I hope everyone had a fabulous Easter! As for me, I’m now stuck in a house with entirely too much candy…
It’s been a couple weeks since my last Monday Madness, so in the spirit of Easter, let’s “hop” right to it!
Last year, I had the chance to be photographed by the beautiful and talented Jill of Jill Higgins Photography. Like most couples, my husband and I only had professional photos from our engagement and wedding. So I was excited to finally have some updated photos since ours were going on 2 years old! I was also curious to experience what it felt like on the other side of the lens, since I hadn’t been there since becoming a photographer!
The one thing I wasn’t too excited about? All the weight I had put on from stress eating during my last job.
The #1 excuse I hear from people about NOT booking a portrait session is they don’t think they can afford them. This is followed very closely by body issue woos. Thankfully, Jill was offering free 10-minute sessions to her Facebook friends at the time. That solved any hesitation I had about our budget (we’d recently bought a house and new car and I was building a business from the ground up), but I was still worried about how that extra 25lbs would look on camera. I’m so glad I ultimately swallowed my pride and signed up for a spot. Especially after reading this:
“A Letter on My Doorstep: Portraits Are More Than Paper”
And the result of that mini-mini session? 4 beautiful images! My chunky chipmunk cheeks and everything!
Photo by Jill Higgins Photography
Photo by Jill Higgins Photography
Photo by Jill Higgins Photography
I didn’t just stop with the session. I made sure to print the images for our home and mothers as well. I’m so guilty of getting stuck in the digital world and never letting my personal AND work images see the outside of a camera card or computer screen. But I’m actively working on printing more of my photos. I don’t want to end up a hypocrite, telling my clients one thing but doing another. If you’ll remember, I talked about documenting moments and printing images in my first Monday Madness. And this photo here perfectly sums up why tangible prints, albums, and canvases are so important:
Source
The funny thing about the whole concern over my weight at the time? I’m actually proud of these images now because they show me how far I’ve come in my journey to health and fitness! And the experience of being on the other side of the camera proved invaluable as well. I’d forgotten how nerve-racking posing for professional photos can be!
I couldn’t imagine not having any photos of my husband before we met, my mother before she had me, or my future children before the official (and cheesy) school photos. So why should me and my family not have photos of ME, right here and now? That was who I was at that point in time, point blank. If you don’t like the way you look, I urge you to still get professional photos taken now because you don’t know the next time you’ll be able to. Then work on getting your body to where it needs to be. And if you can’t afford professional photography right now, that’s fine. But be sure you can’t afford it for legitimate reasons and not because you’re addicted to Starbucks and new shoes. I’ve experienced loss a few times and am so grateful for even the point and shoot, grainy film images I possess. Memories fade much quicker than a photograph. In fact, a photograph has the power to conjure up memories in a way our brains can’t do on their own. Please always remember the value of portraits beyond the monetary cost.
So Jill, thank you so much for those photos. I can’t wait to actually pay you for a full session next time! You’re worth it and then some!
That’s my girl Jill on my right in the cute dress!
Now speaking of Jill, the last thing I want to share with you today is something she created. I’m just lucky to be a part of it.
If you know me at all, you know how much I love to travel (even if it’s just a few hours away). I’m hoping to expand into the destination wedding photography business to combine my love of photographing weddings with travel, so when Jill asked if I’d be interested in joining a team of creatives who specialize in destination elopements, I was ECSTATIC. So if you’re planning to turn your wedding into the honeymoon and/or what no mess or stress so you can get straight to the marital BLISS, let me know or contact us through the Love Takes Flight website! If you don’t see a package that’s right for you, we can custom-create one! All you have to worry about is updating your passport and figuring out what to pack.
To be quite honest, if I had to do it all over again with the 20/20 hindsight of planning a wedding, this is exactly the sort of thing I would have looked for! Save the money and book a flight to Paris to get married and start the honeymoon! (Which speaking of, a Parisian elopement is coming to the site VERY soon. *winkwink*)
Love Takes Flight: Affordable Destination Wedding Packages
Brides (and grooms!), check out the LTF Facebook Page for some fun contests and special announcements! And for everyone else, please let me know if you’re interested in sharing the Love Takes Flight initiative on your site, blog, or magazine/newspaper. We’re hoping to spread the word and get people to their honeymoons as soon as possible!
Happy Monday everyone!
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