Happy Easter!

Our Easter was celebrated fairly low key this year.  I had sessions on Saturday and Monday so we couldn't go down and visit Ben's family in Utah.  However I've blocked out a three day weekend in May when we can visit them.

For Easter I woke up early to clean and make a delicious breakfast.  I'm talking the whole nine yards- bacon, sausage, eggs, hash browns, and toast.  It was delicious!  Then we watched Brynlee open her little Easter Basket we made her.  She was so stinkin' cute!  She loves Easter eggs- playing with them, trying to eat them, and especially throwing them.

After we all got cleaned up we headed to Church.  We only lasted the first two hours because Brynlee's naps starts at 1 and so does Church.  It's really hard to stay that last hour because she just gets really fussy and doesn't like to be held while she sleeps.

When Church was over we headed on up to Rexburg to have dinner with some really great friends.  It so awesome having friends who feel like family when we don't have any family near us.

Overall it was a very successful Easter.  I just love having the constant reminder of the sacrifice that Jesus made and the examples that He gives us.  Even though the Easter bunny is awesome and candy is yummy, that's not what it's about.  Easter is all about remembering our Savior and celebrating His life and how He conquered death.

I'm Running a Business- NOT a Stinkin' Hobby

I definitely feel comfortable saying that I am now a small business owner.  I have had a steady flow of paying clients for the last two months and also a plethora of people who seem to think that photography is some how a bartering trade.  Granted- I did do 8 free sessions to start out, and I'm glad I did!  I got my feet in the water, learned a lot, and felt comfortable charging people afterwards.

I am however NOT doing absolutely anything for free anymore.  Sorry, just not happening.  Unless it's a shoot out with other photographers in the area,, second shooting with an experienced professional, or trading photos with another photographer.  Anything else "free" aint happening with me.

My services are not negotiable.  Sorry- but you wouldn't go into the Gap and say "you know what I know this shirt is $40, but I only have $20- will you take $20 instead".  One word- rude.  My prices are clearly stated on my website and it even says that they are non-negotiable.  I'm sorry, but I still don't understand why people think that I am going to lower my price for them because they say they only have X amount of money.  My prices are extremely extremely competitive in our area.

I put a GREAT deal of time into every session.  Actually taking sessions can last from only 1-2 hours, this is just a drop in the bucket to the time that I invest.  Each edited picture takes roughly 10-15 minutes to create.  Honestly, I spend roughly 4-5 hours per day working on editing sessions, learning more technical skills, responding to emails, improving my marketing, etc.  Not to mention the literally THOUSANDS of dollars that we have now invested into this so it will actually make us money (no joke).  The camera, insurance, my lenses, props, backdrops.  Seriously the list goes on.

I'm not doing this as a hobby- yest I love it, but I'm doing this to help put food on our table and to pay our bills.  I'm doing this to set a good example to my daughter that wives and mothers can pursue their dreams and passions while still loving and caring for their families.  I saw this picture on Facebook today and it just really reminded me of what I have been feeling for quite some time.

Excuse the rant.  RESPECT YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER :)

A few little Easter pictures

I swear I do do other things besides taking pictures of Brynlee, but with the weather being crappy and Ben working a ton we don't do a lot of the activities like we used to do.  This however will thankfully change when it get's nicer out!  Plus today me and a couple of friends and all of their kids went to the library for their story time which was fun, but too short!  We stayed a while and just let the kids play around in the children's part of the library and then headed back to her house to play Wii games.  I'm so lucky to have such great neighbors!

I think that next year I'm going to actually do Easter sessions or at least mini sessions for children.  I have big plans to!  I want either live baby chicks or a bunny.  I had a lot of fun taking Brynlee's pictures.  However, I do have to admit that it is definitely harder to take pictures of your own kid in your home.  She knows that she has free range and will go wherever she pleases.  Her favorite room right now is actually the studio which is really funny.  To get like 10-15 good pictures of her I do mini sessions with her that last like 10-15 minutes over a few days.    She's such a ham in front of the camera to and I absolutely love her little smile.  It's sometimes looks like pure joy and other times a mix between I'm happy but somewhat in pain haha.  I swear though we always have fun when I take her pictures!  I don't ever take them when she's grumpy.

Here are a few of my tips for anyone who wants to take better pictures of their kids:

• make sure they are fed
• make sure they have napped 
• if possible have something that they can interact with- is there a holiday coming up? (ex. Christmas ornament, Easter egg/basket, even 4th of July flag in the summer, heck little girls love jewelry) 
• Find a chair!  Seriously this is the best- put them on a little stool, children's chair, anything (ottoman, even a simple crate)- this will give you a better chance of getting some smiles. 
• Don't just sit behind the camera- you have to make it fun!  Dance, sing, play peek-a-boo.  Have music playing in the background.     
• Take pictures of them in their element.  I'm lucky that I have a kid who likes getting her pictures taken, but not all kids do.  Take pictures of them playing, reading, outside, etc.
• A 50mm lens will be your best friend!- For those with a DSLR I highly recommend getting a 50mm f 1.4 or for a more budget friendly a 50mm 1.8.  It's definitely the lens I use the most and then I love my 35mm as well.  

 

A Little Pep Talk

Seriously this video just made my day! We are all made to be awesome so don't underestimate your potential for greatness.

A little catching up

So it's been a month since my last post because it's been a totally whirlwind around here!
We have totally embraced "toddler-hood"!  You know how people always say that they wish their babies would stay newborns forever?  Well, that is not my case.  Don't get me wrong if I had a cuddly newborn who sleeps, and didn't cry for literally hours and hours at a time, I would probably love it.  However, Brynlee was not like that as a newborn.  She was extremely colicky and literally cried for hours upon hours.  She would only sleep if I held her, so I made our recliner in our living room my bed for the first....four months.  On top of not being able to sleep, I was becoming a total basket-case.  Seriously, I was probably psycho.  Props to Ben for putting up with my crazy postpartum nonsense.  

I love the age that she is right now.  14 months old is so much fun because she thinks basically everything is awesome, funny, and so exciting!  It's so much fun to play with her, teach her new things, and simply watch how smart she is.  Our latest thing is teaching her to folder her arms when we pray.  She has actually done it a few times on her own when I've told her that we were going to pray so please fold your arms.  Most of the time though I fold her arms for her, but they usually stay there till the end of the prayer.  After we get done praying she has a huge grin on her face.  It's honestly the cutest thing ever.  We've also gotten a child's version of the Book of Mormon that we read with her on a daily basis.

She doesn't say to many words still.  Things like mama, dada, hi, "what's that?", "who's that?".  But there isn't anything to worry about.  She is just a women of few words, except for babbling lol she can have a whole conversation with me without ever saying a real word.  She's super curious about everything and is a little social butterfly.  Boy, the personality on her!  She knows how to work a room.  She'll go up to people at church and say hi to them and is so sweet to everyone and love other kids.  Wherever we go in public if she see's someone she likes she'll get a huge smile on her face, put her hand on her cheek, and cock her head to the side.  I've tried so many times to get a picture of her doing this, but she's just so dang fast!

Don't think though that she is all sweet and no sass.  If I tell her no and she wants something really badly she bites.  Seriously, and it hurts!  Other then telling her no, why that's not okay, and giving her something else to do, there isn't a whole lot we can do about it yet.  We don't believe it's ever okay to hit a child no matter how naughty their actions are, and she's still to young for time-outs.  However, sometimes when she get's really feisty we do give her some alone/quiet time in her crib with a book to chill out, and it actually works wonders.

Valentine's Day was pretty low key for us.  Ben woke up earlier and made all of us a delicious breakfast and we opened our gifts and when he got home from work we went out to dinner at Red Robbin.  It was really nice not having to cook anything!

School has been crazy for me.  I'm not doing as well as I have the last two semesters.  I'll be lucky & happy if all my grades are in the 80's to be totally honest.  My business is doing really great though!  Which is why I'm not stressing out about having A's in everything.  I'm booking between 2-3 sessions a week.  Which is a lot!  It's going to slow down though because I'm raising my newborn sessions at the end of April.  Right now they are going for $75, but I'm raising them to $100.  Seriously, there is so much work, time, and money that goes into newborn sessions.  Props, blankets, baskets, etc. all of that adds up.  I'm reading up on how to become an actual legit small business, get a TIN, and all that good stuff so in a few months an apply to be an LLC.  Again though, my prices will go up a little because I'll have to pay taxes.  However, there are lots of deductions, credits, and exemptions that I can receive next year if I have my business squared away with the IRS.  If you know of anyone who is looking for a photographer send them my way before my prices go up! :)

I've had four people now ask me to do their weddings now.  They are really surprised to hear that I don't do weddings!  I know, I'm crazy for not doing it.  I love what I do right now, portraits.  I've never photographed a wedding and I've only actually been to two (mine & my sisters)!  When I think about photographing a wedding I don't get excited, I get nervous and seriously feel like I'm going to blow chunks.  I just don't have a passion for it yet.  Maybe in a year or more when I'm more experienced, but for right now I'm going to stick with what I offer, newborns, babies/children, engagements, maternity, seniors, and families.  Weddings just seem so stressful to me, and since I wouldn't feel comfortable charging a whole bunch because I've never shot one, it just doesn't seem like something that I want to do yet.

All in all, life is good.  There isn't too much to complain about.  Here are some of Brynlee's Valentine's Day pictures this year.  I hope she is always this happy.

We Have So Much To Be Grateful For

I had an awesome experience last night at Joann's.  I went in to get just a yard of this fabulous rosette fabric for a little girls newborn shoot that I have coming up.  The lady was so helpful and sweet.  While she was cutting my fabric she asked what I was using it for.  I explained to her how I was starting out in photography and I was using the fabric for a newborn shoot.  She went on to share with me how excited she was to be a grandma again.  Her daughter was just past 22 weeks and they had found out that she was having a boy.  I told her that I was offering newborn sessions at a discounted rate and gave her the address to my website.  She was so happy and said that this little baby boy was going to be a very special spirit.

All of a sudden this sweet women just started crying.  She explained how they had found out just just a couple of weeks ago at the ultrasound that he had spina bifida.  He was going to have a very long and rough road ahead of him.  He will probably never be able to walk without crutches, but may very well be bound to a wheelchair.  They were going to have to have him in Salt Lake City because he will need surgeries immediately after he is born.  As she was telling me this and tears were rolling down her eyes, I couldn't help but join her.  You never think that anything would be wrong with your child.  I would rather have something wrong with me then with Brynlee.  We complain about little things on a daily basis, but how often do we recognize the amazing blessings that we have.  She explained to me how much it would mean to her to have some pictures taken of him.  I leaned over the counter to give her a hug and told her that I would be honored if you would let me take his newborn pictures without any cost.  I explained to her how my sister in law had just been a recipient of new kidney.  Her healthy young women's leader said that she felt prompted by the Spirit to do that for her.  I told this sweet women that this is something so small, but I wanted to do it for them and that I felt like this is something that I needed to do not only for them but for me as well.  I explained to her that I had this strong feeling that I needed to offer this to them.  She was so appreciative and then started crying again, but she was because she was grateful.  I kept fighting back the tears.  Who would think that something so simple such as a photograph could mean so much.  I don't think it was necessarily the fact that I was going to be taking his newborn pictures for free, but I was willing to give of myself to help someone else.  

I'm sharing this story, because this experience really touched my heart.  I feel overwhelmed with gratitude for the health and happiness that we have.  I think that we all need a reminder at times, that life could be so much harder than it is.  We need to acknowledge the blessings that we have and look for ways to bless others. 

I think we all can get caught up in a world of always comparing ourselves to others; whether it's where we live, our jobs, income, or even our talents.  I need to stop comparing myself to anyone else and be less self centered.  I want to direct that energy into ways in which I can help someone else.  I think I'm going to come up with some more ways in which I can help others.  I've been throwing this idea around with Ben, about offering a free photography session for terminally ill patients, I just need to figure out the logistics and details.  Maybe partnering up with hospice?   There's isn't anything more satisfying then being able to help someone by simply doing what you love.        

Brynlee's First Birthday!!

I can't believe that my little Brynlee turned 1 year old on the 21st!  Holy Moly I have a toddler...watch out world!  I'm really grateful for this sweet girl who has been brought into our lives.  I couldn't ask for a funnier, sassier, sweeter, and just down right goofy girl.  Every time I get that smile beaming from ear to ear I know that we must be doing something right.

Brynlee's Update

• She's completely weaned off of formula and loves her whole milk
• Eats three solid meals a day, with snacks in between and use her sippy cups 
• Loves veggies!  We lucked out on this one.
• Walks like there is no tomorrow.  She's so fast to!
• Climbs everything
• Says: Hi, what's that, and dada.  She'll only say mama if she's in extreme pain...the little stinker!
• Still a daddy's girl.  When he gets home from work her face is completely beaming.  She's got a lot of love in this house.  
• Weighs 20lbs and is 29 inches long 
• Follows all of the other babies around in Relief Society.  She's a complete social butterfly.  She'll just walk up and down the room waving and smiling at people.  
• She's a little flirt.  Seriously, we're going to have to watch this one.
• Loves her baby doll.  
• When she does something good she'll clap for herself.  And if somebody tells her good job she'll clap for herself as well.  
• Throws tantrums....ugh this one is not so good!  
• She stills sleeps a lot! She naps about 3-4 hours a day and goes to bed from 9pm-8am

We celebrated Brynlee's birthday on the 22nd and had a little party with our family.  I was amazed by all of the toys, clothes, and books that she got.  I have to say though, she really did need some toys so we are extremely grateful for them!

I had a lot of fun getting all of the decorations set up and I have to say as much as I loved creating it, I'm really glad that her birthday is only once a year.  We had a bunch of yummy food; baked ziti, meatballs, veggies and dip, pigs n' a blanket, cupcakes, rice krispy pops, and some more sweets.  Needless to say we were all stuffed.  It was nice being able to celebrate with family and we really appreciate everything that they did to make her first birthday special.  The funny thing was that Brynlee slept about half way through her party.  All of us ate first, and then I went and woke her up from her nap.  It actually worked out quite perfectly.  However, we learned that Brynlee is not a fan of being sung Happy Birthday.  She bawled through the whole thing!! Oh well, it was a very successful and loving little party.  We love you B!

Here are a few pictures from her special day!