I rarely offer mini sessions, but for any time of announcement, I'm usually game. What could be more fun to announce than an upcoming wedding?! E and R were fun and we laughed a ton, and were amazed that this session happened! We had indoor plans, moved to another indoor location, figured that it was open, figured wrong, and spent about 45 minutes outside during the only non-rainy portion of the weekend!
This wedding was the true coming together of a community. After being engaged for awhile, this couple decided to jump in and get married, and managed to get their wedding together in almost no time at all, with love and support from friends and family.
A cookie table, a location, a cake, a dress, and food somehow all came together!
I first read Wonder shortly after it was published.
Quick note: If you're not familiar with the book or movie, go read/watch. It's the fictional story of August Pullman, a fifth grade boy with Treacher Collins Syndrome, which causes him to have very obvious facial differences. In the story, he starts middle school, which is his first foray into school after a lifetime of being homeschooled. The story is told from the perspectives of various people in Auggie's life - his sister and new classmates, as well as Auggie himself. Now go get the book. Seriously.
Not surprisingly, as the parent of a child with a visible disability, Auggie's story stood out to me. Watching the movie several years later, now as the parent to a child with a disability and a typically developing child, Via caught my attention more than she had previously. The summer before the movie came out, I took a picture of Ellie in an astronaut helmet at the Children's Museum of Naples. I thought of Auggie and his helmet. A few months later, after seeing the movie, this idea was born. Photos of kids with and without disabilities, some with visible disabilities and some not, wearing a helmet and with their own beautiful faces showing. Although these portraits were gifts to the families, they were really a gift to me.
“You were wearing that helmet all the time. And the real, real, real, real truth is: I missed seeing your face, Auggie. I know you don’t always love it, but you have to understand … I love it. I love this face of yours, Auggie, completely and passionately. And it kind of broke my heart that you were always covering it up.” - Auggie's dad, Wonder by R.J. Palacio
Included in this collage is my daughter's first friend, the first child who loved her for her without parental involvement. He has been her person and her rock more than he will ever know. The fact that he is not verbal has never mattered to her. He makes her feel loved.
Included in this collage are kids who have given me perspective for my youngest, as she grows up with a big sister with a disability. She may have a slightly different sibling experience than some of her friends, but I know having Ellie as a sister will make her life better.
Pictured here are kids whose disabilities are visible. There are kids whose disabilities are invisible. There are siblings who have sat through therapy sessions. There are kids who, like the fictional Auggie Pullman, are well acquainted with doctor's offices and surgical procedures. And like Auggie, they all deserve a standing ovation - we all do, we have all overcometh the world.
“If every person in this room made it a rule that wherever you are, whenever you can, you will try to act a little kinder than is necessary - the world really would be a better place. And if you do this, if you act just a little kinder than is necessary, someone else, somewhere, someday, may recognize in you, in every single one of you, the face of God.”
― R.J. Palacio, Wonder
The photograph from summer that inspired this project.
Choose kind.
Best of 2017 seems like such a joke. My favorites change every time I go through my archives from the year. So let's call this "a bunch of photos I love from 2017, client version."
Book before Sunday to get the 2017 rates for Spring 2018. And check out a few things I'm working on below the photos.
Scheduling this project now for clients available January 13, 2018. Spaces are limited.
Senior photos at the County Fair? I'll be offering just TWO of these sessions for August 2018.
I took most of December off from photography this year, in order to get prepared for the holidays with my own family and to get everyone their photos with plenty of time for holiday cards and gifts.
Some of you know that last November/December were incredibly hard for our family. Our oldest daughter, Ellie, pictured below, had some major GI illness resolved after five weeks by going gluten and dairy free. She missed a lot of activities last year - singing at church for Lessons and Carols, going to the Nutcracker, eating just about everything, half of our own holiday party....
This year, I was determined to pack the holidays full of fun. We skipped the party and had friends over in smaller groups, spent time with two of the grandmas, and Ellie was able to sing at church not only for Lessons and Carols but in the Christmas Eve Pageant. The dog experienced her first snow. And crazy toddler Caroline did her crazy toddler thing. She likes modeling far less than her big sister (and possibly even less than her puppy!)
For 2018, I'll be focusing more on individual portraits, and I cannot wait to capture you and your kids. I'll be adding some new packages, and I'll continue to offer a limited number of family sessions.
I'll be back on the blog over the next few days - I need to go through my "Best of 2017" to share!
Keep it Merry and Bright!
