184/365 Robin

Best hot chocolate I've ever had. I'm sure they removed the fat and calories just for MEEEEEE perfect start to a Monday!

184/365 Robin

Helped my husband try to reach the starter which is supposedly what is wrong with my car, I guess in normal cars these are easily accessible. On my VW Passat wagon it is buried under the car behind a bunch of do-dads....needless to say it's being towed tomorrow to the professionals who have hands like the one pictured above and who also will know what is wrong and charge us accordingly.... but it is worth every single penny they charge!

Everyday Ordinary.

As wedding season draws to a close, or at least for me it has I find myself in a strange place. I have no one to take pictures of! What is a photographer to do? I have already annoyed my husband and children with the constant photo sessions so they are off limits, and I'm too old for self portraits! I decided to take advantage of the ordinary, the mundane, the BEIGE! HA! I'm glad I did enjoy!

An informed vendor is a happy vendor.

This week I received in the mail something that made my heart smile, I received a formal invitation to a wedding I'm shooting in September. This couple happens to be somewhat family, or really family to my daughter so it's not all that hard to understand why I received one, but regardless I am thrilled that I received it. Why? Because now I know all the information I need, like what type of dinner it will me, where, when, who, what. I now know what type of food I'll be eating (because ya'll should feed your photographer, or at least give her some soda! Diet Coke please ahem!) knowing if it is a plated dinner or buffet helps too, if it is plated should I NOT park my caboose in my chair and walk around capturing some people at their tables who are waiting for their meals, and if it is buffet, should I make sure that I catch the bride and groom at the food line (if they request this) what times will everything be happening, how about a map? The little map you put in there helps me find you!

This invitation reads "the bride and grooms names" along with their families, that to me conveys more than likely the bride and the groom are paying for the wedding, they are my go to people, they might have children of their own, etc. Whereas if I read "Mr and Mrs. Michael Wilson cordially invite you to the wedding of their daughter Nicole." I would think this is a wedding hosted by the parents, the parents are the go to people. There is a wealth of knowledge in receiving that wedding invitation. I also now can do some fun things with the wedding invitation on my end, I can photograph it, or replicate it in photoshop to make something pretty neat!

In my previous experience shooting weddings it has felt like the photographer is the last to know everything, I am not making food, I am not a florist, I am not an organist, I am there to capture images that will play out whether I am there or not, so I am not triple checked like some of my fellow vendors. I also am not overly pushy with brides because I know that emotions run high during wedding planning, so I tend to be off it the peripheral for most events, (besides the last thing you want to do prior to a wedding is make the key players upset. :)

By formally inviting your photographer you are able to clear up a lot of questions, you prepare them better for their day before and after their time with you, and for that 1.00 you spent in postage you just might end up with something pretty amazing in your photos too!

The Show Me (photographic) State

The following pictures were taken during my trip to Hannibal, MO

Black and White Beauty

Where I say and how are you?

The first official Bella Vita Photography blog post (dontaatadon:) What to say what to say? Well let's start with a little get to know ya session. I am mom to Carrotline who will be 13 in just a few days, and also to Noodle who just turned 10, and wife to Mickety who will be 34 on the same day I turn 33, yes we have the same birthday and no it's not all that fun. I grew up in southwest rural Michigan in a small town with only one stop light and too many local watering holes to count. The same folks I sat across from in kindergarten were the same people I walked with at graduation. I've worked primarily in the transportation industry and have always loved photography but never had the right camera to be able to actually take good pictures..oh sure I got lucky a few times, but it wasn't until February of 2008 that I learned just how fantastic photography could be for that was when I bought my beloved Canon EOS 40D. It was love at first sight. I like to think of the guy at Best Buy as my own private match maker. We've been happy ever since. I have quickly learned it's all about the lens, not so much the camera body, word of advise buy the best body you can afford but really lay out the dough for the lens!

Photography is more than a hobby for me, sure I'm trying to make it into a job but at the core of it, it is a passion and life long pursuit, it is a legacy. When I take photographs and after I edit them I not only look at the value of that image today in peoples homes, but what that photo will mean to people years from now, especially when those images along with memories are all that is left of a loved one. That is when those photos take on a totally different feeling for the owner. Every compliment, every amount of praise I receive for my work moves me to tears because I feel that the customer is seeing the little bits of my soul that I pour into each shot. It is safe to say that I see 80% of my life through my lens, and I would not have it any other way.

So now you know me, tell me about you and how are you today? You look fantastic!