Wow.  That’s really all I can say.  2010 was a year filled with wonderful blessings, learning experiences, new friends, old friends, and a real sense of personal growth for me – as a photographer, business person, and one of God’s children.  I saw this little boutique business turn into something that I barely could have dreamt of.  Occasionally I have people contacting me over a year in advance for portraits, and it literally leaves me speechless.  I feel so humbled and honored to be able to serve all of my clients (and clients-to-be), and honestly sometimes I feel a little guilty that I enjoy it so much.  Should someone enjoy their job this much?  It just doesn’t seem right.     I’ve certainly had my fair share of ups and downs, learning through mistakes, and good old trial and error as well, but every one of those moments has led me right to where I am today, and I wouldn’t trade that for anything.  I’ve had the pleasure of building some wonderful relationships with others in this business, first as mentors, now as friends, and their advice, feedback, and listening ears have meant the world to me.  I’ve found a wonderful little photography sisterhood in our Wardrobe Wednesday group, and I may not have survived those ups and downs without those amazing women.  I’ve had some fabulous opportunities to share my work with a wider audience this year via some publishings, and seeing those articles thrills me to no end.  Ask my poor husband, I think I screamed when I found out about these features!    Through all of this, my deep appreciation for God and everything He has blessed me with has grown immensely.  I can only pray that I’m using those blessings in a way that serves Him and touches others. 

When I look back on this year, I’m proud to say that with the help, support, and encouragement of those around me, I’ve been able to build my business into the type of photography studio I always hoped it would be.  What I love about photography more than anything is making that special connection to the people I photograph, luring out the REAL you in front of the camera.  Everything I do from first contact to the delivery of the final product is geared around that connection … creating something uniquely you, and doing it in a way that hopefully exceeds all expectations of what a custom photography experience is all about.  I’ve already put some new plans into action for 2011 that should further that goal even more, but that is for Part 2 of this post {coming soon}.  I owe so much to my family, my friends, and my clients, there’s honestly no way I could possibly thank you enough, so this will have to do.  THANK YOU.  From the bottom of my heart.  Thank you for entrusting me with your precious memories, for seeing in me things that I could not, for helping me to pursue this dream. 

2010 has brought another exciting event into our lives … I’m pregnant!  Yes, baby #2 will be making it’s arrival this July.  We are beyond excited to make a new addition to our family (well most of us are, Emory is not 100% on board yet).  And if you’ve wondered where in the world I’ve been lately, that is the answer.  First trimesters (plus a few weeks) do not like me one bit.  We just plain don’t get along, and between the immense fatigue and sickness, let’s just say I’ve been MIA most of the holidays.  I had to put off some big projects I had planned to work on, and I’m scrambling to finish others as my spring season has officially kicked into gear this week.  So thank you for your patience!  I have a lot of blogging to catch up on, so just hang in there!  Obviously, this will mean some schedule hiccups and leave time for me, and I’ll be addressing that in my Part 2 post, so keep an eye out! 

If you actually made it to the end of this rambling post, you deserve a medal, but some pictures will have to do.  In keeping with the theme of “looking back,” here are some pictures I snapped of my baby sister over the summer in the 5 minutes of light we had left.  She will be a SENIOR next year.  When did this happen?!?  Love you Chan! 

And of course, I can’t leave you without one of my little cutie pie.  This may be one of my all-time favorites of her.  I’ll have more from her two-year session soon, along with a review of her adorable outfits from Tea Collection.  Truly fabulous clothes. 

This week I will leave the introduction of Jessica Paxson of Jessica Paxson Photography up to our very own Morgan Dawson … here’s what they have to say:

Every few weeks we invite a fellow photographer to be a guest contributor. I’ve been following Jessica Paxson’s work for some time now, and immediately thought she would be a fun addition to our lineup. What makes her unique is the attention to detail she puts into her shoots. Sessions often have a theme, and she isn’t afraid to think outside the box. What I personally find difficult is striking a balance between doing too little – and doing too much when it comes to styling a shoot. You want to convey a theme or feeling, but avoid looking hokey or tacky. While the easy thing to do is play it safe, a well thought-out look can really take your photos to the next level.

This session from Jessica helped inspire a recent shoot of my own. The mother wanted to take some photos of her son in a relaxed setting. Knowing how much he loves to paint, we decided to make that our theme. We talked about the shoot for weeks, gathered materials, and asked friends and family if we could borrow props. On the day of the shoot we met each other with two cars full of options – it was great! What resulted was a totally unique session and a photo neither of us will forget. Bottom line – the more effort you put into your shoot – be it wardrobe or props – the more personal and rewarding the final image will be.

Before I let Jessica introduce herself, I’ll show you the image that inspired her this week. Rock on!

Hello, hello everyone! My name is Jessica Paxson of Jessica Paxson Photography First off I have to thank all the ladies at Wardrobe Wednesday for asking me to do a guest spot! I’m really excited and I hope you enjoy the looks I put together for you.
 
I chose to do a family look because those are the type of sessions I enjoy most. There is just something about capturing the love a family has for each other that really makes me love this job — probably because I am a mother myself of three amazing little boys, and there is nothing I love more than when I get a shot of the boys just being their crazy, fun loving, sweet, silly, ornery selves, and being able to capture that moment and keep it forever!
For today’s looks I’m sharing with you a little bit of a rock & roll theme, because let’s all face it, who wouldn’t love to be a rock star for a day? The looks I’ve chose can all be found at Gap and Piperlime. Enjoy

Mom
Center Seam Dolman Sweater $49.50
Boyfriend Jean $69.50
Lightwash Lip Scarf $29.50
Black Denim Lip Tote $39.50
Naughtey Monkey (Rugged Racy) Shoes $89.00
Hive & Honey Antique Button Ring $22.00
Hive & Honey Stud Stretch Bracelet $32.00
Hive and Honey Leather Wrap Bracelet $24.00
 
Dad
Jefferson Cord Blazer $88.00
Merino Hoodie $69.50
The New Crewneck “T” $16.50
Authentic Fit Jeans (deconstructed vintage) $49.99
Slub Knit Beanie $16.50
Converse Check taylor (specialty ox) $50
 
Young Boy
Skull Sweater $39.50
Heather Plaid Flannel $26.50
Slub knit beanie $16.50
Creative Recreation (Cesario XVI) Shoes $35.99
 
Young Girl
Admirals Jacket $42.50
Ruched turtleneck $16.50
Solid Tights $10.50
Charcoal Bloomers $29.50
Headband $7.50
Jessica Simpson (lilana) Boots $55.00
 
Baby Boy
Wool Moto Jacket $44.50
Mini Skinny Jeans (black wash) $29.50
Mohawk Fleece Hat $12.50
Skull Scarf $24.50
Sriped Sweater $24.50
Creative Reaction (testa toddler) Shoes $43.99
 
Baby Girl
Moto Jacket $29.50
Tiered Ruffle Tutu $26.50
Tight n shoes $12.99
Striped Boatneck Sweater $12.99

Welcome back baby Madeline!  The last time she was in front of my camera she was only around one week old!  My, how the time flies.  Madeline (actually her mother) answered my casting call last week, and we were able to set something up right away.  I’ve recently invested in a large variety of items to add to my home/portable “studio” set-up in preparation for a new type of session I’m offering: Milestone Mini Sessions.  These sessions are meant for those “milestone moments” during your baby’s first year, whether it be six-month portraits or celebrating baby’s ability to sit up on their own.  These are short and sweet (and very affordable), so there’s no excuse not to capture every moment along the way during that ever-changing first year.  You have the option of coming to my home studio using my studio set-up or shooting on location.  Since you’ve seen plenty of my on-location work, I wanted to take the opportunity to preview some of my new and improved studio work.  I’m so excited about the possibilities!  This is just a small part of what I can provide in-studio.  Look for more coming soon when I post Emory’s first modeling shoot!  For more information on the Milestone Mini Sessions, visit my website and go to Sessions under the Pricing tab.  Madeline was such a wonderful model – she was very tolerating of both wardrobe and background changes.  And isn’t that smile to die for?    Thanks for letting me experiment with your daughter, Amy!