Month: April, 2010

{ Jami – maternity | Decatur Illinois maternity photographer – Illinois maternity photographer }

April 26, 2010 · { maternity }

I have met the most amazing woman named Jami who I immediately became friends with.  My first session with her (from my Pickles and Pacifiers package) was with a big ol’ budha belly…she looked so so cute!  And how proud she is of that adorable belly and the baby (her first) inside.  She’s so ready to become a momma…you can just tell she’s going to be the best mother ever…already nurturing her little man, not to mention spoiling him rotten!  He’s going to be the most-loved little guy.  I can’t wait for her to meet Logan.  You bond with them and love them when they’re in your belly and never dream that your bond and love can expand any greater. But it does.  I cannot wait for Jami and her husband to begin this new life; what a wonderful road they have ahead of them.

Jami arrived to my studio with a suitcase of clothes and items to use in the session.  I LOVED it!  I love when a client is excited for their session!!!  We had a BLAST spending 2 hours together coming up with exciting, fun, and a little tiny bit x-rated shots, hehe :)   I love when my maternity clients aren’t modest…makes for the most creative, fun sessions!  Thank you, Jami, for choosing me to do your photography.  I’m so looking forward to this birth experience with you and the baby sessions ahead.  It’s such an honor for me to watch a child grow and photograph those milestones.  I’m forever grateful.

p.s. I had Jami’s permission to put these on my blog.  Thank you, Jami!

{ Sneak Peak! – Maroa-Forsyth best friends | Maroa-Forsyth Senior Photography – Illinois Senior photography – Illinois teen photography }

April 20, 2010 · { seniors }

These girls are dying to see some shots from their session so I thought I’d be nice :)   I have 4 other sessions to edit first and a half dozen orders, but making them wait is pure torture, so, girls, hope you enjoy these!!!  Can’t wait to share them all with you, but I have to be fair to my other wonderful clients.  Patience is a virtue but hopefully well worth the wait!  Love ya!!!

p.s. This session was the bomb and I can’t wait to share more with you all!  Keep checking back for more…soon!!

{ Jody & Joe – Thrive May 2010 | Millikin University – Decatur Illinois photographer }

April 14, 2010 · { Thrive }, { family }, { other }

I am a part of this awesome little magazine that is distributed throughout Macon County, called “Thrive”.  It features people, businesses and events in the community that are special little gems…who contribute to the area and who have businesses or talents that go above and beyond.  I have been a part of this magazine as their photographer since it begun last summer.  We’re going on our 1-year anniversary!  I’ve had a wonderful time with this group of ladies (there are just 4 of us, all pretty rockin’ females!) and I hope our magazine and success continues.  I can’t believe how big Thrive has gotten in just one year.  I can only imagine how it will continue to grow over the upcoming years.  Thank you, friends, and thank you, Central Illinois, for your support!!  Check out Thrive on Facebook and check out their website when you have a chance.  And if you know Kat, Brook or Joli, make sure you thank them for their hard work!

For May I got to do a little photo shoot of Jody and Joe.  Jody owns her own business called “Red Carpet Promotions” in Decatur, and Joe, he works in the Admissions Office at Millikin University.  You’ll have to check out Thrive in May to see why we have featured them and to see more of my photography :)   Anyway, I had a lot of fun with this little Thrive session and loved how it turned out, so I thought I’d share a few.  Jody and Joe are such a cute (fun!) couple and not to favor any one person (or furry pals) but the sweet little Toto look-a-likes stole the shots, I think!  They were so good and so darn cute…I love pooches! Thanks again, Jody and Joe; great to meet you!

{ Kenleigh & her family | Illinois Family photographer }

April 12, 2010 · { baby }, { family }

Kenleigh is now 3 months!  This time daddy, Keith, came along to jump in for some family photos.  The first ever family photo is always so fun for any new family.  I still vividly remember ours with our first son, Noah, when he was 6 months.  Thanks again, Mike, for capturing a wonderful moment in time for my family.  Time goes by so fast.  All you have to do is blink and suddenly they are no longer 6 months but 6 years.

Making this short and sweet tonight, but thanks again, Janna, Keith an Kenleigh!  Next session will be the most fun when she’s sitting up.  3 months is hard but I hope I caught some keepers for ya :) Thanks again, guys!  You’re the best!

{ Sisters – Braxton & Darby | Chicago Illinois photographer – Argenta Illinois photographer – Decatur Illinois photographer }

April 9, 2010 · { baby }, { children }, { family }

My friend, Holly, who I’ve known well since 6th grade, emailed me about doing a session of her girls when she was down from Chicago visiting her sister.  I said, “of course!”.  I hadn’t met Darby yet and hadn’t seen the beautiful Braxton in about 5 years.  Wow, had she changed.  She’s always been beautifu,l but wow, you should see this girl.  She’s gorgeous.  And Darby will be following in her big sister’s (and mom’s!) footsteps.  Holly came with outfits galore (which I absolutely love as a photographer!) and we had so much fun.  Darby is a busy little lady, but I have to say with the help of Holly and her sister, Sarah, we were able to pull it off with some great photos of little Miss Darby.  And Braxton was an incredible help as well.  I’m just so impressed by her, Holly.  She’s quite a lady.  You should be proud!!  Well, I want to thank you all again because I really truly had a blast and it was great getting to catch up.  I wish you all the best with things in the future and hope your dreams come true :)   Keep me posted!

Those of you who know Holly know that Braxton's expression here is 100% Holly's!

{ My comments…and yours? }

· { me }, { notes from Val }

Life has been busy, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.  Here’s a little of what I’ve been up to:  sessions, editing, trying to straighten up my house, moving my desk from my office downstairs to the living room upstairs (doesn’t sound very ideal, but the idea sounded great and so far it’s working PERFECT for me now that I have 3 kids, one being a baby), shooting pictures for Thrive, meeting photographer friends for lunch, going to a photography conference in Indy (superb!!), ideating on fundraisers for Maia’s school (exciting things to come!), spending time outdoors ready to get my hands in the dirt to plant my flower garden and veggie garden (I love getting dirty!), coming up with more marketing, hiring some new people to help me out with marketing and assisting me in the studio and out (I’m SO excited about this!), and all the while, trying to be the best momma and wife I can be as I do my best to take care of myself at the same time.  This coming week we head to Springfield for a specialist appointment for Maia which is scary for me as a parent (I’ll keep you posted on this), and then the week after I travel to St. Louis for a doctor’s appointment for myself (my life the past 3 years has been a roller coaster ride but somehow I’ve gotten through – wait, yes, I know how I’ve got through…by the physical help from my friends, family and God!  But I’m needing some medical answers now and so I’m asking you to please pray for me!).  Anyway, this is only the tip of the iceberg with everything going on.  But it’s all good! It’s a huge part of me and the backbone of my life, so I thought I’d share that with you, people who I would guess like me?  Well, like my work at least (hopefully!), so that’s why I think you should know me, the person behind the camera and that work.  I think in the coming weeks, I’m going to start posting more about myself and my family, so you can get to know me, my personality, and why I do the things I do.  Everything I do defines me a bit, just like everything you do defines you.  And for you to offer your families, yourselves to me…well, I think you should know that person, right? :) Plus this gives me a reason to get back to blogging and forces me to edit my own photos, something I don’t make enough time for!

I also wanted to tell you how much I love that you follow this blog and enjoy my photos.  I have so many people who email me saying they loved so-and-so post, etc., etc.  And while I LOVE LOVE LOVE these emails (they are what keep me going!), I also love comments!  I have no idea who reads (and I know people read because I have private stats) but would love to start knowing!  I’m going to share my life with you, so please honor me and share who you are with me.  Please! That’s only fair, right?! :)   It’s really easy.  At the bottom of each post there are the words “Add Comment” (right before the next post begins).  Just hover over these words and a line should appear under the words like this —> Add Comment .  Click on that and you will be taken to a comment page where you can say whatever you want (hopefully whatever you are thinking to yourself!).  I would really really love to hear from you.

Well, that’s it for me today.  So happy it’s Friday!  Off to a fun maternity session tonight.  Then busy shooting days Saturday, Sunday and Monday.  But then hopefully I’ll have time to come back and share some new things.  Happy weekend!

{ Siblings | Decatur Illinois photographer – Argenta Illinois photographer – Illinois family photographer }

April 8, 2010 · { baby }, { children }, { family }

My good friend, Heidi, called me for photos of her kiddos and last week, the three cuties walked into my studio.  I met Heidi shortly after she had had Caleigh, her oldest.  Caleigh was born the same year as Noah, then my Maia was born, then her Tristan, and recently she and I had our second baby boys.  Finley (mine) and Holden (Heidi’s) were to be born just a day apart, but they had other plans, as Finley ended up coming into this world about 3 weeks early and Holden a week late making them a month apart in age.  However, gestationally (I think I just made up that word) they are sidekicks :)   Anyway, I had a ball with them.  Caleigh, as always, is the sweetest princess, but this time, a toothless one!  (Love it!)  Tristan, he is my new bff (SUCH a sweetie!).  And Holden, he is just a little angel, who is going to be a heartbreaker when he grows up stealing a lot of little girls’ hearts.  He is gorgeous.  And Heidi, the trendiest, most beautiful woman I know, she comes bringing the most to-die-for outfits for the kiddos.  I kept telling her I’ll buy her wardrobes.  I think she thinks I’m joking.  Heids, I’m not!! Anyway, sorry to ramble, it’s just been a while since a post.  More to come very soon!  Hope you all have a very happy Easter!  We had the most wonderful one.  Church, lunch with my parents and a relaxing afternoon.  Couldn’t have been better.