Snowy Day Mini Session Giveaway
Last week, I posted my hopes for the new year on Instagram and I want to share them with you here as a means for manifesting, praying, whatever you might call it.
++ Create white space in our calendar and home for more life
++ Document more BIPOC and LGBTQIA families
++ Grow as a wife to a Latinx man and mother of a mixed race son
++ Offer session options for families on one income
++ Dig into Mexican traditions & implement them into our family
++ Share a passion project 4 years in the making
++ Write & tell stories
My biggest goal? To ensure I am providing
an inclusive space for
all families + people of all colors,
cultures and communities.
I believe every family deserves
to document their story.
Snowy Day Sessions are
Saturday, January 16 + 23!
A new year comes with new ideas - I would love to have you jump into these sessions with me! Bundle up & come play in the snow with me!
25 minutes @ $200.00
9 am | 10 am | 11 am | 12 pm | 1 pm | 2 pm
++ $200 due upon booking - nonrefundable
++ 25 promised images delivered via online gallery
++ instant download + print release
++ $50 print credit provided with each session - hooray for real life images!
I know that life happens, so we can transfer 100% of your deposit to a different date if we have to reschedule for any reason.
I will continue wearing a mask and asking that you & your family wear masks when we are not actively taking photos.
GIVEAWAY ALERT!
Do you identify as a BIPOC or LGBTQIA family?
A Snowy Day Session listed above is FREE to you!
OR
Do you want to nominate a family for a free session?
Contact me via this link to claim your date / time slot from the above options!
I will give a maximum of two sessions free for each of these dates
Motherhood // Personal
From 2018 to 2020, what a wild ride. Life has these ebbs and flows that feel sometimes like you’re getting smacked in the face by a giant wave or dancing inside a rainbow. It’s intense.
But as we are reminded that joy comes in the morning, our days can also hold sadness and dark moments.
October 1 2018 we lost our first baby to miscarriage. October 12 - November 28 2018 our family walked my Grandma Lucy home to Jesus. A month later, we found out River was on his way just after Christmas.
We had no idea who was going to be born 9 months later, we chose to leave every detail about you a surprise. The moment your Dada said “it’s a boy” in the delivery room remains one of the best surprises of my life. We had no idea who you would look like or act like ... I don’t recall ever hearing the word PANDEMIC and I certainly didn’t foresee having to wear a mask every time I stepped outside our home.
I always dreamed that someday I’d be a Mama but I never could have imagined it being so many opposite things all at the same time. Exhausting sleepless nights, invigorating hearing this child learn to laugh & giggle. Constant Mama & River daytime pandemic times, missing you the second we say goodnight.
Parenthood is a constant wishing your child would reach the next milestone, wanting that little one to never grow past the current stage. Seeing the world brand new through your eyes while living in such a time as 2020 has been — the absolute gift that we always dreamed of that arrived at the most perfect time.
I worried about postpartum depression but had no idea what a ride it would be and still is today. I spent much of 2020 trying to learn who this sweet boy was. And consequently, learned who I wanted to be. As a mama, as a wife and as a person.
I thought we would celebrate milestones with family & friends, there would be endless hugs and treats from bakeries on Lake Street. But now? Our city has been boarded up, on fire and our family is realizing what it looks like to be mixed race in 2020. I didn’t know what the future held and today it feels even more uncertain.
But one thing is for sure: we have each other. I will fight for our family with every ounce of strength I have. I will fight for those whose voices have been silenced and I promise to do better.
I want to be someone who is inclusive and inviting - that shows up to be the same person on the outside as I am on the inside.
I want to be someone who’s first inclination is toward understanding, peace and love. Who aims to hear others as loud as I hear myself.
I want to show our son a world that will love you no matter who you turn out to be. I want that to start in our home and spread into our community and into our world.
All the things I tell this sweet boy every day - that he is loved, strong, curious, brave, funny, heard and joyful? I want to tell those things to myself every day.
I don’t quite know what this space will turn out to be or what kind of ‘content’ you’ll see but one thing has and always will be true: it will be intentional, authentic, inclusive and hopefully point you towards what is just and right.
Hugs to our dear friend, Bernadette Fox, for the maternity photograph used in this blog. You are the best! <3
Gardening // Personal
I wouldn't say I have a green thumb based on a summer plus some of community garden plot ownership. But every time I'm there, sitting my behind in the dirt to pull weeds, to pick tomatoes and cultivate seeds and dirt into things we eat and enjoy, I feel like I could maybe, someday, in retirement with long grey hair in a braid, become one of those plant ladies.
We had a giant circular tulip bed in the house I grew up in. It would bloom every spring and I would go outside with my Mom, bare feet and biker shorts, with a basket and scissors to cut blooms for the vases inside. There were all the colors; white, pink, yellow, red. I don't even remember how often we did this routine when I was around 4-6 years old, but I have such a vivid memory of it.
The next summer, we moved from that house. I don't remember a lot of gardening after that. Until I was a preteen and we planted tulip bulbs wrong side up in the garage side garden bed. It would be about two years before anything even burst up from the dirt.
I was always more of an indoor kid, anyway. I preferred crafts in the air conditioning to nature and sweating. I preferred books to daydreaming, staring at the clouds. I preferred shoes to barefoot in the grass. I hated being dirty. But I do remember the first time stepping on my grandparents' freshly laid sod and loving the feeling. Like soft, satin ribbons of grass in between my toes.
Farmers markets became the hipster thing when I was in college but I always gravitated towards things I knew. Like strawberries or coffee. Ha! It was later that I ate peppers, green beans, pea pods, artisan lettuce, cucumbers and tomatoes for the first time and I LOVED EVERY SINGLE BITE.
My body started to crave fresh produce, so much so that my tiny fridge in my first apartment was jam-packed with freshness rather than preservatives. It was amazing. I was cooking brussels sprouts, edamame and mixing everything with hot sauce - for breakfast! What a novel idea!
Spring 2017 came and we were engaged, planning our wedding. Friends asked if we wanted to go in on a community garden plot. I quickly scanned my memory bank and realized how much I wanted to actually love gardening, even though I'd never really truly invested in it. We said yes and gave it almost everything we had.
Nature is funny, in that you can plant a couple seed packets and water it diligently (sometimes letting nature itself water it!), only to return to your plot a day or two later and it's like a miracle right before your eyes. TOMATOES GROW FROM FLOWERS, GUYS. I didn't know this until I was 31.
I never ate anything that came from the actual ground that I planted with my own two hands until last summer. That lettuce stayed fresh in our fridge for longer than any store-bought lettuce ever did. And it was pure magic.
Picking tomatoes and making fresh panzanella salad? I DIED AND WENT STRAIGHT TO GARDEN HEAVEN.
This spring came and we decided to try our hand at this gardening thing again. Just my new husband and I - we could totally conquer this! We planted a tad later than we hoped, Minneapolis saw SO MUCH RAIN, then SO MUCH HUMIDITY and meanwhile, I'm saying my prayers every night, asking God to take care of our plants like a crazy plant lady (already winning! No grey hairs yet!).
I walked up to our plot one day and it was like someone dropped a bomb called CRAB GRASS on our beloved spot of 21st century pioneering refuge. And it just kept growing and multiplying, like the jerk weed crab grass is. If I ever met crab grass in a dark alley, let's just say ...
Schedules became busier and we had a few stretches of 90+ degree days where AC and a cold beer sounded better than getting out there to weed. Until one morning this week, when we both had had it UP TO HERE! My sweet husband, who never raises his voice or gets angry, yelled at the garden and its crab grass, swearing like a sailor. We came up with a plan to attack (out of crab grass's ear shot, of course).
We attacked. He went first, at dawn, to show it who was boss. I came later, to see that sweet husband, who has been through a thousand lives with me and then some, using the same garden shovel that my great-grandpa had used for decades. He refers to it as the Grandpa Jakie shovel and then I'm in the weeds, crying my eyes out.
It's not a coincidence that we attacked our garden on the day we laid my sweet great-grandfather to rest five years ago.
As I was sitting there, well, more like laying between tomato plants to get ALL THE WEEDS OUT, this thought came to me:
Gardening is a metaphor for marriage and relationships.
You get an idea, see a plant that you have a crush on (for me? tomatoes) and you decide to put something into making it blossom for yourself to enjoy. You find yourself buying the organic starter plants at the local garden store instead of the big box garden center, convincing yourself it's so worth it. Next thing you know, you're buying the expensive bag of organic, all natural compost-based fertilizer and about $100 later, you're ready. You clear your schedule to get to the garden, dig your hands in the dirt. It doesn't matter if you're even wearing gloves or not - because your plants love you regardless of what you're wearing! They know your heart.
You do your research and find that marigolds on the perimeter of the garden keep pests out. Great news! You'll do whatever it takes to keep this plot of heaven safe from creatures great and small. Safety first, garden!
What's even better? The entire time you're planting these seeds and starters, you can't have your phone out. You're unplugged, enjoying nature and all the magic of what's in store. You find yourself relishing in your hard work and you celebrate with ice cream! Hooray!
But then the work begins. You have to plan your schedule to ensure the garden is watered and cared for. You want to go out of town? You'd better find someone to water this thing! You see a small weed start to sprout and you pull it. Not too hard, this gardening thing.
During few days of rain and heat, you enjoyed the break from the work. You went out with friends, laughed and loved, all was well. The weather returns to normal summer temps and you return to the garden.
WHAT THE HECK. There are weeds sprouting like grass EVERYWHERE. There is not one square inch that is open dirt. What happened?! You were only gone like two days! You're wailing, the world is against you! How could this happen?!
You consider abandoning the plot. Jumping ship. The money you spent is already gone, it's not like anything is really lost or gained. Just chalk it up to experience.
But then you see it. A tomato just about to turn red or yellow. A jalapeño flower has the tiniest pepper growing from it! The lettuce you planted from the smallest seed is pushing up from the dirt. You're crying, you're so happy! Nature is happening right before your eyes!
This is worth it!
You put on your gloves and with a huge sigh, start pulling those weeds. Some are pretty deep, so you use a shovel to get it out at the roots. Because it you just pull out what you see, it's going to keep growing, festering and coming back. It's going to suck the nutrients from that tiny jalapeño, the almost-red and ready tomato! SHAME ON YOU, WEEDS.
What a sense of accomplishment to go from something you thought about abandoning to something clean, fresh and fruitful.
On our wedding day, my husband and I promised many things to each other. One is to not let issues or anger or hurt fester. To put on our big adult pants and tell the other person how we feel, because we've seen what happens when you do the opposite. It has always been worth it to be honest, to allow ourselves to be vulnerable in front of the other partner and put that shovel in the ground to pull a pesky weed out at the root.
Hugs are the water after you pull out the weeds, hoping that with a little sunshine-filled smile, things will continue to grow and blossom.
Even when you feel the garden has abandoned you and weeds take over, it's worth it to invest the time into cleaning it up. It's an unpaid gig, unless you're a landscaper by trade. Sweat equity is a real thing and you'll probably feel drops of salt water headed straight into your eyeballs. After wiping it away, you encourage and spur each other on because you realize you simply cannot go it alone. I mean, you could, but it's far better, faster and more precious to take on the journey side by side.
“I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all. ”
I whole-heartedly believe that the good work of tending to our marriage is one of those real, sweet things of life.
Hugs to our wedding photographer & dear friend, Bernadette Fox, for the images used in this blog. You are the best! <3
Summer & Fall 2018 Mini Sessions
The moment you've been waiting for is here! Hooray!
I'd love to see more of you this summer and fall at a few of my favorite hang-out spots, where hugs, high fives and gummy bear bribes abound!
Summer + Fall Mini Sessions | 2018
$300 ($150 due upon booking, remainder due at time of session)
++25 minute lifestyle session
++25 promised images delivered via online gallery + instant download + print release
++ instant download + print release
Sessions can include up to 6 people - immediate family + pets only, please!
Clients must be available for both scheduled date AND rain date.
Gallery will be sent within 3-4 weeks after session date.
NEW THIS YEAR!
$50 print credit provided with each session - hooray for real life images!
August 13 / Rain Date August 14 // Nature Location in St Anthony, MN
5:00 pm = BOOKED!
5:30 pm = BOOKED!
6:00 pm = BOOKED!
6:30 pm = BOOKED!
7:00 pm= BOOKED!
August 15 / Rain Date August 16 // Downtown Mpls Location
6:00 pm = BOOKED!
6:30 pm = BOOKED!
7:00 pm = BOOKED!
September 15 / Rain Date September 16 // Nature Location in St Anthony, MN:
9:00 am = BOOKED!
9:30 am = BOOKED!
10:00 am = BOOKED!
10:30 am
3:00 pm = BOOKED!
3:30 pm = BOOKED!
4:00 pm = BOOKED!
4:30 pm
5:00 pm
5:30 pm
October 13 / Rain Date October 14 // Nature Location in St Anthony, MN:
9:00 am = BOOKED!
9:30 am = BOOKED!
10:00 am = BOOKED!
10:30 am = BOOKED!
** The rain option for the afternoon sessions is my NE Mpls studio or we can adjust to another date! **
3:00 pm = BOOKED!
3:30 pm
4:00 pm = BOOKED!
4:30 pm = BOOKED!
5:00 pm = BOOKED!
5:30 pm = BOOKED!
LOOKING FOR STUDIO ONLY OPTIONS?
November 17: NE Mpls Studio
8:30 am = BOOKED!
9:00 am = BOOKED!
9:30 am = BOOKED!
10:00 am = BOOKED!
10:30 am = BOOKED!
11:00 am = BOOKED!
11:30 am = BOOKED!
To choose your session date & time option (with 2nd choice), send an email to sydnee [at] sydnee bickett [dot] com to get the ball rolling! Upon receipt of your email, I will send you an invoice to pay the $150 fee.
10 days before your session, I'll send another note with information about location, parking, where to meet, what to bring & other goodies! I can't wait to see you all soon!
What Comes Next // Personal
An image by Weddings by Bernadette, from our wedding November 2017
I still remember my first time logging into Facebook. Fall 2005, I was a sophomore in college and living in the dorms. Back when Facebook was only for people with a college email address. Everything was different then ... we spent hours on our computers, writing papers, researching, chatting on AOL instant messenger. Social media before it was called social media was for socializing or trying to figure out if that guy in your 10:00 am class had a crush on you or if he was just asking to study together to ace the next test.
Then I started this business and suddenly, people were messaging me on Facebook, asking for family photos. A wedding photographer. I was sharing photos and things started growing. I created my website and started a blog. I started an actual Facebook business page for my photography and it felt real.
Social media started becoming more about business and revenue and money-making instead of connecting. I mean, maybe it's still about connecting. But things started to change a few years ago for me, when social media strategy was a buzz phrase. The spreadsheets and the insights, numbers and graphs became overwhelming.
Then, two summers ago, I wrote this blog post about leaving social media for a little while. It was about 30 days at first. Then turned into about 60. All the while, I was knitting and quilting and doing embroidery and realizing that inside, I'm an 80 year old who wishes she lived in pioneer times with Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. I embraced it!
If I'm honest, I haven't been the same since.
During the 7 months between our engagement and our wedding, I had a few conversations with my husband about quitting social media. They mostly went like this:
Me: I think I'm going to quit social media.
Him: You know I'll support anything and everything you do. I quit Facebook 2 years ago.
Me: (Deactivating my Facebook account)
Him: I don't want to post about our kids on social media at all. How would you feel if you were 25 and found your parents' posts about your dirty diapers, your tantrums, your teenage years, etc?
Me: (Removing Instagram from my phone) I agree. I think I'm done.
I did a few Instagram stories about contemplating the idea and the response was overwhelmingly positive. Almost shockingly so. I contemplated it some more.
A month later, we went on our two week honeymoon adventure out west. I turned off my phone for much of the trip and removed social media and email from it too. The day my husband went out for a bike ride, I walked to the bookstore in town and did what an English major would do: I picked up about 20 books and read the back cover and the first few pages. The 4 books I didn't want to stop reading, I bought. Then I went to the restaurant next door and took a seat on the patio, telling the server, "I'm going to be here for about 4 hours reading. Don't worry about me, but can you bring a carafe of water and the hummus plate?"
The book I was reading? The Unsettlers by Mark Sundeen. Stories about non-conformists, sustainable living, being pioneers in a modern contemporary age. Going back to the land. Living without computers, smart phones, cars, electricity. It was well-written and honestly? I went back to our AirB&B, exclaiming that we should sell our possessions, buy a farm and figure out our lives. My husband was oddly in agreement.
No, we are not doing those things. But, it did shift something in me, causing me to do more googling about minimal living, organic farming, bringing the sewing machine out from the dusty second bedroom and starting to create again.
All of this combined with taking on a full time position with the nonprofit I did contract work for last year. This is the best decision for our family and for me. I came home from our weekly programs last fall to exclaim to my husband (notice a trend?), "You won't believe how magical today was!" and I'd proceed to tell him story after story. After a day or two of this, he reminded me that I hadn't been that kind of excited for a long while.
And I realized he was right.
Let me say this: this business has brought me immense joy, excitement, encouragement, pride and frankly, income, over the past 12 years that I never in my wildest dreams could have imagined. I wasn't a kid who ever really dreamed about what kind of job I'd have when I grew up. I thought maybe I'd be a teacher. All I knew is that I loved books, I loved crafts, I loved being indoors and holding babies. I sort of fell into photography and was grateful enough to have a few mentors & family members who pushed & encouraged me along the way, through school and through these years of business.
The joy I feel holding a client's day old baby during their newborn session is comparable to the joy I feel when I'm elbows-deep in my garden, comparable to the smile that I can't wipe from my face when I'm watching a room of 40 adults and 40 kids meet each other for the first time, knowing they'll work together for the next three months, building a relationship that has the power to change both their lives. It all feels joyous and wonderful and magical.
These feelings are not the ones I have when I peruse social media channels or plan my Instagram posts for the month ahead. It doesn't feel magical to post about feeling magical when you feel everything BUT magical. The rollercoaster of emotions, of self-doubt and constantly feeling the need to check for comments and likes ... the comparison that creeps in feels the opposite of wonderful.
At my therapy appointment last month, I walked in and did not stop talking for a full 30 minutes. I strapped my therapist into my rollercoaster ride and after 30 minutes, she asked me if I was done. Because she had some things to say and one of them was this: you need to stop the chatter. Find calm. Meditate. This ride in your brain needs to slooowwww down. You are approaching burnout if you keep believing you can do everything. You cannot. Choose like 3 things and do those things well. And the comparison game? That stops if you stop it. If you remove the channels that lead to it.
I deactivated my personal Facebook page a few weeks ago. A client who I loved working with for their first child's one year package emailed me last week, announcing they were expecting twins and would I be available to photograph the newborns later this year? My heart skipped a beat! I was overjoyed and crying and doing cartwheels at my desk.
I realized that I would have known this news already, had I been on Facebook. She even mentioned not finding my personal page there. I felt about 5% guilty, then continued to relish the joy of her news.
If I'm honest again? I haven't felt that kind of sheer joy about news in a long while. Of course, seeing positive news on social media is exciting, but it kind of takes the fun out of a surprise. You feel like you're learning about it on the same level as everyone else and it feels less special.
Friends who have revealed their baby news in person is an experience I won't ever forget. Seeing my cousin's new baby in a group text outside of social media was so blissful. Looking through actual printed images in our wedding scrapbook feels so ... vintage.
But it also feels so right and makes me feel calm. I like the feeling of prints. I don't like the feeling I get when I realize I've been scrolling for more than 5 minutes.
If you've made it this far: congrats! Let's meet in person and I'll treat you to ice cream!
The last few years have felt a lot like Keeping Up with the Joneses, the Kardashians and all the things. It has to stop somewhere, sometime, right? And I realize that I'm really the only one who has the power and control to say when.
So, I'm saying it. When? Now.
I am quitting social media for an undetermined amount of time. I don't know the details and I'm not putting a deadline on it. I just know that I will keep my Facebook business page and my Instagram account on-line, but I won't be posting actively.
I do want to continue to write and tell stories of business, life and everything in between here. It feels a bit silly for me to hold an English degree and see a year between posts. Ooops! I want to share photos from sessions I've loved, bar & bat mitzvahs that I'm proud of and stories of my clients-turned-friends. They say that your website should be a place you showcase the work you love the most, and that's what I'd love to spend the next unforeseen amount of time doing.
And if I'm honest? I'm going to be getting my hands dirty in the garden, because you can't hold a smartphone and be in the dirt at the same time. I want to ride bikes with my husband before there is a child strapped to us somehow, to finally face my fear of coasting down a hill without riding the brakes. I have an embarrassing amount of fabric in our house that is aching to be made into something gift-worthy, beautiful and treasured. And the people who stood alongside us on that warm November day when we said our vows? They deserve to see our real faces and hug us in real time, just like we deserve the same.
This decision has not been one I've come to quickly or that I think of lightly. In fact, I've been writing and re-writing this blog post for over a month! Probably because it's not easy to say you're doing something different or choosing a new, unchartered for you, kind of path.
It's what's best for now, but it's maybe not forever? Creating this space in my phone, in my daily routine, in my business and in my life has lent itself to a lot more meditation and contemplation. Real life coffee meetups and beers cheersing to good news and new journeys. Farmers market mornings and game nights with friends.
[Listing those things makes it sound like I was on social media most of the day. And honestly? Now that I haven't been scrolling for a few solid weeks / almost a month, I look back and realize that I really was "online" for most of a 24 hour period. YIKES.]
I share this not out of wanting a high five or praise or attention, but just because I don't feel good about posting daily for months and then crickets. This is a story I want to tell and it's a story that's working for me now. Maybe it doesn't work for you and social media fills you to the brim with positivity, constantly! Or you use it as a business tool and that's it. Either way: you have a choice.
In the early years of my business, I had a bookmarks folder called BLOGS I LOVE. And I'd put in the blogs and websites of photographers, writers and makers I most admired. When I took to poke around and read what was new, it was like meeting an old friend for coffee, chatting and catching up in their warm living room. I loved it! I get such an energy from reading other people's stories and words. Throw in a few images that really resonated and bam! A winning combination.
I'd be surprised, delighted and honored to be found in your bookmarks folder. There are dozens of possible blog posts I could write, filled with images that mean the world to me. I want to show you vintage photos of my family side by side with photos of clients from today, to prove that literally nothing but the tool has changed. I want to talk about the struggles of solo business ownership, tips and tricks that have worked for me and how, only after 10 years of business, I finally feel confident to share my pricing because I realize, deep in my heart of hearts, that what I can offer is worth it.
Ultimately, I want this to be a space for positivity, hope, community, love and growth. And to showcase the idea that I've had written on our chalkboard for months: little by little, good things do grow.
See you soon, friends!
Back in the Saddle Again // Personal
It's already end of March 2018 and this blog has not been updated in what feels like 100 years ... so, to recap:
- My handsome boyfriend proposed and we got engaged! HOORAY!
- We got married in November 2017! HIP HIP HOORAY!
There are so many stories, images and gold nuggets of magic I can't wait to share in the weeks and months to come. But for now, I will say this:
I am no longer going to photograph weddings.
Is that a mic drop? I'm not quite sure, but one thing I do know: I need to make some space, both in my life and in my career. I want to focus on the things I LOVE ENDLESSLY and the things I thrive in. For 2018 and beyond, these are working with my bar & bat mitzvah clients and the families who I have worked with for years and years (and new ones too!)
If I am spread too thin, photographing any and every job that comes my way, my attention is drawn less and less from the clients who have been with me from the start and the ones who continue to choose me as their family photographer. Cultivating those relationships (and the referrals they send my way) matters most to me.
If this bums you out: do not fear! My amazing friend, mentor and photographer of weddings Bernadette Fox is the gal you need to call. (Like right now, what are you waiting for, newly engaged people of the world?!)
Luis and I trusted her and her associate Kim with our day and they BLEW IT OUT OF THE WATER. I cry every time I see one of the images from our engagement and wedding day. I get butterflies when I see how handsome my husband looked that day (and okay, every day because I MARRIED UP). With little to no direction, they did everything I asked and everything I didn't or forgot to ask. We felt cared for and loved abundantly.
In an effort to maintain a balance between business, personal and the myriad of things in between, Luis and I have decided to not share the bulk of our wedding photos with the world. I will share with you the blog that Bernadette wrote and the images she shared there, but the rest? They are our story. It feels personal and vulnerable to share the thousands of images and videos from Bernadette PLUS our families and friends that we have from this day. We appreciate your love, support and understanding <3
Weddings by Bernadette // Bernadette Fox // Sydnee + Luis
Stay tuned as I navigate marriage, business, lifestyle changes and choices, a new job and what comes next! Oh and of course, your quarterly mini session date announcements :)
Fall Mini Sessions
I'd love to see more of you this fall at a few of my favorite fall color hang-out spots, where hugs, high fives and gummy bear bribes abound!
Fall Mini Sessions | September 17, October 14 & October 29
$250
25 minute lifestyle session
25 promised images delivered via online gallery + instant download + print release
Sessions can include up to 6 people - immediate family + pets only, please!
Gallery will be sent within 2-3 weeks after session date
NEW THIS YEAR!
First 5 bookings receive a complimentary 8x10 print!
Sunday, September 17: outdoor location - TBD
in case of bad weather, we will host your session at my NE Mpls studio
2:30 pm / BOOKED!
3 pm / BOOKED!
3:30 pm / BOOKED!
4 pm / BOOKED!
4:30 pm / BOOKED!
5 pm / BOOKED!
5:30 pm / BOOKED!
Saturday, October 14: outdoor location - TBD
in case of bad weather, Sunday, October 15 is the backup date
8:30 am / BOOKED!
9 am / BOOKED!
9:30 am / BOOKED!
10 am / BOOKED!
10:30 am / BOOKED!
11 am / BOOKED!
3 pm / BOOKED!
3:30 pm / BOOKED!
4 pm / BOOKED!
4:30 pm / BOOKED!
5 pm / BOOKED!
5:30 pm / BOOKED!
Sunday, October 29: NE Mpls Studio
2:30 pm / BOOKED!
3 pm / BOOKED!
3:30 pm / BOOKED!
4 pm / BOOKED!
4:30 pm / BOOKED!
5 pm / BOOKED!
To choose your session date & time option, send an email to sydnee [at] sydnee bickett [dot] com to check if your top choice is available! Upon receipt of your email, I will send you an invoice to pay the $250 fee.
10 days before your session, I'll send another note with information about location, parking, where to meet, what to bring & other goodies!
Dreams // Personal
She hates when I write about her on social media and the blog, but I think for the better part of 10 years, she's known I'm the touchy feely one who needs to write it out. So in advance, M: thank you.
She wore all black, tights with rips and gold bangles that clanged together when she whipped up lattes and played Beyonce when the owners were gone for the day. But her eyes? THE KINDEST EVER.
I was 21 and she was 20 and we were baristas at a Highland Park coffee shop (RIP White Rock!) and I was the new kid, hosting my 22nd birthday gathering just down the street after we closed up shop. Heart beating out of my chest, I asked her if she was doing anything or needed to study and if not, maybe just maybe you'd think it was okay to come to the party?
Those eyes glanced my way, she probably winked or smirked and said, "yeah girl, I'll be there." And that, my friends, was the beginning of a decades-long platonic life partnership between me and Marissa.
For the last 10 years, she's been there.
// When we were two stubborn girls who claimed we needed space or another stupid reason, we spent a few months apart. I ended up at a show she was at (which was pure fate, because I AM NOT a show person and she is) and in her flannel and tights, walked over to me and just hugged me. I hugged back, tighter than ever and that was that. She came back at a time I needed her and turns out, she needed me just as much.
// When I moved into my first apartment, Marissa came over and gave it her seal of approval. She would come over weekly, around 8 pm when I started my nightly OCD preparations: making a lunch for the next day, setting up the coffee pot to brew at approximately 6:35 am, laying my clothes out, setting up my workout for the morning. She claimed it was helping her be a better, more organized person. It made me feel like I was doing something right!
// When we were in our mid-20s and living on shoestrings with impending piles of student loan payments, she would call me up to meet her for coffee. Coffee turned into a walk around the block turned into a 5 mile walk. I never wore the right shoes. She had band-aids for my blisters.
My ever-present photography school subject who I have lovingly taught to "find the light and put your face there." She was photographed so much by the MCTC Photo & Digital Imaging Department that she was banned from the classroom and studios. Oops!
She's the original hustle, the original Mo Money, but most importantly, she's my person.
The recipient of many SOS HELP ME texts over the last 10 years and her constant advice that I've started to heed?
You be You girl. You do you. Love and be loved. 💛
We're only six weeks out from her wedding and less than 6 months from mine. On those 5+ mile walks when we were 23 we'd plan out our lives, filling them with hopes, dreams and by the end of the walk? Somewhat more realistic visions. When I think about that long list of wishes, I am overwhelmed with how many of those items are now checked off.
We hoped we'd meet our soulmates and they'd make us laugh. But also that they'd take out the trash. CHECK.
We hoped we'd be in each other's weddings and be the source of all calm and reason during the process. CHECK.
We planned to buy a duplex and live side by side until we were old ladies wearing mumus, having afternoon tea together and growing gardens. ALMOST CHECK.
Next life goal? DUPLEX.
Harry // newborn session
I say this a lot, but so many of my clients have been with me since the very beginning and when their family grows - either with the addition of a family member or the kids themselves grow like weeds! - it makes my heart swell with gratitude that they just KEEP COMING BACK.
For this family, I've known them since 2011 and with each season, they keep getting cuter and sweeter and make my heart flutter even faster! Charlie and Arthur are the kindest five year olds my world has ever known and I watch them with wonder whenever we're together. Maybe it's a personal fascination with twins thing, but I'm just drawn to them! And no matter how much time or how many miles have separated us since the last meeting, they still crawl up on my lap and we have the best conversations.
Mama Kate photographed my 30th pizza birthday party and told me that night in 2015 that they would be moving to Denver - INSERT ALL THE CRYING HERE. I knew it was for the best for their family but it didn't stop me from secretly praying our paths would cross again.
Fast forward to 2016 and she announced she was pregnant - surprise! - with baby #3. In Denver! I immediately started my unashamed proclamations of "PLEASE CHOOSE ME FOR THE NEWBORN SESSION!" only every other day. I eventually wore her down (kidding - she told me I was her first choice - YAAAAS!) and we made the plans.
I combined a trip to Denver onto my yearly Visit the Grandparents in Phoenix trip and Luis met me at the airport to start an adventure that would lead to our engagement, a stay in a Tiny House and one of the best weeks of my entire life.
Baby Harry arrived a few days late to an anxious set of parents and older brothers who were waiting on pins and needles to meet him ... and best of all, we didn't know Harry was Harry until he was born! BEST SURPRISE EVER!
Luis and I had just finished hiking the Flatirons in Boulder, CO when Kate texted: boy baby is here. Happy. Healthy. More later! HALLELUJAH! Talk about that Rocky Mountain high <3 We made plans to do the session a couple days later.
Our engagement took place less than 24 hours before this session and friends, this will forever be the most memorable session of my career. It was pure euphoria: sweet newborn baby smells, puppy ear scratches, 5 year old cuddles, strong & brave mama, the kindest papa ... I couldn't ask for more!
These nearly five year old twins Charlie and Arthur are two of my favorite humans in the world and no matter the time we are apart, they always curl their growing limbs into my lap and we have the best conversations.
"Do you need those glasses to see?" "I have my fingernails painted! Why aren't yours painted?" "I have a camera too! Let me take your picture!" "I'm asking for a new Batman book for my birthday!" "Did you know XYZ about these super heroes?" "OH! Did you know we have a new baby here?!"
And this, folks, is the next most amazing human in the world: Lil Harry Sommers.
You'll thank me when he's ruling the world in about five years, just like his brothers ;)
Next life goal? Move to Colorado and photograph these kids for the rest of their lives.
Sommers family: you have my heart forever. The bliss and love I feel in your home is unmatched and I know in my heart this won't be the last time. Thank you for always choosing me, supporting me and being the kind of parents Luis and I hope to be someday. All the love in the world to you!
Summer Mini Sessions
Summer is almost here and this means warm nights, stunning golden light, ice cream treats and MINI SESSIONS!
Last summer, I offered summer mini sessions for the first time and as you can see from the evidence above, WE HAD A BLAST! I'd love to see more of you this summer at two of my favorite Minneapolis spots, where hugs, high fives and ice cream bribes abound!
August Mini Sessions | August 14 & August 16
$250
25 minute lifestyle session
25 promised images delivered via online gallery + instant download + print release
Sessions can include up to 6 people - immediate family + pets only, please!
Gallery will be sent within 2-3 weeks after session date
NEW THIS YEAR!
First 5 bookings receive a complimentary 8x10 print!
August 14: outdoor location - Mill City area - rain date is August 15
5 pm /
5:30 pm / BOOKED!
6 pm / BOOKED!
6:30 pm / BOOKED!
7 pm / BOOKED!
7:30 pm / BOOKED!
August 16: outdoor location - Silverwood Park - rain date is August 17
5 pm /
5:30 pm / BOOKED!
6 pm / BOOKED!
6:30 pm / BOOKED!
7 pm /
7:30 pm /
To choose your session date & time option, email me (sydnee@sydneebickett.com) to check if your top choice is available! Upon receipt of your email, I will send you an invoice to pay the $250 fee (+tax). 10 days before your session, I'll send another note with information about parking, where to meet, what to bring & other goodies!
Denver Family Sessions
About four years ago, I traveled to San Francisco and Oakland for the first-ever Sydnee Bickett Photography destination family sessions. It was hands down, one of the most formidable moves of my career. Working in a location I was unfamiliar with, with families I only knew via email referrals and honestly, those hills! I didn't think my rental car (or my sanity!) would make it! But we did, and the images I captured during those couple of days remain some of my favorite images to date.
When I found out at my 30th birthday party in 2015 that Kate, a dear photographer friend and mom of those darling twin boys pictured above, was moving to Denver with her family, I was heartbroken. They were always up for being guinea pigs and let me do in-home sessions at their cute NE Mpls home. BUT! She did tell me that I could come visit whenever ... and turns out, when she told me she was expecting her 3rd baby this spring, she invited me to come for the newborn family session! HALLELUJAH!
Turns out, Luis LOVES Denver. Like, sometimes, I worry he loves those mountains more than me. (KIDDING) But he seriously has told me since day 1 of our relationship that it is one of his favorite places in the world and now that he's a die-hard mountain biker, he's ecstatic to be along for the ride this April.
Sooo... without further ado! SBP is coming to Denver in April! I'm working with Kate's family and would love to capture a handful more!
I've learned time and again that the #1 reason for my success in this business goes to my clients and their willingness to consistently spread the love on my behalf. I love paying them back, so for this Denver trip, I'd love to offer the following:
Comment on the post on my FB page HERE & tag someone you know in Denver who may be interested in an in-home family mini session! If they book a session, YOU WIN a discounted 2017 mini session slot - love those win wins!
RULES:
* You must tag your friend on this link: http://bit.ly/2n7tUpL!
* You must be available for upcoming 2017 mini session dates (announced at the beginning of April!)
* You must love donuts ;)
Help me spread the love, friends! <3
Mad for Miranda // Temple Israel Minneapolis Bat Mitzvah
#MitzvahMonday is back for fall and boy, did I miss sharing these amazing life cycle events over the last few months! But now we're back in the swing of a new year and so many fabulous events are coming up on my calendar that I couldn't be more excited about!
Last spring, I worked with Miranda and her family for her bat mitzvah and it was nothing short of fabulous, amazing, surprising, beautiful and filled to the brim with moments that I hope her family remembers forever.
We photographed fun portraits Saturday morning at Temple Israel in Minneapolis, where the service and luncheon were held. Miranda did a beautiful job in the service - so poised and eloquent!
The luncheon was from another world, as Miranda's Alice in Wonderland theme was planned and executed beautifully by Allie with Amy Zaroff Events & Design. Mom Vanessa showed her crafty side with a few of the details and Deco Catering was delicious as always.
I can't wait for you to see the party photos! Oh boy!! Miranda was surprised and welcomed to her party by a live Mad Hatter - he stayed in character the entire night and it was fabulous! All the guests were thrilled, a bit frightened and it was perfect! The Minneapolis Golf Club was a great spot for both kids and adults to enjoy the decor, theme and the slow motion booth by Playatta. And of course, the party was complete with Ross from A-List Entertainment keeping everything moving and grooving ;)
I loved working with Miranda and her family for this event - I just cannot say enough about how gracious, fabulous and awesome they are! A lovely and ideal client in every sense of the word. PLUS! They were willing to be guinea pigs in my first Facebook LIVE video when I delivered their final package - what troopers! Take a peek here, if you'd like. LINK TO VIDEO
Endless Mazel Tovs to you, Gollins! I enjoyed every minute! I can't wait to deliver your beautiful album this week :)
My Why: I pay another photographer to document my family
Soon after Luis and I started dating (3 months in, to be exact!), I had him join me at a mini session with Sara Montour with the point of my getting images for a new branding announcement that summer. I brought a dozen sprinkle donuts and milk and we had a blast! Luis came in for a few shots (after Sara's gentle prodding) and for as comfortable as I am in front of the camera, he is not. He's a behind the scenes - behind the lens kind of guy and I love him for that! Looking back at those images, I am so grateful that Sara pushed Luis into the limelight for a few seconds, because now, we have these fun, light-hearted handful of images together at the very beginning of our story.
Later that year, I kept seeing all these styled images popping up over Instagram - fellow photographers drinking coffee on their couch at home, playing with their kids in the backyard, holding their cameras all cutesy and enjoying wine on a patio with friends. Basically, they were LOVING LIFE and having it professionally documented. I kept thinking there was some kind of big secret or trick behind this. Surely, these talented photographers had put their cameras on a tripod and mastered the art of the selfie in a big way.
When I met and started a friendship with Duluth photographer Amanda Cane of JaneCane Photography, I quickly realized we were kindred spirits. Mostly because she dumbed a lot of things down for me and smacked me over the head with a few others when it came to business: those photographers? THEY HIRED SOMEONE to take those beautiful photos! Another photographer!
Hold the phone for a second: a professional photographer with talent, education and professional gear PAYS someone else with the same credentials to do the job they can do, simply to document their story in an authentic and candidly real way ... and to self-promote. I felt like such a dummy for never realizing it before! But once I realized it, I was totally in :)
And suddenly, Luis and I were moving in together and I felt ALL THE FEELINGS about this big huge moment in our life together. I called my friend Jen of Jen Meneghin Photography and she came over to our first home together, to document us eating breakfast and riding bikes. I'm grateful for those images, since we ended up moving to a different area and different apartment soon after we did the session with Jen. Plus, we incorporated Luis' love of biking into the session - and since then, his adoration for bikes has grown even more!
Approaching our two year anniversary, Luis and I trekked to Duluth in February, on the coldest day of the winter to do an in-studio session with Amanda. We immediately connected with Amanda over our quiet, loving dudes being paired with loud, big dreamer photographers :) Luis and I left that day, being reminded of how much we love each other and cuddling in front of the camera is something that looks so natural - even though if we were to listen to the soundtrack of our session, it was filled with nervous laughter and Amanda's amazing laugh.
We went back to Duluth last fall to adventure through Chester Creek and an amazing lookout spot with Amanda. Our session went into the evening, when we shared a meal and beers with Amanda and her fiancee Drew. We left that night, turning to each other and saying simultaneously, "those are good people. Those are OUR PEOPLE."
With each session that we do (and Luis endures!), I'm grateful to have our story documented in photos. Of course, we have endless selfies and funny slo-mo videos documenting our big and small moments, but nothing compares to the physical prints and albums we have in our home.
Someday, our kids will grab the red album off the shelf and point and laugh at our goofy 2 year anniversary session or ask Luis where the green bike went from the black album. They'll laugh at the way that I trekked through a waterfall with heeled boots and made french press coffee in the woods (which was really, truly, a parking spot!).
These images, these stories, are the stories that fill our life and they document how our love has grown and changed through the years. Thankfully, gratefully, we have what feels like an endless group of friends who are talented photographers and beautiful souls who we can ask to come to our home, join us for donuts and coffee and a bike ride.
And guess what? I believe those friends should be paid for their work. Because I believe I should be paid for my own work, doing the same for my fabulous clients. Because sure, I could set up a timer and we could be our goofy selves, but I think there's something so rewarding and revealing about seeing your story in the lens of another person. All of these photographers have different styles and different personalities and DIFFERENT EYES.
Being vulnerable in front of another photographer's lens allows me to feel so clearly the process that my own clients go through before their sessions with me. I'm grateful for this vulnerability because it allows me to pinpoint how I can shift my process to give them more details beforehand and more direction in the session. But that excitement I feel when I get that "your photos are ready!" email? I hope my clients feel that same level of giddiness!
Whether they are big or small moments, your story deserves to be documented for you in the right now and for future generations in the times to come.
Affirmations + Goals // Good Vibes Series
This post is the first in series I'm starting called the Good Vibes Series, taking one day a week to let you into the more personal side of this business: Me! I want to share tidbits of how I make it happen as a solo businesswoman, stories of my friends and family who have pushed and supported me and tools that may just help you on your journey. Whether you're a photographer, a student, a parent or my family (hey guys!), I believe that part of having a platform of sharing online comes with the responsibility to put positivity into the world. We can all use good vibes, a strong community of support and an extra dose of gold glitter fun, right?
///
Back in December, I started doing some goal tending work for 2017. Historically, I love New Years Eve - the promise of a new year, a fresh start, the gold (surprise surprise!) and the excitement of a NYE kiss ... all so fun!
I'd make goals every year too. Maybe your goals look something like this?
- Run more
- Eat fewer sweets
- Get more steps in per day
- Build my business
- Learn to love winter
The thing is, these goals weren't specific. They weren't very quantifiable. What exactly is "more" when you're a former marathon runner? Fewer sweets in relation to like 5 donuts a week? How exactly was I going to build my business? When it's -20 for 5 days straight and you're stuck inside, how do you love winter?
I turned to Lara Casey and her Goal Setting series on her blog. Confession: I still have a set of undated PowerSheets from 2013 that will be broken out in the next couple of weeks ... Like I said, great at setting goals, but not so awesome at tending SPECIFIC goals. You can find the series here. It was super helpful to me and I realized a couple of specific goals that I'll lay out in a future blog post, but one thing I found I need to cultivate?
Me.
Wow. When I wrote that in my notebook, it was like a bell starting ringing, the choir started singing the Alleluia chorus and I felt such a sense of freedom. All from writing the phrase:
I matter. I need to spend less time spreading myself to others and more time spread to me.
Next, I wrote that I wanted to do my self-care in small doses every day. To choose activities or reflections that awaken gratitude, light, breath, sweat, smiles, laughter and generally, make my gold-glitter heart beat faster!
I shared this nugget with my good friend Elizabeth and she said she was starting a gratitude journal as part of her self-care regiment for 2017. She challenged me to do the same, since gratitude was #1 on my list of things to awaken. I purchased the Five Minute Journal (here on Amazon!) and I started it on January 4. You do not need to purchase this journal to start feeling more grateful, friends! This is just what works for me!
My morning and evening routine have changed drastically. These dark January mornings, I drink 15 ounces of warm water with lemon and sit in my Great-Gram's rocker (re-covered and fabulous, as seen above!) and I write out the morning portion of the journal.
The first few days I did this, I came to the Affirmations section and I thought, THIS IS TOTAL CRAP. I have no clue what to write! So I started writing this mantra of "I am capable. I am doing good work. I am strong. I can do the work that is hard and grow." I had no clue where the mantra came from; I wrote it down anyway! Then I'd shut the book and go on my day.
This week, I encountered a situation where I encountered a few opportunities that left me thinking: "this person does not realize how amazing they are!" So I told them! "You are strong, brave and capable of doing good work! You can grow from this experience."
When I went home that afternoon, I sat down and had another a-ha moment. That person who didn't realize their potential? Was me like 30 days ago.
#RealTalk: I've always heard my friend Elizabeth telling me I needed to start believing I'm doing well for myself, I'm strong and capable of doing hard work (that mantra!). I kept telling her it was total crap. Until she called me on that! I suddenly realized that my humble nature was turning into a feeling of low self esteem and self worth. Pushing aside other's positive comments toward me in disbelief.
Today? 16 days into the 5 minute journal and I'm so happy to say I'm on the other side of this feeling of inadequacy. It really is true that recognizing gratitude in your life totally turns your thought process on it's head!
When Luis tells me I'm beautiful, I say "thank you! I sure am!" which makes both of us laugh, because it's something I've never told myself before. When a client sends me great feedback, I repeat the mantra to myself: You did a great job! You are so creative! Sometimes, I even read the feedback out loud to myself, three times.
The self-care goal? Still in place.
To revisit, I wrote that I want to make time for those activities or reflections that awaken:
- gratitude (the 5 Minute Journal!),
- light (waking up early enough to see a glimpse of sunrise!),
- breath (reminding myself to breathe in deep during workouts, even at the grocery store!),
- sweat (I'm part of an accountability fitness group working on exercise, diet and lifestyle changes),
- smiles (looking at photos of our friends and family smiling in our apartment makes me smile!),
- laughter (Luis takes care of this, usually!)
and generally, make my gold-glitter heart beat faster!
This is still a work in progress, friends. I'm not perfect. Sometimes, I fall asleep before I write in the evening portion of the journal. Sometimes, I miss the gym or I eat more donuts than I should. But, we're just people. We're just human and for as much patience as we ought to have with each other, we should give just as much to ourselves.
All this to say: You're doing a great job! Keep up the good, hard work! You are strong, brave and capable. Good things grow, little by little and you can make good happen. YAY!
New Year // 2017 Goals
Happy 2017, friends!
Here we are, January 4. If you remember, last January 4 was my first full day as a full-time business owner (if you need a refresher, click here). What a day that was! I felt such promise, opportunity and growth right at my finger tips!
2016 was a true year of growth and growing pains, opportunity and refining my mission as a business owner and so many pinch-me moments. As I moved through the year, I just couldn't help but grin from ear to ear that I was really, truly, living out my dream. But it hasn't been all gold glitter hearts, sunshine and smelling the roses. I've written a little bit about the challenges of owning a business and trust me, there is more to come this year. If I've learned anything about my almost 10 years in business, I've heard that it's so HELPFUL to hear about the experiences of others so you can learn and grow in your own journey. One of my goals this year is to write more about those experiences so ya'll can hopefully grow too.
Last summer was a dream summer. I had a few bumps in the road, but I worked hard on actually taking a bit of a break. I did my morning coffee walks with Luis and felt my heart just soar in our relationship. We spent time camping and outdoors and I felt so filled to the brim with possibility. And rest. True rest. For someone who never does this and has historically actually disliked nature and sweating in summertime, this was amazing! Luis and I traveled to Washington DC and spent our first vacation together really growing as people and as a couple - plus, with a tour guide like Mary and a chef like Tim, how could you go wrong?! I'd love to share more about this trip soon.
Once the plane wheels hit the tarmack at MSP, I hit the ground running.
> First ever SBP summer mini sessions? CHECK.
> 9 bar and bat mitzvahs from August to December 2016. CHECK.
> 5 days of fall mini sessions and 30 families? CHECK.
> 2 trips to the MN State Fair and an eventful camping weekend? CHECK.
> Married off my sweet cousin Megan to Kyle and discovered a love for embroidery with my Gram? CHECK.
> 5 newborn babies, a couple weddings, a few engagement parties and finding a new studio? CHECK.
The holidays came and we celebrated with grateful hearts and here I am, exhausted. The end of December came and I had on my calendar time set aside to rest, regroup, work on goals for 2017. Start working on personal quilting and embroidery projects, reconnecting with friends and continuing kicking butt at this new-to-me 21 Day Fix Beachbody program. "Resting" but still checking everything off my to-do list.
Instead? I kept working. I kept my email open and on and the cookies baking and the coffee flowing.
But this week? I'm readjusting. I'm regrouping. I'm working on getting out of my own way to start seeing where growth has and is happening that I didn't even see because I was too busy.
I've read Emily Ley's Grace Not Perfection and Lara Casey's Make It Happen since Thanksgiving after previously starting the books and pushing them aside, thinking, "This is totally not for me. This is too emotional and of course they can take breaks from work to rest! They're making oodles of money! They have employees! This ship is a solo one for me!" But guess what, friends? There is so much truth in those pages.
In the last year, I told myself if I wasn't busy and checking off my list, I wasn't being a good enough business owner. I told myself that I had to keep working, keep busy and hustle. Good things happen to those who hustle, right?!
But a funny thing happened: when I took Mondays and Fridays off this summer, I felt rested. I felt solid in my relationships because I had time to devote to them. I enjoyed the sunshine and I had new ideas running through my brain like wildfire. I unplugged.
But once we returned from our vacation, I plugged back in and I stayed that way. I forgot to rest. I forgot to take days off for Luis and I to spend time together. My time with my parents became business-oriented, not family-oriented.
Years ago, sitting across the table eating ice cream together, my sweet friend Erin told me: It's okay to say no to good things. Four years later and it took a few burst-into-tear sessions for Luis to finally get through to me with this same idea.
I needed to make some hard choices in how I spent my time in order for our family and my business to grow. I had to say no to a few people and organizations I volunteer with. I had to say no to spending two days a week with three amazing kids as their nanny. I had to re-color code my calendar to tell myself that I'll take a lunch break and a workout break and a walking break every day. I have to choose myself (#selfcare!), our relationship, my business and our families and friends before I choose busy. I need to say YES to the things that fill and fuel me. (I'm still working on this list - I'll keep you updated when it's finished!)
.All this to say: I'm still a work in progress! I have a hard time saying no to work, to events and to sessions that will bring in more money. But I'm choosing to not work 1 Saturday a month so that I can really unplug and connect back into my relationships. I'm choosing to not work or meet clients or do sessions or events on Sundays.
2016 was a year filled with joy. At every turn, I almost fell to my knees in gratitude. I have been abundantly blessed by those I've crossed paths with this year. Onward and upward into 2017 :)
Thankful // Personal
During a time of year when it's common to look back at the year behind us, I've spent so many hours on the computer, editing away, sending images of families to my mini session clients and bar / bat mitzvah clients. And I've been grinning from ear to ear.
In the last two weeks, I have watched a handful of friends and family experience some pretty scary health issues. I've been praying, sending positive vibes virtually and attempting with all my might to push all negative thoughts aside. I've had a cold that has bubbled itself up from months of busy-ness and I haven't exercised in I don't know how long. Thanksgiving came and went and I cooked my first turkey dinner with Luis' mom by my side. It was blissful. But the next day, we received news of more friends with health concerns.
In all the crazy of the world today, there is one thing I can count on: With my camera in hand, I can walk into a synagogue, a party filled with lights and music, my light-filled studio, a family's home or favorite spot and I FEEL LIKE I'M HOME.
I chat it up with the grandparents and I feel like I'm hugging my own, who live in 2 different states and feel so far away during the holidays.
I play on the floor with the toddlers and snuggle the babies and I feel 100% myself. I crack jokes about bodily functions with kids and teenagers and I feel like the most popular kid in school.
I adjust the Tallis and marvel at the big family groups on the Bima steps and I see generations of legacy and tradition before my eyes.
I walk into these situations and I know exactly what to do. I know which lens and manual settings to use because I've been doing this for nine years and it feels like riding a bike. I just keep clicking. I chase the light and a few weeks later, I hand-deliver images I hope you'll treasure forever.
This past year of full-time #bosslady status has taught me so much, more than I could put down in words here. Now more than ever, I've realized that working with all of you FUELS me in a way no workout or run ever could. When I count my blessings, I count all of you. Twice.
When life feels heavy and weighted with every reason to get my anxiety brewing again, I'm endlessly grateful for all of you.
For the Cuban Shuffles, the Dabs and the Horas I've captured this year and swayed along to, I'm grateful.
For the baby smiles and coos and even the spit-ups, I'm grateful.
For all the tickle fights, the fart jokes and the times I opened a "THESE ARE AMAZING!" email, I'm grateful.
As the sun moves from sunset to sunrise and we all wake up tomorrow to December 1 - to the start to the holiday month of parties, cookies, lights, trees, menorahs, songs and carols - I want to say thank you.
Thank you times infinity. 💛
Brooks // the first year
Ten of the longest fingers I've seen on a newborn. One sweet button nose. Two long skinny legs. A squeaky baby voice that sounds only when he's hungry or his parents & photographer want him to wear too-big Nike shoes (see the end of the slideshow below for proof!).
Brooks Robert is a handsome guy who showed his big personality during the newborn studio session - from his want to have a hand under his chin, to kicking his legs out of the swaddle. This guy takes up space (tall and skinny, just like Dad!) and I was worried he wouldn't fit in my baskets! But he curled up quite well and took direction ... as much as you can give a not yet week old baby.
I love documenting these first few weeks of life - all the details that as they grow, might become foggy memories. I hear babies grow quickly and they don't keep ... so all the more reason to have these precious days captured!
brooks // fresh session
Rachel & Brian welcomed Brooks Robert just a few days past his due date on the 9th anniversary of my business, the anniversaries of some dear clients, the birthdays of a few others ... needless to say, it was a big day!
In my network of photographer friends, there are a few who offer a Fresh Session, or a session within 48 hours after birth wherever the family has delivered - hospital, home, birth center. In my life as a person and friend (not photographer), I have only seen a newborn that NEW maybe twice in my life, so I was a little anxious about offering this option to clients without trying it out first. Brian & Rachel were more than gracious and said "YES!" right away, which eased my nerves just a bit.
When I walked into their hospital room, it was a flurry of Grandmas, a new Dad and a new Mom trying to figure things out. I was missing one key person: the new baby! Turns out, he was sleeping soundly in his bassinet right next to me :)
I shared the following text on my Instagram for Father's Day, which happened to be right after Brooks' arrival, and it's one of my favorite captions to date, so I'll share it here too:
“It often feels like every time I turn on the radio or the TV or log into Facebook that the world is such a strange place. I don’t want to make any kind of political or news-worthy statement here, other than to say that there are days I look out the window and wonder what crazy thing will come next.
Then there are moments like this, when new life bursts forth into the world and I’m stopped right in my tracks. New parents looking at this little wonder like they’re meeting someone they’ve always known for the very first time. Like your whole life is right there, all your hopes and dreams and visions for a perfect world are held inside that tiny person.
I’m abundantly grateful for these two who invited me into this corner of their world to capture this process and for the reminder that every day is a beautiful day when a baby is born.
And whatever is happening outside? No worry. Because right here? Life is infinitely perfect. ”
Welcome to the world, Brooks. I'm so grateful you're here and I can't wait to watch you grow this first year and then for decades and decades after that. You are so loved!
rachel // maternity
Is there anything sweeter than friends and beloved clients having their first baby? I've said it before, but I could talk about how much I endlessly love seeing clients go from engaged to married to first baby and second and ... ! Life is such a miracle and I'm blessed to be chosen to capture it for such dear people like Brian & Rachel.
I knew Brian in high school, when student council shenanigans ran high and the next thing I know, he's contacting me because he recently asked Rachel to marry him. From our first meeting at their save the date session, I had a gut feeling these two were something extraordinary. Their wedding day was nothing short of fabulous and actually, it was the final wedding I shot as a marketed wedding photographer. I'd say I ended on a high note ;)
Fast forward to fall 2015 and I'm offering studio mini sessions. Brian contacts me with a request to do an anniversary session. I jump at the chance to see these two again! They arrived at the studio with a secret surprise: they were expecting!! I will never forget the moment of standing in my old studio, these two beaming and we're all crying happy tears. It ended up that it wasn't an anniversary session after all, but a pregnancy announcement they were planning to share with the future grandparents in two weeks at Thanksgiving.
After a long winter, spring arrived and with it, a baby bump! We met at a park near my home to photograph this mystery baby - Brian & Rachel chose not to find out the gender until birth, so these photos mean that much more, at least to me. Little did we know there was a little ....
I'm not going to spoil the surprise until I share the "fresh" session we did at the hospital less than 24 hours after the little one arrived. If we thought we were all heart eyes over these maternity images, wait until I share the ones coming up ... grab a Kleenex! :)
cali // senior
Flashback 2 is here with Cali! I first met this darling girl a few years back through my work with the Liz Logelin Foundation. She is fierce and delightful, strong and brave and her smile lights up so many rooms and lives. Cali is a dear and the best big sister to her sweet sis.
Keep loving big and dreaming bigger, Cali! Best wishes on your next big adventure :)
