Gettin' Fit & Crafty - Personal

In honor of the upcoming new year, I decided it was time to get back into dancing for exercise. I used to enjoy Andre Hairston's Cardio Craze classes so much. I stopped going because they got so full and, I'll admit, that gave me a good excuse to be lazy. 

Yesterday, I attended a hip-hop dance class at the YMCA and I had fun! So much fun that I rolled my ankle over and fell backward during a dance. I tried to stabilize myself and only made it worse. It was like I was going down in slow motion. But... I got back up and kept going like the gangsta that I am. Tomorrow, I'm going to kick butt at Andre's class at Myers Park Baptist!

For the gettin' crafty part of this post, here are a couple of photos of the wreaths I made yesterday with my friend, Emily. I was inspired by this blog post to make some seasonal wreaths. The one on the left is my Valentine's Day creation and the one on the right can double as Spring/Easter. I'm pretty proud of myself :) And, the best part is, the project only cost me $26 for both. Heck yeah!

Code Orange Christmas - Elevation Church

I'm really up past my bedtime, but after a Starbuck's caramel brulee latte, I had enough energy to post a few of my favorite photos from the Code Orange Christmas services tonight at Elevation Church in Blakeney. We have some of the most talented and creative people on staff and as volunteers at Elevation. I am blessed to have the opportunity to work alongside them and use the gifts God gave me to create images for our church.

I hope you like what you see and will consider coming to our amazing church one weekend. You won't regret it.

 Yes - those are lasers and hip-hop dancers. Who says church can't be fun?

my new outlook & goals for 2012.

Since I announced I would be offering only Storytelling Sessions, I have felt more creative than ever. I feel such a relief to have told the world, "this is what I am passionate about, and for now, I want to do only this." Much credit must be given to my husband who supports us because without him, I would probably be working at Portrait Innovations as a salesperson and not creating art for families.


With regard to my new direction, I am obsessed with developing my style. I spend (too) many hours on Pinterest and following links to other photographers' sites. I lay in bed at night thinking about the way I look at ordinary objects and how I could photograph them differently. I have been issuing assignments to myself, challenging myself to go outside my comfort zone. Recently, I started taking photos of our city and selling them on Etsy as a side project. I am trying to train my eye to see beyond the obvious and find art in the everyday. You can visit my Etsy page here.


I am working on a list of goals for 2012. I think accountability is important for the growth of my business and myself. My friend, Cheyenne, does this on her blog regularly. She writes out her yearly and monthly (wow) goals and then tells how she did. 


Here's my list so far:


Goals for 2012:
1. Build a client appreciation for Storytelling Sessions for what they are - "Life as art"
2. Effectively educate my clients on the importance of making something of their images. A lot of hard work and love goes into every image I produce and, sadly, those images are probably still locked up on a disc in someone's kitchen junk drawer. It hurts my heart.
3. Regularly conduct in-home ordering sessions for albums, canvases and prints (this has been fun so far because the client can see and feel the products and understand just how small an 8 x 10 really is).
4. Be more assertive in all aspects of my life and don't let people take advantage.
5. Raise my prices. In 2011, I attended several workshops, did a lot of business and improved my skills. My snappin' fingers deserve a raise!
6. Become more productive. Some days I honestly waste valuable time just putting things off that I eventually have to do anyway (ie: the laundry).
7. Finish my new branding that I have been working on with the fabulous Erica of The Summerhouse.
8. Create more contacts. I have been better lately with simply introducing myself, handing out business cards and following up with people. Baby steps.
9. Blog more often (at least weekly) and post more personal (not too personal) things so that my clients can get to know me better.


That's a pretty good list, right? Not too ambitious or unattainable. Just right. I think I can do all of the above, don't you?


Thanks to everyone for supporting my growing business in 2011. Cheers to 2o12!

Since this is a photography blog, here's one for you of my two men (taken on iPhone).

"If we aren't growing, we are staying the same and I will welcome the change..."

After much deep thought and exploration, I have decided to take my photography in a new direction, and I hope you all embrace this wonderful change as much as I have!

As a photographer, my goal is to keep growing and challenging myself. I have been trying to define my vision and, this summer, I finally had a breakthrough. It has taken some time to further develop my vision and although my new branding is still in the works, I am excited to share my new style with you!

Going forward, I will be exclusively offering Storytelling Sessions. These sessions take place only in your home (and/or outdoor space) and really capture the genuine side of you and your young children. I don't use props or backgrounds and will almost never use a flash with your precious little ones. Together, we will plan a few activities that paint a picture of a typical day in your life. 

I consider these images not just snapshots or candids, but art for your life. Nearly each image is post-processed in a rich black and white. I believe the absence of color accentuates the emotion in each photo. 

This type of photography is very dear to my heart and I am passionate about it because it reminds me so much of how my mom used to photograph me as a child. I have thousands upon thousands of prints (yes, I said prints!) of me in the bathtub, riding my bike, running around in diapers, finger painting, playing with the dog - you name it! These images are so special because I can picture those times in my mind. They bring back fond memories of the house I grew up in, how the world looked to me as a child and how my mom loved everything about me so much that she wanted to freeze each moment in time. Speaking of freezing, these photos were so important to her that she would put rolls of film in the freezer to preserve them until she had the money to get them developed.

...

If you would like a day of your child's life artfully captured, contact me for a session. I am accepting limited numbers of Saturday and weekday bookings. Introductory pricing can be found on my website.

Hayley

Kids | Ashley & Sam at the Farm

The other weekend, we had a perfect morning for Ashley & Sam's mini session at the farm. The sun was shining, the wind was calm and the leaves were an array of festive colors. I think I enjoyed seeing the horses and cows as much as the kids did!

Storytelling Sessions | Alexa Kate

I can't say enough how much I enjoy these Storytelling Sessions. They show your children as they are - messy, silly, sweet kids. You can't see those things in a studio with a black backdrop - you just can't.

I had so much fun this morning at AK's house witnessing her playful innocence with mom and "brother", the four-legged sibling. We had just a few simple activities planned so that Mom and AK could interact naturally. From there, I was just a fly on the wall for a morning in the life of Alexa Kate and Mommy.

Mom and Dad, I hope you enjoy some of the MANY favorite images I captured of darling Alexa Kate.

Engagements | Aimee & Will

Last week, I met up with Aimee and Will for their engagement session near Uptown Charlotte.  The air was crisp and the leaves were golden. It made for the perfect opportunity for this couple to snuggle up and show their affection for one another.

Without further adieu...here are my favorite images.

Aimee went to UNC Chapel Hill for her undergraduate degree (my alma mater) and Will went to the University of South Carolina. Will recently lost a bet to Aimee and wearing the real Carolina shirt in a photo was his punishment :) Way to go, Aimee!

Bridal | Meaghan

Last month, I traveled to Chapel Hill, NC, to attend a convention hosted by the WPS. It was there that I met a beautiful bridal model, Meaghan. Here are a few of the images I loved most from her shoot!

Babies | Hannah at One Week

A few weeks ago, baby Hannah blessed me with the easiest newborn session thus far. She was pleasantly sleepy almost the entire time, which made for a very malleable model. Mom and Dad couldn't have been more in love with their very first child and it showed as they showered her with affection. Thanks for welcoming me into your home! I hope you enjoy these photos for years to come.