How do you choose to look at life? Do you think it would change if you were told you only had a few months to live? Today I heard of a man named Randy Pausch from a fellow photographers blog and how he was recently on Oprah. He is a college professor in the U.S, young and has 3 children under the age of 5. He is dying of pancreatic cancer and delivered his final lecture to 400 students last year which has now been downloaded from the internet over a million times. Oprah had him on and here is a link to his lecture on the show. Go and watch it. It is so worth the 11 min it will take. He is incredibly inspirational and leaves us with a message on how to live our lives.

Randy Pausch on Oprah

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I have to say I love photographing Newborns. Even though they usually take at least 3 hours, I just adore them. Yes, they tend to aleve themselves on my backdrops, and props and most commonly on the parents. In this session, all over mom’s front. Just as mom had finished explaining how baby “S” usually only goes during the night! But Mom was so cool about it, and she didn’t even flinch. After she cleaned up we kept on going like nothing happened.

I always coach my clients on how babies look best in their “birthday suites” and to be prepared to have them aleve themselves during the shooting process. Skin on skin photos tend to lend themselves to a more soft and tender moment, and leaves little to distract from the subject. So my clients know that I will try and have them do some of those shots. Although during one shoot the grandmother was there helping and had taken the baby to hold only to have her jeans completely wet a minute later. She didn’t care and my response is always “it’s just baby pee! Not sure that it always works with everyone considering we don’t get pee’d and pooped on every day. I never make the parents do any shot they aren’t comfortable with however. Just a disclaimer I thought I should add. Although I encourage those baby diaper covers as I have yet to see an attractive store bought diaper sporting an elmo or a teddy bear.

So here’s little “S”. One of the best babies I have had to date. She slept pretty much the entire time and was up for all my posing and picture taking.

she loved my beanbag or my basket. She didn’t care, she just loved to sleep.

And then you capture something this cute!

It must have been a good dream. but she did open her eyes once I guess.

Proud Dad.

Gorgeous Mom!

Babies everywhere. I get the pleasure of photographing this “baby to be” very soon. Her friend had maternity photos done with me before Christmas so she booked with me as well. I can’t wait to meet their little one. Thanks Jill for being so great to work with. I wish I looked half as good as you when I was pregnant.

She and hubby are both in the military. He is a big guy, 6′2 and I was as sweet as they come. They make a perfect couple.

Loved this shot. The fun they have together so obvious.

So she returns the favor!

Always fun to incorporate “special items”. These were little red shoes of Jill’s that she wore when she was a baby.

Thanks you two!

Lori and Jill thanks for being so patient in waiting for a sneak peek. With the holidays, and now company coming I have to say I am a bit swamped. I love being busy but right now I think it is a bit more then I usually look for. Off to get some more done. Lori I will be sending your gallery link soon.

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Since birth, my daughter has never really had her hair cut other then a trim. Admittedly, I loved it being long, loved to see her run and have it flow out behind her. This image from a few weeks ago still vivid in my mind as she ran around the school yard near sunset, the golden sun bouncing off of her hair, hair that almost touched the top of her bum. She ran around the field, in circles, and all I could think was she was an expression of life itself.

At the same time, her hair seemed to be taking over our lives. The temper tantrums over having it brushed, no matter how gentle I would try and brush it, I still could not manage without some sort of pulling, tugs or tears.

At first when I mentioned getting it cut she cried and said “no”. Then we looked at a few pictures in catalogues of girls with shorter hair and she was excited…. almost too excited as now, she was asking to cut it in a bob, abover her shoulders! Ok breathe mom, I said to myself. I swear I was having palpatations over the thought of cutting it so short!! I know, I know! It’s just hair, not a body part or something. After some discussion we compromised with an “in between” length, cutting a total of 8 inches. Choosing to cut eight inches as we thought we could donate it to the “Locks of Love” organization only to discover later that they require 10 inches not 7 as we orignally thought. Since her hair is truly locks of love, cared for and given way too much daily attention in our house, “Locks of Love” (geared towards children) seemed fitting.

Disappointed, but not beaten I began my research online and discovered that Pantene (the shampoo company) has an amazing program called “beautiful lengths” which only requires 8 inches of hair to donate. They provide wigs, at no cost, for women who have suffered hair loss through cancer treatment! I was pleased that we are able to donate her hair since it was what Mary Jean was most excited about in cutting her hair, to be able to donate it to a cause. She has an amazing heart and I know that hair is not what makes her, don’t worry, I’m not that shallow, nor is she. Ask her yourself what makes her beautiful and she will reply in her small but steadfast voice “it is what’s inside your heart that makes you beautiful”. Yes… perhaps my own words now impressed upon her at the ripe old age of six, but a message I have tried to teach and embed upon her feminine heart since she was born.

So…..here she is before the big day! You can imagine the brushing and tangles this hair would have produced!

here she is with her braid. She looks so grown up now. It seemed to age her immediately. Certainly there is a ton more attitude and “flip of the hair” going on!

and her twirl now! Dad says he is going to buy a big old stick! *wink*. If mom doesn’t first.

Hope everyone had a happy mothers day. I will be putting up some sneak peeks soon for some clients. I am working hard. I have one opening in May left, the 27th, morning. I am also still taking names for booking two or more months in advance. If you are thinking fall pictures please contact me as those spots are already filling and will fill fast. June is almost entirely booked. If you had wanted a session please contact me via email or phone. I had one phone call the other day and since my phone hasn’t been working I didn’t return it. From Yellowknife. So please email or call me again. So sorry!

Happy Tuesday!

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