Much is Happening Behind the Scenes…

Thank you for visiting for the first time, if you are a new acquaintance.

Thank you for returning to visit, if you are an old friend.

Things have been quiet here lately, but that I have been busy in the background.

There is a new blog in the works and a new website to follow. Many sessions have yet to be shared.  And then there is the incredible story of a journey I recently took that has changed my perspective.

Please be patient and I invite you to visit again next week. There is so much goodness to share!

Much is happening behind the scenes…..

 

Rejuvenated Return

I am writing this post from the Studio of Birdman, Inc located in the small town of San Rafael, California. I had traveled to California last Thursday to attend a workshop hosted by an amazing team of photographers made up of  MeRa Koh, Brian Tausend,  Garrett  Burdick, and Rick Chapman.

It was billed as the Discovery Workshop, intended to allow those that attended  to discover what inspires and motivates us as individuals and how to incorporate those elements into our photography to bring to to the next level of authenticity. I am still in the midst of processing everything that I learned throughout the weekend. In knew  that there would be a great deal of introspective thought and exploration and I came prepared for growth, but I am surprised and grateful for how deeply enriching this experience was for me.

There are no images to accompany this post right now, but there are so many to come. All of my flash cards are full. I have images of incredible people I met at Stinson Beach, amazing families I photographed at Cavallo Point and some of the wonderful friends I made through the journey. It is incredibly invigorating to photograph families with a new perspective, one that is truer to yourself and to the connection between the families before your lens. I am so exited to fly home this afternoon and jump in with you all again.

There is truly some magic in store for us. I can feel it in my bones!

 

My Love Letter to Jen Lemen

image of a beautiful pink bike I discovered and a soul restoring walk after the rain

I don’t exactly recall how I found my way to Jen Lemen’s blog. Something led me to this post at a time that I needed it the most. In her words and images I saw something I so needed to embrace but was unable to muster up the courage to begin my own ritual of letting go.

I began reading her blog faithfully. She invited personal emails encouraging the readers to send their dreams, fears and dearest secrets to her. One day I emailed her, just to say that I heard her and that her words were gifts to me, but that I was unsure of my own voice at the time. She soon emailed me back to say she heard me, too.

As I woke up each morning,  visiting her blog became as much of a ritual for me in its own right. I was captivated by her honesty and the bravery she possessed that allowed her to share her heart with a world of strangers who quickly felt like they were old friends in the embrace of her words. Her relationships with her family, both those  by blood and those by heart equally inspire and amaze me. Her persistence, her joyful nature, her willingness to HOPE that she maintained as her constant frame of thought, especially when when she was having a difficult time, have all taught me so much.

And wouldn’t you just know it, from the words on her blog, all that HOPE began to twirl and swirl together, manifesting itself into such greatness and wonder that Jen Lemen set out on a journey  to reclaim herself and in turn ended up changing the world. In a matter of a year and a half Jen has participated in a Revolution, met family she didn’t know, encouraged TRUST, built a house in Rwanda and changed the lives of hundreds of girls, both near and far.

Jen Lemen has also changed me. I feel like there is possibility, that there is HOPE, that there is a way for us to connect with our neighbors, whether they live across the continent or across the globe. And she continues to Dream BIG and embrace the possibility. She never wants to forge these paths on her own, but instead invites friends, known and unknown to join her on her journey to create magic together on this little earth of ours.

I PICTURE HOPE for you today, my friend. I am so excited for what your future holds.

Love, Dana

 

Shhh…

(image taken with my iPhone)

Thankfully, this is what things are looking like around here.Right now as I am taking a moment to quickly say HELLO! I am back! My sweet girl if finally catching a few zzz’s in the room next door.

It was a whirlwind week at Walt Disney World filled with more imagination, fun and childlike delight (regardless of your age) than anyone could have anticipated! Most days resembled the image in the previous post – despite Little Miss doing her best to  avoid a nap at all costs. Even when we went back to the room for a rest, she was bouncing about eager to head out again. (while all her parents craved was thirty minutes to rest your feet and eyes!)

The first day we arrived we decided to head to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. she stayed up way past her bedtime just so she could dance with Mickey and Minnie in the afterhours party hosted at Playhouse Disney and catch the last showing of Voyage of the Little Mermaid. thankfully we had one afternoon where this was the scene for an hour or so.

It wasn’t until day three as we were just about to board the jeeps for the Kilimanjaro Safari Ride that she began to fuss and whine about the bumpy ride, even went so far as to tell her dad he should drive better (!!) and just as the ride sped up and there was shouting and more mud and cacaphony, she fell fast asleep.

She didn’t wake up for the end of the ride, nor being carried back to her stroller. My husband and I took advantage of the moments to sit, rest and have a cool drink, but once she was awake, she was raring to go!

As a result, sleep has been in short supply the last little bit. We are taking every advantage possible to try and catch up now. Bedtimes are often exactly at 7pm and naps are long and luxurious. (for her I mean, I am still tackling laundry and working on getting some exciting things together to share with you!)

It was a wonderful time away, but I am truly happy to be back and see the   and I am excited for the spring sessions I have booked for the next couple of weeks!

I have a couple of openings left for the Warm Your Heart sessions before the wrap up on April 15. Book quickly to take advantage of theis awesome package. I also have two spots left for sessions during Spring Break – it is the perfect time to get you images taken before the heat of the summer kicks in! I look foreward to meeting you soon!

 

EXCITED!!!

I imagine this will be the expression on her face through much of the week!

We are off on vacation this morning and will be back on the weekend. I will be checking emails and voice mails at the end of the day.

Have a magical week!

 

Bring it on….

Ah… I love it. As I am typing this I have my office window open, welcoming the warm air. I can hear the birds as they bounce upon the bushes below, carefully selecting dried branches to break away and build their springtime nests. Yes, spring is just around the corner.

For some reason I am extra giddy at the thought of planting flowers and playing in the grass and stirring up new projects and new things… I anticipate that will mean a few lovely goodies for you as well. I am about ready to put the final touches on my spring package and my 2009 price list. I have decided to extend the Warm Your Heart sessions until April 15, 2009. This will allow me to sneak away with my family for a week on a little impromptu vacation – just the three of us – for the first time without any guilt for cutting a week out of the promotion. (Plus, I have gotten a few calls to schedule sessions before Easter and what can I say, this spring weather is making me feel extra generous today!)

So with that, I am off to the market to scout out some lovely spring berries for dessert tonight, because that is what this weather begs for (and my little girlie loves them!) Have an amazing weekend!

 

Open Your Hearts

Did you happen to see Oprah on Tuesday? It was a show about a little girl who had found new hope with a family who adopted her through the Heart Gallery of America. Her life began in a way that no child’s life should ever begin, but after viewing her photograph at a Heart Gallery event, her new family knew from that moment that she was theirs and since has loved her and cared for her in a way that is so reaffirming of the human spirit and the resilience of a child.

The story is an incredible one and will bring you to tears (joyful ones ultimately), but it is amazing when you consider the number of children that are out there, in your own city who are waiting to find a loving and caring home through adoption.

This story tugged at my heartstrings just a little bit more than it would have any other Tuesday as I am just wrapping up editing the sessions I did for the local chapter of the Heart Gallery. I was anticipating one or two children to work with when I applied to be a participating photographer in January. When the call arrived requesting sessions for four teens (one was a pair of brothers) – how could I refuse? The project focuses upon children who are between the ages of 6 and 18 years. After their sessions, the images are then sent to the Heart Gallery coordinators who select a portrait to be printed and join a traveling gallery which tours the state from late spring until early winter.

We had a wonderful afternoon together at the Museum of Transportation. They were a warm and endearing group of kids. Each was quick to laugh and show their best side for the camera. I encourage you to visit the Missouri Heart Gallery website to learn more about the project and you can click the TOUR INFORMATION tab to view the gallery schedule for 2009 and see the smiling faces of these children yourself.

 

Heartfelt Sweetness

Here is hoping that your day was filled with love for little ones, a furry snuggle, conversation with a longtime friend, heartfelt exchanges with family and a little sweetness for yourself at the end of the day.

Happy Valentines Day!

 

Change is a Comin’…

Things have been interesting here of late.

I have encountered a few technical difficulties this past week (I am not certain if the problem is with the software or between the keyboard and the chair) combined with our surprise blackout on Monday (seriously, who loses power when it is 70 degrees out and sunny?) and I am finally straightening everything out today.

It feels like the deluge of rain we have been blessed with in the last couple of days has served to wash away the dust of the winter and get us ready for spring. There have been little signs of it for weeks now. From the tiny buds forming on the trees to the bird’s songs in the mornings (it seems as if there is a new one each day) there is evidence that there is a change coming.

Fall is my favorite season and I don’t dislike the winter so much that I want to rush the green. But this year there is truly something in the air, the scent of the wind and the color of the sky that has me excited. I find my mind wandering to my bleak garden and dreaming about the things I can plant and the birds that ill visit. I talk to my daughter about the colors she would like to see blooming. Together we are hopeful for what the warm weather will bring.

Last week my daughter and I took advantage of the good weather and went to play in a field by our home. She was delighted by some golf balls she found (apparently we weren’t the only ones inspired by the sun) and she quickly collected them into a pile of “eggs” and proceeded to explain to me that she would need to sit on them just so until they hatched. We ran about with our dog to find as many eggs as we could and on our way back home we stopped for a moment to lay beneath a tree and look up to the sky. We hunted for shapes in the clouds and while I was quiet, she shared with me all the lovely little details behind illustrations in the sky. It was a moment that made me wistful for warmer days.

As she finished the last of the story of the elephant in the sky, she snuggled up beside me and whispered, “I think we should nap here today…”

Come along spring, we are waiting for you….

 

Wonderful News!

My apologies for the blog silence.

My parents came for a visit and although I had the best intentions to keep up with posting while they were here, family time won out. (It was the first time my dad was able to visit in almost two years so we had to make the most of it!)  I appreciate your patience and for peeking in on me while I was away (and thank you to you new visitors for stopping by – yes – I see you too!). I especially appreciate those of you that took a few moments to leave some love in the form of your comments. They make my days!

One of the most wonderful things to hit my inbox while I was away was a message from the founder of the Littlest Heroes Project announcing that I had been accepted to be one of their photographers.

The Littlest Heroes Project was founded in January 2008 Felicia Reinhard, a young photographer based in Illinois. Through her own experience growing up, Felicia saw a need to provide professional photography services to children who have a serious illness or life-altering disability. Through her creative spirit she found a way to weave her passion for photography and her desire to help these children who sometimes feel forgotten because of their illness.

The result is this incredible organization which is now spanning the globe with photographers in Argentina, Australia, Canada, Germany, Great Britain, Holland, Japan and the USA. This amazing team of photographers capture the light and the life in these little miracles and the strength of their family that surrounds them. Although dealing with the day to day challenges involved with illness can be overwhelming, taking a moment to document the endurance and the fortitude of these little heroes is a great testament to their huge hearts and amazing spirit.

In Felicia’s words,

“We understand that in the midst of being thrown a diagnosis and having to switch from a “normal” life to a life that is totally different, and often scary, things like getting photos taken is sometimes a huge challenge and is one of the last things families are thinking about. But when everything is done, and either the child has reached the end of their battle, or has proven the odds against it – many wish they had more time to stop, and capture the journey that they lived through for so long.”

I am so grateful and honored to be given this opportunity and I hope that you will take a moment to visit the Littlest Heroes website at www.littlestheroesproject.org. If you know of anyone that may be in need of a session, please visit the website and fill out the application on the INFO page. You will then be put into contact with a photographer in your area.

Many blessings to all the little heroes and their families!

-d