Super-Sized Blessings

I'm not going to be around much from here throughout the summer, I'm afraid, but I hope that won't deter you from visiting me when I do have a post or make you feel like I won't visit you anymore. Because that's just not true! :c)

I just started in on busy season #6 (I can't believe it's the 6th summer for me, wow!) with a wedding last Saturday. I've also got three wedding album orders in the works (Heather -- you know how long those take!) among other fabulous things. I hope you won't mind me sharing some exciting stuff.

Most of you know how far I have came from a graphic design student to working as a graphic designer and photography assistant for a couple years to starting my own business by the words I told myself the day I walked out: "I can do that and do it better". And while it's not been easy, it's definitely been a fun amazing challenge.

The first wedding I ever booked on my own just landed in my lap and I'm honestly not sure how it came about, but what I do know is that it was God's plan. That first wedding I shot all by myself was Beth and Rodrigo. I never knew the two of them before Beth called me. The day Beth and I met, we knew we were "meant" to be "together" as a bride and as a photographer. As I got to know her further, I felt it was just so simple to pour out my heart to her. She was the strongest Christian I had ever met at that point in my life, and I knew it was for more than just so I could be her photographer. She trusted me and I trusted her, and she prayed with me about my infertility and losses and she was one of my biggest cheerleaders through that time and I know one of my biggest prayer supporters.

Anyway, it amazes me as I look back to the VERY first wedding I booked, that it was HERS and how truly thankful I am because she trusted me. Without her trust, I'm not sure where I'd be. She didn't see but a handful of pictures of mine, but she knew she still wanted me, and I remember her even telling me that. I remember her saying "I don't know why, but I just know I want you!". Since then we've became great friends. I have had the chance to see her grow the gift of God inside of her, shoot her maternity pictures, and today I get invited to her son's birthday parties. I'm a part of her family, and she mine. It's heartwarming to know that I will (hopefully) forever be a part of her family's life, and now that she is pregnant with baby #2, I hope I will get to be a part of "her" life, too. (Yes, it's a girl!!)

My point is, I know I am doing what God intended me to do because of the people I have gained in my life as forever friends. Through Beth I met Corie (who I've mentioned tons and who has a blog who I have a link to here at my blog) and then Corie booked me for her wedding. We've stayed true friends since then and now I've been welcomed into her family's life as well. It's crazy, but a good crazy, how things spiral as they do and lead me in new directions meeting new people and most of the time, gaining life-long friends. Beth's sister-in-law, Tracy, is another. And Tracy is one of Corie's best friends. See what I mean?

Speaking of Corie, I am done proofing all her (hundreds of) pictures and some of them are online at flickr. A few are in at a "private" group which only invited guests can see. Those are the best ones, but, well there's a lot of skin and we know how there are some icky people in this world surfing the internet JUST for pictures like them. But you can still see many of the fully-clothed ones. Check them out RIGHT HERE.


Another positive story is this one. Late last summer I got called by a prospective client who had just heard about me, called me and booked me for a session. I have now photographed her children twice in the past 6 months. In that time she and I have gotten to know each other quite well. She has told me a few times how she feels blessed by me. But see, she's blessed me just the same or more. First of all, I've had the amazing chance to get to know her family and secondly, for her own business she recently asked me to help her in designing new marketing and advertising campaign. We've started with billboards. Nothing like starting big and going small, right? And well, those billboards should be up around town soon. TWO BILLBOARDS. I couldn't be more excited . . . or scared! Scared mostly because even though I hope it will lead me to more new things, I'm not sure I can handle it, but I pray those calls *will* come and that they won't overwhelm me too much so that I *can* handle it. I can't wait for bigger things!

Then a few days ago I got a call from my son's principal. He has asked me to start shooting some things at the school for the schools own marketing. Being a private school, the school thrives off of their advertising and of course a lot of "word of mouth". But to keep up with the other schools it has to have a great website and great brochures. So Friday I begin on this! I don't get paid and honestly, I don't care one bit. I would never ever accept money from them. There's nothing like doing things for people voluntarily, especially those who deserve it. Anything to make someone happy. I know by doing it, the rewards will be endless. I just love Mr. H's school and I am excited for it to just keep getting bigger and bigger.

Then Monday afternoon (see how good God is?!), as I was sitting waiting for Ashley's (Neil's sister) track meet, I start opening my mail. And inside a big envelope were some copies of a magazine. A magazine in which the main article's photographer was myself. ME! Talk about exciting. It's one thing to know it's probably happening, but another to actually SEE IT IN PRINT!! I am thrilled silly. And while I know I don't want to do weddings so much anymore, it does enable me to be really choosy with my weddings and hopefully expand in other ways, like with maternity and baby portraits --- two of my very favorite things ever! And here is the "contents" page. I'm on page 13 as you can see! (That's my picture!) Click here to see the magazine and my article!!!

So I know that was really long, and I hope you will forgive me. But I just can't go without apologizing for my lack of being and my lack of being in the near future. I'm busy. And if I spend as much time on my blogging as I wish I could, that means I am probably not focused as well on other areas of my life, like my children. I need my main focus to be my family and then my work. Blogging is now going to have to come near last. Just because it has to. Not because I want it to. But because it NEEDS to. If I give too much of myself here, I know I am not giving enough in other realms. And that's part of the reason why I'm a stay-at-home mommy. To live in these moments with them that won't be here much longer. Time is going by way too fast.

Thanks for letting me share my good news. Thank you for all the amazing support I get from my friends and family. It's you that keeps me going as a mother and as a photographer! :c)

One final thought, if you just go to my main stream at flickr, you will also see some personal pictures of my kiddos. Please stop by and leave me some comments. Toodles!

Wow Val, VOW?!

Ok, so I just made up that title to grab your attention. I hope it worked. I'll get to the reason for the title in just a second.

Neil got to south China safe and sound today. He flew on a puddle jumper plane from where he was to an area 2 hours outside of Hong Kong. He said he was the only white guy on the plane and he got a lot of looks from Chinese people who, keep in mind, are at least a foot shorter than him. So he's not only getting looks for being caucasian but for also being 6'4" and blonde with blue eyes :c) I think it's funny.

On a different note, I'm so proud of him for traveling alone like he is in such a large country that he's getting to experience a lot of. But again, I'm glad it's him and not me :c)

He said he is so happy to be in a area that isn't so uncivilized. He said it was pretty bad where he was. I forgot to mention in my "China, oh China" post, that none of the factories or restaurants that he visited were heated. They had heating but just didn't use it because they didn't have the funds to. So he said when you're inside you're in coats and sweaters and in restaurants you are served by waitresses with sweaters and scarves on. Is that not hard to fathom?! He said he's so so happy to be in a warmer part of the country just for that reason alone. I am happy for him, too!

3 days and he will be back home!!!!!!!!

Okay, so on to my Wow Val, VOW?!

I have some of the most exciting news ever to share. This might even sit above the revamping of my website and logo. I'm so so so so so excited about this!

Last week I was contacted by an editor for a magazine who said this, "We are still accepting submissions for our upcoming Spring/Summer 2008 issue of Wedding VOW magazine in the Champaign, IL area—and I wanted to see if you had any photos you want to submit."

So I submitted a few pictures from an August wedding and a December wedding not thinking I would ever in a million years get chosen, but today I got two emails saying "I'm happy to inform you that we've selected the attached photo to be used in our 'I Do' section for our upcoming Spring/Summer 2008 issue of Wedding VOW magazine" and, "I'm happy to inform you that we have selected the wedding of Holly & Brandon to be highlighted in the 'Real Wedding' section of Wedding VOW magazine. Congratulations!"

This means, (okay, so imagine me screaming this part as you read it . . . ) I will have a photo in the "I Do" section of the magazine and also I will have the main highlighted section of the entire magazine in the "Real Weddings" section!!!!

I am so absolutely thrilled. Not so much on the publicity, because I'm not sure I want to shoot more weddings, however maybe this will give me the chance to shoot more creative ones. But mostly, I'm just really happy and proud because I never ever in a million billion trillion years thought 1) I would own a business, 2) I would be a photographer, 3) I would be the sole owner and photographer for a business for over 5 years or 4) I would actually make strides in doing all of the above. I'm just really happy and proud that things have went as they have. I didn't even try to get my name submitted. That's when you know it's God allowing you to be who you were created to be.

I'm also slightly excited because, as you'll see in the example of the current "Real weddings" section, the featured photographer is my main competitor and my former boss. I think this probably is the icing on the cake :c)

I am so so so so excited and absolutely could not keep from sharing.

:c)
This is the current "Real Wedding" feature (not mine . . . yet) :c)

New small town, my business and the "ex-boss"

So I am at a pretty serious point in my life as a photographer. At least I think so. I’m doing way less weddings because I’ve chosen to for so many reasons. A few being that I just don’t have the time or energy these days to shoot a 10-hour wedding day, put up with some nasty attitudes that make my day go sour (please tell me, why are so many people, guests especially, disrespectful of the photographers?), and then take about 20-30 hours proofing, graphically correcting, and designing wedding albums for these clients. All big chunks of time taken away from my family. It’s just too hard for me right now. But I love doing weddings, especially ones with laid back happy brides and grooms who make the day easy and fun for me. I do love it. Just not 20 a year. I’m down to about 5 now and all 5 are booked up for next year. I so love the thought of just having FIVE. (However, I know I'm setting myself up for a hard time telling prospective clients 'no'.)

My photography draw lately has been maternity, newborns and children. My passion is really blossoming in these sorts of photographs. I love it. I love capturing phases of these little people’s lives. I love capturing moments that most people don’t want to wait around and shoot on their own. I love those perfect priceless moments that can’t be reenacted especially at places like Sears, JC Penny's and Wal-Mart. And seriously, I'm not saying that in a bad way, just that retail chains like these can't go on-location and see through the lens of a camera what I get to see. I love what I do.

So Leann called me this morning. I may have the opportunity to work with a woman here in town who is big stuff. She’s pregnant, due any day, and she loves my work. She wants me to shoot her maternity pictures (soon!), her birth, and then pictures of the baby after it’s born. Her problem is, she works closely with a guy . . . another photographer here in town . . . the same photographer I use to work for. The same photographer that I walked out on and never came back to. My ex-boss. Yikes. Yup. Kinda puts me in a weird spot.

She wants these kinds of pictures . . . maternity and birth . . . but doesn’t feel comfortable with ‘him’ doing them. I understand that completely! That’s one of the huge benefits I have being female and having the love of shooting these kinds of photos. I am proud to be a woman, oh yes I am! I’m so glad ‘he’s’ a man, oh yes I am!!

This woman owns a very nice restaurant in our town. One that people come near and far to have a nice white table-cloth, steak and red wine dinner (they are also a martini bar). She also caters to a nearby super nice and well-established wedding/reception site. And she also works very closely with my ex-boss at this location. That’s the kicker.

However, she suddenly wants me. Me.

Tomorrow night, Leann and I are having dinner with her at her place. (Kinda hoping to get a martini "on the house".) We’re going to discuss my work and I have to come prepared with pricing. I want to show up with a really fab brochure. One that I don’t have right now because I haven’t put one together yet for this type of work. Besides, my address and contact info has all changed. My price sheets even have to be revamped.

I am freaking excited about this. But very very nervous also.

I am so nervous because ‘ex-boss’ is going to definitely know about me now. I’ve tried to keep low profile because I’m kinda scared of him finding out about me. I know that he knows that I am shooting on my own now, but I am not sure he knows now that I am in his town where I once worked. I’m not sure he knows that I live just literally 5 minutes away from his home and his studio. Can you tell that we didn’t part on the best terms? He’s a good guy, he really is, but he didn’t have the best manners or moral values. I am not trying to be judgemental at all. I just know what I saw and it put a really bad taste in my mouth. And I couldn’t work in that sort of environment any longer regardless of his intentions.

‘Ex-boss’ is also probably going to be see my pricing. He’s going to know who I market to and what kind of deals I have (/don’t have). He’s going to probably come to my VWC blog site, and he’ll probably find my website. All this makes me even more excited and thrilled about being here and venturing out into new things like I am, and excited to finally, finally, get my new website up.

But it also makes me really nervous.

I’m not one to deal with criticism well. I’m not one to deal with ‘people talking’. I’m not one who can take confrontation. I have absolutely no idea what I’d do if I saw him. Wait, yes I do. I’d probably run and hide. Oh my goodness, it makes my heart just race thinking about it! Why do I let people and things get to me like this? See, that’s my other problem. I don't have a backbone. (Erin, I can so related to your recent post!)

So, I’m nervous. Very nervous. I don’t think this potential client will pull herself completely away from ‘ex-boss’ because Leann tells me they are friends. But this could still be huge (HUGE!) for me. It’s what I’ve been wanting for a long long time. But I’m really scared, nervous, and starting to feel a bit stressed knowing that I have to come up with a really kick-butt brochure in the next 36 hours.

Think of me, please. And cross your fingers that I say the right things tomorrow night and present her with a brochure that she just can’t say no to.

If you made it to the bottom of this, I thank you. I really just needed to “talk it out”, so thanks for “listening”. Oh the joys of being a business-owner, spineless, (fairly) young woman in a new town! Woo-hoo.

{Speaking of . . . tomorrow morning I photograph my first ever twin clients! They are a boy and girl 1 month-old twin cuties. Also their big brother. I'm excited. Hopefully that will put me in the mood and inspire me to have an even better dinner Friday night with 'prospective client'! Wish me luck!}

Birth, in pictures.

Well, guess what? After 2 days, I'm finally done proofing the pictures from the birth. I took over 300 pictures and ended up with 205. During the proofing process, different thoughts would pop into my head like "I can't believe Jen and Dan allowed me to get that picture" or "oh my goodness, how amazing is that?!" or "how lucky I am to have had the chance to capture all these!".

I knew while in the birthing room, how blessed I was with the opportunity, but not until I saw the pictures and saw them again, did I really realize it. They allowed me in the room during the epidural. They allowed me in during all her exams. They allowed me in the room during every. single. process. in a 7 hour time-period. All I keep thinking now is how lucky and blessed I am.

I just can't get over some of the shots and how truly astonishing they are. How they capture so much . . . energy . . . emotion . . . life . . . in such a small little frame. I am very very thankful to have been there and even more to have captured it.

So to Jen and Dan I thank you guys immensely. I thank you for the opportunity to expand my portfolio, to start a new adventure with my business, to get to know you guys better, and most of all, I thank you for allowing me the opportunity to have found the peace that I now have. I can't even explain in words or even emotions, how grateful I am for the experience. I pray I get to do many more and that those many more be couples as welcoming and open to sharing such a private part of themselves with me as you guys have done. And thank you, Leann, for helping me to get these opportunities. A good network and very good giving friends really do make a difference. :c)

And now, to the pictures!! Here's just a couple out of the 200+. So very many of them are ones I just cannot show here, but these are a few that I can. I'll post a few others over at my VWC blog as well.

Here's to the beautiful event called "birth".



{adding in later . . .
I have to note this. I asked Neil last night if he wanted to see the pictures. I said "they're pretty graphic" so he said "let me see just one and I'll let you know if I want to see more". Keep in mind that he never saw his own children born vaginally. So I started him through the slide show from the beginning. I got to the actual birth and he said to stop. So I did. He said, "I can't believe this is getting to me, but it is. This stuff has never gotten to me. I feel queasy and light-headed . . . " and then he sat down on the floor. Keep in mind that my husband has dissected every kind of animal you can think of in his lifetime and was going to be a dentist. His major was biology. He is a science fanatic! But, this got to him. I don't know if it's because of what it was, because of the blood and goo (I don't think so, but maybe?) or if it was because of the emotions going on inside himself. He was very taken by it. We didn't talk much about it, but I am hoping it somehow was closure for him also.}