Lifestyle Maternity with Tanya | Rochester, NY

Oh how I love maternity sessions.  And oh how I love this woman and her children.  I am 99.9% certain that I did a happy dance when she called me up and asked me to take some pictures of her. I asked if I could try out a lifestyle session on her, and she so graciously obliged.  

So I went over to her place on a cold, snowy sunny, 70 degree, March day, just in time for lunch.  And a certain little man was HUN-GRY.  He must have brought me that box of pancake mix a dozen times.  And honey, and wheat germ, and anything else little hands could reach in the pantry.  

 And boy was he determined to get that box open.

And Tanya, all beautifully barefoot and pregnant, got a nice, healthy lunch together for her kiddos. 

Just not as quick as the little man would have liked.  :-)  Oh Levi, you are unbelievably adorable- even when you cry.  

But that is what lifestyle sessions are all about- getting the real moments, unscripted and unposed.  Ahh, it's my favorite.

Lunch time at last :-)

Getting to ask Tanya about life as a mom, and about her experience with her pregnancies was so so awesome.  And I love that I can share her insights with you all.  So here is what Tanya and I chatted about.

Me: So... three kids, huh?  :-)

Tanya: I really didn’t think I would have a third kid. We always talked about three, but life is not pretty when I’m pregnant and for that very reason I believed it would be finished at two. Ha, was I wrong! As soon as Levi, my youngest, hit the one year mark I began to dream of the family at five strong. Somehow I forgot about the lagging nausea and could only think of one thing, the missing piece to our family – Baby #3.

I love thinking about how the dynamics of the Folwell family will change to fit the newest member and how full of life it will be when the five of us are dancing in front of the fire place on Friday nights together. I’m sure the challenges will be just as full of life as well! I am trying to mentally prepare myself for the days of 2 kids in diapers, and endless runs to the potty as they train, and all the sleepless nights of sniffles and fevers. A part of me knows I will just need to pace the mommy side of me and take things as they come. All-in-all, it’s worth it; the little hands pulling my jeans to get my attention, the giggles, the wonder and excitement that comes when each child experiences something for the first time…it’s all worth it.

Me: Is there anything different about this pregnancy than the other two?

Tanya: The greatest difference with this pregnancy is that I work from home, so I couldn’t just drop my kids off and go to work I really had to try to engage them during the days even when I felt really sick. That was the hardest part. Some days I found I would just rely on Mickey Mouse Club House and, our favorite, Peppa Pig to do the work and others I would force myself to really connect because I knew I couldn’t just check-out for weeks. Somehow Kenadi learned to write her name and Levi started walking! 

  

Me: Your due date is fast approaching. How do you envision your life with three?

Tanya: June 19^th couldn’t come any quicker even though I’m scared, excited, & in awe all at the same time (I wish I could shut these pregnant hormones off for just a second). I really can’t wait for life with a third child. I envision it will be a bit chaotic at times, but what gets me the most is the fact that there will be a third face smiling in my rear view, another precious head of hair to “pig-tail” and another personality to discover. I once read in a book that each child is a beautiful canvas born already painted and it’s my job as the parent to discover and enable the colors of each individual one to shine and to be exposed to the world. So, in the months to come I really picture myself just getting to know this new little one and figuring out her place in our family.

I can’t wait to get her to the point of walking just so I can see her personality in full tilt and hear all the children’s feet running through the house and their voices playing together. I can’t wait to know what flavor ice cream she will like and if she will prefer jeans or dresses, pink or purple. 

My hope is that Kenadi will be a great big sister, she’s already anxious to feed the baby and help with the pee-pee diapers. She made it a point to let me know she will only help change the pee-pee ones though! And Levi, I pray that he will be her best friend just like my brother was to me. Either way there will be love and laughter between all five of us, and that is what makes me smile the most.

Me: So you know you are having a girl.  Does Kenadi have (or had) any strong opinions about her name?

Tanya: Kenadi has known from the beginning that a little girl would be given to her for a sister.  She insisted on calling the baby "Apple" until we officially figured out what name we wanted. Somehow this name became the official nickname. The baby's actual name will remain a secret until she is born, IF I can help it.  There are a few chased friends Kenadi has confided in, and they just happen to be all the pastors kids and their moms!

mum's the word, Tanya :-)

Me: Tell me about your kids, Kenadi and Levi.

Tanya: Kenadi is the girliest-girl you’ll ever find. She loves picking out her outfits in the morning and going shopping with her auntie. Everything is butterflies and bright colors. She uses words like fantastic, gorgeous, and beautiful to describe even her most unappealing outfits. Her heart is kind and she has a sensitive spirit; when we go grocery shopping she always wants to bring flowers home to her Daddy, and when we watch princess movies she needs us close encase the beast or evil guys scare her. Kenadi has a ton of energy and will always give things a go - she loves, loves, loves to dance and tumble. The one thing I admire the most is her ability to befriend kids on the playground or at the YMCA. Sometimes she is so persistent she even gets the 10 yr olds to play with her because she isn’t intimidated when it comes to social and relational encounters. 

Levi is a huge goof-ball! I can’t even explain to you the beginning of it all. His personality just loves a good laugh and he learned as early as 14months how to make us laugh with funny faces. I had to take him to the doctors once because I thought he had a problem. He would make these faces and freeze for a good 20-30 seconds until he got a response from us, he even did it when the doctor walked in the room and greeted him. Right away she told me that he was fine and that Chris and I “have a big ham for a son”. He’s only a year and a half now, but picks up on things very quickly. Levi is very observant and thankfully he even possesses an athletic quality. Chris has always believed our son would play pee-wee football and I’m sure he will. Intuitively, Levi just knows how to tuck the ball and run and he certainly isn’t intimidated to tackle even his sister when she’s down. He’s my biggest snuggle bug at home and I just can’t get enough of him sometimes. It must be his chunky cheeks and oversized thighs that just make him irresistible. 

Me: What is your biggest piece of advice to all the moms reading this?

Tanya: I’ve only been at this for 4.5 years, but my biggest piece of advice would be to STAY CONSISTENT. When Chris and I decide to change a way we discipline or even our eating habits we implement the plan and stay consistent with it until it sticks. As a mom there have been so many times I’ve wanted to let things just go out the window for a moment; times where I’ve felt bad and wanted to skip the “naughty chair”, or times when I’ve just wanted to let my kids eat every sweet thing handed to them that week, but I know it breaks the pattern and throws things for a loop if I’m not careful. My kids thrive on predictability and that’s what I try to maintain everyday when it comes to my reacting towards their behaviors, nap schedules, and our eating habits. Like I said, it’s only the beginning for us, but my kids are learning and they even eat salads (with a little dressing of course)!

Thank you, Tanya, for sharing your heart, and for sharing your home with me for a while.  Cannot WAIT to meet baby Apple!!!!

Lifestyle Photography | Josh, Laura, and Zoe

I have known Josh and Laura for a couple years now, and I just love em.  I was able to do some maternity pictures for them last winter.  We had such a blast, and for one of the series of pictures I asked them to salsa dance.  It ended up being such a great picture.  So exactly one year (to the week), I photographed them again.  This time with sweet baby Zoe.  Boy is she cute. 

She wasn't too interested in dancing with her parents. :-)

 I LOVE this picture of Josh and Zoe.  Nothing beats snuggles from daddy.

 And kisses from mommy.

 Playing so well.

 She was a little shy of my big ol' camera.  

She's a doll.  A big-eyed, red-headed DOLL.

I'm super fond of her parents too :-)

Rachel Ann Photography | Peter and Emily

I met Peter and Emily last fall when I took family pictures for them.  They have two ADORABLE little kids, and we had a blast during the photoshoot.  So I was super super excited when she asked to do a session with her and Peter.  We went to High Falls on St. Patricks Day and spent part of my afternoon in the beautiful weather with a beautiful couple.  

I asked them to bring a wedding picture with them (they have been married 6 years, right Emily!?) to remember where their journey as a couple started.  

They were so so much fun.  Peter cracks me up, and Emily is just a darling.  Hoping that I see more of these two!!!

Photography Tricks

I mentioned in my last post that I would give some photography secrets away, so I am keeping my word.

If there is anything that I can't stand from a photographer's standpoint is sun.  I know that every bride wants a beautiful sunny day for their wedding, but honestly, I would MUCH rather a beautiful CLOUDY day.  It's a bear of a time dealing with squinting, shadows, and shiny foreheads.  You get photographs like this.

The sun on her forehead is very distracting, and makes the picture look not so professional.  It's not something that is a quick fix in Photoshop either, so most likely, this picture won't make the cut.    But while I was taking a class about lighting, I learned a really easy, super effective way of shooting in bright sun.

Stand in the apex.

In other words, face the subject so the sun is to their back, and find their shadow on the ground.  Once you do that, stand right where the shadow ends.  That's the apex.  So as I took this picture of her, I stood right at very end of her shadow, set the correct exposure for her face, and snapped away.

ISO 400, f/3.5 at 1/1000sec cuz boy was it bright.  I probably could have put my ISO even lower, but ah well.

But how much better is that!?  Her has no funny under eye shadows, it has nice even light spilled on her face, and tho the sky is blown out, it makes for a nice picture.  And all by standing at the apex.  Now the only time I can think of where this trick wouldn't work is for large groups.  But for portraits, senior pictures, or in this case head shots, it works great.  

Another trick that I learned was to use your bright sun as your very own, very large reflector.  The best place to get nice even light is the shade.  Prefect.  BUT sometimes your images can look flat and boring.  But by simply moving your subject to the edge of the shadow line, the reflection from the ground that the sun is hitting brings light to your subject.  

Example:

It's a great picture of Lexi, with good exposure and with no bright sun to deal with.  But her face doesn't pop out in this image like I would like it to.  So I found the edge of the buildings shadow line, and stuck her there.

See the difference?  A much better image of this adorable young woman, and in my opinion, one that would do very nicely for a portfolio.  Her face has a great glow to it, and the light is super even with no distractive shadows.  

Ok, one last secret.  To create a portrait that is outside the norm, look for places that you usually wouldn't think to use.  Places with symmetry, or places that create depth and lines.  So as we were walking, I found this old, crooked fence that was casting some really cool lines on the pavement.  I decided to get a little creative so I asked Lexi to sit right by the fence.  Her jacket already had stripes on it, so adding more made a very neat picture that I fell in love with.

Yes, I went against all my other rules of having shadows on her face, but the result is awesome and unexpected.  It's all about looking at your surroundings and seeing beyond the obvious shot.  

I hope all you readers who love photography, or those of you who are photographers yourself learned something!  This is an ever-changing craft, which forces us to always be learning.  So practice, practice, practice!.

Headshots, Rochester, NY

This little girl stole my heart.  She was just the sweetest thing, and boy did she make my job easy.

Her mother contacted me and asked me to get some head shots of Lexi for her portfolio.  We decided to get some really fun, modern shots, so we agreed on shooting them at High Falls.  Probably one of my favorite places to take pictures.  It was a gorgeous day- tho a tad bit windy.  But Lexi didn't mind.  Neither did I since the wind made some great shots.

Did I mention that she made my job easy?  Because she did.  I was setting up a shot, and she began to dance (and she is an amazing dancer- trained in tap, jazz, ballet, and contemporary dance).  So I took advantage and asked her to do a few twirls for me.  A-WESOME!

Did I mention that she is the sweetest?  Because she really really is. 

I was able to take a few tricks that I learned from the classes I took at WPPI (I feel like I mention the conference in every post I have done lately- that's how awesome it was.  Sorry if it gets annoying!) and use them on Lexi, and I was so so pleased with how they came out.  

 I will teach you photographer readers some of my tricks in my next blog post.  :-)

I wish you nothing but the best, Lexi!  You are going to be a star someday!!!!

MommyLife | The Working Mom with Becca Johnson

I am realizing more and more as I walk through mommyhood that this sense of "I'm the only one who struggles with (fill in the blank)" is something that SO MANY of us feel.  That everyone else's lives are perfect.  I'm the only one who has really hard days. We mask our reality with cheery and flowery Facebook status updates, hoping no one really knows that we feel so very alone.
  
Time to change that.


I care too much about us moms to let that continue.  So I have decided that once a month I am going to showcase a mother.  Stay at home moms.  Working moms.  Single moms.  Ministry moms.  Moms of boys.  Moms of girls.  Adoptive moms.  My goal is to connect us so we stop feeling alone, so we stop assuming that some of us have it better than others, and to start to encourage one another!  


So here starts the beginning of MommyLife. The ups, the downs, and the in-between.  


I chose my sister, Becca, to be my first candidate.  She is my Working Mom.  

She works at Pearce 4 Kids as both the head Pre-K teacher(Monday thru Thursday) and director of the Afterschool Program (Monday thru Friday).  

ME: So what does a normal day look like?

BECCA: I am the first one in our house to wake up each morning since I take the longest to get ready  Denis is the next to wake up and he drags Norah out of bed. Ok. Drags is maybe the wrong word, but she does love her sleep and most days we are rushing to get her ready for school. Once she is up, she is usually off to a slow start. She likes to have time to really wake up. Phineas and Ferb is her show of choice most mornings! I at some point in time lauch her clothes down the stairs to Denis and start getting her ready. Here is where the real fun starts! She doesn't enjoy this part of the day at all. She does much better for Denis than for me though, hence this being his "job." Once that is done, Denis needs to start getting ready so up the stairs he goes. So it is my "job" to get her hair done and her shoes on and her coat on. I think hurding cattle would be easier than this. She runs away as soon as she sees the spray bottle and comb. She has serious opinions about what shoes she wants to wear and NEVER wants to get her coat on. So I decided for both our sanity to make up a song for this routine. That way she knows as soon as this song starts what needs to happen. She even sings along now. "Gotta get my coat on. Gotta get my shoes on!!!" Yeah. I'm cheesy like that. 

So next comes actually getting out the door and into the car. She has to collect as many blankies and possible in order to do this without melt downs. She gets them all in her little arms only to hand them to me so she can open the door, walk down the stairs, run across the garage and attempt to open the garage door on her own. After she gets out the door, I use that opportunity to throw all but one blankie back in the door. Most days this goes unoticed! Once she is buckled in, which she MUST do on her own, the rest of the morning runs smoothly. 

Drop of is pretty drama free. These days she says "bye mom" before I even intitate it. Miss Independent.

She has shown that she doesn't not tolorate me visiting her. She will break down when I try to leave so as much as it pains me, I spend most of my days watching the hours creep by till I can see her again. I also watch her from the window and attempt not to be seen. I am not always sucessful....

She is almost always the last one in the daycare since I close Pearce. Sometimes she hangs out with me in my office toward the end of the day. I love when she does. She colors or has a snack and makes my staff happy by saying their names or laughing at their silliness. She is one popular kid around here.

Evenings are different all the time depending on the day. Most evenings I live for the moment that I am curled up in her rocker reading her stories and singing songs. I share these special moments with Denis too since she would much rather be around him most of the time. Then into her crib she goes. Most nights without a peep. I couldn't have asked for a sweeter baby girl.

ME: Do you ever feel any guilt about putting Norah in daycare?


BECCA: At first yes. Very guilty. After working in a daycare for several years I promised myself that I wouldn't ever do it. Not because of the quality of care because Pearce 4 Kids gives EXCEPTIONAL care (if I may say so myself) but because I was determined that I would be the one giving my baby kisses all day long or being present for every single milestone. I didn't want to miss a thing. But after a few months of Norah coming to daycare everyday I realized what an incredible help daycare was to my ability to mother. Being in daycare has helped Norah realize that she isn't the only baby in the world. She has been taught to wait. To share. To stand in line. Not to hit. (Yes, she went through a bullying phase). They have helped her transtion from two naps to one. She LOVES playing with her friends and just being a kid. I'm not sure I would have been a good enough mother to find ways to offer her these things otherwise! There are some days that I struggle with dropping her off and leaving her all day. But only because I am selfish when it comes to her. But everyday she comes I am fully confident that she is getting incredible care and everytime I peek in that window, I see that smile I love so much.

• ME: Don't forget the biting phase. ouch

ME: Oh wait, maybe that was my kid.

BECCA: Oh, yes, how could we forget about the biting.  Must be in the genes.


ME: So what's the most difficult thing about being a working mom?


BECCA: The moments I miss. She crawled and walked for the first time in daycare. I am thankful that my classroom and office are in the same building and I am but a phone call away. Her teachers are wonderful at snapping video for me and capturing the funny moments I miss. It is hard because I work 2 jobs so I only really have one full day to devote to her. That one day is what gets me through the other 6 days of the week.


ME: How does your second job come into play? How does that change the face of your days?


BECCA: I work part time at our church as well. (The Father's House) A majortiy of my hours there are spend on a sunday. This part of my life wouldn't work if it weren't for my inlaws. They come at the crack of dawn to make sure that we can get to church on time without a toddler in tow. I LOVE what I do at church. Leading worship makes me feel alive, but it is definitely more challenging as a mother. I also have rehearsals most Monday evenings which Norah comes to with Leandra. I love that she sings and dances along to the songs and is learning at a young age that ministry is in her blood. We will never stop being involved in the local body. We have gone away several times this past year on ministry trips as well. Even though Norah has yet to join us on one of these trips, there will come a day when she will get to experience that side of minsitry with us as well.


ME: If you could give any advice to the working mom, what would it be?


BECCA: Don't be afraid to make the sacrifices it takes to be a working mom. It may seem hard and stressful or cause guilt and confusion. But for me I want Norah to look back 25 years from now and see that it can be done. If she ever wonders if it is the right move for her she can be assured that I had her best interest in mind. That I always wanted the best for our family and for her. I would want every mother to trust that still small voice inside them. If for a season you need to work then do it. If you are blessed to be able to stay at home then do it. If you get to do both then do it. Everyone has a different story to tell. I am personally excited to read the many different stories that have yet to be told through this blog post series!!

ME:Let's talk about Norah for a bit.  What mommy/daughter moment sticks out in your mind?

BECCA: I think the first one that comes to mind is the moment we came home from South Africa after being apart from Norah for 13 days.  As long as I'll live, I'll never forget the excitement she had seeing me.  That moment we had as a mother and daughter when she recognized me suddenly - I realized how genuinely excited she was to see me.  I felt such joy and i think it was one of the most memorable times - maybe the first time, when I realized how connected a mother and daughter really are.

ME: Are there days when the "Jesse Spano"comes out in you?

BECCA:"There's no time, there's never any time!" (that's for all you Saved by the Bell fans!)

I think there is a moment everyday where something doesn't get done where I make the purposeful choice to say, "Its just not vital to the success of my day".  Whether it's dishes, vacuuming, or whatever - its just isn't as vital as being with Norah.  That's just part of being a working mom.

ME: And here is the ultimate question of all questions?  You ready?  

BECCA: Oye

ME: When is the next little Johnson going to make their appearance?

BECCA: Oh my, no comment.  

Riiiight, - at the risk of sounding super spiritual... it's in the Lords time right now because we have given up our timeline.  Its only God's timeline that will ever work.

ME: Oh, and how awesome is your brother in-law?

BECCA: Awesome-est.  Best brother in-law I've ever had.  Definitely my favorite.  Did I mention he's the only one I have?

      *Can you tell who eventually took over the interview process?  :-)

So thank you to Becca who allowed me to shadow her around at work, and for putting up with all of my (and Mike's) questions.  You're the best!

And please comment! I would love your feedback on this! To know that this is reaching people!!!  

Love to all you working mommies. What you do is not easy by any stretch of the imagination, and know that you are supported!

 

Maternity Photojournalism | Rochester, NY

There were so so many things that I took away from WPPI, but the biggest vision I came back with was to have my portraits, not just my weddings, tell a story.  To have more photojournalistic images come out of what is usually more formal.

So when Amy mentioned that she should probably get some pictures taken of Baby K's pregnancy (since we got so many of Grace's belly days) I jumped at the opportunity to try out this new style.

And it was awesome.

I came over for our weekly lunch with my camera (and Makaela) in tow.  I had some ideas of how I wanted the shoot to go, and both Amy and Grace were amazing.  (PS, really wish you could have been there, John).

The "reading to Gracie" series of images is probably some of my favorite pictures I've taken. Ever.
It's something both girls love to do, and to watch them doing it together is priceless in every sense of the word.

It's not that they are compositionally out of this world- I had to edit the white balance, take out some image noise, blah blah, photographer jargon, blah.   But they speak to Amy.  They show their relationship.  And that, my friends, is what I want my bread and butter to be.

i melt. 

Where was Makaela in all of this?  Oh ya know...

walking around like she owned the place.

She had no problem infiltrating story time, and Auntie Amy was more than willing to let her in on the fun.  They're birthday buddies.  It's all good. 

As I was taking photos, I was also asking questions.  I wanted Amy to be able to tell her story to you all in her own words, and not just through pictures. Because so much more goes into preparing for motherhood 2.0 than making sure memories are captured. I asked her all about the similarities and differences between her two pregnancies.  What she loved, what she didn't love.  Her biggest challenges.  What she looked forward to as a mother of two.

So in Amy's Words:

DIFFERENCES
How tired I am.  You realize how good you have it the first time around when you can get rest and sleep more.  And she means it.  She has been known to go to bed at 7:45, beat from 12 hour work days, (Amy is a pediatric nurse), chasing an active toddler, and being a pastors wife.  She is quite lucky to have a husband who takes care of her and Gracie very well, who helps out whenever and wherever he can.  He even came home early on the day of the shoot with flowers in hand.  Awwwwwwwwwwww.

SIMILARITIES
I'm all baby yet again, and everyone who sees me is convinced that I am carrying a boy.

And she in fact is ALL BABY.  Just like she was with Grace.

*sorry about the grainy look- I snagged it off of her fb :-)

Notice the verse change- they dedicate a verse to each child, and Grace's went with her to her new big girl room, and Baby K will be taking up residence in the nursery.

We all anxiously wait to see if what the masses are saying is right.  Boy? Those Kellers like to keep us in eager anticipation, for we don't know the sex or name of this baby.  And they love doing it that way.

With Grace, it was such a motivator during labor.  You want to know so badly, and that helps you get through so much.  Sure, there are some days where it would be fun to know.  Sometimes I wish I were able to connect Grace more to her sibling- let her call Baby K "sister" or "brother".  But waiting is the ultimate surprise.

WHAT DO YOU LOOK FORWARD TO MOST?
Watching my children meet each other.  We plan on Gracie coming to the hospital soon after the baby is born.  Oh this moment will be awesome.  I really really really hope to be there for that (hint hint) because for me, that was the most electrifying and emotional moment of my life.  And I know it will be for you guys as well.

WHAT SCARES YOU ABOUT HAVING 2 KIDS?
Having to share your time.  When I am with the baby, I will miss moments with Grace, and vice versa.  I remember the times during Grace's first months where I could sit and stare at her face- take it all in. Will I have time to do that with Baby K?


SO WHAT IS LIFE LIKE NOW AS YOU ANTICIPATE THE BABY'S ARRIVAL?
Challenging. 
Limiting. 
For example, the other night Grace was talking to her dad and she said that mommy couldn't rock her before bed anymore, but she lays with me in bed.  I can't carry her up the stairs anymore, so she holds my hand instead.  I try not to let pregnancy get in the way of life with Grace

Gracie had to go down for her nap, so I took an opportunity to take some artistic and fun shots of Miss. Preggers.

 We got out her Belly Books- one for each child.  I envy her journaling skills.  I don't even think I have a baby book for Makaela....

Then we put the books away and got a few of just Amy, for her to remember this pregnancy.  And I hope you know that you are the prettiest pregnant lady ever!!

 And who could forget Mully.  Oh, people, we worked hard for this picture.  Treats, bribes, and at one point in the process, Amy downright tackled him to the ground.  Highly entertaining.   

It was a wonderful afternoon, and I am so so pleased with how the session went.  I just may stick with this style for a bit.  I really enjoyed it.

Thank you Amy, or letting me invade your home for an afternoon, and for telling us your story.

And if you are a mom, please feel free to leave some encouraging words for Amy in the comments section, and I hope to be showing you pictures of Baby K very very soon.