I don’t often really share my personal thoughts on the blog… Sometimes it’s hard for me to figure out how much I should share. But I think it’s good for me to share who I am, my thoughts and beliefs, hopes and fears. So here’s just a little something I’ve been thinking about lately.

This job is really hard! I feel so incredibly blessed to be able to do something I love, and to help so many amazing people capture their beauty and awesomeness in my imagery. But it’s a lot of work – mentally, physically, and emotionally.

I’m a “quick-to-love” kind of girl… I go into every session and open myself up: my mind, my eyes, my soul. I sit back and watch and listen. I pay attention to the details, reactions, interactions, and behaviors. I try to soak up the energy and emotion I feel. The bond between people, the love, the hope.

I often feel like a sponge trying to absorb all this information, but it’s the only way I know how to shoot. It’s the only way I feel like I can do justice to each individual, couple, and family. If I can just try to see what you see and feel what you feel – it makes it so much easier to really capture who you are.

Some sessions are a breeze. I walk into them and there’s just this radiating joy, this abundance of love, this perpetual happiness! It’s such a beautiful thing! That joy that you are sharing together… I truly feel it! It fills me up! It’s a wonderful thing to be able to experience that and then use that emotion to capture the joy and love and happiness in you!

Sometimes sessions aren’t that easy though… Sometimes the joy isn’t as strong. Sometimes stress, and worry and feelings of inadequacy are much stronger. I know those feelings too… and I’ve felt them personally many times in my life. I know that pain and I feel it with you (whether you know that I do or not) even if you try and hide it behind a smile.

In these harder sessions, even though my goal is to capture your true essence and emotions, I always hope that maybe I’ll be able to help you break free. I remember when I was at my lowest point and how alone I felt. I was miserable and felt like no one cared. For me it took one person… just one person showing me that they cared – and I mean really cared about how I felt and what I thought and assuring me that I was perfect exactly as I was. One person… helped me to find joy and happiness and love.

I feel incredibly blessed! I’m so very lucky to have found someone who loves me exactly as I am – flaws and all. To have family who believe in me and support me. To have friends who always have my back. I’m so thoroughly humbled by the people who come to me for sessions and share themselves and their special days with me. I know how lucky I am!

It’s why I love what I do and why I keep working (even on days when nothing seems to go right). Because I believe in what I do! Whole-heartedly! It’s more than just pictures to me – it’s an emotional connection, an experience… it’s love. Whether it’s the love between two people or a family, the love you have for yourself or the love I feel towards you.

I help people see that. I remind them of that bond they share. I remind them how important these moments are. Time too quickly passes us by and little things are easily forgotten or taken for granted. There is no greater gift I can give than to show people how amazing and wonderful they are and how beautiful their life is.

Well if you’ve made it through my long bit of rambling thoughts – thank you! You’re awesome! Hopefully what I wrote made sense and didn’t bore you. I hope you all are having a fantastic Wednesday, and I hope you’ll find some time to stop by on Friday! I should have some photos of the gorgeous Sluder family up and ready for you by then! 🙂

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