But I Don't have Time for a Portrait!

This is Rhonda on Cindy's blogspot today. Today is Thursday, and I can say without reservation, that I am so glad tomorrow is Friday! It's been a long week for me on the homefront, driving carpools in my car with one hand on the wheel, while the other hand clutches a Diet Coke, washing mounds of laundry but never finding socks that match, fighting battles over clothes, dinner, and this week, specifically, duking it out over hairstyles! I plopped into a chair at the studio yesterday and looked at Cindy and said, "No offense, but what family has time to get their pictures made?" Who were those organized moms in Tory Burch shoes that were able to waltz into Cindy's studio with perfectly groomed hair, and kids to match? In my mind, those were the people who had portraits made. I have ten pounds to lose, my ten year old just got a mohawk yesterday, my husband works all the way in Baytown, so not only do we not have the time for a professional portrait, but we don't have the hair for it now either.

After my comment, Cindy looked at me thoughtfully and said, "You know, it's really not about finding the perfect time or moment, but about making the most out of the moment you have." And after turning that comment over in my head, I've begun to realize one thing: yes, we are busy, and yes, life is not perfect, but my kids aren't getting any younger. If I want to capture memories of these 4 fabulous children of mine who are at such different ages and stages, that I must essentially "meet the camera" at wherever we are in life -- mohawks, and all. In fact, I think I'm going to bring my kids in next week for Cindy's In and Out special. It's a condensed version of a full portrait session. I like this idea. The sitting fee is only $70 and since we have mohawks going on in our family right now, I don't feel as though the cost is a huge gamble. Cindy promises to get my kids' holiday photo taken in about fifteen minutes. Granted, In and Out is not one of Cindy's full blown portrait sessions, and in one of those you get fussed over by Cindy for at least an hour or so, but for a mom with no time on her hands, and four busy kids, this option will be perfect! We'll keep you posted on how they turn out. I can't wait!

I Love My Job!

There are so many ideas and thoughts roaming around in my head that I can’t seem to get a hold of one. I think it is because our lives seem busier than ever. I never thought that I would be this busy at this stage of my life.

I absolutely love what I do. I love the whole process of photography. I love to learn and take classes to stay current. I love all the different people that come into my studio and know that it’s time to stop time and create a memory. I love helping them beyond simply thinking, “We need a portrait.” And help them take the next step, whether that is talking through clothing ideas, bringing the clothes to the studio and laying them on the couch to discuss, finding a date that works, canceling that date to find a new date, rescheduling because of thunderstorms, finally getting to photograph, waiting for the pre-session jitters to go away and getting into the zone of shooting and the rhythm of being comfortable in front of the camera or even being camera unaware, editing for the very best images, projecting those images and discussing all the possibilities for the best impact, taking great care to edit the image for printing and combining the images for a story, studying the images for retouching and other enhancements, sending the order to the retoucher, sending the order to the lab, sending the order back to the print finisher (who is the same as the retoucher…..and is awesome, I might add….the best in the business, as far as I am concerned) exploring packaging and then watching the faces as they light up with delight. I love the whole process and I love the people that make the process necessary.

Thank you, thank you for a wonderful opportunity to see the beauty in everyone that walks in that door. So don’t wait until the perfect idea comes; instead, come in and we will make the idea perfect. But as my friend Judy said before Kristen’s wedding, “It doesn’t have to be perfect to be perfect.” …..including blogs.

Staying Young

This is Rhonda, Cindy’s assistant. Today I’ve hijacked her blog and am filling in for her on the blogspot. I’ve worked in Cindy’s studio for almost two months, and have been able to meet some fabulous people. Most of the people who come in are Memorial moms, like me, but sometimes you meet a woman, or a group of women who are just so out of the ordinary, that you continue to think about them after they’ve left. Such was the case with Mary Wallace and her three sisters. “There were four sisters that came into the studio yesterday,” I said to my girlfriends on our morning run. “And they were in their sixties, seventies, and eighties… they looked so beautiful and vibrant...” and then I told my friends that Mary Wallace and her sisters were exactly how I wanted to look when I was well into my sixties and beyond.

What is the secret of aging gracefully? I think these sisters have found it. The secret is...are you ready for this? The secret is that there is no secret. There is not a product, a procedure, or a price for looking younger. As I approach my forties, I am coming to understand that aging gracefully is all about attitude. It's an attitude of living deliberately. Mary Wallace and her sisters understand that social connections, connections with family, like beloved sisters, are what keep us young. I'm starting to think that, in spite of our busy lives, having a social life and staying in touch with family is not an option -- it's a prescription. The power of human connection is what keeps us young, healthy, and alive. Staying young is about laughing over a glass of wine, sharing a secret, getting up before the busy-ness of the day begins to meet your friends for a run or a walk...its about making sure you attend bunco night, or the Happy Hour, or make the effort to go to the neighborhood party.

If you are like me, you are so busy your head spins. I have four children all still at home, a husband with a demanding job, and commitments like crazy. Sometimes when I get an Evite, or another invitation, my first impulse is to blow it off. But what if, from now on, we sought out people? What if, at least once a day, we tried to reach out to someone, to make a phone call or take a walk with an old friend? I don't know that the lines on my face will disappear. I'm sure my hair will still be gray, but I'm almost certain my countenance will be changed.