Tony and April


Sheesh! I have so much to blog! I'm sure April and Tony were starting to wonder if I forgot about them. Of course not! And I have to give a little shout out to them. Thank you, thank you, thank you, April and Tony! You guys are the best! I have the best friends ever!

Martha Stewart: Everyday FOOD special issue

hmmmm.I think I'll start blogging again...yeah! I think I'll blog right now! jk! I never stopped but it seems like I did.Okay I've been super busy and to be perfectly honest I've been playing a lot. And I don't even feel bad about it, so there!

Okay on with today's post. it's a rant of sorts....and you get to see my food/photography snobbery come out. enjoy hahahah!

So I picked up the latest Everyday FOOD magazine from Martha Stewart. I was lured in by the yummy cover.I want so badly to try the yummy fruit pops on the cover and there are many more inside that I have to try, namely the mojito ice pops. I was also interested in the article "Summer Made Easy, 120+ must have recipes."

I drooled over all the pages until I got to page 80.... "Blanket Banquet."  The real reason I bought the magazine, I admit, was not because of the yummy fruit pops, but the one article with the horrifically bad photos of a blanket banquet.....

Mouth ceasing to salivate, I looked at the other 7 pages in the article...  I was kind of appalled at how bad the photos looked. I even thought "I could take better photos than that! maybe I should apply at Martha Stewart... These look like they were shot with a cheap point-and-shoot camera and then printed at the cheapest printer in town." I had to see who the photographer was! Flipping back to the front page of the article I saw a label reading, "LOOK! These photographs were taken with an iphone, using the HIPSTAMATIC APP."

iphone hipstamatic app.... eh? That's fine and good and great.... But food photos in a food magazine are supposed to make the food look good, and appetizing, and tempting and make you want to lick the paper even. The zesty chicken salad sandwiches did not look appetizing at all! Bleck! And the photo reminded me of an outdated recipe book from the 1970s or 80s. I get that the hipstamatic app is "uber-cool" and stuff with it's trendy retro look but I think there is a place for everything including photography and a food magazine is not the place for this kind of photography. I was mostly surprised that a magazine like Martha Stewart, "America's premier homemaker" with a brand that speaks of perfection and high end quality would have such unappetizing photos in her food magazine. I love Martha Stewart for her DIY projects and tips and her clean, simple, classic style. But I admit it was disturbing to see photos like this in her magazine.

I was so shocked I just had to buy the magazine so I could show someone! I am either a little dramatic or just very passionate, but if it takes bad photos in your magazine to get someone to buy it then I guess it worked...

I couldn't find the chicken salad sandwiches on her blog but here is a photo of the tomato tartlets, definitely not the worst photo in the article. If you happen to see a Martha Stewart Everyday FOOD magazine at the super market, turn to page 84 to see the chicken salad sandwiches.


Side note: I admit I am glad I bought it. Now I am for sure going to try the fruit pops!

New Pricing! yay!

I am so excited and also a teensy bit nervous to announce I have finally posted my pricing on the blog.

Why am I excited? 
-This means one more step forward in that direction of turning my passion for photography into a business. (last year I was practically begging people to photograph them for free)

-Now, when people ask how much I charge, my response won't be "I dunno!" haha!

-I have fretted about where to set my pricing for months (maybe even a year. hehe) and this feels like a good starting point.

-I feel like I've come up with a way to offer several options that make my services affordable to anyone.

-I feel like I can finally justify some of the time I spend doing photography. I work part time so I can be home with Sydney and be the mom that she deserves. Although I love photography, the times I am not at work is very precious to me and I would love to spend more of it with my own family and Sydney.

-And It frees me up to pursue my dreams of photographing food. :)


Why am I nervous?
-Honestly I am nervous that no one will hire me and I won't be able to grow my business.

-If no one hires me I won't have a way to feed my addiction for taking photos. bwahahah!

-If I can't grow my business I will be stuck at my part time day job for the rest of my miserable, lonely life! hahaha! I totally exaggerate! But it is a tiny bit true. I want to eventually turn my photography into a full time business/career that allows me to support myself and Sydney.

-There is always that fear, that lives deep inside of me with all of my other silly fears, that people will think I am overpriced.


Well there you have it. And it feels good to get it out there! Dang it! Big sigh... And after reviewing my lists, I know this is the right thing for me to do right now. The reasons I am excited far exceed the reasons I am nervous. And so it is. Yay!

Because I am working on building a sustainable business, pricing will change in time.


To finish up I would like to include a few links that discuss why photographers charge what they do:

I feel like this post, "Why does wedding photography cost so much?" by photographer Brian Powell,  best illustrates why photographers charge what they do.

I also really liked this article, "Why Does Custom Photography Cost More?" by Marianne Drenthe of Marmalade Photography. 

Happy 24th of July

Photo from a recent engagement session. They just so happened to have sparklers in their car. But no lighter. bummer... I had the most fun with the couple and can't wait for the wedding!

Madison - test shoot

Dear Madison,

Did we not have so much fun on this shoot?!  It was fun putting on a wedding dress, getting all dolled up, taking pictures and seeing how beautiful your photos turned out. And I admit it was fun to see your dad freak out about seeing you in a wedding dress.

I just want to remind you that you are too young to be thinking about really wearing a wedding dress! hahah! You can dream about your wedding, your husband, and your wedding dress and you can try on mine any time you want, but I want you to dream as much or more about the other parts of your future, the parts where it is just you and the world. You have such a bright future ahead of you and you are so young. Maybe you are sick of being young. It always seems to me that you are old for your age (and you know that). Just don't grow up too fast. Take this time to allow yourself to really discover what is in your heart, and allow your life to unfold, rather than rushing it. Allow yourself to travel, play, laugh, and let your light shine and discover what it is your spirit is here to share with the world. Your aunt Kristy gave me the same advice (travel the world and play before you get married) and I just hope you slow down enough to actually do that... :)

One last thought, boys can be fun and it's fun being adored by them but you have to realize the beauty in your own heart. You are beautiful. But it's the boy that you allow to see past your gorgeous face and into your heart and see your spirit that will adore you forever. Take your time to find that guy that truley deserves you, because not many of them do!

Love your favorite aunt, Meili


These were taken for a bridal test shoot

Mekayla Sweet Sixteen

Dear Mekayla,

Do you remember when we were photographing these, for your sweet sixteen, and I told you to just relax, let go of worrying about how you look and be your self, have fun and your true beauty will show? I just want you to know that you are a beautiful young woman and have grown up to be such an amazing person. But you have always been beautiful (beyond photos) and talented and loving and have such a way of making others feel your excitement for life.

I have known you your whole life. I'm sure when your parents tell you how beautiful you are you think "sure... you have to say that because you are my parents." (well I did when my parents did) But I am not your parent so I can tell you whatever I want. hehe! You have a beautiful heart. I know your dreams and hopes and the light you have to share. And it is beautiful and wonderful and bright. I am so blessed to know you and love that we are so close.

I am so grateful that I got to photograph you and feel honored that I get to share with others, through my photography, the light and beauty that I see in you. Always remember there is no one like you, and it is when you open your heart and allow it to shine that others will see how amazingly wonderful and beautiful you are. Always be yourself! You are beautiful!

Love your favorite aunt, Meili


Advice for aspiring photographers

Someone shared this article, "My Advice for Aspiring Photographers" by Cheryl Jacobs Nicolai,
on Facebook and I really wanted to put it on my blog just so I can have reference to it later. I really liked the advice it had.
I loved this entire article but some parts really stuck out for me because they are areas that I am really working on to become a better photographer and artist.

As I have been exploring new subject matter from what I began photographing in school, I feel like I have been on a search to discover my own style. I really loved the part where she says, "Style is a voice, not a prop or an action. If you can buy it, borrow it, download it, or steal it, it is not a style. Don't look outward for your style; look inward." 
Another quote I loved was, "Great portraits are a side effect of a strong human connection." It's when you make that connection with the person you are photographing, allowing them to open up their heart in a honest way and show their true self, that truly beautiful photos are made. I know every person is beautiful and has a beautiful story to share I want to learn how to capture that in photos and I really do feel like that possible by making that human connection.
And she addresses something I always struggle with, comparing myself to others. I have been a lot better about this lately. A little hint: don't look at other's blogs. :) "Never compare your journey with someone else's. It's a marathon with no finish line. Someone else may start out faster than you, may seem to progress more quickly than you, but every runner has his own pace. Your journey is your journey, not a competition. You will never "arrive". No one ever does."

Melanie Bridals

I have been dying to post these photos on the blog! Melanie is so amazingly gorgeous and looks stunning in these photos. And I totally love her hair piece! Her sister-in-law, Christy, works wonders with making beautiful things! Melanie collects trunks and suitcases and used many of them in the decor of their reception. So we decided to incorporate them in her bridals. Melanie and Kevin, aka "Dawson," were married yesterday and it was such a beautiful wedding! Photos from the wedding coming soon!
I have to give a shout out to my dear friend and fellow photographer, Noelle Reynolds, for all her wonderful help. She is such a talented photographer and I am so blessed to know her.