10 Ways to Manage Stress
It’s the most wonderful time of the year….and the most stressful. But who are we kidding, all of 2020 has been stressful. It has brought a lot of uncertainty, loss of the way life was, and maybe even loss of someone close to you by a breakup, divorce, or even death. Someone very close to me died in October and it’s hard. Sometimes stress and grief go hand-in-hand. So let’s talk about stress and tools to manage it. I’ve learned to manage stress as a small business owner, as a survivor of a near-fatal car wreck, and surviving a very toxic relationship.
Why Mom Needs to Exist in Photographs
A long time ago, I changed how I did family photos and I made it about the moms. Mom comes in to get hair and makeup, to take time for her to be seen and heard and then the family comes at the end. I did this because I often heard “not me, just the kids” or “I’m always taking the pictures” or “I need to lose weight.”
I cannot say this enough, photography is evidence you exist in this world. It represents your legacy.
Here are 5 Reasons why Mom needs to Exist in Photographs:
5 Reasons to do a Glamour Shoot
“Glamour is not about age, shape, or size. You don’t have to be pretty to have it. Anyone can create it.” - Dita Von Tesse
Contemporary Glamour is like you being the celebrity for a day and having a magazine style of photoshoot. We allow multiple outfit changes and provide professional hair and makeup. My makeup artist stays on set to assist and change up your look, if you want. Maybe you want to add a bold lip for a different outfit or add a braid or updo or wave to your hair.
Goal Setting for Personal Success
I was one of those people that would put my goals “out there” and expect them to happen. That’s only part of the equation. In this blog post, I’m going to share with you 5 reasons goals matter, how to set goals, and how to manifest those goals into reality.
"It's only a dream until you write it down, and then it becomes a goal." Emmitt Smith
Why Black Lives Matter (Now and Always Have)
B.R.O.K.E.N. is the name of this artwork that I created in 2015. I hesitated to use this image as it was originally created about a broken heart, not a broken system. It also looks violent but it is really meant to express beauty in darkness;
to express, once cracked open we can heal.
Here's the truth about our country -
Photography as a Gift
“What gifts can I get my loved ones to show them how much they mean to me?” Perfect gifts are the things or moments that can be cherished for a long time and match to the person whom you are giving it to. Why not consider thinking out of the box and who knows you might also love it too.
LadyLike Leaders Summit: Recap
Earlier this month I had the honor of speaking at the Lady Like Leaders Women’s Symposium,
Lady Up + Don’t Quit.
If you weren't able to attend, I'd still love the chance to share the highlights from my talk. Enjoy!
How to Capture the Best Dating App Profile Pictures
If you’re uncertain about dating online, trust me, I was a little reluctant as well. Dating is an initial or start of having a sturdy relationship. There are many reasons that dating site helps every user in different ways. The usage of the site sometimes depends on the perception of people who use it.
Despite, here are 4 things to consider when you put yourself out into the world of online dating.
Rachel's Story of Transformation
Today, I wanted to share Rachel’s story. I asked her to write a blog about our time together and why it was important to her to create art and capture all the different facets of herself in a portrait session. Her story is painfully beautiful.
3 Reasons to Photograph Life Transitions
Promotions, divorce, weight loss, starting a new career path, reinventing yourself, reaching milestones—are you sensing a theme?
Yes, transitions! So many of my clients come to me in periods of transition and it has me thinking. What about transitions is so powerful to us? Why are we so compelled to invest in documenting these moments? I’ve had the opportunity to witness so many beautiful moments in my studio simply by listening to my clients’ stories. From these stories, I’ve come up with 3 possible reasons we are so compelled to photograph life’s transitions.
What is Your Legacy?
Do you ever think about your legacy? Even if you don't have children or beyond your family, do you ever think about your own legacy? That thing that you leave behind or way of being that you pass down? Even the messages that you are constantly sending to people by your actions and words.
Maternity Shoots
“Giving birth and being born brings us into the essence of creation, where the human spirit is courageous and bold and the body, a miracle of wisdom.” – Harriette Hartigan
That's amazing and a moment in life that deserves to be ceased and captured.
Ashley's Session of Art, Glam & Family
Being the main character in your own story can be powerful.
I connected with Ashley immediately. We captured a lot of different types of portraits in her session-artwork, contemporary beauty, fashion vibe, and family. Ashley texted after her big reveal and said "The art is epic. Everyone needs a picture that tells their story." Read more and be sure to check out the Behind the Scenes Videos of how we created these images.
Gratitude Journal on Instagram
For the month of November, I have a goal of sharing something I am grateful for each day on my Instagram Story. It is a sort of gratitude journal. I chose to do this in November because it is the month we celebrate Thanksgiving so why not give thanks for something or someone every single day this month.
Giving gratitude is so impactful on our mind and spirit.
50 and Fabulous Photoshoot
As women, we are always so hard on ourselves so I like to try and turn that conversation around by changing the perspective with photographs and sometimes questions.
There are many reasons to have a photoshoot. One of those is reaching a milestone in life like turning 50. I am not 50 but I've always had close friends quite a bit older than me. One of the reasons is because I've always strived to be wise beyond my years, and I want to learn from them.