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One of the best things about being a photographer is getting to know families well and seeing the children grow up.  Granted, I have known this family for a very long time (their momma and daddy I’ve known since grade school), but I still don’t see them or the kids all that often.  And usually only when they call for me to photograph them.  I love those calls!  For many of my friends and return clients, I don’t see the family until our next sitting, so each time it’s like a mini reunion with lots of catching up in between clicks of the camera.  For Madeline, Blake and Emma, it was one of those reunions.  I was welcomed with open arms when I arrived to our location.  I got big hugs and huge smiles from all (I think the last time I saw them and photographed them was at least a year ago and maybe longer?).  It’s the hugs and smiles that make photography so worth it.  Madeline couldn’t wait to tell me about Tennessee, her new friends, and how much she loves getting her picture taken.  For one location we had to jump in the car and drive a bit.  I never imagined I’d have two tag-a-longs after they turned to their mom and said “can I go with Valerie?”.  (My thoughts, “of course!!” and secretly it made me feel so very special.) And while in the car, Madeline asked me all about ME.  How many kids do that? (Not many!)  She’s a sweetheart.  It still makes me smile thinking about it.  I love these little people so much.  It’s been so great over the years having this excuse (family photos) to get to be with Jen, Jason and their amazing little people

So, thank you, Jen.  I had a fantastic time.  The kids really truly made my day.  And seeing you and catching up, Jen, it was really great.  Thanks for your love and support, as always.  And thanks for bringing Jess, Ella and your mom so I could see them for a bit as well.  (Wish we had had more time, Jess and Julie!  Maybe next time.)  Love and hugs to Jason who couldn’t make it and even bigger hugs to you and the kids as you continue your journey in Tennessee and go down the amazing road that God has put you on.  Love you!

And now, may I introduce a beautiful little sweet pea whom I had the honor of seeing the birth of…Logan Michael.

Logan, you have a special place in my heart! So do you, Jami xo

I never dreamed I’d become so close to a client in such a short amount of time whom I only met a few months ago.  Jami contacted me earlier in the year to do her maternity photos and to photograph her baby shower.  From that point on, she booked me for her wedding and also her birth.  THE BIRTH OF HER BABY!

I scream that because how could it not be exciting to have the opportunity to photograph a baby being born? It makes you want to scream it to the world!  The best part of all, though, was that it was a scheduled c-section and it had been approved for me to actually be in the surgical room to photograph it ALL.  Wow.  How often does that opportunity arise?!  Not often.  (Thank you, Dr. Anderson, and St. Mary’s staff!)

For me it was extra special.  I had 3 c-sections myself.  The first was completely emergency in which I had a tube down my throat to breath and my husband wasn’t in the room for the birth.  It was very scary.  My 2nd birth was to be a VBAC and it ended up in c-section after 31 hours of labor.  Photography was the last thing on my mind.  My 3rd was a dream compared to the other two.  It was a planned c-section and I had a photographer on call.  While she wasn’t able to be in the surgical room with us, she was there for everything else (thank you again, Kellie, soooo much!).  It was one step closer to having the photographs of my own children being born.  So getting to photograph Jami’s birth gave me another chance to be more a part of a birth than I ever had been.  Not only did I get to be in the room, but I got to see it all happening.  I saw it all from the other side of the sheet and it was the most amazing gift Jami and her husband could ever give me.  But of course the biggest gift of all, not the event itself but the star of the show, gorgeous and healthy Logan.

I’m so happy I can share with you what I got to document that early morning in June.  Jami gave me the okay to show these to you and so I hope you can immerse yourself into the moment as much as you can.  Such a very special intimate moment in which Jami and Michael are allowing you to see through the eyes of me… something not many are allowed to see.

Thank you, Jami and Michael, for such an incredible experience and for allowing me to be a part of such a very special moment in time, one that can never be recreated.

{ Warning: this is a birth…there is some blood and fluids in these photos. }

Dr. Michael Hallam & Jami Hallam before the birth of their son

A huge welcome into this world to sweet little Connor, just 12 days old.  I first met Connor when he was inside his mommy’s tummy when I took his big sister, Catelyn’s, pictures at Easter.  I knew he would be cute but never knew he’d be soooo sweet.  I love sweet little baby boys, but I’m biased, too, since I have two of them.    Thank you, Amanda, for sharing your son with me.  Thank you for sharing so much of yourself as well…it’s always so fun to meet new people you click with and have so much in common with.  Hope you like Connor’s first portraits!

I’ve had some exciting things happening which has made me so busy that some days I wake up not sure how to take on the day, but somehow, by the grace of God, I always do.

This week my husband was traveling, yet again, (he travels 2-3 times a month with his job) and so I drove into 24-7 mommy mode.  I love being in mommy mode round-the-clock but sometimes it’s frightening because with a full plate of things piling up, once Neil is back, I somehow have to uncover all those things very tediously.  The uncovering forces me to work work work and that can be very hard because I feel like my kids get put on the back burner and that’s one thing I strive very hard not to do.  They are my world.  Of course photography is my world, too, so they are more like my…universe

One thing I do when I get so busy is put off editing my personal photos.  I put them into folders on my computer and external hard drives and rarely ever edit them so then of course I rarely ever print them!  Back in February my dear brother-in-law and sister-in-law visited from Oklahoma with their 2 beautiful girls (my beautiful nieces) and I did some pictures of them and my kids in the studio.  I’ve been slowly digging through those pictures, much quickly than I ever do any other personal photos, and it was when I saw these photos of my children that I was reminded how innocent, beautiful, amazing they are.  That it is they, special angels on Earth, given to me by God to raise and smother with love.  I look at these photos and my heart melts onto the ground and all over them.  I love them so much for their love for each other and for the little people they are becoming.  It’s when I am reminded by a moment captured in time of these beautiful people that I remember what life is truly all about.  Not the busyness, not the overworking, not the competitiveness, not the recognition and not even the money, but the children…my children. My family. I ran across a quote not long ago and it sums it up beautifully…

“A happy family is but an earlier heaven.”. - George Bernard Shaw

I love my work and what I create behind the lens and in front of the computer screen, but a million times more, I love my children. Sometimes we need to be reminded of what’s most important.  It can be taken away so quickly.  And trust me, it’s when it’s taken away, that we want it back most.

Happy Father’s Day to my husband who has helped create these little people I love so much and who has become an even more amazing husband and friend to me each and every day.  Look at the family God has given us.  Wow….

Much love ~ Valerie

I think this was the 6th (or 7th?) time I had the opportunity to spend some time with sweet little James and capture some of his adorable, all-boy, farm-loving personality.  I first shot him at about 6 months old…wow, I can’t believe how time flies.  I should know being a momma myself, but it seems like yesterday I first shot him in his crib.  Cherish your time with your children.  It really does go by so so quickly.  You’ll soon be wishing for yesterday.  I’m so honored to have been able to capture those fleeting moments for Angie and Justin of their son.  (Thank you, both.)  And here they are….hope you enjoy xo

This was the third event I had the honor of photographing for Jami in the past couple of months.  It’s been such a pleasure to meet and get to know Jami and Mike and their families.  I feel like they are long lost friends.    Previously I shot Jami’s maternity photos, her baby shower and this time it was their special surprise wedding.

Jami and Mike had dated for several years and finally took a double plunge…getting married and having a baby!  This would be Mike’s 3rd child but Jami’s first.  Before the very small and intimate wedding ceremony at their home, we did a few casual shots of Jami, Mike and the kids along with the 9-month belly.  It was a quick 10 minutes but we got a lot of special shots in the short amount of time.  Then was the ceremony…one planned by Jami and Mike, but one that no one knew about but them (and me….hehe).  Invited were Mike’s parents, Jami’s mom and Jami’s best friend, and of course Mike’s two children.  It was so sweet and special and intimate.  It was an incredible honor to have been a part of it.  Thank you, both, so very much for inviting me to be a part of these momentous occasions in your lives.  I can tell how in love with each other you are.  You were created to be together.  Thank you for showing the world what love is

And here are some shots from the day…including Gracie, their goose, who is also a part of the family.  She wears a diaper even!  She was a sweet little lady and I’m glad I had that honor as well!

Hi friends!!  I’ve not fallen off the face of the earth, I promise!  You’ve probably received emails that I’m in London, stranded, held at gun point and unable to get home and in need of money to do so.  As you can imagine, it’s a hoax and NOT TRUE!  I’m fine!!  However, my email accounts are not fine, and neither is my Facebook profile, my VWC Facebook page, flickr, and the list goes on!  My phone was even hacked into, unable to work and I had to call AT&T to get my phone back up and running.  That alone took 2 long hours.  Unfortunately there isn’t a Facebook phone number I can call (there should be!) so I’ve sent message after message and have had no helpful response.  It’s beyond frustrating not getting to speak to a PERSON!!  So, here I am, still stuck and unable to get a lot of things done like receiving emails (!), but I can, thankfully, still edit!  Phew! 

I don’t know when my emails will be up and running again.  However, until that point, I can still be reached at a temporary address at vwcphotography@gmail.com I’m not on Facebook right now, so feel free to come and go at my blog to check out my latest photography work.  I’m on an editing frenzy this weekend!  Oh, and lesson learned with all of this for me: don’t use the same password for all your important online accounts!!!!!

Here’s Sydney, the daughter of a girlfriend who I grew up with.  Her parents and my parents met at church when they were all first married and starting their families.  Becky and I grew up doing so much together.  College made us part for a while but here, 10 years later, we meet up again.  It was at Sydney’s session that we rekindled and walked down memory lane remembering a lot of the fun times we had and talking about where our lives now were going.  It was like we had never parted.  I always say that you know you have a friend for life when you can pick up where you left off as though time never came between you.    Thank you, Becky, for bringing your sweet baby girl in to get her pictures taken with me and for giving me your time because that time was so priceless.  Looking forward to seeing you and gorgeous Sydney again! (And meeting Aaric and Wyatt!)