The answer to that baby book conundrum? Baby's First Year package and yearly checkins with MLP.
We just can't think of a better investment. With thousands upon tens of thousands of cell phone images that get lost in the shuffle, never printed, never organized, this is one way you can get a grip on preserving these moments.
So. Worth. It.
maternity session
birth photography
newborn session
four month session
nine month session
one year session - in the sunflowers
two years old
Chaney girl, you are so loved!
What a privilege to watch you grow and bottle up all your joy. It inspires.
From the outside looking in, you'd never know that the Eubanks family has been down roads of suffering none of us could ever imagine and yet here they are. Huddled. Smiling. Together. Strong.
Meet Patrick, Jake, Ellie and their incredible parents Amanda and Ryan. You should hear big brother Patrick cackle-laugh when his dad rears his head back for a "Yeeeeee-haw!" His dimples and his deep down joy make my heart sing. Middle son Jake has a quiet smile and a depth in his eyes and when you see it, you know he'll move mountains. And of course Ellie, she's as sweet as smiling, clapping baby girls come.
"This is the race marked out for my family," Amanda told me when I asked about her story.
A diagnosis of autism for their oldest came first, then an ambulance ride due to an anaphylactic reaction of their second child came next and then on May 22, 2018 at a 17 week ultrasound appointment, the doctor gave Amanda the news: her baby girl had a hypoplastic right heart and would require 3 open heart surgeries.
"We were chosen for this race, and we will run it looking to our Savior for strength and he always provides," she continued.
Thank you for sharing your story, Amanda. Clearly, the strength you have been provided by your strong Savior is an inspiration to us all to run with perseverance the race marked out for each one of us. It won't be easy, but in God's strength, we can make it. All of us.
MEN. Little men, big men. I love these little men. These sweet boys belong to my dear friends Denise and Brooks Boynton. I know this family values strength and agility, and the growing “manliness” pictured here. Brooks is a coach and pushes young men all day to be strong, fierce, and to have courage. I know it’s important to these sweet boys to please their dad, to make a show of authentic strength, and to be successful at looking like they are doing it all right.
I also know these boys for the mischievous, adorable rascals that they are. This shoot was so much fun! But like all family shoots restlessness wins out at some point. At that point it became clear and each boy was REALLY excited about the idea of an ‘action shot’ for their moment in the photographic sun. Who wouldn’t want a photo record of the greatest feat of strength or height!
But I know the heart of this family. It’s for all of that strength to come from the strongest one, Jesus.
Our world pushes manhood to the limits: DON’T CRY, BE TOUGH, HANDLE EVERYTHING AND BE COMPLETELY ATTENTIVE TO YOUR WIFE AND CHILDREN AND JOB AND BE PERFECT AND DON’T LOSE YOUR TEMPER, AND BE PURE OF HEART, AND BE PATIENT AND, AND, AND…..
Our husbands, our leading men, our pastors, and our friends get pushed to a limit and are buried under the weight of such holy expectations. I tell my husband all the time that he has it harder than I do. Am I a Godly enough person to be able to “love my wife as Christ loves the church and gave himself up for her?”
That is a two-fold command. 1.) To daily and graciously love a spouse as deeply, warmly, correctively, and fiercely as Jesus the savior loves the church, his people. HOW? that is a holy power: to love so hard you don’t give up? to love so much you never quit? FOR ETERNITY? That kind of love sounds great on a Valentine’s Day card, but let’s get real. This isn’t that simple. 2.) To give his life for her? Whoa. Now we are going WAY beyond “be a good man and provide for your family.” This kind of manhood is LIFE OR DEATH. I will stick with submission. It's hard, but not that kind of be-Jesus-to-your-bride kind of hard. But there is hope for our men:
Matthew 7:24-25 says:
24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”
Let’s also take this in context. Back up a few verses. 21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
I think it is safe to say that what we define as life-saving and eternity-securing are not the measuring stick by which we know Christ unto salvation. Doing the will of the father isn’t about a man’s checklist. It’s about faith, choosing His way, loving His way. It’s not about achieving. It’s about believing. This is never truer than for the men we know, the men we revere, and the men we love.
Oh, little men, there is only hope in Jesus Christ. He is the only one who can grow you into true manhood. He is the only one who can save you from the need to be all the great things you think you’re supposed to be. You are so much more loved than you know, made by a God who already decided who you are, and will establish you.
Ahhh! Sunflower season is upon us and it is OH. SO. BEAUTIFUL! I had originally been on the hunt for a flax field the past couple weeks, but hadn't seen anything on my drives around town, so I had ventured out about 50 minutes from home trying to find something. My friend Allison, decided to tag along with her girls, just in case. We get to where I thought a field might be, but no flax. Lots of dirt roads and canola though. We had driven all that way, so we decided to go ahead and do a few pictures anyway and man, those girls really know how to work a camera!
OH yeah! And we saw these adorable patches of sunflowers on the side of the road, so I knew that those fields would be blooming soon.
The next day I went to a going away luncheon, and was telling some friends of the adventure the previous evening. Krissi pipes up, saying there is a flax field near her house and shows me some pictures she had taken a few weeks earlier. I guess I should've talked to her first! After lunch, I go to check out the field, but it was at the end of its blooming season. Bummer! BUT across the road was a sunflower field with just a handful of blooms sprinkled in it. Lightbulb!
I head home and started trying to find out who owns the property. With my husband's help, I had a few names to work off of and a few days later, I went to the county clerk's office to see if I could obtain contact information. They are able to narrow down who the land owner is, but not any contact information other than their current address, which isn't local. I hop on the google machine and find 4 phone numbers and two email addresses for the owners. Two numbers are out of service, one just rings continuously, and the other is a wrong number. So I sent an email to the two email addresses and one of them gets kicked back. Alrighty then.
Feeling like I'm out of options, I take one last chance and knock on the door to a neighboring property. Turns out she is the owner's sister and gives me permission to use the field! Yay! I tell her I'll be out there every so often and then head to an antique shop to grab an old ladder and chair for props.
That evening, I take my boys out to start testing out the lighting and where I want to setup my "stations" and my boys did not let me down. These are some of my favorite images of them! They both love being outside and Emerson loves to be up high, so being on a ladder was making his day! I also may have bribed them with ice cream...
And then I invited Krissi and her husband to let me do some more tester shots at sunset and once again, not disappointed.
I also had a new friend and assistant, Jarany, join me. She spotted the boys while they were up on the ladder, moved my props around, gave creative input for posing and prompts, and was forced to be included as well. And after I got back home, I had an email from the land owner giving me written permission to use the field. It really was my lucky day!
This minis are going to be gorgeous and perfect for getting in those family photos before the craziness of the school year begins. (Where did summer go anyway??!) Click here to grab a mini session this weekend!
Hey friends! We are so excited to introduce and offer a brand new service- family films! Capturing your family's interactions and expressions, showcasing the details and the feel of this season of your life, these sessions are priceless heirlooms of the fleeting moments we have been given. We have two different options for family films- you can click here for more information on what we offer (will travel for sessions!). Life is so short and our kids grow so fast- this is a great way to pin these memories down in an audible and visual way, preserving the narrative of this season of your life forever.
There are several traits required of every good photographer.
- Readiness: The best photographers and storytellers are always equipped, bringing their camera (bag) to each event, outing, and casual gathering.
- Mindfulness: They are ever watchful and observant of their surroundings.
- Patience: They are capable of waiting for that perfect moment, deciding when to lift the lens, knowing that in pointing the camera, they risk destroying the genuine quality of the moment.
- Creativity: Seeing what others may not, they capture what some don’t realize they saw.
Birth Photography, on an entirely different level, requires a different kind of readiness and patience. It’s a sweet-and-sour of time. There is the perfect moment to arrive at the hospital and the quiet stillness where you wait for action. The perfect moment to capture the reaction of family and friends and stand back as they experience the joy of their first look.
This story was one for the books. When we capture birth stories, we tell mamas to let us know when they are at a 5 or 6 and we will head to the hospital. They generally want us there for final pushes and a few sweet moments, but not in the way. They want us ready but mindfully patient.
Around 10:30 AM, Mama April texted me to let me know she was having a few contractions, but she was headed to her regularly scheduled 39-week appointment and would be in touch. Her husband Andy was at work and it was business as usual. She had mentioned this appointment a few days ago when we talked. She said, “Just feeling BIG and done! I was really hoping that working VBS last week would do me in...nope - still pregnant! I plan to have the doctor check me to see if we’ve progressed any.”
Turns out she progressed A LOT. Mama arrived at her appointment at 10:55 and by 11:01 AM she texted me to tell that she was a 6 and that she was being sent to the hospital!
She arrived at the hospital at 11:06 and the baby was born at 11:23! The doctor walked in for the one and only push and the baby was placed on Mama’s chest just as Daddy ran in the room at 11:28!
I arrived minutes shortly after Daddy and got the take the first sweet pictures of this precious family. They loved, hugged, and kissed the baby and each other. They FaceTimed with now big sister, Violet. Mama was up and about in a matter of minutes.
Sometimes no amount of readiness, mindfulness, or creativity can solve every photographic challenge. This sweet boy decided he was ready and made his way into the world. Some babies just tell you how it's going to go, and Andrew Howard Davies was no different. Welcome to the world sweet boy!
Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep is a volunteer organization that provides remembrance photography for families that have lost a baby. Having someone come and give us the gift of photography when Larson and Emmett were born has meant so much to my family. Being able to include them visually on the walls of our home and in our family photos help us share the story of their lives, that however short, they still blessed us, they still had a purpose, and they were still members of our family.
I started my application to NILMDTS in August 2017, almost one year after Larson and Emmett had been welcomed into heaven. My original submission hadn’t been rejected; they asked for more low light, auxiliary lit images from my portfolio. I don’t have a lot of opportunity to shoot in that specific setting, so I felt discouraged when they asked for more than I had already given. So I let the idea fall to the wayside, which was easy to do, I'm ashamed to admit. I was caring for a 3 year old, my photography business was busy, and then I had a baby, my husband deployed, and we moved. All the stability that I had, vanished.
Currently trying to reestablish my photography in a new place, I struggled (still struggling,) but MLP's leading lady, Candace, gave us the motherhood memoir project. To capture moms doing their mom thing and this relit my fire and brought the opportunity to do some auxiliary lighting for my application. With willing participants and my additional forced participants, I had these images to now submit to the review committee.
But I still put it off. I had what they asked for and I ignored it. I didn't want to feel like I missed the mark again, but God had different plans. Sending me little reminders that I needed to do it, until He sent the big reminder. A letter from the organization for monetary donation, but in the upper right hand corner of the letter,
"I'm sorry. We don't have a photographer in your area."
Ok, God. I hear you loud and clear.
So, I finally did it. Got over my fear of rejection and sent the email with my 5 new images for review. And was told I'd hear back within 2 weeks.
3 weeks go by...FINALLY, this morning I have an email saying I have been accepted and I can start my training! Not a lot of people knew I was doing this, but I thank those who did and were thinking and praying for me. It was very much appreciated and I now look forward to being able to help the Minot area families in their time of need.
I've known Kim for about 5 years and we've now been stationed at two different bases together. Our oldest and youngest boys were born within a couple months of each other, give or take, so whenever we get together, the boys have a great time. One of her closest friends is a very talented photographer, but she lives down in Texas, so when Kim asked me for a family session, I was over-the-moon excited for the opportunity! I just love this sweet family to pieces and they are a lot of fun to photograph. Plus, little boys are kind of my specialty.
Kim was flexible with our session scheduling. I was keeping an eye on the weather and asked if she wouldn't mind bumping her session up a day so we could get it in before the potentially stormy weekend. She said that would work for them and we ended up having a beautiful, warm evening for it. Summers up here in Minot are already a million times better than Shreveport. Sorry, SBC, but this Maine native was not made for the southern climate and Minot is much more my speed. I'll take the frigid winters up here, over Louisiana's hot and humid summers every time. It's hard to encourage special moments like these when everyone is hot and sweaty.
This little park on the outer edges of town is becoming one of my favorite locations. It has shade, pretty purple flowers, and it's quiet. Minot is blessed with several parks, but the bigger ones can be hard to photograph because of the distractions of other people and the ample amount of playground equipment. This park is easy to get to and is right around the corner to a Dairy Queen. I am not above bribery!
Trains have been a really big hit! (Surprise, surprise.) I'm fairly certain that they're on an evening schedule and come by the park around 7:30. It makes for a really fun way to end a session!
Thank you for letting me capture your joy, Vasey family!
I had the joy of capturing this beautiful family welcoming home their military member a few weeks ago. And now that they've settled back into their family dynamic, they're getting ready to move to a new duty station. Sad for me, but exciting for them. Amanda has become a wonderful friend in the few short month I've known her, but I know how ready she is to get the heck out of Minot and the brutal winters here.
Thankfully, I was able to convince her to let me capture them one more time before they left, and y'all...they were an absolute JOY to do. Not that I'm surprised. Amanda has that presence about her. She herself exudes joy. And it shows in her relationships with her children, mother, and husband.
Speaking of husband, how adorable are they together?!
Oh and all those sweet babies she has. SO cute!
Did I also mention they were fun? Like REALLY fun to photograph. We could not have picked a better night, which is ironic because we had rescheduled their session twice.
Good luck on the move, Burgess family. Minot won't be the same without you.
"Goodbyes are not forever
are not the end;
it simply means
I'll miss you
until we meet again."
While the goal of any birth is a happy healthy mama and baby, every birth story is different. In sweet little Charlie's case, anticipation was the name of the game. A hospital waiting room full of family members held vigil all night long, waiting patiently for Charlie's entrance into the world and I think they can all attest that it was well worth the wait and worth the lost sleep to see the story unfold, to be together, to say hello to Charlie as a family for the very first time.
A couple of years ago, Morgan asked me to have a fun session to celebrate their 5th year anniversary as a couple. She told me they are HIGH SCHOOL SWEETHEARTS! How cool is that? So, in 2017, I did my first State Fair session with them. They were so fun, and I thoroughly enjoyed our time together and getting to know them. Then a little less than a year later, I heard about their engagement & got an opportunity to photograph another BIG moment in their lives. So, a few weeks ago, I had the privilege of photographing Mr. and Mrs. Ratiano's wedding day. Their classic Southern Plantation Wedding was simply BEAUTIFUL and SWEET as Morgan and Hayden have always been. I was absolutely thrilled to document every moment of the day. Here are some of the highlights of the wedding day. Congratulations again, Mr. and Mrs. Ratiano!
Venue: Twin Oaks Plantation
Makeup+Hair: Michelle Schweitzer (Rumor Has It)
Event Coordinators: Laurie Hall + Melissa Moore
Florist: Missy Moore (New Beginnings)
Saxophone: Zachary Johnson
Cakes: Connie Mason
DJ: Gill Varelas
Food: Bride's Father & his friends!! (How cool is that?!)
There are SO MANY photos to share, and I can't wait to finish editing their gallery to show all of them. Thinking about how much they would treasure these memories for the rest of their lives makes my job SO REWARDING!! Being a photographer is AMAZING, and I'm thankful that God has given me this talent. To God be the glory!
When my twin girls were in the womb, they were distinctly different. One kicked while the other one stretched. One got the hiccups, and the other was terrifyingly still after meals.
This earned them a paired nickname.
Mackenzie, with her feisty kicks, strong-willed need to nestle in my ribcage, and her unending series of morse code punches, became known as The Bear. Tough, and roaring into the wild, wild world, she made her presence known. She hasn’t stopped in the 9 months I have known her. She can wail, she can scream in joy, and she is usually the first one to express a need or a complaint. She is, as her red hair would suggest, as hot-blooded and passionate as her mama. The name Mackenzie has a strong, intense ring to it. Scottish in origin (like her mama) the name demands attention – as does its namesake. She is unforgettable, unyielding, demanding significance. She will not be overlooked. But boy, can this girl hibernate. She has a sweet tenderness and peace about her when she finally decides to sleep. Her middle name, Rose, was chosen by her Daddy and it fits that she is both feisty with thorns and delicate with beauty.
Olivia, on the other hand, was an entirely different baby in the womb. She is The Bunny. Relaxed, languid, and calm, she would occasionally stretch the full length of her body (giving her sister no other option but to retreat under the aforementioned ribs). This would end in a sweet shuddering collapse into the comfort of her fetal curl. She was born in silence, encouragingly kneaded into the steady consistency of breathing. She simply made noise when she was ready. And her cry was small and timid, desiring comfort even more than food. She needed special care for warmth and seemed to need a gentler, kinder safety in her snuggles as only a mama could deduce. The name Olivia somehow implied a simple beauty, and curious, unassuming nature which fits this baby perfectly. And Jean, though deceptively old-fashioned, is the name of my maternal Grandmother, and my mother’s middle name. But Olivia takes more than their name, and takes from these incredible women a totally different level of personality. It means she is decisive, intentional, talkative, and incredibly curious.
I don’t think I really understood what would happen when they came into the world. I made guesses and hoped to fully understand them someday. But I am a realist and I am aware that no mother can truly know her child because they are always growing and changing. The greatest piece of advice I was given was by one of my nurses at the hospital. She said, “Just remember, they are completely different babies.” Until then I assumed they would have all the same needs, and the same likes and dislikes. They would grow together, so to a new mother that made perfect sense. I was naively unaware of the fact that they would truly be so different.
Then a new set of concerns emerged. Would they like each other? Would they like me? Would I be able to meet both of their individual needs? It suddenly became a beautiful challenge to know them more deeply. I began to notice how their differences challenged me and gave me energy for each new thing. They find ways to exert their differences. They even comfort each other in tears.
I didn’t understand how you could love two children equally and possess a love for them that is completely different. It's not like how I love summer and winter. Or how I love Tex-Mex and Thai food. Both, equally, for different reasons. But it's so much more possessing than that. It's wonderful and terrifying.
Then it hit me. Jesus knows my girls deeply, inside and out. He will always meet them where they are, how he made them, with everything they need. He loves them better than I ever could. As this truth unfolded for me I recognized that he loves me this way, too. His love pours in equally and as beautifully for me as it does for my brother and sister in this world. Broken and bruised or walking directly with him, he loves us each. He knows us each individually. To Him we are a bunny or a bear. Or maybe even a T-Rex.
We are beloved by him, with a deep all possessing love that caused him to give his own child to pay for our sin. I pray my children will know his love and salvation, but just like their mama, it may take having children of their own to really understand the depth of love required for this kind of sacrifice. That is why I am only the mother of two sweet baby girls. Only the God of the Universe because of his greater purpose could give his child over to death to give us new life.
Hard to believe that a year ago, Candace was sharing your birth story of how she watched a rainbow being born. We got to see your handsome, squishy face for the first time. My sweet, baby boy.
Can you believe that you’re already one whole year old now? I sure can’t. As the saying goes, the days are long, but the years are short and oh, little man, they are so short. You got so big so fast!
And now you’re destroying my house, getting into all kinds of mischief, and eating everything in sight. I do mean EVERYTHING. You don’t want to know what I have had to dig out of your little mouth. Which is quite dangerous now because you have 5 teeth.
So on March 14th, we purposely let you eat off the floor because your birthday only happens once a year and you only turn 1 once! And you really enjoyed that frosting.
And of course we had to clean you up too! That kind of mess required a hose down and tubby in the sink.
Emerson, you've brought us so much joy in your short time here and life just wouldn't be the same without you. We love your personality and are so excited to watch you grow over your next year. We love you!
- Mama Virginia Lee
It's definitely still winter outside, but it was warm and cozy in this amazing studio on the morning I got to play with these sweet babies. (Dallas area friends: if you prefer indoor photos, this house is an option for you too!) Spending some time with these yummy 9 month old twins and their hilarious, adorable big sister made me want another munchkin to squeeze IMMEDIATELY. I dare you to look at these images from our session and not start smiling like a fool. You just can't help it.
Mama's Love Photography is so excited to announce the newest member of our team: Sarah Damron of Lubbock, TX! Sarah has an amazing eye and a huge heart for capturing your joy, for telling your story, and loving you well while serving as your photographer of choice. Sarah is now accepting appointments in the Lubbock area and has an upcoming Easter mini that you won't want to miss! Welcome Sarah with me as she gives us a glimpse of her first MLP session with an amazing mama-daughter duo. - Candace
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I recently had the opportunity to photograph some of my dear friends, Mandi and Avery Schilling. A Mama/Daughter duo, they live life with big smiles. But taking their pictures meant more than just capturing images of their beautiful toothy grins or this short season between girlhood and womanhood for Avery. When we take your picture we are not just preserving joy, we are setting out to tell a story. This story is one of my favorites.
In 2016 Mama Mandi took an opportunity to go to Rwanda. Part of this trip included a brief introduction to a ministry and business called DuHope. The mission team was invited to attend a sort of market of wares of many individuals, including DuHope, centered around a meal and an evening of great conversation.
DuHope is a ministry reaching out to women selling their bodies on the street, asking them if they want a different way. DuHope offers women a new life, a new way of work by making beautiful handmade jewelry. These women have sold themselves for mere pocket change just to put the day’s food on the table. The goal isn’t just a new job, it’s for these women and their families to know the person and love of Jesus Christ through this ministry.
Having seen these various vendors and the vision of what these African-based ministries are trying to achieve, Mandi wrestled with her experience upon her return home. She knew and feared at the same time, I will never be the same, but I’m afraid I actually will. She told her family and close friends about her trip and her questions and asked, Lord, what do you want me to do with this? How can we do something here where we are?
A year later, driving in the car, her daughter Avery says out of the blue, “Mama, I think me and you should open a boutique and we should sell things like you what you saw in Rwanda.” This may have been a girl’s daydream, but Mandi heard a loud and loving yes from the Lord. Avery spoke into being a heart’s cry of her Mama.
Shortly after this, they began their web-based business, Three14 Market. Colossians 3:14 says "And above all, clothe yourselves in love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony."
It's not just DuHope that they partner with. Purpose Jewelry is made specifically by survivors of human trafficking. Eleventh Candle Co. has (the BEST smelling) candles and wax melts hand-poured by survivors of AMERICAN human trafficking. Let that sink in. These women of Three14 Market are very intentional about the eternal purpose of all of these partners. They want to magnify Christ. Here. There. Everywhere where the world is seeking to win above the power of Jesus.
Please visit Three14Market.com to purchase beautiful handmade jewelry, candles, and gifts. Buy items you would already buy anyway, as gifts or for your own closet or home. It has the power to change lives. More power than we know, because God is using it to bring these women and their children to himself for eternity.
So out of an honest mama’s heart, wrestling with eternal purpose, came a business, but more than that, a beautiful picture of what it means to be a mama: how we model for our children, how we are image-bearers of God to our babies, how we don’t shrug off a whisper from the Holy Spirit, how when he says “Go,” we get brave.
This past summer of 2018 Avery and Mandi went together to Rwanda and got to meet many of their DuHope partners and artisans in person. Avery has come away with a new perspective. Seeing the hard truths of our world through the eyes of her 12-year-old daughter, has ultimately changed her Mama, too. They are more passionate than ever about the Lord and what he is doing to change the lives of these women.
Sometimes we take photographs for preserving joy. Sometimes we are preserving a story. But we always do it from a heart of love in the way that mamas love their children, always and forever, no matter what. It is in this way that we want to model for our babies the beauty of God through kindness, charity, and generosity with eternal results. We believe that God has uniquely gifted us to reflect who he is...HOW he is...and what he is passionate about. This Love has to live on after us. That is eternal, too.
As many of our friends and followers know, I (Virginia) decided to branch out our MLP “brand” of serving joy by moving from Bossier City to Minot, North Dakota. Or rather the Air Force decided for me by telling my husband he had to move. Either way, here I am in the cold, northern tundra of the continental United States.
It usually takes a long time to build up clientele when starting out a photography business or in my case, moving to entirely new area, so things have been slow. REALLY, slow. Which is actually ok because God knew I needed some down time in this season of my life. I’ll be honest, I’ve been dealing with anxiety for awhile and having a baby, a deployed husband, and then a cross country move has really taken its toll on my mental state. Not being busy professionally, has been a blessing in disguise. This has lended itself to rekindling my love of needlepoint. So with this lack of clients, here are some pictures of my projects that I designed and created as Christmas gifts for my family!
I have a ton of new designs in the works, but haven’t had time to stitch them up yet. As you can see, I’m really into unorthodox designs. As one of my close friends put it, “cross stitch isn’t for old people anymore!” If you have any ideas for me, feel free to share! Or if you’re a stitcher yourself and want some of my patterns, you can check out my Etsy page, Virginia Lee Stitches. I also started an instagram account called stitchesbecray so I wouldn’t be annoying my friends and family will all my projects.
I did mention I had a baby, right? I'm still chasing and photographing him and his older brother. Not to toot my own horn, but my husband and I make some pretty cute kids. They both have taken this last year very well, all things considered, but that's the life of a military child. Unfortunately they don't have a choice in all the big changes that have been happening for them, but now that we're mostly settled and the holidays are over, things have gotten better.
So that's my update from way up north! Hopefully, I'll be able to share sessions with you soon, but if not, I'll just share more photos of my babies.
- Virginia Lee
Welcome to the world, sweet girl!!
I know some people cringe when it's breezy on the day of their session, but I personally ADORE what a little wind brings to photos. A more dynamic look, some romance and movement - who doesn't love that?! It was a chilly day when we took these pictures, but instead of worrying about how the weather would affect the children's attitudes or if their pictures were going to come out the way they hoped, these sweet parents got out of the car, let the kids know they were there to play, and trusted me to do the rest, and what we got was magic. They relaxed and enjoyed each other and absolutely radiated joy - can't you just feel it when you look at these images? It's such a precious, short season when our kids are this little, and we hope the Andreanis will look back on these pictures down the road and remember all those giggles, snuggles, and piggy back rides from that afternoon with full hearts. These are the days.
Our first MLP baby of the year just happened to be my brand new niece, Emma Katherine. She was 6 lbs 9 oz of perfect and even though I didn't make it for the birth (my sister-in-law's water broke in the middle of the night and she lives about 7 hours away), I was able to be there to capture a lot of those precious first moments. Big sister Caroline was so proud and so in love with her little sister and I can't imagine not being there to witness it!
Clearly, Caroline was a little bit excited. :)
This year, along with our birth photography option (which remains our favorite), we're also offering Fresh 48 sessions. Within the first 48 hours after you deliver, we would arrive at the hospital for a 20-30 minute session to capture your memories. If birth photography isn't for you, these sessions just might be the ticket. Instead of leaving the hospital with only cell phone pictures, you could come away with beautiful images to last a lifetime of your baby's first moments. Ask for details because we would love to visit you and your baby in the hospital to preserve all of your once-in-a-lifetime JOY.
Welcome to the world, Emma Kate! Your Aunt Candace loves you so! And I love that I had the privilege of capturing how much your mom and dad and Caroline and BeBe and Pop Pop and Nana and Papa and Uncle Joe Mike and cousin Anna Grace love you absolutely to the moon and back!!! And I loved changing that first poopy diaper too! :)
Why Christmas cards? Why do we expend all the time and energy and expense to make such a feat happen? Because as Roland Barthes has put it, "every photograph is a certificate of presence" and Presence is exactly what Christmas is about. We send our well wishes and our photographs and it certifies a blessing of Presence between us. We love you, we're with you, God is with you, our God-with-us Emmanuel has come and we know it even more in the being together. Is it easy to get all the cards made and assembled and stamped and shipped and all of it? Yes. But it's so worth it.
Held
As Grantham family welcomed their newest sweet soul into the world, one can only imagine the mixture of joy and heartache after having lost their Katie bug, a bright eyed, joyful, and gorgeous little girl full of life and love. Morgan welcomed and held her new baby Ethan while living with the reality that she won't have that chance again with Katie this side of eternity. But even with that difficult mixture of love and loss, they are HELD. Morgan wrote it just this week, "I know what it feels like to (quite literally) be held in the palm of His hand. I remember feeling it in the hospital. And that gives me great hope and joy…in the midst of our affliction."
Baby Ethan is wrapped up in the love of his family - he is HELD.
Big brother Gavin thrives in his new role and you can see the joy and wonder in his little eyes. He is HELD.
Morgan is a strong and brave mama and she is HELD by those everlasting arms that keep her going.
Kirk is HELD and known and seen by God as he serves his family in small and big ways.
Katie is HELD quite literally in the arms of God and her memory is HELD in every photograph. They wear her bracelets, they hold her photograph, they have reminders in blankets and lockets and they will never ever let go. They hold her.
The Grantham family is embarking on a new chapter in their lives and the journey will continue to have its ups and downs- it isn't easy- but no matter what, they will continue to be HELD by their great big God, because after all, God loves them the most. Katie would tell you that herself.
Sometimes the smallest things change everything. Brett and Stephenie Bouillion know this first hand.
Brett and Stephenie met young and started dating on February 14, 2006. If you know them, you would nod and think that’s about right- these two exude sweet and fierce love with every glance they share. Fourteen had been Brett’s soccer number so to have 2/14 as their day, well, it was just about right.
Their devotion led to marriage which led to one day late in December when they got the news- they were pregnant. Not only were they pregnant, they were overjoyed! Months of joyful anticipation culminated in a personal picnic and then two separate games of Easter-egg roulette with their friends and then family over Easter weekend. The ending was an explosion of egg yolk from a blue dyed egg to reveal the gender. The Bouillions would have a boy- James Martin Bouillion. What a gift.
The next day, Brett and Stephenie received the news that James had a form of Potter’s Syndrome resulting in bilateral renal agenesis. James’ kidneys hadn’t formed and he would not have much time on this earth.
Grief swept in, raging and churning the waters of their emotions. Darkness and cynicism came along as well, bringing along doubts and disconnection from the God they had thought wanted good things for them. They wanted to scream and rage and they wanted to know WHY. Why had this happened to them. They had followed all the rules. They were good people. They loved each other so much. WHY.
But in time, they thought of James. They agreed to not focus on their anger, but instead focus on their son and to pack James’ short life full of all the best they could possibly give him. They took him fishing and to concerts and they read books to him. They climbed trees and listened to music and stargazed. They took him to Wrigley Field and went sailing on Lake Michigan in Chicago. They even gave him tastes of his dad’s favorite- Mountain Dew even though Stephenie hadn’t had a soda in years. They loved him in all the ways they possibly could. And this tiny little human loved them back, choosing August 2, 2018, to make his appearance into this world on a day that moved mountains in the hearts of his parents. He had spent 34 weeks and 4 days in his mother’s womb and now it was time for his big day, time for him to give his parents 62 minutes of joy and presence and togetherness- 62 minutes they will never forget.
Of course, this wasn’t the day Stephenie and Brett had planned out. They had a birth plan. They had lined everything up and measured it all out. They had done everything but pick the date to meet James Martin which was something that made them both very nervous. James had it all sorted out already and as unexpected as the contractions and the dilation were, the multifaceted provision of space and time and helpers worked in pristine unison to bless them even in the midst of their pain and suffering. The hospice team stepped in, the organ donation team sprang into action, the pastor was called and an unknown photographer dropped everything to show up and document the miraculous day. As the family assembled, space and time shifted in unbelievable ways for this holy moment in the life of the Bouillion family.
Family hugs and hand holding and word sharing bolstered them. But if you could have seen Brett and Stephenie holding each other’s hands and holding each other’s eyes and hearts you would could clearly see the strength that held them up and together on that day and in that moment. And on that day and in that moment, the doctor placed a beautiful baby boy on Stephenie’s chest. Moments after he was born, he furrowed his brow and breathed and moved and it completely undid his parents. The love and awe took their breath away. They spent the next hour loving him, sometimes with tears streaming but mostly with wide, deep smiles of joy. Stephenie kept telling him over and over how proud she was of him. They held each other close. They were a family.
Brett explained it like this:
“…as I fell into this hole of self-pity and hurt and despair I saw it. The tiniest deep breath and movement I’ve ever longed for. My heart slammed the door on all of those feelings, my eyes full of joy, my lungs so empty and my heart so full, I saw my son enter the world and watched them place him on Stephenie’s chest… The part of my soul that was empty with the feeling that I would never know my son was full of his smell, his hair, his ten fingers and ten toes and the little wrinkles and the tiny eyelashes and his feet and his hands and his tiny butt chin and his cheeks and his eyes and his nose and I felt like I could fly and I felt like I could soar and I felt like God had been there all along… with one breath, with one frumpled brow, James restored my faith, restored my heart, filled me with a love that can never be destroyed. ”
You could see the love in that room as well as you could feel it. The pastor read from Hebrews and baptized sweet James and after some time, Stephenie and Brett said goodbye (for now) to their baby boy. The Louisiana Organ Procurement Association (LOPA) helped James give even more back to the world, using his thymus and lungs for Cystic Fibrosis research, his spleen, some adipose tissue, as well as some skin for research on MRSA. It was fitting because it is James’ legacy: life-giving love. And wouldn’t you know it- his birth weight came right out to 2 pounds and 14 ounces. Of course it did. Two fourteen.
After that day, I asked Brett and Stephenie what helped them get through this experience with such grace and joy. They mentioned the deep and wide love they share with each other, they talked about James and his very being giving them daily hope, they talked about the love and support of family and friends, and they talked about all the caring medical professionals that went on this journey with them with open arms and hearts. But I think the most unique and joyful thing they mentioned was Little Lego James, or LLJ, as they like to call him. Brett having grown up with an extreme affinity for all things Lego had been excited about sharing this passion with his little one and when the Lego company came out with a blonde headed, glasses wearing “Birthday Boy” mini-figure for their 60th Birthday, it was just right. LLJ was Stephenie’s first Mother’s Day gift as James’ mother and serves as a physical reminder of their boy- a great comfort- this little guy representing the boy they love so well. LLJ went on many of James’ adventures, ever-smiling, joyful and happy to share in all the fun.
Stephenie and Brett are so full of love it’s uncontainable. And what I’m sure of is that the love that was so hard for Brett to describe about his son, that’s how God feels about James as well. And even more. I’m also completely sure that as Stephenie was telling her sweet baby boy that she was so very proud of him, so very proud, God was speaking that over all three of them. God was so proud of them. God wept with them in that room and God is never going to leave them on this journey through this sometimes joyful and beautiful and awful broken world.
Brett said of his son James, “[He] is the only thing I’ve ever loved instantly. I’ve done my best to make sense of this and in talking with Stephenie told her our relationship is much more akin to a fire that we’ve built from nothing over time and continue to add to making it burn more beautiful and more brightly every day, month, and year. James on the other hand was like an inferno, a wildfire that swept over me without warning…He, from day one, has hold of me and my heart in a way that showed me what unconditional love meant. I could tell you I love him over and over and over again until I lost my voice, was blue in the face, and my fingers were numb from typing it and it still wouldn’t be enough to adequately express my feelings for him. I was not and am not in control of the feelings I have for my beautiful son and for the rest of my life, he will be a part of me.”
Only two pounds and fourteen ounces. But that little life changed everything. For the better.
William Joseph is so very loved and it was a privilege to capture these moments! As you'll see from the video, the family didn't know the gender until the big day and it was such jubilant celebration in the waiting room that the security guard had to come check on them! It was awesome.
What a happy birth day!
MLP photographer Virginia Dow on military homecomings:
I. LOVE. HOMECOMINGS. I mean, they are right up there with births. Witnessing the reunion of a family that has been apart for months at a time is emotional, intimate, and raw. The nervous excitement is palpable. All the moments missed, video calls, late lonely nights are all worth it at the first embrace. I've lost count on how many I've captured, but every single one has been a privilege and know that in these pure moments, we as photographers are receiving the honor of sharing those emotions with you and preserving them forever.
Back in January, before the 20th Bomb Squadron (BS) and Aircraft Maintenance Unit (AMU) deployed, Ashlie had contacted me about capturing her husband's homecoming. He hadn't even left yet, but she knew that after 6 long months, the moments of their reunion needed to be documented. I'm always honored when another military spouse reaches out for images of any kind. We have a camaraderie of knowing what the other is going through without having known each other really. Ashlie kept me up to date as best as she could as to when her hubby would be coming home. Another joy of military life: nothing- and I mean NOTHING- is set in stone. It's not uncommon to be given 5+ different dates and times and even the days and hours leading up to the actual homecoming can change drastically.
We all finally had dates. And I say we because MY husband was also coming home from this deployment as well, but he came in the last wave and Candace will be telling you more about that. And dates is plural because I tried to be at multiple homecomings. I missed the first wave, but childcare is a little harder to come by when your spouse is still deployed and all your friends are the ones welcoming their heroes home! The second wave is the one Ashlie's husband was in and it was the biggest one because it had the majority of the personnel that had deployed. Multiple men, women, and children were waiting in the hot, mid-afternoon Louisiana heat, but that didn't stop Ashlie and her daughter Ellie from looking absolutely adorable while waiting for Daddy to get home.
Then we finally got to see his jet come in and land! The moments from landing until the sight of your person sometimes seem longer than the deployment itself, but slowly we watched people de-planing and finally we saw him in the distance and Ashlie and Ellie separated themselves from the crowd. And then I watched as a family became whole again.
That evening, the third wave was due to come in and I was able to line up some childcare last minute to witness some of my personal friends welcoming home their spouses. I really like photographing the fliers because its always so cool to be near the monstrous bombers my husband gets to fly. That and this time the fliers were coming home at the end of golden hour so it was pretty much a photographer's dream scenario. I even asked one of the commanders if they could repeat the circumstances the following week for my husband's homecoming. HA!
We were able to watch the jets come in and do a flyover while they set up for landing and then they bussed the families out to the jets. That's when the magic started and I couldn't snap fast enough! I caught as many families reuniting as I could and I loved all of it. These families, these people I get to go on this journey with, are so strong. Seeing them welcome home their fliers geared me up for welcoming mine home too! Make sure you keep reading to see all the beauty Candace makes my family out to be and welcome home 20th BS and AMU!
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MLP photographer Candace on MLP photographer Virginia's military homecoming:
I had the privilege of capturing our own Virginia's homecoming moment and I am just struck with her STRENGTH as well as so many mamas like her who hold the fort at home while deployments stretch on for months at a time. The service men and women themselves are certainly heroic and brave but so are those they leave at home.
This image really got me because that's when the flip flop came off and a nose needed wiping and that's also when Virginia teared up.
She didn't say it, but I can imagine it was because she knew she wasn't alone anymore. She had him back and the gratitude and joy of it all was overwhelming in the midst of caring for two little people.
I have the highest respect and admiration for these incredible people and I will always be thankful I was able to capture these moments and tell this story. We love you Virginia!
Friends, we are smack dab in the middle of July in the South, which, as you know, means we are m-e-l-t-i-n-g right now. As I'm typing, the actual temperature outside is 108 with a real feel of 112, opening the front door feels more like opening the oven door, and basically all I'm good for is lying around in a sweaty heap moaning about it. This little love, on the other hand, didn't let on that she was feeling the heat in the slightest at the lake the other night. Super charming and giggly and playful, she splashed around with abandon and relished the way it felt to roll in the (relatively) cool mud. She was RADIANT in that early evening light, and just being around all that joy took the edge off the summertime sun. It was an absolutely perfect night.
Since we haven't ever done a special quite like this before, we thought we would show you what to expect for the next time we do something like this.
Here's the story by numbers:
37 is the average number of individually hand edited color images our clients received in their galleries.
74 is the average number of individually hand edited images TOTAL as each color copy comes with a corresponding black and white.
20 is the average session time in minutes (a great number for husbands who may or may not be fond of getting in front of the camera or for little people with short attention spans).
2 is the different kinds of images we aim to capture- both lifestyle candids as well as classic family portraits.
1 represents the moment- the moments we have come and they go and there's no going back. Freezing the moment, holding it still, seeing its worth and value and giving thanks for it for years and years to come... this is truly priceless.
We hope to see you next time! It was gorgeous and easy breezy fun this June in our friend's beautiful sunflower field.
JOY PRESERVED!
Documenting a birth is the most sacred and profound thing we get to do as photographers, and being there to welcome this baby girl into the world last month was especially sweet. Laura and Joel found out they were expecting after a long, painful season that included serious illness and the stillborn birth of their daughter, Elenora, and hearing their story about what a journey of faith this pregnancy was will give you goosebumps. Gracie Mae Gordon arrived in the late afternoon at the coziest, most beautiful birth center, surrounded by people who had been praying for her for months as worship music played in the background, and it was without a doubt the holiest, most inspiring space I've ever been in. Welcome to the world, baby girl - you couldn't have been born into a more amazing family, and you are already so blessed and adored!
The atmosphere was thick with love and peace and joy in this home and we were so privileged to capture these sweet moments. Congrats on your new addition, Calahan family!
Sometimes when we notice a woman stretching herself a little extra on behalf of her children (or maybe her pride), we throw out that "supermom" word as if she somehow has magic tricks up her sleeves or an alias and a penchant for tight fitting one-piece suits. The truth is, we all have limits. Some of us have tougher circumstances than others, but we all only have 24 hours in a day and only so much energy to dispense to the little fires of life everywhere that scream for our attention.
My friend Nora is single momming it- doing life with four kids and no husband around and she's making it. You should see her do pull ups at the gym and scale a rope to the ceiling like it ain't no thang- she is a fierce and determined kind of strong inside and out no doubt about it. But the strongest thing about her is her acknowledgement of her limits and her dependence on God for every. single. thing. She has loved and surrendered to God and she has surrounded herself with people who love her and she has accepted help and she has shared her struggles so as not to go it alone and that is the super-est thing about her. Maybe acknowledging our fragility and limits and need for God and others is the greatest superpower of all.
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." 2 Corinthians 12:9
Gift certificates are now available for purchase on our website! You can schedule the email to be sent at just the right moment- Sunday morning when you've made her breakfast in bed perhaps? :)
We love getting moms in the frame- these are priceless family heirlooms that will be treasured for years and years to come. Give her the gift of preserving all of that joy!
Click here to get your gift card now!
Shreveport's Derby Day was gorgeous- the people, the food, the music, and even the weather was just perfect! We are working on getting all of the images processed and we will post them on our website soon- stay tuned!
We had so much fun at our second round of commercial photography at Graf Orthodontics! We recently shot at both their Bossier City and Shreveport locations and we can tell you firsthand that this is one fun crew. The joyful and friendly staff were warm and inviting and you can tell by the bright smile on their patients' faces that they have been given top notch orthodontic care.
They're as fun as they are colorful. Thanks, Graf Orthodontics!
Taylor was an absolute dream to photograph on an equally dreamy day. Best wishes for this next chapter in your life, Taylor! We were privileged to capture this special moment in your life- all the senior year joy preserved!
Hip hip hooray for SPRING and some beautiful weather! We are loving it! We have all kinds of exciting things to share this week, but first up is a GIVEAWAY! Head on over to our Facebook and Instagram pages for all the details!
Whenever I go to photograph a newborn in their home, I'm always amazed at the degree to which these little mamas have it together. Those sleepless days of adjusting to life revolving around diaper changes and feeding times are long and tiring and hard. But usually, some help is present in the form of a busy and doting mother or mother-in-law.
What would we do without them?
It takes me back to when I had my first baby. I was living in Kentucky and had the most amazing nurse midwife deliver Anna Grace- she was truly one of a kind. She encouraged me in so many ways before, during, and after my crazy long 24 hour labor, but one thing that really stuck with me was her visit on the day after birth. "Let people take care of you," she said. She went on to talk about Mosaic law in the Old Testament and how after giving birth, women were to rest and be cared for. It's a big time important word for us today since we don't live so communally and we try so hard to be self-reliant. But there is great strength in accepting help and care. We have to.
So if you have a new mama in your life, I thought I'd get real practical and share a little recipe that is one hundred percent awesome for postpartum women. It's jam packed with energy and it's easy to eat on the fly. I'm calling them post-partum peanut butter energy balls of greatness.
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup flaxseed meal
1 cup dry oats
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 package chocolate chips
Combine and form 1 inch balls. Refrigerate as needed.
So good! And speaking of GOOD things, we are so excited to congratulate the Buseick family on their newest addition. Baby Bear (SO cute name, right?) was adorable, Daddy Brad was so proud, Megan was absolutely glowing, and we even got some pics with her own sweet mama.
What joy, what a privilege to capture this kind of love.
And with a name like Bear, I think this little boy will grow up to appreciate a honey-laden energy ball some day, don't you think?
Congrats, Buseick family! Bear is adorable!!!
There are so many things to love and appreciate about this recent shoot with 13-year-old Ashton, I almost don't know where to start.
First of all, this age group is definitely under-photographed. So when Ashton's mom asked if I could document this time in her life, it was a resounding OF COURSE! I would love to get more tweens and teens in front of my camera and not just for senior pictures. Each stage of life has its own feel, its own joy, its own struggle and we are remiss if we don't document the journey of childhood as a whole.
Secondly, when I was asked if I could incorporate Ashton's back brace in her photo shoot, it was another resounding YES! Scoliosis is part of Ashton's journey. Highlighting it in a photograph communicates strength in the face of difficulty and a vulnerability that a lot of adults aren't even able to stomach. This girl is STRONG and BEAUTIFUL and BRAVE.
Of course, Ashton is naturally tall and gorgeous, but her spirit is even more beautiful. To know her is to love her.
Audrey Hepburn said it best- "Happy girls are the prettiest." And this is oh-so-true when it comes to this sweethearted teen.
Ashton, you are so very loved- by your friends, family, and the One who made you. Live that love out and you will always radiate this kind of beauty.
Now, go change the world with your joy and courage.
xoxo
the Mamas
When you're in the thick of things, when your body still hurts and you're up all night and you're exhausted by it all, the newborn stage seems interminable. But really, it's just an instant. You have a few days and weeks with those tiny toes and scrawny legs and milk-drunk smiles and then it's over. The new stages are just as full of wonder and love (and exhaustion) but these first few stages come and go like a freight train moving full steam ahead so much so that you look back and wonder what happened.
Which is why we believe capturing these stages is such a wise investment.
We had the privilege of capturing baby Elizabeth and her beautiful family recently and we wanted to share a little of the love and joy we were able to preserve for the Sale family.
We don't typically have all four grandparents at a newborn shoot but how awesome is this! These girls will cherish these images always.
So welcome to the world, baby Elizabeth! You are so loved. And enjoy that popsicle, Margaret. You totally earned it. :)
When your bestie is heartbroken because she can’t be at her little sister’s birth because she lives on the other side of the globe, you show up as a photo-taking big sister avatar. I was so privileged to witness the beauty and love of this awesome birth story. Finley, your parents waited and hoped and prayed for you for so long. You were indeed worth the wait. Happy birth day little buddy!!!
xo,
your auntie avatar Candace
Dear Emerson,
First of all, your mama is one special lady. I'm sure you already know. We love her free spirited laugh, her confidence and kindness, but on the night you were born, she was mostly just really really strong.
We had been hoping that you would make your entrance into the world at the right time- so that both Meg and I could be there and so that Jessica could meet you before she moved away. It was selfish, I know, but we were all anxious to see your sweet face, hear your sweet baby sounds, and to see that look on your mama's face- the relief that you finally came out, that you are here.
We prayed and we hoped for you and then late on one Tuesday night in March, we got word that it was time. We settled into the room and visited for a while- your mama seemed to know just what to do. Her labor slowed a little so we went for a walk in the hall. Your mom and dad held hands and laughed and your dad even dipped your mom- it was a funny and fun start to your birth day. A nurse had to come out and tell us to keep it down- it was the middle of the night after all. So we did settle down a little. We got quiet and your mom got to work. She labored hard while your dad kept watch, a strong and steady presence for your mama. Even though she was in bed, it was like your dad was holding her up with his eyes and his hand holding and his focus on her.
And Emerson, it was really hard. Your mama hurt bad. She didn't get the medicine that makes the pain go away- she felt every last bit of it- but she was so strong and so brave and as soon as she saw you, love washed over her and she was undone. She loves you so much, so so much, little buddy.
And I guess that's the main take away. You are loved. You are fearfully and wonderfully made and every time your birthday rolls around, we'll remember how strong your mama was that Tuesday in March of 2018. And I bet you'll grow up to be strong and brave, too.
Happy birth day.
xo,
Candace
We had the privilege of capturing last week's Father-Daughter Dance at St. Marks Cathedral School and wow- the gym was filled to overflowing with love and joy. Girls from ages 2 to 14 were dressed to the nines and fully decked out with their most authentic smiles- the kind of smiles that come from being honored and totally and completely CHERISHED. When our girl hearts feel beautiful and loved like that, we can't help but show it through our giddy grins and shining eyes.
And the thing is, you know how those daddies love so fiercely and with all that they are? God loves us like that. All the time. God loves you like that- so the next time you're in front of our cameras, remember that we want to capture you the way God sees you because He sees you as cherished, unique, honored, and BEAUTIFUL. We understand the fears and insecurities that come with the human condition. The example of good father love has been absent or fallen short in many of our lives, but the good news is that the picture of true fatherly love doesn't begin and end with our own personal experiences as they are built upon human limitations and failures. God's love is not limited and it does not fail and it will never fail you. This little picture we had at this dance of Fatherly love is only that- a brief glimpse.
Yesterday, we listened to Lisa Harper talk about her experiences with her adopted daughter. Every night for forty days, she would declare six things to her daughter: you are strong, you are brave, you are intelligent, you are beautiful, I love you, and Jesus loves you more. This is true for you too. Jesus loves you more. Our prayer is that the love of God changes how our hearts respond to our own self image. That we can communicate to every woman who steps in front of our lenses that they can be their true selves because they are strong, they are brave, they are intelligent, they are beautiful, they are loved by their friends and family, but Jesus loves them more. Because when we know and own that kind of truth, we can wildy and freely be exactly who we are and oh, the joy....
We're gearing up for another great year of Easter mini sessions in Shreveport! This year, all the fun will be at the Pioneer Heritage Center on Saturday, February 24th and Tuesday, February 27th. Sign up now- just click here!
Exciting news at MLP- our beloved Virginia Lee has officially joined the Mama's Love Photography team! We're featuring her senior portrait work here but she can do it all- birth, maternity, newborns, family, senior pics... you name it, she can do it! Virginia began helping us out here and there about a year ago and since then we have absolutely loved her spunky nature and joyful spirit. You can find out more about Virginia on our "Meet the Mamas" page. Welcome to the team, Virginia! We love you!
Our first Mama's Love Photography birth of 2018 came on the sweet mama's actual birthday and now they're mother-daughter birthday buddies for life- how fun! We prayed for this baby as she made her way into the world and we would like to congratulate the Wood family on their brand new baby girl!
And we're announcing our baby's first year package today! This is an easy way to make sure you don't miss capturing each precious stage in the first year of life of your baby. Trust us... TIME FLIES and one minute you're blissfully happy and exhausted and hormonal in the hospital snuggling this new miracle and the next minute, you're grinning ear to ear with your arms straight out, encouraging your wobbly legged baby who's not so baby-ish anymore to take his or her first step in your direction. Let us help you with capturing the big moments and the in-between moments, too. You will never regret it.
"Stop spending all day obsessing, cursing, perfecting your body like it's all you've got to offer the world. Your body is not your art, it's your paintbrush. Whether your paintbrush is a tall paintbrush or a thin paintbrush or a stocky paintbrush or a scratched up paintbrush is completely irrelevant. What is relevant is that YOU HAVE A PAINTBRUSH which can be used to transfer your insides onto the canvas of your life- where others can see it and be inspired and comforted by it." Glennon Doyle
As women, we can be so conflicted. We have a desire and maybe even a need to be seen, to be known as beautiful, but fear holds us back. We hide instead. We settle for photos of our children only, thank you very much. Deep down, we know we need to spend a little time in front of someone else's camera, but what if we don't measure up? What if we're NOT beautiful? The lie we feed our hearts is that it won't be, can't be beautiful. And friends, it is a lie.
Our exhortation for you today is to see that lie for what it is and stand up to it. YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL- we've never met any woman who wasn't. We want to help you prove that lie wrong but it does take some courage on your part. We want to capture your life and your heart so that others can see it and be inspired by it, comforted by it for sure but also so that your memory endures long after this short life is over. Our children don't live life by themselves, they live in families anchored by mothers whose hearts are split wide open for their children. That love, that heart is what we want to capture. The size or shape or state of that "paintbrush" isn't the point- what matters and what we aim to capture is the evidence of kindness that radiates from your eyes, the joy showcased in the curve of your mouth, the love so evident by your posture and poise. Your beauty is all your own- it is beautiful and it matters.
So the next time we come around and you feel like you're not picture-ready, remember to give us a chance to help you be your best, brave beautiful self. Your spouse, your children, the world needs your heart showcased.
Your joy needs preserving.
We see you.
"Be messy and complicated and afraid and show up anyway." Glennon Doyle
As the sun sets on 2017, we are reflecting on all the beautiful and wonderful moments we were privileged to capture. Thank you for the opportunity to preserve your joy and here's to all the wonder ahead in 2018!
Happy New Years, friends!
We KNOW so many of you now have gorgeous photos from shoots throughout the year- now is the time to gift and print and frame to PRESERVE YOUR JOY. It can be hard to know where to start, so we thought we would offer some tips and tricks to getting some great photo gifts together just in time for Christmas.
Framebridge.com is a favorite of ours. It's very user friendly and very affordable! You still have time to get your photos uploaded and framed and shipped by December 23rd if you act quickly! Try it out- it's easy, breezy, and wonderful.
MPix.com is also an MLP go-to. Check out their metallic prints for something different or consider some photo magnets that grandparents can stick on their fridge and enjoy all year long. Photo calendars are also a great idea and photo books from vacations are such fun surprises to open on Christmas morning. Nationsphotolab.com and Mixbooks.com are similar sites offering similar services and also have some great deals for Christmas.
If you're local and you need some great, high quality prints with short turnaround times, look no further than Beyond Digital Imaging on Kings Hwy- they do excellent work and we've never been disappointed.
Of course, gift certificates are always a great and we have your Mama's Love Photography gift card printed and ready- just shoot us an email at [email protected] and we'll get you all set up with a gift wrapped and pretty and ready to go!
Computers crash and phones get erased and technology changes, but if you have prints in your hands or behind frames, they're safer than they'll ever be in a cloud, not to mention more useful. Print, print, print this Christmas! We promise you'll be glad you did!
Merry Christmas, friends! JOY TO THE WORLD, THE LORD IS COME!
Cotton minis 2017 were a great success and we're so thankful for all of our beautiful clients who made the drive north of town for all the fun. Here's just a tiny portion of what we had the privilege of capturing. Thanks again, friends! We'll have a Christmas mini announcement for you very soon!
Cotton mini sessions are ready for sign ups- Tuesday September 19th and Thursday, September 21st. Click "Book Now" to secure your session today!
Here's a little of the fun we had last year. :)
We are so excited to announce our first Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden mini session Wednesday, August 30th from 5:30-7:30 pm! 
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🎉 The GORGEOUS Arboretum grounds are the absolute perfect place for our first Dallas mini session to welcome Amanda Crow to the MLP team! Tag a Dallas friend and share this post on Facebook to be entered to win one free mini session (valid for Dallas Arboretum session only).
WHEN: Wednesday, August 30th, from 5:30-7:30 pm
WHERE: Dallas Arboretum, follow up email for attendants regarding specific location will be sent a few days before the session
WHAT: 10 minute mini session for $125.00 includes 3 digital images with gallery for additional purchases ($1 per person August Dollar Days admission and parking fees apply)
HOW: sign up at https://mamaslovephotography.setmore.com/
and don't wait- this will sell out fast!
Like we said, the arboretum is gorgeous!!!
And what can we get in 10 minutes? Well, we sure can take care of your Christmas card pictures. Get em done early, y'all! Come see us August 30th!!!
We've been so busy at Mama's Love Photography these past months- we've captured new life, tiny babies, big families, businesses, baptisms, graduations, a backyard wedding in 110 degree heat, pregnancies, and sunflower fields (did we even mention Easter pictures with an escaping bunny and a variety of chicks?). We hosted a Mother's Day fundraiser for Shreveport-Bossier Dress for Success and we've even petted a raccoon! What a year it's been... and it's only July!
We are so grateful for all of it- for the beauty to capture, for the clients who entrust us with their special moments, for the ability to be present and witness it.They are all great gifts from our God from whom all good gifts come.
So thank you all for your support and love. And scroll all the way down for our big announcement!
*drum roll please*
Mama's Love Photography will now be available in Dallas! We are welcoming the talented and joyful Amanda Crow to the MLP team! Stay tuned for more fun announcements coming soon and help us spread the word in Dallas by sharing with your friends. WELCOME, AMANDA!!! WE LOVE YOU!
We had a blast last weekend doing a commercial shoot for Graf Orthodontics! It was not your mama's studio business pictures- it was way more fun than that. We had music, bubbles, balls, props, and all kinds of fun to show off those beautiful Graf smiles! Contact us if you're interested in some fun and great shots for your website or business!
Thank you Graf Orthodontics and all your beautiful clients for a wonderful shoot!
Break out the birthday cake and candle- our little company is turning one year old!
To celebrate, we wanted to give back and honor other women making their way in this world so we teamed up with Shreveport-Bossier Dress for Success, a program designed to "empower women to achieve independence by providing a network of support, professional attire, and the development tools to help women thrive in work and in life." And Mother's Day? Why... it's our jam. So. Perfect.
Call your mom and get on her calendar now! You can even make an entire night of it. Our sessions are from 4:00-7:00 pm, perfect timing for dinner, shopping, and a quick and fun little photo shoot capturing all that Mama love. On Thursday May 4th, we'll be at Chateau en Mae where you can find beautiful gifts for your mom and then go grab a bite at Taziki's next door! On Tuesday May 9th, we'll be at Ladies in Waiting where you can find gorgeous clothes and gifts for the little mamas in your life and Ono's Hawaiian food truck will be onsite (you MUST try Sione's amazing food). We also have some fabulous local photographers who will be helping us make this event extra special and we can't wait for you to meet them (you will love). It will all be a blast!
Your entire $50 session fee will go to Dress for Success (in fact, we ask that checks be made out to them at the session) and after the session, you will receive a gallery from which you can choose one image as a free digital download with additional images for purchase.
Sign up now and please tell your friends and share this event!
Thank you for being the best and most beautiful clients in the world. We could not be on this incredible adventure without you.
So happy birthday to us and thank you Jesus for the good gift that is Mama's Love Photography! All the light, all the love, all the beauty is all a gift from You.
"Never again."
This is what we told ourselves after we collapsed from exhaustion after last year's Easter minis. And if you were there last year in our long line, you might have told yourself that too! To be fair, we had NO IDEA that so many people would show up and for that we were truly grateful. But we had a lot to learn.
And learn we did!
We've spent a whole year learning about how to make mini sessions run smoothly and seamlessly, minimizing wait time and stress to give you a great, laid-back experience for a quick mini session that will render priceless images of your kids for years to come.
It has become a well oiled machine.
So sign up now for our Easter minis 2017 because it will be even better than last year! We'll have bunnies and chicks and it will be gorgeous and fun and we hope to see you there!
And we won't have a lamb at our mini sessions this year but ohhhhhhhhhhh the sweetness!!!
"Before you were born
Great Grandmama
from over the hill
brought a tiny cap
woven of silk and moonbeams.
For baby dreams, she said.
but when you arrived
she held you in her ancient arms
singing...
Her blessing song was like a star
rising to the heavens.
God must have smiled."
Nancy White Carlstrom, Before You Were Born
We had a great time witnessing and capturing all the love and blessing between generations of family- a beautiful generational January!
Well things have been busy here at Mama's Love Photography! We are still offering birth and newborn hospital photography but are expanding to also offer monthly themed mini sessions for children and families (Mama's Minis) and we will be also be offering school event photography (Mama's Moments).
Mama's Minis have been keeping us very busy! September was a gorgeous cotton field shoot and October was a pumpkin wonderland.
Our Christmas mini sessions are now open so sign up now! They will be held on Saturday, November 5th and Saturday, November 26th. The 10 minute sessions will be $100. We will have a preview picture available soon so that you know what to expect, but it will be a wooded area with white lights in the background and a simple set up with an option to add a Christmas tree (white lights) or other Christmas props so that you can have a clearly Christmas themed photo shoot or simple family portraits without Christmas props. As always, we will capture family portraits, just kids, and/or individual shots as time allows.
We hope to see you there! We are so grateful for the absolute best clients in the world.
xo,
the Mamas
Book a birth or hospital session before September 30th and you'll receive a free complimentary mini maternity, pregnancy announcement, or gender reveal session!
The session will include a 5-10 minute session with a photographer resulting in 1-2 copyright released digital images to document your baby bump!
What a great deal- book your session today!
Why newborn hospital photography?
Because your first moments with your new baby only come around once in a lifetime.
Why newborn hospital photography?
Because it's so easy. One email, text, or phone call and we're there, ready to capture all the love and beauty of a new life in a quick 15-20 minute session.
Or an extended session if you want to catch moments with the whole extended family.
Why newborn hospital photography?
Because iphones and inexperience can only get you so far. You DO NOT want this:
You want this:
and this
and this
and this
Why newborn hospital photography?
Because why NOT!?
We are so excited about the launch of Shreveport-Bossier's newest photography business, Mama's Love Photography! We have been overwhelmed with the love and support from all of our clients, friends and family. We are here to capture those first moments of life in the hospital when families welcome and bond with their new baby so if you have a pregnant friend, send them our way!
In conjunction with the launch of our business, we thought it would be well timed and appropriate for Mama's Love Photography to offer Mother's Day mini sessions!
Because the most formative, important, and beloved people in our lives are sometimes the most taken for granted, we would like you to bring your mom to our session so that we can photograph her with you and your kids. We want to capture generations of love. We want to capture her real smile and the love in her eyes when she looks at you. We want to capture her laugh and the beauty of real-life, pure-love interaction she has with you and her grandkids. One day, you'll look back on it and be glad you took the time to document HER.
We want to honor our mothers.
Our sessions will be held just a stone's throw away from the banks of the Red River at 10711 Kings Hwy on Saturday, April 16th and Tuesday, 19th and you can schedule your session by clicking here. Sessions are $100 plus tax (cash, check, and credit cards accepted). We ask that you arrive 15 minutes early for your session so that you can enjoy a cold drink and spend some time writing a few thoughts about your mom on chalkboards that you will reveal to her when you get in front of the camera. After your preparation, you will have a full 15 minutes in front of the camera without pressure or haste. You can relax, laugh, smile, and maybe shed a few happy tears as we capture some precious moments among you and your mom and/or children. After the session, you will receive a private gallery on our website containing 6-8 digital images that can be downloaded for your own personal use and you will even have the option to print directly through our website.
We hope you will join us for what will be a memorable Mother's Day event for years to come!