Arrrrrg!!! A Pirate's Life For Me!

          It has been busy, busy, busy the passed few weeks! I have been working, editing, shooting, scheduling, calling, emailing, texting, filing, researching, learning, and somehow managing to squeeze in some time to sleep, eat, and spend time with the family! But... I love to be busy. I love learning... but I'm finding that I'm learning things about myself I didn't even know the more I do photographs. This week, I learned I don't give myself enough credit. Now, I kind of already knew this... but I thought I gave myself a lot of credit. This week, I learned I don't give myself ENOUGH! So, I will be working on this! I am confident in my work, but I am very critical of myself... I know I have room to grow - I always will! The minute you get complacent is the minute you stop growing. But I haven't given myself enough credit for how much I have improved over the course of a year and a half... as a photographer and as a person. It's interesting how much you can learn about yourself when you're looking for it, and even more interesting how much you can learn about yourself when you're NOT looking for it! I may need to do a whole separate post just on that... and I might save that one for a later date :)

          I have been holding this post for a week before posting - just in time for Xander's birthday! I met Xander's mommy before he was born... I met her when I was starting to consider the idea of starting to take photos on a regular basis... I, of course, had this thought many years before... and I let someone convince me it would be a waste of my time and that I wouldn't be happy doing it. But, that story is also for another post! (just take this tidbit for now: Don't let someone who isn't YOU talk you out of your dreams!)

          I seriously cannot believe he is turning FOUR! F-O-U-R!!! How?! I swear, it seems like just last month I was taking his 3-year birthday pictures... so how in the WORLD is he already turning four?! But, alas... he is! Now, I must say, he was just a champ this year. Last year after about three shots, he yelled, "DONE!" and buddy, he meant it! We still managed to get some good shots, and his reward was a cupcake at the end - which he enjoyed, and those turned out to be my favorite shots of the day! In the course of a year though, he has turned into a little model! He enjoyed doing the silly faces, and funny poses in between smiling pretty. He did such a great job!! We encountered a snake on the path, which yes... I screamed the loudest. I'm not ashamed. I am NOT ashamed!!! ok... maybe a little bit...

          I am so grateful to be asked to do photos, and so blessed that I have people who believe in me and what I do! I love to hear the nice words, and I just love it when a client is beyond thrilled with their photos! To be able to be involved in their moments in life, and to document them... it's an absolute honor.

     

 The outside studio...

 Kisses for mommy!

 Arrrrrggg!

 Yo ho!

 Beautiful Mommy!!!

Thanks for checking out Xander's 4th Birthday Session! Arrrgg!