Nominate a BEAUTIFUL child

Do you know a truly BEAUTIFUL child?

Maybe you know a kid who has stood up to bullies or have helped someone else through that situation. Maybe you know someone who hands out food and water to the homeless, or donates their time at a local non-profit. Maybe it's someone who's overcome a lot in their short life already and are still smiling. Perhaps it's a kid who has reached out to other isolated kids, saved up money to spend on their friends instead of themselves, or someone who has even started their own business or YouTube channel to inspire others.

Know a kid like this? I'd love to meet them!

As part of the Beauty Revived photography movement, I am asking for nominations for beautiful children in the Bend, Oregon area to be featured in a national magazine.

The beauty of these children will not be measured by their looks. Instead, these children will be chosen because of their REAL beauty... the good stuff that shines from the inside out. The child chosen through this nomination process will be gifted a free photo session with yours truly and a feature in the Real Beautiful Children’s issue of Beauty Revived magazine. 

What is Beauty Revived?

Beauty Revived is a movement that celebrates women and children with real beauty. Selected photographers donate sessions to chosen women and children, whose stories are then featured in their magazine and on their website at BeautyRevived.com.

Hundreds of photographers applied to be a part of the Beauty Revived 50 Beautiful Children's campaign, and I am honored to be among those selected to participate.

Nominations are OPEN!

I will be accepting nominations from June 12 - June 24.  I will then select one child to gift with a complimentary photography session (and a few other goodies, to be announced). The child chosen will be an example of real beauty and will have shown their beauty by demonstrating courage when challenged, kindness in the face of adversity, or another beautiful way of expressing themselves which has impacted the world in a positive way. 

Have someone in mind?

Click here to learn more + fill out the submission form. Bring on your awesome stories... I can't wait to hear them! 

Why you might want to skip the MINI SESSION for your family photos

Mini Sessions might seem like the optimal way to go with getting new family photos, right? I mean, they're low-cost with little time commitment, will give you that one perfect picture for the announcement or end-of-the-year holiday card, and can be a great way to test out a new photographer without making a major commitment, right? I mean... what could go wrong?

BUT PICTURE THIS: You step into this adoooorable new shop that you've never been before. There are So. MANY. Things. to see. You're SQUEEEEEING with glee and getting ready to drool because you just can't stand the cuteness, but before you can do ANYTHING you're suddenly yanked by the arm to the center of the store where everything is just out of sight, and definitely out of reach. You try to sidestep to a colorful shelf that calls your name, but you're redirected again. Told you can't even LOOK in that direction. Frustration mounts, you find yourself checking your watch over and over again, wondering WHEN you can just have a peek... when you're suddenly pulled out of the store and led away.

Not cool, right?

Unfortunately, mini sessions with young kids can be a bit more difficult than you might expect, because this is what it feels like to them. This is what your toddler feels like whenever they're brought somewhere new and magical, and aren't allowed to touch or look or explore at all. And told to sit still and look straight ahead. But SMILE, dammit!

While most moms tend to want to book a MINI session because the kiddos' attention span is incredibly limited, this is actually the opposite way to go. A mini session can be "crunch time" if you're trying to get all those smiling family photos, and with little time to wiggle or play, the kiddos tend to melt down even more.

But by booking a full-length session, there's still in-between time for them to easily make the transition from moment to moment, stop for a snack, and explore the area from time to time. There's also plenty of time for everyone to warm up to the camera, and for authentic personalities to shine through. A full-length session ensures that everyone is able to actually ENJOY the experience all the way through, and alleviates the stress of worrying whether or not the kids will "behave" for the camera.

Now, before you start to panic because you've already booked that mini session or your budget just won't allow for the full session at the moment, let me remind you: the MINI session CAN be an absolute blast. I still actually offer them myself (only at certain times of the year), and get GREAT results every time. But the KEY is to remind yourself that this is, truly, a MINI session. You won't be able to get those 25 dream Pinterest poses or multiple locations or outfits in 20-30 minutes without giving yourself, your family (and the photographer) a heart attack in the process. Instead, pick out one MUST-HAVE photo idea, and leave room for plenty of candid moments. And start saving up for a bigger session to get the rest of those dream photos you crave.

Try this: If time and budget allows, book a FULL-LENGTH session instead of a MINI. It's toooootally worth it. But if you just can't swing it at the moment, start saving up for the future. And for now, pick out one or two MUST-HAVE photographic moments for the MINI, and save the rest for later.

Ready for even more SIMPLE TIPS on how to prep for the most stress-free family photo session EVER? Coolio. Just click here.  

Building TWEEN self esteem, one image at a time

When people see you...

Like... REEEEALLY see YOU...

It can make ALL the difference in the world.

Because I know...

I KNOW...

As much as you want to find your tribe + fit in someplace,

You also want to be appreciated as the individual you are.

Because you ARE unique, and a gift to the world.

And as much as YOU might be struggling with this...

Remember how much WORSE it was when you were 11,

And still trying to figure out who you even really were.

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If you or someone you know are a parent of a tween (ages 10-12), please take a moment to check out my WHO I AM Project. I offer a free portrait session to tweens, to help build self confidence one image at a time.

I'm currently booking WHO I AM portrait sessions for these locations/dates:

• Bend, Oregon (May 25)

• Portland, Oregon (April 28)

• Southlake, Texas (May 19 + 20)

And I'm open to suggestions for travel locations/dates for the last half of 2018, as well. CLICK HERE for info + to get started, and please share with those who could benefit from being a participant.

She didn't need PERFECTION. She just needed SOMETHING.

She came to us with a black trash bag of belongings. Mostly empty.

Just a few shirts, socks, underwear and pants. I don't even think she had a jacket. 

And unfortunately, this is all too common when someone enters the group home system. 

So when the rest of the girls in the house decided to throw a "fashion show" in the living room a few nights later, it was no surprise that the newcomer ran to her room, curled up in a tight little ball, and cried. 

Ashamed that she had nothing to wear. 

And since group homes have a STRICT policy about NOT sharing clothing or personal items (due to fights breaking out), the other girls couldn't even lend her anything.  

My heart was breaking for this little girl, and I just wanted to make things better. So I sat beside her while I waited for her sobs to subside and her breathing to slow, tears streaming silently down my own face. 

And I told her that, together, we'd MAKE something new to wear.

The thing was... besides knowing how to do one basic stitch by hand, I had NO idea how to actually sew. 

But it didn't matter.

Because she didn't need PERFECT. She just needed someone to do SOMETHING.

So I unlocked the cabinet where the sewing supplies were kept, and pulled out the meager scraps of fabric. My mind was racing a million miles a minute... I mean... these were SCRAPS of fabric. Random chunks of random patterns, some pieces long and skinny, others a shape without definition. But I smiled, assured her that we'd come up with something amazing, and hoped she couldn't see through my false bravado. 

I laid a few of the scraps together, showing her how they could make a one-of-a-kind wrap skirt that she could wear over her jeans (ooooooohhhh), and how these other pieces worked together nicely to create an accent scarf (aaaaaaahhhhh). And just like that, we had an ensemble figured out, and got to work.

She knotted the scarf together while I hand-stitched the skirt. Not gonna lie... it was nowhere NEAR pretty. Or anything that actually resembled a skirt. But she didn't care. 

Because one by one, the other girls came in to see what we were doing, and they wanted to create something, too. So we all sat around the long folding table together, tying knots and making up stitches. Talking, laughing, and pretending we knew what we were doing. 

And in the end, not just the newcomer, but ALL girls wore new creations for their fashion show... mismatched scarves, skirts, headwraps, and all kinds of multicolored creations. They strutted their stuff down the improvised "runway" we'd made (pushing the couch and armchair out of the way). And they cheered EVERYONE on, including the newcomer.

And with just a few scraps of discarded fabric, the new girl was transformed. Now, I'm NO fairy godmother, and she wasn't wearing some magical ballgown. 

But her newfound SMILE said it all. 

For once, she felt like she belonged. And sometimes, that's EVERYTHING.

So the next time I was there, she asked if she could get into the sewing closet again... because she had something she wanted to make for ME. So I unlocked the closet and handed her the materials. I wasn't allowed to peek at her progress, but I kept her company while she worked.

And about 30 minutes later, she shyly reached over and gently placed something in my hand.

I don't remember exactly what she said in that moment, but I knew that my life would be forever changed. 

Because she'd given me her heart. 

She'd sewn together this imperfect little puffy heart. For me. And it's been one of my prized possessions ever since. 

Because it's a REMINDER... of how UN-important it is to be PERFECT.

It's a reminder of how unnecessary it is to do or say the PERFECT thing. How people don't NEED "perfect," or know what PERFECT might even look like.  

It's a reminder of how important it is to do SOMETHING, no matter what that SOMETHING might be. 

And it's a reminder of just how MUCH IMPACT one tiny moment can actually have on the rest of your life. 

So when you're worried that you don't do enough... that maybe you're not making a difference, or having any impact, or that your life isn't as BIG as you wanted it to be... consider THIS your reminder: 

Something you say or do today will have a lasting impact on someone else. 

So smile kindly, be patient whenever you can be, offer assistance to others whenever possible, and remember... you might not ever KNOW the impact you have on another person's life. But big or small, know that you ARE making a difference. 

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That "little girl" would be about 24 years old now. I often find myself thinking about her, wondering where she's at, and hoping she's okay. And wishing that she knew how much HER little gesture meant to me.  

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So now I wanna know... what little things have others done that you will never forget? Ever have a moment where someone touched your heart or changed your life? Even if in a way that THEY will never even realize? I'd love to hear about it.