More than a Picture | Photo MEMORIES

I like blogging about my photography sessions...

I know that I post lots of sneak peeks on Facebook and Instagram...so blogging may seem redundant to some people...

And, if you're only in it for images on the screen or printed on paper, then I can completely understand how it may come across that way...

But, if you know me at all...that's not my purpose...

I never got into this "photography hobby" purely for the purpose of getting a perfect portrait...

Photography has always been about triggering memories...

I mean, just look at the name of my business...CT PHOTO MEMORIES...the images themselves...the printed paper is only truly about  25%  of what I do...

Think back with me...to when we all used to get our pictures at the mall studios...if you even have a recollection at all surrounding those events, I will venture to say it mostly brings back stressful memories of crying babies and trying to herd children like cats under the bright studio lights...and "maybe" getting  one "good" shot of your kiddos...

I quit that route pretty quickly with my own daughters...the pictures were dull and lacked emotion because it was framed in the"stress" for that day...regardless of whether I got a great smile out of them or not...

You see...when I hung up those pictures in my home...everytime I looked at them, I didn't feel well about the experience that it made me reference in my mind.  Infact, it usually just stressed me out...

I wanted to look at images and be transported back in time...to remember not only how I felt, but I wanted to hear my girls' laughter and watch them, in my mind's eye, as they skipped & played...

THOSE types of images meant more to me than a perfect grin and all eyes on the photographer...

And so...

when I blog, sometimes a repeat of the sneak peeks you've already seen...it's because I want to give you a glimpse of more of the "STORY" of that day...to let you in on the memories that go with the images...so you can "SEE" the timeline as it unfolds...

It was a first time meeting of this family...another sweet photographer had referred them to me...and I watched this young mom and dad with their children, whom they adored...

I want them to look back on these pictures and remember their daughter's laugh and her skipping in those boots...I want the corners of their mouths to curve upward as they recollect pulling their kiddos in the wagon...I want them to look back on this short 45 minutes of Unplugged time with the remembrance of snuggles and laughter and that crazy photographer that was somewhere behind the scenes capturing it all...

Their little girl is a talker and full of energy...and OH the fun we had running around and talking about everything under the sun...I wanted this to be an adventure for her, so that we could capture the essence of WHO she is...the time is fleeting...

Her momma had such a gentleness about her...the way she not only interacted with her little girl, but her son too...it wasn't passive, but purposeful...and yet the execution of her words & actions was done with such tenderness & patience...I so envy that ability to collect oneself and speak with gentleness.  I think she must be the epitome of a "gentle-spirit"...

and her husband recognizes it...He KNOWS the treasure he has in her and in his children...and let me tell you...when a husband/dad truly appreciates the gems that he has in his arms...there is such fierce and loving protection for them...it's evident that he has hedged them in and is committed to shepherding those hearts!

I'm thankful for opportunities to pour into other people...because in all honesty, it gets poured right back into me anyway...hearts connect...

because it's more than just a picture...