Following Dreams & Newborns!

          It's hard to imagine where your dreams will take you. You have to aim high and just see where the road takes you. I am loving this road I'm currently traveling. I have met so many amazing people that I never would have come to know, as well as learned so much about who I am in the process! That, I never saw coming!

         So, bear with me... I'm going to break into a story. Travel back in time for a few moments.
At the end of my 8th grade year of Junior High, they sat us all down and made us fill out a piece of paper to map out our high school plan, which was to be based on what we planned to do after we graduated. At the bottom, we were to list three jobs we would want, or three courses we would major in through college. Then, they gave us 20 minutes to complete these forms. I went into full panic mode. This piece of paper was representing the rest of my life. I stared at it and just went blank. I knew I would attend college. That was never a question. But I couldn't decide what I was going to major in. I was in the 8th grade... I felt I would have time to decide what career I would pursue before I graduated. And as I stared at this sheet of paper, all I could think was... I just want to be happy! I don't remember what I wrote down, but I know I completed the entire form with 3 minutes remaining... and I know I didn't follow any of those paths.

         Fast forward to my freshman year of college. Of course, those who have attended college know your freshman year is full of classes you just MUST HAVE to graduate, period. No way around it. I was finding I was really drawn to psychology, but I was also drawn to science... but as one of my MUST HAVE electives, I took a dark room photography class. I'd always liked taking pictures, but had never put much thought into it. But as I got into the class, bought my first SLR, and started developing my own images... I fell in love. I was constantly picking the professors brain, and asking questions, and I was just absorbing everything he could show me. I ended up taking the only other dark room class they offered, and convinced the professor to create a class for me to continue taking it. I just couldn't get enough.

        One day, during lunch with a friend, we ran into our English 101 professor. He inquired about our future plans. For the first time ever, I heard come from my mouth, "I think I'm going to be a photographer." And as it did, everything just clicked. Of course that was my path! But as quickly as the revelation came to me, it was quickly squashed. The professor turned his nose and said, "You'll never be able to make a living on that, and you'll be miserable." And to my dismay, my so-called friend, agreed and they proceeded to explain to me why this was a horrible idea for me. I ended up taking their advise to heart, and I left the idea behind. I ended up getting a degree in Biological Science. Yes, I'm a certified nerd. Got the diploma to prove it!!

        I won't say how long passed before I finally realized, I was meant to be a photographer. I let someones ideals change my path... In the past year, I have really come into my own. I have experienced my own ups and downs... but I'm learning. And loving every single minute of it! I'm not going to say this path is for everyone, but it was the one for me. I wasted so much time allowing someones ideals stop me from chasing my dream.

         So, my advise to you - NEVER let someone else tell you that your dream isn't worth following. As long as you aren't harming anyone, anything, or yourself - follow that dream with a vengeance! Love yourself enough to attempt to achieve your dreams. You may be surprised where that takes you! It just might lead you somewhere you never even imagined.

        That said, when I started taking photos, I never imagined I'd ever travel far. And that was fine with me. I wanted to provide great images for people here in my area that I felt were lacking. (Not to say there aren't any great photographers here in my area!! By NO means is that what I'm saying! There are some greatly talented photographers here and they are AWESOME!) But I knew there had to be more than the grocery store special...

        Recently, my path took me nearly across the state to take newborn shots and I could not have been more thrilled! I am beyond humbled for the opportunity and I have to say... this was by far, my favorite newborn shoot to date. (Okay, I think I might say that about every shoot I do, but I can't help that I meet these new, amazing people and it just fills me with so much love and energy I can't contain it!!)  So, I won't go on and on anymore, and I'll let you see a few images from our shoot, and you can see for yourself just how adorable this little man is!

All three siblings!

This bow tie is A.D.ORABLE!

Tiny Toes!

Balloons & Rocking Horses...

          I may have just been in love with this little family, but oh my goodness, these images were just adorable and I couldn't get enough of them! Madison is 2 years old now and she is B.E.A.U.TIFUL!!! She was a bit reserved to give me many smiles, but eventually I caught a few of that elusive, yet gorgeous smile!

          Enjoy a few images from our shoot!

Balloons are off to Disney World!!

Dad said they wanted a black and white photo with only her eyes in color... so here it is. And yes, this is her REAL eye color... I'm beyond amazed at how beautiful her little eyes are!!!

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!

The Big Yellow Chair

          First off, I must say THANK YOU to everyone for their support over the last year. We have grown in leaps and bounds and we have met some really amazing people along the way! We are so grateful, and it's just humbling to have the honor to have met each person, as well as the amount of support we have received!! I could not have seen my dream become a reality without each and every person, whether it be by having a session, or just spreading the word, sharing an image, or commenting on a photograph! Photography is not something I do... It's who I am.

          I like to run a contest every now and again, and the first contest of 2012 exceeded my expectations three fold!!! I was AMAZED by the amount of contestants, and then the fight to the top to win a free session with us! I had completely underestimated just how well this contest was going to go, and I think it took a little while for the shock to wear off! But when the final minutes finally passed, we had but one winner - and it was a close one! 

Our Contest Winner! Miss Ayda!

         Little Miss Ayda not only won, but she won with this image above that I had taken last year when she was 7 months old! (That was kind of like a double win for me!) Ayda's mom has used the same image in numerous beauty pageant competitions since our shoot last year, and has won - to date - every competition for Most Photogenic with this image. So this makes that an award winning photograph... and I'm an award winning photographer by default, right? :) Only kidding. Ayda is just beautiful in her own right, and I only had the privilege to photograph her. She's the real winner. I'm just happy for her (and mom and dad!) that I was able to capture that time for her (and them!) and I was thrilled to be able to do so again this year, along with her big brother Davian! 

        I was completely pumped about this session... the night before, I received a message with a picture of this big, old yellow chair. And I was INSTANTLY in love with it! I could have literally been picked up off the ground after seeing it in person... It was just, for a lack of better words, AWESOME! And the images - ahhhh! I could have died! It just really made each one of them POP! I'm still just head over heels for this chair... I could go on and on about how much I love this old thing... but for your sake, I won't. Instead, I'll quiet my fingers, and let you enjoy the sneak peek images from Ayda's contest winning session!!!!

 

 

Isn't big brother just handsome?!

 

Ballerina in training!

         So there you have it folks! I hope you enjoyed these as much as I enjoyed shooting them!

The Mills Family

          I met Christi a few years ago, when we both were starting out as newbies for a Veteran's Affairs contractor. We started out in different departments, before moving into the same department and sitting probably a little too close to one another. Haha. We used to cut up, make jokes, and pull pranks... and were instant friends. Although our time in the same department was short lived, and we both went on to move into separate management positions, before both finally moving onto new jobs completely, we have still kept in touch.

          I was more than thrilled to be able to capture their family portraits - which they said they had NEVER done. Personally, I don't believe it - but was ecstatic to be able to take an updated family session for them. We decided on doing them near the Ocoee river, and the day couldn't have been more perfect. It wasn't incredibly hot, there was a little breeze, and it was undeniably peaceful at our location!!!

          Christi's son had only one request for pictures - that he get his picture made with his doggie. How could I say no to that?  So, since he was such a good sport and smiled so handsomely during our shoot, we snagged some pictures just for him. It was absolutely adorable to watch him with his best bud and you could just see the love they shared together while they played!

          So, as I like to keep these intros short - because I know you guys just come here to see the pictures and not listen to me gush on and on,  and everyone knows I LOVE to talk! -  I'll put my fingers to rest and let you enjoy these wonderful images.

         

A Boy and his dog...