Our sweet baby, Jordan, turned ONE a couple of weeks ago!  Since this guy can light up a room with his big blue eyes and open-mouth-smile, a New Year’s Cake Smash and birthday party theme fit him well! I had so much fun designing this cake smash set and picking Jordan’s cute little outfit!  I […]

Exactly two weeks ago, our family of three turned into a complete, family of four!  We are so happy our little Jordan Joseph decided to join us a few days early because Joe, Braxton and I were so excited to meet him!  (And, Braxton was starting to think I made up this whole “you’re getting […]

When I first started photography, I also was a high school teacher, so it was a complete side job for me. I didn’t spend a lot of money on software, unless it was photo-editing-related and I was really unsure of what was required to maintain a workflow. I was inconsistent and inefficient. Now, there are so many business resources out there, a complete change from when I began.

Many of my clients and friends often ask what I do with all of the pictures I take of my son.  I can hear frustration, insecurity, and stress in their voices, as they are looking for advice! I know why, too. They don’t want to leave these images on a computer. They are working parents. They simply don’t have time!  I can relate to any working mom in this digital age. We have convenient access to take a billion photos in seconds, but when it comes down to doing something with these pictures, we are lost.

It’s human nature that we become attracted to something we are interested in, especially if the impression or presentation is inviting. When someone is looking to purchase a home, you need to attract them with a first impression. This specific first impression, for most homebuyers, is probably on Zillow, or some other real estate site. Let me mention that I am not a real estate agent. However, I do want to share five tips to help you visually list your property.

When I began my photography business in 2009, there were no blogs on “How to Start a Photo Business.” Remember, I started this journey before social media was a marketing must-have, before Pinterest beat photographers to the punch, with ideas, and before I had a family of my own.  See, I had plenty of time then, and as the business grew, so did everything around me!

There are plenty of things I did wrong in this journey, believe me!  However, there were so many mentoring experiences that were well-worth my time and for some, my investment. These mentors, at some point, calmed my overwhelmed, entrepreneurial nerves, and pushed me to grow my business.

My photography studio is located in a small, lower level, of a historic building, along the Missouri River.  If you’re a client of mine, you’ve probably noticed my love-hate-relationship with the unique space, as backdrops fall, I trip over props, etc.!  It’s a narrow area to photograph families or even groups of four, and I really thought it was a problem that didn’t have an easy solution.

This DIY project had been on my mind for a few years, but wasn’t sure how I would produce something so versatile and safe without spending a lot of time on it.  After attending Heidi Hope’s studio workshop last spring, I wanted a wood plank backdrop even more, after shooting many photos in front of hers.  A couple weeks ago, my BFF and photog friend, Janelle, brought her husband’s truck to the studio and said, “let’s do this.”  That’s all it took!  I still question why it took me so long to actually work on this, because it was easy, fun, and I seriously went to bed with a smile on my face that night – only because it’s one more item, crossed off of my lengthy goal list.

Here are some tips and a simple “system” to use for saving your images. 1. Constantly Back-Up Memory Cards and Phone Photos.  If you use a digital camera, aside from your phone, chances are that you don’t back up “new” pictures every time you use it.  I had a friend who would wait until the […]

To actually work from home, I usually would set up my laptop at the kitchen island and try not to let distractions get me!  I couldn’t take it any longer, so I spent some time chalk painting the existing office furniture and organized the entire room!  Viola! 

Braxton has never known a stranger.  He adapts quickly to most situations and his curiosity (and memory) at this age, makes me realize how quickly he is growing up!  My good friend invited us to a “Pancake Dinner with Santa” tonight and we had been talking this up for weeks.  Braxton was ready to see […]

In the midst of editing a couple weeks ago, I looked at Joe and said that I feel bad we haven’t updated our family pics since Braxton turned one.  See, I made these cute canvas prints, that go so well with my living room colors, so the thought of updating pictures in our new house, […]

Move over, my organizational “pins” that I will never see through!  I am so excited about my new book that arrived today from Amazon, The Complete Book of Home Organization!  Written by Toni Hammersley, an organizational mentor, wife, mother of three, she is the creator of the website, A Bowl Full of Lemons.  In the intro, […]