Nov
11
2013I’ll be showcasing the 4 family sessions I’ve had the pleasure of capturing in the upcoming weeks.
I don’t do a lot of family sessions because I can’t always find clients with the same vision for their family portraits. And also because I have three children under 4 and limited weekend/night availability. 😉
Yet I love authentic documentary family photography. I love being drawn into your world and quietly snapping away in the background while giving my family clients the minimum of direction.
I want to capture real families authentically loving one another right in the midst of the daily.
This style of photography isn’t for everyone and I’ve already mentioned that I don’t have a lot of availability, so how can you tell if we’re a good fit?
Authentic Documentary Family Photography with Quiet Graces
Family Mini-Session
For my mini sessions in an outside location, I start with a posed image or two while the kiddos (and the husband) are still ready to follow instructions. This is portrait that you’d see featured on a Christmas card or grandma’s wall. Then, I encourage play. I’ve already talked to you prior to the session and you have brought an assortment of toys or maybe bubbles or even your husband’s guitar for all of you to enjoy. I will place you in some great light and photograph the fun for the duration of the mini session.
I’ll capture your family as they really are.
Your goofy husband hanging the baby upside-down to blow on a dandelion.
Your toddler squishing the baby.
Sibling rivalry.
Old Love.
Commissioned Family Sessions
While I love these fun and quick mini-session, my favorite type of family session is just a little different. If you’ve hung around Quiet Graces for any length of time you know that I love finding the beautiful in the messy. As a photographer, I’m no different.
My dream client calls and asks if I would like to come over and photograph their Saturday morning ritual of playing under the covers and eating cereal with their kiddos in bed. They’ll treasure an image of dad chasing a toddler who escaped, mostly naked from the changing pad while dad grabbed their socks from a drawer. They’ll treasure an image of their daughter sitting on the counter watching mom do her hair for the day. They’ll be super excited to see images of the sibling playing trains on a messy floor and even more excited that I somehow captured them sneaking kisses while the kids played. After our slow morning, we headed out to a park, or the lake, or even the library my client loves to spend time at for a few more formal images.
I want to capture the real life my clients love to live.
I only periodically offer mini-sessions (in the spring and fall) and only limited numbers of these sessions. However, if the family session at home is your dream session, don’t hesitate to contact me about my availability.
Nov
07
2013When I photograph someone I love my work almost flies to another level. I’m not scared of loosing their approval and I’m just concerned with loving them well with my lens. The Jenkins family has always let me love them well through my lens.
This woman she speaks love to me and I flourish in her encouragement. And when I encourage her to be brave on the other side of the lens: magic happens. I’m able to document who she is and how she loves.
I’m able to create documentary family photography to show how a family really lives. And we play. Chasing the sunset. Skipping. Laughing. Blowing dandelions. Playing ring around the rosies with my girls.
This is what I was made to do: to tell your stories with beauty so that on those messy hard days, you can remember why it’s all worth it to begin with.
Aug
04
2013
Jul
22
2013I’ve only been out of the Eastern Time Zone two times. So it’s sort of a dream come true to announce to you that I’ll be doing some traveling mini-sessions on the Illinois side of St. Louis, MO.
Julia and her husband Brad (that’s them in the photos!) have graciously invited us out to play and to mix a little business with our pleasure by photographing in her gardens. They’re gorgeous! Have a look-see by clicking here.
You’ll notice that this lifestyle family mini-session is only $150 where I’ve mentioned on my Investment page that these would be $200. Next year they will be (both local and if I travel again), but the fall sessions this year will be discounted 🙂 If you’re in Greenville and would love a lifestyle family mini-session, my newsletter subscribers are learning about that date today. Subscribe and you’ll find out, in addition to receiving a free copy of 7 Tips for Real Pictures of your Everyday Beautiful-Mess.
I’m looking forward to capturing these northerners playing in a beautiful garden and making fun of my southern drawl. It’s going to be a blast!
Dec
21
2012
A Different Type of Story
When I photograph families or children, I try to tell you the beautiful stories. The funny ones. The silly moments. The laughter. The pure joy.
But pure joy it has two sides: the crazy-beautiful (those I can’t believe this joy actually happened to me moments) and the ugly-beautiful. There is a word in English for the crazy-beautiful joy- miracle. But in English there is no words to encapsulate the ugly-beautiful.
And yet the ugly-beautiful is the climax of all the best stories every told. The moment you realize that Old Dan and Little Anne aren’t going to make it after they battle a mountain lion to protect Billy in Where the Red Fern Grows. The moment where Despereaux goes back down to the dungeon to save the one he loves even though the odds are stacked against him. The moment you realize Charlotte has spun her last web and Wilbur won’t have her anymore. That split second where Frodo pus on the Ring of Power right there inside of Mount Doom and all of Middle Earth is hanging in the balance. The moment they roll the stone in front of Jesus’ tomb on a dark Friday afternoon.
My friend Karen (above!) and her husband Shamus’s story is full of this ugly-beautiful. And I feel like it needs to be told even in my 3rd person voice so that it may speak directly to the heart of one of my readers. Bear with me in the telling because no matter how ugly-beautiful things become know that joy is coming.
Karen and Shamus’s Ugly-Beautiful Story
On August 5th, 2010 I was driving to some play date grossly pregnant with Sedryn and just hoping to wear my 2 two year olds out so I could take a nap. My phone rang. I still remember Karen’s voice. “Melissa, I lost Baby #3… they can’t do the D & C until tomorrow. I don’t need to be alone… can I come over?” Karen and I were just mere acquaintances at this time, and to this day, I still regret not driving home and having her over. Oh, but Karen, she took refuge in a God who gave far more comfort than I ever could.
This song gave Karen so much comfort, and you can read more of her faithful reaction to this miscarriage here.
Karen’s and my lives intersected more deeply later when I was sleepless and exhausted with a very sinful attitude toward my own baby #3 and she drew me into her small group. She loved me when I was pretty hard to love and struggling with sin that she may have wished she’d still have the opportunity to struggle with. She challenges me weekly on following Christ in very practical ways. She actually called me in the middle of writing this post to reflect to me a behavior that I need some growth in (ouch and Amen!).
Karen and Shamus’s arms were empty on March 1, 2012, the last possible day that Baby #3 could have been born. And on that same day Karen, penned these tear drenched words.
On Thursday, December 4, 2008, God gave us Jay. On Friday, May 7, 2010, God gave us Ben. Two miracles. On Thursday, March 1, 2012, God gave me rest, fellowship, wisdom, laughter, entertainment, His Word, order, romance, and peace. What would you call those things?
When I cry about losing our precious daughter, I remember who God is. I remember that He is holding her along with the rest of His children. When I cry, I cry on God’s shoulder. That is called Comfort. You might have had comfort before. But you can’t have Comfort unless you have Christ. And I have Him. So I have everything.
Comfort from your Creator: that’s also a miracle.
Content in All Things?
On Sunday, May 6 our whole shepherding group was seated together at our annual outdoor service. The kids were elbow deep in play dough or sidewalk chalk when Karen pulled me aside to whisper that Baby #4 was on the way. Our hearts all left that worship service full in so many ways.
Two days later Baby #4 was in the arms of Jesus. This time I was privileged to hold my friend while she wept. But even more so, I was able to watch in awe as this second miscarriage transformed Karen and Shamus even more. Watching Karen and Shamus vulnerably process their grief in light of the Cross of Jesus is truly one of the biggest miracles I have ever experienced. It’s mostly impossible for me to summarize their transformation… so I’ll just once again quote Karen.
MONDAY, MAY 7, 2012
I wrote this journal entry:
I truly want to love Baby #4. But I’m too afraid to commit. Last time I committed with my whole heart and when Baby #3 died my heart crumbled. Can I handle that again? YES! Of course I can, because I know what it is to be pregnant and I know what it is to miscarry and I know what it is to have life with my child and I know what it is to have life without my child- I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation; whether listening to my child sing scripture or digging a grave for my lost baby…
I can’t finish that statement the way Paul does. I want to so badly. And that makes my body shake with weeping.
SUNDAY, MAY 13, 2012Mother’s Day
Peter preached on Philippians 4:4-7
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
These verses are just before Paul says this:
Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
(Philippians 4:11-13 ESV)
That’s the secret I wanted to say I knew last week. And I couldn’t.MONDAY, MAY 14, 2012
If we miscarry again, we can rejoice. Which is not the same as being happy. We can rejoice in the midst of deep sadness.
Can I say that I am content in any and every situation? I can say that Christ died for my sins and I am redeemed and reborn and growing to be like Him and saved from eternal punishment, no matter what my situation. And that brings joy every time I say it.
Every good and perfect gift is from above. A child is a good and perfect gift. If God puts another child in my womb, it will be like Christmas morning when you’re 7 years old! A gift! The one we wanted most!
We know that we will struggle with anxiety and fear apart from a particular miracle. But we will refuse to struggle with love.
Karen has a hat for each of her four children.
Soon she’ll need another one.
And Shamus and Karen are anticipating the birth of Zan with so much joyful hope, but only by the grace of God. For through their suffering, they have learned the secret of being content. Not the secret of happiness, but the one of joy. Joy in a God who gives the greatest gift, His Son.
Karen’s Lifestyle Maternity Photography Session
Now I’ll just let you feast your eyes on the fun we had at the Cronin’s lifestyle maternity photography session. I love these two!
