So glad you stopped by!

Hi, I'm Stacey Woods, and I'm a children and lifestyle photographer in Tampa Bay. Welcome to my photography blog! This is the place where I will share my work with you... client sneak peeks, my scheduling announcements and updates, beautiful new offerings and products, and the occasional (well, okay frequent) story (or two) about my crazy life with two kids, complete with Southern drawl enunciations, no less! My hope is that you'll grab a glass of sweet tea, pull your chair in close, and stop by often. I'm so glad you're here.

*image courtesy of Amy Parsons Photography

So this was my weekend…

November 18, 2008 – 12:26 am

My parents flew into town on Friday to visit us, and to see how much the kids have grown.  Gosh, what a shock they got when they saw how monstrous Lila’s chunky thighs are, lol!  Ahh, she’s such a good eater.  :)  Anyhow, we visited, laughed, played, loved, and cried.  For three days.  And Parker sobbed when we dropped them off at the airport today, love his heart.  I thought I’d share a few “snapshots” with you from our short time together….

 

Popaw Pat and his “little man” watching Christmas movies together, of all things!  ;)  Told ya we were in the Christmas spirit here at the Woods house!  lol

Love her expression here…. she makes this face a lot!  And it melts me of course.

“Nammie” (one of the grandkids couldn’t say “Grammy” so it stuck) and her 5th granddaughter… Can you believe Parker is the only son/grandson on my side of the family?  Just my boy and a bunch of girly-girls, blech!  ;) 

Right before leaving for the airport…. at least he held it together until they were out of sight!  (Ahem, same goes for me, as always….)

And we took Parker into the backyard this afternoon for a little “mini-session”…  it’s for a project that my Mom is working on.  I couldn’t help but adore these!!

Apparently he was LOVING my knock-knock jokes today.  Thank goodness!  I thought I’d run out of tricks with this one….  ;)  And last one…. “Progression of a Laugh” I call it.  Now, I dare you not to smile.  :)

I’m back in the office as of this morning (Tuesday).  I’ve got a slew of emails and voice messages to return, so if you need me, no worries….. I’ll be glued to my office chair for the entire day!!!!  :) 

By Stacey | Posted in Family, Itty Bitty Babies, Kiddos, Projects | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 comments         Show Comments | Add a Comment

“Thanta, can I pleathe have that?”

November 14, 2008 – 1:23 am

Hurray, it’s toy-catalog and toy-commercial season again!!  Aren’t you so glad?  ;)  Is your mailbox threatening to tip over from the added weight of the bulk mail alone?  The catalogs from companies you haven’t heard from since last Christmas?  Have your children suddenly become little zombies who point and sputter “I want that!!!” after every TV commercial?  Parker has circled just about every single toy in the Wish Books (everything that isn’t, as he says, “too girly” anyways!).  He’s trying to make it a little easier on us, I suppose… No guesswork for us this year on what he REALLY REALLLLLY wants under the tree.  Why, thank you, thank you son.

So this funny kid of mine, who has a severe case of The Gimmees right now, doesn’t get the whole concept of “Santa is not made of money, darlin’.  He (ahem, Mama and Daddy) can’t get you everything you ask for.”  In Parker’s reasoning, Santa doesn’t need money to buy toys, he can just MAKE a Wii at his workshop.  His elves can just BUILD a Batman Playset or the Lego Star Wars Death Star.  That’s pretty tough logic to argue with, now isn’t it?  Especially since he saw the elves, with his very own eyes, make real Etch-A-Sketches in the movie Elf.  ;)

So, imagine the TV on, blaring commercial after commercial for noisy and obnoxious toys and we must “collect them all!” of course.  He has already learned his lesson and will not ask Mama or Daddy for yet another toy on this particular day.  So instead, after seeing a commercial for this or this or this, he whispers in a tiny voice: “Thanta, will you pleathe get me that for Chrithmath?!  Thank you!!”  (Do you know how much I utterly ADORE his sweet little lisp???  *sigh*)  It’s as if he’s whispering a prayer to dear old St. Nick up in the North Pole.  Santa’s always watching, you know!!  ;)  

I even caught him on the potty yesterday, with the Target Toy Catalog lying across his lap…. and he was just browsing away and whispering to Santa Claus as he flipped through the pages.  I just smiled and closed the bathroom door.  Love his heart.

By Stacey | Posted in Fun Stuff!, Kiddos, Life | 4 comments         Show Comments | Add a Comment

A delight.

November 10, 2008 – 1:00 pm

Meet the fabulous Jill Somers, owner of the equally fabulous Somers Salon and Spa in Clearwater, and her sweet, adorable family.  (You MUST pay her spa a visit, by the way.  Her Stylists and Spa Staff are all incredibly amazing, and you will leave her spa rejuvenated, refreshed, and relaxed, I PROMISE!  I always do!  ;)  Her mantra at the Spa is to bring “Beauty, Style, and Relaxation to the World, One Person at a Time”.  And wow, does she ever!  Check out Jill’s blog as well, to get salon updates and promotion details, spa information, as well as “hot tips”!)

Anyhow, Jill and her family (including their ever-charming terrier Rex!!) are always such a delight to photograph.  (Check out how much little Ella has grown since our session last year!)  A few weeks back, we headed to Phillippe Park again and played in the sand, hiked up the stairs of the Indian Mound (and back down… and back up… and back down), relaxed under the shady trees, and even made friends with a spider…..

Loved the way she was telling Rex to “stop!”  :)  That chubby little hand, oh my goodness.

I just love-love-love the image above.  :)  Totally makes me smile!  

What a gorgeous little girl she is.  Just absolutely precious in every way.  And wouldn’t you know it, she has the best hair.  :)  (Thanks, Mom!)   

By Stacey | Posted in Custom Photography, Family, Kiddos, Local, Portraits | Tagged , , , , , | 2 comments         Show Comments | Add a Comment

Shhh, don’t tell Daddy….

November 10, 2008 – 12:27 am

TOP SECRET STUFF HERE.  :)  If you know Captain Daniel Long of Otherside Charters, then shhhh, don’t tell him you saw this post!!!  This session is a sweet surprise for his birthday, from his beautiful wife and two adorable daughters.  I thought it was a fantastic idea!  His wife, Janet, is the owner of Kookie Krums, a yummy coffee shop/boutique in downtown Dunedin.  (Make sure you pop in soon, because I did some commercial work for her this year, and she’s ordered a whole slew of my canvases to decorate her boutique!)  Anyhow, back to the surprise….

The gals and I headed up to Honeymoon Island to play.  (All of you with young kids know… that I sometimes call our sessions “playdates” and that I always make a point to play with the kids, make it fun, and let them loose to just RUN at some point in the session (well, some sessions have lots more running than others, I must admit!  Especially with the toddler crowd.  ;))  Well, there was so much to do on this particular playdate.  Like hiding in the sea grapes…. um, do y’all see a little blond-haired girl anywhere?!  Where did she go???  ;)

I must add that I love her nail polish.  LOL!  And after hide-and-seek was over, we made sea-shell castles.  (If any of you have ever been to Honeymoon Island, you’ll understand why.  There are more shells on that beach than there are grains of sand!)

 

Then, there were strolls to take and waves to “kick” of course….

How I *adore* my wide-angle lens at the beach.  :)  This next shot is one of my favorites!!

And of course, there is always time for cuddling and snuggling with Mama.  It just wouldn’t be a playdate without a little bit of snuggle-time!

I’m in love with this next shot.  Such adoration from Mama, and that sweet soft backlight gets me every time.  So summery and relaxed.

I loved the graininess, and the soft movement of Janet’s hair in this one….  and don’t tell me that you CAN’T hear the littlest one laughing!  :)  Love that.

Do you think Daddy will be pleased?  :)  Remember, no spoiling the surprise!  

By the way, I refuse to apologize for showing so many images at a time nowadays!  I’m thrilled that my blog finally shows my photographs nice and HUGE, so I get on a roll sometimes and can’t stop adding.  LOL!  Have a great night, everyone!!

By Stacey | Posted in Custom Photography, Family, Kiddos, Local, Projects | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 comments         Show Comments | Add a Comment

I get all mushy when…..

November 8, 2008 – 2:57 pm

…I photograph Mamas and their baby boys.  Takes me back to when Parker was a little chubby mover and shaker himself.  (His “chubby” days may be long gone, but he is still a mover and a shaker of course!)  Anyways, I loved this session.  Such a gorgeous little boy, and a very beautiful Mama indeed.  I’ll let you see for yourself:

 

I am in love with this moment…… his sweet laugh and closed eyes…. cracks. me. up.

Can you believe Mom painted the giraffe herself??  And the monkey, and the bees, and the rest of the beautiful “jungle” that surrounded this little man.  

Such scrumptiousness… I love my job!

By Stacey | Posted in Custom Photography, Family, Itty Bitty Babies, Portraits | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 comments         Show Comments | Add a Comment

Simple fun.

November 7, 2008 – 1:54 am

I have met so many wonderful families this season.  I always love to photograph sisters, since I have two of my own (with whom I chat on the phone at least every other day!), and it brings back so many sweet memories for me.  These two were darling as can be, and were so fun to play with that evening…..

Talk about a heart-melter, huh?!

The sunset over their lake was so beautiful that evening.  I loved the reflection of it in the water!

This next one completely reminds me of my sisters and I…. holding hands and running through the garden, from our house to our grandparents’ house.  We lived next door to them when we were little.  The three of us would sit on the back of our gold velvet couch and watch our grandparents’ house from the window — and as soon as we saw Momaw & Popaw step outside to hang up laundry on the line, or mow the grass, we’d wave madly and shout to them and ask to come over and visit.  I don’t think I can ever remember a time when they didn’t say, “Why, sure!  If your Mommy and Daddy say it’s okay.”  :)  Some of my best memories growing up….

I’ve got lots more sessions to share.  More tomorrow, stay tuned!

By Stacey | Posted in Custom Photography, Kiddos, Portraits | Tagged , , , , | 3 comments         Show Comments | Add a Comment

The festival.

November 6, 2008 – 9:08 pm

A couple of weekends ago, the kiddos and I hit up the local Pumpkin Festival at Hunsader Farms in Bradenton.  We went with some great friends, and met a few more awesome friends there, and we ALL had such a fantastic time!  Even on my day off, I couldn’t resist bringing along the camera for a few snapshots.  ;)   (And, well, I knew that if I didn’t hurry and blog these, that they wouldn’t see the light of day until after Christmas!!  LOL!)

Parker and Hunter figuring out the hay maze.  (Hunter’s little cap pulled way down just makes me smile!)

We checked out the fresh produce stands, and bought some apple butter, pumpkin butter, strawberry preserves, and of course… pumpkin bread.  (Which I happily ate for breakfast the next morning, lol!)

One of the kids opened up an ear of corn… and guess who had gotten there first?  (Eww….)

Of course we had to stop sliding and bouncing and hay-mazing long enough to grab some lemonade, pumpkin pie, and good old-fashioned funnel cake… you know, just for sustenance.  ;)  I think Lila desperately wanted some, what do you think?!

Then the face-painting began……

Parker and his pal Tyler. (Chris and I have been friends with Hunter and Tyler’s parents for about 10 years…. Tyler was born in FL but they all moved away a few years ago, before Hunter was born… and now they’re all back in FL again!  It’s so sweet to see our kids having the chance to grow up together and be such great friends.)  :)

Fresh country air, crafts, yummy fair food, carnival games, lots of friends…  and finally, a nap.  What a perfect day!

By Stacey | Posted in Fun Stuff!, Kiddos, Life, Local | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 comments         Show Comments | Add a Comment

Call it first, and it’s yours!

November 4, 2008 – 11:26 pm

I’ve just had a client reschedule, so I have an opening on Monday November 10 if any of you are interested.  First one to contact me gets this spot!!  Otherwise I’m totally booked up until the middle of December.  So… stacey@staceywoodsphoto.com or 727.698.0344.  GO!!!

By Stacey | Posted in Misc, Updates | no comments         No Comments | Add a Comment

fresh and new

November 4, 2008 – 10:00 am

I had the pleasure of photographing this tiny little girl a couple of weeks ago, and oh my, she completely stole my heart.  She was sooo so good for her big photographic debut, and slept almost the entire shoot.  What a sweet little bean she was!

 

And of course… I had to photograph those sweet piggies.  :)

Just totally sacked out here….  She was such a great sleeper, although Mom says she has her days and nights a little mixed up right now.  I’m sure that’s not so much fun in the middle of the night, as it was for me those couple of hours during the day.  ;)

And I absolutely LOVED the dramatic light here….. 

I have so many amazing images from this session…. but I don’t want to spoil the surprise for Mom and Dad!  So hang on guys, your gallery will be posted NEXT!  :)

By Stacey | Posted in Custom Photography, Family, Itty Bitty Babies, Newborns, Portraits | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 comments         Show Comments | Add a Comment

19 weeks….

November 3, 2008 – 8:50 pm

And my girl’s still got it.  The “newborn curl”, that is.  ;)

Can you believe those rolls??  She’s just a bundle of squishy goodness to me.  This kid hasn’t missed a meal, I can promise you that.  ;)

And for those clients out there who have ever apologized to me for their newborns “going potty” on my blankets or backdrops… let me just tell you again:  It’s normal.  Don’t worry, it happens.  (Almost every single session!)  It’s really okay.  But, if it makes you feel better…. Lila peed on my bed just three seconds after I shot this frame.  LOL!

By Stacey | Posted in Family, Fun Stuff!, Itty Bitty Babies, Life, Portraits | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 comments         Show Comments | Add a Comment