Hawkins Family

I can't even put into words how sweet this session was.  We had scheduled and re-scheduled this session due to weather and decided at the last minute (after cancelling) to go ahead with it.  The kids were awesome...and that's a task for FOUR kids 7 and under! Josh and Shannon, you are so blessed!! 

Happy birthday Ainsley Paige!

Sorry in advance for this sappy post about my 4 year old.  The fact she is FOUR is really hitting me hard.  She has grown up SO fast!  Four years ago, I never imagined we could possibly fit more glitter, and princesses into our home.  But, we have.  Ainsley loves makeup and glitter and princesses and high heels and purses and anything you can think of that is - GIRL!

She has an imagination like no other child I've seen.  She would sit and watch makeup tutorials on YouTube for hours.  She loves books.  She has a heart for animals.  She adores music and manages to get the whole family dancing in the living room floor nightly. 

Ainsley lives life with 100%.  Whether she is happy or mad; she does it with all her heart.  Her zest for life makes others around her love more, laugh more, and want to experience things just the way she does.  Her laugh is contagious.  Her little raspy voice makes you want to listen to her more intently.

Ainsley Paige: You are gift from the Lord.  I am SO blessed to call you mine.  My prayer for you is that you will never change who you are.  People will be critical of you; stay confident in who you are and you will make a mark on this world and everyone you come in contact with. I love you!!!

Without further ado...here is Ainsley's 4 year old shoot that became an "all about me" session with glitter, a fancy dress, sparkly shoes, a princess wand, and of course a beautiful crown.

Personal Share

Another week of my 52 photos that I'm simply in love with.  The theme for week 19 was "drama."  I could have gone a hundred different directions.  Heck, just taking a picture of my kids would have been drama enough! ;)  But, in photography, the lighting is everything.  So, what better way to make a dramatic photo than to manipulate the light?

In addition to learning light, my goal this year is to document my life in these 52 photos.  This week, Ainsley has begun writing her name.  She stands at our easel every night and draws people.  She writes letters and sometimes, if we are patient enough, she'll write her entire name.  That's what she is doing here (with her Jasmine costume on, might I add).  This picture captures the concentration on her face.  I love that her left hand is holding the cap of the marker and I adore the dramatic lighting, which is there just enough to lighten her sweet face. 

Week 19..."drama"

Eason - 9 months

I can't say enough about this sweet family.  Maris was the person who told me I was cancer free.  I'll never forget being called from the waiting room and hearing her words.  The next week I had another surgery and she came to check on me, "just because."  She is a Godly wife and mother and I am blessed to call her friend.

This session got cancelled twice but when we got to finally do it, it couldn't have been more perfect.  The weather was gorgeous and the lighting was awesome! :) 

Supporting Shannon

Exactly 2 years ago, I met a little girl at school.  She came to me for a Speech/Language evaluation.  She was 3 years old but wasn't talking...along with some other concerns, too.  I managed to fall in love with her the first time I met her.  And I have found a friend in her mother along the way.  We have kiddos that are the same age and seem to go through many challenges around the same time.  It's always nice to have someone who understands the emotional roller coaster you go through when your first child starts kindergarten, or when your "baby" has to get tubes. 

Shannon found out her mother was in kidney failure and she didn't hesitate to go through testing to see if she was a match.  She has 4 kids (who are absolutely gorgeous, by the way) and is a busy lady but she never questioned whether she would do this for her mother.  In November, Shannon found out she was a match for her mom and wanted to do something fun to share her news.  I was HONORED that she would choose me to help with her plan.  We met after school and what you see below is how she announced the good news! 

I still get goose bumps thinking about this selfless act Shannon is doing.  It makes me teary to think about what her children will see through her actions...they won't just "hear" that you should show love to one another...they will get to "see" their own mother give the biggest gift of all...the gift of life!!!

52 photos

A little over two years ago I decided to challenge myself to a photo a week...52 photos for the year.  It seems simple enough.  But, when you work a full-time job, the end of the week can sneak up on you.  Not to mention that two years ago I was spending every free moment I had with my one year old and 5 year old...and I was trying to just learn my camera at the time.  By the end of year, I had a learned a ton and I was SO proud I made it through the challenge.  Last year, I decided to do it again.  My goal was for each week to be as "professional" as possible.  So, it was often others that I photographed.  It was anything I deemed as a good photo...you know, the right lighting, no limb chops, etc. 

This year, I decided I wasn't going to do it.  I was burned out.  I wanted to focus on my kids and documenting our little life and our moments.  Then I found a lifestyle photographer I adore.  The way she sees light is amazing and when she posted she was doing a 52 week challenge, I accepted.  I decided I would learn from her, use her weekly challenges, but document MY life.  52 weeks of pictures of my kids...my life...what can be better, right?? 

I know I won't blog about my weekly photos on this blog but since I ADORE silhouettes and think this week's picture is TO.DIE.FOR., I thought it was a good choice to officially start Lindsay Keegan Photography.