Monthly Archives: February 2015

Who’s Currently Inspiring Me

As time goes on & I continue this journey as a photographer, there are several amazing photographers that I look up too. I thought it’d be fun to give you a little peak at these ladies (they all actually happen to be ladies!) & show who is currently inspiring me.

I have a HUGE passion for families. I am planning some things I’ll be unveiling soon that will make family sessions even MORE special but for now, here is a look at the women I look to for inspiration when it comes to capturing families & couples:

Amy Paulson

Amy is my VERY favorite for MANY reasons. The Lord has gifted her in an incredible way that I’ve never seen with any other photographer. She’s my fav. Hands down. No questions asked. I want to be her when I grow up. And I hope to introduce you to her in the coming months 😉

Website: http://www.amy-paulson.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amypaulsonphotography

Gina Zeidler

I have never met Gina & who knows if I ever will! (I’d love it if it happened!) But her style of how she works with light & uses her humor to share about people is just fantastic. Her classic style is impeccable.

Website: http://ginazeidler.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gina-Zeidler/110445215669272

I also enjoy checking out the blog “Let the Kids Dress Themselves”. They are constantly highlighting a photographer that captures families & children in a special way. Maybe someday I’ll be on there! One can dream right? 😉

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/letthekids

Even though I don’t photograph weddings, I have a secret love for following wedding photographers. I have many fav’s & actually a few of them have stepped into capturing more of families & children as well! I REALLY love the look of film. I try to imitate that look with my photography with photography sessions I have outdoor. I have a lot of clients who tell me they really like the pictures I take outdoors with the “blurry backgrounds”. That is actually called “bokeh” & is something that’s used in film a ton. And it’s funny that 2 out of 3 of the photographers I’m about to list are primarily film photographers 🙂 Here’s my top three in the Weddings/Couples/Families category 😉

Nancy Ray

Website: http://nancyrayphotography.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nancyrayphotography

Nancy is also a very wise lady! I follow her on Instagram & just love reading her blog! Especially since her & her husband are expecting their first baby soon!

Emily March

Website: http://emilymarchphotography.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emilymarchphotography

I found Emily March by following one of my fav’s Lara Casey (http://laracasey.com/). I love how Emily has captured so many things including weddings, families & even small group meetings!

Laura L

Website: http://capturedinhisimage.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/capturedinhisimage

Laura photographs another favorite of mine, Emily Ley (http://www.emilyley.com/) I ADORE her planners). I’m slightly jealous of Laura since she gets to photography her family 😉

I also have a desire to someday tap into product photography (we’ll see if that happens!). My only favorite in that category is Shay Cochrane! Website: http://shaycochrane.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Shay-Cochrane-Photography/111291499876

Well there you are! Hope that was interesting for you & that it shed some light into the look & passion I desire for Nomi Photography 🙂

Mary & Richard | Couples Session

Brooke & Nic | Anniversary Session

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See that smile? That smile belongs to my friend Brooke. About 9ish years ago we meet in the loud kitchen of Cracker Barrel as fellow servers. Well, let me re-phrase that, she was a server, I was brand-new to CB, a newbie. She actually trained me one night. She taught me everything I knew right Brooke? 😉 We formed this work sort of friendship. You can actually get pretty close with someone when you’re serving a ton of people on a busy Friday night. We started to hangout, Kaldi Coffee dates & chats became more frequent over the year I lived in Columbia, Missouri. And then I moved. But because Brooke is a true friend, she is one of the few that I have stayed in close contact with since I left.

I have two favorite phone call memories with Brooke since we became long distance friends. The first was around Easter one year & she told me about her decision to put Jesus Christ first in life & follow Him wholeheartedly. There was much joy & tears in the conversation.

The second fav phone conversation was when we talked about her & her husband’s anniversary session that she had asked me to do. I had gotten a request to do a session in St. Charles, MO with another close family from Columbia & so it just all worked out perfectly to meet with Brooke & Nic!

I tell you St. Charles was cray cray that weekend! (I’d love to go back & visit sometime when it was a little quieter though 😉 ) But we did manage to find some quiet spots & have a few moments with just the three of us.

Brooke & Nic have a unique, wonderful love story like every couple who puts Christ first in their relationship. I hadn’t been around Nic too many times so our time in St. Charles was fun getting to know him & seeing how he loves Brooke.

One of the ways I see Nic love Brooke is through his eyes. He looks at her with such love, admiration & a sense of “knowing”. He knows Brooke. He knows her little quirks, her passions, desires, hopes & dreams. And he loves her. Very much. And can I just add that Nic had NO problem kissing Brooke during their session 😉

Brooke & Nic use a candle each year & take a picture with it to symbolize how many years they’ve been married. This past December 1 was the big “2”. And I know without a doubt there will be many more anniversaries to come.

Sweetness.

When Brooke & I talked on the phone before their session, she communicated to me how important having pictures taken of her & Nic is so important to her. She wants to remember who they were at that time & to look back as the years go on & be thankful for what the Lord has done & how they’ve grown as a couple. If I could have recorded that part of our phone conversation & typed out her words for a blog post I would have!!! My heart is just so full when others see the significance of taking photo’s, not just at your wedding but onnnnn through the years.

You two have a strong foundation in Christ. Never forget that. Or that there are tons of people cheering you on. Me included. You two are a dynamo duo. Let the love story the Lord is writing for you continue, with many blessings, surprises & adventures along the way. Love you both.

View more at www.facebook.com/youweremadetosmile.

Steve & Judy | 50th Wedding Anniversary Session

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Unforgettable, That’s what you are,
Unforgettable, Tho’ near or far.

He was a radio announcer in Kansas City & played all the hits of that time. She was a beautiful 19 year old who loved to listen to the voices of Johnny Mathis, Nat King Cole & many others.

Like a song of love that clings to me, How the thought of you does things to me.
Never before has someone been more…Unforgettable…

She would call & request a song & he’d play it. She called to request another & they began to talk on the phone between songs. Their conversations became longer & the requests for songs became more frequent.

Unforgettable, In every way,
And forever more that’s how you’ll stay.

“And then I asked her over the phone, to go out for coke & ice cream. Because that’s what you did back then.” Steve told me this the afternoon of their 50th Wedding Anniversary session I was privileged to capture. I drank it all in. Their story, their love & their legacy. This special couple that has not only touched my life, but played a huge role in my husband’s family & many, many others in Bloomington-Normal.

Fifty years of marriage has given them four God-fearing (& rather hilarious) sons, three amazing daughter-in-laws & nine grandchildren. The legacy continues.

And they are STILL in love with each other.

You can see why Steve fell in love with Judy 🙂 Such a beauty! (Judy is a Mary Kaye consultant. We just had to take a moment to snap a few pictures for her website!)

Steve & Judy | Couples Session-41

Steve & Judy, thank you a THOUSAND times for allowing me the honor of spending a special Saturday afternoon with you both. Sharing stories & the Starbucks afterwards was just wonderful. And I know that you would want everyone to know this next thing- Jesus, Jesus is the reason why 50 years has been wonderful. It’s because He lives, that life is worth the living.

That’s why, darling, it’s incredible
That someone so unforgettable
Thinks that I am
Unforgettable, too.

Happy 50th Wedding Anniversary Steve & Judy!

PS If you were wondering, Unforgettable by Nat King Cole is their song 🙂

View more at www.facebook.com/youweremadetosmile.

2015 PK Retreat Recap

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The weekend of January 17-19, my husband & I spent at a campgrounds just outside of Carlinville with 200 Pastors Kids. 200 amazing pastors kids from across the state of Illinois. My 3 siblings & I are pastors kids & we’ve been attending PK Retreat ourselves since we were able to go. The past 7ish years, I was finally old enough to help out & be a leader! I was first a room counselor for about 8 incredible PK High School girls for a couple years & then this year was my 3rd year photographing the retreat. It’s one of my highlights of the year, I’m not joking. And I especially love serving alongside my handsome husband who does the sound either for the older kids group or the younger kids.

This retreat is put together by ISM & the staff & team of volunteers have such a heart for pastors kids. It’s been so fun going back year after year & working with the same people, meeting new people & seeing the kids grow up.

Here’s a few of my favorite images I got. I have over 200 pictures that I kept from this event & I wish I could put all of them in this blog post!

Pastors Kids Retreat 2015-20

This was a super fun game the younger kids did!

See how excited they got!? 🙂

From a photographer’s point of view, capturing this event is always super fun but challenging for me in many ways. I am constantly on the move & constantly being in different lighting situations. First I’ll be in a nice bright room & then know I need to be in a completely different room in about 10 minutes. It keeps me on my toes & is a great learning experience for me. I took the opportunity to use my flash & learn how to use that better as well.