A little green.

So I love the color green. I know, so does everyone, blah blah. That is the most obvious color to like. Especially right after months of seemingly endless grey and cold. Green is life, green is happiness, green seems to be hopeful.  My problem has always been that I use too much of it in everything I do..from buying washcloths of the most perfect chartreuse, to suddenly finding that I have used it in over half of the rooms of my house unintentionally.  An art teacher told me once...you have different subject matter in all of your paintings, but they are all the SAME COLOR!! GASP! I had no idea until I lined them all up. Later, I was lamenting over this problem to another artist..and she said in complete contrast to my well educated teacher, "well if you feel the green, you have to just go with it. Get it out of your system." Hmm. Novel concept, but I had to wonder, could it be possible, can I escape the all entrancing properties of such a marvelous color? Well..after about 2 years of attempting,I haven't accomplished this feat in anything else besides my wardrobe. Where in complete rebellion, I now own almost everything black. Maybe a hint of red here and there, you know, the opposite on the color wheel.  I now am under the suspicion it may never happen. I know. Totally unoriginal, unimaginitave, but I am learning to accept it. Even embrace it willingly again. To prove it I found a couple green things I like and took their pictures. Here you go. Green is good.

Babyness...

I have been so busy printing, designing, and laying out new promotional materials I kind of have forgotten to announce some of the sessions I am adding for children..one that I have finally decided on is a Baby's first year package. I have created similar things for clients in the past and they have LOVED them..because they automatically have the sessions set up, and I am at their doorstep, instead of putting things off and suddenly your baby is 2! I know all to well that this happens quickly! And it offers some savings as well as an incentive to sign on to the photo bliss.

Basic Package is $1275 
and includes 4 sessions, plus a complimentary Belly session 
or Family photo at a year
( if you missed the belly..as some of us do..)
all images uploaded to a shareable gallery
rights to images

Here are some of the sweet little guys I have had the immense joy of photographing
in their first year of life!!

Call me with any questions!! Summer is such a great time to get these guys on film,

if its warm, they are usually happy, and we have so many opportunities to get them in 

some amazing light. Thanks for looking..I will be posting more session ideas for bigger kids in a little bit...so many really fun options for those guys... I can't wait.

Jen

Dandelions

I have frequent moments when I  think I am completely dried up, out of inspiration, my creativity has receded into a complete blob of nothingness.. I feel like I need to not do anything anymore. I get frustrated, and I think I am done, and maybe I need a real job. So for awhile, I walk away from my screen and my easel, away from the glue fumes and paper pieces..usually in a huff. But luckily for me it's spring and there is the option of some nature to distract me..little beginnings inching up from the seemingly dead dirt and crispy brown leaves.  I run around the yard, coffee spilling all over me, flip flops sqwashing in the mud, checking out what is new..if things are a little bit taller, a little thicker, better than last years specimens, etc. To my Husband's delight I shreik at him from the yard "COME HERE!" He runs out panting, ready to take on the evil forces that have invaded our property, or apply pressure to my gaping wound, and call 911..(like any decent husband would..) only to see me gawking and pointing goofily at the tiny blue iris my friend Anne gave me 2 years ago that hadn't bloomed yet..before this very moment. For some reason his excitement usually is a bit less than mine...I probably need to be careful what I call him out of the house for, or the time I actually have a tomato stake impaled in my ribcage or a serious garden hose injury (yes, those are actually VERY dangerous) he will just pretend he dosen't hear me and turn ninja warrior up a bit louder to drown my screams.
Anyway..aside from all the great things in the yard are some things I don't like at all.  They are called Dandelions. This irritating species starts as a teeny seed, and in the time it takes to mow your lawn and get the mower put away, they can grow exactly 12 inches. You walk out to inspect your newly sheared grass of glory and there it is, happily bobbing its furry delicate head, ready to blow its spawn of evil throughout your yard.
Last week I visited my friend LeAnne who has just purchased a new house and after looking through it and marveling ... she took me to her pasture..and to my shock it was breathtaking. You have NEVER seen so many dandelions. This creature I loathe was actually beautiful, fully within its element. Thousands of tiny yellow suns waving around in the wind. . Ok, so Garden magazines always say mass plantings make a statement. Well nature did this and when this happens it is always so much better than what we could try to create. Humbling yes. Inspiring yes. I love those moments.
I asked LeAnne if I could bring some little girls I was photographing the next day. Of course she said yes! Here is the result. A long story leading, but nevertheless one of my many lessons. Enjoy!