We are currently booking sessions for March 30th, 2013 from 5-7 for photos with baby lambs.

Sessions are $125:
For 1 Child
5 Edited Digital Images with Copyright Release
15 min Session

Each additional child is $50:
This adds more time to the session
Includes 1 Edited Digital Image with Copyright release

Sessions will be held at The Foundrie at Chesterfield Mall, were so excited to see what beautiful set the ladies at The Foundrie set up for us!!

Heather and Karl were my first clients of the year, and such a fun couple to start the year with on January 5th!  We even had some football action going on!  It was a little bit of bribery to have Karl agree to have the session outside, but I’m glad Heather and I did!  I love doing our mini sessions where it gives a couple a change to get some quick fun photos to remember another wonderful year together!  So our session day actually wasn’t that bad, it wasn’t too cold and the wind wasn’t too bad!  It was perfect enough for a quick 30 minute session!

These two were also super  patient as we had our first hospital panic of the year with Izabel.  So thanks guys, as my brain wasn’t working at that time!
Having your child seeing an infectious desease doctor.. doesn’t make you do so well when there is talk of cancer, immune deficiency  etc… LUCKILY so far were not having any signs of anything major just every three weeks we have another spike with a high temperature!  So thanks again guys, it was a stressful time for us

Okay, Seniors we all know its kinda stressful to pick out clothing for your senior session.  We are going to start sharing with you at least weekly some clothing suggestions!  Here is a nice simple blue sweater and jeans outfit with some ancor accessories!  This would look awesome downtown St. Louis with some great clean architecture.

As a photographer our reason for capturing moments in a families life isn’t for the newest Christmas Card, update your iphone case, to have more photos on your ipad and have photos all over your home.  Well, as that is a benefit to your family session of course and the main reason why most people get family photos.

When I met the Daminato family in late fall its what every photographer encounters; kids are dragging their feet about getting photos taken, mom is trying to get the family on board without making this into too big of a deal and with rarity for once dad was all about getting photos taken.  We laughed and made jokes and I tried to make everyone at ease!

Last week, I had gotten an email from Kathy (mom) saying that they were still trying to decide on what to order and that the photos were great of the family and they are having a hard time deciding on photos but by this last weekend they will have their decision made.  Sunday I got an email from Al (dad) saying that Kathy passed away unexpectedly on Thursday and they wanted to get photos for Kathy’s service this Saturday.  That these photos are now treasured by the family and that Kathy hates having her picture taken but loved these photos and that I made the family at such ease.

I quickly went back to the file of the family session and instantly kicked myself for not getting photos of dad and the kids and mom and the kids and even mom with each of her children.  I asked if they wanted them but their main focus was family photos and picture of the kids; I should, and will now on not even ask, and just take the photos.  Because as a photographer its my job to capture this family at this moment in time, for something for them to have years down the road.  And tragic moments like this, where a husband comes downstairs in the morning to find his wife unconscious downstairs for them to have amazing photos for them to look at and remember Mom.

As a photographer we never want to get emails or phone calls from our clients letting us know about anyone passing.  But at the same time we are so happy that we were able to photograph the family together before their loss.  So I beg of anyone that keeps postponing a session with their families for one silly reason or the next, your child will not care that you are 30 lbs over weight, that you don’t like your smile or whatever silly reason you may have.  Pick up the phone or email your photographer and book your session, your loved ones will appreciate for whatever reason!

Sadly in this business we are reminded more often than not that life is very unexpected and that more than anything we hate hearing that someone special to the family passed and the last photo they had of them was 10-15 years ago.  OR even my own story on a totally different note, at my wedding I wanted more than anything a timeline of photos of me and my mother.  We had maybe 10 of us together and they were mostly at one event over the last 25 years and from now on were getting photos taken.  So I’m going to sound like a broken record but Please Pick up that phone or email your photographer and book your session!

Okay, so I feel like all I have been doing is cleaning/organizing and gearing up for a garage sale and having garage sales!  Yet, every time I start getting some kind of “organized” feeling another large furniture item will be sold and another mess is made.  It’s absolutely amazing to me, how much stuff we have acquired at our home that we NEVER use (or have zero desire to move), the amount of stuff I had in my 1,400 sq foot studio and how much stuff came with Grandma’s estate.

I can handle a mess, but our home looks like an episode of horders!  We have boxes of estate stuff piled all over upstairs along with large furniture from grandmas.  Our dining room is full of stuff from the studio that I still have to go though and decide if its a keeper or if I’m selling it.  Our bedroom was looking good, got all of the “junk” purged then last night we sold my dresser and our extra dining room table that my husband was using as a desk.  So now everything we had in the dresser and on the desk is strewn all over the room till the ice off the snow melts some so we dont kill ourselves moving the nice antique dresser and desk set from grandmas garage.  Then add a almost three year old to the chaos… and… we have our next episode of horders.. (minus the rotten food and dead animals)

So, that is where I am right now!  I’m sitting here waiting for someone to come and get the extra dining room table and one of our other large dressers.. Both should be here any minute and I figured I would let my “antsy-ness” out on the blog!  I have pictures to finalize editing but all this mess surrounding me puts me in.. a.. well.. lets just put it this way.. I can feel the mess behind me staring me down.  AHHHHH!

So yep, I hope you enjoyed this total random post and I’ll be finalizing all edits tomorrow.. today I have to get this house re-organized….. just in time for Izabel to get home from school and cause a miniature tornado throughout the house!  Its NEVER ENDING…. lol!  Oh if your interested we have a lot to get rid of before the move in July so I’m posting to craigslist like a mad woman and updating a gallery of “Garage Sale Stuff” on Flicker.. we have an assortment of stuff… {Click Here} for gallery of currently listed and unsold items!

Our Messy Bedroom… I got to sleep with Izabel Last night because my side of the bed was taken….

Our Downstairs…. (okay you can laugh we have food sitting out on the table.. from ice cream last night.. hey dosen’t that make us even more likely to get on horders?)

Five more months till we move.. People keep saying I have more than enough time.. I sure don’t feel like it..

So… you want to be a photographer.. I’m here for you

I always have been a planner – since I was little – even when I did things last minute it was planned that way .  When I opened my photography studio 8 years ago I didn’t know what I was really getting into.  Not a clue!  Almost 8 and a half years ago I laid in bed recovering from a neck fracture from an injury while playing professional football I made a website and posted some of my “amateur” great photos.  Things kicked off quickly for me, I bent over backwards for clients and a lot of times it came back to haunt me.. Other times it let me be apart of something amazing. I have learned if you start out unplanned and unprepared for a quick success - things happen – and you feel like you never catch up! 

I have always loved to share information (sometimes to much.. lol) and I love sharing my knowledge.  While at my studio in Chesterfield and Crestwood Mall at least once a week a photographer would stop in and ask questions, admire the studio, talk about problems, pricing, whatever came up.  Since announcing the physical studio closing – I’m STILL HERE – and selling off props and now gearing up for garage sales etc.. I’ve met a ton of photographers of all levels.. everyone wanting to share and get information.. whats the best locations – how to get people to pay – how much am I going to miss my studio – etc!

Well, I know my blog has been super quiet and facebook I’ve basically vanished.. but when I said in my previous post that our home looked like the episode of horders I WASN’T JOKING.. well… minus the nasty rotten food and unwanted rodents in the house.. We have so much in this house its actually very stressful.. Despite the cold I HAD to have the first garage sale on Wednesday (thank you storm for coming thursday).. I just ran out of room to organize.. things need to start moving out.. LOL

Anyway, this post is about as rambled as I feel with so much going on — BUT I wanted to announce that were officially going to start offering private classes and a private form to any photographer at any level.  There will be two sections of the forum – One for people who just want to learn about their camera and another private one for professional photographers.  Heck maybe we will have three sections – one for those who want to start a business – but dont know where to start!

Since were re-locating the studio to Denver in a few months there is so much that I’m having to go back and re-do with advertising, websites, Reworking my SEO, Figuring out how to promote at two places at once on the web and basically rebuilding myself out in Denver.. I think this is the time to get this forum up and running!  And start offering classes/personalized help to my fellow photographer buddies!  Maybe this will also help me remember some of the STUPID mistakes I made starting 8 years ago and don’t mistakenly repeat them!

BUT – I need your help!  What the HECK to call this forum!  I thought of Photography Round Up – But I dont know – I’m SO SO SO SO SO Bad at coming up with Names of things!  LOL!

Well, its late – I have a driveway to clean/prepare for a garage sale Saturday and Sunday and tons of editing to do tomorrow.  (Hope for me that it warms up some for Sat and Sunday.. I don’t think my bumm has warmed up yet from wednesday) — See there goes that too much sharing issue I have.. LOL!

I wanted to leave you with this beautiful little newborn baby girl from a recent session (blog post to come)…

I hope everyone is doing great, I think things are finally settling a tiny bit at home, were not living in as much chaos but.. dont even try to open the garage.  I see many garage sales in our future… thats as soon as the garage can even be accessed .. nothing like closing the studio and settling grandmas estate and getting hundreds of boxes and tons of furniture in our home within the same week.  However, things are finding their places, getting packed for the move..or shoved in the… garage .  It’s so hard to believe that in about 5 months we are moving to Colorado, to our new home!

I can say Im actually really enjoying working from home… its nice to work when I want to {such as at night when I function the best }!  Plus, my fast food bill has almost diminished.. great for the pocket book even better for the waistline.. And my stress level is almost demolished, so my chiropractor is loving the fact that I’m relaxing a bit!  BUT.. its really tough getting use to being a “traveling photographer” after almost 5 years with a studio.. lets just say… It’s an adjustment

I should get back to my regular blogging here soon, we’ve been busy with shoots, lots and lots of 6 month sessions this month… but for now I’m kinda just taking a break for the social media world.. I’m just exhausted and between the “sickness” going around this house.. a break is just what I need Plus I have to get my desk/office in order.. Somehow it keeps getting really messy..

So look forward to some posts starting next week.. Saturday I’m spending with family.. maybe tackel the garage if its nice enough outside and sunday I have a big 10 people shoot way out in the country!  Can’t wait  Tata for now!

Okay, so these last few weeks have been INSANE!  The studio is officially empty and closed, but a good friend of mine might be opening a Boutique & Party/Event Place there!  I hope she does, it would be a great space and I could totally use it every once in a while .

It wasn’t as upsetting as I thought it would be closing the studio, taking my logo off the storefront and moving EVERYTHING into our home.  We could totally be on an episode of Horders.. in most rooms there are walking paths.. I see many garage sales in our future!  Probably didn’t help that the closing of the studio was a quick unexpected decision, and I didn’t have really any chance to give the house a good old cleaning before I brought everything in here.. that and as soon as I bring a box of stuff in, as soon as I turn my back.. Izabel has it emptied all over the floor.  Excuses, I know right.. lol!

Well, the move went okay, it was cold and windy and both my mother and I were sick.  So it wasn’t the best move, well, like any move is good in the first place.  The 636-536-2282 studio number is officially transfered to this portable AT&T Wireless Home Phone.  My voicemails are slowly coming in they were kinda lost in space for a bit being that it took awhile to transfer the one line to this Wireless line.  And being that both phones rang when someone called.. voicemails are either gone or will randomly pop up now that the one line is gone.  {Did any of that make any sense?.. lol}  Just know this, if you called and I haven’t called you back its because your voicemail is somewhere lost in space.. so call again!

Well, I’m getting sleepy and its my goal to get this post done before I get to bed! ***YAWN***

Diem and Greg you might recognize from my previous blog post with their very unexpected 3.5 weeks early birth!  Well, we just did this sweet baby girls newborn session and before we get too far ahead of ourselves.. It’s time to get their beautiful maternity session blogged!

Diem and Greg were so much fun, Diem had so many ideas and special things she wanted to include in the session.  

So on Thursday the 24th I get a call from Diem to touch base and talk about the upcoming birth of her baby girl Lily Grace.  Who isn’t due till the end of February, but I still gave her a bit of a hassle that this wasn’t the call.  But she assured me baby L was still snug and going to be awhile!  So then I informed Diem that I better get weekly updates after she sees the doctor..

.. Fast forward a few hours ..

My daughter Izabel is having one of “those nights” where she refuses to go to bed and pulls every little stunt to delay night time.  ”Drink” “Hungry” “Five more min, please” “Rub my back, belly, neck, eyes, arms, knees, toes, and butt” and so many more little tricks.  Finally around 10:30pm she starts giving into her sleepiness and my husband informs me that someone keeps calling me.. little shocked I went and grabbed my phone and there is a text from Diem.. my water broke were heading to the hospital…

So I quickly gather my stuff, being that her water broke and baby Lily is 3.5 weeks early, I headed out hoping that I would make it in time.

I arrived at Progress West Hospital after it taking me a bit to find the actual main entrance to the hospital.. I made it to Diem’s room and she was luckily still only 2cm.  So either this was going to be a long night or as Diem’s sister and I made bets, we hoped baby Lily would arrive around or before 2 so we could hopefully leave before the weather got bad out.  Diem was having super strong contractions and they were one right after another giving this first time mama not the slightest brake what so ever!  So we all figured she was moving along quickly, after another check.. nope Diem was only still 2cm.  Diem’s sister {sorry I can’t remember your name} was so excited about the birth of her niece.. and kept joking about how they were already tight because Lily at least waited for her Aunt to get back from her travels to make her entrance and that Lily was going to come early so her Aunt could get home and to bed as she was flying and traveling all day.  It was all such a cute family bond.. and I just loved watching them all joke and you could totally tell EVERYONE was in shock that baby Lily was going to be here very soon!

Oh, and I should mention that Diem was in such disbelief that she didn’t have a chance to get her nails done, hair fixed and make-up on for her photos.. that target was having a big baby sale going on and she was going to be in the hospital instead.  I guess Lily was making a point to her mommy that now that shes around.. all of mommies carefully laid out plans are now out the window..  Diem for those of you that don’t know her is a planner, heck, she had me planned for her babies first year and birth photos a few years before Baby Lily pending arrival was officially announced on that little stick!

Well, around 11:30ish Diem got her epidural and her sister and I had to wait in the waiting room.  It seemed to be taking forever!  But 30 min later (I could totally kick myself for not having my camera ready) Dad comes charging through the doors.. and announces ”Um, looks like were having a baby.. she’s 10cm”.  In shock we all went to Diems room to find out that, they checked Diem just before giving her an epidural and she was still only 2cm.. after getting the epidural and settling back down she had the instant urge to push.. after mentioning this to her nurse about 3 times, the nurse checked her and Diem was 10cm and the nurse could see her baby’s head.  So for about 20-30 minutes Diem got to “cross her legs” and wait for her doctor to come… and of course fight the urge to push!

Diem was a champ and within 15-20 minutes Lily Grace was born at 12:41am at 4lbs 6oz and absolutely beautiful!  Then the joking started up that Dad, Greg’s, only request was because his last name is Fries that his Children’s initials went LG Fries, MD Fries, and SM Fries.. and that Lily Grace Fries was more like a small fry vs. a large fry.

Oh and after the worries of the bad weather, nothing happened . not even rain!  And since this sweet baby girl came a month early, I will post the maternity pictures tomorrow :) .. for now I have an entire studio to move

So on Sunday I had my mom come up to the studio to help me load up some of my bigger items I’m taking home and to bring my daughter in for some pictures on my winter fairy set.  I figured that since we spent so much time working on the set that at the very least we would photograph Izabel on the set.  That is if she would even let me, after TONS of bribing we finally agreed that she could take pictures of me.. as long as she stood still for at least one moment.  LUCKLY none of the ones she took of me turned out!  Although she did get some great shots of my knees and the floor

Well, as we were packing up my stuff and my mom was watching people come in and buying my props I’ve spent years acquiring she looked at me funny and left.  When she came back she was in tears, mostly I think because she is realizing that we are actually moving.  But she’s so upset that I’m leaving my studio, my dream, something I’ve worked so hard for.  Now, I want you to realize something my mom didn’t cry when I got engaged, didn’t cry when I got married and didn’t cry when Izabel was born.  She is a very reserved person and dosen’t show much emotion about stuff… So for my mom to cry about my “Dream Studio” was a complete shock for me.  I honestly didn’t know what to do.. I just told her this wasn’t my dream studio and that when we get to Colorado my dream studio will be that more real.  Then I didn’t know what to say or do so we got Izabel dressed up and took her photos.  But it still pulls at me that even my mom is crying about the studio.. DARN YOU WOMAN EMOTIONS!!