Elevate: A Fine Art Photography Exploration | December 2011

This image spoke to me as soon as I pressed the shutter.  My little girl is in between waves.  One has just swept over her, and another is breaking and tumbling toward her.  But she's peaceful, focused, and she takes each wave as it comes.

Some days I wish I could just slow down and take it one wave at a time, don't you?  In the family portrait photography business, these late months are always the busiest of the entire year.  We squeeze in extra sessions, we stay up late at night editing, we rush print deliveries and we package them up just as soon as they come in.  We appreciate this time while it lasts, because we know that January and February will be much different.  The phones won't ring as much and we will get a bit of a break until the next wave comes onshore.

My goal this season is to be peaceful in the midst of these waves, to focus on my tasks as well as my own family's contentment, and to make sure I get up from my place at the edge of the water and take my kids for a stroll on the beach.

I read this quote on Pinterest some time ago, and I whipped up a very simple art print to remind me to slow down and take the waves in my life as they come... one at a time.  You're welcome to click the image to download it.  Print it for yourself to always remember that the tide does ebb and flow.  I hope you don't simply dip your toes in the water, but that you jump in with both feet and enjoy the surf.

The Elevate Project is a circle of photographers who long to indulge our artistic sides at least once a month, by exploring photography as a fine art form.  You can see my October and November posts here if you'd like to.  As we think, and shoot, and think some more... we grow, and we develop, and we become better at our craft.  I encourage you to follow our circle by visiting my very talented friend Gina Oh  |  Arroyo Grande, CA Photographer next.

xxoo

Flynn Rider

Remember these shenanigans from a few Christmases past?  Apparently my nativity set is an endless source of fun and games for my son.  Now Kevin Flynn from Tron: Legacy is riding the wise mens' camel.  I'm pretty sure the light cycle is quite the fine upgrade from a camel, don't you agree?

There is no end to this crazy boy's imagination.  I wonder which figurine will end up in the Christmas decorations next?!

What Naptime Looks Like

With a new baby in the house, we do a lot of sleeping around here.

Wait.  Let me rephrase that.  Charlotte does a lot of sleeping.  Mama is not so lucky ;)

Charlotte is on a great schedule... eat, play, sleep... eat, play, sleep.  Parker, at 7 1/2, doesn't nap anymore, and is at school during the day while the girls are here.  But Lila certainly needs her afternoon nap.  Goodness, she can be the sweetest little grump if she doesn't get a decent amount of sleep!  Although, admittedly, with so many changes to our old routine, her nap schedule at home varies quite a bit.  It's a rare occasion that our schedules get lined up so perfectly that the girls will be asleep for a few minutes at the same time.  (When that happens, I guarantee you that I will be (quietly) singing the Hallelujah chorus!)

This month I tried to document these moments when they're sleeping sweetly.  On some particularly exhausting day when they've all been naughty and I haven't had enough sleep myself... I will undoubtedly pull out these precious photos, hold them close to my heart, and remember what darling angels my children can be when they're asleep!!  ;)

Notice how she popped OUT the pacifier and popped IN her own thumb.  Sweet baby.

Yes, that's Lila wearing a bathing suit.  In November.  That's our girl!  She fought this nap so hard, and finally I caved and told her she could eat her snack in front of the TV.  A few minutes later, I looked over and saw that she had passed right out.  Love her heart.

This last image is probably my favorite... Lila saw Charlotte sleeping in her bouncy seat, and brought in her Bitty Baby to sleep alongside her.  Charlotte's first naptime friend!

I hope you'll continue the "What ________ Looks Like" lifestyle blog circle by visiting the talented Gina Oh | Arroyo Grand, CA Photographer.  She has some delightful lifestyle images to share with us, as always.  Enjoy the journey, friends.  xxoo

Also, I'm over at The Creative Mama today writing about a sweet Christmas tradition that I enjoyed with my Popaw Deb when I was growing up.  I hope you'll click over and read, and share one of your favorite Christmas rituals too!

Precious To Me

No words today.  Just them.  xxoo

Elevate: A Fine Art Photography Exploration | November 2011

"When my heart is heavy, the sun helps make it light."  -Astrid Alauda

This week has been so tiring.  Even though Charlotte is truly an angel baby, so easy and adaptable, just go-with-the-flow... I have to admit that being a mama to three little ones is much more exhausting than I'd imagined!  With a busy shooting season, a last-minute school presentation on the night that Daddy is working late, a bit of forgotten homework, a temper tantrum (or three), a broken A/C and far too little sleep...  you have the makings of a tired and weary mama and photographer.

But.  (And thank goodness for the "but", right?)  But, this weekend I got to see some of my favorite families during our mini-sessions.  And being drenched in such sweet morning light in the park was like therapy for my soul.  A tiny escape, thanks to my camera, my friend, lending me a fresh new perspective for a few hours.  My mind switching gears and letting me concentrate on something other than myself for a bit.  The fresh morning sun reminding me that today is "a new day, with no mistakes in it yet."

My intention this particular morning was to also shoot something different for my Elevate project; however, the more I tried to force myself to shoot something out of the ordinary for me, to stretch myself creatively and fulfill this vision I had brought with me..... the more I realized that on this particular day, simply being out in the sunshine and photographing these sweet clients and friends was what my heart needed more than anything.  I needn't look further.  I needed to take smaller steps, in fact, after being out on somewhat of a maternity leave for these past several weeks.  I didn't need to move outside the box, I needed desperately to be inside that box.  Where it's comfortable.  Calm.  Reassuring.

And yet, it's still new to me.  Sweet faces in sweet light.  Sunshine on my skin.  After being on maternity leave for several weeks, it feels good to feel like I'm back IN my element again!

I'm so grateful for the peace that photography brings to my heart, just when I need it.  I'm so very blessed.

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As you know, I'm joining several other photographers who are exploring Fine Art Photography, and pushing our creative spirits each month.  I hope you'll visit Gina Oh next, and see what loveliness she has to share with us.

Product Feature | Gorgeous Handmade Albums

I sent out some gorgeous pieces to a few clients this week.  But before these pretty albums left my hands, I took a few photos so I could show you just how beautiful these handmade books are!  This is The Heirloom Album, which is offered a la carte or within my top print collection, and let me tell you... these books are of impeccable quality.  Cypress Albums does a fabulous job hand-creating them for me in their bindery, and I'm so proud to offer them to my clients.

This particular book is library-bound, but we also offer a ribbon-bound spine as well.  Each album comes tucked inside its own coordinating presentation box, covered in Japanese bookbinding fabrics and tied with Swiss ribbons.

Each album holds 30 matted prints from your session, permanently matted and hand-bound within the book.  These sweet clients chose black matted pages for their book, but we also offer natural mats as well.  I love these black mats, and I feel they're especially complimentary to black and white images... which happens to be the bulk of my work.

Won't this book be a treasure to pass down someday?

You can see how nice and thick each matted page is.  Told you... gorgeous.

Over the next few weeks, I'll be sure and feature more of these detailed product photos for you.  I'm actually working on a dedicated product page here on the blog, for new clients who are interested in what they'll receive as final art pieces for their home.  Stay tuned for that!

2011 Holiday Mini-Sessions

Announcing the 2011 Holiday Mini-Session Event!  This year, my maternity leave has overlapped what is normally my busiest shooting time.  So in order to squeeze in as many of you as I can, I'm opening these dates and locations for mini-sessions!  

SATURDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 12 (PARK LOCATION)

8:00 am to 10:00 am

SATURDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 19 (BEACH LOCATION)

3:30pm to 5:00 pm

Mini-sessions cost just $400 plus tax and include...

• 20 minute mini-session
• 50 flat or folded holiday cards
• one matted 8x10
• two matted 5x7s

Only a few spots are left, so don't wait any longer to book!  To reserve your mini-session or for pricing information, just email me at stacey@staceywoodsphoto.com ASAP with your preferred time slot, and I will confirm back for you as soon as I can.

We've got some gorgeous new sets of cards this year... designs that are elegant, fun, whimsical and classic, to suit all tastes.

I can't wait to see all my favorite families (and meet a few new ones!) again this year.  See you soon!

What Dress-Up Looks Like

If any of you follow me on Facebook, or if you read this post, you'll know that my three-year-old daughter is a huge fan of dressing up.  Not just on Halloween... but almost every day.  That girl can dirty some laundry, I tell ya.  She almost always dresses herself, and I let her.  I pick my battles, and this is not one I'm willing to fight.  Whether it's changing her regular clothing four times a day, or dressing up in her favorite costumes, I rarely see her in the same outfit for more than a couple of hours.  But seeing her develop her own funky sense of style and her own independence is totally worth all the laundry I have to wash. Recently Lila's most beloved dress is that of Disney's Rapunzel character.  She goes everywhere in that purple dress, despite the fact that it's been torn and mended three times.  She doesn't mind at all that it's tattered and unraveling.  She wears her boots with it, or sometimes flip-flops, and even sparkly pink sequined ballet slippers.  In her sweet lisp, she tells me that she wants to grow her hair "down to da grath (grass), like Rapunthel."  For now her waist-length hair is worn down, up, braided, pigtailed, or crowned with one of her several various tiaras.  She usually wears earrings, necklaces, layers and layers of beads, and often carries a tiny purse with pretend makeup and other preschooler "essentials" tucked inside.  And don't forget the shiny plastic cell phone!  You never know when the prince may call.

We frequently enter Publix or Target with Lila dressed in full princess attire.  We get winks and knowing smiles from all the other moms who've been in our shoes themselves, and she trots around just as proud as a peacock.

She runs around the house in some swimsuit or another, all year round.  And, usually, she wears three or four swimsuits in single day's time.  It's not uncommon for me to say, "We can't go inside, honey.  You're wearing a bathing suit and fairy wings."

She has been known to hit the playground in her tiara and her shiny red patent shoes.  And run just as hard as she would if she were wearing tennis shoes.

She wears clip-on sparkly earrings to the doctor's office.  Or anywhere else she wants, really.

And ya know something?  I love it.

Lila is such a girl's girl.  Sparkles and sequins, glitter and garb, dresses and plastic high heels.  She revels in it all.  We keep her dress-up treasures inside a vintage green Lady Baltimore suitcase that I picked up at a thrift store last year.  It's perfect.

I've had these photographs in my head forever, and I plan to continue with a little series of Lila in all her dress-up adventures in the coming weeks.  I have lots more images swimming around in my head that I want to realize.  So stay tuned.

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What DRESS-UP Looks Like...

I always ask my clients what they want to remember about their children, what they want to preserve.  I ask them how they want their children to feel when they look back at their family photos years from now.  And I want to remember this stage of Lila's life.  Her innocence, her free spirit and her feminine ways.  Her funky sense of style, her confidence, and her independence.  I want her to look back and appreciate all those times she wanted to express herself, and that I let her do it.  Times when Mama just shook her head, smiled, and said, "Alright, you can wear the Snow White dress to the store," and she happily chirped, "Yay!"  I want her to know how much we love her and cherish the little things that make her so unique, so sweet, and so fun.

I want her to remember her carefree days of dressing up.  Forever.

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Next, please visit my sweet friend Gina Oh | Arroyo Grande Photographer for her take on our "What ____ Looks Like" project this month.  I hope you continue to follow the circle until you come back around to me.  There are 11 other extremely talented women who have wonderful stories to share with you.  Enjoy the journey!

Elevate: A Fine Art Photography Exploration | October 2011

Anyone can shoot chaos.  

But the most perceptive photographers can make compelling pictures

out of uninteresting moments. - Alex Tehrani

I don't often get the chance to shoot just for me.  To release the ideas that I have bottled up, waiting for the right moment to play out and be realized.  But if we don't stretch creatively, then we will never grow.  To that end, I have joined another group of photographers for a second project that I'm proud to be involved in.  It's entitled, "{elevate} a fine art photography exploration".

Elevate is a blog project focused on exploring the fine art side of photography.  Each month, we will post a photo or series of images focused on art and photography.  There are no rules.  We simply post what comes from our heart and allow our inner artist a chance to explore and fly. Welcome to where my heart is.  I hope you'll be here again next month.

As it goes with my other blog project, there are several of us in the group.  We are supporting one another each and every month, and we'd like for you to take a little trip through our circle if you would.  You might discover a new favorite artist or a new way of seeing the world.  Would you continue our circle's journey, and visit my very talented friend Martha Schuster for her beautiful vision of fine art photographer this month.  She doesn't disappoint, I assure you.  Martha's work is perfectly captivating.  Enjoy...

Martha Schuster  |  i see the moon photography  |  Long Beach, CA

What Meeting Finn Looks Like

If you've been following along from last month, I've been asked to join eleven very talented women across the globe who have come together with a common goal: to capture our families in a real and beautiful way.  No posing.  No forced smiles.  Just come-as-you-are lifestyle photography (my favorite!).  I am honored to be a part of this group and look forward each month to seeing what they've posted and what beautiful snippets from their families' lives they've chosen to remember and share with us.  It's called "What ___ Looks Like", and each month we fill in the blank with a new subject or a different example of the same subject... our choice. This project has been both a challenge and a joy for me, as it forces me to grab my camera for reasons other than "work".  And thank goodness for that.  My kids certainly deserve it!

This month I'm sharing What Meeting Finn Looks Like.  (Edited to add two photos from my sister, below.  They really help tell the story of how meaningful this visit was to me.)

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Last summer my sister had a baby boy.  If you read this recent post about the newborn I'd never gotten to hold, then you'll know how excited I was to have my my beautiful sister Amy and my sweet nephew Finn come visit us from Kentucky after Charlotte was born!

This is what he looked like when I first met him in the NICU (I took this through the window)...

My sister took these photos from her side of the window... Parker, me and Lila.

And the smears of kisses and salty tears I left on that window, after we found out that I wasn't allowed to come into the NICU of that hospital to hold my nephew.  I nearly left my heart on that pane of glass.

This is the only way I've "seen" him since... again, through a "window"...

Huge thanks to my sweet Parker for snapping this at the airport for me... xo  (Yes, Charlotte is in there somewhere.)  :)

I finally got to hold him!!!   No more windows to separate us.  I. Love. This. Shot.  What's funnier (to me) than our babies' sweet fishy faces is that Amy and I both did this at the same time without us looking at the other one... a complete coincidence.  And we are mirroring the expressions ourselves.  We're crazy.  And very much alike, apparently!  But I think Parker has the knack for capturing the right moments, don't you??  A lifestyle photographer in training.

This was the first time we'd held each other's babies.  :)  We had a wonderful time together.  Here are a few snippets from our long (but much too short) weekend...

And of course, what is a trip to Florida without meeting the ocean for the first time?

Sweet boy.  I tried very hard to hold it together when we said goodbye at the airport.  I didn't cry in front of her, but when I got back in my car I couldn't keep in the tears any longer.  I thought I was safe since she had walked into the airport and would surely be busy with baggage and tickets and checking in, etc.  But she texted me a few minutes later saying she looked out the doors and saw me crying... and then she lost it too.  As Truvy says in Steel Magnolias, "I have a strict rule that nobody cries alone in my presence."  And that certainly applies to sisters.  Especially to sisters.

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I'd encourage you to follow this circle of women, right along with me... next up is a very talented artist named  Gina Oh |  Arroyo Grande, CA Photographer.  Last month Gina shared the beauty and laughter to be had in a simple bike ride, and I can't wait to see her sweet kids' faces again this month.  I hope you follow us.  Enjoy the journey, friends.

xo, Stacey