Mar 25, 2010 | Children's Portraits, Personal
I am so proud of myself– I actually photographed Thatcher without either one of us killing each other! 🙂 Seriously, ask any photographer– you just can’t photograph your own kid! Last time I tried, we had to completely abandon the idea and try again. For some reason, when I have the camera out, Thatcher can no longer follow any simple instructions. I end up getting pretty stern with him and last time he told me, “Mommy, I do not like your mean attitude!” So, yesterday was a huge victory! (And we BOTH got icecream to celebrate!)
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Mar 24, 2010 | Personal, watch-me-grow portraits
Ok, so I am getting hounded with emails asking for new photos of Ethan, so here is a little early Easter cheer! I think he looks more like Olyn everyday. He is now starting to laugh for us and the smiles are coming more frequently. He is a total snugglebug and loves to sit and watch the world go by. I am hoping to photograph big brother Thatcher soon, so check back for his post!
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Mar 2, 2010 | Personal
When you watch the news of a tornado ravaging a town, the people in the rubble are sobbing that they have lost everything– even their photographs. When evacuating for hurricanes, people pack their family photo albums. And some people have even run back into burning buildings to save their photographs.
Sometimes the importance can strike you without a catastrophic event. I took Thatcher and Ethan to South Carolina a week ago to visit their GREAT grandparents– who are 93 (and a half) and 90. I only took a few quick snapshots, but when I looked at them on the computer, I started to sob. My grandparents were two people who always encouraged me, motivated me, and spoiled me rotten. I spent weeks with them in the summer and they would travel to visit us almost every other weekend. I was overjoyed that my boys had the opportunity to meet them, and through these quick snaps, they can have a memory of them forever.
This image was particularly moving to me… Thatcher has always looked like me, my dad and my grandaddy, he is a “Lanier”. I have always been grandaddy’s little girl and we spent a lot of time together when I was little– snuggling, playing and reading. So when I saw this on the screen, it immediately took me back to being a very young child. I can still remember his rough hands, the pen he always keeps in his shirt pocket that would poke me and the sound of his voice when he would read to me. What adds so much to this is that my dad is right there with him, sharing in the story.
Being able to provide these kinds of memories for families is why i love my job. Knowing the wedding album I am creating will become a family heirloom or that the framed wall portrait will hang in their home for decades, stopping time forever… this is why I am thankful each and everyday that I have the priviledge to photograph families and couples and children… and love.
Feb 11, 2010 | Personal
Thank you to everyone for the incredibly kind phone calls, emails, IMs, notes, gifts, etc. Olyn and I have been absolutely overwhelmed with your love. Baby Ethan is a month old today and he is doing great! He is very different than his big brother and seems to be a lot more mellow. He is definitely a cuddle bug and is taking full advantage of having his G-mama at his beck and call. I think he will be thoroughly spoiled by the time he is two months old!
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