Megan and Josh's Engagements

Can I tell you guys the truth about something? I hate blogging! The typing, the copying, the pasting, the uploading. It is not my favorite thing in the world. But these days, blogging is a photographer's best tool for staying current with clients. It gives you guys a very up-close and personal look at what I'm currently working on and it's an easy way (despite my complaining) to communicate with everyone when new stuff is happening. Plus (and this is probably the best reason of all) it lets everyone get a peak at their photos before the batch is finished and online in their private gallery. I do it because we're all impatient - you can't wait to see it and I can't wait to show you. Impatience in this case is a very good thing. I would be more concerned if you didn't care when your photos were done. I want you to be excited to see yourselves on the blog!

Soooo.... Here are a few previews of Megan and Josh and their daughter. Megan brought along a seriously awesome bouquet of giant balloons. It's hard not to have fun when there are balloons involved. After we were done playing with balloons and freezing our butts off (WHAT IS UP WITH THAT, NEBRASKA?) we went to a nearby coffee shop to meet up with little Piper and take some family photos.

Mom. Dad. Piper.

Cute. Cute. Cute.

Amanda and Kris - March 19th

Amanda and Kris got married! They could not have been more sweet, more cute or more in love on their wedding day. There wasn't a person present who wasn't smiling and laughing along with them.

Funny story about the stairwell picture below... Kris was heading into the sanctuary so him and Amanda could have their first-look moment together. But at the exact same time Amanda came out of the door above him. Someone screamed, "NOOOO STOP!" (It might have been me.) I took a picture because, hey. Why wouldn't I. It was the Almost Oops First-Look.

Alana and Mike's Engagements

Dear Alana and Mike,

You guys are awesome. Your smiles and love are totally infectious. I had a blast with you two. I took more photos in the two hours we were together than I do at some weddings. You made my job incredibly easy - I feel like you guys did all the work and I just showed up to hang out. I know you will have an amazing wedding down in Birmingham and an even more amazing marriage. Have fun traveling through life together!

Here We Go, 2011!

Wedding Mania 2011 starts next week. I've had the last four months off from weddings and work in general, really. The winter months are always a little slow in this business but this time around it was a well needed break. As I came back from maternity leave, I struggled to keep up with emails and communications with clients. I lost all motivation to work as I tried to come to terms with our new version of "normal" in life. Having a baby is an emotionally complex journey. There's the obvious love I felt for my baby, but there was also the unexpected in the form of guilt, pressure and fear. Being a working parent isn't easy. I felt like taking time away from my son made me a bad person. I don't know why I'm sharing all this other than to let all those new parents out there know: I can relate. I think having an understanding of parenthood helps me relate better to new parents (and the not-so-new parents too) when I walk into their homes. Just like having been married and having been a bride helps me relate to couples on their wedding days. That sort of parlays into a goal I have for myself this year... I want to get to know you guys a lot better and put more of my personality up front in my blog and our meetings. The success of your wedding photos really depends on your relationships with me - you have to be comfortable with me and trust me on your wedding day in order to get those really honest, emotional shots. How can you do that if I don't let you know who I am?

Anyway, that's a little bit about me and what I've been up to. This year is BIG. We've got lots of gorgeous stuff coming up; downtown weddings, barn weddings, weddings on lakes, weddings in art galleries, buses, parties, LOADS of amazing couples and engagement sessions... It's gonna be huge. My brain is so well rested and I'm ready to have fun with you guys this season. Last year was awesome but I am soooo glad to be unpregnified this time around. I was pregnant at all but one wedding last year. The season went from praying I didn't throw up during the reception to praying I didn't go into labor during the reception. And a couple of times I got stuck on the ground trying to get a shot and had to be assisted back to my feet. But this year I am back to my old self and can take luxury in things like safely standing on a step-stool and getting drunk at your receptions. I kid, I kid.

Here's a couple pictures of my family since I'm always sharing other peoples' families.