He is clearly seen.

Today is my birthday.  And I had the honor of photographing a lovely family down at the harbor early this morning.  The sun was shining so I needed some help with my scrim and this family was so willing to help me.  Thank you all for helping me!  I missed having my sweetie with me (the one usually holding the scrim) and you made it much, much easier for me.

I adored this family.  Grandma and Grandpa reminded me so much of my own mom and dad…………especially in the way they care about their family.  I so enjoyed starting the day off with you all!

Last Saturday the forecast showed rain, rain and more rain.  The thought of being inside because of the rain caused me to talk the family into spending the morning at the botanic gardens – just in case the rain forced us inside the rest of the day.  It was a great way to spend the morning.

Today I had a photo session that I’ve been anticipating for a few months.  All of my session are important to me and somehow I get a vision for each of them.  This one was particularly important to me because I was taking photographs for a friend of mine.  And you know what?  When I sat back this morning and thought about why it was so important to me I realized that I wanted it to be right because I really, really like my friend Nicole.  I just do.  And I knew I’d love her family.  I did.  Very much.

Nicole, I wish I had time to edit all of them tonight!  I’m putting up just a few for now.  I hope you and your gorgeous family like them.  You really do look like a commercial ad for some great store.  C, M and O – it was so very nice to meet you!  You are all so precious.

On our way to the library this afternoon, we made a stop.  As we were getting out the the truck, Livy said:

“Mama, can you please lock the doors?”

“Why sweets?  We’ll be right back.”  I said

“Mama! I’m leaving my library card in the car.”

How incredibly wonderful is that?

“My only care in the world: is the tide gonna reach my chair?”

It’s a girl’s weekend this weekend.  Me and some friends are going on a roadtrip.  A roadtrip during which I know we’ll laugh a lot and we’ll grow a lot.  While I contemplate what the Lord has in store for us, I am reminded how gracious our Lord is.  And thinking about His grace causes me to want to drink every bit of life in.  I don’t want to waste one drop.  I love serious, though provoking conversations but just as much I love feeling what this photograph makes me feel………..excitement for what the summer has in store.  And my God is so loving that He delights in the fact that we savor each drop poured out into our lives.

Yes.  Savor.  Savor it all.

Livy’s been playing piano for about a year and a half.  Mak’s been playing for about 6 years and has been taking voice for about two months.  Tonight they had a small recital.  We prayed that the Lord would be with them and that He would calm anxious nerves prior to the performances.  He is so faithful.  He gets all the glory for calm nerves and musical ability.

I’ve been praying an awful lot lately about photography.  About where I fit and what God wants me to do with it.

I originally began taking pictures of my oldest daughter because I hated what happened when I took her to a studio to get her picture taken.  She cried and fussed and I left looking like a raving maniac because I was so desperate to get good pictures of her.  So, 12 or 13 years ago I began reading and studying and trying to figure out this photography thing.

Somewhere along the way, people began asking me to take photographs for them.  And I did.  I love giving people the gift of photographs.  If I didn’t love that, I wouldn’t do it.  It’s not about money or what I can do with a camera – it’s about remembering everyday this gift of life God has given us.  It’s just that simple.

I encourage you to do that!  I promise you:   taking pretty photographs is NOT about having a great camera or great lenses.  It’s about caring about people.  It’s about genuinely caring about the people you are photographing.  It’s about getting to know who they are while you are taking the photograph.

I believe with everything in me that if your heart doesn’t get bigger-  if you don’t feel it growing while you are photographing, your lack of heart will show in the photographs and they just won’t be that good.  With every ounce of energy in me, I tell you that this is the truth.  I have come to learn that photography is about heart.  It’s about love.  Even if you’ve just met someone, it is possible to get good photographs of them.  But only if you genuinely care about them – - not about getting good photographs.  Getting good photographs is just a happy outcome.

I tell you all of this because I will not be booking anymore sessions this year.  I have sessions booked through September and I am looking forward to each of them.  However, I have removed my booking calendar from the website and will not be adding anything else this year.

I would love to see families commit to one another to learn how to take photographs and then promise to do sessions for one another.  I have a friend, Kim, who is going to learn as much as she can and then photograph my family in the fall!  Isn’t that grand?

Please call me or email me if you are interested in putting together a network of families that would like to learn about taking pretty pictures and committing to take them of one another.  I’d love to help facilitate something like that.