A Front Page Favorite | Queen Creek Photography

This family is not only cute with the pug, Lily, but we got some fun photos of the family jumping on the trampoline.  If you be super patient and wait through my short slideshow on the home page, you will see the photo that I love (and also have hanging in my studio).  There is something about a family laughing and playing together…  But just in case you are lazy, I will post a second jumping picture here too.  : ) I love the texture added by the net, I love the sun, I love the smile!  AND, who doesn’t love real moments (kids being kids) with their kids.  I’m telling you, this is what I adore!

Family Photography | Mesa, AZ

just looks like fun!  If only we could see her little face!  ; )

Family Photography | Queen Creek, AZ

Walkin’ in a winter wonderland!  : )  Seriously, this is AZ in December. 

Family Photography | Queen Creek Photography

Oh goodness…  All of these kids were SO full of personality!  They were certainly my entertainment for a couple of hours.  They danced and were goofy but had so much fun together. 

Time away

Whenever I have time away from the computer (a necessary evil) I have a chance to evaluate, consider, think and be excited all over again.  Sometimes too much thinking is well, just too much.  : )  But we went away on vacation without laptop and camera, technically I had the camera but weather did not permit its use. I managed to bring it along on one day’s adventure but the rain was so bad I decided to leave it back at the hotel.  Anyhow, when I am here-“in the office” I get locked on what am I supposed to be doing, how behind am I on stuff and keeping up with all of it.  When away, I have to let go.  I can’t be where I am not and I can’t do what I cannot.  So, back at the day, still in my PJ’s I am playing catch up to nothing but my own expectations and assignments!  Funny how that happens!  I am glad to be back, sitting here and feeling inspired all over again.

I am still pulling pictures from last year’s stuff.  I probably will since my blog was nothing short of shameful last year.  I wanted to start new so I am pretending like this is the first time it is out there!  I have reserved January as the month to work on the business, not in the business.  I am all about proactive (try to be), not reactive.  I wanted to have systems in place, stuff in order so I can continue to run the rest of my life and not let this and everything else run me.  It is a work in process and something on my mind most of the time but I am excited about what I have been able to address and accomplish in January. 

This… it was all Todd.  We were dying to get some emotion out of him.  His face was stationary in what he thought was the perfect smile for family photos.  He was doing a fairly good job.  : )  I was hoping to see something more and it happened when I asked him what else he wanted to do or what else he had in mind.  He got his family on board, lined them up and finally something real was shown on his face (and everyone else’s).   In this photo, you can just see the kids thinking he is a little funny and there is Courtney barely agreeing to his cleverness.  In the end, I think this is what they wanted, not the first 30 minutes…

Give a little, take a little | Queen Creek, AZ

May the picture speak for itself!  : )  My dear friend will certainly forgive me for posting this as it just has to be posted! 

If you’re happy and you know it…

Early fall 2009, this happened…  the music played, the family danced and it was all fun and games and nobody even got hurt.  This shot was taken in my little studio.  Did I say little?  I scrunched them to the middle as to not get funny stuff on the sides (but if I remember correctly, I still had to fix some of that) and let them be them.  These kids were a dream-I have never met kids who love to be photographed as much as these kids.  Each one of them is dancing and showing their true colors.  Families being different, love it! 

Different

Show me color, show me fun!  Show me different and I’ll run run run (or jump for joy, or do a little jig, or call you back for more)!  Gotta love those who are willing to let loose and be different!  A picture is worth lots of words… something like a thousand I hear.

Behind the scenes

Have you ever felt really moved by something or someone?  Have you ever been in awe at the dedication and selflessness of another.  I have much to learn about raising a family and I can tell you that this family could teach me lots!  Can I just hang on to their coat tails and hope to pick up on some of their goodness?    I only have 2 kids and getting us out the door, all in one piece, let alone all in the same direction seems like an impossible task at times.  Hats off to this family who have 5 kids- 5 kids to dress, to feed, to bathe, to carpool, to take to appointments in all different directions and to photograph.  Can you imagine it?  Well, they handle it like it’s no big thing.  : )  Something extra special about this family is that all 5 kids are adopted.   Their dedication to family is incredible and an inspiration to me.  She has done her homework and worked with several different agencies and says that Heart and Soul (in case you know of anybody who might need adoption services) has been her favorite.  I love their story, their rich lives filled with children, activity, play and chaos (in a good way!).  I called this behind the scenes but it ended up being The Scene.  She loved this picture the most because of what it said about them, what really is happening behind the scenes is actually their true scene.  

Does size really matter?

I love these moments, candid moments.  Nobody is going to be hanging this above their sofa as a 60×40 print (I would).  How could I NOT keep this?    If I was a millionaire (maybe I would need to be a billionaire to do this) I would compile a short story from people’s photo shoots, make large prints, and design their wall using Minda or Alisha (since they are much more skilled in that area than I) and have all sorts of prints like THIS-the true side.  Who cares about the boring ones-everybody has those.  I want personality, I want emotion, I want something different.   BTW, this happened to come because Darin was going to have his boys hanging from both sides-showing his strength of course.   Well, somehow that ended up like this- a comparison and what appears to be a size debate.  : )