Indiana Wedding & Lifestyle Photographer

lifestyle

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This morning was a bit of a whirlwind. I needed to get up early to get myself ready for a day of work, sessions, and meetings, and I also needed to get my boys ready and off to school solo since Landon is in Minnesota for work. This can be my life and it can be a bit wild sometimes. 🤗 * Lately I have been recognizing that I can default to taking care of all the things and everyone before myself, and while that seems “good” it’s actually not. Just yesterday, I was talking to a friend and we talked about how there is a belief engrained in some of us that we need to do everything for others and sacrifice ourselves before we we take care of ourselves. It’s kind of wild when you think about it. How can I actually be there for the ones I love and do the work I love if I am not first taking care of myself, my body, and my mind? I can’t. Well, at least I can’t in a sustainable way. * Take time for yourself - and I am going to say it - UNAPOLOGETICALLY - friends. Make your own time priority, so you can then show up for the world in a way that’s going to make the most impact. * For myself, eating a sustainable and delicious breakfast, drinking my coffee, and taking some quiet moments to journal and set intentions for the day are just a small part of how I put my self first to set up for a great day. How about you?! I want to hear how you show up for yourself, and if you can tell how it impacts how you show up for other areas of your life. Tell me below!
This week starts up some of my first spring mini family sessions for 2019 and I couldn’t be more excited! These are really fun, fast sessions that I truly love. So many beautiful people, each one unique and amazing, make up these sessions, and it makes my heart happy each time I get to meet new folks, or work with past clients. * This spring is just giving us all the beautiful weather and blooms and I know it’s going to be a great round of minis this year! 🌸🌱☀️
I think, quite possibly, spring is becoming more of a favorite season of mine. I love them all so much for different reasons, but there is so much vibrancy outside right now. The new buds and leaves, and blooms. The birds all seem like they are *super* happy for it to finally becoming warm and sunny out there. The smell of fresh cut grass, and rain from the thunderstorms. It’s all so refreshing and renewing and I love it. * Throwback to one week ago when I go to hang with these two and take in all the spring offerings of Winona Lake for a couple hours. Everything was so beautiful and perfect. * Whatever you’re up to this week, I hope today starts off new and fresh for you and it throws you into a wonderful start to this week. 🖤✨☀️🌸🌱
Happy, happy Saturday!! When I’m not shooting, or having personal or family time, I am usually on my computer editing and doing the busy work of running a biz. Things are ramping up, so I am spending a lot more time editing these days, which is one of my favorite workflow processes. When work doesn’t feel like work, it’s pretty amazing. 🤗😍 * I’m shooting an in-home session today, then we’ll have some time as a family later today, which I am excited for. * Whatever you’re up to this beautiful, rainy day, I hope you have a great one!! 🖤
One of my favorite parts of sessions is shooting at locations that mean something special to my clients. For this session, we started at the area where these two got engaged, and worked our way to a couple places that they had spent a lot of time together in their friendship which then later blossomed into their relationship. * Another couple I worked with met me at a town outside of the Indy area where they spent a lot of weekends during college while they were dating. We took photos on some of the hiking trails they frequented and around the lake town they love so much. * One mama I met for newborn photos apologized because her nursery had a couple paint patches that weren’t finished, to which I told her not to apologize because I get it (#momlife.) Beyond the paint patches were loving touches, an old baby photo from her past, and the rocker where she nursed her little one. It was the most beautiful nursery because of the people who were in it. 🖤 * When we work together, I will talk with you and ask you questions about what would make your session meaningful to you. Even if it’s not a location that are one of the hot go-tos, if it carries meaning for you, then it’s where we need to be. 🖤
Today, we are celebrating my Grandpa and saying goodbye to him. My mom had everyone send in photos of Grandpa and we put them in a gallery to share. I keep looking through the photos and love them all so much. Because of this man, so many lives have been touched and changed. The family he and my grandma made are a beautiful legacy of love and life. He was in the Navy, married his sweetheart, was a father, grandfather, great-grandfather, hunter, wood-maker, gardener, and could sing really well. (There are a hundred more things I could write about him.) He had the best blue recliner that he would sit in and let us grandkids in his lap and he would tickle us with his chin. He made root beer floats, and I remember sitting on the bench of his truck with my cousin while he took us to Pizza Hut to pick up orders. He bought us dilly bars from Dairy Queen, took us for rides on his lawn mower, helped us work on wood projects and made so many lovely pieces we all still have in our homes. He was so loving, so funny, so kind. He will be missed dearly and loved forever. Grandpa, I love you so much. 🖤
The day they got married called for rain and I wondered if we would need to use the clear umbrellas I had packed in the back of my van. Instead, the sun came out at the end of the evening and the sparkler exit was clear, making for a beautiful end to a beautiful wedding day. 😍🖤☀️
We finished off the engagement session on a pier out over Winona Lake, with the wind blowing and the sun throwing off some beautiful light....and an epic surprise tickle attack. 😂😍 These two were so fun to hangout with. We walked around the cute lake town area where they spent lots of weekends together while they were dating, Rachel briefly considered having a tennis-themed wedding, and Aaron told us funny things he used to say when he was a kid. Then, they kindly invited me over to Aaron’s parents’ house where his mom made us dinner and we talked around the table to end the evening. It was perfect.✨ * It was a beautiful day and I can’t wait to photograph their wedding later this summer! 😍

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