Photos Matter

My dear sweet mama shared this photo a few weeks back and I had to snag it from her page, because it rings very true to me for a lot of reasons.

I know, I know, there are times when it feels like as a society, we take too many photos, or that we're taking a lot of photos that don't have substance. Social media and smart phones have made this pretty easy for us so sometimes we all tend to get carried away. People often times are so worried about getting a photo that they might get in the way at an important event (*cough* wedding guests who worry more about taking cell phone photos than enjoying the moment and end up blocking shots and getting in the way *cough*). We all like to tease people who post a ton of selfies or take a zillion pictures of their lunches (hashtag YUM). Yes, it's fun to joke with people who take like 50 photos in a row of their cat or dog doing something cute (I totally do this and I refuse to apologize because LOOK HE'S WEARING A LITTLE HAT AND SITTING IN A BOX), and sometimes you might find yourself semi-exasperated at a friend who posts hourly photos of their kids or who overshares a bit sometimes. I get it, and we're all guilty of this stuff now and then. But here's my thought for all of us: just take the photos.

Seriously.

Take. The. Photos.

Even if you only take them for yourselves and never post or share them. Even if you're just taking a quick shot with your phone. Even if you have a decent camera but don't know for sure how to use it--just give it a shot (ha ha, camera pun) and see what happens because you might be surprised. Even if you feel like you're having a bad hair day. Just do it. And I'm not just saying this because I'm a photographer--I'm saying it as a person who appreciates pictures of all kinds, a person who lives and breathes this industry and knows the value in having the perfect photo, and a person who knows the devastation in wishing you had just a few more photos to look at after a day is done, an event is over, or a person is no longer in this plane of existence. There are going to be years when you are able to have professional portraits, and there are going to be years where you can't or don't want to do that. And that's okay. I had a client this year who was booked for holiday portraits but ended up not being able to keep her session, and she was sad about this and worried I'd be upset with her when she called to cancel. I said to her what I always say when something like this comes up: "I love being able to photograph your family and I'll be happy to do that whenever you need and want me to, but sometimes it just doesn't work out, and that's cool. I'm not going anywhere so whenever you want to do a session again, you know how to find me, but just make sure you take some photos this year, even if you just have someone take one of you guys with your phone. I care less about being the one to take the photo than I do about the idea that the photo exists to begin with. Your kids are only little for so long so take some good shots of them, and I can't wait to see what you get."

My dear sweet crazy Grandma Sandy passed away this year after a battle with cancer. She was funny and quirky and beautiful, and it's still really weird to me that she's gone. We didn't know she was sick until early in the year, and if there's a silver lining in the situation, it's that she didn't suffer long--she died in early April with my grandpa right there by her side. I miss her every day. Had I known that she was going to get sick and pass away, I would have done a better job of getting photos of just her and I together a few years ago when I was shooting my brother's wedding in Colorado, but as I was working and running around like a woman possessed the way I always do at weddings (my brides and grooms can vouch for this), I didn't manage to have a photo taken of just the two of us. Thankfully I have a photo of the whole family that I'm in, but I didn't get any of just me and her, and I should have. That is something I can't change, but if anything, it's hopefully a lesson that might permeate my pea-brain about never assuming you have more time with a person, because sometimes, you just don't.

Take the photos. Use your cameras and your phones. Take your selfies, photograph your sandwiches, share those baby and wedding and cat and dog photos to your heart's content, and don't let anyone tell you to do otherwise. Don't let yourself come to a point where you wish you had and the opportunity is gone. And if you've given me the opportunity to photograph you at any point, please know that I truly consider it an honor and I am grateful, so I thank you.

Photos matter; I can't wait to see yours.

World Photo Day

Happy World Photo Day, everyone! I am slightly ashamed to admit that I forget this day is coming every year until someone reminds me. I almost feel like I'm supposed to be outside, whirling around on a hilltop, a giant smile on my face, the sun shining, camera in hand, celebrating this day by shooting all manner of fun things and beautiful sights. The reality is, though, that I'm sitting at my desk, editing the past few weeks' worth of sessions and prepping stuff for clients, and getting ready for a sunrise engagement session I have at the beach tomorrow morning. (Which means I'll need to go to bed early tonight...let's not hold our collective breaths on that one, though. I'll probably still stay up late like a moron even though I know better. Ha.)

Photography has given me innumerable blessings in my silly little life. The opportunities, the adventures, and most importantly, so so many of the people in my world are a part of my existence because of my job. So many amazing, funny, awesome, wonderful things that I have in my life are there simply because, way back in the day when I was a little kid, I thought to pick up a camera and start tinkering around with it. I fell in love with photography and taking pictures at a very early age and I've been lucky enough to turn it into a career. I try to never lose sight of this fact.

So I suppose I'm still celebrating World Photo Day in my own way, even though I'm not outside shooting right at the moment; I'm celebrating the fact that on this, a day where we all rejoice in the art of photography, that I'm lucky enough to say that I AM a photographer, professional and full time. This is my only job and I love it every damn day. There are many people who are aspiring photographers who would love to be able to do this professionally and many others who do it part time but would love to make it full time, but that's incredibly difficult to do, so I know I'm lucky. It's exciting and scary and challenging and exhilarating, but I love it. Photography has given me so much and I am eternally grateful for every single moment I'm behind a camera. And to the people in my life who are here because of photography and to the family, friends, and clients who always support me, cheer me on, help me out, jump in front of my camera when I have some crazy idea, and give me motivation? Well, I'm pretty darn grateful for you guys, too.

“When I have a camera in my hand, I know no fear.”
~Alfred Eisenstaedt~

A Little Nostalgia

I am finishing up my most recent wedding (and adoring the results, squeee) as well as the portraits from the end of December, and it struck me in passing: I sure do miss HHN. This isn't surprising; it's never far from my mind. I just assumed that I must be getting a little bit of wintery cabin fever and missing my happy haunted home. 

Then as if your Spidey-senses were tingling, a bunch of you reached out to me seeking photos from this year's event, scare zones, and houses. It appears that I am not the only one feeling wistfully nostalgic for the land of fog and fright. 

Never fear, spooky friends. As soon as I am clear of these last few things that I am working on from the latter part of 2013, I will be returning with gusto to complete the remainder of the Halloween Horror Nights photography from this past year, and your patience will be rewarded. 

Soon. 

The Toil and the Rewards of the Wedding Photographer

One lesson life continually teaches me in my profession is that there are few things as difficult, as time-consuming, as maddening, and as rewarding as photographing weddings. They are completely in a class of their own.

I'm in the midst of sorting and post-production for the most recent wedding I photographed (one little rain-soaked soiree you may have heard of in the national news; the wedding of Grant Hetherington and Jyssica Lasco, which took place in Colorado during the epic crazy flooding in September...more on that whole adventure in a later post), and I am in the final prep phase for the next wedding on my plate. This one will take place a little closer to home in Lake Mary and I'm greatly looking forward to it...can't wait for it, really. It's going to be a great day.

Weddings are, to say the least, quite an undertaking. I don't know that the casual photographer or regular Joe understands the amount of blood, sweat, and tears that go into every single wedding; they are such a huge amount of work, from start to finish, and most certainly not an easy process. They can be super frustrating, but, if done well, they're also quite a lot of fun and some of the most gratifying work I take on as a photographer. I spend months prepping for a wedding, then spend roughly 10 hours (or often more) on the day of the event itself capturing the day for the couple, and approximately 60 full hours after the fact sorting, editing, and preparing the images for the couple. It's exhausting, quite frankly. But I love it. Like a masochist, I keep coming back for more.

But I beg you, don't take any of what I've said to be a complaint; I love what I do. There are few higher privileges in my profession than that moment when a couple selects me and trusts me to capture their day for them; this is a double-edged sword in that it is also part of the reason that weddings are stressful. I strive so very hard to deliver a good product to each of my couples, and I get very entrenched with them and attached to them. I cry with them and celebrate with them. I mist up when they see each other for the first time as the bride walks down the aisle. I laugh and cry with them during the toasts. And never for a second do I take for granted that I have been selected to be with them on one of the most important days of their lives together; it is an honor of the highest order. I don't take it lightly.

Speaking yesterday to my upcoming bride, I was going over a few things with her to assist her in ordering a matted print from her engagement session to have at the reception for her guests to sign, and making sure there was nothing she needed of me. I asked again (as I always do) if there were any questions she had or anything she needed me to do to make these last few hectic days before her wedding smoother, easier, or less stressful. She laughed a bit, and said the following: "Rachie, Jon (her groom) just said to me the other day, 'Allison, you've called the DJ twice, the caterer a few times, and the venue a few times to double check things, but I don't think I've heard you mentioning anything about calling the photographer; is everything okay?', to which I responded, "Rachel is the one person who I completely trust, and I just know she's got this. I've always known that she's got this completely under control and she's the one thing I have absolutely no concerns whatsoever about." This sentence may be the highest compliment I can hope to receive; knowing that what I do and what I fight for has given my couples the utmost of faith in me and my abilities is flattering, wonderful, intimidating but in a postive way, and amazingly uplifting.

Jon and Allison, I can't wait to be there with you as you become husband and wife. I sincerely thank you, as I thank all my couples, from the bottom of my heart for trusting in me to capture all the sweet, gorgeous, funny, heartfelt, beautiful moments of your day. My cup runneth over.

Tidbits and News and Info and Things

Just an update for you guys as summer winds down and the Big Bad Machine of Autumn grinds its gears and readies itself for action:

--Need a portrait or session of any kind during November and December? Speak up soon. November is nearly full and December is following suit. As always I book on a first come first served basis; once the sessions are full, it'll be all over but the crying for you.

--Yes, I WILL be doing a Halloween Mini-Session day, in either late September or early October. I am waiting on a few things to nail down a date for this. Most of all, this date will be determined by the arrival of one Miss Charley Regan Sanders, who is due around Labor Day (how appropriate) and her ensuing newborn portraits; Charley will take precedence and once I have a better idea of when we'll be shooting her session, I'll be more able to communicate a date for the Halloween mini-sessions. Stay tuned and thanks for your patience on this one! You won't regret it.

--Yes, HHN is right around the corner, and if you really have to ask if I'll be there, well sir, you must not know me at all. We're getting closer and closer to Opening Scareamonies (31 days, not that we're counting or anything) and we can't wait for the beginning of yet another amazing year of Halloween Horror Nights. Want more info? Visit www.halloweenhorrornights.com/Orlando and keep an eye on the Universal Orlando Facebook over the next few weeks for info on this year's event. I'll be there with freakin' bells on...join me, won't you?

--And finally, I am going to do another Buy-One-Get-One-Free print sale in the fall. Probably starting this promo in late September; I always have such a great response to these promotions and people have been asking when I'll do it again, so I'm going to reward you guys with some BOGO goodness, from me to you. Details and ordering info coming down the pike soon.

Any other questions, comments, concerns, or good jokes? You know where to find me. Drop me a line at rsullivanphotography@gmail.com or visit us on www.facebook.com/rachelsullivanphotography to keep up to date on the latest news, photos, and information. Hey, maybe I'll even throw YOU a joke or two. (Now the pressure is on for me to think of something funny...dagnabit.)

Summer Slammed

I'm getting ready to travel out to Colorado for the first of two weddings I'll be shooting in the rockies this year; next week, Sheena and Max will say "I Do" at Ascension Lutheran Church in Littleton and then celebrate with their family and friends at the beautiful Denver Botanic Gardens for their reception. I'm greatly looking forward to this; it's going to be a gorgeous day! Then in September, I'll return to Colorado once more for the wedding of Grant and Jyssica; this time the big day will take place at a lovely lodge in the mountains, and I simply can't wait.

Things here on the home front are chugging right along as well; along with the two Colorado weddings, we're busily planning some weddings here in the Sunshine State as well; Allison and Jon will be married in early October, and Bryan and Phalicia say their vows on the beach in Jupiter in November. Next year we're already booked for the nuptials of Nikki and Stephen in March for their wedding in Auburndale, and then we'll head down to Key West for Kristen and Thomas's awesome wedding on the Schooner Western Union and the weekend of partying to follow in the Southernmost City. All this on top of our usual portrait sessions, events, and an on-going contract fashion project for a local screen-printing and apparel company. And of course, just as always, the specter of Halloween Horror Nights looms larger every day; we have some really cool kick-off festivities for the Season this year and auditions are rapidly approaching. Suffice to say, it's an exciting and very, very busy time for us; but I'll say it again...busy is good and you won't hear any complaining from this happy photographer!

Enough from me for now. I'll leave you with this: we're celebrating summer with a portrait session giveaway to kick off the season of fun in the sun. If you want a crack at winning the session, simply visit www.rachel-sullivan-photography.com and click on the summer portrait giveaway tab. Want to earn some bonus points? You got it. After you fill out the form to enter the contest on our website, hop over to our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/rachelsullivanphotography and leave a comment on our WALL, and we'll gladly double your entry into the contest. Twice as much chance to win, whoopee!

Hoping you are all well, happy, healthy, and behaving yourselves!

Spring Flings

With a sigh I realize yet again that I've been neglecting my blog. Apologies, gentle reader. Life seems to get away with me more than I ever expect.

We are having a record breaking year so far; more portraits and weddings than ever. (You won't hear me complaining.) This past weekend we shot a wedding redux for a pair of dear friends; Josh and Marisol had a second wedding 4 years after their first go-around because they'd never done it in the church before. Saturday they had an intimate ceremony at Holy Family Catholic in Orlando, surrounded by their families, and we were honored to be on hand to capture their day for them. You may know Josh and Marisol from some of our past portrait sessions with Miss Evie; she is their now 2 year old daughter. They are an awesome family and it was great to get to help them celebrate as they said their "I Do"s again.

Keep an eye on us over on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/rachelsullivanphotography) for all the latest news and photos. We hope you and yours are having a happy healthy year so far. Happy Spring!

Sneakity Peekity

Just a taste from the zombie photo session on Saturday. Oooh, I'm proud of this album. More to come soon...

HHN Wrap Party 2012

The photos from this year's Wrap Party at the Firestone Live in Orlando have begun to post to our Facebook page. This includes general party mayhem, some shots from the costume and SotY contests, and of course, the group photos of each House and Legion. What are you waiting for? Go check 'em out!

www.facebook.com/rachelsullivanphotography

Hooray for technology

This is my first time posting a blog from my iPhone via the Blogger app. How exciting.

I realize it's been a whole lot of time since I last dropped in, so here's a quick update of what's been going down in our world lately:

HHN, portraits, bridal consultations, HHN, more portraits, newborns, more HHN, holiday booking, print orders, and oh, more HHN. Phew!

We are back from our foggy sojourn and can't wait to share all the images from this year's event. For now, we will say happy fall, and we hope you are all doing well and enjoying the season.

Happy Winter Solstice!

Happy Midwinter to one and all! Today marks the shortest day of the year and represents the rebirth of the sun--from here on out, the days gradually begin to lengthen again as we make our way out of the darkest time of the year and back towards more sun, warmer weather, flowers, and springtime. (For those of you outside of the sunny state of Florida, it may feel like a bit longer until spring visits you again, of course.)

Early this morning we were treated to a celestial display of epic proportions; for the first time in 456 years, a full lunar eclipse coincided with the Solstice, and not only that, but while this was happening, the Ursid meteor shower was taking place, too. It was quite a show, and I of course had the camera in hand to capture some shots of the heavens as they worked their magic. I have heard from some friends and family in other parts of the country that cloudy, cold or snowy weather prevented them from seeing the eclipse and the shooting stars, so I'm sharing these images with you here now so that you can get a glimpse of the view from our rooftop in Florida, where our weather behaved splendidly and gave us a night that was a bit cold, but clear as a bell for a great view. Enjoy, and may this Midwinter find you warm, happy, healthy, and at peace. Here's to a season of growth, change, and wonderful opportunities; Merry Yule!

Smile...because you still have to go home with these people

Just an observation from my time in the studio. Moms like to have photos of their kids. Moms will have no issue procuring frequent photos of their kids when said kids are wee little ones. It becomes slightly more difficult to manage when the kids are older, busy with activities, and of the mindset to say such charming things as "Pictures are stupid" or "I don't even like my family, why should I have to get portraits?" *insert general sound of whining here*

Here's the thing, mopey teens of the world. Mom brought you into existence. Mom more than likely purchased your stupid skinny jeans and hair dye for you, and she's more than likely going to be the one to pry open her purse and hand you cash once the photo session is done so that you can go to the local fast food joint and stuff your face instead of helping her pick out photos that you like. And Mom, in all probability, drove you to the studio, which means that she has the car keys, and I'd be willing to bet that you don't live right around the corner...so be nice or else she'll leave you with us. Smile. Don't slouch. Let Mom fix your hair. Look at the camera. Don't spend the entire time whining about how much you hate having your photos taken, and whatever you do, don't insist on making the 'non-smiling intense looking teen angst' face because believe me, it'll come back to haunt you when you're a little more grown up. Your dear sweet mother would just like to have a nice updated shot of the fam for the wall and to send to grandma...for heaven's sakes, just sit still, pipe down, and smile for ten minutes and it'll be over. It can be a quick and painless process if you just cooperate.

And dads, the above rules apply to you, too. We know, we know...you'd rather be at home watching the game, and the sooner you cooperate the sooner you'll be back in the Windstar on your way home. Also as an FYI, at the end of the session when Mom is choosing her photos and is OBVIOUSLY leaning toward one shot versus the other, she's going to ask your opinion. Don't say "I don't care" or "pick whichever one you like, this is your thing anyway". For Pete's sake, just tell her you like the one you already know she likes; you'll make her feel like you care (we know you don't) and you'll make her feel like she'd already chosen the one you liked best--everyone wins.

Maybe, next time your mom or grandma or wife drags you into a portrait studio or to a photographer, you'll remember these words to the wise and employ them. Trust me, it'll make the whole experience easier for everyone--the other family members, the photographers, and of course, your loving mama. So play nice.