Introducting Jenny!

I am THRILLED to be introducing a new photo editor to my team. As many of you know I have been so blessed in the past year to watch my calendar fill to capacity. God has taken this little passion of mine and really built it into a thriving business. However, trying to balance work with being a mom and a wife, (and maybe having a life for myself once and awhile!) has been a challenge. Enter JENNY! She has loads of background in photo editing and a great eye for photography. When I realized she was looking for part time work, I could see right away she'd be a perfect fit. I could not feel more excited to have her working alongside me. She is an amazing mom and wife and one of those women that is just fun to be around. :)
I wanted to come photograph her kids for her first real job at editing with me. Nothing better than getting to work on your own children. That also meant she got a chance to see my side of the job and experience a shoot from a customer's perspective. We had a great morning together and I love what we were able to capture. Here is a sneak peek at her shoot:

We started with Mia- who was a true natural in front of the camera...

T.J. was feeling a bit more shy to start, but I still love this shot...

Funny how kids will "warm up" a bit if you just relax and give them some time...

I wanted to do some shots of the kids laying on the floor together. This is how is usually starts~
Here is Mia, growing a bit frustrated with her brother...

And T.J. deciding he didn't want anything to do with laying right next to his sister...

And then the wrestling began!

And then just when we thought we should give up... here it was~

Now, in the midst of all of this Jenny kept saying to me, "I feel like I should be stepping in and disciplining the kids, this is really hard to just stand back and not say anything". She helped me realize how hard it is to play the mom role, watching the kids be silly, when she felt like it would be best for them to sit still and look at me. With her permission, I wanted to share this insight with all you moms out there who wonder how best to handle those moments when the kids seem to be a little less unruly than you'd like. :)

So here are my thoughts on that:

1) I love moments like we had (with the wrestling and silliness) because it lets me grab those shots that we often forget to get. While I was snapping away, Jenny was saying "Yep, this is how they always are- they love to wrestle". When I hear a comment like that, I know I HAVE to get those shots. At the end of the day, we all want photos to help really capture who our children were at this age. What did they like to do best? How did they interact with you or their siblings? What were their funny little faces like? Those photos are the ones you'll want to remember, not the "say cheese" smiles we often ask for. I think you'll agree that the first shots I got are beautiful, even if they aren't smiling at me.

2) Sometimes I think parents get embarrassed of their children's behavior because they think it will bother me. Let me just say this... it DOES NOT bother me. I have an elementary education degree, taught 1st and 2nd grade for 5 years, and have two kids of my own. I have seen it ALL! (temper tantrums included) :) I know that kids are kids, and although we'd all love for them to be those perfect angels when the camera is on, it simply rarely happens.

3) I allow 2 hours per session for a reason. Never do I actually photograph for 2 hours straight (whew, that would be a lot of photos to choose from). I allow those two hours so that I don't need to start shooting the moment I walk in the door. Often I like to just put the camera away, play with the kids a bit, let them warm up and feel comfortable with me. Rarely does a child do well if I walk in and put my big camera in their face immediately. So we start slow and I promise this is why I'm able to capture those beautiful shots later on. I also allow time for snack breaks, or just play breaks. Often kids can feel pressure from us if they can tell we are feeling rushed or stressed. So my advice (over and over) is relax, slow down, and let us all enjoy the ride! I never schedule myself to be in a hurry, so don't worry about me.

4) If your child starts "acting up", try to let me handle it. Since I'm not their parent, it is easier for me to stay calm and relaxed about it and about 99% of the time, I can get them to come around to their happy selves again. There have been times when I needed the parents to step in and help, and when that happens I just let the parents know I'm ready for their help. I'm also one of those moms that spells out, "How about a S-N-A-C-K???" :) Afterall, doesn't a yummy snack cure everything?

So those are my two cents on how best to handle a photo shoot. I'd love to hear any feedback you have from the mom perspective! Feel free to leave a comment on this post.

Now, back to Jenny's kids. Here is Mia in her bedroom. I love to take pictures of each child in their own bedroom with their favorite toys, stuffed animals, and blankets. They are usually comfortable and happy in their rooms, and Mia was no exception! She couldn't wait to show off her HUGE horse named Lightbulb! (you can click on the photo collage to see it bigger)

And here is Mr. T.J.- the cutest little boy in the world. Don't you love his haircut- oh so sweet! He has a train table and legos in his room, it was so fun snapping away while he played.

So there you have it- a little peek into what a full session with me looks like.
Welcome Jenny! So excited to have you on my team!!