“Pictures help me remember when I forget and I want to remember everything…”  This is part of my philosophy about why I am a photographer.  I want to remember the good and sometimes the bad too.  I always say I want to shoot more for myself, now is the time to actually do it!  iPhone style!  I’ve posted several iPhone photo shoots here before (remember Brianne + Aaron’s wedding?) but I decided I could step it up and commit to taking one iPhone photo a day in 2012.  It’s quick, easy and always with me.  There’s a couple oops-I-forgot-quick-take-a-pic-of-Ike-before-bed photos but for the most part, I’ve been doing pretty well!  The Photo365 app is helping me stay organized!  Here they are in chronological order, starting 12:01am New Year’s Day!

1.  New Year’s Eve marble game!

2.  Had mom’s vegetable beef soup today .  With dumplings.  Yum.

3.  Enjoying the Christmas tree.  Just a little late.

4.  Feeling bummed out today.  Junk food therapy.  Bad idea.

5.  It’s January 5 and it’s 50 degrees out.   Weird.  But I’m not complaining.

6.  Ike and two of his girlfriends, Lola and Milly on Lola’s birthday.

7.  Nibbles.

8.  At Welch Village.

9.  Barefoot training started in the studio.

10.  Seriously.  It was 56 degrees out today. And yes, I am wearing that outfit.

11.  My boys.

12.  Breakfast in bed.  The best.

13.  More nibbles.  Either I get a lot of nibbles or I forgot to take a pic today.  Or both.

14.  Six Mile Grove and Bob Wooten at the Pine Island Theatre.

15.  Oh “BADWORD”.  Flight mixup today.  Cannot miss our flight tomorrow morning.

16.  Happy to finally be in the DR!

17.  I still feel small when I stand beside the ocean.

18.  I miss my dog when I travel.  I end up taking 3892 pics of animals to compensate.  This guy was especially friendly.

19.  My view for most of the day.

20.  ’Cause why not?

21.  Missed this face while we were gone.

22.  He’s leaving for a week tomorrow.  Now I’m gonna miss this face.

23.  Sorting, organizing and archiving old shoots on DVD.  Transferring them to hard drives makes me realize I’ve taken A LOT of photos.

24.  Good Dog Camp!

25.  Wine and cheese at Sontes.

26.  Artwalk

27.  Supervisin’  And no, he normally does not lay on the desk…

28.  Was a lazy Saturday at home.

29.  Card from Julia.

30.  A find from my antique trip!

There’s something extra romantic about saying your vows barefoot in the sand, the saltwater wind blowing through your hair, the waves crashing nearby. And there is something extremely magical and intimate to share this with a handful of your closest family and friends.  That’s the short story of Brittany and Kasey’s wedding day in the Dominican Republic.

Brittany is the face behind BC Designs Photography Studio and I read that one of her goals in life was to get married on an island…check!  It’s always a little nerve wracking photographing another photographer but these guys were so adorable, laid back, adorable, sweet, and did I mention adorable?  One of my favorite parts of their ceremony was their “unity candle”.  It was a liiiiittle too windy to light a candle so they had each person there scoop a handful of sand, say a prayer over the sand and pour it into a glass vase to keep.  Sooo cool.  That, and Brittany’s Grandpa married them.  Also sooo cool.  Congratulations, you two!  We loved being a part of your day!

Just a little inspiration to pair with your Monday morning coffee.  Thanks to my friend Julia for sending me this card last week.  Real mail + fun cards make my day!  I took an Instagram photo of this card for my ”One Photo A Day” challenge.  I’m TRYING to take one photo a day (I’m taking the easy way and using only my phone) for a whole year.  I’m doing it primarily for 2 reasons:  1. To shoot more for myself (even if it is on my iPhone!) and 2. I think it will be fun to look back at a whole year in pictures, remembering that even a “regular” day can be special, can be artistic, can be exciting, can be memorable.  So far, so good!      

Claire is a new big sister to sweet, little Sam so I met up with them to take some photos of the new babe as well as what life looks like now as a family of four!  I photographed Claire last year at this time and though it’s a typical thing to say, I’m gonna say it anyway…Kids grow SO fast and life FLIES by.  Last year, Claire was a year old, barely walking or talking.  This year she is running, talking, jumping, and is a big sister.  Years and years from now, I hope these photos bring back vivid memories of this time in your lives.  In the meantime, enjoy today for today!

We are very excited to be participating in the ARTWALK this Thursday, January 26 from 5-9pm.  Like last time, The Dovetailers (Brandon Sampson from Six Mile Grove and his wife Heather Ritenour-Sampson) will be providing live music!  (A little more about the Dovetailers here.)  At each venue, register for your chance to win a downtown prize package… the more stops you visit, the more chances you have to win! For refueling along the route: stop and grab a bite to eat, or a beverage, at one of the participating ARTWALK restaurants!  Hope to see you on Thursday!

A happy (and warm!) day in the Dominican Republic today!  More to come soon!

Over the past couple years, I have photographed Six Mile Grove several times, most specifically at the Americana Showcase. Their music is awesome, yes.  And it is so refreshing to be around people who clearly love what they do.  A LOT.  They are working on recording a new album so Dave Dennison (an awesome videographer) and I stopped by their studio to document parts of this process.  Aaaaand you’re in luck…they are playing tomorrow night at the Olde Pine Theatre with Bob Wooten (Johnny Cash’s guitar player) at 7:30pm.  Read more about it in the Post Bulletin here.  Do yourself a favor and check it out, I heard them with Bob this summer and it was awesome!

I love my studio space and I am super excited to partner with some other small business in town in my space!  First, the Good Dog Camp holds puppy preschool Sunday nights and Obedience Classes on Tuesday nights.  Contact Annalissa for more info about these classes!  Second, Sure Michelle is offering Barefoot Training Saturday mornings at 8:30 and Monday nights at 5:15.  I am loving the collaboration this space provides!

p.s.  Yes, that is Ike participating as a “Good Dog” last night.  Now he is begging to show off his down dog in Michelle’s class…

Most of the time I do my shooting on location…peoples’ homes, favorite parks, gross cool alleys, etc.  I am inspired by being in new places and love using the surrounding environment to compliment my subjects.  I rarely conceptualize images ahead of time and enjoy tracking down good light.  This works well for about 5-6 months of the year.  But when it’s -10 degrees with 12 feet of snow with 50 mph wind, (I know, I know…we have been SO spoiled this winter), it’s not very fun.  Soooo having a studio space has been really awesome when the weather outside stinks.  For Lincoln’s newborn and three month session, we were able to be outside.  But for his six month session, we stayed inside and used my studio and it was a fun change of pace!  Jaxon and Lincoln’s grandparents were in town so we got them in a few too!  I love these first few of two brothers…     

“I love you” he said.  ”I love you more” she said.

This is the kind of love that my family is rooted in.  It’s the kind of love that fills us up and spills over during happy times and gets us through hard times.  It’s the kind of love that makes me overwhelmingly thankful for my family.  And it’s the kind of love that even death cannot separate.

We had to say goodbye to my sweet Grandma 2 weeks ago.  And it was hard.  And I am sad.  Sad Grandpa is alone and sad for Christmas without her.  Sad she never knew great grandkids.  Sad to live life without her.  But sometimes, it is through sadness and saying goodbye that we remember anew the happy times.  I am drawn to remnants of days gone by and find comfort listening to stories about the good ol’ days. Clinging to that sweet nostalgia that arises, it’s like we can hear her again.  Smell her cooking.  See her walking down the trailer house hallway in her faded nightgown after a long day of fishing.  Hear her talking on the phone.  Drinking a Diet Coke.  Through those memories, we are reminded of her love.  And we are also reminded that this is not the end.  That does not dull the sting of death but it does remind us of the hope that we have.  We are sad but we are also overflowing with thankfulness.  And we are happy.  Because of her.

To those of you who waited extra long for your photos/products during this time, I thank you and appreciate your extra patience.  :)