Out with the old and in with the new; NEW YEAR that is! | Colorado Family Photographer

Posted on December 31, 2009

We will open the book.  Its pages are blank.  We are going to put words on them ourselves.  The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.

~Edith Lovejoy Pierce

As 2009 becomes a distant memory I wanted to take this time to thank my fabulous clients for allowing me to be part of  so many special moments in your lives this year.  Thank you for sharing your special family moments with me. It is my hope that you and your families will enjoy them for many years to come.

I also wanted to take this time to thank my friends and family. I am so blessed to be surrounded by people who have not only supported me but who have also cheered me on during this last year; without you guys I would not be as successful as I have become.  You have all made this journey so much more special and for that I am truly grateful!

Lastly, I need to thank my wonderful husband. You have been my biggest cheerleader and I could have never done any of this without you. You are my love, my soul mate and most importantly my best friend.  You work so hard for our family and your endless dedication to me following my dream makes you one of a kind. I love you!

Ok, enough with the mushy stuff. Let’s ring in the New Year! 2010 is coming in with a bang and I know without a doubt it is going to be a creatively fantastic year!

2010 is going to be full of some fun and exciting changes for Kristanne V Photography.  In the works are some new casting calls, promotions and new offerings.  What is NOT in the works? Well that would be a price increase.   While things are starting to look up for some in regards to the economy there are still others that are struggling, so this year I will not be raising my rates.  My current pricing structure is working really well and so we are going to keep it going.

In 2010, I look forward to bringing you the best Kristanne V Photography has to offer.  Please keep your eyes on the blog and our Facebook fan page for future news and promotions. We really are going to have a fun year full of surprises.

Thank you again my dear clients, friends and family! It is my hope that in 2010 you are blessed with great health, heart filling love, immense happiness and joy mixed in with a  few miracles. You all deserve nothing but the best!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

18 too soon | Denver Family Photographer

Posted on December 28, 2009

“One of the signs of passing youth is the birth of a sense of fellowship with other human beings as we take our place among them.”

Virginia Woolf

18 years ago today my sweet boy came into this world and changed my life forever.  It is so hard for me to believe that time has passed so quickly since I first saw his sweet face. He has been a bundle of joy, frustration, wonder and fun these past 18 years; I have no doubt he can say the same thing about me .

I cannot tell you how grateful I am for the thousand of images I have taken of my first born (this being one of my favorites).

I think documenting his life through film is a huge part of what lead to me be a photographer.  Now that he is a young man on the verge of defining his own life, I can look back at all of these images and remember what it was like when he was just learning about the world around him. A time when only I could fix his boo boos,  make the world’s best grilled cheese sandwich and be the one he shared his dreams with. What a wonderful and magical time it is for us mothers to be the keepers of their dreams.

Today is a new beginning for him.  Yes, the changes have been happening slowly for the last several years as adolescence took its hold, but today puts it in stone. My little boy is now an adult.  Soon he will be leaving this nest and making a home of his own. He will be sharing his heart and dreams with another woman and he will be experiencing the world in a whole new way.  All I can hope for now is that I did my job well, that he believes in himself and that his heart is full.  It is my hope that I have given him all of the tools that I can to realize his dreams.

HAPPY 18th BIRTHDAY CAMERON!

I love you more than words can express. May this journey you are embarking on be filled with fun, love, fulfilling work and dreams realized.  You deserve it all!

Love, Mom

Happy Holidays from my family to yours | Denver Family photographer

Posted on December 24, 2009

“Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.”

~Hamilton Wright Mabie

I love the holidays, I think the quote above says it all.  I love this time of year because whether or not you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa, this is the time of year we all seem to open our hearts a little bit more. Whether it be sharing a real sit down meal with your family or reconnecting with those you have lost contact with, we all try a little harder during the season.

So from my family to yours no matter which holiday you celebrate we hope that it is filled with love, laughter and lifelong memories. May the year ahead find your heart full of the greatest of joy, love and a few miracles sprinkled in.

“I ♥ Faces” week 49 – “Pets Only Challenge”

Posted on December 15, 2009

“An animal’s eyes have the power to speak a great language.”

~ Martin Buber

It has been a while since I have been able to participate in the weekly “I ♥ Faces” challenges. My business and my toddler have been growing by leaps and bounds(which I am EXTREMELY grateful for). Both have been keeping me happily busy but It hasn’t left much free time for extra fun stuff like the  “I ♥ Faces” challenges. Well the holiday slow down is upon me and so I thought it would be a perfect time for some challenge fun.

For those of you whom aren’t familiar with “I ♥ Faces” you can check them out at www.iheartfaces.blogspot.com. You don’t need to be a professional to play along; you only need to have a pic you love that fits with the weekly theme. Easy breezy and a blast!

This is one of my most favorite animal captures.  Isn’t he gorgeous? I think I love it so much because his eyes are so soulful.

A vacation full| Colorado Family Photographer

Posted on December 9, 2009

“A vacation is like love – anticipated with pleasure, experienced with discomfort, and remembered with nostalgia. ” ~Author Unknown

What a vacation this has been I cannot believe it is almost over. It has been filled with so many wonderful experiences; I am not quite sure I could even share them all with you.  So instead of doing a paragraph (or two ) of how great this trip was I think I will just share with you some of my “HITS” and “MISSES”.

My vacation “HITS”

1.  Spending uninterrupted time with my family. PRICELESS!

2. Watching Roman’s eyes filled with wonder as he was taking in all the new sites and sounds. His senses were on overload.

3. The night my my mother put Roman’s diaper on….. BACKWARDS.  We found it in the morning after she had put him to bed the night before and it gave me a great laugh.

4. Taking my father and my hubby on the Jungle cruise so they could get a taste of what it is like to live with their BAD jokes. If you knew them you would understand.

5.  Seeing and speaking with people from all over the world.  So cool! My hubby says that no matter where I go, I am never a stranger because I talk to everyone. It gives me an opportunity to meet so many nice people and honestly I think it makes people feel good to be acknowledged in some way; even if it is just a “hello”.

6. Ok, I know I am a dork but when traveling I LOVE LOVE LOVE taking pictures for people. So many times you run into couples and families who go home with pictures from their trip and someone is always missing because they are behind the camera.  I don’t think I can begin to count how many times I offered to take pictures for people; knowing that if they go home with only one picture from a trip that shows them all together that I had I did that for them makes me very happy.

7. Pin trading~ Ok, some little unknown fact about me is that I am addicted to trading Disney pins. It is so much fun and gives me yet another way to meet different people. I love it!

8. The fireworks at Epcot. We rented a private boat this year and sat on the lake during the fireworks. What a view! Thanks Mom for arranging this is really was a huge highlight.

9. Finding out that one of Roman’s favorite rides was the elevator in our building  and that we could of stayed home to make him that happy. He also loved all of the trains we rode. What a happy boy.

10.  Funnel Cakes

My vacation “MISSES”

1.  That my eldest had to miss this vacation.  He stayed home to practice for his debate competition and I respect his commitment, but boy did I miss him!

2.  The lack of graciousness I witnessed daily. It makes me so sad to notice that people just aren’t as considerate and gracious anymore. I miss the days when people would readily said please, thank you and excuse me. It just doesn’t seem to happen anymore. 

3. My aching feet!  Boy do my feet hurt.

4. The cold I now have after being exposed to millions of germs. Not a fun souvenir to bring home.

5. Funnel cakes

Vacation Randomness| Vacationing Colorado photographer

Posted on December 8, 2009

‘No man needs a vacation so much as the person who has just had one.’

~Elbert Hubbard

So you know you want it! Really you do! Here is some vacation randomness

I love Epcot because you can see several different countries in the span of a day.  I have to say you have to give it to Disney.  He dreamed it and created it.  If you think about what goes into the parks and your experience there it is really impressive.

Roman has unfortunately started to give me his version of “the smile” when I photograph him. I don’t  know where he came up with it considering we don’t say “smile”  but nonetheless here it is.

Awww. Italy!  Gorgeous……

Everyone’s favorite Nanny…. Mary Poppins.

Thanks for dropping by!  That was exciting wasn’t it?!  No really, it was!  Come on, don’t you feel refreshed and relaxed like you just went on vacation yourself?

It’s all about the moments | Denver Family Photographer

Posted on December 3, 2009

“Life gives us brief moments with another…but sometimes in those brief moment we get memories that last a life time…”

Anonymous

OK, I know we are on vacation and you all are expecting images of us posing in front of this and that.  Believe me there have been a few posy shots here and there; mostly taken by the kind Disney Photographers. As nice as  those are, they are not the images that are going to melt my heart years from now when I am thinking about this vacation.  It is going to be the moments. Later on down the road when I am  looking  back on them, all the feelings that filled my heart while witnessing them will flood back  when I look at the images again.  That is how I am capturing this trip and what I choose to share with you.

Roman’s first driving lesson.  “Look Ma, No hands!”.   Well Mickey was impressed because Roman got his license.

There were hundreds of people standing around us waiting for a parade to start but in that moment there was no one in the world but Roman and his Daddy. Their bond is undeniable.

Watch out ice cream vendors everywhere!  Roman had his first ice cream sundae today at Ghiradelli’s  and it was love at first site.   Let me assure you that Roman ate his sundae like a seasoned pro; the only evidence left was his messy face, sticky fingers an empty sundae glass.

Disney, we have landed | Denver Family Photographer

Posted on December 1, 2009

“There is no moment of delight in any pilgrimage like the beginning of it.”

— Charles Dudley Warner

Well after a long day of travel we have finally arrived. My little man is so excited about every little moment we have had today; especially the motorized walkway at the airport.  We must have went up and down it 20 plus times.  I love how the simple things thrill him. I am going to have to get back to that place.  I think as we get older we don’t easily recognized or find the joy in the simple things.  Perhaps this will be one of my goals for 2010.

It was a VERY long day and we are all exhausted.  I cannot believe how well behaved my little guy was considering we were all running on about 3 hours sleep. Not easy for an adult; very hard for a toddler. Those of you whom have traveled with toddlers are saying to themselves, “AMEN”.

I think my favorite part about today is seeing the smiles on the faces of strangers as Roman passed them by in the airport or the plane. The site of him wearing his Mickey ears and the excitement in his eyes made them beam and in turn it made my day.   Roman brings all of us so much joy and in turn made my day.

Tomorrow the Magic Kingdom it is. I am so excited about the opportunity of capturing the wonder in Roman’s eyes as he is experiences a place that brought me so much joy as a child.  These are some of the best moments of being a parent.  I am giddy with the prospect.