for you Zelda Shaver

I've been slowly but surely catching up with work that I began over the summer and never finished... I get so stressed about this stuff, but when I sit down and just do it I feel so good. And I enjoy doing it so bonus! Why don't I just stay on top of stuff? Then I could have fun every day and not have a ton of backed up stuff to do!

Anyways, one of the highlights of the summer was my best friend from high school, Beka, coming back to NY for a visit. She came and stayed overnight with me. It was totally a grown up sleepover :) We had the best time talking so long into the night... and in March I'm driving out to Denver with Steve to visit her and her husband for a week! I am soooo excited!

While she was here, we went out to take a few pictures of her (and me too, but I was NOT looking so good that day... so we're just gonna leave those alone ;)









Can't touch this... serious hotness lol



We are goofballs... that's all I have to say about this.

It's sooo good to have friends that grow with you through the years, and Beka has definitely been one of those for me. We are going to have such a great time in Denver, I can't wait!

just me :)

Saturday after the wedding I crashed hard. I got sick that night and was awake a good portion of the night with a fever and generally feeling just awful.

I had planned to go out with Andrea on Sunday and be her model. No complaints here! I was more than happy to do this!

But by morning, I was sooo not feelin it. But the day turned out to be so warm and unseasonably beautiful I decided it would be a crying shame to let it go to waste. So I put on my big-girl panties and we traipsed out and about to capture some God's light at literally the magic hour.

It amazes me how this light that comes before dusk actually sets in is so consistently magical. It's perfectly soft, casting very little shadow that lights perfectly and has such a buttery effect. Anyways, enough about amazing light, here's what she did!









I saved this one for last because it's my favorite. I seriously love them all, but this one, well, I think this is me :) If you want to see a few more, check them out on Andrea's flickr.

Catching up family pics

Over the last 2 months soooo much has been going on in my life. I have unfortunately let things like keeping up with blogging fall between the cracks. But I'm finally settling into things again and will hopefully be able to keep up a little better :)

This particular family came to me last Christmas and bought a certificate for their parents to do a family portrait sometime this year. We set up a time and a place, and while we waited for the day to come, I thoroughly freaked myself out trying to figure how to pose this many people!

I poured over different family pictures and showed up to this location almost an hour early to scout out good spots. It totally paid off, because I was relaxed and I felt that because of that, the family was able to follow my lead.



Poor Abby getting squished in the back there :P





I just love the way these turned out!

Anyways, I mentioned earlier in the post that there's been a lot going on. The main thing that's been going on is that I've moved! I was talking earlier in the year about relocating to NC, but have since decided that the Rochester area is a good place for me to be... at least right now ;)

But that didn't stop me from moving. I have been living with my parents most of my years since high school, so I moved to a small town still very near where I grew up and I am absolutely loving it! It's great to have my own place and I feel that my productivity has the potential to go up without people around me all the time :) I'm so easily distracted!

Today I went back to making task lists though, and I only have one thing left after I check off this blog and I'm done for the night!

amidst the craziness, life goes on

It's time for a real post folks. It's been a bit of a whirlwind for me lately. Some of you may know that I've been a full-time nanny for the last 2 years all while discovering my love for photography and finally last summer beginning to step into it on a professional level. It's been difficult juggling my work as a nanny and as a photographer. I give you full-time moms out there working your businesses on the side mad props. It is hard!

Anyways, I've been planning my launch into doing full-time photography for the last several months and this week all that planning paid off and I dove in as a full-time, fully self-employed, unbelievably happy photographer.

So far this week I have:
- made lots of lists (because I don't remember anything anymore... I think I'm running out of room up there or something)
- ordered my first round of sample pieces


16x20 on 3/4 inch standout board. It turned out fabulous! I am SO glad that I decided to offer this mounting option standard on all prints 11x14 and larger. They come ready to hang and don't need frames! Pretty much, they're amazing :D


Then I also got this beauty in an 11x14 canvas wrap. I couldn't be happier with it!

(moving on with what I've done...)
- pumped out 2 shoots and finished them (those will be posted shortly, but if you want to see one now, check out my facebook page)
- began working on my last wedding
- ate more meals with my family than I remember doing in a long time... and that's worth a lot :)

I've got 3 shoots lined up for next week so keep checking back to see what's new.

Also, I've posted a new link on the linkbar at the top of the page that allows you to see my pricing guide and all available options. Click here to see that now :)

Only one more week til I'm headed down to Maryland! While I'm down there, I'll be able to spend time with my family but I'm also very excited about going a little further south to visit Rachel and her family.

Summer's finally here, and I'm enjoying it sooo much!

distractions, ugh!

In the midst of my very honorable efforts to work on Tuesday's session, I was highly distracted by Sting's new tank. I bought the vase almost two weeks ago, but it's taken me this long for my vision to become complete. Unfortunately for the lovely little plant I chose, the tops stick out of the water and are consequently parched. Gasping for air water.

I think he likes the new look. I like it way better than before. I also am developing the habit of photographing him in almost total darkness... hey, it is what it is. what can i say?

In actual, more important, news that you actually care about, I will be shooting my second err third (counting my very first 4 years ago) wedding tomorrow. It's supposed to rain the entire day. But hey, if you remember correctly, I have experience with that. It's gonna be great no matter what :)

now, on to the star of this post. and his antics*. he wishes for me to caption these as follows.



whatchoo lookin at?



my name shall no longer be Sting, you may call me Swimby (ps I did not approve this name change)



a shadow lurking among the forestry, watching you as you sleep.


*yes, I am aware that i sound like a completely crazy cat fish lady. it happens.

it was madness

mini shoot madness I like to call it. This pic was taken between shoots by my super photographer friend Melissa. But she's not my friend just because she's a photog... it's pretty much because she rocks!



Head on over to my personal blog notsoextraordinary to take a look at the craziness that we are together :)