what are you waiting for?

Three years ago, if you had asked me what I would be doing today, I doubt I would have said I would be a small business owner. This past year of shooting, discovering myself, and learning new tricks and techniques has been one of the most exciting, stressful, and amazing years of my life.

One of the hardest things about running your own business is being a slave to yourself. You have to keep up a constant level of self-motivation and energy that will keep your business propelling forward, when it is so much easier to just relax and rest on your laurels and wait for someone to tell you what to do. It is hard to approach every shoot from a fresh angle, while still accomplishing two main goals: 1) Taking photographs that a client is in love with and 2) Propelling my business and my brand forward.

I've certainly made mistakes along the way (and probably more yet to come), but being a business owner is rewarding, exhausting, and amazing. I'm excited about what my business can become as I look toward this next year and beyond.

For quite awhile I've been wanting to make some sort of video for the front page of my website that serves as a spot where I can speak my philosophy visually and show what photography is to me and what it can be to my clients. I am not quite ready yet and haven't been able to get an actual video shoot organized because of my schedule, but yesterday I thought, What am I waiting for? If I wait until everything is perfect and I have plenty of time, I'll never get it done. So I created a little slideshow that I think represents how I feel about photography very well.

I'm so excited to leap into this next stage of my business with an open mind and open heart. I'm ready to meet new people and learn new things! I'm excited to continue to document people, relationships, and moments in an authentic and inspiring way.

Thank you so much to all of my family, friends, and clients who have helped me get this far and have believed in my success and abilities, even when I didn't necessarily believe in it myself.

 

sarah

You know how you meet some people and they just charm you from the moment you start talking to them? That's how I felt about Sarah. She is easygoing, sweet, fun, and oh-so-lovely. Sarah is a fabulous soprano and a student at IU. Check out her wonderful website if you have a moment! :)

Sarah, working with you was a blast! I had such a hard time picking favorites from this session - the camera loves you! 

See what I mean? (PS - That color pink is one of my favorite colors! Just saying...)

Sarah, you are so elegant.

Bring me the sass!

Can I just say you made amazing outfit choices? No big deal, you just happen to have a caramel colored sweater that happens to match your eyes exactly. And who has eyes that amazingly gorgeous? Seriously?!

You are so cute! (And beautiful!)

 I hope you are having a fabulous fall, you gorgeous girl! :) Thanks for giving me the privilege of taking your photographs!

alex

I love shooting promo shots. They are so much more fun and relaxed than headshots, and they allow for more creativity. Shooting Alex's headshots & promo shots was a total blast. He was fun, laid back, and he had a funky sense of style. I loved his look! Working with musicians is such a blessing. Alex is an awesome violist.

Alex, I hope you are having a great semester! Thanks for the privilege of working with you!

Looking cool just chilling on a bench...

Alex, you look like you belong in alleyways with cool old doors. So awesome.

And you have the best laugh! 

You are so cool I can't handle it.

Alex gave me license to play around and create some more artistically post-processed image. Here was a result:

Classic. :) Love it!

There were so many great images from this shoot, I had a hard time narrowing it down!

I have the best clients! Just saying...

 

Thanks again Alex!  :)

holding on to summer

The past few days have been warm, bringing back summer for one last hurrah! For me, the late part summer is characterized not just by pumpkin spice lattes, scarves, and the crispness in the air. There are a lot of other layers to the end of the summer. Harvest is one of them, both from the fields and also from the garden. As the threat of frost encroaches and with the blessing of lots of tomatoes, we always canned a lot of stewed tomatoes and salsa during this time of year when I was growing up. I've missed out on parts of the process for the past few years, being away from home, but this year, I have had a garden, and it has helped so much with the pangs of homesickness. 

Even though I didn't really have enough tomatoes to can, my parents came to visit a couple of weeks ago and we went to the farmer's market and got some lovely tomatoes. My parents and I proceeded to can them (let's be honest, Dad did most of the work!) and it felt like old times. I always feel so much more settled into a new place or a new home (Ayron and I moved in July) when my parents come to visit. 

Mom and Dad, thanks for being such amazing parents and for helping me hold onto summer just a little while longer. When it is below zero outside, I'll remember the garden and that weekend while I'm enjoying homemade tomato sauce or Italian potpie with those tasty tomatoes! 

Leslie

Leslie and I did a photoshoot last spring and we had a lot of fun! Leslie, you are so adorable and beautiful! And you look amazing in black and white. Some people just look awesome in all of their black and white shots, and Leslie is one of them. 

Leslie, I hope you are doing well wherever you are these days! You are beautiful! :)

I loved your choice of color. Fuchsia/pink is one of my all time favorite colors!

There you go, amazing me with your black and whites!

Girl, you have got some sass! Love it!

Also, you totally have a beauty queen smile. One of the most perfect smiles ever!

Leslie, thanks again for a really fun session! I hope you are well! :)

chicago date

My hubby and I have had lots of adventures together since we've graduated. I can hardly think of a summer/fall that has been so busy! We have been out of town or had guests or photographed weddings every weekend since the end of July, and it has been completely crazy!

A little over a month ago, we had the pleasure of going to Chicago to photograph an engagement session for two amazing people (more on that later) and we even got some time to ourselves. We wandered around the Roscoe Village neighborhood and had lunch at this awesome little Italian place. The food was cheap and super tasty! I love spontaneous, impromptu little dates. We have been traveling and working so much and we are both so exhausted that little moments like this are what makes it all worth it.

Love you Ayron! I'm so blessed to have a wonderful husband like you. Thanks for second shooting for me and being so supportive and wonderful!

Bread + oil is one of my favorite combinations. I always eat way too much! YUM!

I'm not gonna lie, I was a little jealous of Ayron's spaghetti.

But my amazing sandwich was great too...

I try to make sure we take photographs of each other at moments like this. These are the little moments that are so easily forgotten and yet they are the sweetest.

And dessert didn't even make it to the photograph...it was too tasty... ;)

Happy Tuesday!

Mary

When I got an email from Mary asking if I could fit her into my schedule quickly I was so excited that it was possible! Mary was a senior this past year, and now she has moved on to the next stage of her life and is in college! We did her session very late in her senior year, but it was a total blast. Mary was my first Bloomington high school senior! 

Thanks for a totally fun and wonderful session, Mary! You and your Mom are wonderful people! :) 

You have the best smile!

I loved your green dress, Mary! You match the door perfectly! ;)

Hel-lo model! :)

Mary, I just want you to know I have major hair envy when I look at your photographs. And you have the most beautiful eyes!

So cute!

Like I said, you're a model.

Those eyes again! :) I think the President's garden at IU makes a lovely backdrop... :)

I hope all is going well with your first semester of college, Mary! Thanks for giving me the privilege of documenting one of the most important times of your life!

To see more of Mary's senior session, watch the slideshow below: :)