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Ladies Night Out -Take One – Creativity

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I am a women, wife, mother, caregiver, friend, sister, daughter, business owner, entrepreneur….and the list goes on. And this lady needs a night out. Do you?

What better why then to take a night off by celebrating with Ladies Night Out at the studio. I thought about calling it “Moms Night Out” but thought we have enough time being moms; not enough time being women, spending time away from motherly duties and hanging out with other ladies being crafty and creative.

24 hours and counting…Child and Family Portrait Photography

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Sitting here on Sunday evening, winding down from the weekend, I realized lots of things are based on time. We schedule and plan our days around time; to sleep, to eat, to grab a cup of coffee with a friend. There is a perfect time for everything. Sometimes we miss the opportunity without proper planning, but life would be pretty boring if we planned everything. Where would the spontaneity and element of surprise be? Think of all those times when you have planned the perfect day, everything started off great, and then something unplanned happened; do you roll with it? do you let the element of surprise help you make the best of the occasion? or do you acknowledge that maybe those in between moments are the best unplanned part of life?

So many boys, so little time, and the first boy I loved unconditionally

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The studio has been buzzing with lots of boys and matchboxes and trains and with that is so much energy and so much love of all things boy. After the last boy session this weekend, I was at home working on the session proofs on Monday when my boy came home from early release at school and I remembered that this boy, the first boy I loved unconditionally, was full of love and anticipation to tell me about his day. And then, this little boy remembered his special kitty, Zander, who always come to visit him after school; and I became an observer of unconditionally love with my camera. So doing what I do best, the photographer in me began to document him and the love that this pet has for my boy. It made me realize, we need each other; to support us, to love us unconditionally and to be there when we get home; from school, a long day at work, or a busy day at the studio. To listen and be happy when the day has gone just as planned and to love us no matter what went wrong.

So as Owen was realizing that I was documenting him with Zander, he got this look on his face, the look of “I’m on to something” and immediately grabbed my point and shoot camera that has been replaced by my smart phone. He took a few pictures of Zander with me and then started to take some self portraits.

And then while we were both exploring the great details of life through a camera, I got to take some priceless images of the first boy that I loved unconditionally. And yes, you may wonder, I thought my husband was the first boy I loved unconditionally, but after having Owen, I know now the true meaning of unconditional love. Love is in the details; his beautiful lashes, his fine wispy hair just like his fathers, his charlie brown smile and that one of kind look of wonder. No matter what kind of day we have,these are things that life is worth living for because all you need is love, right.

So go out and love someone, show someone support in a way that they know you will care. And heck, maybe even take a step back and take a self portrait because we all need to look inside and love and accept ourselves. I plan to take my own challenge and take a self portrait, and you all know how much a photographer “loves” to be photographed.

Do you know someone on the Spectrum? Stories of Autism International Project looking for portrait models

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Sometimes things happen for a reason; and we may not understand, why or how, but we are blessed to be part of each other’s lives.

This past week, having been through a challenging past couple of months personally, I heard about this great project from another local photographer called Stories of Autism. Why did this project strike such a chord with me? Why, you ask, do I feel the need to throw everything I am into this project? Sometimes what comes from an overwhelming struggle, is nothing but light,openness and acceptance. I feel like this project is what I need to rise about the fight and give back.

Inspiration- Being a Child and Family Photography- Sun Prairie

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“Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” by Charles Caleb Colton

I say “What a great world to have some much inspiration.”

Trust me, I need inspiration some days and thank god for the internet. When the demands and expectation of life and being a small business owner, someday just require me to dial it in per say. And some clients only want what you can get at any local big box studio, hence they want me to dial it in. But I do love to be inspired and inspire someone else to do better; be better and shoot for the moon. If nothing else in being a child and family photographer, I hope to make an impact on each and everyone’s creative side. Whether through portraits or products, the experience should leave you inspired. Inspired to take those next parenting steps, to spend more time with loved ones, to decorate your home with your portraits of your loved ones, or to appreciate and inspire you to take better candid images of your little one’s in their daily life.

I need to be inspired to continue to provide custom portraiture. I need my clients to allow me the creative realm to provide more than just smiling, posed images of their little ones. I want to provide real and moving images that show all sides of your child so you can look back and say, “you captured my child, perfectly”. We all love the money shot, the one where your child is full of light, love and laughter and I work any magic I can to get this shot but sometimes I need inspiration.

Cyber Monday- Ultimate Portrait Session Deal from First Moments Photography

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Cyber Monday is back; and with a great, once a year, portrait deal. Because I have so much to be thankful for, I wanted to extend this offer for a Ultimate Portrait Session at a great price. I am thankful for my clients and the support of my studio and business. Because of your support, I get to work with great families and children in the Sun Prairie and Madison area providing a custom photographic experience, and you deserve a great deal to work with me again in the near future. So here’s my thanks for a great 2011 and a wonderful start to 2012. I hope to see you at the studio in the new year and look forward to providing last memories of you and your loved ones.

On a side note,in addition to being thankful for great clients and the support to provide custom photograph to so many families, I wanted to write of a few more things I am thankful for.

First and foremost, my family. I do what I do, for them, to be with them, to love them and support them and in return, for love and support back. Isn’t this what makes life worth living? To love and be loved.

Two others things I am most thankful of are; time off and my camera. I know this sounds pretty cheesy that I am thankful for my camera, but I am grateful that I have the opportunity to see and document my life with my camera, and time off allows me to participate in life from this artistic form. A picture can send me right back to a moment in time where I can feel the love, the joy, the memory of ones lost, the size of my little guys tiny fingers and toes as a newborn, the first birthday smash cake or first waterpark trip, milestone session, the first tooth. The list goes on and on. So I am thankful for not only being able to capture and document these {moments} with my family but with yours.

So with that in mind, here is your chance to save a piece of the pie while supporting local and helping me provide one more custom photography experience to your family. And don’t forget, Portraits make great gifts.

The Fine Print

Cyber Monday Ultimate Portrait Sessions may be used beginning January 1, 2012 and must be redeemed by June 1, 2012.  $100 print credit must be redeemed at your
in-studio ordering appointment approximatley two weeks after your session.  Portrait session contract with full terms will be required to book your session. Portrait Sessions are non transferrable.