poignant pauses

ouch

Hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving! I can't believe it's been a week since I've wrote anything! Sadly I spent my turkey day in a lot of pain. I hurt my arm or rather an old injury acted up. I guess my shoulder has some bits of bone and calcium that are causing my arm to swell and not function properly. It's still pretty painful but thankfully I have pain killers that are making it manageable.  But they do make me super sleepy (knock me out is a better description,I can't believe how strong they are ) and groggy.

I do not drink or normally take any kinds of meds so I'm super sensitive to them I think. I haven't slept this well in YEARS and YEARS.  I'm thankful though because I was in a

LOT

of pain. The doctor laughed when I told him a procedure he did didn't hurt a bit (he said it would be super painful),"Yeah well that's because you are already in a lot pain in comparison."

My lovely new accessory

I normally have a huge tolerance for pain but this just floored me.  I remember when I was in labor with Francesca the nurses were amazed that I was laughing and joking with the degree of contractions I was having (I have very short intense labors).  So I'm behind a few days more because of this but still working on my last few sessions.

I thought in honor of Thanksgiving I was share 10 things I'm thankful for this year.

1 My family for their unconditional love, the haven, the joy

2. My church http://www.lighthousecapecod.org/  - We've been going there I think it's been over five years now and I appreciate it more and more each year. They are big on equipping people so they do a lot of practical bible studies(marriage,family,women’s issues etc… skills you can use in every day life) which have helped my family grow so much.  Also you couldn't find a sweeter more supportive group of people.

3. My husband's job- I'm so thankful that after his company was bought out and his position changed to something that in no way fit our family goals he was able to find a new job. The new job while it's not perfect (what job ever is) he enjoys it and it suits our lifestyle and values.

4. Health- The last few years have been a struggle for me as I've dealt with some health issues thankfully all manageable.  I think that not feeling good has made me very grateful for the good health my family enjoys.

5. Cape Cod-
I love living here so much and can't imagine ever living anywhere else. Sometimes I just go to the beach to watch the waves roll and soak in the quiet beauty.

6. Family and friends- It's so nice to know you have people you can depend on and lean on in need. Where we would be with out them I can’t' even imagine.

7. My husband- Yes he deserves his own special spot. While he's not perfect (neither am I), he does try and I think we have grown together working more and more as a team on the same page. We come from completely different backgrounds so this is just amazing.  He was raised by a great Christian family, family revolved around church. Their values closely match what we have chosen for our family. I was raised growing up around the race tracks (my Dad and brothers motocross and modified) and bars (my dad owned one).  My family did have some great values too. I know that I could call any one of my brothers or my Dad and they would help me in a heartbeat giving everything they could. But other values we disagree on, well actually we might agree a bit now from things my Dad has since said to me, things he would like to do over.  With Chris and I such different backgrounds really made it hard to communicate when we first started out, we had to work through so many issues from how we would rear our children to how we would argue etc... It's true what they say opposites attract.  I couldn't imagine what I would ever do if I lost him. I make him promise me over and over again that I will go home first!

8 Starbucks Yes anyone who knows me knows they belong on the list. A good cup of coffee just makes me happy. Chris goes out every morning and brings me home a steaming cup of Joe. It's my one extravagance that I really should break but haven't the heart too. They make such better coffee then me.

9. art- It brings such a joy to my life to feel what others are trying to express. It feels like a smelling salt, wakes me up to feel and see so much more of what life is the fullness of it. Someone said to me yesterday that someone without hurts has a hollow heart. That pain causes you to see and feel more of life.  Feeling deeply has always been a struggle of mine but I think I am finally starting to turn that around more fully and using that part of my heart as something beautiful.

10 God - Simple simply said even when I think he's let me down, he hasn't.  He is last on my list because I think everything in my life that is good has come about because of opportunities he has given me. He is and will always be my final page.

new for next year

I have had so many of my clients ask me about modeling after I did their shoots. It makes me feel good to know that many of them have told me they realize they can after my sessions.  I love love love that and it makes me feel so happy to know I helped to bring out a side that often my clients didnt' realize was there all along.  I can not tell you how much it kills me to see a beautiful young person who feels akward and doesn't see their own unqiue beauty.  I was like that when I was young it wasn't until I was older and a bit faded that I saw it. Which is why I think it bothers me to see that and why I get so excited when sometimes  even as early as during the shoot, you can see that a client is starting to see it themselves.

here is an email I recieved just yesterday

"

Hi Hi Hi,

You don't even know how excited I was to see them.

I wanted to scream!!!! It made me so happy. My parents, my friends, everyone thought you did an amazing job. I am offically hiring you for when I need photos done! Thank you! I am so glad I choose you, and you have made me notice beauty in myself I did not see. I can not thank you enough :) "

Barnstable senior

Sooo becuase of all the inquires I'm going to start offering a collection that is geered towards modeling with comp cards and the larger prints needed for the portfolios.  Also because models need  to show a varity of looks the shoot will be geared differently.  I might even try to see if I can add on hair and makeup(by a pro of course!). Anyway I've been considering  the different options and will have something brand new to offer!

Comp card (a models calling card) It will show a variety of looks and moods,headshots and full length. Also information they need all printed right on the comp card.

click to view it slightly larger

senior slideshow

amazingly beautiful girl! She looks beautiful smiling but to be honest it was the artistic moody images of her that I loved the most,like the third image down.  Here is her slideshow link

Click here to view her slideshow

and some images for those that can not view the slideshows.

I try to get a mix during my sessions. Different moods,styles like here is a typical headshot image but I like to think my headshots are not totally typical. I work to  give you beautiful lighting and a softness that is very flattering. It's important to me too to shoot in with a flattering angle(different for different faces) and to get good expression. It's so true what they say about the eyes.  You can tell when there is an openess,a connection. The eyes are absolutely the expression of the person's personality and charisma. It's so important to me to bring out the person,to make my images come alive with who the person is in front of my lens. 

as always I show the images just normal like shown below,bw and sometimes artistic processed like show above. 

I get the most beautiful people to shoot!

She is amazing isn't she? Just stunning! Coming to the end of my senior sessions though I'm still getting calls for them.  I do not have any more openings this year.  It's amazing too how many people want a session the day after Thanksgiving.  I'm sad I can't do a session for everyone who calls.  Next year I'm going to have some fun add on's that hopefully will get everyone booking earlier. I  totally know how it is. You keep thinking oh I want to do this,need to do this and there is so much going on that it never quite happens until you really NEED for it to happen.  I usually try to do a shoot of my family myself at least once a year.... I haven't done it yet this year.... I thinking now when it snows it will be super fun to do one of us sledding and having snowball fights.  I even put away matching scarves LOL!  I'm so thankful for photography friends who sometimes capture us but it's different for me when I do it myself.  Personally my favorites are the odd quirky humours captures that I think another photographer might not take never mind show.

For instance my favorite captures from a walk last week were Sebastian trying to lick kiss Chris,Ollie on Chris's shoulder slapping his face with Chris cringing,Ollie with his sweatshirt hood filled with leaves leaking them as he gleefully is running around and my absolute fav is the more posed shot I tried to get of the two youngest boys who would have none of it. I'll have to post that one ,it' s a you  have to see it thing.  So you see why I like to do my shoot ,I'm a bit weird in my tastes.

Ok senior moment

I forgot to add the link to the slideshow.

Here it is

Click here to view slideshow

I took the most loving pictures today. Oh can't wait to share them!

prints in person

one of the things I really miss about not proofing in person is everyone's reactions to seeing the images in print. They look so much more amazing rich creamy just yum.

So I loved it this week when my husband told me about his office's reaction to seeing some of my prints. I switched labs to a lab that will allow my clients to do all the ordering on their own. Just sign in and order and then your prints straight to you home ,are on their way,much faster ,easier for everyone. Anyway I wanted to do some a test order just to see exactly the process so we ordered some recent client pics and had the order sent to my husbands' office. He said they loved them and told me some things they gushed about. Sigh I miss that....

I do love comments in emails too though one from yesterday
"the pictures turned out beautiful...my mom was crying!"

how about another slideshow? (I'll be back with a link still uploading)

This was my dd's favorite from the session but the jury is still out for me. She was just amazingly beautiful. I was talking to a Mom at a session last week. It's so sad how many of just did not see when we were young and beautiful that we were just that.  It's when we are older that finally we can see our own unique beauty when it's a bid faded.  I wish I had a photos session of my self at this age. 

ok I'm back with some tears in my eyes

ok I'm a little stressed trying to get everyone images out.  I'm happy to be busy but I want everyone to e happy so I'm stressing I MUST mEET DEADLINES!!!! LOL!

anyway I so needed something this morning.... It made me cry and I so appreciate this wonderful woman taking the time to write me this. 

Hello Danielle,

Hope you and your family are all well and happy! 

I just wanted to tell you a couple of things about the pictures you took this summer.  First off, my husband tell me that he watches the DVD every morning when he arrives to his "office" in Iraq.  He relaxes with a cup of coffee, and begins his day with those images.  He laughs and cries every time he watches it.  It makes me so happy...I hope it makes you happy too!  Also, I decided to put all the pictures in frames around the house, instead of in albums.  They are just too beautiful not to be on display to everyone who comes into our home.  I literally have collages and individual frames in every room, and three little collages ready to give my husband for his office.  It's a little overkill, but I don't care...I love my kids...and those pictures make me stop and smile ALL THE TIME.

Thank you again for your kindness.  I should write and thank you every day, because that's how often your talent and generosity brings joy to my life.  Have a wonderful holiday season, Danielle, and I hope you continue to have the opportunity and the passion to bless families with your gift.

------------ Family

Wahh if that isn't enough I also had this email sitting there.

"I need to make sure I have tissues near by when I open up your email!!!!! I really did pause and wipe my tears!"

------- and ---------

Thank you so much it's so nice to hear these things. I can't say enough times Thank you!!!!!

Wahhhhhh !!!! :)

still around working feverishly

to get everyone's images out. So I haven't had time to do many sneak peeks of recent sessions trying to make deadlines. This one I needed to do straight way birth announcement.

so here is a tiny sneak peek

This card is a bit different but Mom loved it so I might create more like it. I've had several photographers ask me to sell it so I'm considering creating some designs for photographers as well.

This is more the norm for me

this image doesn't look like much at this size but full size oh the tones and mood are sooo lovely.

this needs no words bahhhaaa!!!

senior slideshow

Dropping in to just say hi and thought I would drop off a slideshow.  :) 

Another beautiful

beautiful slideshow click here

and a few images for those on Mac or   dial up