VLV Photography

I sure have had a tough time narrowing down just a few to post a sneak peek.  It was such a beautiful night and with a fun couple too!  You seriously live on a little piece of heaven, you know that right?  The drive out to this location is just breath-taking and anyone who has NEVER been on this drive would fall in love instantly.  I seriously wish I lived on a farm.  I’m close, but no cigar. 

This is really what I love about being on-location….always somewhere new, I’m always surprised, the images are ALWAYS unique and special to my clients, and the different locations always give me new, fresh ideas.

So anyway, enough of the jabber-jaw….I hope you’re in love with these images because seriously just looking at the sunset silloutte image, I could just cry.  This was actually my first opportunity to try this and well….I just LOVE it!  Can’t you just picture it…beatifully printed on canvas?  {sigh}

Bet you two never thought your feet could be art?

Itook me a while to get what I was envisioning with this ladder but I did get what I was going for!

And last but not least…here’s one of your faves Sami {also one of mine-of many}

Can’t wait for this wedding!

This boy was such a hoot!  And I don’t think I’ve ever met a child so fearless!  He is certainly going to be a stunt double when he gets older or something along those lines.  Just at the ripe age of {just about} 2, and after only spending a morning with him, I already know this-just wait mom & dad! ;)

I hope you enjoy your sneak peek mom & dad!  J. was quite the charmer and I enjoyed spending my morning with him!  He was such a trooper putting up with  me!  Now if only a little bit of that “falling and not crying” could rub off on my daughter!   ;)

I love his expression on this next one! Priceless!

So much for a boy to do, so little time…..

I’m going to sound like a broken record but is summer nearly over already?  I cannot believe we’re already approaching August.  Once school starts, before we know it the snow will fly.  Which reminds me, for those of you contemplating fall pictures, with the intent to send out holiday cards, please schedule your session to take place before November 5th.  This will allow plenty of time for custom design, if requested, and/or delivery of any specialty products before the holidays.  You won’t feel rushed, I won’t feel rushed and we’ll all be merry and bright!

I’m excited to have the UPS & FedEx man/woman come to my door this week as I’m expecting several goodies!   I’ve been meaning to get some samples of the products I offer for some time and I finally just made some of my own custom designs and they should arrive this week..hopefully in time for a couple sessions coming up!  You will finally be able to see and touch an image box, a 3×3 mini accordion, an 11×14 float wrap, and my most anticipated item…..a 16×24 canvas gallery wrap   EEEKKK!  I can hardly contain my excitement!  It’ll be like Christmas in July   The next sample item on the to-do list to order is a 10×10 layflat session BOOK.  I will also be adding another product soon…a 12×12 flush-mount layflat ALBUM.  The differene between the two is first, size and also the ALBUM is basicly more high-end with a padded cover, and no gutter, so each side is actually a spread.  It’s a product I’m excited to offer my wedding clients in some of the collections. 

Another product I’ve added is sterling silver Kotori Photo Jewelry.  I have two samples myself and plan to order at least two more {also on the to-do list}.  I may have blooged a little about this item before but here’s an image to give you a refreshed of what I’m talking about.  If you didn’t see my ”Products” link yet, or didn’t know I offer jewelry…..here’s a little sampling of what I have available to order.  If jewelry is something you’re interested in for your session, let me know and I’ll send the product & pricing information. 

Well, I best be gettin’ going and close for now.  Due to swimming lesson cancellations last week, today is the kids’ final day of lessons.  They’ll be sad it’s over.  It’s suppose to be a blazin’ hot today so we’re going to stay for some swimming today. 

Have a good week everyone and until next time….Live, Laugh, and Love the one you’re with-even if your hubby is refusing to take family pictures for holiday cards this year!

This was inspired by a wedding I have coming up next year.  The colors are olive green, burnt orange, and gold.  What a different and unique color combo and I’m sure the reception decor will be amazing!  Anyway, this is available now and can be customized with different color/text.  I can even make it a different type of card altogether if you like the layout. 

I’ve updated my “Products” page.  I was hoping to get fly-out menus with links to each product having its own dedicated page but I know NOTHING about code/html!  If you know about this sort of thing and are familiar with Wordpress I’m all ears!

Anyway, I love how this turned out!  I would usually use the images to decide what colors I go with but with something like a save-the-date card where you know your wedding colors, it’s fun to incorporate that into the card and then plan your attire around it to make it all come together! 

Remember when you were a kid and you kept bugging your parents to take you to the carnival/fair? You just couldn’t wait to eat yourself sick of cotton candy, fair popcorn, and anything else remotely unhealthy! You could go for hours from ride to ride, maybe see the rodeo clowns dodge some bulls at the rodeo, and my favorite part….see & pet all the animals in the “petting zoo.” I have so many fond memories of those days and I wanted to share a couple pictures that still, to this day, take me back to those happier times in my childhood.  The first one of me was probably taken about my son’s age {5} and I loved my lucky rabbit’s-tail {one of the many prizes to be won at one of those money-taking game booths}.  These images are actually the first of my own that I’ve scanned.  I guess I have something to learn about how to get rid of the white around the image after scanning! 

My brother {KenDrick} is in the lower-right corner….he would be so happy I put this pic on here with him in it {you might know the guy standing beside him too-we  grew up as neighbors}…ha!  At least one of the last things to go from fairs, carnivals, and the like are face painter’s.  I have a good friend that travels around in the summer just to be the “official face painter.”  What a fun “job” and what kid doesn’t love stopping at a face-painter’s booth?!

Oh….those were the days….{sigh}…the fair would be so packed you could easily get lost in the crowd.  How I miss those days and I wish my kiddos could have that kind of experience that only a small-town fair can give throughout their entire childhood.  Our kids really did have a lot of fun and they’re already excited for next year.  I hope 5 years from now they can still say they’re excited for next year.  I’ve seen the fair get smaller before my own eyes and it saddens me.  As a family, you can load up the vehicle and take the kids to the State Fair or to a bigger fair in a larger community; however, it’s the small-town fair that offers something so much sweeter.

Alexandra was so proud she picked the #3 duck and won a baton!  Needlesstosay, she sleeps with it!

Jozlyn had never had cotton candy before and let’s just say….she couldn’t get enough of it! 

Onto other news…only a couple more days of swimming lessons remain and I am amazed how brave those kids have gotten so quickly.  Some are already swimming on their own from one side of the pool to the other.  The lifeguards in Strasburg are doing a wonderful job for having a pretty large group.  On the third day I thought Xavier was done.  He wanted nothing to do with the “big water.”  He thought he should have a life jacket.  Now only a few days later, he’s jumping off the diving board and dunking and everything.  He’s so proud of himself and I am of him!  Swimming is like riding a bike, once you learn it, you never forget it.  The minimal fee it costs to give your child the ability to NOT DROWN is worth every penny.  The likelihood of going through childhood not knowing how to swim and then learn as an adult is slim to none.  How many adults do you know have taken swimming lessons?  I don’t know one person.  I explained that to Xavier when he was ready to give up.  I reminded him of all the fun he would miss out on when all his friends are swimming and he can’t because he doesn’t know how.  That was motivation enough…that and knowing how NOT to drown!

Well I think this is it for today.  I so wanted to get this posted before midnight as it would’ve still been officially Monday…didn’t make it.  It was a busy day in the Volk household!  I have several sessions I look forward to…..a couple children sessions and a couple engagement sessions!  Wahoo!  Oh and I can’t forget the wedding I’ve been anticipating for what seems like forever!  I booked this wedding long ago and it’s fast approaching on August 21st!  I soooo look forward to it Jade & Mickayla!  A nice, quiet road trip with just me and the radio   It’ll be like a mini-vacation for me doing what I love

Until next time…Live, Laugh, and Love the one you’re with…even if they’re a little person coming at you with sticky face & fingers ;)

Where is this summer going? I think I’m going to open every post with this line because I just simply don’t know how our summers seem to be feeling shorter. Every time Sunday rolls around I think to myself…”another week passed already?” Anyway, what can we do but enjoy it while it lasts?

I’m thinking we’re going to have to start planning for our 3rd Annual Halloween Party! I’m sure the stores will keep reminding me October is fast-approaching. I already saw fall decor items being put out recently in Kohl’s. I’ll realize soon enough how fast the years will pass even more once my oldest starts kindergarten this fall too. *sigh*

Toy Story 3 is playing at the drive-in movie theatre {The Pheasant Drive-In} in Mobridge, SD for the next two weeks. We plan to take the kids and I will have to bring my camera this time to document it. I haven’t done that yet and I know I want pictures for my kids to look at years from now and be reminded of the fun that place offered us as a family. It’s far less expensive than going to the theatres and wayyyy more fun! Every kid should experience it at least once! Drive-In’s have become very difficult to find through the years. I hope this one remains open for many, many more years. My husband and I said if we would ever win the lottery that is one thing we would love to do!

Sunday evening we had our t-ball potluck. A lot of good food and afterwards the adults and some of the older kids played softball. I hadn’t played since I was in school and yeah….my legs feel heavy. I’m reminded of how out of shape I am! I was never much into athletics {more of the drama/speech, arts kinda girl} but I surprised myself with a couple catches and even an out and made it around the bases a couple times So what I was always picked last for everything in school…as an adult it’s about having fun. And I had a lot of fun!

Today my kiddos start swimming lessons. They’ll go everyday for two weeks {with the exception of Fridays}. Our Alexandra is quite the little fish but we’ll see how Xavier does. He’s more cautious and gets scared he’s going to drown. He did fine with a life jacket the last time to went to the lake though so maybe a couple lessons will help boost his water confidence. If I tell him it’s good exercise he may be more likely want to stick with it. He’s on this kick lately about asking at mealtime if the food he’s eating is healthy or not, and if the activity he’s doing at the time is good exercise. Not sure where he gets that from but I’m glad he’s conscious of those things.

My hubby is quite disappointed as the big headliner this past week was Lebron James {formerly with the Cleveland Cavaliers} making the move to join the Miami Heat. He was hoping for Chicago and I was too. I guess we’ll see what this NBA season brings. My husband could watch ESPN 24/7 & with this whole Lebron soap opera it’s been on quite a bit.  The only sports I will watch with him are football and I’m more likely to start watching more basketball after March Maddness when it gets closer to the end and more interesting…determining whose going to make it to the playoffs & finals. The season is just too darn long for me to follow the whole time. I find baseball rather boring to watch on tv….in person might be different. But anyway…Lebron has gotten some backlash for his decision and understandably to some degree; however, he had the free will to decide for himself and no one can blame him for choosing what he thought was best for himself…and he took a $3 million paycut I believe doing so. So nobody can say it’s about the money…he just wants to win…and 7 years with no championship ring….again, who can blame him?

I was going to throw in a recipe today for some strawberry pretzel squares I made but this post has gotten long the way it is so I think I’ll close for today. Instead I’ll post a couple images of my packaging. When you choose VLV Photography for your portrait session, I want it to feel like Christmas when you get your prints. It’s taken me the past 3 months to get to this point with packaging….a lot of researching, a lot of trial and error but I like how everything came together. I still have a few ideas that may bring some changes to the look of my packaging and some tweaking here and there but overall, I’m happy with how it turned out. I do have some images ready to post of my products and I think I’ll just have to post everything on one page under my “Products” link. I was hoping to get a fly-out menu with the different products so you don’t have to search through everything if all you want to see are the different birth announcements I offer but the technical side of that has been a challenge. Anyway, here is my packaging…yay!

Until next time…Live, Laugh, & Love the one you’re with {even if they have a secret love affair with ESPN}

I hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July weekend!  Mine extended to yesterday;  hence, the lack of post.  It was a great weekend that my husband also got to enjoy with all of us.  He got in late from work on the 3rd when my hometown held their fireworks.  If you live around here {Hague} and you’ve never seen the fireworks display…you are surely missing out.  The big display started a few years ago when Hague had their Centennial and one gentlemen donated his own money to the cause and it was such a huge hit.  The fireworks here are like those you would see in a big city; however, we only have a population of 90.  And I’ve never been anywhere else where so much is free.  You don’t have to spend a lot of money to spend the 4th of July here…free street dance, free ice cream, free hotdog supper, games/races for adults and kids with prizes given away…my brother-in-law and I took 2nd place in the egg toss! Although, I walked away with egg all over me   It’s just a lot of fun to be a “Hague-a-mer” {as people say around here} on the 4th of July and any time of year, really.  Coming up is a Bull-a-Rama and that’s surely to provide tons a fun too for the family.  Last year my son rode a sheep and he still talks about it! 

Anyway, it was a fun weekend and yesterday we took the kids to Eureka Lake in Eureka, SD {about a 30 min. drive}.  They have such a nice beach area that is roped off with a super-long deck, and playground equipment.  The showers and bathrooms are nice too to clean off before leaving.  If you haven’t been there….nice place.  The water was warmer too than the last time we were there about a week ago.  I think this will be a regular place for us to visit in the summer….a memory the kids are sure to treasure when they’re older.  My mother-in-law said she went there with her family every Sunday as a kid.  You just never know what experiences you give your child that will stick with them for their lifetime.  Well, onto the images of our weekend

Our daughter was a bike-ridin’ machine and took first place in the bike race for those 4 and under and got a buck!  She was just beaming as you can see….{she just got this “big girl” bike a couple weeks ago}.  Of course, no bike is complete without a horn.  I think I might have to find her a basket.  I remember having a basket as a kid and I loved it. 

Then our boy got a participant quarter and he asked me “did I take first?” and I replied “no.”  Then he asks, “well, did I take second?” And again I had to reply “no, but if you had fun, that’s all that matters.”  He didn’t place but all participants get a quarter, which is nice.  Last year he took first but he was in the 4 & under category.  Just turning 5 pushed him to the 7 & under category and he just learned to ride without training wheels a while ago.  He’s very competitive for being 5 but he didn’t get bummed out about it.  I always tell the kids….”if it’s not fun for you, it’s not worth doing.” 

This is from Lake Eureka in Eureka, SD.  I want to get this enlarged and framed & put in our bathroom.  I want to take a few pics of the kids individually as b&w and framed too.  They love this place….as do my husband and I.  If you know of another lake area in the region that is your favorite place to recommend, please leave a comment.

In other news, I’m still working on my product images.  Bare with me as I get those prepared and posted….there are a lot.  I’m trying to figure out the best way to get this information on my website.  I have several different types of collage/storyboard templates, flat cards, etc. and with the holiday sessions just around the corner this fall, I want that information available as many people like to send out holiday cards.  I offer either 5×5 or 5×7 flat cards with designs on both sides and free envelopes.  If you want to get a session before the October/November rush, book your session today to guarantee your spot!

Until next time, Live, Laugh, & Love the one you’re with….no matter where you are.

I just want to wish everyone a Happy & Safe Independence weekend!  Take a moment to give thought and maybe even a prayer  to all the families missing a loved one serving their country over-seas & to the soldiers themselves.  Without the sacrifice of those in uniform from the past, present, and future….we woudn’t have an independence to celebrate.  God Bless America!

This image was taken not long after my company had arrived in Iraq in 2003.  Look closely  and you’ll see the shadow creates an “X.”  When we arrived at this base {which I didn’t call home very long, I was moved soon after to the middle of nowhere}, we were instructed to tape the windows with an “X” so that if we were to get mortared, the glass wouldn’t shatter everywhere and create injury.  Not quite sure that would save a person, but hey, you just do what you’re told!  Anyway, Live, Laugh, & Love the ones you’re with this holiday weekend!