Dena, Gina, Tina - Redding Portrait Photography

Turn up the volume (sorry if you were waiting for this post to have the contest details, its in the next 1, I promise.) I have been so impatiently waiting to post this slide show. It truly is my favorite part of taking photographs, I can hear a song & instantly see the photographs that will match to it perfectly. A lot of time I just meet the people, haven't even photographed them but when I hear a certain song...it just sings with visual stimulation & I already see the images in my head. I am definitely a woman, I use more than one sense & very happy to share that with others lol. I never promise somebody a slide show on portrait sessions, I just can't help but do them most of the time, it's how I see the day. After all, that's what you're getting when you ask me to photograph you, how I see the moment. It might take me a little extra time to create them (because I want them to talk to me & come from the heart so I literally edit them more than 50-75 times, hearing the song over & over & over...you get the idea) but I seem to never get tired of watching them when they're done. This slide show was not so easy, it was 3 grown sisters that I knew when I was young & had been reunited with during this session after probably 30+ years. Wow when you put it that way, I sound kinda old, but I like to think of it as Wiser. So 3 sisters, their spouses, 1 teen & 1 preteen, I had never done a slide show with such a session. There wasn't enough photos of the sisters alone for a slide show & same with the family member photos so I had to create something that blended all 3 of the scenerios together. I was really proud of what I came up with & wanted to show it to Dena right away (she's the youngest L sister & lives locally), I dropped the disc off at her work & waited for her response. It wasn't too much longer that I got her call, she really liked it & we totally cried over the phone (of course we cried, it's me for goodness sake, I'm a softy), also due to some sad news she had to deliver & explained she needed me to hold off on posting the slide show. I happily honored her request so she could send it to her sisters to view prior to others viewing (the file was too large to email). God brings people together for a reason, you may not know the reason during the moment such as with Blanch (previous post), it may be years before you see how he created your path but a reason none the less. It seems I don't learn about the sad stuff until after I create the slide show, I think it's Gods way of keeping the sadness from my heart during the creation time (my goodness I cry enough during the making of most of them without knowing the sad stuff). So today I will just be thankful for what I do have, continue to pray for others & hope for another good day tomorrow. Dena, Gina & Tina, I have so much love in my heart for all of you, I was so incredibly happy to be a part of these memories & each time I view this, a huge smile comes across my face (with maybe just a little tear), hope everybody else has the same reaction ;) so please sit back, turn up the volume & ENJOY! ...The Emotions, "Best of My Love"

hey mom...

That was the subject of the email from Marissa day before yesterday (by the time this posts). This was not the look on her face as she typed it to me, stating the obvious but it hadn't dawned on me until she pointed it out...heart broken. Saying I was sorry over an email was certainly not even a start but I did it anyways. Can you believe that even though I have blogged about me having 3 kids, she pointed out I didn't blog about her, only 1 photo of when she was 2...that's it, no way!. I honestly don't wish the pain I felt on anybody & it was super hard to swallow when I was finished reading the email, repeating "No, No" with every word I read. The whole time I've had this blog, I have struggled with the idea of not adding my personal life at all, but I tend to always go back to just who I am & continue posting about birthdays, cheers, tears, loves & my own personal photography struggles but never did I purposely neglect putting Marissa on here. I always told her I wanted photos of her but never pushed for her to sit in front of the camera. Hey, I wouldn't like it...& I'm much older, it's really not where I want to be, that's why I became the photographer. None the less, there's no excuse for it & she's the one in pain. I'll tell you what, I feel like a completely horrible mother, forget horrible photographer...it goes deeper than that, all the way down to the mother bone (it's the beating one). Completely done on accident but so ashamed of myself in the end. I need to be careful with how I set my example to them & not forget the most important people in my life, no matter how busy I get or how bad I think I took a photo, it's not about that & that's why I'm so sorry. So to my daughter Marissa, that I sincerely unintentionally hurt, I'm so so incredibly sorry. I will be better as a mom (which in turn will make me a better person, then photographer) & not get so busy. I need be there for you even if it includes pestering you for a photo. I am so proud to be your mom & that you're my daughter. Have I ever told you how I cried for the first time when I said I had a daughter. That feeling is still there, I just have to help it to age along with my baby girl growing up. I love you Marissa, more than the stars in the sky or characters in those hard to pronounce card games lol. That never changes. PS We really need to get some photos, maybe even buy a new outfit for the occasion. Maybe you can take some of me...maybe, maybe I need a new outfit lol. I LOVE YOU MARISSA!!

TC & Shannon "Do you believe in love" - Redding Photography

Turn up the volume. I try to encourage sessions that include the best time of the day for the best images (within first 2 hours after sunrise & last 2 hours before sunset). Sometimes it's not always the most ideal time of the day when I meet with people & I'm learning to embrace it, look for the shade (or the best I can get) & just have fun no matter what, cause to me, it's all about the image content. This was one of those sessions, the middle of the day but the winter sun was still low in the sky. The best part, Shannon & TC go the extra mile, totally having fun with each of their sessions. I have had a cold for weeks now (can't seem to shake it) so it took me a while to finish their slide show & I changed the song 3 times before sending it to them to preview. I know I dug back to the 80's for this one but it fit their session perfectly..."Do you believe in Love" Huey Lewis & The News. Enjoy!

Shannon said "We loved it!!!!! The pics turned out great of course and I couldn't stop smiling. Thank you sooooooo much. We really do owe you." Shannon, I just want you two to keep me busy each year with Anniversary sessions like this one. Capturing how you two grow with each other is my reward. Love you both!