Doug and Christy met years ago. If I remember from the toasts correctly, Christy wasn’t sure about Doug to begin with, but after their first date, she went home and told her sisters that she just might marry him. Well marry him she did. Their wedding was a beautiful affair full of laughter and joy and some quiet, tender moments as well – from flower girls looking on with a touch of “princess envy” and puppies wanting to get in on the action, from a first look that had me in tears as Doug tenderly wiped Chirsty’s tears to boys being boys (and even a guest appearance by Waldo); from a ringbearer hiding in the closet to a grandfather’s stolen moment and even that moment when the music starts and a dad takes his little girl by the hand to walk her down the aisle. They’re all there and that’s just the beginning of this extraordinary wedding! There is much more to come, but that’s enough for tonight!
Since Michael’s contest didn’t say anything about only one entry, here is my second shot at a free album:)! These moments spoke to me – I hope they speak to you too!
As a full time mom, some things get left behind – my blog is one of them! I post tons of sneak peeks to my Facebook business page, but when it comes to actually getting on my blog, customizing it and posting regular content, well… it hasn’t happened (obivously)!
All of that to say… becoming a “lean, mean, blogging machine” is on my list of 40 by 40 and since I turn 40 this year – it IS going to happen, just not tonight!
To my faithful reader, (that would be my mom), be patient! I’m getting there… slowly but surely, well…. so very slowly;)!
As a wedding photographer, I’m entrusted to capture one of the most precious and tender days a couple can ever have. Having been a bride many, many years ago, I can attest to this. I still look at my wedding photos and fondly remember what was happening during each image. The images I am drawn to the most are the ones I call the “in-between” moments. The ones that aren’t posed or staged. The ones that emit an authenticity and a genuineness to the events of the day.
While scouring the web a few days ago, I came across a contest that Michael Norwood is hosting. The challenge was to blog an entire wedding showing only images that were unstaged and unposed. So… here’s to Madera Books, those “in-between” moments and me having a chance to win an album from Madera Books:)!
Here is Lauren getting ready for her wedding day…
Just before their first look… The only thing that I did for their first look was to ask Lauren to walk up to Matt from behind. The rest was all them and their pure joy at seeing each other!
Here she goes…
Matt and Lauren’s ceremony was officiated by Matt’s dad. What a personal touch! As a soon to be M.O.B, I can’t imagine being in that spot. Not that I could be in that spot, because I’m not a minister, but you get what I mean! This first image is so precious – Matt’s grandmother had her arm around Matt’s mom. So sweet.
Umm… icing… everywhere!
And they’re on their way!
This last image tugs my heartstrings – Matt and Lauren are leaving and Matt’s mom is watching him go.
The image below (and the b/w version of it) is for me and me alone. Well, ok, you too, if you need a smile. I was shooting a family session and we heard squeals of delight… squeals that could only come from a little girl having the time of her life. I turned quickly to see and this is the image I caught. Daddy looked on protectively with a smile on his face, watching his princess dance and play to only the music of the water and her imagination. For me it speaks to innocence and purity, the unabashed joy with which children play. These have only been slightly adjusted (I think I like the color one better than the black and white), but it made me stop as I was editing and smile.
So… today… when the wind is howling and the weather would lead me to believe that a storm is on the horizon, these images make me smile. The little girl reminds me of my own little girl (who isn’t really so little anymore) and the joy that little ones find in simple things. Simple things like playing in a fountain even if you’re not wearing a swimsuit, of putting your face straight down into the water and letting it blast over your cheeks until they’re numb, of soaking up the sunshine and of wearing pink, because that is just what every little girl does. Today, there is something about these images that make me want to abandon “adulthood” and go jump in the fountain with her, running and jumping and playing , until the water washes all my cares and worries away.
Today, I hope you run and jump and squeal and dance. Let the water rush over you. And, of course, wear pink.
A few months ago I got an email from Peter to save the date… the occasion… his proposal to Amy!! I hid in the bushes like any crazy photog would and captured some of the sweetest moments ever – Peter even had Amy’s parents fly in for the occasion! They are such an incredible couple with incredible hearts – for each other and for others! It has been such a joy to be part of their story and I can’t wait for the wedding.
Anyway… about a week ago was their e-session. Talk about global warming. NOT! It was 33 degrees outside and so cold! Amy and Peter were totally troopers – we started at the Sculpture Garden in the Museum of Fine Arts and then made our way to the Houston Zoo. Enjoy the sneak peek of a few of my favorites! With Amy’s red hot shoes and warm donuts for “The Donut Man” from Shipley’s, it was a fun time!!
Amanda and Bill met at church, at a campout. Over the next few months they would cross paths several more times. One day, Bill asked her on a date and the rest, as they say, is history. A story of sweet redemption and second chances. Starting over and blending families. Their wedding ceremony was a worship service and the reception was an intimate gathering celebrating all that God has done in their lives and believing for all that He is going to continue to do.
{On another note, between insomnia and an ongoing sinus infection, my blogsite has fallen to the wayside a bit. I am trying out this slideshow format – not sure what I think – I would love for it to be larger. As a Pictage client, this is their new slideshow offering. It is still in beta, which I understand means all of the photog clients are trying it out and a new version will be released in time. However – I am so excited I put a slideshow on my blogsite – html and copying and pasting makes my eyes cross and my head hurt – so this was no small feat. Woo-hoo for me!}
When they met, Amanda and Bill were both single parents with hearts looking for a new home. Short conversations at a church campout and then on a church cruise, led to longer conversations and then he came over to help her install a ceiling fan. That led to a date, which led to another date and another. They quickly realized that their hearts had found new homes – each other’s! Amanda is one of my dearest friends and it is has been with tremendous excitement that I got to watch all of this unfold. Photographing their wedding is definitely one of the hardest that I have done – it is pretty hard to see through tear-filled eyes. They were tears of joy most definitely! Here is a sneak peek with more images coming soon!
We celebrated by enjoying some great food, (Carribean Black Bean Soup and Taco Soup) lots of friends, fireworks, and fun!! We didn’t all make it to midnight, but the neighbors woke us up every so often with fireworks and hooting and hollering as they ran up and down the street!!
A new year is such a gift – a chance to start over, to make new goals, to do things differently, and to move forward cherishing each moment!! As I mentioned in my previous post, I try to have a theme each year. Last year was so crazy that I couldn’t tell you my theme if my life depended on it, which, thank goodness it doesn’t! This year, however; my themes are focus and living intentionally. I love to be busy and have lots of things to do, but I have allowed myself to be pulled in many, many directions. While none of my activities are bad things, they are not all moving me toward my goals, assuming I have goals and actually remember what they are (can I get an amen – anyone else there??). So… this year… as part of focus and living intentionally, I am committing to writing down my goals, measuring each activity against those goals and determining what needs to go away!! While I am still doing a bit of, um, soul-searching to narrow down my goals, (I’m thinking that if focus and living intentionally are my themes for the year, probably having 57 goals isn’t a good thing!), I do know that developing laser beam focus for my business is in the top three! I am splitting my brands and will have a children/family division called “Little Yellow Lemon Tree” and my main brand, MonicaJune Photographers, will be devoted to weddings and events. Be watching for a blogsite makeover and new logos and new packaging and more… I’m so excited about the upcoming year!!
Another reason that I am excited about this year is WEDDINGS!! I love weddings and almost fully booked for the year – there are a couple of spots left in the summer and a couple in the fall, but other than that, I have my hands full with weddings!! I.LOVE.WEDDINGS. Seriously! In a big way! And speaking of weddings, I’ll be shooting the wedding of this couple tomorrow…
While I have been capturing weddings, children and families for over six years now, I am new to the world of promoting my business online. Sometimes keeping everything balanced… motherhood (and all that goes with it) and photography (and all that goes with that) is daunting to say the least! I am in a tremendous learning curve as far as streamlining my workflow, improving my shooting and editing skills, marketing and growing my business and more. Reinventing the wheel is not what I am after – “borrowing” from others is definitely my first choice. Imagine my joy, yes JOY, when I discovered www.thesavvyphotographer.blogspot.com.
There are links to workshops, templates, and soo… much more. I haven’t had a chance to dig in really deep and find all the goodness that is there, but… I can’t wait to do just that!!! So… if you are into photography, you really need to check them out!!
And because a post is just boring without a pic… here’s a favorite from a recent session…
I love her curls and her eyelashes and just the simplicity of this image - she is just delicious!
Adoption is an issue that is very close to my heart – adopting a child is such a tangible way for us to demonstrate God’s love to a child who has no family. Last fall a dear friend of mine was contacted by a young girl who wanted to give her baby up for adoption. My sweet friend and her husband were delighted to have the chance to add to their family in this way. It had been a dream for years. Baby Hadley arrived in March, but the adoption was finally final very recently. Enjoy these sweet pictures of Hadley’s birthmother and adoptive mother together before she was even born and then her newborn pictures…
Sweet birthmother…
waiting, waiting…
Adoptive mother feeling her precious girl wiggle and kick
Hands and hearts forever linked by this little girl…
Baby Hadley, finally in her mommy’s arms…
A tender moment… sweet dreams little one…
Her perfect little head
Her perfect little nose…
A kiss from big sister…
Perfection…
Yes, Hadley has a bow to go with absolutely everything in her closet:)!
Love these ruffles… So yummy!!
This image leaves me speechless... I love the natural light, the tenderness, and just the sweetness of a mommy with her precious new baby...
by Monica
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