It's The Connection that Hooks Us

When I go to make coffee/tea there are a thousand coffee mugs in my cupboard. Only a handful that I would actually want to drink out of... today my normal two were both dirty and it got me thinking: it's a cup. Why does it matter? 

And all I can narrow it down to is the connection. Any photog could be your photog. When you look at your pictures, and you didn't really love your photog, are you going to already have a half-hearted feeling about them, not because you don't love the picture but simply because you didn't love the experience of it. 

I have a favorite cup in the back of the cupboard, which I love so much that I don't use it because I'm scared it will break (I may or may not have stolen it from my dad because it reminds me of him).  Today I used it. So Today started perfectly.   

The moral of this semi-caffinated story is... the connection matters.  Don't ruin your day with a meh coffee cup, or a meh connection with your photog.  Never settle for something that doesn't make your heart happy.

SPOTLIGHT on this Happiness Shoot || Lewiston Photographer

"She HATES having her picture taken.  And being the center of attention,"  her mom told me when we met about the upcoming wedding.  

I wish I had kept track of how many people start their stories out by telling me that.  It's really fun to have people who like to have their picture taken but in the nearly 10 years I've been shooting I can count how many clients I've had that do on my fingers.  I work from home 5-7 days of the week and my "co-workers" don't speak back to me in human language. So when I'm actually with people who talk back to me it's WAY easier to have a conversation.  I don't think of shoots as work so much as socialization ;)  I love to spend engagement shoots getting to know who I'm documenting, which means yes we will take pictures but mostly of you telling me your story.  

When I met Bekah + Matt + Isla I was instantly in love.  They are an amazing family.  Every conversation and reaction is calm & easy.  These people who don't like to be photographed are my people :D  I cannot wait for their wedding and to see little Isla in her dress!!! 

Are you engaged?  Do you want to take fun pictures without feeling like your being photographed... I would love to meet you!  Email me at heartsfoto@gmail.com for information and availability. 

So Thankful For Every Dog Day || Pet Photographer

You know when you have so many thoughts you can't figure out where to start?! Or is it just me?!

Hammy always barfs. Always. When he's mad at me he barfs on my pillow. No I'm serious. I don't know at what point I got to bed and was like "dang it hammy" vs. my initial freak out reaction of WTFfffffffff HAMMY!!!!!  So here I am wondering what he just threw up on the floor. And then a day of not eating and it dawns on me we fed him salmon and salmon eggs. So I look it up and think that he has flukes. Vet. No flukes. Weird bloodwork. Fluids. I decline X-ray and we are home on meds. Still won't eat. Go back for X-rays find rocks. Think it's a blockage. Go in for surgery. Rocks are small and would've passed except for the swollen lymph nodes. And the lymphoma. 

Here's where it happens. The whirlwind of memories of a dog. And of my buddy. Of him running off and chasing raccoons and foxes out of the yard. Getting mauled by a cougar. Enduring camping trips with weird dogs and weirder people. Every single road trip he has been a fixture, sighing when we has to wake up to go out and pee in the snow. Whenever I go out of town for a dinner or shoot he comes along. He's a jerk. He makes awful noises at other dogs, he chases Meadow. He drives me insane and in the same moment I love him for his strong personality. It took me the first two years of his life to even like him and now I cannot fathom the world without him. 

He comes out of the surgery and all but stops eating. I'm about to say goodbye but Monday he started eating. And still is. 

You know the moments you pray for just a little bit more time. Maybe a miracle. Anything to give you a few more memories, a few more moments with someone you love. Well it looks like those have been answered. I am so thankful for today and hopeful I will have tomorrow with you buddy. Life is so damn short. The moments we know are limited are truly a blessing in my eyes. 

Send him sunshine and prayers. He might be an a-hole but oh my God I love this dog.