”Rainbows introduce us to reflections of different beautiful possibilities so we never forget that pain and grief are not the final options in life.” – Aberjhani
 

”God puts rainbows in the clouds so that each of us – in the dreariest and most dreaded moments – can see a possibility of hope.” -Maya Angelou
 

”Often times, the brightest rainbows follow the darkest rainstorms.”  – Unknown
 

A rainbow baby is a baby that follows the loss of a child due to miscarriage, stillbirth, SIDS, illness, or failed adoption. One of the greatest fears for mothers who have endured such a loss is that their beloved baby, on earth for so short a time, will be forgotten.  I decided to do this project after experiencing the loss of our unborn daughter, our third child, in 2017.  I wanted to remember, celebrate, and honor all rainbow mamas, rainbow babies, and their angels. Each picture represents both living and lost children through the inclusion of the rainbow knit fabric, and a visual of the love of a mother's once empty arms filled.  As you view this project, I hope that you have never or never will experience such a heartbreaking loss, but if you have or do... know that you are not alone. You are not alone, your baby is not, nor will ever be forgotten, and if your rainbow is not here yet...always have hope.

The Rainbow Baby Project

#therainbowbabyproject

"It's ok to talk about your loss. You don't know who else can benefit from your story" -Natalie 

Rainbow Estelle

&

Angel Baby

"Don't give up. Keep trying because your rainbow is waiting" -Pam

Rainbow Cooper

Rainbow Corbin

Angel Baby Girl

Angel Baby 

"There is no shame in what happened. Loosing a baby is never your fault." -Jenna

Rainbow Luke

Angel Baby 

Angel Baby 

Angel Baby 

No matter when your loss happens, it's loss. It hurts physically and emotionally and should be treated kindly. The loss of a baby never stops, you just learn how to live each day with it. Your baby or babies mattered." -Madalynn 

Rainbow Eleanor

Rainbow Dean

Rainbow Lilliana

Angel Cara

Angel Amos

Angel Brennen

"Yes, it hurts immensely to lose a child, but hang in there. God will bring you through it and give you a reason to smile again." -Dawn

Rainbow Gabriela "Gabby"

Angel Sara Grace

"Be forever hopeful" -Alison

Rainbow Charlotte

Angel Baby 

"..Each life was trusted to us, and it's precious, and with each life, hope was born. Even though we couldn't see the baby with our eyes, we could see them with our heart. God has blessed us with 5 babies in our 15 years of marriage, but two of them were meant to be born in heaven. I can't go into the details, but it takes time to say goodbye." -Katya

Rainbow Ruslan

Rainbow Lucy

Angel Baby Girl

Angel Baby Boy

"There will always be storms in your life, some bigger and stronger than others. You might feel like you can't get back
 up or that the damage can never be repaired from that storm. Always remember that God is right there with you, wanting you to lean on Him when you can't hold yourself up" -Christina 

Rainbow Liana

Angel Carter Eugene

More about Carter's Story

Infertility can be a long hard road. We began to pursue adoption after a few years, in hopes of growing our family and being able to provide a family for a child who didn't have one. after 9 months and a fast approaching placement we get a call that 'they changed their minds'. No explanation, no closure. A strong blow to our longing hearts. But God is kind and faithful."

Rainbow Baby Layla

Baby T forever in our hearts 

Hoping to see her face soon! Adoption in process.

"At first, there were many bad days and very few good days, but as time went on more good days replaced the bad. Our sweet rainbow helped heal our hearts in a way we never thought possible and our love for her doesn't overshadow the love for the one we lost, as we feared. It only intensifies it." -SheRae 

Rainbow Zoe

Angel Faith Lynn

More about Faith's Story 

"She is the second baby I've loved, and the first baby I've held" -Rachel 

Rainbow Danica

Angel Cadence Quinn

Zipperstrong artwork is available for viewing at INOVA Children's Hospital, UVA Children's Hospital, and Children’s National, and will be on display at the annual Hope For Marietta Casino Night   

Reported by Bria Lloyd WDVM

If you didn't have a chance to see the project in action behind the scenes, click here for November's Story!

Special thank you to 

Pediatric Congenital Heart Association--VA

Discovery Museum Winchester

ZIPPERSTRONG PROJECT LINK

I have actually been using this method for quite some time now and I can tell you, it's easy and foolproof.  It is so easy that anyone can do it, It takes about 5 minutes tops, and it is one hole...EVERY TIME! Don't believe me?  Take a look:

WHAT YOU NEED

Twine

sticky tack

Level

Hammer

Nails/Picture Anchors

Picture (of course)

Ruler (optional)     

STEP 1

Turn your artwork over and find the center of each of your hanging mechanisms.  Place little balls of sticky tack right above each of those centers. Hint: If you are hanging with a wire, pull up on the wire to find the center.

STEP 2 

For artwork with two hooks, take one end of string and attach it to one of the pieces of sticky tack. Pull the string taut and attach it to the other piece of sticky tack with the leftover string hanging free. Hint: For artwork with one hook you do not need the string.

STEP 3

Pick up the string and place it on the wall using the sticky tack. Try to get it as straight as possible and make sure to pull it taut and stick it well.

STEP 4

Make sure that the string is straight using a level

STEP 5

Use a hammer and nail to make a hole in the wall through the center of each of the balls of sticky tack...

...insert your anchor (optionally) and finish hammering the nail into the wall! 

IMPORTANT: If you are installing something heavier than a few pounds, make sure you use a stud finder to make sure you are not hanging it into straight dry wall! 

STEP 6

Carefully hang your beautiful artwork 

STEP 7 

Double check that it is straight with your level. It will be. Like I said, this is foolproof.

EXTRA: Use a pre-marked piece of wood or paper to measure 1, 2, or 3 inches if you plan to hang up multiple pieces of artwork  HINT: Make sure that you account for framing with your spacing! 

THAT'S IT! Your life is just a bit easier now :) 

My style is simple and clean. My attention to detail is almost too much at times. Every shot is designed to be displayed as a masterpiece. Why? Because I am not a photographer.  I am different from other photographers because I am and have always been a visual artist. My tool is a camera, my medium is film (well, digital film) and my subjects are people--because that's where I find beauty and joy and perfection. It's where I find my purpose.

If you, like me, are passionate about the things below, hire me! Give me a shot and I promise I will impress you--the time, the planning, and every investment will be worth each second and each penny as you embark on this experience! 

If you are looking for more photos on your phone's memory,

I am not the right photographer for you

You've got portrait mode. With a little light coaching, anyone can take decent pictures of their kids, but I believe that we've all become memory hoarders. Instead of enjoying our moments, we (myself included) try to document every second, afraid that the moment's joy or peace will slip from our minds forever. I am a firm believer that one can never have too many pictures, but they need to be printed, held, cherished, passed down, and shared like the treasure that they are. They do not deserve to be junk on a hard drive between screenshots and memes. 

If you are hoping for just an electronic drive of digital images for your 'family portraits drawer'

I cannot help you with that

Do you want to hear something crazy? CDs are obsolete. Flash drives are going the way of the CD rapidly. Already. Go ahead, look it up I even included a link to start with up there! I hope there will always be a service to retrieve these precious images, but gone will be the days of looking through old pictures during a family gathering, as our world becomes more and more inundated with digital data. You know what will never become obsolete? A photograph.  A digital image disappears from memory, but a tangible print is treasured forever 

If you are just looking for something to share on social media, something that will fade into the timeline...

then I am afraid I may not be the choice for you

Pictures are everywhere, we are drowning in memes and pictures and Ads.  The pictures I take of your children, they are for you, and only you. Sure, they are for you to show off to the world, and I hope you do proudly make it your profile picture for a few months (I totally do!) But ultimately, they are for you--you treasure them because they are the "right now" that you want to keep and hold and have forever, so don't cheapen those moments by putting them next to Ads, memes and pictures of last nights dinner, counting likes, loves and 'congratulations'. Put them up there, show them off, but always remember that these are for you. 

If you wanting something temporary, unconcerned about quality or longevity  

You probably shouldn't chose me

Print everything. There are a million services that will print from your phone, you can plug your phone in at CVS, Target, or Walmart. You can print at Costco and Shutterfly. Print everything off of your phone and your personal camera, but please, please, PLEASE do not spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars on a professional session, then print everything with a Groupon, or at a consumer print station. It makes my heart hurt to even think about the injustice being done to the color, the care and the perfection of balance that a true professional works behind the scenes to achieve for you.  It is nothing but a disservice to you and a poor reflection of what you've paid for!  Print copies for family and for backup if you must from these places, but please order at least one archival, color corrected piece of artwork for yourself from your photographer. I include this printing service with every session so that you have EVERY picture, archival quality, as it is intended to look.

Finally, If you are content with the delivery of an unfinished product

 I am not the photographer for you

The digital world is not the reason I chose photography--If we could go back to film, I would in a heartbeat!  The digital world is great and convenient and it connects people, but it is not the reason I chose to serve you, and those digital 'ones and zeros' are not the ultimate joy that you will have to cherish from our time together. From the very beginning, I knew I could never be 'just a photographer'. In fact, I REFUSED to be just another photographer!  I am proud to say that since my very beginning in 2011, I have been faithful to that promise I made for myself and my clients, and that value will always hold strong with SL Hunter Photography.   EVERY SINGLE ONE OF MY CLIENTS across three states has walked away from me with something tangible to cherish. Something of the very highest quality, something that will be found and dusted off a hundred years from now by great grand children. Something that because it is priceless, is worth every penny.

#savetheprints 

Birth Photography Hospital Photography Hospital Photography Mother Baby pcitures Winchester Medical Center Pictures Valley Health Winchester

Also see SL Hunter Photography's work at the following locations:

Winchester Medical Center

Pediatric Associates of Winchester 

First Impressions 3D/4D ultrasound

Premier Birth Center

Classic Touch Interiors

 Grace Point Pediatrics 

"There's always room for a story that can transport people to another place." --J.K. Rowling

Winchester Photography

Family Portraits Top Newborn Photographer

Oh! Can you guess his name? There's a hint in one of his pictures! 

~E.E. Cummings 

Quite and bold,  Determined and perceptive.  All these things have made you the one who always knows how to make someone smile. Laughter is the best medicine, and you make sure those around you are well taken care of...and that smile says it all!  Keep being that cure for the world, little guy! 

So naturally I HAD to involve water for our July Mini (I'm gonna call them 'Shorties' because it's cute) 

A cool bucket of water, a million bubbles, an adorable baby--seriously, what could be cuter? This session is designed for babies between the ages of 6 months (sitting up ok) and 18 months! All sessions are held on the same day, July 30th, 2018. There will be 3 morning sessions and 2 evening sessions available! 

The $225 SL Hunter Photography experience is all inclusive:

All props and grownup/big kid snacks provided

Private Gallery 15-20 images

5 digital images

40 printed images 

Lifetime of Memories (of course)

Bring:

Your baby (don't come without one) 

A towel

A change of clothes

Shampoo (if your baby is sensitive--I bring J&J) 

Snacks/Milk for your baby

Siblings if you need to (they won't be pictured)  

Contact to Book 

When you imagine what your delivery will be like or what your baby will look like when they finally arrive, don’t forget to imagine what finally coming home will be like. When your baby is finally in your arms and the nurses bring you over to the Postpartum Wing of the hospital, you can finally breath. Your baby is here. If everyone is healthy, over the next few days, there will be check ins, vital monitoring, tests, and finally the go ahead to head home with your tiny new bundle. During your hospital stay, the postpartum nurses are so helpful, they check in on you and your partner, they bring you your meals, they answer your questions about breastfeeding your newborn, your recovery, holding baby, bathing baby and so on, but when you get home, who do you have?

Expect it to take some time

It is amazing how much extra stuff you accumulate once a baby joins your family, multiply it when you add two or three or more babies! Everyone needs fed, generally at the same time, everyone is crying usually at the same time, so what’s a new family to do? If you are not a fan of eating out, for this special time in your life, get take out for your first dinner home. This means everyone can be fed something filling and nutritious in a timely manner. Sometimes we want to get everything done that day, but as new parents, it is okay to let some things slide so you can be sure everyone is fed, warm, happy, and sleeping. Your first night home might seem kind of quiet. That is okay. Your first night home might be exhausting, that is also okay. With postpartum planning in pregnancy you can have prepared for you food, support and sleeping arrangements before your little one arrives.

Reach out when you need a hand

Friends and family are always asking how they can help or what you need done. Sometimes as new parents we feel guilty saying “ do you mind doing the dishes, or starting some laundry?” don’t be! What is most helpful to new parents isn’t a friend holding the baby when it is asleep, it’s picking up a chore so that you can snuggle with your squish or rest and recover. It is the little things that matter when it comes to adding a new baby to your family. If family and friends are not working out or you don’t have them around, professional help from a  Postpartum& Infant Care Doula could be just what you need.

About the Author:

Tiffany Shank has been a knowledgeable resource and expert in all things

pregnancy, baby and parenting for almost a decade. Her ability to connect people to

resources and information to put them at ease is seen by her work as a Labor andPostpartum Doula.

For more pregnancy and parenting tips visit her website 

 or follow us on social media outlets Facebook

 and Twitter

This mama came to me worried about her twins and hurting because her own mom was battling cancer...then came these two perfectly healthy porcelain beauties just a few months later...and oh how they came at just the right time to bring the sunshine into their family's lives! They spent no time in the NICU after being born WITHOUT a C-section (almost unheard of these days) at just over 6 lbs each. In the world of twins, THAT is a miracle.

I am the mommy of a child who is different.   All I ever want and need is for others to understand. To understand my family, to understand my son, to understand the hours of therapy, the meltdowns, and the uncertainty that we live with daily. To listen and not judge, not offer advice, and not extend pity, but to try understand us.

Two years ago, I had the privilege of meeting several families that have children with congenital heart defects.  Absently, I befriended them on Facebook and started to receive their updates.  That is when the raw truth of the struggles and the pain and the triumph and the heartbreak of these families was lain bare to me. Silently, I became intertwined in the lives and every update of several children born with broken hearts.  My own heart began to ache each time one of them caught a cold or had a complication, or turned blue from poor circulation. My own heart cried as I followed one family's anguish when the battle became too much for her 4 month old in the end.  Silently, I went with them to checkups, open heart surgeries, and ER visits.  I prayed through infections, replacements, strokes and codes.  But really, What can I do? what can I possibly do to make any tangible difference at all in these families' lives?  I'm sitting here on my computer with my two healthy kids with no comprehension of what it’s like to hand your child to a surgeon with nothing but percentages of success to comfort me. How could I possibly relate to a pregnant mother, with all the hopes of a new mom crashing down before her eyes, as doctors and nurses whisper in the hallway. What can I possibly do?

Then I realized, I can care.  Not just the pitiful kind of care where you shake your head and maybe shed a tear then move on to the next post. No, I can try to understand. I can listen. I can try to see these children how their parents see them--fragile and scarred, but brave and mighty. Broken, but perfect. I can attempt to put myself in their shoes to understand the hours in the hospital, the special directions, the last minute change of plans. I can listen and not judge, not offer advice, or extend pity, but just listen. Yes, I am an advocate and I fight for my child, but these parents are warriors that go to battle alongside their children as they wrestle monsters like fear, hopelessness, pain, and death with equal amounts of faith, hope, strength and love.They face decisions no parent should ever have to face, and they value every second of love and life because of it.  Their reality is different than ours, and this project is my humble and sincere attempt not only to understand the world of these families and children, but to give you a glimpse into their world, that you might seek to understand as well.  

This was the most difficult, but also the most rewarding project I've ever done.  Getting to know these kids and these families was absolutely priceless, and I am grateful that they allowed me into their lives so willingly. Please don't let their sacrifices of time and their brave transparency for this project go unnoticed! Please share this... share it on Facebook and Twitter, and Instagram and everywhere, and hashtag it #zipperstrong! If these stories and these images and these words resonate with you, even a little, please share this so that others can also hear and see their stories. Thank you.

SheRae Hunter

SL Hunter Photography

Click Here for Video Version

Maggie

2 Years Old

Loves animals, especially dogs

3 Congenital Heart Defects

“You can never prepare yourself… you feel so helpless  as a parent

because there is nothing you can do to change it. 

But then your child shows you how strong and brave 

they are…”

~Maggie’s Mommy

#zipperstrong 

Emilee

3 Years old

Loves cheeseburgers the best

Multiple Congenital Heart Defects and

9 Open Heart Surgeries

…After her last open heart {surgery} I looked at her big, beautiful lips and her cute toes, and I realized they were pink!  After 2 1/2 years, my daughter was finally pink! I’d never seen her with pink {skin} and at the moment I fell onto her bed crying tears of joy. I knew she was going to have a longer, happier life than the 3-5 years they gave us…”

~Emilee’s Mommy

​#zipperstrong  

Isaac

2 years old

Loves food. Quite a bit. 

Diagnosis: Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. Feeding tube placed.

"When he cries, sometimes I smile because he was on a ventilator for so long, and he couldn't cry.  It's weird, I know, but I smile."

~Isaacs Mommy

Madeline

5 Years old

Loves to sing and loves to dance

3 surgical procedures, 2 of them, open heart surgeries  

“…How important God is as our foundation! And we are blessed beyond measure by having Madeline in our life”

~Madeline’s Mommy 

​#zipperstrong 

Colton

4 Years Old

Always smiling. Always

Diagnosis: Multiple Congenital Heart Defects 

“{we are} taking the good, no matter how

tiny, and the bad, no matter how big, as it comes. Have hope that {he} will 

overcome this…hope for a miracle”

~Colton’s Mommy (one year ago, during 

his toughest battle yet)

​#zipperstrong 

Caleb

6 years old

A fun-loving goofball always ready for a good adventure

3 Open Heart Surgeries,

countless additional procedures

“..our whole world changed, what we once thought of a certainty was long gone. We learned to appreciate every breath and moment..we value each other more”

~Caleb’s Mommy 

​#zipperstrong 

Kaylen

2 Years old

Treasures her poster signed buy the UVA football team

2 open heart surgeries,

the first at just 4 days old

“Handing our daughter off to medical staff…knowing they were

 going to stop her heart for the procedure..it’s the hardest 

thing we’ve ever had to do”

~Kaylen’s Mommy

​#zipperstrong 

Anthony

4 years old

Big fan of Micky Mouse

4 Congenital Heart Defects 

5 Open Heart Surgeries

“The best advice ever given to us? ‘You will have your own

normal, don’t worry about what other families do. You will establish your own normal…its okay to be a little different’ ’’

-Anthony’s Mommy

​#zipperstrong  

Emily

Age 7

Future Performer and Gymnast! 

Diagnosis: Atrioventricular Septal Defects &Hypoplastic left heart syndrome 

"CHD is the realization that our daughter is sick. It is the realization that we, as her parents may outlive her... [but] what makes me most proud is all the pride she has in being a heart hero"  

~Emily's Mommy (and Daddy)

​#zipperstrong  

Miguelangel 

Age 3

Always busy making sure EVERYONE has a smile on their face 

Diagnosis: Transposition of the Great Arteries 

"We are grateful for him, for each other, for family, and for our community. He is a reminder to be more compassionate towards everyone...we may not know what battles they may be facing"

~Miguelangel's Mommy and Daddy 

​#zipperstrong  

Daleigh 

Age 2

 LOVES chocolate. It's her favorite.

Diagnosis: Double Outlet Right Ventricle and VSD

"The hardest thing I've ever had to do was hand my 3 month old baby over for surgery." 

~Daleigh's Mommy

​#zipperstrong  

Nayleigh

6 months on Earth, forever an Angel Warrior. Her big brother and big sister pose beside her.  

 She was the sweetest, and could light up a room with her big beautiful eyes. She loved holding hands. She would sit there and hold your hand and as soon as you would walk away, she would start getting restless and crying for you to come back

Diagnosis: Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome

“What better way to keep her memory alive, but by always saying her name and hearing others do the same. We have many precious memories of her...We miss her so much every day” 

~Nayleigh's Mommy and Daddy

​#zipperstrong  

Finn

2 Years Old

Ask him to name 22 species of sharks. He will!

Diagnosis: Multiple Heart Defects

"CHD is a lifelong illness with no cure, surgery only helps [my son] survive. I avoid fear of the future by remembering that worrying does not solve tomorrow’s problems, but instead strips today of it’s strength."

~Finn's Mommy

​#zipperstrong  

Charlotte

2 Years old

Charlotte has a BIG family with 11 aunts and uncles!

Diagnosis: Ventricular and Atrial Septal Defect  

"Charlotte doesn’t have a zipper, and people assume that because she hasn’t had surgery, she isn’t that sick. Surgery is not a cure, and the struggles are still there with our without the zipper scar..."

~Charlotte's Mommy

​#zipperstrong  

Ava

5 years old

Ava is one determined little girl. And quite the little dancer!

Diagnosis: Tetralogy of Fallot w/Pulmonary Atresia

"When Ava started preschool they did not have an AED [Defibrillator]. That really stressed me out and my friends wanted to help. They collected half the cost of the AED and then shared a GoFundMe to finish collecting the money needed. It still makes me cry to think of their generosity"

~Ava's Mommy

​#zipperstrong  

Makayla

6 years Old

A happy, smiling little girl—that’s Makayla

Diagnosis: Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome 

"I don’t let little things get to me anymore knowing we have God’s protection over our Makayla…"

~Makayla’s Daddy

​#zipperstrong  

John

2 years old

Due to a rare condition, his heart is on the opposite side of his body!

Diagnosis: HLHS, DORV, Heterotaxy

"We appreciate every moment with him.  Literally every day John wakes up I greet him with a huge hug and I think ‘Yes! I get another day with my sweet John!’ He is perfect to us in every way, even with his special heart."  

~John's Mommy

​#zipperstrong  

Gwenyth

2 months on Earth, forever an Angel Warrior. Her little brother and big sister pose beside her.  

"We went to the Zoo with our 2 daughters when Gwen was 3 weeks old. She didn’t see anything because she was snuggled in her baby carrier,  but I know she heard a peacock! A peacock is a symbol of eternal life in Medieval paintings, so now whenever we see a peacock, we think of our Gwenyth."

Diagnosis: Truncus Arteriosus with Neonatal Alloimmune Neutropenia

"To cope with the loss of Gwen, I blogged …writing helped me to vent off some of the mess inside—finding words to detail the agony helped direct it outward instead of stirring it inside. It also always helps me to remind myself that I only feel this much pain because of how much love is there—ALWAYS there."

~Gwenyth's Mommy

​#zipperstrong  

Brayden

4 years old

Brayden is literally one of the coolest 4 year olds I've ever met

Diagnosis: Pulmonary Atresia, Dextrocardia, L-TGA and aVSD

"It was so hard to hand over my perfectly healthy looking baby for a procedure that I know will save his life, but make him much worse before it made him better.  To watch the Dr’s walk away with him in their arms almost broke me as a Mom.  The fear creeps in everyday, but if we’re having a good day I tell that to myself, ‘everything is ok right now’."

~Brayden's Mommy

​#zipperstrong  

Silas

9 years old

Future soccer player? or maybe an artist...or maybe both!

Diagnosis: Single ventricle left heart, L-TGA

During Silas ' second surgery , staph infection with MRSA was introduced under his sternum bone .. He became very ill... even to the point of death .. I had to literally open my hands next to his bed and tell God that He gave me Silas and He has the right to have him .. and that He would need to teach me to trust Him to live life without my precious Silas if He should chose to take him to heaven .. Silas was 6 months old.

~Silas' Mommy

​#zipperstrong  

André

2 months on Earth, forever an Angel Warrior. His best buddy poses with him. 

Andre’s eyes had an incredible depth to them - even as a newborn…like an old soul

Diagnosis: Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome 

"So many people are afraid to bring up our angels.  Its as though they think it will just make it more painful, or awkward, or remind us of our loss.  But it is such a GIFT when people bring him up.  I LOVE talking about Andre.  I LOVE hearing other people say his name. He's the best thing that ever happened to me.  I need other people to know that he's a part of me."

~André's mommy

​#zipperstrong  

Very Special thanks to the Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum , Little Gym of Winchester and  Mended Little Hearts of the Shenandoah Valley. Without their help, this project would have been impossible. Thank you Megan Setzer, for the insight and the encouragement for this project, as well as the ideas. And last, but certainly not least, thank you to the families who participated in the project. I know it must have been difficult to share such intimate words with a stranger, and I know your time is precious.  Thank you, because you and your children are this project.  

#zipperstrong 

-Bob Dylan 

I had the absolute pleasure of photographing this little baby girl for a very special occasion. You see, she was born with a broken heart, and just a few months ago, she underwent (another) open heart surgery.  This session was to celebrate her recovery, the return of her smile and spunk and sweet personality after weeks in a hospital bed.  I loved every second of getting to know this little peanut, and her brother (who you can tell is bursting with love and pride, even though he is pretty much a baby himself).  Build a latter to the stars little one...and climb on every rung <3

A

This is one of my favorite little products! It holds 25 images and it's a true album with thick pages and a durable surface coating. As you may know, all of my pacakges come with an album, but if you wanted an extra gift album, or if you are making a la carte purchases and you wanted an album on the side, this is a great option!  

I absolutely LOVE my job--every time I see an adorable baby picture, all I can think is how much I want to hold and love on that baby, but for all the pictures displayed on my page and office and website, it blows my mind that I actually got to do that with over 100 babies <3

Enjoy this handsome, thoughtful-looking little guy! looking little guy!  

This little girl brought a big blended family together like only a little sister could! All of her siblings are teens or preteens and you could just see the love in their faces as they held her close.  It was a joy to work with this big family and this beautiful baby! 

   I was humbled that they chose SL Hunter Photography to adorn the walls of their gorgeous space, and I want to share this hidden gem with everyone! Yet another unique service that the Winchester area has to offer that everyone needs to hear about! 

Fun Fact:  First Impressions 3D/4D Ultrasound is the only place in the local area that you can get a 4D scan, and 14 week gender reveal! No more waiting for 20 weeks!

1) MOST IMPORTANT: Parents, NEVER, EVER attempt the poses that you see professionally. They are all very specific poses that are taught to professionals in a step by step manner. Attempting them on your own could have severe consequences.  

2) This post is NOT meant to discourage aspiring photographers, just to educate new moms! The sample images I use in this blog are some of my first sessions.  They were, however, photographed AFTER I took my first newborn safety posing course 5 years ago.

Why this is an important decision

Remember when you started the search for your wedding photographer? Think of it this way: You may be able to take a chance with your yearly family session, but like wedding photography, newborn photography is highly specialized. Like weddings, it’s a one-shot deal.  The newborn window between 5 and 14 days of life is gone forever in the blink of an eye, along with the chance for professional newborn pictures, so when you choose, you want to make sure that you choose wisely.  Newborn photography is time consuming and very expensive for a photographer to train for which should always be reflected both in the portfolio and in the investment for the experience (you simply cannot teach yourself many of the techniques safely, and the industry knows that).   The number of photographers out there, most including in their intro/bio/portfolio that they do offer newborn sessions can be absolutely overwhelming!  Above all, you want your baby to be SAFE, and you don’t want anyone who hasn’t been trained ‘practicing’ on your fragile child (practicing is different than portfolio building—all photographers do this regularly to keep their portfolios fresh, and individuals who are building portfolios presumably have already gone through the necessary workshops to achieve safe posing) In addition to the obvious (a website, reviews, general professionalism ) Individuals will have a special manner about the way they work that makes for a calm, sleepy baby, and a high level of comfort and trust in the parents, so that they feel they can relax throughout the session…Baby Whispering, some like to call it :)    

Style

Are they lifestyle (also called photo journalistic) or portrait (posed)?

 Or do they do both? Many photographers choose one or the other, but some do a hybrid of both, or offer them as a separate type of session.  Either way, this is definitely something that should be reviewed and discussed before booking a session.

This is a Lifestyle image

This is a portrait image

Does this photographer specialize?

You want to make sure that the artist specializes in newborn/baby photography. This may not be the only thing that they specialize in, but keep in mind that a photographer that claims to ‘specialize’ in Newborns, Families, Corporate, Weddings, and everything else under the sun may be a “Jack of all trades, but a master of none.” Trust me on this--been there, done that! Newborn Photography is highly a highly specialized art.

Do you like their overall style from posing and lighting to post processing?

Every photographer has a different style. As artists, it’s impossible to have the exact same style from one photographer to the next.  Tiny differences in posing, lighting, and post processing can make one photographer drastically different from the next

Do you include family and sibling shots?

This varies from photographer to photographer.  Some photographers include siblings and family, some charge extra, and some do not do them at all.  It’s purely a matter of preference, but it certainly needs to be addressed!

Ordering?

Do they do online orders or in-person orders? Ask them why they choose to do ordering the way that they do.

Digital Negatives

Are they included, available to purchase within a package, or do they not include them at all? Photographers with higher session fees typically include a few images as digital negatives with reproduction rights. Photographers with lower priced session fees typically provide negatives within a package or as a backup for prints, or sometimes not at all.  Regardless, consider what you want to do with the images after they are taken—Album? Wall Art? Lots of small prints and gifts? A good photographer will be able to talk you through all of this so that you are confident going into the session and placing your orders.

What are they charging for their session ?

If the deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.  This is a biggie, and I will not quote an actual session price, since your location is going to play a big role in the specifics, but generally pretty much anywhere in the US, Parents hiring high quality newborn photographers plan to spend about $500 at the very least, if they only want some items/negatives, but the majority spend between $600-$800 (this is including some products as well) and many locations even have average spending $2000-$4000 (which is still less than many would spend for a wedding photographer!). Price is highly dependent on location as well (for example, a session in Washington DC or New York is going to be on that higher end).  If you encounter a photographer who is not charging much and is including a ton of digital negatives, do some digging into their profile, full sessions, and experience, as this can be a red flag.  In order to be licensed, insured, trained, and to have all the proper equipment and props, a photographer MUST charge a certain price.     

Do they have a studio or do they come to you?

Both work great and it’s a matter of preference! Photographers that come to you like to get the family involved while photographers in a studio often use an assistant.  There is no right or wrong way and there are pros and cons to each—you just need to make sure you are comfortable!

Plans and Packages?

Ask about packages and plans—I cannot stress this enough consider what you want to get from this session and make sure that you budget accordingly. Consider not only the session an images themselves, but also what you want to do with the images--the final product of any portrait session is always prints, albums, wall art and products--not just the digital negatives, and this is true regardless of whether you are getting them printed at a consumer location, or ordering from the photographer's professional lab. Are you looking for quantity or quality in that final product?  A good photographer will help you get what you want yet stay within your budget through a selection of plans.  Another thing to consider: does your photographer only do newborn sessions or will they be able to photograph your baby at 6, 9, 12 months? Do they do Maternity sessions?

Experience/Safety 

When do they book sessions?

Sessions should take place in the first 2 weeks of life for the majority of the popular poses that you see.  If your child is older, your photographer should tell you explicitly that some of those poses may not be possible. Why? Attempting some of those poses on more mature ligaments can cause injury.  Don’t worry, if you missed the window, you can still get some cute awake pictures and a few of the sleepy poses still work! 

How long have they worked with newborns?

This should really be phrased ‘how many newborn sessions have you done’ A photographer may do just 5-6 over a period of 5 years, or 40-50 over the period of 2 years—it all comes down to the photographers  experience, and also how comfortable you feel with the number of times they’ve done this.

Do they meet with you beforehand?

This is a professional courtesy. You should either meet the photographer, or at least have a phone conversation with them prior to your session. Also, they should remain in contact with you up until the baby’s birth and the session. 

Are they experienced with a camera? (do they know what they are doing technically)

This is another biggie.  When a photographer shares pictures on their website within their portfolio or on their blog, or if they share picture on their Facebook page, they are sharing their very best work. If that work is blurry, badly lit (under/overexposed), framed improperly, overprocessed, ect., what does that say about the rest of their work? what you don’t see? Ask to see an entire session! A professional photographer will have NONE of these very basic errors in a final portfolio.  

Are the babies safe?

Composite shots, Counterweights, spotter, hyperextension, acrocyanosis should be words that you photographer is familiar with.  Does your photographer know how to tell if you baby is too hot or too cold, hungry, wet, tired or gassy ? Of course there will be some fussing, but your newborn session should be mostly peaceful, and your baby should not be screaming the entire time—in fact, if you are a new parent, you may pick up some soothing tricks from your newborn photographer! Don’t be afraid to ask all of these questions.  Newborn poses may be creative, but the base poses are specific and in order to avoid injury or an uncomfortable baby, they can only be taught-- not discovered, or experimented with. Note: A baby should NEVER be placed in a glass or ceramic container. Those poses are cute, but dangerous and not worth the risk of injury or death

Are the babies comfortable?

Take a look at the online portfolio and Facebook pictures.  Are the expressions soft and sleepy, or are their little faces contorted or grumpy looking? Are their arms and legs bent at awkward angles instead of natural womb-like positions? Do their hands look relaxed and open or loose, or are the hands mostly closed into tight fists underneath their heads and bodies? Are they grabbing their skin and cheeks too tightly?  Now look at their faces, can you see both cheeks in all of the pictures or are their faces just smooshed into the blanket? Last but not least, if you see any ‘bits and pieces’ of their manhood or womanhood, that is a red flag—an experienced photographer will make sure that not only every showcased picture is decent, but every picture you receive as well. Baby bottoms are ok—and super adorable, I might add!

Is the posing ‘neat’?

Do they bother with set design and color planning? Final images, especially those shared on a website or social media will look purposeful. Colors will complement one another, and the posing will be tidy. Here of some examples of what I mean by that:

Now here's an awkward pose (This was one of my very first newborn sessions--even after training. yeesh)

1) Face smooshed into blanket

2) Hand awkwardly crumpled under chin

3) blanket is lumpy and disorganized 

And here is a comfy baby:

1) Colors and textures are purposeful 

2) Hands relaxed

3) Lips and cheeks visible

Another pose that's not quite right (another early session of mine)

1) Hand blocking face

2) Face smooshed into lumpy blanket 

3) Legs and feet unposed and out of focus 

To be completely honest, in the end I really hope you choose me (of course!) but if you decide to go with another photographer, of if you don't live nearby, then use these guidelines and tips to find an experienced individual to work with during this once-in-a-lifetime experience! HERE is a printable list of question to ask your potential newborn photographer!

 It was serious too, and I begged and prayed all through my childhood for a puppy.  Of course, it was impossible because we moved every two years as a military family, and in base housing sometimes you could have a pet and sometimes you couldn't.  My parents didn't want to take the risk of having to rip a dog away from us because we had to move. By the time we were staying put in VA, it was too late. I was already midway into middle school and in 5 or 6 years I'd be gone to college. My dog would become their dog, and they never wanted a dog. Now I want my children to have what I couldn't--the chance to grow up with a canine friend. I want them to learn responsibility, leadership and respect for animals.

I was scrolling through Facebook nearly a month ago when I saw him. He was absolutely perfect! I have a friend that breeds Chinese Shar Pei dogs and her little female had inadvertently gotten tangled with a unrestrained neighbor's dog--resulting in a litter of half-breed Shar Pei puppies. Had the puppies been born to the other owners, who knows what would have happened to these babies, but they were born into a family with an experienced puppy-cargiver, and I know that they will all have great homes!  I knew at once that this one was ours though (anyone who has a dog knows that feeling, whether you adopt from a breeder or a shelter--you just KNOW). I finally convinced my husband to fall in love with him too, and we named him after his childhood dog, Rex.  

Of course, being me, I HAD to do some newborn portraits of our little guy at 4 weeks old.  He was an angel--apparently some of the same tactics that work on human babies also work on dog babies, because he slept like a champ :) Hey, maybe there's a career here? SheRae Hunter, Winchester Puppy Photographer--that has a nice ring to it, right? (;

A few siblings pictures <3 ​

Note to Mamas: Don't worry, I wash all of my newborn props and wraps obsessively, which I owe to at one point being employed at a retail studio. They NEVER wash their props and blankets, and that's not even an exaggeration. 

I did something different and posted 18 pictures from this particular session.  When you are booking a newborn session, always ask to see a full session, or at least a full session flow.  There were 50 images in this session, but these 18 give you a good idea of the entire session, from colors and style cohesiveness to (most importantly) the consistency and quality of the images.  This is really going to separate a professional experienced photographer from a dabbler or someone just trying to get experience (there are lots. LOTS of those).  I'll post a blog on how to choose a newborn photographer in the near future, but for now, take this tip to heart--it all boils down to a matter of safety and professionalism in the end!   

 Oh, and she's SUPER adorable too, everyone needs to see her, the little Hokie! 

I am the mommy of a child who is different.   All I ever want and need is for others to understand. To understand my family, to understand my son, to understand the hours of therapy, the meltdowns, and the uncertainty that we live with daily. To listen and not judge, not offer advice, and not extend pity, but to try understand us.

Two years ago, I had the privilege of meeting several families that have children with congenital heart defects.  Absently, I befriended them on Facebook and started to receive their updates.  That is when the raw truth of the struggles and the pain and the triumph and the heartbreak of these families was lain bare to me. Silently, I became intertwined in the lives and every update of several children born with broken hearts.  My own heart began to ache each time one of them caught a cold or had a complication, or turned blue from poor circulation. My own heart cried as I followed one family's anguish when the battle became too much for her 4 month old in the end.  Silently, I went with them to checkups, open heart surgeries, and ER visits.  I prayed through infections, replacements, strokes and codes.  But really, What can I do? what can I possibly do to make any tangible difference at all in these families' lives?  I'm sitting here on my computer with my two healthy kids with no comprehension of what it’s like to hand your child to a surgeon with nothing but percentages of success to comfort me. How could I possibly relate to a pregnant mother, with all the hopes of a new mom crashing down before her eyes, as doctors and nurses whisper in the hallway. What can I possibly do?

Then I realized, I can care.  Not just the pitiful kind of care where you shake your head and maybe shed a tear then move on to the next post. No, I can try to understand. I can listen. I can try to see these children how their parents see them--fragile and scarred, but brave and mighty. Broken, but perfect. I can attempt to put myself in their shoes to understand the hours in the hospital, the special directions, the last minute change of plans. I can listen and not judge, not offer advice, or extend pity, but just listen. Yes, I am an advocate and I fight for my child, but these parents are warriors that go to battle alongside their children as they wrestle monsters like fear, hopelessness, pain, and death with equal amounts of faith, hope, strength and love.They face decisions no parent should ever have to face, and they value every second of love and life because of it.  Their reality is different than ours, and this project is my humble and sincere attempt not only to understand the world of these families and children, but to give you a glimpse into their world, that you might seek to understand as well.  

This was the most difficult, but also the most rewarding project I've ever done.  Getting to know these kids and these families was absolutely priceless, and I am grateful that they allowed me into their lives so willingly. Please don't let their sacrifices of time and their brave transparency for this project go unnoticed! Please share this... share it on Facebook and Twitter, and Instagram and everywhere, and hashtag it #zipperstrong! If these stories and these images and these words resonate with you, even a little, please share this so that others can also hear and see their stories. Thank you.

SheRae Hunter

SL Hunter Photography

Click Here for Video Version

Maggie

2 Years Old

Loves animals, especially dogs

3 Congenital Heart Defects

“You can never prepare yourself… you feel so helpless  as a parent

because there is nothing you can do to change it. 

But then your child shows you how strong and brave 

they are…”

~Maggie’s Mommy

#zipperstrong 

Emilee

3 Years old

Loves cheeseburgers the best

Multiple Congenital Heart Defects and

9 Open Heart Surgeries

…After her last open heart {surgery} I looked at her big, beautiful lips and her cute toes, and I realized they were pink!  After 2 1/2 years, my daughter was finally pink! I’d never seen her with pink {skin} and at the moment I fell onto her bed crying tears of joy. I knew she was going to have a longer, happier life than the 3-5 years they gave us…”

~Emilee’s Mommy

​#zipperstrong  

Isaac

2 years old

Loves food. Quite a bit. 

Diagnosis: Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. Feeding tube placed.

"When he cries, sometimes I smile because he was on a ventilator for so long, and he couldn't cry.  It's weird, I know, but I smile."

~Isaacs Mommy

Madeline

5 Years old

Loves to sing and loves to dance

3 surgical procedures, 2 of them, open heart surgeries  

“…How important God is as our foundation! And we are blessed beyond measure by having Madeline in our life”

~Madeline’s Mommy 

​#zipperstrong 

Colton

4 Years Old

Always smiling. Always

Diagnosis: Multiple Congenital Heart Defects 

“{we are} taking the good, no matter how

tiny, and the bad, no matter how big, as it comes. Have hope that {he} will 

overcome this…hope for a miracle”

~Colton’s Mommy (one year ago, during 

his toughest battle yet)

​#zipperstrong 

Caleb

6 years old

A fun-loving goofball always ready for a good adventure

3 Open Heart Surgeries,

countless additional procedures

“..our whole world changed, what we once thought of a certainty was long gone. We learned to appreciate every breath and moment..we value each other more”

~Caleb’s Mommy 

​#zipperstrong 

Kaylen

2 Years old

Treasures her poster signed buy the UVA football team

2 open heart surgeries,

the first at just 4 days old

“Handing our daughter off to medical staff…knowing they were

 going to stop her heart for the procedure..it’s the hardest 

thing we’ve ever had to do”

~Kaylen’s Mommy

​#zipperstrong 

Anthony

4 years old

Big fan of Micky Mouse

4 Congenital Heart Defects 

4 Open Heart Surgeries

“The best advice ever given to us? ‘You will have your own

normal, don’t worry about what other families do. You will establish your own normal…its okay to be a little different’ ’’

-Anthony’s Mommy

​#zipperstrong  

Emily

Age 7

Future Performer and Gymnast! 

Diagnosis: Atrioventricular Septal Defects &Hypoplastic left heart syndrome 

"CHD is the realization that our daughter is sick. It is the realization that we, as her parents may outlive her... [but] what makes me most proud is all the pride she has in being a heart hero"  

~Emily's Mommy (and Daddy)

​#zipperstrong  

Miguelangel 

Age 3

Always busy making sure EVERYONE has a smile on their face 

Diagnosis: Transposition of the Great Arteries 

"We are grateful for him, for each other, for family, and for our community. He is a reminder to be more compassionate towards everyone...we may not know what battles they may be facing"

~Miguelangel's Mommy and Daddy 

​#zipperstrong  

Daleigh 

Age 2

 LOVES chocolate. It's her favorite.

Diagnosis: Double Outlet Right Ventricle and VSD

"The hardest thing I've ever had to do was hand my 3 month old baby over for surgery." 

~Daleigh's Mommy

​#zipperstrong  

Nayleigh

6 months on Earth, forever an Angel Warrior. Her big brother and big sister pose beside her.  

This feisty girl could light up a room with her big beautiful eyes. 

Diagnosis: Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome

“What better way to keep her memory alive, but by always saying her name and hearing others do the same. We have many precious memories of her...We miss her so much every day” 

~Nayleigh's Mommy and Daddy

​#zipperstrong  

Finn

2 Years Old

Ask him to name 22 species of sharks. He will!

Diagnosis: Multiple Heart Defects

"CHD is a lifelong illness with no cure, surgery only helps [my son] survive. I avoid fear of the future by remembering that worrying does not solve tomorrow’s problems, but instead strips today of it’s strength."

~Finn's Mommy

​#zipperstrong  

Charlotte

2 Years old

Charlotte has a BIG family with 11 aunts and uncles!

Diagnosis: Ventricular and Atrial Septal Defect  

"Charlotte doesn’t have a zipper, and people assume that because she hasn’t had surgery, she isn’t that sick. Surgery is not a cure, and the struggles are still there with our without the zipper scar..."

~Charlotte's Mommy

​#zipperstrong  

Ava

5 years old

Ava is one determined little girl. And quite the little dancer!

Diagnosis: Tetralogy of Fallot w/Pulmonary Atresia

"When Ava started preschool they did not have an AED [Defibrillator]. That really stressed me out and my friends wanted to help. They collected half the cost of the AED and then shared a GoFundMe to finish collecting the money needed. It still makes me cry to think of their generosity"

~Ava's Mommy

​#zipperstrong  

Makayla

6 years Old

A happy, smiling little girl—that’s Makayla

Diagnosis: Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome 

"I don’t let little things get to me anymore knowing we have God’s protection over our Makayla…"

~Makayla’s Daddy

​#zipperstrong  

John

2 years old

Due to a rare condition, his heart is on the opposite side of his body!

Diagnosis: HLHS, DORV, Heterotaxy

"We appreciate every moment with him.  Literally every day John wakes up I greet him with a huge hug and I think ‘Yes! I get another day with my sweet John!’ He is perfect to us in every way, even with his special heart."  

~John's Mommy

​#zipperstrong  

Gwenyth

2 months on Earth, forever an Angel Warrior. Her little brother and big sister pose beside her.  

"We went to the Zoo with our 2 daughters when Gwen was 3 weeks old. She didn’t see anything because she was snuggled in her baby carrier,  but I know she heard a peacock! A peacock is a symbol of eternal life in Medieval paintings, so now whenever we see a peacock, we think of our Gwenyth."

Diagnosis: Truncus Arteriosus with Neonatal Alloimmune Neutropenia

"To cope with the loss of Gwen, I blogged …writing helped me to vent off some of the mess inside—finding words to detail the agony helped direct it outward instead of stirring it inside. It also always helps me to remind myself that I only feel this much pain because of how much love is there—ALWAYS there."

~Gwenyth's Mommy

​#zipperstrong  

Brayden

4 years old

Brayden is literally one of the coolest 4 year olds I've ever met

Diagnosis: Pulmonary Atresia, Dextrocardia, L-TGA and aVSD

"It was so hard to hand over my perfectly healthy looking baby for a procedure that I know will save his life, but make him much worse before it made him better.  To watch the Dr’s walk away with him in their arms almost broke me as a Mom.  The fear creeps in everyday, but if we’re having a good day I tell that to myself, ‘everything is ok right now’."

~Brayden's Mommy

​#zipperstrong  

Silas

9 years old

Future soccer player? or maybe an artist...or maybe both!

Diagnosis: Single ventricle left heart, L-TGA

During Silas ' second surgery , staph infection with MRSA was introduced under his sternum bone .. He became very ill... even to the point of death .. I had to literally open my hands next to his bed and tell God that He gave me Silas and He has the right to have him .. and that He would need to teach me to trust Him to live life without my precious Silas if He should chose to take him to heaven .. Silas was 6 months old.

~Silas' Mommy

​#zipperstrong  

André

2 months on Earth, forever an Angel Warrior. His best buddy poses with him. 

Andre’s eyes had an incredible depth to them - even as a newborn…like an old soul

Diagnosis: Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome 

"So many people are afraid to bring up our angels.  Its as though they think it will just make it more painful, or awkward, or remind us of our loss.  But it is such a GIFT when people bring him up.  I LOVE talking about Andre.  I LOVE hearing other people say his name. He's the best thing that ever happened to me.  I need other people to know that he's a part of me."

~André's mommy

​#zipperstrong  

Very Special thanks to the Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum , Little Gym of Winchester and  Mended Little Hearts of the Shenandoah Valley. Without their help, this project would have been impossible. Thank you Megan Setzer, for the insight and the encouragement for this project, as well as the ideas. And last, but certainly not least, thank you to the families who participated in the project. I know it must have been difficult to share such intimate words with a stranger, and I know your time is precious.  Thank you, because you and your children are this project.  

#zipperstrong 

	1)Clean your lens  Don't worry, you don't need any fancy cleaners or equipment.  All you really need to do is grab a soft cloth, like your shirt, a stray sock, your 5 year old's (clean) underwear, or whatever's lying around, and give the lens on the back of your phone a quick wipe.  A little moisture from your breath will help too if the lens looks extra foggy.  Oil from your face and hands collects on the surface of the glass of the tiny lens, causing your pictures to look cloudy and smudgy.  You'll be amazed at how much this little step will improve your pictures!
	1)Find the light This, I can't emphasize enough, and if you don't do anything else, at least try to do this.  If you're outside, this is less of an issue of course, but try not to shoot into direct sunlight (unless you are going for some kind of effect) because the camera just can't handle that much light overwhelming it's sensor and the entire picture is going to be hazy.  A good rule of thumb would be to never capture the sun in the frame of the picture anytime after twilight or before dusk.  It also helps to shoot in what's  called 'open shade' basically, that's shade found in the shadow of a building, a tree, or even a person.  This is also why you'll find it easier to take sharp pictures with more even light and detail on overcast days. If you happen to be indoors, your light-finding task gets a bit more challenging but the same rules still apply.  Try, if at all possible to take pictures in window light, and again, try not to get the window itself in the picture or your adorable spaghetti covered toddler will be a mere sillohette of  good intentions.  As a side note, it's worth saying that the window rule is a more flexible rule, as you may be able to create some interesting effects by breaking it! ). If window light's not an option, turn on as many lights as possible.  The darker it is in the room, the more difficult it becomes for your phone to capture movement, and the more steady you and your subject have to be to get a non-blurry picture, which clearly is an issue when photographing your munchkins, the human kind and the furry kind. Note: don't use the flash. ever. Please. Don't EVER use the flash. It's not even a flash, it's a way to find the remote under the couch
	1)Use your auto-focus This is an easy one. You may or may not know this, but your camera has an autofocus button, and it's ridiculously easy to use.  All you have to do is touch the area of the screen where you want the main focus of the picture.  For example, if you are taking a picture of your delicious burger and fries from Five Guys, but you want to emphazie the fries, touch the fries on the screen, and not only will that be the sharpest area of focus, but you'll also tell your phonecam 'hey, this is what I'm taking a picture of, make this look good' and the camera will automatically adjust the distribution of light within your phone's sensor to make sure that that area of the screen is properly lit.  The same goes for that picture of your chubby 4 month old's toothless grin, just touch her nose on the screen and the camera will automatically focus in the right place and adjust the lighting so that her face isn't too dark or too light.
	4)Take lots of pictures at a time Hold down the button for a second or two instead of pushing it several times, it will take pictures in 'burst mode' at anywhere from 5-10 images per second, depending on your phone make and model. You're bound to catch something in there, and it will keep your hand from shaking as much if you're taking pictures inside with minimal lighting (remember we talked about how lower light means less movement is necessary for a sharp picture) or outside with a fast moving subject. ​
	1)When all else fails, try black and white  To be honest, you can do all of the above to a T, and you'll still end up with a picture that's too bright, or two dark or a tad bit grainy.  Don't call it a loss just yet! Instead, try using one of the black and white filters on the picture.  It won't necessarily fix it, but it will take away the color element and bring more focus to certain areas and less to others, depending on the filter that you choose.  At the most, It will look like you meant to take the picture that way to achieve an awesome black and white visual effect (wink wink) and at the very least, it may be just the thing to use as a last ditch effort to save a picture that didn't come out quite as great as you'd hoped

Whelp, that's all for this week, practice your lighting a little because next week we'll talk about creativity and angles.  Ever take a picture just to be disappointed that it's so underwhelmingly different than what you were trying to capture? Hopefully next week's blog will give you some tips on how to wow yourself with your unique and creative phonetography capture skills!

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 I told myself in 2014 after my daughter was born,  that I could be not just content, but thrilled with  the pictures that I take with my phone’s  camera, and I would be selective and discerning  in what I kept, posted, and printed. Now, of  course these don’t replace the pictures that I take  and have taken professionally (yearly family and  individuals, 1^st birthday, ect) and occasionally I do  still like to pull out the ‘ol DSLR to get some creative  shots that I just can’t get with my phone, but for the  everyday moments I like that I can just pull out my  phone, capture the moment, delete the blurry  pictures, and not miss a moment. Seriously, Life is  too short to miss those little moments  fussing  with some settings and JPEGS.  I  wanted to share  a little bit of the enlightenment I've come  across on the proper use of  a smartphone camera so  that you  can photograph  your kids, your family,  your dog, your Pinterest project, yourself,  your coffee and whatever else needs remembering with confidence!

Quite a few individuals have asked that I teach a class, but with my kid's schedule, I'm afraid this is the best I can do right now.  At first I wanted this to just be just one blog post, but after I started typing, I realized that just wasn’t going to cut it, and I’m pretty sure no one was interested in reading a Smartphone Photography Thesis, so I broke it into 7 mini posts ending with a 52 week challenge (clearly, you are not required to participate in the challenge to benefit from the information, but I hope you do, because it will give you a chance to practice all of this). I hope to post at least once a week on this subject.

A year ago we moved into a new house, and I went from barely any walls space to several huge empty walls.  Of course, as you can imagine I have literally thousands of pictures of my kids and family sitting on a hard drive just begging to be free.  This year, I am excited to finally work on our new walls!  Basically there are two options when putting up wall art, there is art with a frame (including matted prints, basic prints, and even framed canvas prints) and art without a frame (Canvas Prints, and the like).  So, how do you decide what to put where?

Here are 5 considerations to keep in mind when deciding: Print or Canvas?

Wall space

Do you have big spaces of blank wall or do you have nooks and crannies? Modern homes tend to have large walls with lots of light while older homes have more hallways, little rooms and corridors.  Houses built in the 90’s and early 00’s tend to have a mixture of both.  It’s important to remember that prints in general have more size versatility, so if you are not sure, then it’s best to go with a print.  That way, if you put it on the wall and it’s too small, you can always put a mat on it, or go with a bigger frame. If it looks too big (and lets just be honest, this is rarely the case) you can get a thinner frame, or a frame that doesn't stand out as much.  For a canvas, bigger is always better! If you are tossing two sizes around in your head, always go with the bigger size, especially if you’re putting just that one image on that particular wall.  A canvas that is two small will just look odd over your couch or in your hallway.

11x14? Kinda small...

20x30? Much better...

Combination? Amazing!

Location 

This brings me to location.  A canvas would be a good choice for a living room or nursery (especially  since you wouldn't have to worry about glass) but a canvas is more fragile because the image is only protected by the layer of lacquer on the actual piece.  A kitchen where grease is always floating in the air and spaghetti sauce is flying off of your toddler’s plate is not the ideal location for a Canvas, and neither is a playroom filled with paint and flying toys.  Keep this in mind too—canvas prints over your newborn’s changing table are a good idea in theory, but you’ll quickly find that baby boys can get some distance during a diaper change!

What's There Already?

As your family grows, have a mental image of what you want to do with your walls.  Don’t be afraid to leave some blank spaces for big prints!  Do you want to do all canvas? All print? A mixture of both? Any of the options can look beautiful, if you make a plan for your walls!  Prints are easier to switch out of their frames, where as Canvas prints may want to be something that you leave up all the time (newborn portraits, baby portraits, Wedding pictures  and Senior portraits to name a few).    

The Image Itself

Some images lend themselves better for a certain media.  For example, a portrait with a focus on the faces of the subjects with not much going on in the background would be gorgeous printed either way, but it lends itself well to a canvas or wrap because the constant background will wrap around a canvas beautifully.  At the same time, if an image has rich colors, those colors may be intensified by the right mat and/or frame surrounding it.

Your Preference 

This may be the most important thing to remember! If you love canvas prints, then by all means ignore everything above and fill your home with canvas prints! If you hate mats, then don’t even think about buying one! In the end, it’s whatever brings those memories to life for you.  A house is a house, but a home is built on memories, and the walls of your home should fill you with the joy of each and every one of your memories.

Do you have any suggestions? leave them in the comment section!  

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I am SO THRILLED to announce that SL Hunter Photography is now specializing in Maternity- 1 year photography! I am booking Tues, Thursday and Saturday Slots chock-full of just babies this year!  

To ring in the new year, I am offering an entirely new type of session for families that want some professional newborn portraits and prints, but don't need all of the extras! The session comes with a canvas, a digital file, and prints with the option to order more.

Additional Information

• Newborn Mini Sessions must be scheduled in advance as I will not be able to work with babies older than 12 days within the allotted hour.  Newborn Mini sessions are only for newborns less than 2 weeks old.
• We will attempt up to three poses using one blanket and one prop (bucket, fur, stuffed toy, etc) Unfortunately I cannot make exceptions.
• Sibling and parent shots are NOT included Newborn Mini Sessions. Again, unfortunately I cannot make exception
• 

• Disclaimer

  Newborn Mini Sessions are one hour in length only and awake babies can not be posed. While we will strive to get the asleep posed shots there is a slight chance that we encounter an awake baby. Should this situation arise, we will take sweet awake shots, detail shots (hands and feet) and swaddled shots which are just as adorable and special.  Following preparation instructions accurately will increase the chances of a sleepy baby!

   

   

Gorgeous glowing Mama and her beautiful daughter are welcoming another little girl very soon...

Is this child gorgeous or what!?!  It didn't even matter that this was a sweltering day, this little man was as cool as they come! Happy Birthday cutiepie :)

I wanted to do it in a way that captured the day timelessly, tastefully, and beautifully, so I decided launch the Black and White ‘Birth Album’ in 2014, a product dedicated to my daughter born   12/13/14.   It will be an all inclusive birth photography experience that guaranteed capture of the birth and first hour of a baby’s life, along with an 8x8 or 10x10 black and white album, and black and white digital files. 

How can you help, you ask?  I NEED MODELS AGAIN! I have no doubt that the images will be beautiful, but I want to experiment with timing, working with medical professionals, and working with family members in L&D.  I want to perfect being an invisible memory maker on one of the most important days of your family’s life together. 

Models I Need for 2015 Late Spring-Summer:

1 Hospital Birth, Preferably Winchester Medical Center L&D

1 Home Birth

1 Birthing Center Birth

Models will receive:

50% off 5x7 album (Reg. $180)

Web Images of Birth

Complementary Session*

Discounted Newborn Session

Option to Purchase 8x8 or 10x10 Album with Negatives at 15%discount  (please inquire about prices)  

*Although I will make EVERY effort to be available for your child’s birth, I am only human, and I’m also a mommy.  If I don’t make it in time for whatever reason, I will happily do hospital pictures for you instead and you will still receive the discounted Newborn Session Option.

If you know anyone who may be interested, please refer them to me by having them ‘Like’ SL Hunter Photography on Facebook to send a message, or texting (757)719-4460.  Unfortunately, I can only afford to do 3 of these promotional sessions so inquiries and bookings will be on a first come, first serve basis. 

  

I AM A PLANNER.  Execution is a little iffy, but I always have a plan A, B, C and D, that’s just me—I spend my days thinking about how my next big project is going to come together, what the entertainment and snacks are for our next playdate, and exactly when and where our family vacation will be—even if it is a year away.  When we were ready to purchase a house I HAD A PLAN.  I had a handwritten list of individuals who I knew and trusted who would be involved in this first time experience, and I was ready to start shopping spring 2015.  My husband is a planner too, like me, but here is the problem: We are not COMMUNICATORS! Long story short, my husband found a house and set up a viewing in a town I’d only been to twice with an agent I had NEVER MET.  This was our first house purchase—I was nervous and wary to work with someone I didn’t know after having had an awful experience with an agent 2 ½ years ago when we moved to Winchester…and now were looking to BUY a house through a stranger?? 

Let me pause here: GOD’S plan is not always our plan,and specifically, it’s almost NEVER my plan. 

So we met with the Dan Copeland on a freezing cold rainy day, because he worked with our schedule and drove all the way to Strasburg in the evening to let us in—and what do you know, we LOVED the house! We met with the Janice several times after that and we absolutely loved her! We were completely vulnerable as first time homebuyers, perfect candidates to be taken advantage of, but Janice answered all of our questions (some of them quite silly, no doubt) patiently and took our little family under her wing of experience.  In the end we purchased a perfect starter house for nearly $50,000 less than we anticipated paying for a house in this market!! Not only that, but Jan and Dan brought with them a dream team of local contractors to inspect, fix, clean, and prepare our home.  The day after we closed on our house at Old Towne Title, we packed up our belongings with the help of a few good friends (the kind of friends that help you move are pretty awesome). Almost 3 months later, here we are! Thank you everyone involved for being so wonderful, and thank you Dan&Jan for being the glue that held this entire process together from start to finish—I’m happy to count you among my friends--I thank God that he brought you into our lives!

So we’re homeowners---does that mean we’re grownups now?

A LIST OF OUR PERSONAL HOMEBUYING EXPERIENCE DREAMTEAM.  THEY ALL DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB!

JAN&DAN COPELAND TEAM )

ANDREA TURNER (OLDTOWN TITLE)

A+ HANDYMAN

JOHN MCGRAW (GEARCLEAN)

INTEGRITY HOME MORTGAGE 

Not everyone considers the hospital right away, because there is sometimes a lot of sadness in this building... but, you know what? the Mother/Baby unit of Winchester Medical Center was the happiest place on earth when my daughter was born last December!  There is no joy like that of welcoming a new love of your life into the world.  I am BEYOND thrilled to announce that (7) 20x30 mounted wall displays and 2 20x20 framed wall displays, art by SL Hunter Photography, now adorn the halls of the Mother/Baby Unit at WMC!

This past year, I was honored to work with the staff, the doctors, and the nurses of the Women's Center at WMC as we put together a beautiful display for the bare walls of the Mother Baby Unit.  I hope that the display is something that everyone can enjoy for years to come!

I hope nervous NEW MOMMIES find JOY in seeing the sweet faces of other babies delivered in that hospital on the walls, and I hope that tired DOCTORS and NURSES see those little faces in the early hours of the morning as they come into work, or from delivering heartbreaking news, and REMEMBER why they work long, difficult hours, and that they find JOY and COMFORT as well. 

Thank you to WMC for being willing to meet with me so many times throughout this project, thank you Tammy Dellinger and Stinkin’ Cute for the adorable froggy hat on the only baby girl on the wall, and most importantly, thank you to the families of these little ones (some are almost 2 year olds now!) for participating in the Model Search a while ago when I first had the vision for this project!

 ENJOY, Winchester! 

IT's SURREAL, even after 4 months, that we have a girl...we have a little girl! We were so thankful and happy with our one little boy, but now we've been given the opportunity to raise two? For whatever reason, I had convinced myself that I would be a mom of all boys, so I prepared to be a mom of all boys.  Suddenly, this little lady enters our lives mommy is woefully unprepared—I know how to raise a boy at least to age three, but a girl? A GIRL?? The thoughts of dresses and sparkles and headbands and boyfriends and prom dresses and wedding shopping came pouring in like a flood… But let’s backtrack a little to the day we first met her—who doesn’t love a good birth story?

Dec 12 11:00 (13 days before my due date)

I’m at a shoot at the Willows at Meadow Branch a bit crampy and on the phone with my OB trying to describe how I feel—they tell me to come on in, so I finish up the shoot and run (well, drive) over to my clinic. 1 cm dilated --- It could stay that way for weeks ARRRRHGGG! Back Home

Dec 13 2AM 

I can’t sleep (nothing new) and the campiness is even more uncomfortable, coming and going so to pass time I download a contraction app. I mean, my son was a week late, no hope for this little girl coming early… HOLY COW! My crampy contractions are 5 min apart! At 3-4 minutes apart (4am) I wake my Hubs and we get our bags packed, call Zech’s FRIGGIN’ AMAZING NANNY, Carrie who drives 35 min to our house in the wee hours of the morning to watch Zech for a unknown amount of time (until one of our mothers can get here at least). Off we go to the hospital at 5:00AM…meanwhile my contractions take a turn and I can’t sit up straight between them—Kyle drives faster, I yell at a chip delivery truck for driving slow in front of us (who needs potato chips at 5AM??) all that fun stuff.

                                                                                                                           Dec 13 (12noonish)

Four and ½ Cm. Seriously?!? My son was out in 8 hrs start to finish, and here I am with my second approaching hour 9 at ONLY four and a half centimeters! I can’t talk through brutal contractions as I crawl toward 6 cm over the next 2 hrs only to be stuck there for another 2 hours. I LIVED in the hot shower with a birthing ball while my wonderful husband massages my back (I had back labor most of the time for this little one)  I’m told that I can’t get an epidural due to my anemia and low platelet count (despite iron pills) so it looks like I’m in it for the long haul.  Trust me, I wish I was one of those moms who just HAD to do it natural for my health and my baby’s, but I was crying for an epidural around 5 cm and I would have GLADLY taken it—no shame in that game Mommas.

Dec 13 (3:00ish)

Time to break my water—here we go!!! I don’t know what I would have done without my coach, my love, my partner by my side as I prepared for the pain, the stamina, the endurance, and the mental challenge of bringing new life into the world.  The L&D nurses were AMAZING at Winchester Medical Center Women’s Center.

Dec (3:15-6:00)

TRANSITION. Need I say more?

DEC 13, 2014 6:18PM

We welcome our brand new, soaking wet, screaming little 6lb 9oz baby girl into the world, and as I held her tiny body on my chest, still attached to mommy through a life cord, time stood still. I touched her soft hair, smelled her sweet newborn scent, and gazed into her baby-grey eyes, not wanting the moment to end...she's perfect in every way.

 …Right now your grown-up days are far away from here, and I am treasuring every second I get to hold you in my arms---oh you are so perfect, my little princess…I hope you love your name and wear it proudly. Your name is strong and it is Hebrew for ‘Who is like God?’ No one is! And He has you in his loving hands always, just as you are in mine now.

-Love, Mommy

He is special in other ways too, of course.

We’ve known for a while now that something is different about him.  When he was really little he had an absolute obsession with watching fans.  He would stare at them for long periods of time, and we didn’t really think much of it…at first.

As he grew, so did the amount of quirks he had.  Opening and closing anything that could open and close, continuing to watch fans (until we refused to turn them on), and spinning everything he could get his hands on were among the funny business.  But, the most telling thing was the fact that he was not talking at all really.  We knew something was wrong when he was almost two and still wasn’t saying a word (other than the letters of the alphabet).

We were already in the process of getting him help, but when we began to notice kids much younger than him had greater vocabularies, we were really concerned.  It was then that we kicked it into overdrive, and really committed to getting him help.  SheRae somehow got him an appointment at our doctor’s office in a week (which is impressive because there is normally a good wait–still don’t know how she did it), and we got a referral to Kluge Children’s Hospital at the University of Virginia (UVA).

The evaluation at UVA was really suppose to be an all day affair, but it only took a few hours.  The doctor at UVA was pretty impressed with his motor skills, and felt like everything was pretty normal except his communication of course.  She watched him play with toys, interacted with him, and tested him in several areas.  All in all, it was a lot more pleasant than we expected.  The doctor was hesitant to diagnose him as being on the autistic spectrum, but she did so mainly because that was the only way to get him treatment.

We were excited.  We knew it could be much worse.  She could have told us that he was low functioning and would need lifelong accommodations.  I don’t mean this as a slap in the face to anyone who has a child with low-functioning autism, but no parents want their children diagnosed this way.

With the diagnosis in hand, we could get Zechariah the Advanced Behavioral Analysis (ABA) therapy that the doctor said would catch him up to speed with normal children in about a year.

Then came the shocker.

Our insurance–BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD (booo) did not cover ABA therapy–it was one of those “special exemptions”.  What. the. crap.  

We felt angry, helpless, and let down by a company that was suppose to be as reputable as BCBS.  We give these jokers our money all year long, and when a child really needs something they hang them out to dry.  One in 42 boys has Autism.  With numbers that high, it is ridiculous that BCBS can get away with not offering coverage to the families on their plan. Awful.

To make matters worse, I had just completed my open season at work, so I could not change our families health care coverage for another year!  We were really stuck.  We began looking for other ways to get him the ABA therapy.  First we decided to try to add the cost up to see if we could pay for it out of pocket.  Zech needed the treatment 30 hours a week, the therapy costs $40 a hour–this adds up to–hold your breath–

$60,000 a year!  No way.

This is more than some people’s entire salary for a year!  That option was out the window…

Our insurance didn’t cover Zech’s Advanced Behavioral Analysis (ABA), and with the price of the therapy being $60,000 a year we felt stuck.  I was fresh out of my open season, so changing insurance policies was not possible.

This was getting frustrating.  But God had brought us through very difficult situations before so we immediately began to pray and brainstorm. I considered finding a new job with better insurance.  We both considered picking up additional jobs.   But this didn’t seem like a viable option, as we both already have part-time jobs with insurance plans that would not work.  We decided to come back to these ideas if necessary after exploring other options.

Our prayers were seemingly answered when we discovered an advocacy group in Winchester called Moms in Motion.  When we informed them that we had Federal Blue Cross Blue Shield, you literally could hear the gasps.  They had been down this road before.  Federal Blue Cross Blue Shield has a good reputation of not covering the ABA therapyneeded for individuals diagnosed on the Autistic Spectrum.

But they had good news!

They informed us that we might be able to get Zechariah the ABA therapy he needed by applying for a little known waiver in Medicaid for children with disabilities.  But we were told not to get our hopes up because the screening process was difficult, and the screeners had a reputation of being nasty and not compassionate.

We heard their concerns but we knew God was at work.  He had never failed us before.  We have learned with God, if there is even a glimmer of hope in a situation He can turn it into a ray of reality.  Yes, we were nervous, but continued to earnestly pray.  Zechariah had no one to vouch for him except for us, and we felt powerless a lot of the time.  It was all up to God to work the situation out, so we decided to do what we could while turning it over to Him in prayer.

We were a bit disgruntled because we were told the soonest the screening could take place would probably be a month.  To us it felt like every day that passed Zechariah was getting further behind without the care he needed.  The doctor said that he would probably be up to speed in a year, but ONLY with the therapy.

Our prayers were answered again when we received a phone call that the screeners could evaluate Zech after only a week!  According to the advocacy group we were working with, this was unheard of, and even they were shocked.  Yes! God was at work.

So the day of the Zechariah’s screening came quicker than expected.  Needless to say we were a bit nervous.  Whether or not Zechariah received the Medicaid waiver was dependent on the screener’s recommendations.  If he didn’t get it, we were back to square one.

Two ladies came to our house for the screening.  One was an elderly social worker, and the other was a middle aged nurse.  I’m not going to lie, the elderly lady looked bitter to me–which made us even more nervous.  We had  preconceived notions based on how bad everyone told us the screeners were.

As things progressed we were pleasantly surprised to see that the screeners were actually pretty personable.  They weren’t scary happy or anything, but normal.  The social worker began to ask us questions about Zech, while the nurse interacted with him.  SheRae answered most of the questions, and I pretty much nodded and agreed.  She had more than coached me before the screening on what to say, or not say for that matter .

I have to say it was very difficult to read the situation because they weren’t giving us much feedback; but, about halfway through the screening we were told that Zech qualified.

We were thrilled! Our baby boy (he’s a toddler but still our baby), was on the way to getting the therapy he needed.

Our first session with the ABA therapists was last Friday, and the beginning of all of this has felt like a weight lifted off our shoulders.  Since the screening Zech has been making steady progress, and we hope that with the ABA therapy he can get where he needs to be developmentally.

We are generally private people, and the reason we wrote this is three-fold.  To show that our Lord Jesus Christ is faithful, and inspire others to trust him. This might sound cliche, but throughout this whole ordeal we have learned once again that God is a loving Father, who gives good gifts.  When Zech’s earthly mommy and daddy were virtually powerless to help him, his heavenly Daddy came through in a big way.  We worked hard for Zech and had faith, but God provided the increases.

We also wanted to let people know about the Medicaid EDCD waiver if they have a disabled child who their insurance refuses to cover.  If anyone wants more information about this they can feel free to message us and we will be glad to help, or give advice any way we can.

Last, I wanted to throw BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD on the map for failing to cover a NEED that a lot of honest paying customers have, which is not being met through their substandard coverage.

We also thank all of our family for their help and prayers during this difficult period. I ask anyone reading this to keep Zechariah in your prayers as well.  We know we are blessed to have the ability to get him the ABA therapy, but his development will ultimately be progressed by God.

Peace and God Bless!   Good night, good morning, or good evening, wherever you are. Spring his here!  

-Written By Kyle

Special thanks to:

All of our Vendors 

Our young talented models (and their parents)

Our costume concept designer, Rachel King (Newport News, VA)

Amy VanMeter for the use of her beautiful property 

I got to spend the first warm day in months capturing this dynamic bunch in their natural element.  The connection that these kids have with one another is amazing, one that I hope I was able to capture every part of!

I didn't grow up in a big family, but if I had, I would hope that it would have been something like this...

The kids will still giddy with excitement over the arrival of their new brother...the newness hasn't worn off yet

There is nothing quite like the relationship between a mama and her baby boy

A brother: a built in best friend and arch nemesis all wrapped up in one package

Those precious in-between times...how sweet they are to let their little brother play

Priceless moments...she is head over heels for her baby brother

And Mommies and Daddies, don't ever lose the romance...

Thank you, Thank you, THANK YOU for making this year a great one! Please enjoy this special video of all of 2013's portraits--and in order to keep doing what I LOVE, I desperately need feedback:

If your session was special and memorable, if you love your images, prints and albums, if you have any stories to tell about your experience with SL Hunter Photography, please share in a private comment for this blog post!  I sincerely hope that I went way beyond your expectations.  You, my clients, and your opinions are what matter most, and I hope that your stories and testimonials will allow me to do what I love for a long time!

Also, please include any suggestions as to what I can do differently or future products, programs, packages, charity/nonprofit support, and mini sessions you would like to see for 2014 (please put this in a separate comment—I would love to be able to publish your raves/testimonials) Thank you, thank you THANK YOU in advance  

All Christmas Cards are two-sided and designed exclusively by SL Hunter Photography, then ordered from a boutique print lab.  Unique boutique shapes, thick cardstock, and linen paper texture will definitely make your holiday card stand out!

If you decide to order Christmas Cards during your session or reveal, SL Hunter Photography will design 3 cards options to match your unique session style!

25 Cards per $50.00 set includes envelopes :)

Browse this years designs via the video below and enjoy!

Need the Non-Flash Gallery? Click this link!

The concept below with the adorable cupcakes (courtesy of the talented Farozan at Cupcake Novelties, Winchester VA) is a fun twist on traditional gender reveal sessions by combining a session and party. Make sure to scroll down to the video as well!

How it works:

The answer is in the color of the frosty filling !

On the day of your gender determination ultrasound, have the technician put the gender of your baby in a sealed envelope (don't peak!) I will pick it up from you that day or the following day, and I will correspond with any other outside person (including the cake decorator) involved with your reveal. 

You can do this intimately with just you and your significant other (and kids, if you have them already) or you can combine a session with a gathering of family and friends, like this couple (I think one of the cutest parts of this session was everyone at the party getting to make a guess!).  

~SH

All the pictures in my Portfolios in one handy gallery!

For example, the little 2 year old prince in the picture above wanted above all else to be mommy's baby.  It made him upset to see his newborn sister butting in on his life and sharing his mommy.  He wanted not to sit next to his new sister, but to snuggle with his mommy.  He won't always be like that...one day he'll be helping her learn her ABC's, the next he'll bugging his sister into insanity, the next he'll be warding off all of her potential boyfriends with tough 'big brother' talk, and before we know it...they'll be grown---but today, this is who he is, this is how he is, and as he gets older, this short little phase will be missed...but here it is, this moment, fleeting and beautiful in it's own way, frozen in a photograph for all of time.

So don't be discouraged when things don't go as you've planned, and in fact, when they don't, we end up with the most beautiful, true-to-life captures of all...

puppy credit: A Wrinkle N Time Kennels

Her brother was having a hard time with the changing dynamics, so I made sure to get some special pictures of only him...and some family pictures where he still got to be the one on mommy's lap :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This young lady is as photogenic as they come--We had fun downtown warding off rain and running here and there to get these images!  Loved spending some relaxed time with her Mama too (a new friend of mine!)

They'll be helping us get excited for our 'Make it Count' Senior Portrait Event geared toward raising money for kids with epilepsy...it's set to take place this summer!

Are these not the cutest!?!

These adorable little 3×3 albums are printed on high quality fine linen press paper with a custom photo cover.  It can hold between 8-12 images, and they come in sets of three:  one for each grandparent and one for you!  Perfect to take along in your purse as a brag book, or as a coffee table book.

Get a set for $95.00 or go for one of our middle priced packages and get them as a free addition to the package!

In church a while ago (New Hope International) our pastor talked about a certain disabled man in John 5:1-18. This man was lame--meaning he could move, but very slowly, and his complaint to the Lord was that every time he inched forward toward the healing pool, someone jumped in front of him, and he missed out on his opportunity! Supposedly, this had been happening for months and months on end, and the lame man seemed to have made up his mind that he would NEVER get to the pool, so instead he sat waiting for someone to carry him in.  When starting a business, for the first few months or even years, we are going to be like the lame man--slowly inching our way toward success.  During this time, it is incredibly tempting to throw in the towel and say 'I'll just wait for some better opportunity to come along'.  But if you read on in the story of this man, we see that after he reveals his plight to the Lord, Jesus immediately says 'Get up and walk!' What a huge amount of faith it must have taken for this man to gather his strength, trust his withered legs, and do something he had probably never done before--at the risk of failure or being ridiculed or disappointed again!  But it says that the man got up, picked up his mat and walked away. When God has called us to do something--anything in life, to include ownership of a business, it is not our prerogative to be immediately successful, or to throw in the towel when we are not.  It is our job to take each day one inch or so at a time, as the lame man had done--and there will be some days when you will be frustrated and wonder if this is even your calling, or if you made some mistake along the way--but know that though these days are inevitable, God has given us talent not only in our product, but also as a businessperson, and if you never forget your goal and where you want to be, and keep your eyes on Him, one day he will say to you "get up, and carry your mat!" as your business takes off at warp speed!  

Mc Donalds started as a diner on the corner in 1940, SEARS as a mail order catalog in 1888, and Facebook as two college kids goofing off in 2004... what do these multi-billion dollar industries have in common? They started right there where we are...as a small business! God bless you and your businesses!