Change is good…

It is time for my VERY exciting news!!!  I have been working tirelessly on my new website and it is finally DONE!!!!  Woot Woot!!!!!  And it’s not just your average website…oh no…it’s a blog site.  A blog and a website all wrapped up into one pretty little package!!  So…from now on all my posts and photos will be on my new blogsite.  If you are subscribed to my old blog please re-subscribe to my new blog or else you’ll miss out on all my exciting happenings!!  Ok…enough rambling.  Head over and check it out and I would love it if you let me know what you think!!!!

My new blogsite – www.laurenwakefieldphotography.com

Goodbye old blog….

-Lauren

The Dwyer Family…Sneak Peek!!

So….I have to admit…I am not having a good day.  Today has been the epitome of ‘one of those days’…I’ve been grumpy and all the words that go along with grumpy…

BUT…as I was editing the Dwyer family’s photos…I couldn’t help but smile at every single one.  I found myself laughing at the kids’ cute little faces and smiling at how picture perfect this family is.  It is only fair to also admit that these photos put me in a better mood…so without further ado…here’s a little tease…

The photo on the left just screams “It’s my party and I can cry if I want to!”

So there’s a little taste…enjoy!  It’s almost Friday!!!!!!

The Napoli Family!!!

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of meeting the Napoli Family.  This was a very cool session because it was actually 2 families.  First there was Virginia and her husband Joe, and their 2 adorable little boys Orion and August (are those the coolest names ever or what??)  And then Virginia’s sister, Laura, was visiting with her 2 sons Michael and Daniel!  And guess where they live….Dubai!  How cool is that!  Could you imagine growing up in Dubai?!?!  I just think that is so awesome!!  And those boys were cracking me up all day…boys that age are hilarious.

Anyways…we started the session in their awesome, radical, gorgeous condo.  Talk about a view!!!  I like to imagine one day I’ll come home to a view like that…you just wait!  🙂  After a few shots inside we walked down to the park/beach for the rest of the evening.  It’s times like those that I realize just how much I LOVE Chicago.  Best city in the world…hands down.  So here is our day via photos….enjoy!

His faces were cracking me up…

His little onesy had his initials embroidered on it…so cute…

This is a ring the Virgia got when Orion was born…

It was a task trying to get a real smile out of him…but I succeeded!!!

I was in LOVE with his curly hair.  Especially the one little curl right in the middle of his forehead!  Priceless…

Boy will be boys…

The End…

I has such a fun time with this family.  I especially enjoyed explaining to Daniel all of the things you can do with photoshop.  Can I take his head and put it on Hulk Hogan’s body and have him standing upside down in Dubai…you bet I can!  Off to edit more photos!  Another sneak peek coming very soon!!!!  Happy Wednesday!

The Napoli Family – Sneak Peek!!!!

Hello blog world!  As you know I am on an editing frenzy.  So many pictures…so little time.  That’s my new slogan.  Anyways I am so excited to post the Napoli family’s sneak peek.  These photos came close to not happening…thanks to our little friend named rain.  But the day turned out to be PERFECT!  This session was so much fun because it was actually 2 families!  The more the merrier if you ask me.  So enjoy this little tidbit and stay tuned for many more!

This will be my last post for a few days as I am off to forge the raging river via canoe.  Wish me luck…my paddling skills are sub par.  I will apologize for my upcoming lack of posts but I promise you lots of fun-filled family photos when I return.  And maybe even some super awesome shots of my canoeing skills…if you’re lucky.  Until then…

The Smithe Family – Part 2

It’s Monday…I’m coming off one the busiest weekends I’ve ever had.  But I must say…I am loving it.  I have more editing in front of me than I know what to do with…but fear not…I’ll get it done.  Because that’s how I roll.  In the meantime I thought I would share Part 2 of the amazing Smithe Family.  I won’t babble since I pretty much said it all in part 1.  Enjoy…

So…I kinda want a bulldog now.  A pug and bulldog…sounds good to me…

I swear as soon as I took this picture I told her that wasn’t food…

These two remind me of me and my older cousin.  They’re going to be best friends one day…just wait…

It was a long day…that was me the second I hit my pillow that night…

Well…that officially wraps up the Smithe Family photos!  The best thing about my job is getting to meet so many awesome people…and the Smithe’s are no exception.   I feel like I’ve known them for years and I hope that I actually get to!  This family is truly one of a kind and I can’t wait for the chance to photograph them again!!!  To all the Smithe’s – I love you guys!!!!!

Happy Monday everyone…

The Smithe Family – Part 1

This is my first official 2 part blog post.  Most of the time blogs are in 2 parts for weddings and such…and this event was equally as grand.  My friend Maureen and her sisters put together this AMAZING birthday party for their mom, Mary.  Just imagine sipping cocktails…next to a pond…while the sun is setting…oh, and there’s a hammock! This was by far one of the coolest events I’ve had the opportunity to shoot.  I gave a sneak peek a few posts back…and now I give you the mother-load!  Well…at least part 1….

How cool is this setting…I couldn’t get over how awesome all the details were….way to go ladies!

Walter and Mary…definitely a couple to model yourself after…

This dog cracked me up all night…

I love this one…

I told you!! Their blue eyes are amazing!!!!!  I did not digitally enhance them….scouts’ honor!

Is she stunning or what?

Bulldogs make me giggle…

The only boy in the family…I’m sure he learned a lot growing up….  😉

Love this one too…

Whew! Hopefully that gives you an idea of how awesome this night was!  And I’m sure all of you are wishing you had a pond in your backyard…because I know I do.  There will be a part 2 soon I promise….so many pictures…so little time!  Later gators!

Showit Freedom Tour – A.MAZ.ING!

These last several months I have gone from overwhelmed to excited to discouraged to inspired and everything else in between…on some days I feel like everything is going exactly as planned and I am going to make my business be everything I’ve imagined it.  And some days I feel like I’m in way over my head and I feel nuts.  But the first one is far more common.  Basically it’s fear.  Fear of failing, and even fear of succeeding.

Last night I attended the Showit Freedom Tour.  It was unbelievable.  I had high expectations and they far exceeded every one of them.  The evening started out with what they called Showit Live.  Basically it was a little Q & A and how to session with the Showit geniuses.  I am not currently a Showit subscriber but it is definitely worth every penny.  The things you can do for $39 a month is amazing.  The coolest thing I learned about was +sites.  Basically you can create a site (with your url) for each and every client.  A separate domain name for them to go to and show all their friends their photos…and the whole thing is covered in your design and logo.  And you can make an unlimited amount.  Very cool…

Next Molly Jenson played a few songs.  She is so super cute and very easy on the ears.  She offered all her songs to us to use in any slideshows or on our websites or whatever.  So awesome of her….and she played You Are My Sunshine one of my childhood faves…

Throughout the night David Jay (Showit Creator) got up and spoke in between speakers.  He had a lot of good stuff to say and definitely made us laugh more than a few times.  He’s an awesome example of how to take your passion of photography to the place you want it – to make yourself successful by your definition.  I was very excited to get the chance to meet him.

Next Bob and Dawn Davis got up and said a few words.  Dawn was the sweetest lady you could ever imagine.  She talked about having balance in your life and believing in what you do.  She said something that stuck with me – “Decide who you want to be and be it.”  I thought that was so great because a lot of times my mind runs all over the place coming up with a million ideas of things I could do and at the end of the day I just need to do it.   Next Bob Davis took the stage.  One word for him – BRILLIANT.  He did an awesome demonstration using off camera flash.  And he made it look so easy and everything he said made so much sense.  I spent 4 years getting a photography degree and not one of my professors made as much sense as Bob did.  He did a give-away of his book (I didn’t win 😦 )  but I am definitely going to be purchasing it.

An awesome guy by the name of Jim Davis Hicks spoke next.  He is the creator of Action Runner (such a cool program) and did a demonstration for us as well as giving some time management tips and things like that.  He is also the President of Thirst Relief International.  Which is such a cool organization.  He took his passion of photography and passion for Thirst Relief and brought them together in such a cool way.  If you haven’t heard of Action Runner I urge you to check it out…

And last but not least Zach and Jody Gray.  I was listening to their presentation and I don’t think I have ever been that inspired.  Their story is so incredible and the advice they gave was priceless.  They started their business barely 4 years ago they are now some of the most successful wedding photographers in the business.  That blew my mind. They are so cool and laid back and funny…definitely people I do and always will look up to.  (And they’re a super cute couple).

That basically sums it up.  I left there with a t-shirt and a brain so full that I’m pretty sure I’m still trying to figure out what to do with it all.  There’s only one stop left of the tour and for anyone who can I 100% suggest going.  Or try and hear any of these people speak at one of their many speaking engagements…it is more than worth it.  The most important thing I left with last night was the mid frame that I CAN do this.  I can make my business into whatever I want it to be and that is exactly what I’m going to do.  Happy Friday everyone and have an awesome holiday weekend!!!  -L

The Smithe Family – Sneak Peek!!!

A while back I took family photos of Maureen and her family.   It is still to this day one of my favorite sessions.  I couldn’t get over the bright, beautiful blue eyes they all had (a photographer’s dream).   Well…now take Maureen’s family and multiply it by 5 and you’ll get the session I’m blogging about today.  Maureen and her sisters planned this AMAZING birthday party for their mom (Mary).  It was the perfect night and the perfect setting and it couldn’t have turned out better.   This family was so much fun to photograph and I’m so happy I got to be there to document this picturesque evening.  So here’s a sneak peek…

This is Mary (the birthday girl) and her grandson Mack…

And then finally…the whole Smithe clan…they are one good looking family….

That’s all I’ve got for now…but there will be MANY more to come…stay tuned….

It’s a girl!

Hello everyone.  As a photographer, it is your job to come up with inventive ideas to make your clients photos as unique as they can be.  The process of ‘idea inventing’ can be a long one.  Sometimes something you think is going to be so freaking awesome turns out to be totally ridiculous…and vise-versa.  This is why it is vital for every photographer to have a guinea pig.  Someone you can try out all your ideas on and they don’t care if they turn out awesome or let’s just say…less than awesome.  I introduced you all to Cara a few posts back and her oh-so-adorable family.   Whenever I get together with Cara, whether it be for cow-shaped waffles or a photo session, I never stop laughing.  She cracks me up to no end and I am so lucky to have her as my guinea pig.   She recently found out that she is having a girl (YEAH!!!) so we got together to take the cutest photo for her to send out to family and friends…

After this photo was taken we walked down the block and got some frozen custard.  Talk about the perfect summer evening.  I’m so sad to even write it but Cara is leaving me  😦  and moving to Boston.  Cara has become one of my greatest friends and I’m so sad to see her go.  She’s been such a huge supporter of me and my ambitions and I just cannot thank her enough.  She is amazing!  I am definitely heading out east as soon as that little bundle of joy is born and there will be a lovely blog post all about it.  I made Gary (my boyfriend) promise he would take me out there for my birthday…and I’m holding him to it.  Happy Monday…

My to-do list…

As a photographer just freshly starting her own business…I follow SEVERAL photographer’s blogs.  Every morning I log on and see what new and exciting things my fellow photogs have posted and every day I am inspired.  I think about all the amazing things I have ahead of me and I get so excited.  One of the things I have seen a lot is “To-Do lists”.   A list of goals to be done in a certain amount of time.  I thought it was the perfect time for me to set goals for myself.  Big or small…just a list of things I want to accomplish.  And I’ll be sure to share my accomplished tasks as time goes on.  So here it goes…my ‘To-Dos’ for the next 365 days.  30 things to be accomplished by June 16th, 2011.  So here I go…

1. Create a Blog and website in one.

2. Own a Shootsac and an awesome cover

3. Purchase a new lens for my Camera

4. Read 5 business related photo books

5. Go to 3 photography related workshops or seminars

6. Photograph 10 things (not people)  on my own time

7. Go on vacation (has to be somewhere very warm and tropical)

8. Join an online photography community

9. Finish and print my welcome packet

10. Plant an herb garden

11. Get photos of myself taken (it’s an odd thing to be a photographer and get photographed…I’m not a fan)

12.  Set up my own office space (this one might take a bit longer…but I need to put it on here anyways)

13. Book and out of state photo session

14.  Get a cellphone with internet

15. Create holiday cards for 5 clients

16. Get 500 friends/fans/likes whatever they call them on facebook

17. Organize my apartment

18. Design new business cards

19. Take promo materials to 10 or more  retail spots

20.  Meet 5 new design clients

21. Go one month without eating fast food

22. Create sample products to show my clients

23. Go cake tasting for my brother’s wedding

24. Design rehearsal dinner and shower invites for my brother’s wedding

25. Go to Ikea and leave with no buyer’s remorse

26. Comment on photographer’s blogs I love every day for a month

27. Get 300 comments on my blog

28. Get a video done of myself shooting a session

29. Take Gary skydiving

30. Become a photographer full time.

So that is what I’ve come up with.  I have full confidence that I can make all these things happen…I can’t wait to mark these off one by one!!!  I’ll be sure to keep you updated!! Until then….