The best things come to those who wait...

Some of the most incredible images I have captured yet occurred after the pose, waiting and watching. Especially when I am photographing children. Perhaps that's why no matter how hard I try I have never been able to limit my session to anything less then an hour. Spending time with a child or with any client is part of the photographic process. At least in my perception it is. How can I capture something real, something that is a mere reflection of a clients very soul. Without taking the time to know them. Sure I can take a portrait. Sitting up straight , hands in perfect position, everyone smiling , no hair out of place. If that is what you want. And for some that is exactly what they want. A traditional portrait with all the T's crossed. In my humble opinion not only is it incredibly stressful for the children involved but for the parents as well. Before you know it the parents are getting mad at the kids for not posing , and the kids are completely bored out of there minds. Thus you end up with a portrait that may look perfect but does it look real. When you look at that picture all you will remember is how much you were hoping you don't see the sweat running down your head and that you were holding your breath and clinching your teeth under a fake smile praying to God that this shot will be the one so you can get out of there. Now maybe you have perfect well behaved kids and everything in your world works out , if that were the case for everyone it would make a photographers job so much easier. So when it comes to defining my style and who I am , the images I capture when nobody is looking .. well those are the ones in my mind that are truly keepsakes .

Its the little things ...

Today I took a day off to spend with my daughter. So often she hers me say that I am studying , or I am working, or I am always doing something. I think sometimes as adults we get caught up in our everyday to due list that we forget how to have fun anymore. So today I took my little girl sledding. Now if there is anything in this world that can make me feel like a child again its this. I do however remember getting back up the hill was not quite so exhausting . We climbed and sled down the hill for hours. Half way threw we had some hot chocolate in the snowbank. Grace was so excited to sit down and crack open the thermos we brought . A little picnic in the snow . As I sat there watching her smile with her chocolate mustache and little pink cheeks my heart melted. God himself gave me this little soul to watch over . Its my job to bring adventure to her life, to teach her . Though I think she has taught me far more than I have her. My daughter is very spiritual, she love Jesus with all her heart and soul. She is loving to everyone she meets and goes out of her way to help them. She sees the beauty in everything and everyone. If its raining outside in the spring .. to her its still a beautiful day... we just need to bring an umbrella. The heart of a child is so pure and unbroken. Perhaps that is why I love to photograph them. So that perhaps one day they can look back and these images and see what beauty they have forgotten....and remember a time when a simple cup of hot chocolate, a sled and your mom was all you ever could have wanted.

Meet Jessie

My first session of 2012, and wow... My goal in this session was to capture the realization that being a mom... the single most important job in a women's life... Doesn't have to mean giving up yourself. So many of use put everyone else first and along the way somehow we tend to forget about ourselves. The dreams we have , taking time for ourselves. Sometimes even fixing our own hair in the morning can be a challenge. I want to  express that loving yourself is the first step to truly loving those around you. And to take a moment each day to see just how beautiful you are.