1. Bodie is rolling.  Please note:  this is not with great enthusiasm.  I quite enjoy the time when he’s not mobile.  I even considered fashioning some sort of concrete block contraption to extend the non-mobile period a bit longer.  However, my dear friends brought it to my attention that that’s considered cruelty, so I guess I’ll let him continue with his development.  ::sigh::  The immobility was nice while it lasted.  (please note that I’m kidding and would never harm my child).

2.  I have such big things planned for this fall!  I’m working on Christmas card templates right now!  I plan on making them a password protected gallery for viewing (similar to last year, but even better).  I am GIDDY with excitement over this years templates.  Some are great ones from last year with a lot of new ones too!

3.  Is 4 months too late to send out birth announcements?  Because that’s what we’re doing.  Yup, I never got Bodies announcement sent out.  My kids are like the cobbler’s kid that have no shoes.  They have plenty of snapshots but I always put client editing ahead of theirs, so they sit on a folder on my computer collecting proverbial dust.

4.  Mother’s helpers.  MY LORD what did I do before them?  Oh that’s right?  I got very little done that wasn’t super late at night.  I’ve been so blessed this summer to have quite a few days with help from mother’s helpers.  I’m going to have to figure something out during the school year, because I can’t go back now!  The ability to sit down and work for any length of time is a luxury for a work from home mom.  But, with the helpers, I can be here to feed Bodie, run in the kitchen to make my lunch, or whatever.  It’s been glorious!  I plan on packing them in as best as I can before school starts back and all of my helpers go back to school!!!

5.  What I’m working on right now.  This is a long overdue session for a friend.   She is so sweet!

Congrats Dave and Jenny!!  They get to have a FREE session with me that is all about love for them!   They also get a 16×20 gallery wrapped canvas of their favorite image from the session!!   2nd place went to Joe and Roberta, 3rd place was Andy and Becky, and 4th was Jared and Bri!  2nd place wins a $100 print credit, and 3rd and 4th place win a $50 print credit on any booked full session (does not apply to mini sessions).

And because I can’t post without a pic… here’s one of my Bodie from yesterday.  I was testing out a blanket and a lens… but, he’s darn cute isn’t he?!

It takes time to develop technical genius… and when it comes to computers and codes and such… well, I’m still waiting for that “genius” status.  So I appreciate you bearing with me while I worked some things out!  BUT!  We’re ready to vote people!!!  You are allowed one vote per computer.  You have one week to vote!  Voting ends next Wednesday!  Why Wednesday?  Because I leave for vacation Friday morning and I want to announce the winner before I leave!  “But Wednesday is a strange day to end a contest?”.  Yup, you’re right.  But, it’s my contest and my rules   LOL!  Here are your couples!  Spread the word!!

P.S. – stay tuned to the blog today for summer MINI session announcements!

I’ve been planning this contest in my head for weeks, and it’s time to roll it out!!

As many of you know, I lost my Mom in September.  When we were planning her memorial service, and were gathering photos it really hit me.  The only photos of my parents together were at random functions for a snapshot.  Not exactly wall portrait worthy.  Most of the photos of my mom alone were of her scowling at my dad in the “how dare you take a picture of me looking like this” fashion.  I, myself, have found myself following down the same path.  I’m either always behind the camera or putting my hands up in front of the lens saying “No!!  Not when I look like this!!  I have baby weight to lose/no make up on/bad hair/pimple on my face/ugly clothes on/etc”.

Exhibit A:  while the snapshot clearly shows my parents love for each other, it’s not exactly wall portrait worthy.  It’s all that’s left. I converted it to black and white so that the other objects of various colors wouldn’t distract from my parents.  I have many similar photos of Richie and me.  I plan to do something about that!!

I tried DESPERATELY to have a family session with my Mom, Dad, brothers, Richie, and Carter.  I even had a WONDERFUL photographer giving up time from her vacation to shoot it.  …but Mom’s health took a serious turn for the worse very suddenly and it was unable to happen.  I was distraught.  We were supposed to have the session on a Monday evening, when it was unable to happen, another great photographer (and friend) offered to shoot her and I the next Monday so I could have a couple pictures of her and I together.  I was pregnant and she was not going to get to meet this baby (Boden), and I wanted at least one picture of her and I together when I was pregnant.  She passed that Saturday.  I never got the picture with my mom that I had so clearly planned in my head.  I was going to be facing her, giving her a kiss on the forehead (she was shorter than me) with her arms wrapped around me.  I wanted her hands on my belly.  Giving Boden a hug (so to speak).  I’m still crushed over the loss of that moment.  I still start crying when I think about it.

I think the last portrait of just my parents was done by Olan Mills in 1987.  …and I don’t even think they purchased it.  As with all life events, I believe it’s how you grow from the experience.  So, I’m using my business, my blog, and my talent to prove a point.  It’s become my new motivation this year to give as many “moments” as possible to my clients.

The love of the parents is worth photographing.  It’s just as important to have photographs on your wall showing the love of a Mom and Dad (and not just of your adorable children… and they are adorable).  You are the reason the family exists in the first place.  Let’s not forget that!!

June 18th is my parents anniversary.  They would’ve been married 34 years.  So I’m honoring that day with a contest and giveaway.  Here’s the scoop!

1)  Submit your photos (snapshots are fine) to me via email to JenniferMauren@gmail.com  Give me a little snippet about the couple.  The couple MUST be married.  All entries must be received by Sunday June 13th.

2) On Monday June 14th Voting will begin and will end on my parents anniversary, June 18th!  Send all your friends and family to the blog to vote!  The couple with the most votes wins!  The winner will be announced on my blog on Saturday June, 19th.

3) What do they win?  A session with me!!!  The session must take place in July or August 2010.  The session is for the couple ONLY.  No kids.  No exceptions.  It’s all about the love, baby!   Specifically, by “winning” the contest you win a session with me and a gallery wrapped canvas (sized 16×20) of your choice of favorite image from the session!!  There will be a 2nd and 3rd place prize as well!   2nd and 3rd place will receive a print credit to use on a future session with me!

Here’s the fine print:

As much as I try, this is a contest over the internet so things can try to win unfairly.  I will be monitoring to try to ensure it is running as fairly as possible.  If I believe someone is “stuffing the ballot box” unfairly they will be removed from the contest.  Remember people, it’s about love

The couple MUST be married.

The winning couples must sign a model release so I can feature the images (images may be featured on some/all of the following:  facebook, this blog, my website, and/or in print for marketing materials).  The couples will be required to sign and comply to the terms and conditions of the session contract with Jennifer Mauren Photography.

The session must take place in July or August of this year.  The session must take place within Manatee or Sarsota counties.

If you have any additional questions (or to book a session yourself) please feel free to contact me at JenniferMauren@gmail.com