What makes a photograph meaningful.

When I talk about what I consider to be a good photo, I seldom mention words like exposure and composition.  Don't get me wrong.  Those are both very important in photography, but the words I am most likely to say are emotion and meaning.  For me a photo can even be a little blurry, but if it captures a tender moment it can still be better than the crispest photo ever taken. 

Chris and I both lost our grandfathers in the summer of 2011.  We lost them within the span of two weeks. They were both very important in our lives and helped shape us into the people we are today. When Chris was a teenager he helped his Grandfather a lot on his farm.  I remember when we first started dating that there were signs on the gates that led into the farm that read "Stewart Farm." Chris told me that he had helped his grandfather hang these signs.  

After Tata's passing last summer, we were going through one of his out buildings and found one of the signs. Chris took it home that day and later shared an idea with me.  He wanted me to photograph our kiddos and his sister's children with the sign on the farm for his mom for Christmas.  So he arranged it with his sister.  

I will go ahead and tell you that this next photo was my favorite from the day.  Why is it my favorite? I like the colors.   I like the contrast. I like that the little boys are holding the sign as it would have been hung on the gate. 

The next photo is the one Chris had planned.  This was the first time in years that any crop other than hay had been grown on Tata's farm.  He leased it to some local farmers and they grew corn.  He negotiated the terms in the spring before he became sick.

We weren't able to get together to get the photo taken before the crop was harvested, but Chris had the farmers leave a section of corn when they harvested the crop.  We met at the barn and secretly crossed the road to where he wanted the photos taken.  He wanted a photo of the kids holding the sign in front of the corn.  

For Christmas we gave his parents a 24x36 gallery wrap of the photo above.  Like I said before, I liked the other photo a little better, and  I wasn't able to get the image to fit on the gallery wrap exactly as I would have liked.  However, Chris loved it.  It was the one that was the most meaningful to him.  That is what really mattered.

When my in-laws unwrapped it on Christmas I knew that Chris was right.  The way his mom cried when she looked at it.  The way she hugged me.  The way she thanked me.  The emotion she felt was so obvious. This image held so much meaning for her and that meant everything about it was perfect.

It is now above their fireplace, and I hope that each time she looks at it she smiles. I hope that she has good memories.  I hope that she will know she is loved. 

That my friends is what I believe makes a photograph meaningful.

Photography Tip - Back to School

Today was the first day of school for my kiddos.  We of course had to take the first-day-of-school photo before they left this morning.  

While these are not works of art, they are some of the photos I treasure the most. It was funny because when we went outside to the porch the kids didn’t even have to ask where to go.  They all just went to the far column and turned around. This is our designated first-day-of-school photo spot.  Do you have one?  I started this on Elizabeth's first day of Kindergarten, and I am so glad I did.  This way it is easy to see year after year just how much she has grown.  It's enough to bring a tear to a mom's eye.

This is Kindergarten through 3rd grade for Elizabeth.  

A couple other things to note.  I always have the kids wear their backpacks.  So much thought goes into the perfect backpack, so you want to remember those!  Plus, it will be fun to look back and see what they were into when they were in 1st or 2nd grade. I always take a head shot or something waist up, but I make sure that I take that full length shot. You've got to get a shot of the new shoes.  Heaven knows that is the only day they will look like that!

I think you get the picture. It only takes about 5 minutes, but with a little forethought you can have back-to-school photos that you will treasure long after they have outgrown Barbie and Spiderman.

Run for Ella 2011.

Once again this year, I am proud to be a sponsor for the Run for Ella.  

I am so blessed to be a part of a community that pulls together to help those in need. This year's event is in memory of a very special young man who I was fortunate to photograph with his brother, Will, a couple years ago. 

Ed touched so many lives in his time here on Earth.  You can read more about his story here. 

Time is running out, so register now.  It's a great family event.  Our entire family will be participcating this year.  Hope to see you there!

Honored and blessed.

A few weeks ago I received a very unexpected phone call.  In fact, when I saw the number on caller id I thought to myself, 'Why are they calling me?"  It was our local newspaper, and they were calling to tell me that I had been voted Best Photographer in their Lincoln County's Finest contest.  I cannot tell you how surprised I was.  I always vote in this yearly survey so that I can at least vote for my kiddos' school. However, this year the deadline snuck up on me, and I didn't get my ballot sent in.  Never in a million years did I expect to be chosen.  

I have been so very blessed these past three years since I first decided to try my hand at having my own photography business.  I have met so many wonderful people, and many of them have become very good friends.  I have shared in the most personal of moments from birth to weddings to anniversary celebrations.  In many cases I may have been hired to do a job, but I came away with a friend. It is just a blessing sharing in the most important moments in my clients lives.  I have cried as I watched a baby enter this world, and I have cried as I watched a couple of 25 years finally have the wedding that they never had.  I have laughed at one-year-olds smashing birthday cakes and two-year-olds that were determined not to have their photo taken (in most cases I won). 

To say that I am honored would be an understatement.  I am honored everytime someone calls or emails me to schedule a session.  I am honored that they want me to capture memories for them.  I am so blessed, and so very thankful.  I truly appreciate everyone's votes.  Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your little and your big celebrations. 

I also need to thank my sweet assistant, Hannah Gray, for taking these photos for me.  It was a rare occassion for me to be on this side of the camera.  Thanks, Hannah!

Just for fun.

I don't usually post personal photos on my photography website, but I just had to share this one.  Last week my kiddos were on spring break, and we took a trip to the Nashville Zoo.  It's always been one of our favorites for a day trip.   My favorite zoo animal is the giraffe, and this time one of the main guys was front and center.  I've never seen them this close to the front of their habitat.  So of course I had to snap a bunch of shots.  This was my fav.

You've just gotta love that face!