I've Moved!

Hello Friends,

After much hard work, the new blogsite is live! Head on over to www.purechildphotography.com for all the lovey goodness.

Hugs and love,

Miki

Body Music

I'm a huge nerd. I'll admit it. I've seen every.single.episode. of Buffy, Babylon Five (it was on my husband's "required viewing before marriage" list), and Firefly. We once flew to Burbank just to see a taping of The Big Bang Theory. It was awesome.

And I must confess, I own this T-Shirt. My husband gave it to me for my birthday. This year.

From ThinkGeek.com

And I also listen to NPR. The other day I heard this amazing piece on the Brazilian body music group Barbatuques. I am constantly amazed at how wonderful the human body is. All the things that it can do and sense and know. Listening to this group make beautiful music with only their bodies for instruments. It was captivating. And their joy in making art is infectious. I love how the interviewer was so excited he jumped right in and started making rhythm sounds of his own.

From TheWorld.org

We are beautiful. We can do great things. And we can do them now. Jump right in!

PS-If you listen all the way to the end of the interview you can hear a description of how to make Cameron Frye's "wupt" noise from Ferris Bueller's Day Off. See I told you I'm a nerd.

The Perfect Time?

Recently I’ve been thinking a lot about “the perfect time”. And after reading this breathtaking post by amazingly talented and soulful photographer Deb Schwedhelm, I was inspired to write my own version.

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When people find out I’m a love photographer, they get really excited. They want to have that experience. They want to let the world melt away and just focus on those they love. But then the doubts set in…

“I want to have pictures made, but now’s not really the best time.”

After I’ve lost 10 pounds.

After I have a chance to get the house clean.

After I like my hair better.

After all her teeth come back in.

After we get our tax refund.

And I understand. I do. My son was almost 10 pounds when he was born, and my stomach is probably never really going to recover from that.

But I also know that my family could care less about that. They don’t even notice. They love me just the way I am. Right now.

And I know that your family feels the same way about you. And with all the love in my heart, I have to say that I agree with them.

Because I believe—I KNOW—that you are beautiful just the way you are. Right now. Just like this.

It’s okay to want to wait till your house is clean or you loose the baby weight. Or the weather’s better. Or it’s not Christmas card time yet. Or the economy improves. Or, or, or…

But I promise, the people who love you, those that deeply care about you, they love you NOW. This way. With the crazy bangs, and the baby weight. The wrinkles and the under eye circles. They love you.

They. LOVE. you!

In the same way that you love your son when he’s missing his front teeth, or when a friend from school decides it’s a good idea to cut a huge chunk out of your daughter’s hair. In the same way that your partner melts your heart just by looking at you in that special way (And when he does, it doesn’t matter to you that he might have a few extra pounds on him, too.)

Because in and amongst everything, your life is beautiful. Now. I promise. I can see it. Even if you are struggling with doubts. I can see it.

And so can those who love you.

And when this moment has passed, as it always does, they will be so happy to have it captured. Frozen forever so that it becomes part of their legacy. The legacy of your love for them. Which is perfect and beautiful.

So please, find a photographer whose work you love, whose personality really clicks with yours. It doesn’t have to be me. But please find someone whose work inspires you and start planning. Start dreaming. Because you are worth it. This is the perfect time.

Vegas Baby!

Some times it just takes a change in perspective. Beauty is all around us. It just takes a moment to stop and remember. Remember who we are, what we love, and what we work so hard for.

On a recent trip to Vegas I wanted to be free. So I decided to try something new. I left the Nikon at home and just used the Hipstomatic app on my phone. I love how the images it creates are part skill and part serendipity. I quickly learned that what you see in the "viewfinder" is only a part of what is captured in the image. You get to choose where you point your camera, but you're never quite sure how it will all turn out. It was great to just be able to let go. To see what would develop. To just see the beautiful details and not try so very hard to get it all "right." And in the end it all worked out to be more than the sum of it's parts.

Snuggles at Home with Baby Deven

It's there all the time. The love parents feel for their children. It's in every thing they do. Holding bananas, washing little hands, splashing in the pool. There is pure beauty in the million ways we care for our little ones. And it makes my heart sing.

Deven turned one at the beginning of May and he came for a visit for Memorial Day. You may recognize his parents from their beloved portraits and his newborn portraits. This family cares so deeply for each other and it's a pure joy to witness.

Happy birthday little man. May your life be filled with wonder.