The Impossible Details

We sat in Caribou for our pre-shoot consultation. "What are their ages?" I asked and held my breath. "Seven and a half, four and a half, two and a half, two, seven months, seven months, five months, and four months." I exhaled deeply and let out a little nervous laugh. Eight kids seven and under? All in one studio shot? I wanted to crack a joke about using duct tape but wasn't sure if it would be appropriate - or funny. But the even funnier thing about this was that I had already agreed to do it. Funny...or crazy...or perhaps a little bit of both.

This is a Brady bunch family. You know, the kind involving two existing families coming together and forming one big happy family. One of the all-grown-up "Brady" kids and her husband and three kids live in Florida and they were home for the holidays. And what a great idea to have a photograph taken of all the grandkids together as a surprise gift for grandma and grandpa for Christmas. The catch? The Floridians were not coming to Minnesota until the 19th. Yes, we had to have the shoot on the 20th and edit, choose, order, and print the images in time for Christmas. (Have I mentioned before that I have a "can do" personality? Now do you believe me?)

After getting over the shock of the reality of their ages and our timing, we got to work. This was too important to let a little thing like the impossible details get us down. 

So, two shoots later with many groupings, grandma almost coming over during the shoot and ruining the surprise, kids crying, treat bribery, kids crying again, loads of singing and pretending to be farm animals, kids crying again, blizzard conditions, eight parents trying to make uniformed decisions, and leaky diapers, we got the job done and ended up with some really cute shots. And I got to spend time with a wonderful family. Really, for the stress of this shoot they were so helpful and easy going and fun to work with. This would not have been possible without their good attitudes (and singing help). A big thanks to them!

I asked a veteran professional photographer for advice on this shoot and one of his comments stuck clearly in my mind. "If you can get one shot with everybody in it where nobody is crying and all heads are turned somewhat towards the camera - then you will have been successful." I almost made it...

A Kid's Life Photography Website

Reminder

I don't remember her details. I do not have a picture of her in my mind. I have an impression. Of happiness. Of kindness. Of a good marriage - a partnership. She and her husband watched my daughter in the nursery while I was at Bible study, and they didn't just play with the kids - they brought crafts. They told stories. They warmly took the children and I felt that my daughter was in good hands. In solid Christian hands of a faithful pair.

Then yesterday she awoke like you and I. She went about her day like you and I. She went to the store, perhaps like you and I. But then the story changed - she was hit and killed in the parking lot by a drunk driver. Gone at 66-years old, right in front of her husband. Right before Christmas. It was heartbreaking and senseless and tragic. And I sit here heavy-hearted for her family.

Perhaps I should not blog about this. Perhaps I should keep it all professional and happy. But if you have read any of my previous blogs, you know that I cannot do that. I believe in being authentic and real. And more importantly, I believe in reminders. Sometimes we all need them. 

So tonight I am reminded to be thankful for the people I have in my life. Tonight I will hug my children for an extra moment. I might read them an extra story. I will not work late into the night, but crawl into bed with my husband and hold him tight. 

And tonight as I am trying to sleep I will be praying for her family. Perhaps you will be too.

A Kid's Life Photography Website

Noah and Paige Sneak Peek...

Here is a little sneak peek of yesterday's shoot with Noah and Paige. Poor Lucy had to stay inside, but she did sneak out once. And trust me, finding a dog the color of dirty snow during a snowfall is not easy!

When I get a moment to breath again I will post more from this shoot and hope to also update you on other shoots I have been working on.

Enjoy...

A Kid's Life Photography Website

I take photographs

Some moms write things down. Some have some super-human memories. I take photographs.

I am afraid to forget the beautiful and the everyday. I am afraid to forget that moment a few days ago when my kids were looking out the window in my office while I worked. How cute they were watching the world go by. How big and little they are all at the same time. How precious they are to me.

My journaling intentions always fall by the wayside. But I am never far from my camera. And I always feel some comfort as I release the shutter to capture one more moment of my children that will never be again. I am thankful that I take photographs.

(By the way, the windows in my office are pretty much at floor-length and always locked and closed - I didn't want anyone to think that I am letting my kids climb up high onto windows while I worried about getting the perfect shot!)

A Kid's Life Photography Website

Mama J

I have a soft spot for teachers. The idea of schools and teachers gives me the warm fuzzies. My mom was a teacher for 28 years and I admired her greatly. We always rode to school together and I would play in her classroom before school started. And when I "grew up," I would chaperone school trips with her class and visit her classroom for special events. When I became a flight attendant (that's another story), my mom convinced me to come to her classroom and give a presentation. I felt so dumb standing there in my flight attendant uniform showing a group of 5th graders how to buckle your seatbelt.

And then it was time for questions and they were fighting to ask me questions. (There must be some unwritten rule that whomever holds their arm in the air the highest and squirms like they have to go to the bathroom will get the next chance to ask their important question. I love the kids that don't really have a question prepared but rather like the contest of being picked and then do the "Um.... uh... do they have... videos games on airplanes?") I admit that this attention sure made a girl feel good. Yup, another reason to love teachers and school.

Those teachers leave lasting impressions on us. They shape us. And one such high school home ec teacher inspired Mama J Creations. Mama J was like a feisty grandma teaching you how to sew. The kind you love, but just can't help but put pins in your mouths to get her riled up!

And she would be proud to see the products bearing her nickname. They are so cute and stylish, and yes Mama J, so well made! 

I had the privilege of photographing some of the purses in the product line. The bags are works of art and I hope you enjoy the photographs... 

Emails in pajamas

The reality is that we are all just normal people living normal lives. All of us. Ok - maybe not the Queen of England, but the rest of us are just regular people.

But I have to admit that there are a few people in my life that I admire so greatly that I forget they are just regular people too. That they type emails in their pajamas and go to the dentist and read Reader's Digest in the bathroom. Well, maybe that last one is just me and anyone over 65. 

Jasmine Star is one of these people for me. She is a wedding photographer based in California and her work is, in my mind, perfection. It is where I push myself to go. And this is a good thing. All of us need that person to admire to make us want to be better. And for me, Jasmine Star is my girl.

So I thought that I would send her an email with a few questions in hopes that maybe she would someday answer one question. Just one. In her spare time. Maybe...

And you know what? She responded! She sent me a nice email and answered my questions on her blog. Yes, I was mentioned in the blog of my number-one-wanna-be-girl! This is a big day for me. And it reminds me that we are all just regular people. That she is just a person at her computer sending me an email, maybe even in her pajamas.

View Jasmine Star's Blog

A moment of consciousness...

It was late and I had a big photography project on my mind - and I was in bed - not sleeping. So I sent an email to get it off of my mind, and as I was walking down the stairs from my office I had an overwhelming desire to snuggle with my 16-month old son. 

Sometimes I feel like I am living in a haze. Like I am living an unconscious life, just trying to keep up and not really thinking about everything as I go along. (Moms, do you feel me?)

But through the haze, I have strong moments of consciousness. Moments where there is something bigger than myself leading me to be aware of life. Where my breaths are slower and my heart is happy and my thoughts are only focused on what is in front of me. Oh how I love and seize these moments!

When I am working with my clients, this focus happens so easily for me. I feel so present with them and their children and I don't ever think about anything else. But when it comes to my personal life, the moments do not always come without effort. But I was blessed last night.

I lifted my little Abe out of his crib and brought him to bed with us. We snuggled so close. I kissed his cheek, and in his sleep he made a kissing noise with his lips. I smelled his hair. Actually it would be more accurate to say I deeply inhaled the smell of his hair. I smelled his breath. I thought about his tummy always full of Cheerioes and milk and if that was why his breath smelled the way it did. I kissed his cute lips. I rubbed his tummy. I felt his toes. I fell asleep with my arm around him and my face snuggled in his neck. It was beautiful, and so is my son. I thank God for him every day.

I took these shots a couple days ago. One look at those cheeks and you can see why I kiss them so often! I hope you didn't mind my gushing for a bit.:)

My Happy Place

While I was pregnant with my first child my husband and I took a birthing class. We had to practice breathing and concentrate on finding our "happy place." I really tried hard... for about 30 seconds, but then my busy brain moved on to other thoughts like how I could get an epidural and how long it would take me to get an epidural and if it would hurt to get an epidural. I never really found my happy place, and went with the epidural for both of my children.

I am unsure if we are going to have a third child, but I do know one thing for sure: I now have a happy place if I need one. It is a porch in rural America on a sunny fall evening. Yup, a porch just like the Lyon's. Ok - not just like theirs, but theirs specifically. This is my new happy place.

The kids are amazing and were so fun and kind to me (I even left with a gift of original artwork!). We played hard, and even through the wrestling, they were full of love for each other. While we played, their parents sat on the swing and visited, and you could tell that they so enjoyed each other's company even after 12 years of marriage. And then there was the sunset and the woods and the grass and the dog and the porch. Oh, that porch where they spend most summer evenings.

Yes, it is pretty much white-picket-fence-ideal-America, but it really goes deeper than that. This porch holds love and time well spent together too. Sounds cheesy, I know, but if you were there you would understand. And I hope the photographs give you a glimpse of that. 

I am feeling a bit indecisive so I included quite a few images. I hope you enjoy them...

A Kid's Life Photography Website

Parent's Delight

When I heard that Abby's mom, Jen, was taking Friday off to prepare for the party, I was impressed. She made a big birthday cake and cupcakes. She made her special jambalaya. And she made homemade cookies on a stick, all personally decorated with the names of all the kids who were attending the shindig. She made the day so special, and this was afterall, a most special day.

Two years ago, Jen went to the Dr. for her normal 32-week pre-natal appointment. Her blood pressure was way off, and she was rushed to the hospital to deliver her baby. It was a rough go for Jen (to put it nicely), and her new baby only weighed 2 lbs 7 oz at birth. The Dr. told her that had her appointment been one day later she would have lost the baby. One month after Abby was born, Jen brough her home from the hospital - all 3 lbs 11 oz of her! She was a miracle and a gift, and this 2nd birthday was a special day.

Abby played hard with friends and delighted in eating her birthday treats. Then the moment came to open gifts. And gift one was a home run and I thought the show was over. Yes, Abby was so thrilled with her new shopping cart that her body language pretty much said, "Thanks for coming, folks. It was a great time. You can all continue on with my party, but I am off with my new shopping cart, the best present in the whole world! See you next year." At least that was the case until she got a baby. Yes, the other best present in the whole world! Oh to be two again, loving each thing like it was the best you have ever seen.

But while Abby was looking at her new presents with delight, her parents were looking at her with delight. Their little miracle was two. And she is beautiful and happy and enjoying this life. And what a special thing that is.

Miss Abby loves her big brother Jordan. When we were looking at the selects, she would excitedly shout his name every time she saw an image of him.

This post was almost titled "Photoshop can only do so much" as Abby was always eating, and true to her two-year-old style, most of her fare ended up on her face. And on her clothes. And in her hair... 

A Kid's Life Photography Website

Beauty from the inside out...

My son has a crush on little Freya - it must be that cute smile. One look at her beautiful parents, and you can see she is destined to be a beauty. You can be sure that my little Abe will have a crush on Freya for a long time.

I must admit however, that I would be more than happy for a Freya-Abe crush because Freya's parents are our dear friends. There's no doubt they are beautiful on the outside, but they are even more beautiful on the inside. Yes, I have high hopes for Freya...from the inside out.

I thought I would share a fun spontaneous mini-shoot from the weekend. The combination of this beautiful family and my new video software was way to much to resist!

A Kid's Life Photography Website

Love in a boy's life...

He was speaking in almost a whisper. I had to put down my camera and lean in close to hear 6-year old Bennett count to 20 in Chinese. Then we moved on to "dog" and "mom" and "brother," and you could see he was proud. And he should be. Chinese immersion school was paying off.

Then, just as I was taking a moment to think about what a gentle soul he is, he grabbed a stick and used it to "shoot" his 3-year old brother, Henry. Yup, the gentle soul shooting his brother. That sounds about right for a 6-year old boy.

And although there was lots of shooting and running and shooting (yes, I meant to include that twice), there was also that moment we were waiting for. The moment when two brothers let down their guard and Henry snuggled up to Bennett and rested his head on his shoulder. It was love, even if only for a moment. At least, it was what we adults think of as love. But I seem to know that in a boy's life, love comes not only in the moment of a head resting on a shoulder, but also in a moment of an intense headlock. Or in this case, in the moment of a fierce stick shootout.

A Kid's Life Photography Website