2008 Availability Now Open!!!

I have officially opened availability for January, February & March of 2008. An e-mail has already been sent to those on the waiting list, and as always, bookings are done on a first come, first serve basis. Because I'm expecting these dates to get snatched up quickly, please call as soon as you know you'd like a session to see about availability!!! For quickest response at this time of the year, please e-mail me at info@essenceportraits.com!!!

For those slow in the game (ummm....me!), we are about a week away from Christmas!! It didn't actually dawn on me until this morning that I really probably *should* be out doing some errands....you know - BUYING gifts for Christmas, getting all the yummy goodies for our feast made to serve 40 (though there will be exactly 7 there...) and - oh yeah - shipping out those blasted cards and gifts.

I've decided that next year, instead of being downright mad when Halloween rolls around and out comes the Christmas decorations, I am going to take that as a sign that maybe I should get my butt in gear to save me from the chaos that has ensued this season.

With that, I bid you all a farewell until the New Year!!! Enjoy your friends, your families and most of all enjoy those kiddos. We know all too well how fast Christmas will find us next year, and like that another year will be gone.

All my best,
Brianne

Finally....our pictures...

I'm sure you can about imagine the holiday craziness 'round these parts. Presents here, wrapping paper there, ornaments, cookies and boxes galore....then, add in all the orders to package, Christmas cards to complete and various other way too boring stuff to mention, and I've been a virtual chicken (one with it's head cut off, no less).

But...I promised these, and I don't got back on my promises!!! So amidst holiday craziness and all, here are my family portraits.

It really was a surreal experience to be the one in front of the camera... To go through the process from beginning to end just as my clients do. Wondering if she got anything (how could she possibly have gotten anything with my crazy three year old running around!??!?), wondering if I look as bad as I think I probably do (can she shave off 10lbs in photoshop, I wonder?!?!?), wondering how long does it really take to get these proofs up (my God....she must not work very fast!!). Alright - that last one was a joke...don't kill me Tiff. :) But, after all the questions had passed, and after a couple weeks, I got a call....they were up and ready. Do you all feel this way, too, when you get that e-mail?? That rush of adrenaline....excitement, nervousness and anxiety all wrapped up into one neat little package?

I wondered if I would react as many of my clients tell me they do... Would I cry when I watched it? Would I get goosebumps? Would I be forever grateful at the memories that were captured right there....right then....and kept forever more? Yes, Yes, and Yes. The shots that got me the most were the ones of Blake and I. As a mom (not even as a photographer here!), we somehow always get left out of the pictures... Whether we're the ones taking them or whether we're in the kitchen whipping up a batch of mashed potatoes, or cleaning the bathroom or making the bed, or working... We never seem to be there. And, if it weren't for these wonderful, amazing moments that Tiffani captured...well, Blake may have very well gone through old photo albums thinking he only had a Daddy... But, now there is proof. When he is 18 and ready to go off to college, I can look back and remember. At one point he loved his Mommy...and didn't mind cuddling. :)

For that, I will be eternally grateful that Tiff was able to capture these moments. I love them. Pure and simple. I love them.