VLV Photography

Well it’s about 1am and I’m still up, which isn’t unusual.  This is my quiet time, after the kids are all tucked in their beds and when I have the ability to sit and focus on my business and my personal photos.  I have a to-do list that I’ve been tackling for a few weeks now but slowly {and surely} am crossing off items one by one.  It seems though as one gets crossed off, another only gets added!  I can’t tell you how many nights have turned out to be all-nighter’s!  When I decided to venture into having my own photography business, I never imagined the amount of hard work & tears would go into it.  It’s truly been a challenging and rewarding experience and I’ve learned so much about business {and myself included} along the way.  I couldn’t have done any of this without the support of my better half.  He’s always encouraged me and given me a kick in the pants when I’ve been deserving of it!  I think all of us need someone to keep us in check and he does that for me.  Anyway….I didn’t intend for this post to start out this way but so it goes….guess this is what I think about at 1am on a random Sunday night {technically now Monday}. 

I hope everyone had a lovely weekend and it sounds like our Memorial Day Monday should be nice.  I plan to get out and enjoy it with the kiddos!  My son can try and catch butterflies {his new favorite past-time}, his sister can follow behind on his shirt-tail, and my youngest can get her daily dose of rocks!  I don’t know why but she loves to stick rocks in her mouth.  She will randomly hand one to me but usually she needs to taste them first!  Unfortunately, we have a smorgesboard of ‘em so I can’t take my eyes off her for one second!

I haven’t mentioned any movie reviews lately and I have a few this week to mention.  Okay…the debate over “Avatar” and “The Hurt Locker” for Best Motion Picture should have NEVER been a debate-hands down “Avatar” all the way!  This movie was more interesting in the first 10 minutes than “The Hurt Locker” in its entirety!  “Avatar” was very well thought out, doesn’t leave you guessing or asking any questions at the end, was visually appealing, and the over-all storyline was very thorough and interesting.  The hubby and I loved it and plan to watch it again, even though it’s nearly 3 hours long.  I highly recommend it!  I also wanted to see what all the fuss was about for the “Twilight” saga.  I can see why this movie appeals to the teen-girl population.  Girl falls in love with boy, boy falls in love with girl and tells her everything she wants to hear in a mushy, gag-me sorta way {“I can’t breathe without you” or “You are the reason for living”}.  Don’t quote my lines but if they weren’t said exactly this way, it was pretty close and, in my opinion, were a little over-done.  We just recently watched the second one, “New Moon” and it was no exception to the first I described.  My husband just rolled his eyes and stated “this movie is a waste of my life and my sleep.”  BUT, for some reason he stayed up and watched with me.  So even a grown man who did nothing but roll his eyes and laugh most of the movie-couldn’t walk away from it!  So…I’m not sure what it is about this saga but even us “old fogey’s” are hooked on what will happen next!  “Eclipse” is next in the saga but I’m unsure when it comes out on dvd. 

I came across this blog post  today and I wanted to share it with whomever cares to read this little ‘ol blog o’ mine  It’s a really great article about when is the perfect time to have family portraits taken.  The fact is, there is no time like the present and it served as a good reminder for even myself as a photographer;  photographing my own life and those I love in it.  I hope you read it and it makes you think about what you want to leave for your children/loved ones.  This article really hit home for me because after losing my father at the age of 8, I’m left with a handful of pictures of him that fit into a sandwich, ziplock bag.  I cherish these memories and am so grateful for having them.  The truth is, we don’t know what tomorrow or next year has in store for us….so ask yourself this question….”when is the perfect time for you?”  Even if you don’t pay someone to capture your memories for you….dig out your camera and by gosh, use it!  And if you are like someone very dear to me who doesn’t even OWN a camera {and at the same time has a house full of electronics}, then shame, shame and we need to talk!

Well I think that’s about it for the night…now that it’s 2am….6:30am comes awful fast!  Yes…I wrote that right…ALL 3 of my kids are early birds!  BLAH-I’M NOT!  In closing {and in the spirit of capturing my own life}, here are my early birds.  Have a great week!  Until next time…Live, Laugh, Love, & Photograph the ones you’re with {they’ll be grateful you did}

Happy Memorial Day {weekend} to everyone who has served their country and continue to serve, as well as those who have given the ultimate sacrifice. Also, holiday greetings to all those who support me and my little photog business-it is much appreciated! Have a wonderful weekend everyone! And just because she’s so cute and I just finished up her session images…here’s a little sunshine to add to your weekend!

Today my son, Xavier, turns 5.  How fast 5 years can go…..and have gone.  It seems when you’re in the “trenches” {those first tough 5 years} of motherhood, the days all run together, you wish some days they would just grow up already, and you look forward to time passing because that means a warmer, sunnier season is ahead.  But looking back on the past 5 years of my son’s seemingly short life thus far, has made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside as a parent;  because….so far so good.  My husband and I have raised a polite, thoughtful, empathetic little boy, at least up to this point.

I look forward to what his life has in store for him.   I’m sure when the day comes this fall when he gets on the school bus for his first day of kindergarten, I’ll be smiling with joy because his life is only just beginning for him {maybe with a tear in there}.  So much adventure, learning, exploring, friendships, and heartache await him in this big, big world.  I only hope that, we as parents, use the next 13 years we have with him under our roof {hopefully he wants to venture on his own after high school} to prepare him with the best life-lessons we can give him.

In the meantime…CHEERS TO CHILDHOOD and to turning 5!  Happy Birthday my little man….you will always have my heart.  Here’s my ”interview” with my birthday boy.  If you’ve never done this, try it…it’s too funny what kids will come up with!  Something neat to do and save and add to their keepsake box every year!

Q:  What is your favorite color?  

X:  Red

Q:  What is your favorite bug?

X:  Beetle

Q:  Who is your favorite person?

X:  Mommy {then he added daddy too}

Q:  What do you like to collect?

X:  Worms

Q:  What is your favorite food?

X:  Pepporoni pizza

Q:  What do you want to be when you grow up?

X:  Football and basketball player

Q:  Why do people get married?

X:  So their daddy’s don’t leave {big answer for a little boy…not sure how he came up with this one but it broke my heart to hear him say that}

Q:  If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?

X:  Aberdeen {as in SD-particularly Storybook Land}

I think I’ll just have to do this every year for all my kids on their birthdays!  

This is a 12×12 Storyboard that I put together of his first year and with a recent picture in the middle.  These would be wonderful as a keepsake for “Baby’s First Year” or to gift to grandparent’s.  Print these as a regular print, mount on a stand-out, float wrap, or even regular canvas.  The possibilies for these are endless! 

Most of these images were taken with my very first point and shoot Samsung.  And so it all began…years later, I’ve learned so much!  Anyway….enjoy all the smiles!  He was {and still is} such a smiley boy!

Have a great Monday!

It’s no secret to anyone who knows me;  I love having a camera in my hands and I love babies!  This little one is 7 weeks old but was so good and sleepy for me {mama got lucky with this sleepy-head}.  It was also a mommy & me session and I have so many ideas in my brain filed away for future sessions like these.  It was a great evening {although a little windy} and a lovely session with these two beautiful ladies!  Hope you like your sneak peek!

Okay, not so sleepy here but content nonetheless.

I love when client’s have fun props at my disposal and this basket was no exception!  I just love it {thanks;)}  It matched perfectly with her cute little outfit too!  This is one thing I love about being on-location;  I just never know what I’m going to get.  It’s never the same items to work with and always a new environment.  This really helps to keep your session real to you…in your environment and with your things.  Eventually I do hope to have a studio for newborn/maternity sessions {where client’s will be encouraged to bring their own items as well}, but the idea of being on-location is what I love for any type of session. 

Oops…got off track there…back to the little beauty..and the red basket!

And finally…the mommy & me shot.  Taylor was such a trooper and I’m sure she slept like a dream that night because I kept her pretty busy!  I wish I would’ve had a picture such as this when my kiddos were this little.  Cherish this {and the other images} forever mommy….someday she’ll be looking at this image all grown up and be so happy to have this to hold on to and love you even more for it. 

 For anyone who doesn’t know, all the pictures I have from my childhood fit in a ziplock, sandwich bag.  If I had 3 wishes from a genie in a bottle, one would surely be an album filled with more pictures from my childhood than it could hold!  A custom photography session is an investment and some would say a luxury, but it’s also a creation of heirlooms…and I think most would say those are priceless.

Got off track again…..now to the lovely mother & daughter….

 Thanks for the great evening and I’ll be in touch with your gallery is up!

These boys were a hoot!  I had so much fun spending the evening with them and they were as cooperative as they can be at their age!  Nothing a few suckers, smarties, and some cool stickers can’t handle!   The first image is one of my favorites from the session.  This boy is the middle child and in the short time I spent with him,  I could tell he’s the storyteller {that is, once you ask him something that interests him}!  A load of personality in this one & this image just oozes with it!

These kiddos are just too darn cute in their lil’ cowboy duds!  The oldest brother {far left} definitely takes on the role of big brother.  He’s only 3 1/2 but seems older just because of his demeanor.  But he’s still a boy and loves candy in digging in dirt!  In fact, during most of the session he made sure where he went, his shovel followed.  And mom-this enhancement is just for you

The youngest of the three was such a dumpling….all smiles {90% of the time, anyway}.  He came to me with open arms and not all babies will do that.  Just a lovable little guy!  This is one of my favorites of him because it makes me chuckle every time I look at it. 

Well, I hope you enjoy this sneak peek mom & dad!  Your boys are so much fun!  I bet there’s never a dull moment at your house!  Actually, I’m confident in saying I know there probably never is!  

Check back later when I’ll post another sneak peek of baby & baby with mama pics!

I have two special offers going on right now into June.  Please schedule your session as soon as possible to receive these money-saving offers because they won’t last long!  I can’t even believe I’m already talking about June!  Yikes! 

If you have any questions don’t hesitate to shoot me an email or give me a call!  Also, keep checking back {or sign up for my updates right into your email inbox} because I’ll be posting some sneak peeks from two sessions coming up this week!  Thanks and have a great week!

First offer especially for upcoming Seniors~

The second offer applies to all portrait sessions~

The days on the calendar seem to be zipping on by.  We’re almost to the end of May already and it seems at this rate, it won’t feel like we’ll have much of a summer.  My oldest turns 5 next Monday.  It feels like 5 years but only because so much has happened in our lives since he was born.  We’ve moved a few times, had two more kids, remodeled a couple homes, and then I started my business.

Reflecting on this Mother’s Day now passed, I would have to say so far, in this whole motherhood experience of mine, that the first 5 years seem to be the hardest.  I’ll probably change that notion once I have teenagers but for now that’s my feeling.  Little people go through so many changes and stages in those first {seemingly short} 5 years.  The responsibilities of parenthood haven’t really hit me until now either.  Once kids start asking questions that are diffiult to answer, then it’s a whole new ball-game!  They hang on your ever word and watch and learn from everything you do.  Parenthood is a huge responsibility and the goal of mine and my husband is to raise our kids to be responsible, productive citizens in society.  That is yet to be seen but in the meantime, I’ll enjoy all the silly things my son (and his sister’s) come up with and enjoy the ride!  I read a funny quote recently:  “If there were no schools to take the children away from home part of the time, the insane asylum would be filled with mothers.” ~Edgar Watson Howe  {my mother-in-law who is a teacher appreciated this one}  Right now mothers reading this are shaking their heads, saying to themselves “mmmm…hmmmm…Amen to that!”

Yesterday I attended the baptism of my newest nephew as his Godmother.  You may recall his newborn pics here.  Anyway, he made sure everyone knew he was hungry.  That boy has got a pair!  His mama can hear him a mile away, I’m sure of it! 

My oldest two had their first sleep-over at grandma’s house over the weekend as well.  They got spoiled and sugar-loaded and my daughter got primped with nail polish, make-up, rollers…..the works!  They’re excited to do it again.  I was originally going to just have my middle daughter, Alexandra {age 3 1/2} stay, but knowing that she would probably sleep better with her brother there, I had both of them go.  They look forward to the next sleep-over and I enjoyed the peace and quiet, which doesn’t happen too much these days!

Over the weekend I also signed up for Mozy, an online back-up storage service.  The program is in the process of backing up my entire computer in case my hard-drive were to just crash {knock on wood}.  Because, it isn’t a matter of IF your hard-drive will crash, but WHEN!  If you can say right now that everything on your computer is backed up, to include all your precious memories, music, important documents, etc., then you’re one step ahead.  However, if you have not taken the steps to safe-guard your digital memories or anything of importance, then you’re going to one day regret that decision!  I read a post recently on the Momtog Blog on this and actually immediately after reading it, I signed up.  I don’t know what took me so long but it’s done and once everything is backed up, I can sleep better knowing all my memories are preserved.  Now if you’re reading this as a client and thinking “oh my gosh, she doesn’t back up my images?”  No need to worry!  I back up everything on discs but that’s not the only process one should only depend on.  I also have an external hard-drive too, but those can crash just as easily as a hard drive on a computer.  Also,  discs degrade over time and just as you can usually find products in the categories of good, better, best;  the same holds true for discs.  So do your homework to find a product that works for you and back-up, back-up, back-up! 

And because no post is complete without a pic, here’s another from my session with adorable little Chaya

Until next week~Live, Laugh, and Love the one you’re with {because everything in life is better with someone to share it with}.

This is my first post in this series.  The “My Life Monday” posts have morphed into having more tidbits rather than snipits of my own personal life so I thought I would give “Tidbit Thursday” a try.  There may not be a post like this every week;  I’ll just go with the flow.  I get several magazines and I like to take bits and pieces out of each of them that could benefit others.  Some tidbits will be about photography, some about parenting, and some crafts thrown in too.  Basicly, a mosh-pit of ideas/tips/tricks/how-to’s. 

For this first “edition” I’ll begin with sharing this:

 ”What Will Matter:  Character Counts” by Michael Josephson

Ready or not, some day it will all come to an end.  There will be no more sunrises, no minues, hours, or days.  All the things you collected, whether treasured or forgotten, will pass to someone else.  Your wealth, fame and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance.

It will not matter what you owned or what you were owed.  Your grudges, resentments, frustrations, and jelousies will finally disappear.  So, too, your hopes, ambitions, plans, and to-do lists will expire.  The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away.

It won’t mattter where you came from or what side of the tracks you livev on at the end.  It won’t matter whether you were beautiful or brilliant.  So what will matter?  How will the vaule of your days be measured?

What will matter is not what you bought but what you built;  not what you got but what you gave.  What will matter is not your success but your significance.  What will matter isn ot what you learned but what you taught.  What will matter is every act of integrity, compassions, courage, or sacrifice that enriched, empowered, or encouraged others to emulate your example.

What will matter is not your competence but your character.  What will matter is not how many people you knew but how many will feel a lasting loss when you’re gone.  What will matter is not your memories but the memories that live in those who loved you.  What will matter is how long you will be remembered, by whom, and for what.

Living a life that matters doesn’t happen by accident. It’s not a matter of circumstance but of choice.  Choose to live a life that matters.

So there it is;  I think I’ll read this from time to time…just as a little reminder.  We all could benefit from reminders like these every once in a while.  Feel free to link this to pass on and share with others.  

We’re expected to finally get some spring-like weather and I’m so excited!  As we speak my two oldest are digging for worms;  with all the rain, they’re pretty easy to find!  Have a good weekend everyone and get out your sunscreen!  Wahoo for warmer weather!  Come back here next week for “My Life Monday” and a sneak peek of a children’s session I have coming up!

It’s no secret to those who know me that I love newborns;  all the wrinkles, tiny features, and their “new” smell….I wish I could bottle it up!  Maybe instead of a “new car” scent, the car freshener people should make a “new baby” car freshener! 

These were taken in my home with some new studio equipment I recently purchased and natural light.  Not to mention some new props I recently acquired as well.  With a previous newborn session {Caevence} I had taken them in his parets’ home using natural light and bounced fill flash.  You can see those images here.  I just want to draw attention to the different results these two options can produce.  I am hoping to eventually purchase a very large softbox for my strobe lighting I currently have and would like to specialize more in newborns in the future.  Newborns require a lot of patience and time to photograph but I just love everything about a session with new little one.

In case you missed it-you can find her in the warm, cozy womb here.  

Now onto the star of the show!  And she’s just as sweet as a newborn can be {awwwww….sigh}.  Look at those smoochable lips and that adorable head band…one of my prop finds;  handmade, dainty pink flower…love it. 

 Mama & Papa weren’t necessarily prepared to be in any pictures but I wanted to incorporate them in the session somehow.  I wasn’t sure what I was going to do exactly but knew I wanted to show the size difference.  This is what I came up with.

It’s amazing how flexible a newborn really is.  She was like puddy in my hands at this point of the shoot…dreaming away in la, la land!

This next one was actually my very last shot and it’s a favorite. I can’t claim this prop {baby doll wood cradle}…it’s borrowed, but I sure hope to get one like it in the future.

So there you have it.  There are more to post but those will be in the Newborn gallery.  I’ll mention it in the blog when those are up. 

Congratulations again mom & dad….she’s certainly a keeper!  I hope you enjoyed your sneak peek!  I’ll let you know when your client gallery is up!

Ooops, it’s Tuesday and I’m a day late posting this.  The weekend flew by as I was busy with family over the Mother’s Day weekend.  I hope all my dear mommy friends/family had a nice weekend.  I celebrated with a good portion of family this past weekend.  My mother-in-law celebrated her birthday, as well as a niece of mine, so I’m caked out.  And this weekend we’re going to have more cake as my newest nephew {and Godchild}, will be getting baptised!  I posted newborn images of Caevence here.  Seems just like yesterday and he’s gotten so big already!  Time seems to go at warp speed once you have kids.

Also over the weekend, I had a newborn session with my newest niece Chaya {pronounced Shay-a}.  Such a beautiful name and what a little dumpling!  I had my work cut out for me though as she liked to ”break in” some props, if you know what I mean ;)  But hey, that’s what babies do!  I totally expected it.  You can check out the sneak peek right here tomorrow!  

We received ”Brothers” from Netflix today but won’t be posting my review on it until next week.  We have ”Avatar” on the list as well but that doesn’t come out until, I believe, the 20th for Netflix. 

My son’s last day of preschool is tomorrow.  This fall he’ll be starting kindergarten…already {sigh}.  He’s loved his teachers this year and has learned so much.  I know he’ll enjoy school and I really don’t thinking having to go everyday all day will bother him one bit.  He’s a boy that loves to be always doing something and plus…I’m sure he will appreciate the break from all the estrogen at home!

I offiicially have a climber!  I had a climber last week and probably the week before but every attempt to get a snapshot of her climbing failed.  She would see the camera and be drawn to it like a moth to a flame, hence, no climbing shot.  Well, I got one of her today up on the stool.  I had to bribe her first though by turning on the faucet.  She loves playing in the water {as I suspect most kids her age do}.  These were my favorite ones….before I know it, she won’t need the stool anymore.

In other news, I have a fabulous new product I’m offering just in time for Senior sessions!  Also, stay tuned because I’ll be posting about a Senior Special in the next few days!

 Well, that’s all folks….for now!  Check back tomorrow to see the little beauty Chaya!
{I recently learned how to make my signature usable using photoshop and thought I would share it here. I’m thinking about adding a Senior Signature Print to my collection of products which would also be exclusive to VLV Photography!}

By the way, I don’t usually dot my “i’s” with a heart.  Actually, I don’t usually dot my “i’s” ever.   This became a habit when I took Spanish in high school.  When you write Spanish, you don’t dot the “i’s” either.  I guess it just stuck.  Maybe adding hearts will stick!

Until tomorrow…Live, Laugh, and Love the one you’re with!