About Perfect Timing

This sentiment just seems to go naturally with the last post about the {D} family.  There's more to the story about the timing of all of it, but suffice it to say...

Blessings to you and yours,

Karen and Tina



 In Memory of Baby {B}

January 13, 2012-June 11, 2012

A couple of weeks ago I received a call from a stranger who introduced herself as an older sister to a new mommy of a terminally ill baby boy who was just 4 months old.  On behalf of her sister she was desperately seeking someone to take professional photos of him before he passed away.  For a couple of weeks she had been frantically trying to contact photographers who have volunteered their services for just this purpose with no luck.  She told me she had contacted 10 photographers and not one had called her back.  

We normally photograph happy occasions and milestones so this blindsided us.  Additionally we were swamped with other jobs and timelines and not sure how we could commit to this endeavor since the window of time was potentially very small.  But a little voice in my head told me this challenge was placed in our path for a reason and God would help us find a way.  And He did.

We knew going into this that it may be a difficult session but we were prepared to provide a service that was very important to them. What we didn’t think about was how it would change us.  They opened their hearts and shared the story of their beautiful baby with us, and we instantly felt a connection with this adorable family of five.  Often we as humans find ourselves asking how or why things like this happen but I sensed after spending time with them that their baby touched the lives of not only those that loved him, but those they had never even met until this time in their lives. Photographing this family in the face of a tragedy allowed us to witness first hand how God has given them strength, courage, grace, humility and love to deal with His plan for Baby {B}.

We have been in contact with them since then getting some things ready for the time when they will want to share his beautiful images with their loved ones at his funeral services.  We were just a sprinkle in his timeline on earth, but he and his family have left their footprints on our hearts forever.  

Yesterday we received the call that Baby {B} had passed from this life and is now resting in peace in the arms of God. With heavy hearts we are thinking of his beautiful family in their time of sorrow and wish to extend our deepest sympathy to them. 

Go in Peace,

Tina

 

"Have courage for the great sorrows of life, and patience for the small ones.  And when you have laboriously accomplished your daily tasks, go to sleep in Peace.  God is awake."  ~Victor Hugo

{A} is for A…dorable, Amiable, Athletic and All Around AWESOME!!!

Last week we had the distinct pleasure of taking senior photos of the beautiful and photogenic Miss {A}.   Let me just say, we’ve had some beautiful seniors before and we are not comparing but this whole session rocked!!! 

We shot in downtown Chandler and we got there a little early just to get set up and be ready.  Uh-oh…there’s a jazz festival going on right where we want to shoot…AND a wedding!  I was immediately worried about how Amy would feel having crowds around her as she posed for her photos.  Not to worry though.  She was a pro from the word “go” and we found lots of great spots to showcase some urban photos of this beautiful senior.

Usually we shoot a lot of photos because we will have a lot to delete.  I can honestly say the only ones we had to delete were our fault…blurry, cut off hand, etc.  We had so many to choose from that it was nearly impossible to narrow them down!  What a fun session to edit, spending time looking at her beautiful blue eyes, perfect skin, white teeth and amazing smile!  She definitely has a sparkle that our camera likes!

We hope you’ll like this little sampling as much as we do.  And…the good news is that {A} is having another session with us in a different setting, different clothes and different hairstyle.  We are over the moon happy about that!

Do you know someone who needs senior photos taken?  We’re here and waiting.  We would absolutely LOVE to specialize in seniors.  They are SO much fun!!!

Blessings to you and yours,

Karen

“A smile is the light in your window that tells others that there is a caring, sharing person inside.”  ~Denis Waitley

It's Christmas Time...Our Wish for You!

Our wish for friends, family and those we don't yet know...

PEACE

HOPE

LOVE

JOY...

And on that note, here's our card for you...

Love,

"The Sisters"



Are You Taking Time to Enjoy the Little Things?

The Christmas rush is definitely on and we're right in the middle of it with the rest of you!!!   Every year I say I'm going to take time to enjoy the season with all its meaning and in all it's glory!   I succeed in small ways but still manage to get behind on the other things I "need" to get done!

One thing we're both taking time to do this season is a little daily photo project called "Picture the Holidays".   Each day we get a prompt with a note about something we should focus on that day and try to capture with all of our creativity and imagination in a photo that is meaningful to us.   It goes until the end of the month and each day I look forward with anticipation to the day's assignment.   For the most part, I'm getting things done on time but sometimes I have to work on two or three at a time.   At the end, we'll be able to print a book and I can't wait for that! I  also can't wait to compare our photos for each theme of the day since we sometimes see things with such a different eye!

Today's theme is "Wrapped With Love" and since I haven't wrapped a single thing yet, I'm thinking I'd better get busy on that part first.   Here are some of my other favorites though, along with their theme.   I won't bore you will all 19 of them but if there's a way to do it, I'll share my book at the end!

Merry Christmas everyone!   Take a few moments to stop and breathe and look around you and take in the beauty of the season and of your surroundings.  Spend some time with people who matter.  Don't let yourself get so caught up in what you have to get done that you miss it all!

Day ONE...So thankful for yet another birthday...
and for being able to spend it with ALL my kids and grandkids!

A well-worn page and something I need to be reminded of often...

Perhaps you should start here...TODAY!

And since I can't imagine Christmas without my adorable granddaughers in it, here they are...

So what is it you need to be focused on today?  I hope you'll take a few minutes and enjoy some of the splendor and the beauty that surrounds you, whatever that may be.  For myself, I'm going to get my gifts wrapped so I can take a photo or two of them and remember how beautiful they are and how special the people are they are wrapped for!

Since our posts seem to be few and far between right now, let us take this opportunity to wish you a Christmas that is full of love, joy, peace and many blessings!

Love,

May you have the gladness of Christmas which is hope;
The spirit of Christmas which is peace;
The heart of Christmas which is love.
~Ada V. Hendricks



The {V}ery beautiful {V} family....

Planning ahead for family portraits when all family members will be together is a great idea.  This smart Mom and Dad knew both boys would be visiting at the same time and seized the opportunity to schedule some family photos.  The results of a lovely late October afternoon session are as beautiful as they are and should provide them with memories of their time together forever!

There's plenty more for them to choose from where these came from and there's not a bad photo in the bunch!  Have you scheduled your family session?  What are you waiting for?

"You don't choose your family: 

they are God's gift to you 

as you are to them."

                             ~Desmond Tutu

                           

                 Tina

Sister's Weekend: Part I

Dear Sisters~ I wanted to compile our photos together and do a series of blogs about our sisters weekend to Bisbee in November.  Our photography blog seemed like the perfect vehicle to share our collective photos and stories.  For our offspring, spouses and friends at home wondering or (more likely) imagining just what do we do on sister’s weekends? ...read on!

Tombstone Arizona

Getting all 5 of us headed toward the same destination is nothing short of a miracle, even at this stage of our lives.  This year, surgeries, sprained ankles, and the loss of a loved one threatened to derail our plans, but I think we all had a strong sense of the importance of spending the weekend together during the one year mark following our mom’s passing.

We piled in the car and headed toward Bisbee with a (roundabout) stop for Starbucks in Tucson and a little planned time in Tombstone, Arizona.  It amazes me that despite the fact we were all born and raised in Arizona, there are so many places we have never been.  Tombstone was one of those places, for me anyway.  If Tombstone were on my bucket list I guess I could check it off the list because once you’ve seen Tombstone….well let’s just say there’s really no need to go back unless you’re taking relatives from back East (ahem…) who want a taste of the Wild Wild West!   

And this one's for you!

Tombstone has stagecoaches, and gun fights, and turquoise stores, and yes lots and lots of tourists….we were 5 of them!



I think I heard a certain sister comment on more than one occasion that this gentleman was
"very nice looking"...



Tourists ...yes that's (3 of) us!



We decided to have lunch at Big Nose Kate’s Saloon and when we travel by 5’s we get lots of questions.  The local cowboy was no exception and found us to be the perfect subjects to volunteer to take pictures with OUR cameras for us. 

Caution: Content not intended for young children

Before we knew it we were being herded to the poker table, dressed in Western attire and handed shotguns and moonshine bottles. 

You should have seen the "serious faced" version!

I’m not sure how or why but I was the lucky one he chose to put in the coffin, hang a noose around my neck and take my picture. I must look lile a "2 bit tramp".  We promptly paid our tab and left Big Nose Kate’s.  My reputation was tarnished.

About 20 stores later-2 times each (did I say Angie likes to shop?),  3 propositions to take a stagecoach tour, an equine chat between Kim, the stagecoach driver and 2 Clydesdales, multiple photo ops,  and 2 3 trips to the “public” bathroom, we blew that popsicle stand and headed for Bisbee!

As we decompressed from the hurried pace we keep in our every day lives we had to laugh at each other.  We took turns demonstrating how the aging process and stress have taken their toll on our brains!  First it was my turn.  As we were nearing a Picacho Peak road sign I saw a grove of trees and commented that I thought they were Pecan Trees, but the sign infiltrated my thought process and suddenly I was proclaiming that they must be Picacho trees…(thinking Pistachio but saying Picacho!)  I followed with “do Picacho’s grow on trees?”  A moment of silence followed while everyone processed what I had just said and then we busted out in laughter.

Cindy took a turn with a new twist on an old phrase about Hell but as further proof of that comment I made about aging brains…I’ve forgotten exactly what she said, but it was very funny at the time!

As we approached Bisbee, Angie saw a bowling alley in the middle of nowhere and commented “look we could stop and bowl a square, a …square?  What is it called?”  A frame Angie, we could bowl a frame. 

We knew it was only a matter of time before the others slipped up at the rate we were going. 

Unlike the days of our youth,  there were no fights about who got to sit by the window, who got to ride in front, who ate all the snacks or who got the bathtub first when we got there.  Our bickering days of childhood... a thing of the past, have been replaced with chuckles and grins!  And not unlike the times we spent in the Buick "Vista Cruiser" stationwagon, we cruised on through the Arizona desert towards the town of Bisbee, Arizona!

                                                                                                                   To be continued…

As Thanksgiving and the Holidays approach I am reminded of all that I have to be thankful for.  I count my sister's amongst my richest Blessings and I love you all!

                                                                                  Tina