Firsts

     As a mom of four rough and tumble kids, it's hard for me to remember the quiet serenity of one baby.  It's not hard to remember the reality of the first baby.  I felt like I had been turned inside out, my whole heart was on the outside and I was trying my hardest to keep it happy, fed, healthy, growing.  And frankly I can't remember my son's first birthday, probably because I was already pregnant (SURPRISE!) with his little brother.  

    So when Jodie contacted me for photos of her son around his first birthday, I was so excited for her!  No matter how crazy life feels and the details start to blur, she'll have a real and tangible memory of its beauty.  

   Even better, she wanted photos both in their home and in their (our) neighborhood.  Sweet photos of baby, of course.  But also memories of his crib, his home, his community.  What a gift.

Watch Your Step

My first photo session of 2016 was a really fun maternity/extended family shoot.  Kayla's cousin had gifted them the session, both for Kayla and her parents.  Photographing families, I can do that in my sleep.  Honestly maternity photography is another ball game.

Frankly your last month of pregnancy is the absolute last time in your life you want someone with a camera in your face.  But the pressure can be intense to document the time "for posterity" as Kayla put it.  But really, when your body has been taken over by another life form and not even taking a deep breath feels easy, it's not hard to just say "oh well" and walk away from that.

But I'm really glad women are able to get over that hurdle and do the maternity pictures anyway.  Because it's all about to change.  Never again will it be just the two of you, you and this man who thinks he loves you now but he's about to realize he had no idea how much he loved you.

And you, mama-to-be, you're on the cusp of change as well.  You're going to become even more amazing, even more compassionate, even more than you ever thought you could be.

Watch your step.  The next one is a doozy.

Forward Momentum

Every year, as December hits, I hit a creative brick wall. I feel a stagnation, you might say.  So I sign up to take a class in January, expand my skills and shake the dust off the old brain.  This year I felt ambitious and my January was looking decidedly calm, so I signed up for two.

Ha.  Ha Ha.  My January then quickly filled and I have an extra two commitments on my plate.  But you know what, I'm grateful.  I think I'm going to be forced to more strict with my creative time, I'm going to need to get a decent amount of sleep because my days will be full force.  And when January ends, I think I'll be better for it.

My first assignment in one of my classes, Forward Momentum taught by Posy Quarterman, is to review and cull my work from 2015.  Come up with a list of the work that brings me true joy, that moves me.  Some are included because the joy came from pride in my creation.  Some because the joy came from connection with my subject.  And some because they touched and helped me to grow in some way.  Eventually I will publish these in my own book via Artifact Uprising.

I heard a lot of chatter in my head during this process.  "That's not technically great."  "No one will get that."  "I don't think anyone else likes this photo."  "Is this even in focus?!"  :)

And it was a wonderful feeling to push past that chatter.  To recognize the joy and stand up for it, even if it doesn't make sense to anyone outside of my own soul.  This art is just for me.

A note about the last photograph:  It is the only personal/family photo included.  It is my grandfather, taken recently at his 100th birthday party.  It is not a "pretty" photo, but wow does it fill my soul with joy.

I know.  Isn't he amazing?!  Jack William Normington, my hero at 100 years new.