January’s theme…”the way I view new beginnings.”

As a newborn photographer, I feel so blessed to be able to experience new beginnings on a daily basis. Each time a family walks into my studio with their little one in their arms, I see the beginning of so many things for them. New life, new love, new hopes and dreams. It really is the beginning of so many new experiences, joys, frustrations, and challenges, but it all starts with this new little life.

Our family’s newest beginning is my sweet little niece, Hannah. Something about a brand new baby makes everything seem right in the world–a perfect new beginning.

Now head on over to Kelly Garvey’s blog to see how she views new beginnings!

2012 is off to a beautiful start, wouldn’t you agree?

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‘Twas the Night Before Christmas
A Photographer’s Story 

‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a computer was plugged in, not even the mouse.
The orders were packaged and ready for mail, everything was processed–including that last final sale.
All sneak-peeks were posted and galleries shown, all prints and CD’s were on their way home.

A glass of wine in my hand and slippers on my feet, I had just settled down for an evening treat.
A night without levels and curves and raw files, no sessions to edit, no cloning in smiles.
My work was all done, all sessions completed. And now in front of the TV I was seated.

What show should I watch? What shall I do? It took me a moment and just then I knew.
Up from the couch I flew like a flash, and into the office I ran with a dash.
Onto the chair I landed with a flop, opened up that folder on my computer’s desktop.

Just one more image, just one more edit. I had to do it, I wouldn’t regret it.
“What are you doing? I thought you were done?” called my husband, wondering why I had run.
“I’ll be there in a minute, I have one thing to do,” as I opened up Photoshop I guessed that he knew.

A photographer’s work is never completed as was made evident by where I was seated.
The desire to design and drive to create is something that is every photographer’s trait.
So even though my “work” may be done, I’ll continue to snap and to edit for fun.

So here’s one more image for 2011, though I’m sure there will be more between now and then.
Because I love what I do and I’m blessed beyond measure, here’s my newest niece, such a sweet little treasure.
Merry Christmas from the Squires, it’s been a great year. Thank you to everyone who helped get me here.

Wishing everyone a blessed Christmas as we celebrate our Savior’s birth!

I stopped pursuing the senior market and began to focus on my littler subjects. But when the school year started up again and I started receiving more senior portrait inquiries, I took them, knowing that I always enjoyed being able to play with light and photograph a subject that actually listened and took direction without having to bribe them with candy.

At Danielle’s session earlier this fall it all clicked for me. What I love is portrait work. Wikipedia’s definition sums up my vision for my photography and my business perfectly. A portrait “is an artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expression is predominant. The intent is to display the likeness, personality, and even the mood of the person. For this reason, in photography a portrait is generally not a snapshot, but a composed image of a person in a still position. A portrait often shows a person looking directly at the painter or photographer, in order to most successfully engage the subject with the viewer.”

This is what I love to photograph. While some photographers adore elaborate scenes or love capturing the interaction between family members, what I really get excited about is an engaging portrait–one where  you can experience real eye contact and real emotion. So whether it be a newborn image where you can almost feel that newborn baby skin or a senior session where you are taken back to that excitement of being a teenager on the brink of adulthood, portrait work is where my heart is and I hope it shows.

And while at times I might feel like I’m underwater and will never get all the things on my to-do list accomplished, I think about all the new moms that come through my studio with their newborns. No one is busier than a brand new mama. I remember feeling like it was a good day if I was showered before 4:00pm. And teeth brushing was an added bonus! And the mommy of these beautiful boys is much busier than I am, no doubt. With a two year old daughter and two sweet little guys who were born under 30 weeks, I’m sure her life is much busier than mine has ever been. But it’s the best kind of busy out there. And I feel so honored that in the busyness of life she took time out to bring her little ones to my studio. To press the pause button in the midst of the busyness and freeze time in the form of a photograph.