It’s that time again!
Look back at at my favorite images from the year and give something back to a couple of lucky clients!
2017….what a ride!!! So much craziness! Did anyone else feel like it was never going to end? But also like it was going by incredibly fast at the same time? I feel like this part of the blog basically is turning in to a bit of a Christmas Card/Newsletter, mixed with a thank you note to my clients, friends, and family!
So this year I moved unexpectedly, mid wedding season, gained a roommate and a dog. (sadly the dog had to go back, we were watching him for his read dad for a few months) Had some medical stuff come up with both of my parents a couple months later, again mid wedding/busy season. It felt like this summer was the ultimate juggling challenge between work and personal. Luckily I think I fared pretty well, I wasn’t forced to make any intense decisions between the two, and in the moments when I needed a little grace, I was met with amazing clients that were incredibly understanding and forgiving. For that I am so thankful! (Seriously, I say it a lot, but my clients are so good to me!)
I think God knew I was going to need a lot of encouragement this year, and he made sure I got it. I felt so showered by kind words all year. The guests and relatives that I’d never met that came up to me during weddings to tell me I was doing a good job, that is honestly one of the most encouraging things. Having client’s family members tell me I made formals painless, basically the highest compliment I could receive!!! Hahaha And then there were my clients, forever being kind and encouraging. Know that it does not go unnoticed and is not taken for granted! I am so thankful for all of you!
Though I have loved my clients this year and have loved capturing them, the images I felt the most honored and humbled to take were images of my family. The first was in July. I had just received one of the hardest calls you can get, a call from my mom letting me know that she had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer. Not a call you’re ever expecting. That weekend, after capturing a wedding, I drove “home” to my parents. Both me and my brother, (who had just moved to Indiana a couple weeks earlier) as well as my brother’s girlfriend, made the trip to just enjoy each other’s company, and be together. Of course it felt quite bittersweet. I brought my camera and told my parents to be ready to get in front of it. Partially using their recent(ish) 30th anniversary as an excuse. But ultimately I think we all knew it was a “lets get pictures of what ‘normal’ looked like before chemo starts because we have no idea what is to come” photoshoot. It was definitely a new experience, I’ve taken plenty of pictures of my parents and family, but I had never done a proper session with them. It was funny directing them like I do my clients. But I’m so grateful for the images we got (you can see one of them down below in the Couples & Portraits section)
The second was when my mom asked me to take portraits of her documenting her at the end of chemo. Though we just did a quick few simple portraits, sitting on the front stairs in their house (because the light there is gorgeous) I still was incredibly honored to be trusted to capture these vulnerable moments in her life.
I’m very happy to say that my mom is doing amazing. She finished 6 rounds and four months of chemo like a champ and had her surgery this last Thursday and is recovering well. The best Christmas gift our family got was the results from her pre-op MRI, that showed no discernable traces of a tumor!!! YAY! Though the battle isn’t over, it was the best news we could hope for and the answer to countless prayers.
On to the photo contest!!!
I’m going to post my favorite images from each wedding and each engagement session of 2016 and have you all vote for your favorite from the two categories. The client/photo that gets the most votes overall will get a free 16″x24″ canvas wrap. The person with the most votes in the category opposite to the overall winner will receive a free 8″x12″ print! (ie. if the overall winning photo is in the engagements category, the 8×12 will go to the highest voted Wedding image—and vise versa) *
Feel free to share the link to this post with friends and family, encourage them to vote!
Voting will close Wednesday, January 31th at 11:59PM.
TO VOTE:
1. Look through the photos
2. Pick a favorite
3. Scroll to the bottom of each category and choose your favorite image/couple
4. Click “VOTE”!
WEDDINGS
#1: Joey + Evi
#2: Steve + Emily
#3: Scott + Michelle
#4: Mike + Becca
#5: Frank + Maddie
#6: Mike + Lindsey
#7: Scott + Alyse
#8: Mike + Amanda
#9: Patrick + Laura
#10: Mike + Felicia
#11: Drew + Laura
#12: Mike + Stephanie
#13: Jesse + Emilee
#14: Vince + Caitlin
#15: Matt + Lauren
#16: Zach + Bridget
Couples & Portraits:
#1: Mike + Felicia
#2: Steve + Emily
#3: Drew + Laura
#4: Adam + Ashley
#5: Scott + Alyse
#6: Ted + Cindy
#7: Matt + Lauren
#8: Kyle + Taylor
#9: Victoria
#10: Jesse + Emilee
#11: Vince + Caitlin
#12: Greg + Erin
#13: Luke + Grace
#14: Zach + Bridget
FINE PRINT:
* One vote per device. Voting will end Jan 31th at 11:59pm. The winning client(s) will be notified within 24-hours via e-mail, the client must make their image selection/order by Feb. 12th. If not ordered by February 12th they forfeit the prize, another winner will not be selected. In the event that a client featured in both categories wins in both category, the image in a given category with the lesser of votes, the runner up in that category will win the 8″x12″ print.
0 LIKES
