If you ever want to play photographer be warned of this truth…
the best time to take photos is an hour before to an hour after sunrise or sunset
also know that the sun is rising at 5:21ish right now in Phoenix
Which means I woke up at 4:30 (which is when we should have probably met but I’m slowly getting the hang of this waking up early for photos deal :))
But hey, we were shooting photos by 5:30
Here is what I thought would happen today
wake up early
take photos
go home
take a nap
coffee with friend
edit photos
all of the above have happened except for one.
take a nap
That’s what happens when you are too excited about editing
AND waking up early wasn’t that bad
it was nice to get up and enjoy some cool beautiful weather
(not to mention the sunrise)
before 112 degrees struck.
that’s right friends, 112 degrees.
But ANYWAYS, don’t you want to know for whom I woke up so early?
a precious little one year old
Vivian.
Her momma, Brittany, is a friend (and a fellow deaf educator. holler!)
She is a beautiful woman inside and out and makes me even more excited to be a mom one day
Vivi just turned one and it was time to celebrate with some photos
(and a scrabble square, and a pink box, and some books, and a blanket, and a cake…lot’s of things to play with!)
See? Beautiful momma who loves her daughter
Don’t you love her serious face?
She is adorable
period.
I’ll probably post a couple more of my favorites on Facebook a little later this week
so you should be on the look out for this cute little model
I know it’s been a while
like a loooong while
only because I’m finishing up the school year and having difficulty processing anything that doesn’t involve preschoolers graduating
do you know how cute preschoolers are? and how easy it is to fall in love with them?
I sure do and I’m not so sure I want to say goodbye to my graduates
but tomorrow I will say goodbye whether I want to or not and let them go on their cute, little way
And then I’ve been a tad sick
just FYI, Phoenix is awesome
but not so awesome for allergies
which turn into sinus infections
which turns into sitting on the couch with too much medicine running through my veins
but I do get to practice being hydrated, which is always a plus
Anyways in the mean time, I got to go shoot a wedding for A Moment In Time Photography
and it was scary, and awesome, and exciting, and nervewracking all at the same time
AND THEN just this morning I went and did a photoshoot for a friend’s daughter, Jazmen.
She is entering into the world of modeling and needed some Melissa photo lovin’
(that’s right, that’s what I’m gonna call it from now on)
You know what’s fun?
building confidence
This was the first time I went on a shoot and had at least an ounce!
and I will say that I loved every part of that ounce
AND
(this is stolen from my Facebook status but I’m still just as excited so continue to be excited with me, ok?)
I had my first “not friend of a friend, other photographer” like on my Facebook page.
AND
I got business cards which are AWESOME
you probably want to ask me for one
Ok, this was long.
Lesson learned.
Don’t get lazy.
So I have a friend named Sara
who just also happens to be a coworker
she makes me laugh just about every Wednesday when I get to see her
Sara has been pregnant for the past 9 months
which, as it turned out, makes her even funnier.
she is bold and honest and blunt
(those are all kind of synonyms, huh? but it works)
Baby Jack arrived almost two weeks ago.
And I got to take some of my first newborn photos!
We’ll dissect the experience after the photos. But I will say this. He pretty much refused to sleep and had his eye on me the entire time.
Jack was more comfy in momma’s arms than in the basket
He was having nothing to do with the cute and cuddly tucked in legs, haha.
See??
One eye on me the entire time!
What I have learned
1. You need A LOT of patience but to get hang out and chat with new moms
2. Newborns aren’t quite accepting of posing as one might assume
3. I can’t do sneak peeks. I do like 50% peeks. Any body have a fun name for that??
4. I get to excited during a shoot and show people the pictures on my camera. This is probably way unprofessional, maybe later I’ll fix that. But for now I like being excited with the people I’m taking photos of
5. I really like holding babies and want one some day
6. Sara and Travis have caught on super fast to the whole mom and dad thing. Hopefully we’re that lucky 🙂
7. I thought I only had an obsession with ears but apparently I also have an obsession with newborn feet. Seriously. They are precious.
I just ordered business cards yesterday!
People are already putting in their order for how many they would like
woah, nelly, woah.
…and over 40 likes on Facebook?
Not to brag or anything, but it’s kind of a big deal.
AND it’s official! I will be doing a wedding this summer in Flagstaff
green grass, tall trees, beautiful mountains, and awesome people
(who I won’t actually meet in person until the wedding day!!)
I’ll consider that a win!
This past weekend I got to do a photoshoot with two SLPs
Speech Language Pathologists
I used to think deaf educator was the only cool job to have
But I was wrong
SLPs are pretty cool too
I might be one of those instead when I grow up
These two beautiful ladies quickly became my friends
They needed some professional looking photos so they gave me a shout
I’ll let them show you their professional photos, here are some of our more fun ones
first up is Sarah.
look! They’re friends!
Now Monica.
Not the most flattering photo but gets the point across...were just strictly professional coworkers on serious business 🙂
Monica is starting her very own speech clinic
Ladybug Speech Therapy
How cool, right?
(I’m hopin to get in on some awesome “clinical interactions” with Monica as my SLPA certification requires. That’s right folks, I decided what I’m going to be when I grow up. Part time SLPA and part time photographer)
Here are some photography sidenotes
1. I am currently accepting a very specific donation
an Apple magic mouse
I’m pretty much over the logitech wireless
2. I’m also in the market for an external hard drive
any advice?
3. I am in the process of making business cards.
What?!?
4. I really really REALLY like doing portraits of people. Like A LOT. It’s my favorite. I have some newborn shots coming up, can’t wait!
5. AND I bought official white CD sleeves from Target
No more stapled sheets of paper for my clients.
No, siree.
(is that still a saying?)
Only the best for my clients
I’m totally moving up in the photography world.
central Illinois has more than just a cool bridge.
it also has a cool church.
This just so happens to be the church that my hubs parents got married at.
I think it is just the most perfect small church that sits outside a teeny tiny town…
Strawn, Illinois ladies and gents.
Quaint and lovely.
After some delicious Monicals pizza, we headed over to some close friends from college.
Kim and Bry.
Remember when I said that I lived with some lifelong friends at the top of Watterson Towers?
Yep, Kim was one of them
(the other was Stephanie. Those beautiful german shepard mix pups I blogged about are her and her husbands)
All six of us were close through out college and were in each others weddings and our friendships have continued since.
Except for the fact that Kim and Bry did not get the memo that we were all suppose to relocate to Phoenix.
Instead they chose Mahomet, Illinois.
Kinda sounds the same, right??
But seriously… Mahomet?
🙂
We had an awesome time just hanging out and chatting
(and Kim taught me how to use wordpress and my Facebook page…I’m pretty much hopeless when it comes to working social media. For real. If it wasn’t for all my jedis I have, I would still be sitting here trying to figure out how to turn my camera on)
The next morning we went out to a fun bridge and played photography for a bit before Kim headed off to work.
We like Pokey the dog!
See? We really are friends, she isn't just a model 🙂
At least Mahomet has a cool bridge.
Don’t I have the prettiest, most lovely, friend?
(you should probably check out my page for a couple of the black and whites)
She should start a blog because about artsy creativeness because that’s her expertise.
She paints and stencils walls and paints trees on a walls and paints chairs and doors cool colors.
And does it all on a friendly budget.
Then she wanted to play photographer.
She also took the photo that is on the “About Me” page.
Check it out.
It is fairly evident that we have difficulty taking a normal picture.
Maybe thats why I choose to be behind the camera 90% of the time.
Although it is fun to play (somewhat awkward) models every once in a while.
I have learned that there is no shame in asking people to take pictures of you.
I use to think it was weird.
Even on my wedding day, it was a weird concept that I asked these people to come to an event that was all about us and take pictures of us and then make an album about us.
But I get it now. It is important to have those memories.
So I don’t care how awkward it is for you, it’s not awkward for me.
And hopefully I can make standing in front of a camera less awkward for you.
So I would love for you to ask me to take pictures of you
and then edit pictures of you
and then post pictures of you on facebook
and then send you a CD of pictures of you
I’m not quite yet to the point where I can make an album for you
(check back in anywhere from 6 months to 10 years)
P.S. Don’t you just love the plug for the “About Me” page and the Facebook page (which you can easily get to from the side bar on the right hand side)?
Kim help me set all those puppies up so you should probably visit them in honor of her greatness…
and then Like them
and love them
and visit them often.
And then one day Kim will have her awesome artsy creativeness blog that I will refer my 2 followers to!
I need to have one more “interruption blog” before I continue on about our wonderful spring break trip.
For those of you who don’t know, I teach preschoolers who are deaf and hard of hearing.
I absolutely LOVE those little itty bittys BUT I could not do it without this lovely lady named Ana. She is my assistant and has become a close friend.
Most importantly, she keeps me sane on those days I am ready to rock back and forth in a corner.
(or takes over the class so I can go rock back and forth in the corner :))
Her and her two boys came over this past weekend so we could play with the camera and hopefully get some family photos.
I loved how opposite the boys are.
Gerardo was all smiles and couldn’t get enough of the camera, while Jordy was genuinely confused as to why this person with this black thing was in his face.
But my favorite was probably Ana’s photo.
Work and life can be stressful and it was fun to just hang out and take photos.
See?? Beautiful, happy momma! My favorite is between the one above and the one below…
don’t you just love his genuinely confused look?
I sure do.
Couple side notes…
1. thanks to Jedi Kelley for giving me the tips and tools to put my name in the pictures (What a cool thing right???)
2. recent pity party conversation with my hubs
me: I don’t know why I write these silly blogs. Noone reads it.
hubs: Yes, Melissa. They do.
me: No they don’t. It’s just plain silly for me write or take pictures or make a blog
hubs: just keep going. I like reading it
me: yeah, but I can just tell you, so it’s totally dumb.
And then what happens? I’m humbled by my “busiest day” of 208 and views.
AND I get my second follower
(someone inspired by my blog….mine?! What?!)
So thank you to all my nameless and faceless blog readers.
I just saw you can add a poll to the blog. I just may have to try that out sometime.
I’m not sure what the heck I would take a poll on, but it does have the potential to be fun.
I know you are all so curious about what we did this weekend.
Here is who Josh and I got to play with
Maddock
Lloric (we're going to pretend that's the right spelling..pronounced "Yorick")
Maddock and Lloric are big ole’ floppy puppies.
They flopped all over our house, back yard and our puppy.
Wrigley was not a fan of gargantuan dogs bouncing after him.
I guess I can’t really blame the ten pound monster
Also, they may or may not have broken Josh’s finger during a run.
We love the floppy puppies nonetheless
🙂
OH! and I got to spend some time with a coworker/ close friend and her two boys.
More on that tomorrow…or later today.
I finished editing wedding numero dos this weekend and let me tell you I have a couple more favorites.
or a few.
or a lot.
However many you want to call it, here they are.
This may be one of my absolute favorites from the day. It was right after the first look. She may or may not have found a present in his jacket that he was not quite ready to give her.
beautiful mommas with their bracelets
Don’t you just love Christy’s facial expressions?
They are both full of so much personality and their wedding was the perfect depiction of the two of them.
I think I laughed out loud a few times going back through their photos.
I L.O.V.E. the fact that they were my very first couple and solo, big girl wedding shoot.
I’m not going to lie, I still find it entertaining that they trusted me more than I trusted myself to do this wedding.
Bless their sweet hearts 🙂
Melissa Ivy 