Album Sample - Evans Maternity Session

The first time creating an album for a client had me a little nervous. Through some research and the input from a good friend, I came across LustreColor. My client, Lauren, knew she wanted an album of her maternity session, and when the Leather Craftsman option was a little over her planned budget, we opted for the New Vision Coffee Table book. Lauren was a great client to work with, because she knew exactly what she wanted out of each image and did a great job of communicating her ideas and end goal. When the package from LustreColor arrived, it felt like Christmas. A huge sigh of relief came while thumbing though the thick art mounted pages. Lauren and Glenn look stunning on every page. (Again, we can't share the black and white nudes taken in the studio, but oh, they are so beautiful!) This particular 10x10 album has a few nice features: It lies flat when opened, the pages are gilded in silver, and the cover is a photo wrap. If anyone has any questions about the album, please don't hesitate. Album fees are priced per project since it's a custom order and the cost is determined by its design, how many pages are included, etc.

Marini's, the Sequal

Just about as darling as they come, full of energy, ready to talk with the grown ups, and letting you know exactly her stance on important world matters like when it's time to enjoy a good meal of prunes and oatmeal, at just seven months, Sofia has taken the Marini family by storm. Her mommy is brazilian, her daddy is italian, and she has the beauty and charm to prove it.

Like the Marini's, many of us live far away from our loved one's. To say we miss our family and friends is an understatement. We sacrifice important moments and all of the mundane day to day activities in between that we know would somehow feel better if we could share them with our best friends and sisters, brothers and cousins. For the Marini's who have family in Brazil, Italy, Los Angeles and Canada, family photos are even more important to far away grandmothers like Sofia's who hasn't been able to meet her yet. I can't even imagine the heartache and what that must feel like? The way I see it, when these portraits arrive in her home, she has something to daydream over, a way to connect and imagine what it must be like to be with her granddaughter in person holding each other, laughing together. And it's an opportunity to see her daughter living her life happily - a way to cherish the blessings in all of their lives. It's one more way for their hearts to be close even though they live time zones apart.

I was so excited when the Marini's booked their second session (just before Sofia was born, we had a maternity session at the Presidio in San Francisco). Now that baby Sofia is sitting up and sporting all kinds of smiles and laughter, it was the perfect time to capture their growing family, the love, and the laughter - the joy that a baby brings.

Change

Something I've learned how to do in my 30's is to be uncomfortable, to sit with uncomfortable feelings and allow them to pass when they're good and ready. The east-coaster in me found this approach to life passive. I've always fallen into the "grab-the-bull-by-the-horns-and-fix-it" category. In my teens and my 20's, I would do anything to take away an uncomfortable feeling, and I mean just about anything. And if I couldn't accomplish something from start to finish with the snap of my little chubby fingers - let her rip!

So, what is it about change that brings up those feelings? Change, afterall, can often be a good thing. It's just that change can be slow and unpredictable. It means something new is coming, something different like loss of control, disorganization, complications, chaos, and disruption of my beautifully orchestrated and comfortable routine. I'm grinning as I type, because the change that has me in a tizzy hasn't even happened yet, and it's already crippling me. There is so much wisdom that has been passed down to me from others, and it's whispering in my ear. Will I listen to it? Will I sit with these uncomfortable feelings and keep walking the walk despite my fear? Yes, I probably will. And everything will probably turn out well with all sorts of unexpected abundance and good things.