Pivotal Moments...

There have been pivotal turns on my wonder road, finding my husband, becoming a step-mom, carrying my children, birthing my children, raising my children...lol, just naming a few. There have also been moments in my photography voyage, like these, that forever changed my art work. Shooting for myself has hands down been the best investment I have made in my vision.

Jen offered up her entire world to my lens and said have at it! She is one of thee most humble, beautiful, authentic, motherly, gracious women I have ever met and I know I could list a dictionary of adjectives to describe her way. But I will let these images speak to her soul as they represent a new pivotal moment for mine. One where I know I can put my mind on paper. I have taken leave lately to learn. I have preached many times to my best friend, Maggie, that if you want to be good at something, REALLY good at it, then you have to submerge yourself in it. I am knee deep in art books, youtubes and classes. I am surrounded my a community that teaches.  AND I can't wait to see my vision in 10 years. 

Thank you Jen. For giving so much.

Eternally Bound

The ties that bind are thick and thin.
They're black and white and grey.
These careful holds get preyed upon, but strangle all the fray.
It's funny how the grip can loosen, as the days do pass.
But those two-step knots that seem so simple are the things that make it last.
Take caution how you tie them, being diligent, and true.
The ties that bind will rarely slip, even when we do.
 

- written by Lindsey Stigleman

Moody to Explosive-Joy, Due to Rain

So I love a good story, but I truly love an adventurous person. Julie, Julie, Julie...two words, DREAM client! She came down to Florida on vacation,contacted me, and wanted to do a styled maternity shoot within the week. No dress, no time, no problem! I love a woman who knows what she wants, but is also laid back and ready to go at the same time. After the initial scramble to outfit a moody mother and child, maternity session in three days, we met on location in honestly what looked like perfect stormy sky, except, instead of the weather holding this time around, all H-E-double-hockey-sticks broke loose after about five frames of shooting! When I tell you we ducked for cover because the sky cracked, I'm not kidding! We were huddled with her family on the side of a sand dune while the babes stayed tucked in both our arms, and the hubbs kept his watch on his iphone weather radar.

Now, being a native, I truly felt there was no danger, just extreme photographer inconvenience! But, when little ones are involved all caution must be taken, so we made a run for it and spent the better part of an hour doing what I didn't have time to prior to this shoot, GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER! I love this woman and I envy her spirit. She has drive, and passion, she's direct and sweet and a great mama! She and her husband clearly get it and each other and I could have chatted for hours. After any hope of shooting that evening had passed, I looked at her and said, "listen I really want to shoot this, want to wake up at 6am?" Without hesitation, she AND the hubbs were all in!

I love low light and I love mood, but I found that JOY, JOY, JOY, at brightly-lit, sunny sunrise and even some harsh light can shower down with gorgeous emotive images. This turned into a family affair. Even the hubbs joined in a couple of times! God bless spontaneity!

The purpose is to remember what was real...

You know, my journey to artist is so all over the place because I find incredible value in all genres of photography. I love to create art and authentic memories. Finding unique ways to story tell is challenging and invigorating, and the results can be, well, heart wrenching. These are my goals I guess; To capture what was real, so real, that you can smell it, feel it, relive it.

Danae is my friend, but our relationship is such much deeper than that. She is a muse for so much of my art because she is willing to do whatever I throw her way, lol! Her youth does not match her insight. She is so subtle in her ways. A brilliant follower of Christ, a mother for all time, a friend for those who seek the authentic, a true vision of God's artistry. This woman is not easily revealed on hello, and I adore that. Thank you Danae. For your bravery in life, your adventurous spirit and for taking a risk EVERY TIME in the name of art and love!

WELCOME HENRY!

crazy, fearless love

TWENTY-FOUR MPH GUSTS, is where I lay my scene on a South Tampa beach. The sky was tornado yellow with black clouds, and sheet rain was visible on the horizon. ANY other couple would have likely said, lets pack it up and reschedule. Well, actually, most of my clients probably would have trusted my crazy ways; I tend to attract adventure seekers! But, even I was thinking about calling it off. The light was changing for every frame as the clouds zipped over the black choppy ocean. I knew this was either going to be really horrible, or really incredible. I predicted we were going to get soaked and that I might lose some pricey equipment. I figured my clients may think I was totally insane afterwards. So, we all decided to just go for it and if we hated it, we would reschedule...

We did not reschedule! You would have thought I hired gorgeous A-list actors, but I'm not certain that even an oscar winner could put on that kind of raw, authentic showing of crazy, fearless love. I am so beyond blessed to have these two incredible people in my life. I am forever thankful for being able to float in the ocean, fully clothed, only my knees for an ancho,r and photograph two people who let it all go, just to be in the moment with each other. Jonathan and Brittany, your love is authentic, and your souls are synchronized. I adore you!

weightless

So many reasons for bringing life into this world, as if we really are in control of this miracle, life in general. I will never understand the complexity of the saturated, contradicting emotions that women carry while carrying. The weight of their world and the weight of the world of another, and possibly another, and another, and another. The intrepid, fearful mother, sage but naive. Mom, the most compassionate intolerant being on the planet! We are physically weighted heavy, yet floating with blissful ideologies. The calm before the storm, our short lived, longed for, weightless encounter.

This project has taken flight and I could not be more heart wrenchingly in love with each story I hear and each moment I capture. I am understanding motherhood from a different point of view each time. Weightless is a mutual gift. I look forward to sharing the final project in a year!!! 

For now, enjoy this eternal love story!