The Capture Sweet Moments Blog

It feels as if I have known the Palmer family my entire life. I went to elementary school with them, and Stephen is one of my brother’s closest friends. So I was very excited when Stephen contacted me last November to set up a family photo session as a Christmas gift for his mother.

This is going to be a little different than my usual posts . . . 

I know how hard it can be to be in the thick of things, with two toddlers running around like wild animals. I know how it feels to cry with them when we’re all having a hard day. I know what it’s like to feel like a terrible mom because I yelled because I was overtired, overwhelmed and stressed and they pushed all my buttons. I know how easy it is to forget that I am doing the best I can. I also know that I have the best job in the world as their mommy and that that can be hard to remember in the thick of things. 

I received the first email announcing the categories for the 2018 VOICE weeks ago. I don’t believe I have ever entered a photography competition before. I don’t know what pushing myself to enter will accomplish, except that I hope it will push me to continue to develop as an artist. There are so many incredible pros out there, if I am being honest, it’s intimidating.

I’ve done some location scouting in my area. It starts with an internet search, creating a list, driving around to attempt to check out parks during golden hour, even doing some self portraits at these locations to test them out. I’m always looking for places with beautiful backgrounds, not too crowded and yet not too difficult to access. And yet, the truth is that my favorite location is the one that my client suggests.

My first email to her was titled, “You’re an Inspiration” . . . 

I’m a person who thrives on community, and as soon as I started my photography journey I knew that I would be searching for my community. And while online communities are helpful and convenient, I really crave that in person experience that can be much harder to find online. 

It feels as if I’ve known Brad and Jess forever. I have at least know them since Bradford, who we used to refer to as Little Brad, was around my Noah’s age. He recently had a birthday and is now in the double digits . . . not so little anymore. My parents and Brad’s parents met as “neighbors” at the beach, as in they had condos in the same building and spent several summer weekends soaking up the sun and good company in the sand in Ocean City, Maryland. And whenever I go to the beach, even though my condo is 17 streets away, I always end up on the beach by their condo because their street just has this amazing sense of community. And that is where I got to know Jess, Brad, Bradford and Josie.

For the past year, I’ve been wading through the unfamiliar waters of establishing my business, working to reach the families that I want to serve and serving them by creating memories and documenting moments for them to look back on for years to come. It is truly rewarding providing families in Maryland, DC and Virginia with lifestyle newborn and family photography. 

Emily and I met while I was working for the Navy in Norfolk, Virginia. She was a Lieutenant in the Navy and a project manager when I met her, which meant she worked long, hard hours and, though I had met her briefly, I didn’t see much of her for several months. Things changed when we were both relocated to a new department and when I had to choose where to sit in a room of empty cubicles, I picked the seat right next to hers. (I’m an introvert, but a social one; I don’t like to be alone.) I am almost certain that her first thought was what is this chick thinking, she’s totally invading my space. However, we bounded over several mutual interests, including good books, a love of dogs and a distaste for being bored. 

I had just had a baby via c-section and I had picked up photography 9 months before. I had been blessed by having my first son’s newborn photographer as my mentor, had shadowed her on sessions, and had done a few newborn sessions myself over the past several months.  Surely, I could do newborn photos for our newest addition myself. Now, almost a year and a half later, I’m going to tell you why I regret that decision . . .