Leggy Bird Photos

Had so much fun capturing this gorgeous family last Saturday! I’m realizing more and more just how much I love taking photos of kids! Hm.. something to think about!

Chris and I were able to witness and capture his friend’s proposal last week! It’s so honoring to be asked to be a part of something so intimate and memorable! Glad we were there to capture it!

I used our Fujifilm X100 and Chris used our Canon 60D. See if you can tell who’s who!

It’s really interesting to work together as a couple. We did it when we were dating, engaged and now married. It started out really frustrating for both of us. I thought it sounded fun and cute and Chris saw it as a job. When we were working together, we weren’t necessarily a couple in his mind, we were working. To me, it was a growing opportunity and kind of like a date! Can you see how that could get frustrating on both ends? I was too emotionally attached, and when he didn’t kiss me or hold my hand during our work, I’d get offended. We figured out that, since it was mostly me helping him out with his work, that I needed a way to see it as work too. Maybe that meant he took me out to dinner as “payment” for my help or he gave me some money from the shoot. I had to understand that this was a job and since Chris gets in his job mode, I need to do that too. He also gave in a little and tried not to forget to kiss my cheek every once in a while to remind me that we were doing this as a couple, not just a team. It’s gotten a lot easier and more fun because of this! Some couples, I’m sure, naturally work really well together. We had to learn each other’s needs and how we worked differently. Most importantly, we had to communicate these things with each other. Whether you work together as a couple or not, that’s one of the most important things in a relationship and can solve almost any issue you have.

Chris and I got the amazing opportunity to shoot the story of a sponsor child from Kenya, Lilian, coming off the plane and joining the family that will be her’s for the next four years. Let me unfold this story of second chances for you:

so here are a few of my favorite things around Chris Fenner’s and my new apartment! Oh yeah, we got married three weeks ago Such a perfect day and amazing honeymoon and wonderful reality! Click photo to view larger:

Got to help Andy Brophy of OneNine Images with a gorgeous, intimate wedding today and really loved how these shots came out! (Click on photos to enlarge)

It seem that  lately, I’ve been taking an excessive amount of photos of beautiful girls… and I LOVE it! Since I did Help Portrait last Christmas, I’ve been saying that making girls/women feel beautiful in front of a camera for the first time is one of my favorite passions! I just wrote a paper for Interpersonal Communication about Self-esteem in adolescent girls, so I’ve been thinking about it a lot. There are so many gorgeous (inside and/or outside) girls that I know that don’t even have a clue! Maybe they haven’t been feelin’ the love or maybe they’re just going through a lot of changes. Whatever it is, I just want to shout in their face (and sometimes I do…), “YOU ARE SO DARN GORGEOUS!” They just don’t get it.

So, here’s my tribute to those girls I know (and don’t know!) that may or may not know how pretty they are. You are so worth loving, so live like it!

Eryn Erickson and her Bible Study group of high school seniors!

Cindy, my mom and a master housekeeper/chef

Erin, my classmate and new friend

Christine, my roommate and fellow tea drinker

Chelsea, coworker and friend

Lily, my oldest, most loyal friend

Mallory, my good friend’s beautiful sister

Last week, I shot my first boudoir shoot with a friend! Understandably, she did not want these intimate photos all over the internet, which I knew from the start.

After I finished editing and weeding through the pictures, I realized that this was some of the best work I’ve done yet! I didn’t think anything of it, until I remembered I couldn’t show off this work that I was so proud of.

I thought about why was work that I knew I couldn’t show off some of my best work? I think that God is trying to show me that I care too much about what others think and say about me. Will they comment on these photos? Will they want to hire me after they see this work? I’m always thinking about this! BUT, when I just let go and do what I love for the benefit of the client and for the glory of God, then my passions and gifts are exemplified!

I need to remember, too, that my value does not (or should not) lie in my talents or gifts, but in my Creator. If we put our value on anything besides Him, our response to criticism or disapproval will either be pure anger or defeat. Don’t let people abuse you or walk all over you, but when they do, remember that you’re not working for them- but for the joy of doing what you love and for the Lord.

The staff at Segue Ministries went to IKEA last week to get some furniture for our new offices! I captured these precious photos of my boss’s son, Jude. Rip and his wife, Bonnie adopted Jude a little over a year ago and are in the process of raising money to adopt a beautiful little girl. Bonnie is making and selling soap and little hair flowers to help with the huge price of adoption. If you want to help, just order one on their facebook.

Chris and I went to Nashville this past week to visit my oldest friend, Lily, and some other new friends from Twitter, such as Josh & Amber Ulmer and Kyle Reed! We had the best time touring the city and trying out every coffee shop and meeting wonderful, real, talented people!