to be continued……. lame – I know!

So, about changing cycles…. I vote that we see more stories about overcoming the odds and making the best of sticky situations. People rising above. I will start today with my little BLOG that only 30 people may read. I will start with a family that has been on my heart for sometime. They make me smile. They make me know there is good in the world. They make me feel that our youth are being set up to succeed despite adversity.

Teenage pregnancy is a heavy subject and in the media recently. Teenage pregnancy is very easy to judge as an outsider but, let’s be honest, it could have happened to a lot of us. I will tell you it could have easily happened to me in high school. My goal with this post is not to glamorize teenage pregnancy. My goal is to simply commend a family for making the very best of a situation that is not ideal.

My dear friend Jessica became a grandma at the young age of 41. I remember the day I heard the news. Stevie, her 16 year old daughter, was pregnant. My first thought, honestly, was “Stevie will be just fine” and if you know Jessica….. you immediately agree.

I just have to say that it makes me so happy. So happy, that Stevie is fortunate enough to have such a great support system. She and Benjamin will have a great life with a family that loves them so much. So, here is an internet toast to Stevie and her family for making damn good lemonade out of lemons.  To Jessica: thank you for, more than once, restoring my faith in humanity.

AND because a post is always better with photos – here is Benjamin a.k.a The Damn Good Lemonade.

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This guy and his momma have places to go in life… BIG places.

Thank you to all my clients for your business. I cherish every one of you more than you know.

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Naturally, I could not wait to photograph him.  BEWARE: Landon is so sweet and will infect everyone with baby fever.  I am feeling nostalgic today – so, I am posting a B&W slideshow.  I hope you enjoy the images as much as I enjoyed him.

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I want to do something a little different this year with the web site. I.N.S.P.I.R.A.T.I.O.N. There are so many amazing people that inspire me. They make me want to be a better person, try a little harder and challenge me to learn a little more. You know these people the second you meet them. They draw you in and stay in your heart forever.

My January inspiration is Jay Eads, someone whom I have never met in person. Jay grabbed me right away and not with his photography. His photography is amazing and I will get to that part later. I am not really sure how I originally found him but I am thankful I did. I remember reading his Formspring and feeling very connected. He is so open, honest and kind. Personally and professionally. The personal bits resonate with me the most. We all have struggles and many of us (like me) keep them hidden from the world. When I hear someone speak so -for lack of a better phrase- matter of factly, I am immediately drawn in. It just makes a thirty-something girl from Tacoma feel like she is not alone in the world.

His photography – when I view his images I feel like I should just stop and put my camera in storage forever. Just quit now… because I will never be there.  Please know that I am not saying this in an “I am so depressed” kind of way. I say it in a “he is just that good” kind of way. Seriously, he is amazing and his images are captivating. The emotion. The mystery. The beauty. The lighting. The raw talent.

See for yourself and check him out here: www.jayeads.com

I need to prevent myself from getting super EMO. So, I will stop now. Thank you, Jay.  You do more than you know for this thirty-something from Tacoma.

A post is always better with a photo. So, here is a photo by Jay that is just ridiculously beautiful.

I am offering a Portrait special between now and March 31, 2012.

I am not sure if you noticed that my normal pricing structure has changed.  My rates started at $300 for portraits and included a KOLO album, disc of images and an online gallery.  Unfortunately, KOLO has discontinued the album that I love and I just feel lost.  In my business I focus a lot on presentation.  Clicking through images on a disc or online gallery does not compare to beautiful prints arranged in an album.  Also, I want to provide something to display in your home.  Let’s be honest, most of us never print images from our digital files, INCLUDING ME!  For this reason, I love to provide this service.

I have not been able to track down an alternative to my beloved Kolo Luxury Vineyard YET.  However, I have scoured every retail and e-commerce store to find any stragglers without luck.

When I find a new album to offer I will modify the pricing structure again.  My goal is to find one soon. Until then… I am offering a special for $125.  The session includes:

- 45 minutes to 1 hour session in Pierce County

- an online password protected gallery

- a disc of high resolution images

- $25 print credit

This special is intended for families (Mom, dad and kids) – Engagements – Seniors – Babies – Pregnancy.  Session must be booked by March 31, 2012.  Please contact me for further clarification, if needed.

And, because posts are always better with a photo.  Here is Luca.  My wonderful friend, Anna, offered me her disc to copy when she heard of my loss.  I love this rug!  He looks like he is floating in a cloud of spaghetti noodles :0)

Thank you, Anna!

I have thrown out the white flag of surrender.  I am over the pain of it all and looking for a positive spin.  My positive spin is that I can start fresh.  A fresh start is exactly what I need.  Over the past year I have let photography fall to the waist side.  I want to bring it back to the front burner.  I want to allow more time for education and honing in on my style. I got a new iMac from Santa and within just a few days of playing around I feel my quality of life has taken a huge leap forward. Bye Bye PC. Hello Apple.  I could not be happier

Finally, I need to rebuild my portfolio.  Look for a special coming very soon!

Enjoy my latest session with my 2 favorite ladies on the planet.

Happy New Year!

If you’re not failing every now and again, it’s a sign you’re not doing anything very innovative. - Woody Allen -

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