This week I came across this beautiful quote about fatherhood…

“There are many different kinds of bravery. There’s the bravery of thinking of others before one’s self. Now, your father has never brandished a sword nor fired a pistol, thank heavens. But he has made many sacrifices for his family, and put away many dreams.”

“Where did he put them?”

“He put them in a drawer. And sometimes, late at night, we take them out and admire them. But it gets harder and harder to close the drawer… He does. And that is why he is brave.”

(Conversation between Mrs. Darling and Michael, from Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie)

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Happy Father’s Day to all of you who are called “Dad”. It is no small thing, to be a father. Your role in the lives of your children is so deeply important. Every day you shape the way they will see themselves and the world for the rest of their lives. Thank you for all the sacrifices you makes for your family.

I am so thankful for the amazing dad that my boys have; I am so lucky to call this man my husband. Here are some of my favorite shots of him with our kids, as well as some favorite images of fatherhood from my archives…

 

The vivid imagination and perpetual motion of a 5-year-old boy is seriously the greatest!

I met up with Whitman and his mom and dad recently to capture their evening together at the beach. Our activities included a race in the sand, dodging waves, and (of course) getting slightly soaked.

Thank you, Deric and Rebekah, for inviting me to document this little slice of your life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The very best part of my job is getting to know families like this one.

Beautiful little Dahlia was just one week old here. (If you missed it, you can see their maternity session here.)

Thank you, Ilysia and Stephen, for inviting me to see into your world, in the midst of the sweetness of having a newborn.

 

 

On Sunday I had coffee with this lovely lady. I’m so thankful for Sunday afternoon conversations, and friends who are willing get in front of the camera for me.

I took these for an assignment in a workshop I’m taking on the Bloom Forum. I cannot stress enough how important continuing education has been in my journey as an artist. Reading books, studying the work of great photographers, and taking classes and workshops when I can have all been so valuable to the refining of my vision and have served to keep me inspired and sharp. No matter how successful a photographer might become, the moment he or she thinks they have “arrived” and have nothing more to learn, is the moment of their downfall. You can never stop growing; there is always more you can learn. The journey of an artist must be one of perpetual motion. And the more I learn, the more I see just how much more room for growth I really have. At 25 years old and four years of business, I’m only just getting started. When I look back at the work I created a few years ago, I must admit I cringe a little. I know that in 10 years the same will probably br true of some of the work I’m creating now.

May we never cease to grow and evolve.

 

Hello little one,

You are growing up before my eyes, and it is both exciting and heart-wrenching. Rather than wanting to be held, you now want to to be on the floor constantly exploring everything in sight. You can take about 4 or 5 steps, and I’m expecting you’ll be walking (and likely running) everywhere within the next month. One thing you have taught me is to find joy in everything. You are, above all else  a joyful little person. You truly own the meaning of your name. You have a smile for just about everyone we meet, and you love to laugh and dance and make music. Your joy is contagious, too- it can cheer me up even in the midst of the most difficult days. I pray that you never, ever lose that. May you always bring joy to everyone around you, and even more importantly, may you always be able to find it within yourself, no matter what circumstances you find yourself facing. You are a light that can illuminate your little corner of this world, and even a relatively small light is immensely powerful in darkness. While it sometimes makes my mama heart ache to see you changing from my tiny baby to a busy toddler so fast, I am so excited to watch your amazing life unfold. I know you will be great; I’m so proud of you already. Shine on, my Isaac, shine on.

xoxo,

Mama

{all images from my iPhone, edited with PicTapGo}

Next in this month’s Letters to Our Children blog circle is the talented Carey Pace.

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Also, I am so excited to have the honor of being featured on one of my very favorite blogs today, Let the Kids Dress Themselves! Go take a look and leave a comment!

 

 

 

I hope you’re all having a beautiful weekend!

On Thursday I participated in the first annual Eat Plan Love eco bridal show, and also photographed the event. After all the preparation for that, and many hours on my feet the day of, I gave myself permission to relax a bit this weekend. Last night when Manny got home from work we headed to beach for a picnic dinner, and stayed until dark. Being by the ocean makes everything feel right again; it brings me so much peace.

These three images are some randoms from a roll of film I got back recently, from my Mamiya 645. The more film I shoot, the more in love with it I fall. The look and simplicity of it have captured me.

This week I wrote an article for The Creative Mama with some things that have been on my mind lately.

I was so inspired by this guest post by Michelle Gardella on the Artifact Uprising blog.

I came across this beautiful travel blog, Entouriste, and got completely lost dreaming of all the places I want to visit.

Doesn’t this rhubarb cocktail from Baked Bree look delicious?

I completely agree with these words on pregnancy and body image on Darling Magazine’s blog.

This post on Everything Bloom featured some seriously gorgeous office spaces. I can’t wait to have a more defined workspace (one that isn’t in the corner of my living room!) and when I do I want to create this same light and airy feel.

Have a lovely Sunday afternoon!

 

 

While I was location scouting for this session, I had the thought that maybe my career has come full-circle in a way. Back in 2008, before I made the decision to go full-time with this business, I worked in a library and even did one semester of grad school for library science. I knew photography was what I was really meant to be doing; it just took some time for me to gather the courage to jump into it completely. Now, in the the last couple of months, I’ve photographed people in libraries not just once, but twice. I don’t think this will be the last, either. There’s just something I love about having someone surrounded by books.

Kimi is an avid reader, and we wanted to highlight that in her session, so the Lake Worth Public Library was a perfect fit. We were even lucky enough to find a copy of Dickens’ Great Expectations (so appropriate for a maternity session!), and an anthology of Nathaniel Hawthorne, for whom her little one will be named. Baby Nathaniel’s middle name will be Finch- hence the birdcage necklace. It was such a lovely morning, and such a treat to have this beautiful mama-to-be in front of my lens.

Mamiya 645 Pro TL | Kodak Portra 160 and Fuji Pro 400H

 

 

I recently had the chance to photograph my friend Rachel as she prepares to launch a new site for her natural health business (go check out her Facebook page in the meantime!).

We decided a morning at our local Green Market would be a perfect fit, and though it was a bit chilly, we had a great time wondering through the market. It’s one of my absolute favorite ways to spend a Saturday morning.

And what could more fitting for today than a post featuring the best place to find fresh local produce?! Happy Earth Day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Remember their sweet engagement session? Now these two lovebirds have wed at last, and it was such an honor to be there to capture their beautiful day!

The wedding took place at the Spanish River Library and Community Center in Boca Raton, FL. The location could not have been more appropriate, as Oyuki is a librarian there! It is a beautiful venue, surrounded by nature trails and wildlife.

Thank you, Oyuki and Paul, for your friendship and for allowing me to document this beautiful start to the next chapter of your lives together!

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Other vendor information:
Hair and makeup by Team Beauti, catering by Streeter’s Catering, florals by Creations by Blanca, cake by Adina’s Cakery, cake topper from temple7e on Etsy, bow ties from Mo’s Bows (this company is owned by a 10-year-old boy! so cool!), bow tie necklaces from Maryanka Studio on Etsy, bride’s gown from Angelus Bridal, groom’s attire from J.Crew.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hello sweet boy,

One day last month, we were on our way out the door and found a butterfly lying on our doormat. It looked like it had just landed for a moment, but I soon realized it wasn’t alive. The night before had been a cold one (for Florida) and I think maybe it was too much for the little guy. You were very interested, and I carefully picked it up and let you hold it. The way you so gently cradled the tiny creature, and the concern and fascination with which you looked at it, made you seem much more mature than your years. You wondered why he couldn’t fly, and I wondered, as I have before, how much a four year old can understand, and how to explain the harder parts of life. You accepted somberly that he had died. You’ve had very little experience of death so far, but you know for the most part what it means.

You held the butterfly a little longer and then we placed him on the corner of our deck and continued with our day. But I’ll never forget the compassion in your eyes. My hope is that you never lose that gentleness, and that you’ll aways have a place in your heart for even the smallest creatures. This butterfly mattered to you. You innately know, at four, that life is sacred. Many people forget this as they age, and the widespread suffering and death in the world become normal. But the commonness of it doesn’t make it matter less. Compassion and gentleness are forms of love, and love is the only thing that can even begin to make all of that bad parts of life okay. I know you have these in you, and therefore have the ability to make this crazy world just a little bit more okay too.

You are going to do great things, my love. I am in awe of who you are.

Love,

Mommy

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Next in this circle of photographers writing to our children is the talented Elaine Melko. Each month, I am in awe of the creativity and love in this wonderful group.