Last Weekend in July

This past week has been productive, but I can't believe it's already the last weekend in July. You know what that means? Only one more month left of Summer. Don't miss out on some of my fave summer activities before it's too late.

~Stop the ice cream truck for an afternoon delight
~Put your toes in the sand
~Blow bubbles
~Star gaze
~Listen to some summer tunes ("If You Like Pina Colada" is one of my faves)

I will be combining some of my favorite summer activities tomorrow...swimming and photography. My lovely God-daughter will be having part II of her photo shoot at the river and then the pool. Stay tuned for some cool pool pics. We finished up Part I with some silver, sparkly stiletto's, skinny jeans, and an off the shoulder 80's top...epic outfit for an old-town shoot. I'd say we finished the week with a BANG. Have a great weekend and don't forget to make some time for a little R & R.

Mandy's Expecting!

Accomplishing Being Overwhelmed

watercolor by BeckyKazana

I came across this picture while being inspired by another photographer and felt a sense of accomplishment in myself and in my work over the past 14 months.  In the beginning year, I worked more hours than I ever had before and I felt overwhelmed. It seemed as if I had 35 plates spinning out of control and I just kept piling on more. I thought I needed more time...it was always more time. The truth is all I needed to do was adjust a few things and designate certain times to do certain jobs, rather than trying to do everything at once. I needed to slow down and relax. I thought that all of my plates always needed to be spinning perfectly as I stood well composed and balanced. I realized that wasn't reality, or if it was, it wasn't a reality that I wanted for myself. I think all businesses experience this feeling at the start of opening and finding a routine. It takes time to research, organize and act on your visions. Thankfully, I have made it through those beginning plate spinning stages and now have those plates nicely stacked away. I am now on a pathway to what I envisioned when I started this. Rather than stacking the plates higher and higher, I can now work precisely on one task, finish it, put the plate away, and grab a new plate. I have been famous for having 12 plates spinning at once, but the lightbulb suddenly came on for me.  It's about quality, not quantity. I am so excited that I know now exactly where I am going from here. I know that I am choosing to be amazing for my clients and give them the time and talent that they deserve. I know that in doing this, I will continue to thrive in what I love to do.

I've revealed a fire underneath me, a new motivation, and I hope this post leads you to putting down the less important plates and concentrating on the ones that mean the most to you. I did, and I feel the best I have in months.

The Show

I came across this song and loved the message. Slow down and enjoy the show!

Sara & Conrad

I met Sara and Conrad for the first time last fall. They were in the beginning stages of wedding planning and contacted me to talk about photography for their big day. After our wedding package meeting, they decided to hire me as their wedding photographer. I'm so glad they did because their pictures turned out beautiful:)

Sara and Conrad were married on Saturday, May 28, in Hutchinson, KS. Their reception followed at the Encampment Building in Dylan Hall. I loved the color choice Sara chose for her wedding. Red. Red is full of life, love and simplicity. When I shoot weddings, I notice the color choices. Now, I am not one to preach on color choices because I chose a color for my own wedding that I look back on now and go "What was I thinking?" If you must know, it was coral...coral?? I look at our wedding pictures and think "Orange is one of my least favorite colors and it definitely has an orange tint to it." Anyway, brides here's a special bit of advice. Stick to classy, elegant, basic colors.

Sara and Conrad's happiness showed in their pictures throughout the day and their laughter was contagious. Everything from the ceremony to the first dance ran smoothly. Thank you Sara and Conrad for inviting me to be part of your special day.

Cooper Family

Kaela contacted me several months ago about taking her family pictures. Her parents live several hours away, so it took some planning on their part before we could set a date. They seemed very excited that their dogs were welcome. Yes, we are pet friendly!! They had a total of 3 dogs. One extra large Tellie, one medium sized Lad, and one little princess Tiara. Luckily, I brought the dog whisperer, my husband Zach, along with me. He was making the family laugh by showing off his attempts to get the dogs to look our way. I loved the fact that they consider their dogs a part of the family and wanted to include them in the session. Our dog, Bear, is a big part of our family too, so I understand their love for their pet! (To see his picture go to "behind the lens" tab at the top of the page)

Property of Brandy Louise Photography

This family had an unspoken closeness. You could see the strength of their family dynamics by watching their interactions. It was easy, calm and relaxing for them to be together.