Of Business Cards and Gratitude and the Glory of Moo

 Long, but felt important. Read or don't, it's okay.

I posted a bunch of collages of some new business cards I recently ordered to a few of my social media channels tonight--hoping I didn't annoy my followers and friends, but it was something I really wanted to do. Since it's exceedingly odd for me to look at my own stuff and go, "Huh, this is actually good!", this process of choosing my new set of marketing material was fun and stressful and...bizarre, kinda. I am my own worst critic (and I'm glad for that if it makes me try to continually improve at what I'm doing), so to have a ton of photos to choose from and have a hard time culling the herd--not because I hate them all and I'm trying to find a handful of acceptable photos, but instead to be having a hard time because I'm finding so many that I think are worthy of being seen--it's a weird thing. But I think it's a good one, too.

Also, shout out to stupid baby Rachle circa about 2003-ish when I was just starting to toy with pursuing photography professionally, a thing I'd always loved and felt passionate about but that I was clueless about from a business standpoint. At that time I had other photographers (people I very much respected and still do!) advising me that I needed to specialize and "just shoot weddings" or "only do portraits" etc, rather than having more than one subject. "You'll never get good enough for people to want to consistently hire you if you don't focus on building your skills in just one type of photography". I remember thinking, pffff. I'll be bored out of my mind if I just do one thing--so I didn't. This isn't to say I shoot EVERYTHING--I still only do a few things versus trying to be a jack of all trades, but how lucky am I that I'm still able to work right now? 2020 has been a huge dumpster fire in many ways, and that's especially the case for a lot of people in my industry and the creative industries in general. The fact that I'm still able to (safely!) do my job when I know so many of my counterparts are struggling is incredible. I hope this doesn't come across as me bragging because it's not--this is me trying to express that I'm very grateful for this fact. As a naive but headstrong 20-something year old I followed my gut in what to focus on (ha ha photography pun), and that has paid off in so many ways. And now I have so many of you who give me both your faith and your business, so much so that I sit here with my brains frying as I try to figure out which of my photos to use for marketing and feeling bad about not being able to feature every single session or event in the order and hoping no one feels left out. Seriously, I'm a lucky little weirdo, hiding behind my camera, fortunate enough to have a bunch of awesomely trusting people who make what I do possible.

So humbly, I thank you if you've ever jumped in front of my camera or helped me behind the lenses. Maybe you came to me for something huge like your wedding or the birth of your babies, or perhaps it was for headshots to further your own career,. You may have chosen me to document your family's story in portraits, or you might have trusted me with something intimate like boudoir photography. You might have followed me into very cold water to make some underwater magic, or perhaps you first discovered me when we were both skulking around in the dark and fog of a local theme park looking to make someone's Halloween season rad. Perhaps it was even some combination of more than one of these things...but regardless, I appreciate you.

Collages below...this was a beast of an order, but I'm so stoked for it to arrive! Thanks to Moo.com for being so very wonderful and for giving me both the blessing and the burden of Printfinity and the option to choose like a zillion card designs. Super excitable "can't narrow down, going to choose a bunch!" photographer me appreciates the variety, and fussy "just pick one and stop lamenting your choice--keep it simple, stupid!" practical me frowned and rolled her eyes the whole time, ha! And oh, hey, I've got a sweet referral code if you've never ordered from Moo and want to look into it...just message me and I'll pass the savings along to you because these cards have always served me very well and they might be awesome for you, too.

(P.S. I'm so glad I don't have to sit at my computer all day tomorrow now that I'm finally done with this order. I'm going to play in my garden for the day, wheeee!)

Hello, Fall!

Autumn has arrived! Which is to say, it has arrived as much as it ever does in Florida. We are still sweltering in the 90+ degree temperatures and keeping an eye on the tropics, so essentially, it's business as usual here in Sunny Florida.

Tons going on here as we wind down from our summer events and sessions and kick off all the fun of fall, including a handful of weddings, a bunch of portraits, our annual Halloween mini sessions, HHN, and even an underwater session here and there. (Now, THERE'S the benefit to the everlasting summer...we don't have to worry about running out of chances to shoot outside or in water, which is a silver lining to the crazy heat that I will absolutely take!) I'm in final stages of booking for the very last spots we have open for 2019 and just about full for the Santa Jim mini session event dates, so if you haven't yet secured your date or if you've been meaning to reach out to book, time is growing shorter and shorter and your chances are dwindling!

While I play catch-up on some editing and gear up for the true zany nature of this most busy time of the year, enjoy some of my faves from a few of our recent sessions and weddings. Much more to come soon, and as always, stay tuned to our Facebook and Instagram for more photos and info as autumn rolls on!





















Happy fall, y'all!

Zany Week, April 12th Edition

Hey, y'all! Checking in. Spring has sprung hard over here at Ye Olde RSP Industries (not my actual business name but it sounds kinda cool, right?) and I feel like I've been running like an unstoppable maniac for the last week and change. Since last Saturday, I've had...


—5 portrait sessions

—2 headshot sessions

—A camping trip that included an underwater maternity session (and it was so so awesome!)

—2 other underwater sessions with a couple of super rad new models

—1 engagement session

—2 venue walk-throughs with upcoming wedding couples to nail down specifics for their events

—1 planning meeting with a brand new wedding couple

—Working on deposits and set planning for the Halloween minis

—Just an insane amount of editing and a handful of print orders

—Appointment planning for the next 5 weeks, which will contain 15 portraits, 4 engagement sessions, 2 weddings, at least 7 underwater sessions, and a whole mess of editing and post-production

—Not nearly enough sleep (which is nothing new, really)


It has been a crazy handful of days. I feel like I haven’t stopped moving since last Saturday. Wooooof.


But man, do I love my job.


Thanks to everyone who makes this weird wonderful wacky life of mine possible. I have the best clients in the world and I never forget that for a second!


Head down and soldiering on...although I'm hoping to grab a nap tomorrow in between sessions and editing and my paltry attempt at a social life. Ha!

Ryley and Chrystal: Save the Date!

Got to spend an afternoon recently in beautiful St. Augustine with Ryley and Chrystal for their engagement session. I'll be photographing these two as they tie the knot by the beach this coming summer, and I'm so excited that I get to be with them.









Ryley and Chrystal were high school sweethearts, and they've managed to stick together through thick and thin, including Ryley's military career and the challenges of a long distance relationship. Even though I am just getting to know them, I can tell how very much in love they are. I married my high school sweetheart too, so anytime I meet a couple like them, it makes me so happy.









We spent a great afternoon in the Oldest City, and these two are troopers--it was an awful lot of walking, distance, and dodging tourists and school groups as we worked, and they looked beautiful and relaxed from the start to the finish of their session.









We're counting the days until Ryley and Chrystal say I do! Getting to photograph the wedding of a couple as cool, funny, kind, and gorgeous as these two is going to be a delight and an honor.

Congrats, Chrystal and Ryley...thank you for putting your trust in me to capture your engagement portraits and your wedding day!

Tyler and Trish: Married!

Put the finishing touches on this sweet couple's wedding gallery this week; Tyler and Trish are a truly adorable pair, and it was so fun to be with them for their spring wedding at the gorgeous Lake Mary Events Center. LMEC is one of my favorite venues for weddings in the Orlando area, and the wedding celebration of the new Mr. and Mrs. Lahman was a day to remember.







The weather was perfect for Trish and Tyler's lakeside ceremony; not a cloud in the sky.









Being able to meet and work with Tyler and Trish's family and friends was so much fun, and their wedding party kept us laughing all day!









Tyler and Trish are so perfectly suited for each other, and I absolutely love how their post-ceremony photos turned out. Their smiles look so genuine because they are...both of them were grinning from ear to ear as they reveled in the fact that they were finally husband and wife!









As the sun began to set over the lake, it was time to head inside the gorgeous grand ballroom at the Lake Mary Events Center for the reception!




The love that Tyler and Trish's families have for them was so evident, and their father-daughter and mother-son dances were wonderfully heartfelt displays of this.






Once the music kicked into high gear, the party was in full swing. This couple and their friends know how to light the dance floor on fire!












It was a delightful, joy-filled, wonderful day from top to bottom, and we were so glad to be a part of it. Tyler and Trish, here's to your happily ever after, and thanks again for allowing us to be with you as you said I do!