Great Causes We Love

Things have gone rather off track around here at the moment.  What should have been happy news of expecting a new baby in May has lead to some serious health concerns and partial bed-rest orders.  To make up for the lost time this is creating, I have been doing some work promoting local and national charities and great causes dear to my heart.  Today I'll be sharing those here before heading out to catch some photos of my little boy on his way to do his first real Trick-or-Treat.


EXTRA LIFE

Video game lovers around the country will be donating their time, energy, love, and dignity this weekend in a 25 hour marathon gaming event known as Extra Life.  A dear friend and former co-worker of mine is doing her part yet again and can be followed here as she sells her soul to the gamer gods to raise money for Children’s Miracle Network and Connecticut Children’s Medical Center.

My husband and I are avid gamers with a deep love of zombies and Skyrim, so this is a cause we can both get behind and open-hearted nerds who have seen the wonderful and terrifying side of children's hospitals.  Please take a moment to consider donating to this cause and show the world what a little love and an X-Box can do when used the right way!

NILMDTS

More years ago than I care to think of, I was introduced to the program Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep (NILMDTS) when a friend lost her baby in an unexpected twist of fate at the end of a healthy pregnancy.  The love in those images helped their family begin to heal by having a way to say goodbye.  These photographers are such loving and kind people who donate their time and work to grieving parents having to say goodbye just as they whisper hello.

As I mentioned, I am facing a difficult and high risk pregnancy at the moment.  Perhaps it is knowing that there is such a fragile balance with a new life that makes this all the more dear to my heart today.  Please take the time to see what an amazing gift these people do.  Someday I hope to join them in their work to bring a little less hurt to a time no family should be forced to face.

And now, I have a cuddly little race car driver (we are big BBC America fans and TopGear is always popular in our house) waiting to go collect some goodies.  Good night and Happy Halloween to you all!

2013 Return to my Roots

ONE MONTH

I can hardly believe we've been out of our condo a full month.  It has driven me crazy at times, trying to adjust to our new location, but I believe things are finally back to normal.

With people around seeing the reality of hard times on their budget, weddings have been fewer and my work has shifted to more artistic images again.  I am back to working through the changes on the site, contacting brides for 2014, and enjoying planning events with a few friends.  

Saturday was a return to working my second family business, one begun in 2003 by my mother and grandmother and the place that I first learned what it takes to endure through a labor of love and get a small business off the ground.  So often, I see those who have risen out of the start-up phase looking down on others, and it makes me sad.  Take time to go back to your roots and refocus.  You might just quell that ego long enough to learn something grand from somebody quite small.

Naps Are Sexy

It feels like we've been moving forever.  I know really we are done with most of the work, but all I want to do tonight is take a very long nap.  Things in the new space are about 70% settled and I'll have time to test out the lighting and such by Friday, but for now you can enjoy something a tad different. 

These are test shots from when I set up my first home studio and had to replace bulbs in the studio stands.  I was working solo, so I just placed the camera on my tripod stool and used the timer to capture a few different things so I could see how much I needed to raise or lower the exposure.

The image of my hips and heels is a personal favorite as it was an accident that turned out to be one of the best from that test.  Anyway, hope you enjoy these while I go take a nap!

Wedding Day Details

 

Last weekend my high school best friend had a small, informal wedding to celebrate her marriage with a great guy.  It was lovely to see her and her bridesmaids in the gowns from our shop, and I am proud I could be a part of helping them celebrate the day.  I have been busy training a new assistant and preparing the final stages of moving out of our "too little" condo so editing has taken a while, but here are some of the cute little details and moments from that day.

New Beginnings

Gowns provided by:
Weddings By Armando

Congratulations to Steven & Lorina Gray.  

It was a beautiful wedding,
and we all wish you a wonderful married life.

So Close and So Far

Next weekend I have a small wedding of a high school friend and that will be my first chance this month to do much photography.  It's not for lack of offered bookings really, just lack of time after medical needs for the toddler and moving needs for my whole family.

Photofreak Photography: Shameless Plug Time

Recently I began working on the other end of the lens and staging my return to work as a model.  This has been rough at times and while I miss the thin body I had in college, I am getting more comfortable day by day.  In the works are at least two more shoots with other local photographers, but I wanted to share a few favorites from my first time back in the role of model. 

To see more work from Photofreak Photography or to book your own shoot, please check him out here.

We're Back

After an impromptu vacation from being a responsible adult while we had family medical needs, I am back now, and ready to apologize for my disappearance with the sharing of some great things.  Namely, images from training my apprentice today.