Michigan winters, poppyseed muffins, and cute kitties.

The morning was bright. Bright enough to lay beams across the carpet. And warm enough to invite Phara Kitty to sleep in its rays. It might've been my day off, but I couldn't even wait for the alarm clock to go off. I was so excited for a day spent with my Sweetie, that I bounced out of bed and into the kitchen to make muffins-- lemon poppyseed muffins. I like muffins.

We spent our day purposefully loving each other. Playing games, taking mid-afternoon naps, laughing over how silly our kitty can be.

An hour before sunset, I grabbed the camera, and we headed down to Lake Michigan to take some shots of the snow and ice around the water. The air was so cold it felt sharp to breathe in-- like ice crystals stinging the back of your throat. And everytime we walked on the hardened snow, a circle would collapse around our foot. Not enough to let us sink, but enough to let us feel like giants creating an earthquake on the ground below.

The snow was covered with a sheen of ice making it appear untouched...antarctic...magical.

We kept walking and walking. Until we realized we weren't standing on snow-covered sand, but ice-covered waters. I slipped my arm back into Adam's and I scooted closer 'til we were in same step. We carefully maneuvered our way across cracks, around the rocks, and up the icy hill to the pier. Hand-in-hand, we witnessed the waves of the lake we've grown up with, the majesty of a setting sun-- setting differently every evening.

I've enjoyed 22 winters. And right now, even though I'm wishing for the sun to start warming up the chilled air, I enjoyed the winter then in that moment with my Sweetheart.

Happy Wednesday!

Dance it out.

I feel creatively stunted. Worked to the core. And completely disconnected from everyone. And last night when I couldn't take it anymore, when I felt so overwhelmed, I danced. I danced it out.

Taking a scene out of Grey's Anatomy, I turned up the Bieber and let loose. Waving my hands, swooshing my hair, and not caring about my neighbors being awakened at 11:30, I danced. Ladies and gentlemen, if you are not a believer in dancing it out (or a Belieber in Justin), you.need.to.try.it.

Let down your hair, tire out your muscles. You'll sleep soundly. And all that other stuff you worried about before? It can wait 'til morning. Because tonight, you'll have a date on your own carpeted dance floor.

Moondance.

The moon came to bid me goodnight last night. Moonbeams shone through my blinds and danced across my blankets. He doesn't come around often. The sun is more friendly, waking me up every morning with rays of a new day, new hope. So when the moon shows his beams, I know it'll be a good night. And it was.

Today, on my day off, I always feel like a grown-up. Well, until I look at my Cocoa Puffs cereal. But it all seriousness,...laundry to do, bathrooms to clean, errands to run. Oh, and I can't forget the bills to be paid. And the funny thing is, I enjoy it (not the bill paying part, of course). There's some sort of satisfying "pay-on-the-back" for maintaining a household-- albeit, a small one.

Perk to being an adult? Being engaged. And getting my new ring perfectly sized to fit my tiny 3 1/2 size finger yesterday. And I'm pretty sure you don't feel a rush from buying foam hand-soap unless you're an adult too. I felt the rush. I'm definitely an adult.

Everett Charles.

Meet my new nephew, Everett Charles. If I could be holding him this morning instead of blogging about holding him, well, THAT would be the ideal way to start my day.

Who knew I could love 8lbs, 8oz. so much? I was there for his arrival. I heard his first cries (which were not too many). I watched as he squirmed around while getting his footprints done. I touched his sweet, soft baby skin while he tried opening those baby blues.

I've counted his toes and fingers...all ten over and over again. And I've memorized his face and how his forehead wrinkles when he curiously looks around. And oh, how he can nestle into my arms.

I've never been about babies. My dreams didn't include diapers and crayons and bottles. But when I hold a baby that means this much to me-- a life that means this much to me-- well, how can I not be all about babies?

Sneak Peek: Everett Charles.

I broke my blogging resolution. Tonight, I'm resuming said resolution. Just a sneak peek until tomorrow morning. :)

Think Spring.

When Adam made me a special dinner on Saturday night, he also brought me a flower: one that I was desperate for. A beautiful, purple hyacinth. If anyone is familiar with the hyacinth, you know of its poignant smell...of spring. Spring sunshine, spring softness. Of light and new growth. That's the only way I can describe it.

And in the wake of another snow-fall outside my sliding glass door, here sits my purple hyacinth. A constant reminder both with sight and smell of the coming of spring. The groundhog may have predicted 6 more weeks of snow (right?), but in my living room right this second, its spring. And I couldn't be happier.

I swear, I didn't skip a day. but after church in the morning, the shoot in the afternoon, and traveling all last night, I kind of forgot to actually post what I wrote. An old school-mate from high-school asked me to do a write-up on my small business for her college class. and since it is bg photography's blog, I decided to share it with you. I talk about success factors and customers and lessons learned, and I promise...its from last night! I even have proof. ;)

Business: bg photography
Industry: Photography, Weddings, Senior, Newborn
Founded: August 2010
Links: http://bgphotography.showitsite.com/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/bg-photography/156394517709660
Contact: bgphotography10@gmail.com

Business Description: “Intertwining passion + some artistic flair, I'm dedicated to producing photographs that you will love.”

Start-up History: After graduating from Hope College in May of 2010, I began looking for jobs just like all my other classmates. However, with unemployment rate so high, I quickly found myself running out of money and running out of job options. I’ve been working with cameras since 2008, but once I was asked to take some senior pictures in August, I decided to make it a career. And with that thought, I started my own business.

Customers: Initially, my business began with senior girls’ portraits. After word got around, I did one session with a senior guy. From that, I spread the word via my Facebook page that I was interested in mainly doing couples and weddings. After a steady few months of senior portraits, I began photographing couples that were just dating and then finally signed three weddings for summer 2011; thus resulting in scheduling and shooting engagement sessions.

Value Added to Customers: I firmly believe that everyone should be photographed professionally at least once in their life. I believe in making people feel beautiful and unique, and I strive to give my clients a modern, fresh perspective of themselves: how I see them. Not only will these pictures give them an image to be proud of, it also captures a moment—a moment that is fleeting. With their pictures, they are halting time and can always remember how they felt at that exact moment.

Five Success Factors: 1) Believing in yourself. Without a doubt, I’d be nowhere if I didn’t believe in the talent that I’ve been given. In such a competitive market, I needed to be confident in what I had to offer.

2) Internal Support. I needed the support of my family, fiancé, and best friends. Starting a business is difficult and draining: financially, physically, mentally. You doubt yourself and your ability, and when you need to stand back, you need your support group to lean on.

3) Be open with the client. Many clients are nervous in front of the camera. Before every session, I e-mail the client to let them know what the session with look like. And if I’ve never met the client before, normally we’ll sit down before the session and talk about what poses they might like, and we’ll talk just about life. People are always more comfortable with people they know. And once I show them a few shots at the beginning of the session, they see that I know what I’m doing and I’m good at, and they’ll relax and let me do my job.

4) Equipment and knowledge. It might sound silly, but if you don’t have the nice camera, you’re pictures can’t compete with others in the market. Although a large investment, your camera will reap results that will more than double your investment. Research lenses. (i.e. A 50mm f 1.2 will produce an incredibly better picture than a 50mm f 1.8.) Also, you need to know your equipment. If you can shoot in RAW compared to JPEG, your pictures will be sharper and more vivid. Choose lenses and filters that fit your specific style. Never stop learning!

5) Style. Develop your style that will differentiate your product from the others. STICK WITH IT. By having a consistent, professional, and artistic style, your product will be more easily recognized and widely advertised by word of mouth.

Lessons Learned: Know the risks (personal and financial) before you begin. If it’s too much of an investment or the cons outweigh the pros, know when to throw in the towel. But if it’s your dream and it’s feasible, listen to Winston Churchill’s advice: Never, never, never give up. Starting a small business is a risk, and in order to be successful, you have to be persistent: with advertising, with your style, with yourself.

have a great Monday! :)

Can I just call in sick?

I didn't want to go to work yesterday. I mean, even city halls were closed due to the snow-storm. Why on earth would I want to go to work? But then today, my parents, grandma, cousin, and her baby girl, came up here to visit my new nephew. Why...HOW...could I go to work when they were here. I was able to stop by for 10 minutes before leaving for work, but it broke my heart to put on my coat, pick up my lunch-bag, and walk the long driveway to my car.

Being an adult stinks.

And since posts are so much better with pictures, here's a picture of my newest nephew. The one I had to leave to go be an adult and work. More to come from his session later. :)

snow-topped muffins.

Last night, snowflakes descended on our world with a fury. A 13 inch fury to be exact. And while I'm not necessarily looking forward to shoveling out of this mess for work tonight, I am loving this morning where I can look outside and wish with all that's in me for a pair of snow pants. Because there's nothing more inviting that a foot of unaltered snow that's just begging to be played in. However, all of my snow gear still resides at my parents's house, so...in celebration of snowpocalypse 2011, I baked. Snow-topped muffins.

And if you've never had a blue-berry, snow-topped muffin, come on over. I'll share-- well, at least one bite.

February: a month for resolutions.

If anyone were to choose a resolution that involved doing something for an entire month, they'd choose February. Unless their resolution was to eat as much chocolate cake as possible. In which case they'd most likely make it a multi-month resolution. But I am not going to be eating cake (all the time). Instead, I'm making a resolution to write: every.single.day for the entire month of February. I will be updating my blog with recent sessions and maybe dash in a bit of personal blogs here and there as well. If you come to my blog and I haven't blogged in a day, then you will probably find me here-- at my personal blog. Blogging often was so easy when I wasn't working nights and weekends weren't filled with sessions, but I'm hoping to s-t-r-e-t-c-h myself and my business through disciplining myself to be artistic no matter what busy season my life is in.

To start off the month of February, I'd like to introduce Jeremy + Rebekah. They're getting married in May, and Adam and I couldn't be more excited for them! We have known them for the past couple of years, and when Bekah asked if I would be willing to photograph her wedding, I nearly leaped out of my skin for the chance!

Rawr, Bekah! Gorgeous!

They've been together for over two years, and they've attained a level of comfortability that is only possibly from truly knowing each other. They couldn't be better matched. Many great things are yet to come! :)

Can't wait to post a few more!

-B. :)