments that I wish I had some kind of pause button for. They’re never perfect–what moments in real life ever are–but they dance on the edges of perfection (even if it is a sort of wild and wiggly kind of dance around here).

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When I became a mother I expected those feelings. People told me about them. The second Isaac was handed to me in the stiff striped blanket in the hospital, I felt that need to pause. It was the same with Gracie and Evie.

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Milestones. Laughter. Silliness. Stillness. Pause.

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It is for that precise reason that I am looking forward to the lazy days of summer. While I am fully willing to admit that by the time school starts in the Fall, I will be more than ready, for now, summer truly appeals to me. Just the idea makes me breathe in a little deeper.

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Sleeping late. Outside meals. Sandy toes. Warm nights. Pause.

him.
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Or at least, slow down.

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Some people in this house may be intent on hitting milestones and growing up, but I intend to savor the next few months as much as I can.

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Even if the only tools in my arsenal are my camera, my ability to take drippy towels and waterlogged kids with a grain of salt, and the occasional dancing on perfection sunset moments.

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P.S. This is, hands down, the most pictures I have EVER used in one post. Honestly though, I couldn’t skip even one of them. The night, thanks to my amazing mom’s suggestion that we picnic on the island, was as close to perfection as I have seen in a long time.

Photo Story Friday: Off The Path

  • May 30, 2013 4:15 pm

“I’m not here to keep you from the places
you feel you need to go, she said.
When you’re ready,
I’m here to remind you of the way home.”
~Brian Andreas, Story People

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I love the way walking a little bit off the beaten path can create an entirely new world.

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Photo Story Friday: Test Subjects

  • May 23, 2013 5:33 pm

In a few weeks, Kindergarten will officially be over. She’s learned to add and subtract, about other countries and to write sentences. She’s learned to read.

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Everyday she gets tickets that say she’s ready for first grade. It’s all very exciting.

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It occurred to me though, the other day when she was helping me check out the city library as a location option for a bridal shoot this weekend (the place has AMAZING light), that next year she’ll be in school ALL day.

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Which means that when I have an idea for a shot, or need a partner in crime to poke around a place with my camera, I’m on my own. Or I’ll have to wait around until the bell rings.

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I might get more housework done, but honestly, this new phase in our lives might cramp my style a little bit (because my kid growing up and passing milestones IS all about me. Ha!).

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There will likely be a LOT of eye rolling, but I plan on taking advantage of test subjects being around this Summer OFTEN. I feed the stinkers, they can mug for my camera a few times a week, right?

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Prepare yourselves for a three month picture barrage.

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Photo Story Friday: Six

  • May 16, 2013 6:01 pm

Now I am Six: by A.A. Milne

When I was One,
I had just begun.

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When I was Two,
I was nearly new.

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When I was Three,
I was hardly me.

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When I was Four,
I was not much more.

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When I was Five,
I was just alive.

Now She Is Six

But now I am Six, I’m as clever as clever,
So I think I’ll be six for ever and ever.

Happiest birthday to my bright spot.

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Rock The Shot Photo Challenge: Silhouette

  • May 15, 2013 11:19 am

Sunset Swing

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Photo Story Friday: Special Day

  • May 9, 2013 10:28 pm

We spent a good 30 minutes putting together her Special Day poster. We sorted. We arranged. We rearranged. We talked about what she was doing when I took this picture and that picture.

She informed me that she “just looks better in color” (which made me smile, but I can’t say I will always agree with her. I do love a good black and white, after all).

“There’s pictures of me and Isaac, and me and Gracie, and me and Daddy. I guess you’re not in any because you took ‘em all.”

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“You should be more pictures, Mom.”

And guess what? She’s right.

I admit that I struggle with the idea of being in front of the camera. Like a lot of mothers I know, for whatever reason–weight gain, bad hair day, new wrinkles–I’m far more comfortable behind the lens. Being the family historian.

But she’s right.

So for Mother’s Day this year, I’m accepting Evie’s challenge. Putting myself back into some of the history. I WILL be in the next Special Day poster at least once. Weight gain, wrinkles and all.

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Photo Story Friday: Dandelion Season

  • May 2, 2013 5:47 pm

“Weeeeeeds? They’re weeds? They can’t be! They’re so…flowery!”

Optimism.

I know that as an adult who should be keeping my yard up to keep up with the Jones, I should loathe dandelions. Secretly though, I love them.

Dandelions mean warm weather and laying in the grass looking for cloud pictures. They mean wishes and flower crowns and bouquets from chubby, dirty fists.

Not too long from now, she will grow out of loving the fluff from the seeds and gifting me dandelion bunches. Once that happens, perhaps I will learn to dislike them like I’m supposed to.

Dandelion Weather.

Until then, I will love every minute of dandelion season.

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Photo Story Friday: Together

  • April 25, 2013 9:36 pm

On Friday last week, I shot a 5 year old’s birthday party in the morning, and a wedding in the evening.

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On Saturday, I shot two family sessions, a bridal session, and the annual gala for The Boy’s and Girl’s Club. I was gone from 9am to 10pm.

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On Sunday after church, I did a formals session (or bridals with the groom there–groomals?) and then went straight to shoot a newborn and her parents.

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I’m exhausted.

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By this point, you’re probably wondering what the flip a bunch of pictures from a track meet have to do with my freakish photography schedule last weekend.

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Well, nothing really. Except that we were all there. Our whole little family was there to see Isaac jump and throw and run. And as much as I love what I do…I love coming home to them even more.

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Photo Story Friday: Break a Leg

  • April 18, 2013 8:26 pm

The morning after The Big Show, my little Racoon Lost Kid woke up lamenting that there would be no more rehearsals.

“And Mom! What will I pretend on the trampoline when I’m out there now? I always play The Musical!”

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It was a grand experience for them both. They put themselves out there, found their voices and made the kind of backstage memories that they’ll talk about to their own kids someday.

And despite needing the time I spent at the school in rehearsals and at home editing cast pictures freed up right now (I’m heading straight into the busiest photography stretch I’ve had in a long time AND Isaac’s track season), I have to admit, I’ll miss it too.

“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” ― Dr. Seuss

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Photo Story Friday: Scavenger Hunt.

  • April 11, 2013 8:11 pm

Last week my lovely and talented friend Leah from Swoon The Moon Photography and Design issued a challenge on her Facebook page: fit ten of the following items into one photograph…

Blue
Sphere
Light/Dark
Necessity
Vintage
Paper
Make Believe
Multiple
Texture
Animal
You

I wrote down the list and handed it to Gracie to brainstorm (which is probably cheating, but whatever). Within ten minutes she was back with sketched mock ups of her ideas. And boy, did she have ideas!!

It took some doing.

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Some prop gathering.

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Some model bribing.

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But I do love seeing Gracie’s creativity come to life.

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She can be my creative director any day.

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P.S. Sorry this is up so late. We just got home from the girls’ big musical performance and I am POOPED. The girls however, are on a high and are in the other room Just Dancing like crazy people. Next week’s blog post: Musical The Musical!