It’s that time of year! Spring has sprung, everything is new and fresh, and little girls and boys are making their first Holy communions.  I love these sessions, because these children look as sweet, pure, and innocent as can be. Here is little Mia…can you catch a glimpse of what she will look like as a real bride?

Clemson SC photographer, Seneca SC photographer, Lake Keowee SC photographer

My 9-hour drives to PA are made a lot more enjoyable by my satellite radio. Last week as I was driving home I was channel surfing and came across a talk show where they were discussing how to avoid the high cost of professional photography for a wedding. Basically the dilemma was how to get high quality, artistic, out-of-the-box different, reliable service…without actually paying much for it. Callers talked about their experiences using a friend, an art or photography student, a hobbyist, or someone who does it on the side without a registered (ie, tax paying) business. Several said they were thrilled with their choices, and some said they were sorely disappointed.

Let me say that I am in a fairly contemplative mood nowadays, as I just had another birthday and we are preparing to move into our dream home in just over a week. But I feel like I just have to share my thoughts on this topic, as it is a question that I myself struggled with as a young mom – why custom photography?

I have always loved photography, even more so when I had children and wanted to capture my wonder at their beauty and their personalities. I knew I didn’t want to forget any of it. I spent so much time trying to breathe in the moments, burn what they were like into my memory forever. I seriously did not believe that I would ever forget the way they looked, sounded, smelled, laughed. I almost didn’t even bother labeling the backs of photographs with dates and ages – I knew that I would instantly remember what age they were in those images, and where it was taken and why.

I was pretty good with a camera, and I was proud of a lot of the images I captured of their sweet faces and expressions and little outfits. I got lots of fun photojournalistic shots that I thought were very cool. I didn’t feel like I needed to spend money on custom photography when I took such great pictures, and besides, there were cute outfits to buy.

Well here it is, nearly thirty years later. The girls are grown, and I’m a nanna. I have been packing up old photo albums and scrapbooks for our move and have had some very sweet moments looking through them. But my underlying thought when I look at them is a feeling of a job not quite complete, and certainly not worthy of its goal of capturing my children completely and beautifully.

What I didn’t realize is that my “mommy goggles” colored the greatness of those pictures I took. At the time, my heart filled in the slight blur, the poor color, the over or underexposures. All I could see were my kids, like a mom views a child’s crayon drawing with pride because her darling produced it. And guess what? The memories do fade. I have to try to decipher an unmarked photo – sometimes I can’t even tell which baby it is!

I want to encourage all of you to take lots of photos, learn all you can about photography, document every happy moment. But I also want to share my experience with you in the hopes that you will not repeat my misguided mistakes. Especially in this economy it is important to cut back on unnecessary expenses, and certainly custom photography is a luxury. But I will tell you that it is one luxury that I wish I would have dedicated more resources to. I always managed to buy them cute clothes that are now so forgotten that it isn’t even funny. I took them to chain store studios to save money, but those images of them with giant bunnies for Easter are not something I would display in my home as art now. How I wish I would have supplemented my own pictures with professional ones!

Over the next few weeks I will be writing about all of the things that make custom photography worth it – and why it costs what it does. I don’t want to convince you just because I’m now a professional photographer (!). It’s because I want to make sure that you don’t have the same sense of loss that I do when the day comes that you have to pack up your own albums. And that day will come faster than you can believe possible.

(Anderson SC photographer, Lake Keowee Photographer, Washington PA photographer)

I think all of you know that great images of my Granddolls are what really makes me happy, and I think you know that they happen to be two of the most difficult children on the face of the planet to photograph! Their mother and I  are both pretty handy with a camera, so you would think that between the two of us we would have a boatload of great images, right? WRONG! It seriously is so, so hard to get eye contact with these two. I suppose its because they have beeen photographed literally from their first breath, and they know exactly how to foil us. Thankfully, as they get older it is starting to get a little easier…and at my last visit I got this:

Clemson SC photographer, Seneca SC photographer, Lake Keowee Photographer

This session was intended to be a surprise Christmas gift for the grandparents of these twin girls, and no one (including their parents!) thought that they would actually be able to keep it that way. But lo and behold, neither of these sweetie-pies uttered so much as a hint, and their proud grandparents received a wonderful Storybook and dvd slideshow on Christmas that thrilled them to pieces! Btw, grandma made the little ponchos and jackets that you seee in these images, and that makes these even more special!

( Anderson Sc photographer, Washington, PA photographer )

This is Alex, whom I’ve been photographing forever. He is a typical little boy, on the run and loves to climb & play. The day of our session was a little nippy, but Alex was having a good time exploring the park and was just delightfully fresh-faced & rosy-cheeked…I just could eat him up!

(Anderson SC photographer, Clemson Family Portrait Photographer)

STILL kinda cold here; 20′s in the mornings, 40′s during the day. I’m still in the mood for comfort food, so I wanted to tell you about a recipe that I used to make all of the time and then just sort of FORGOT about.  Probably because I made it too ofetn before. Anyway, it’s for meatloaf – and the special ingredient is stuffing mix. If you have never tried it, well. you simply must.  And if you have, time to make it again! And there is nothing better than meatloaf sandwiches the next day.

1 1/2 lb LEAN ground meat (or it will be too greasy)

2 eggs

1/2 cup water

1 pkg Stovetop stuffing (chicken or herb) – dry, no need to prepare

1/4 c. ketchup

Mix all together, shape into a loaf, and bake at 350 for about  1 hr 15 min.  That’s it! You can pour tomato sauce or ketchup & sugar over the top if you wish (I don’t, because I serve with gravy & mashed potatoes).  If you are really adventurous, mix together & flatten into a rectangle about 3/4 inch thick, then top with seasoned mashed potatoes and roll up, seal ends, and bake.

(Anderson SC photographer, Clemson SC photographer)

Amy brought her boys to me after seeing other work of mine, and she was hoping that I could capture their personalities and spirit…as a mom, she knows that these precious growing up years are just going to fly by and she wanted to have images that capture who they are now.  These guys were like a pile of puppies, wrestling with one another and on the go, but with such genuine bright smiles! I can see glimpses of the teens they are growing into, so I’m so glad we did this now…I’ll bet the next time I see them they will look very different  How fun that they are a blonde, brunette, and a redhead! And they all have amazing eyes…

(Clemson SC photographer, Anderson, SC children’s photographer)

REMINDER:  The canvas sale ends at midnight on Saturday (actually, more like 10 pm because I will be in bed, lol!). So if you’ve been thinking about it, now’s the time to call me!

It’s been really DAMP and cold here all week – ok, not Pittsburgh cold, but still. That kind of weather really gets me in the mood for some good comfort food, and I have been cooking some of my favorites and thought I would share a few with you. Yesterday I tried a new recipe that is seriously going on my list of favorites. It’s good enough for company,  makes A LOT so you can easily freeze half for another meal (gotta love the 2-for-1 cooking time), and it’s easy. We are soup lovers, so even better. Use your food processor for the chopping & this goes together really fast!

SMOKED SALMON WHISKEY CHOWDER

1/4 c butter

2 onions, finely chopped

6 stalks of celery, finely chopped

6 small red or white potatoes, peeled and diced (2-3 cups)

1/2 c chopped fresh fennel bulb (i omitted – didnt have any)

2 c milk

2 – 8oz bottles of clam juice (in cocktail mixer section)

2 1/2 c corn kernels

1 c heavy cream

4 T tomato paste

1 lb smoked salmon, cut into small pieces (i used 8 oz – it’s expensive – i thought it was just right, but if you prefer a stronger taste use more)

juice & zest of 1 lemon

1/4 c chopped fresh dill

2 oz Jack Daniels (essential – the flavor really pops after you add this!)

salt & pepper to taste

* Melt butter in lg stock pot, & saute onions & celery over med heat till softened. Add potatoes & fennel & saute briefly before pouring in milk & clam juice. Cover & simmer on low/med until potatoes are soft, @20 min (mine took 30). Add corn, cream, tomato paste; cook 5 minutes. Add salmon, lemon juice & zest, dill, & whiskey. Salt & pepper to taste. Mine was thick, and we like it that way – if you want it a little “soupier” decrease the corn & potatoes.

Here is a great idea for those of you that had your children photographed recently by me – Photo Valentines!

Each design is sized at 2×3 inches – so that you can print TWO on one 4×6 print and cut them apart.  With the cost of 4×6 prints at your local photo developer at like 12 cents, you can afford to have fun!  The possibilities are endless – they can be pasted onto pretty cardstock for a bookmark, or tied to a pencil or lollipop if you want to go even farther.  The digital file with your child’s Casual Moments photo inserted is $20; I can email it to you as soon as payment is received. Call or email me now!