Frailty

I’ve been struck lately by the frailty of life. In part, because of the new addition to our household. Lucien was so tiny when he was born and despite my previous baby experience I felt his life constantly hanging by a thread in the first few days after birth. I am still, I’m sure, much more careful than I “need” to be.

I’ve also been struggling with this uneasiness because my grandparents are, for the first time in my life, not completely healthy. My Oma was sick last Christmas and required heart surgery. On last Tuesday, just a year later, my Opa underwent a very similar procedure.

Seeing and recognizing the fragility of my situation, of everyone’s situation, makes me grateful for what I do and what I’ve been blessed with. For what I do because I get to step into people’s lives capturing the beauty of their faces and situations. Because when someone is no longer with us we go through photos to see their faces again and remember the celebrations of our lives. In addition to feeling the pain of loss we feel the joy of the memories we’ve made. I feel grateful for what I’ve been blessed with because it makes me long for a day when those I love will be safe. It makes me feel more with feelings fo pleasure and pain. It makes me grateful for my God and His protection.

Laugh as much as you breathe and love as long as you live – unknown quote

Product Photography

My husband Edward has been itching to do some product photography, so when Whitley Designs asked him to photograph their new jewelry line he jumped at the chance! And when he then took over the dining room, I jumped out of my computer chair to snap these photos of the man’s work in progress with my fancy new 14-24mm lens. We’re both having fun today. :)

In Due Thyme Portrait Session

For those of you who don’t know – I gave birth to my first son at home. Lucien was born with the help of Brynne and Deren of Mountainview Midwives. I am so glad that we decided to have him at home with the help of such loving and patient midwives.

Several of my friends who live in northern Virginia have also had home births, with Doran and Vickie of In Due Thyme and I recently took their portraits. You can see their pictures below, and visit their website to find out more about midwifery and their practice. www.induethyme.com

the sprout

My little baby isn’t so little anymore – a fact which was emphasized when I took Lucien, at 8 weeks, with me to a photo shoot of an 8 day old newborn. Here are a few self portraits of the bean with mommy and daddy.

Canvas Gallery Wrap Sale

For those of you who know me, you know that I’ve been talking about canvas gallery wraps ever since I ordered studio samples months ago. They’re sleek, elegant, and fabulous. To see my previous entry about them, and examples of what gallery wraps are, click here.

I think you should have some of these beautiful things, and I’m sure you’ve got some blank wall space and could use some striking personal art, so I’m offering a 30% reduction on our regular gallery wrap prices until February 15. Let me know how many you want and we’ll help you decorate your walls with style!

Sweet New Baby

Our friends just had a baby – their second – and he is a doll with his mop of hair and sweet velvety soft skin. Edward and I went over to visit yesterday and I was amazed by how large our “little” Lucien seemed in comparison! We have a few sweet shots to share from the trip over.

Congratulations to momma and daddy; he’s a keeper!

New Album Page

For some time we’ve had albums that we’ve offered to clients, but I feel like there’s been something missing. What was missing was a page, that I could offer brides who are planning their wedding from out-of-town. It’s hard to get an idea of what exactly these albums are like without seeing them, so I hope y’all find this page helpful.

These albums are beautiful, and very high quality, so please take a minute to visit the site and look at the photos we have of our sample albums. They’re perfect for couples, parents, and events of all types. The page can be found at www.elisabphotography.com under “Info” and is labeled (shockingly) “Albums”. Enjoy!

Charlottesville Best of 2009 Feature

Claire Goodman, who writes and oversees the Charlottesville Wedding Blog, features the best of the Charlottesville weddings and vendors in her blog each year.

This morning she posted pictures from Rachel and Drew’s wedding in October. I’m thrilled that this is our second year being featured, so check it out by clicking here!

 

PPA Membership

I take pride in the work that I do everyday. I love being able to create beautiful images that brides and their friends and families will cherish for the rest of their lives. I love capturing the special little moments you may not even see on the day of your wedding. I love showing off images that show the emotions you really felt on your day.

But how do you as a consumer separate the professional photographer from the amateur? To help you differentiate the Professional Photographers of America (PPA) lists its members on its website at http://www.ppa.com. This association lists only professional members – amateurs are not willing to pay the price of admission or obtain their rigorous certification. PPA members are professional photographers whose passion is creating the images that tell your stories, and it’s for that reason that I’m so excited to be a part of the PPA!

Sweet Baby Photography

I’m not the only professional photographer posting pictures of our favorite little boy. Angie Brement, of Angie Brement Photography, is a local photographer who specializes in newborn and portrait photography, graciously came to my house last weekend and photographed the little man while he snoozed.

It is so fun to work with other photographers, to learn from them and share fun tips and tricks. I really enjoyed watching Angie expertly maneuver him.

Click here to view photos from the session - they are adorable! Thank you Angie!