Sometimes Photography Stinks!

While I was meeting with clients/friends today, Steve spent time with the kids.  My role:  sorting through proofs and helping the girls decide on unique shots (more on that later).  Steve's role:  spending quality time with the kids, which I knew might involve "the skunk relocation project".  For the past couple months, our "neighborhood" has had unwanted, though cute, visitors in our barn and at the neighbors' beehives.  We've been trying to catch the critters but just graduated to a bigger trap.  Shortly before our guests (the people) arrived today, my son discovered that we'd caught a skunk! 

While Amy, Stephanie, Heather, and I sorted through photos, I looked up to see a large, green tarp atop Steve's van.  I thought I really should be quiet and pretend all of this wasn't going on, but I couldn't resist.  I had to direct the girls' attention to the scene in our driveway, which was only the beginning.  We had a good laugh, and I told my friends that they couldn't share the skunk relocation details as we have our professional image to uphold.  So now I'm blogging about it!  A half hour later, my excited kids came running in to show us pictures.  The smell was telling even had we not seen the photos.  My daughter was mortified as she realized the skunk smell was somehow distinctly among us even though the critter had supposedly not sprayed.  I am hoping the smell is faint enough that I can simply wash the coats they were wearing.  If no one wants to sit by us at church tomorrow, we'll know why.

For as long as I can remember, Steve has been interested in National Geographic's photos.  From the photos and the smell, it's obvious that he went "National Geographic".   I think this is the closest he's going to get!  The kids went on and on about how close he got, which is obvious from the photos.  In this moment, a zoom lens comes to mind!  As for our professional image, people have often commented that we are real.  I hope that means they are comfortable here.  As we get our photograhy business moving, we are defining our style, our work, everything.  My lesson from today:  we are real and that will have to be a part of the style.

As for the photos we are sorting, I'll have to write another post.  I told the girls to bring ideas if they had them and wanted to be creative.  Wait til you see them!

SENIOR

Had a great time taking Shelby's senior portraits.
Love those eyes!

   

            

                                              

Shelby

Thanks to Lebanon's Faucett and Flame for letting us shoot at their location.  They wouldn't sell us their cool, old truck but were very gracious about our using it as a background.  My daughter and I are looking forward to browsing their unique Christmas selection this weekend.  You can visit them at 320 East Main, Lebanon.   

Family Photos --- Tis the Season!

Ah, fall. Awesome weather, gorgeous trees, apple pie, hot cider, smores, friends, family. I love this time of year! I'm reminded of when Delaney was a baby. The summer had been crazy. We were blessed by the support of family and friends when our long awaited newborn arrived. Someday I'll put into words what that meant to us. I think I'm still figuring it out. Life was forever changed.

After four months of having a tube down her nose and still not learning to eat, Delaney went to Riley and the tube that drove her crazy was replaced with a g-tube in her stomach. While it was a bummer to take that turn, the surgery was much needed and would spell a much easier road with less time spent feeding and a baby that didn't scream constantly.

Somehow we got a jump on the season and sent Thanksgiving letters instead of Christmas cards. I don't know how I managed to do that and am always scrambling at the last minute to get our cards out these days. Anyway, Steve, Delaney, and I are standing by the fireplace just before her surgery. She has adhesive tape below her baby nose, holding the tube in place. For our family photo, Steve decided we needed to wear matching adhesive tape below our noses. We are all three sporting a milk mustache look, Delaney with a tube attached.  From a photographer's standpoint, the picture is not so great, but the memory is forever preserved. I get requests on occasion to pull out that picture and letter, which gave us a chance to thank everyone who had been there for us. We truly would have been lost without the blessing of family and friends.



So this year, maybe, just maybe, I'll get our cards out early. It might not be at Thanksgiving, but we just edited our photos and will design our card soon.  The moral to this blog: thank someone who's helped you through, and ask us to take your family photo!

P.S.  Thanks, Kussows (pictured), our long-time friends.  You were in the trenches with us from the beginning.  We'll never forget the hospital visits and the many acts of love and kindness you have shown us and Delaney over the years.  It was a pleasure photographing your family.  Our girls are beautiful!

The guys and their girls at Turkey Run in 1998

Fall Family Photos

Senior Shots --- Half-price sessions during October!

We definitely enjoy capturing seniors at the

start of their big year.  Isaac has become

a "rep" for us, and we are looking forward

to hearing from Lebanon and Zionsville's

seniors.  If you have not gotten your senior

photos taken, take advantage of our half-

price session fees during the month of

October!

SENIORS!!