It’s been years, I believe, since we’ve really celebrated the day of loooooooove.
This just means it will be a big surprise, right?

(Good thing he doesn’t read this blog.)

Part of making this gift gave me a reason to go through some of my files of the two of us.

I love these two:

How lucky am I that I not only have a hottie,
but a hottie that will goof off in front
of the camera for me.
*swoon*

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I think that there are very few things that are better than helping
women feel amazing, beautiful, sexy, and hot.
The confidence that surrounds them as the session unfolds
and they strut their stuff…
that is powerful.
Rawr.

Come join in the fun!
There are half hour and full hour time slots available.
Each include a little something something
to show off your images and turn
them into the hottest gift around
this Valentine’s Day.

And
in honor of
my new, soon to be revealed,
boudoir site makeover,
I’m offering incentives
for those confident
beauties
who agree in advance to allow
their images on the new site!
No worries, no faces need to be shown.

Interested?

email me!
cherron@raininglightphotos.com

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It’s a special time for Mommies, too.
We have to learn that our babies are quickly becoming something other than our babies.
That can be so hard to do.

I spend a lot of time capturing these little moments in the lives of my own children.
I often find that
they are more precious to me
than the ‘proper’ photo shoots that I set up for them.

I like the photos with the toys.
Messy hair.
Mismatched jammies.
I try to include myself in these photos as much as I can.
I always seem to get the urge to whip out the tripod and remote
on days when I’m still in my jammies, too, with hair just as unkempt.
And I still love the images.

I wanted to capture the little moments that I love so much for another mommy.
Just her and her little person
doing what they do during the day.
Something for her to look back on in a few years, smile, maybe cry,
but ultimately be oh so happy that she can hold something in her hands
that freeze the simplicity of those days
when her baby was still her baby.

So, I put out my first casting call.

This is what happened:

I’ve also been going through my website images and adding some things to the website.
Looking through all these images has made me start to wonder what
is my favorite thing to shoot.
If I could only shoot one type of session for the rest of my life,
what would it be?
I honestly can’t say right now.
I love things about each and every thing I shoot.

I really wanted a way to step out of my little comfort zone while
really focusing on finding out if I have a favorite
session type.

I’ve decided the easiest way to do this would be to hold casting calls once or twice a month
just so I can shoot for me.
No pressure.
If I have a free day, I’ll announce a specific time, the general idea, and I’ll have a session
with the first person who volunteers.
Sometimes it might be some sort of personal challenge:
(an all available light toddler session in their house)
or something very specific
(woman with short red hair and tattoos for boudoir session)
or very open
(couple/engagement session)

As a thank you, volunteers will get three digital images from the session.

I’m excited to see what happens!

I got to pull the Auntie card and photograph her over the weekend.
Lucky me!
And I get to do another session with her and the entire family soon!
Lucky me again!

Here are some of my faves from her newborn session.
Prepare for your ovaries to ache
(if you have ovaries.  If you are reading this,
don’t have ovaries, but suddenly find them aching,
please go to the doctor! )
She’s just THAT cute.

It was nice.

Middle Row:
It was also a tad scary because our youngest was very sick.
Her fever got very high at one point.
Everything was fine in the end, but it made this momma bear worried.
(This is where Papa Bear would say, “What DOESN’T make you worried?)
She slept on a chair in the living room and missed out on all the excitement of ringing in a New Year.
There is always next year.

(In one image, you can see Paeton trying to make her laugh
though you can’t see Aryah)

Bottom Row:
I taught our oldest daughter to finger knit.
She loved it.
She whipped up a cute little scarf in about an hour.
She gave it to her Nana.
I love to loom knit and think it will be easy for her to learn, too.
It’s our next project.

We put up a bird house this summer.
John picked the spot and didn’t realize it would be smack in the middle of my view
for my ‘Views from My Back Porch’ photos I love to take.
Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.
At least it is fun watching the birds.

Dearest Tatum,

My oldest daughter, my first girl, my beautiful little lady.
I love you.

I love your blossoming creative side.
You can spend hours with your new journal and colored pencils.
Drawing.  Writing.
You remind me of when I was a little girl.

I love your delight in all things magical.
You still believe in magic and faeries and all those things I love.
Believe as long as you want.
(I still do.)

You are growing up so fast and have opinions on fashion and hair.
When did that happen?
Can I stop it?

I love your smile and your laugh.
I love the way your eyes light up when something clicks or you get an idea.
You. Are. So. Smart.

I’m sorry your birthday letter was so late.
That’s what I get for having you just before Christmas. 

Thank you for being mine.

I love you.

Mommy

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner!
I’m hosting two boudoir events this year to give everyone a chance to give their special someone the gift that really just screams, “I love you and look how lucky you are to have me!”

There are half hour or full hour slots available.
The half hour can have up to two looks while the full hour can have three.

Want pricing details and more information about the session and product offerings?
Email me and let’s talk!
Cherron@raininglightphotos.com

Today I’m posting a few of my Resolutions.  Maybe it will help me stick to them!

 1.) Blog More

This one is pretty easy to explain. 
I want to establish some sort of regular blogging schedule to help me blog more.
Each year I say I want to blog more, but this year I want to find ways to make it easier on me and
to help me keep up with it.

2.) Take More Photos of the Kidlets

Back when Paeton was born, I was starting on my 2nd attempt at a 365.
I also did one for the kids.
I have a photo a day of the first six months of her life.
That’s pretty awesome.
I haven’t decided if I want to do something with more structure, like a 365 or a 52 week project,
or just make a sort of loosely structured project.
Whatever I do, more photos will happen!

3.)  Better Organization for Personal Photos

I’m soooo bad about my personal photos.
I tend to dump them in random folders with names about what I took,
but this makes for a very rough time when I want to do something like…

4.)  Finally Catch Up on my Own Photo Books

One reason I’m so behind is because of my problem in number 3.  It’s hard to go through and collect
images for a yearly book when you can’t find what you are looking for.
Seriously, how hard is it for me to just dump them in folders by month?
I can do that, right? 

5.)  Make a Photo Book of my Past Fave 365s

I have a lot of favorite images from my past 365 attempts.  I’d love to put them into a book and then make another
book JUST for my current project.
The one that I’m actually going to finish.
You can see it here

6.)  Take More Photos Together with my Love

I have some really awesome photos with John.
I want more.
I want enough to fill a book.
I want us to be able to celebrate our 50th anniversary looking through book after book
showcasing our love.

7.)  Live More.  Laugh More.  Love More.

This is something a fellow photographer Sarah says.
She has a lovely outlook on life.
Makes perfect sense, yes?

Some things I forgot to mention and that are not photo related are:

a.)Make a blanket.
I want to knit an afghan or make a quilt or both.

b.) Organize this house
I’d like to paint it, too.
Make it more a home.

c.)  Start Writing Again
I used to write all the time.
I was the girl with a journal in her hand and a story in her heart.
I’d like to find her again.

There are always others, but for now, I’ll leave you with this sweet image of my baby as she was first starting to feel sick.
She needs me to love on her right now.

A small look back at what happened with RLP this year.
I did a lot of boudoir this year, too, but can’t really show all that hotness.

And I want to say thank you, thank you, thank you to all my dear clients. You guys are the reason for all these beautiful photos. You guys are amazing.

Yes, it has been a pretty great year.
I’ve said hello to some new babies,
celebrated  with couples getting married,
and spent time with some fabulous families.

But it has also been a bitter sweet year.
Emilie, the amazing mom in the above photo, lost her fight with a brain tumor this year.
I want to spend 2012 living the legacy she left behind.
“We should all be so in love with each day.”
Don’t think that is a beautiful way to live?
I do.

See you in 2012, my friends!!