The YMCA can really draw a crowd - especially when all the celebrities are these incredibly cute kids! Here are some images of a children’s beginning swimmers class. I couldn’t help but smile when they flailed their little legs and arms frantically with such determination on their faces. There was nothing that compared to the pride they showed when they’d accomplished their goals. There was also, if I may say, a little childhood romance brewing as well. You decide for yourselves…

Kansas residents Amy & Khahn were married on Memorial Day weekend on Sunset Beach. The beautiful day and the ease of the moment were amazing. They brought their son, Konner, along with dear friends and family, to share in their joy in this wonderous day. The holiday gave the wedding a palpable patriotic feel, which is why I featured the flag below. The clear sky, the waterway reception, and the crisp and fresh daisies held by Amy reminded me of the simplicity of freedom, beauty of committment, and saliency of a moment. I wish them well on this journey, and hope that they will return to us again.

A trip to the Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks garnered some interesting images today: 

What is truly amazing to me is that these were once living beings, and they become such ordinary tools of our everyday lives.

The workhorses of the docks are these fishing boats. Fishing is still a strong industry at the docks today.

 There is a LOT of candy available here. This reminded me of being a kid myself.

The culture of the docks is interesting. It is submerged in Greek life and food.

According to Wikipedia:

“The evil eye is a folk belief that the envy elicited by the good luckof fortunate people may result in their misfortune, whether it is envy of material possessions including livestock, or of beauty, health, or offspring. The perception of the nature of the phenomenon, its causes, and possible protective measures, varies between different cultures.”

I don’t eat Saltwater Taffy, mostly because I value my teeth, but the boxes are very retro cool.

Cormick is nearly six months, and I can’t seem to put the camera down. He amazes me every day with new expressions and emotions. He is incredible. My two boys are my heart, and I wouldn’t trade them for anything.

It is amazing how being a parent changes you. I see children in a totally different way than I did before I had my own. I take many pictures of kids, and every single time I am thrilled just to be around them. When you allow a child to just be themselves without any pretense, you see the most illuminating things about the world, and even yourself.

I mean, just look at those eyes.

Welcome! These postings are some updates on my photography and my thoughts and images from shoots I’ve done recently. Please feel free to comment on them if you so desire.

I am a married thirty-five year old mother of two incredible boys. My family is very supportive of my professional efforts, and for that, I am forever grateful and appreciative. I decided to enter photography because I realized that I have an eye for beauty and balance. I know what looks good. It sounds simple, but in actuality, it isn’t at all.  I learned Photography in college and was determined to recapture the joy I felt learning how to record the world with my own perspective.

Being a photographer allows one to literally stop time. Every fleeting moment that passes by us is lost if not for a way to record it. It is not, however, enough to merely record. A great photograph has to convey emotion and when one looks at it years later, there is no vagueness about it, no questions of why or how. Whatever the interpretation is of an image that a person holds when seeing a photograph, that impression should be whole and complete.

Although most of my images are of people, I find so much inspiration in the moods created by them. Each picture I take tells a story all by itself, but when you put some of them together from a day at the beach, a beautiful wedding or a family portrait, there is a narrative created. It is, truly, very thrilling to experience the creation of something beautiful, and I have been very lucky that the wonderful people with whom I have worked have far surpassed a standard pose or a simple smile.

Together, I have worked with my clients to tell their stories and to share their emotions and identities. I hope to meet many more inspiring personalities on my journey. Many people don’t like the way they look in photographs, and shun the camera. The truth is, those people just haven’t had the right person take their picture. It’s that simple. Anyone can shine and look amazing if the right motivation is provided and the correct techniques are used.

I invite you to share in the magic we can create together. Browse around and stay awhile. Visit back if you like what you see for regular updates. Give me a call to talk and share ideas. Post if there is something that strikes you or makes an impression upon you.