{Kelsey} Butler portrait photography

I have a co-worker named Kim. A co-worker is what she started out as, at least.  Then, she became a confidant.  She became someone I could depend on, laugh with, cry with, the whole bit.  And that's the shortest story I've ever written about how a co-worker became more than a co-worker, that transformed into a wonderful friend.

So what does Kelsey have to do with all of this?  The above story does have a point.  How I was introduced to Kelsey, is because I know Kim.  It is because of Kim (and I guess her Hubby Clark) that Kelsey is here. Kim, is Kelsey's mom.

So, one day this October, Kelsey and I met up at Butler University, to snap headshots.  We met up at the the Butler 'Bucks (...Starbucks) chatted about school and Kelsey's passion for theater, and the kind of pictures she would like.  Kelsey was so incredibly easy to take pictures of, because she is so great in front of a camera.  We have fun, and Kelsey was such a great sport!

This session with Kelsey reminded me of my love for portraits.  I would shoot them every day!

{Lauren and Brian's Engagement} Hail to Ol' Purdue

  I have known both Brian and Lauren separately for years.  Brian is a fraternity brother of my husband Ross, and Lauren was introduced to everyone though another brother's younger sister.  Both of them caring, fun loving, loyal friends, and driven.  So when they started dating a couple years ago, it was no shock to anyone.  In fact, it was almost one of those "hmm, and why didn't anyone think of this sooner?"  They are so great together, so I was through the roof excited when Lauren contacted me to shoot some engagement pictures with them at Purdue.  They are loving life down in Tennessee - but they were back up in Lafayette for a weekend wedding of a mutual good friend.  It was the perfect time to get together to take pictures.
  We tried to meet up on a Thursday night (trying to get ahead of the weekend) but the recent bout of rain in Central Indiana just wasn't going to let us do what we wanted - so we regrouped last Saturday and had a great time going all over campus.  The rain was ever looming, but it didn't stop us!  Not to mention that my husband had now been recruited as our "chauffeur" and he drove us all over the place, which cut a lot of time out.  We hit all the major Purdue places - Slater Hill, Ross "Ade" Stadium (get it?), the Purdue Arch, the engineering fountain, the Armstrong statue, and we even were able to hit up the Boilermaker Special.  It was a whirlwind tour, with an amazing couple.  I had such a great time with them, and look forward to celebrating with them next Fall, as they begin their lives as husband and wife.

{Betsy + Eric}

  I met my good friend Betsy 4 years ago this Fall though a mutual friend.  Who knew that in those years, I would witness her meeting an amazing man, who eventually would be the man she would be spending the rest of her life with.  I also did not know that I would be meeting her and her husband to be on a rainy September Sunday evening, to take their engagement pictures (practically 4 exact years later).  I was so blessed to be able snatch some photos of this exciting time in their lives together.

 Also, merely by coincidence we happened to meet up at a park that has a memorial to those who serve our country and communities, and we happened to be meeting there on September 11.  Eric is a police officer, and I thought that it was fitting to pay tribute to him in this post. Thank you, Eric, for all you do to serve!

Betsy is one of those women who can hang with the guys.  She kicks butt at sports.  She loves her dog, and was probably never that girl who had dreams of her wedding day (I wasn't really one of those girls either and maybe the reason we are such friends).  She also has a striking beauty that is natural - and I'm sure that's just one of the many many things that Eric loves about her.  I had so much fun with them in this session.  We had to do a last minute switch-a-roo in location due to the imminent pouring down rain on our original location.  We mixed it up, met up in Avon, and had a fun time walking around, talking and catching up, and letting them be them.  The happy, silly, loving, gorgeous couple that they are.

R & J :: Filling our home

  To just about every person I know, I rave about Pinterest.  It's an online place for inspiration boards of all kinds.  Trying to come up with ideas for dinner?  The ideas are there.  Not sure how to decorate your bedroom?  The ideas are there.  Trying to come up with fun ideas for you wedding, your kids (or in my case, future kids), your car, your hair, your home, your dream home, and for me, photography inspiration?  It's there, and  it is pretty addicting!  But what I love most, is the artistic inspiration it inspires, even when you didn't know you wanted or needed to be inspired. 
  I recently got into some artsy projects for around our home.  I had an inspiration picture from Pinterest, and although I didn't completely do what was in the inspiration picture, I used it, and turned it into an idea of my own.  Check it out.

 I loved this artwork!  It's personal, and it's meaningful.  I love the initials and amphersand - and that's the part that I really wanted to focus in on.  The only thing, was when it got down to the real style and color of this piece, I thought that for our home, it really needed color.  Color is just more my style - and for our home, red and robin's egg blue is where its at! 

I went with the initials and ampersand - added in the color - and all for a super low total of $2.50.  (Okay, It actually cost a little more than that... find out the details below!)

So, I started with three frames that I received as a gift for Christmas last year (Thanks Mom!) and since I spent, oh, eight months trying to figure out what to fill them with, I decided to modify the inspiration idea picture, to one that could fit in these frames  (thus the ampersand and letters only).  I bought paper which was super cheap - scrapbooking paper in just the right shades (only 50 cents per sheet at hobby lobby).  I really wanted to find stencils, but I couldn't find ones I liked (none were big enough) so I ended up printing out letters on our printer and cutting them out as stencils (Why hello free stuff, I love you).  I probably wasted 15 sheets of paper in this process - in finding just the write font and just the right size - but it eventually got worked out.  I printed the letters, cute them out, traced the letters on the scrapbook paper, cut out the letters, pasted the letters on the fun colored backgrounds.... and vuala!  It came together quite nicely.  

Now, if I only hadn't broken one of the pieces of glass in the hanging process, I would have actually came out of this art project with $2.50 into it.  But after all was said and done (including the $8 replacement glass....) $10.50 wasn't too bad for this fun, vibrant, and centrally located piece of art for our home.  I love it!

Catching

  Summer is about to wind down, and I can't help but think of how much I LOVE Fall!  Fall has got to be my very favorite season.  It's not too hot, the leaves are starting to change, school is back in session (as a teacher I just love this), and it's a reminder that not only is the world around us constantly changing, but so we are as well.  Each new day is a chance to learn something new, a chance to reach out to someone new, to smile and make someone's day, to catch moments in the making.
  This Summer I have spent a bit of time with my sister's best friend, Kate.  She is one of the most talented photographers that I know.  This Summer, I have not only spent time with Kate, but I have learned a great deal from her as well.  I love photography - it makes me talk a mile a minute, spend hours on the computer learning and researching, and this passion fuels this incredible hobby.  There is so much that goes into photography - its the lighting, its the exposure, its the composure.  But its also the emotion, the moment, the looks that means a million words.  I give thanks for this art called photography.  I know to some people its just "pictures" but to me it is so much more.  I am thankful that I am constantly viewing this world in a composition of incredible moments that continue each second to transform.  This world is changing and so are we.  We can lock those moments in time - what a blessing that is.

Not waiting any longer :: Mason's Newborn Session!

  Courtney and Matt have been friends since high school.  She told me that after Matt left for his deployment, they fell hard for each other, and knew that it was more than just a longtime friendship.  Here I was in their beatiful home, years later, as they stood there holding their amazingly adorable little Mason.  We had taken some pictures back in June to commemorate Courtney's pregnancy - and the fact that they were, waiting on Mason to make his arrival into their world (and to change it - in ways they didn't even realize).
  As they both were handling Mason, with each other, it was as if they were always meant to have Mason there with them.  I got to hear how Mason made his entrance into the world, and it was especially exciting because Mason and I now share the same birthday!
  It was a great day for a photo session -  I showed up, and Mason was ready to model (that's code for, he was sleepy!)  With the sound machine on, and blankets ready to go, Mason did a stellar job!  I feel so blessed to have been able to meet Mason, and take some of his first photos.  I've said it before, and I'll say it again - Mason, you are just as lucky to have your Mom and Dad, as they are to have you!  You three are a wonderful little family, and I look forward to seeing updates about your wonderful lives together!!

Below are a few favorites!

Dear Photograph

Sometimes I look around my house, and as we are erasing the choices of the past owners, making our new mark, I wonder how they lived in this space.  What it looked like with their furniture and their children running around.  I think about what this home will be for us - as we move in to the future - and the house, and our lives change.  I recently happened upon a website called dearphotograph.com, a website dedicated to taking an old photograph, and moving it into the present. 

People and living things change so much quicker than the houses, roads, and other things around us at times.  Don't get me wrong, I understand that roads widen, buildings get torn down, and new ones rebuilt.  But when you see these photos, it makes you stop and smile, think, and wonder what will be, and what photographs hold when you take them with you into the future (with our space ships we'll be driving around... haha).  As a lover of photography, I tie photos to memories.  How I felt and looked in that very moment.  I might not otherwise remember that day - but a photograph can take you back - and remind you of the very way you were.

My sister, the rockstar.

Being a mom is tough! Okay, okay, so not that I would know personally.  But, I did spend the last three days playing "aunt mom" for my nephew Canaan while my sister is on bed rest, and I have to give all the moms out there SO much props.  I'm not really sure how they find the energy each and every day to do what they have to do for others - its actually mind boggling!  My sister is such an amazing mother.  From her first pregnancy, when she was on bed rest at (I think) 21 weeks, she was so good about doing what she needed to do with Canaan, that she made it to 38 weeks with him - nothing short of a miracle.  Now, in her second pregnancy, she is there again, but its been more than it was in the first pregnancy.  My sister is a (freaking) rock star!  There is really no other way to put it.  You may see a woman laying in a bed, but I see a woman who is giving up four months of her life so that her child can have the best chance in their start in this world.  Would she like to get up and go to the grocery store? Yes.  Would she like to play with her stinkin' cute baby? Yes.  Are there many other things she would like to be doing right now?  Most certainly!  She doesn't complain, and has resolved to be positive through this challenging time for her and her family.  Oh, and can I say how awesome her husband has been?  He works long shifts, and comes home, and he's being Mr. Mom, taking care of his family's needs.  I know that is "what you are supposed to do,"  but I know it is SO much easier to sit back and say that, than it is to live it out.  As you can tell, I am just overwhelmed by how amazing my sister, her husband, and my nephew are.  It blows my socks off, and brings tears to my eyes.  Little baby Ezra, you are one lucky little dude!
So what makes it all worth it?  I know what does...

Waiting on Mason :: Courtney and Matt Pregnancy Session

Courtney is a friend from many many many years ago - we lived in the same neighborhood growing up, and would run around together when we were in elementary school.  She is a very very creative lady, and she is also going to be a mama soon!  A few weeks back we met up in Mishawaka, (up near South Bend) for a pregnancy session with her husband, Matt, and her pup, Lilly.  The park is absolutely fantastic, and although the day was quite humid (and was supposed to be very stormy) it ended up staying nice and light, with no rain to be seen.   That was very nice of mother nature, because the fact that we live three hours apart from each other, doesn't leave a lot of room for a ton of rescheduling.  So it was nice out, and I was so excited to see little miss Lilly, their sweet (and excited) puppy!  I am a lover of animals, especially dogs, and although it was interesting from time to time - I was so thrilled that they brought her along.  She is family, afterall!  She wanted to be with them so badly, that she even chewed right through her leash - of course after she bit threw it, she didn't run off or anything, instead she just ran right to them!  Very impressive!  I cannot wait to take more pictures with them, as they will be expecting their very first baby, Mr. Mason, very soon!  Below are a few pictures from our day together.  Be looking very soon for pictures of baby Mason - I can't wait to meet him!!