Haydn Kree

Contest Time @ The Maternal Lens!!!

2010-02-02T18:51:00.007-05:00

The fabulous ladies over at the Maternal Lens are hosting a giveaway for some very cool goodies from Sassy Design!

Sassy Design is a fantastic site for any one out there. It's packed full of amazing goodies. from digital papers, to card templates, to design elements.

Terry, the owner of Sassy Design is giving away 5 of her beautiful products to five lucky Maternal Lens blog readers!!!

So head on over & enter the contest!!!!!

Good Luck!!!

From belly to baby {Handsome Hunter}

2010-01-29T17:07:00.004-05:00

So, you remember the beautiful maternity session that I had posted for the Harringtons...Well this is the handsome little guy that was growing in Heathers cute belly!
He was such a good little guy for his entire session! Kevin and Heather could not be more proud to be the parents of this little angel & it was SUCH an honor to be the photographer behind the camera for his first professional photo session :)

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I heart faces "Texture" photo challenge

2010-01-24T23:30:00.004-05:00

I was so happy to see that the challenge this week was "texture images"! I have purchased a lot of textures and have been wanting to practice using them on portraits for some time now, so this was a really fun project for me!

This is my entry :)

I hope you will head over to I ♥ Faces & check out all of the fun images!

Happy Monday!!!!
xoxo!

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I Heart Faces {Fix it Friday}

2010-01-22T11:01:00.006-05:00

Every Friday at I ♥ Faces an image is posted for Fix it Friday. It is a chance for photographers of all skill levels to try out their editing skills, and it gives you a chance to learn something new!

This is the original image that was posted. I adore everything about this photo & it really didn't need much editing done.

This is my first edit. My goal here was to add a little contrast & pop the colors.
- The first thing I did was a curve adjustment (simple s curve)
- Then I made a hue/sat. adj layer & masked out the skin tones with a soft, low opacity brush.
- Ran "green with envy" from TRA on the grass areas and lowered the opacity to 15%
- Used my burn tool to darken background & make the subjects pop.
- Cropped

This is edit #2
- Ran Flora Bella champagne b/w conversion & tweaked to taste.

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I Heart Faces

2010-01-19T15:46:00.005-05:00

Last week was a huge week for the I ♥ Faces website! Not only was it their first birthday, but they teased everyone all week about the suprise rockstar guest photographer that would be the judge of the "Best Face" photo challenge.
The day before the contest started, they posted the suprise judge...only it was not one rockstar photographer...it was 18!!!

My jaw dropped when I read the names of the judges:
Jose Villa, Ree Drummond (The Pioneer Woman), Angie Monson, Nate Kaiser, Sheye Rosemeyer, Becker, Simon Pollock, Rebekah Westover, Amy Wenzel, Justin & Mary Marantz, Rog Ellsworth, Michael Howard, Patti Schmidt, Raya Carlisle, Lori Nordstrom, Lyndzee Ellsworth & Donna Boucher!

Almost 1000 talented photographers entered images, so Saturday when I went to the I ♥ Faces website to check out who the winners were, I was shocked to learn that Justin & Mary Marantz & Jose Villa had chosen my image as one of their top 5 favorite images!

I'm still quite shocked...and truly honored. I admire Jose, Justin & Mary so much & can't believe that my image made it into their top 5 picks!

I now get to display this little gem on my blog :)

This has truly made my week!

If you have never visited the I ♥ Faces website, I encourage you to give it a try! All levels of photographers are welcome to join in the fun & it is a great place to learn & meet friends that love photography!

Thank you for visiting today & I hope you have a wonderful week!!
xoxo,

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Week 3 {We are Family} Photo Challenge

2010-01-18T10:26:00.004-05:00

This weeks challenge is "We are Family"! I hope you will head over to I heart faces and join the fun!

This is one of my favorite family images right now :) I love all of the different expressions!
Thank you so much for looking!

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From Belly to Baby {The Harringtons}

2010-01-15T12:41:00.001-05:00

Before Christmas, I had the pleasure of meeting Kevin & Heather for their maternity session. They are the nicest people & were soooo excited to welcome their first child into the world.
Hunter was born a few weeks later, and a few days before Christmas we had had another session to celebrate Hunters arrivial! I will post a full newborn post soon, but for now you can see a sneak peek of this cute little guy here!

This is my favorite maternity image to date! Heather looks incredible!

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I heart faces "best face photo" challenge

2010-01-11T00:34:00.003-05:00

I heart faces is such a fabulous place to visit, learn, and meet friends who love photography! They are celebrating their first Birthday this week!!
Go over and wish them a Happy Birthday!! While your there, check out all of the awesome entries for the "best face photo" challenge...and if you want to get a little wild on this cold Monday morning, you should join in the fun!!
http://iheartfaces.blogspot.com/

This is my entry. It's my little boy and was taken on December 20th for my Christmas cards...yep you read that right...the 20th! I was so busy this year (which was fabulous) that my card was put on the back burner until the last possible second!
The image is special to me for a few reasons. First, it's really hard for me to get a good candid image of my son. I can do it for hundreds of kids I've never met, but put my son in front of my lens, and well...
The second is simple.... This is my little guy through and through!

Thank you so much for looking!! I hope everyone has a wonderful week!!

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{cute little brison}

2010-01-08T12:38:00.001-05:00

This cute little guy is the grandson of one of my friends. He is SUPER sweet & did such a good job during his mini session :)

This was printed on canvas & was absolutely gorgeous!

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The Blaser Family

2010-01-02T22:24:00.002-05:00

This is the third time that I have photographed this sweet family this year & I think it gets more fun every time :)
Our session took place at Hannah Park right before sunset & this light was amazing...seriously, it had to be the most beautiful, golden, yummy light that I have ever had for a beach session!
Thank you so much for looking :)

Roan has grown so much since his newborn session!

Jake is so sweet, and super cute too!

Luca reminds me so much of my little Christian! They are both very busy little boys :)

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One Willow Studio {Retro Candy Presets} Givaway!

2009-12-30T12:29:00.002-05:00

About a year ago, I started following fellow photographer Jessica Paige on her blog The lost lens cap. I've admired her work & was so excited for her when she launched One Willow Studio, her new website where she is now selling Lightroom & ACR presets.
One of the most common questions that I get from other photographers is how I post process my images. I have done almost all of my post production in Photoshop, until recently. I have added Lightroom into my workflow to speed up sorting, and adjusting curves, exposure, etc...and then I bring the images into Photoshop to polish them off.
If you follow my work, you know that I love adding a vintage flair to some of my images & when I saw these presets, I knew they would be perfect! I think I purchased them about 5 minutes after Jessica announced that her new website was live...lol :)
I normally do not write about actions & presets that people sell, but I must tell you that I LOVE these presets! I love them so much that I have entered Jessica's contest for a FREE set that I will be giving to a girlfriend as a gift (if I win)!

Here is an image of Baby Hunter that I used One Willow Studios {Lavender Mint} preset on. I love the tones that it added & it is not "too much" or over processed...It just enhances what is beautiful about the image :)

So head over to One Willow Studio and enter yourself in their contest! You will love your new presets :)

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The Spore Family

2009-12-30T09:35:00.004-05:00

Looove the way this session turned out! Jennifer (aka Mom) grew up right accross the street from the house that I grew up in! Wow we have come along way since then :) She now has a wonderful husband (John), a beautiful son (Mitchell) & a sweet baby boy that will be here in March!
Mitchell did a fabulous job at our session. I brought along some candy & before I took each picture, he would hold out his little hand for another piece of candy...it was super cute!
Thank you so much for looking :)

Love it!

I love the way that John & Mitchell have their noses squished together :)

I love putting storyboards together of different faces that children make. I think I have at least 10 of these of Christian :)

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My Latest Painting

2009-12-29T10:14:00.001-05:00

I must say that this painting has the most incredible before & after pictures! The "before images" were provided by Debbie (my client & neighbor) and she wanted a portrait of she, her husband (Raymond) & their 4 children. Only one of their children live in Jacksonville, so we had to make due with images that she already had.
The final painting was printed on a HUGE 24x36 canvas, framed in a beautiful, ornate chocolate and black frame, and given to Raymond as a Christmas gift! It now hangs in their living room & looks AMAZING!

So, here are the before images:

and the final painting :)

Thank you so much for looking! I hope your having a good day!!!

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A Christmas Present From Me

2009-12-28T15:45:00.002-05:00

I feel like SUCH an idiot! I meant for this to be posted last Wednesday & thought I had scheduled it to post then...well guess what?? I just noticed it didn't post. I'm very sure that it was an error on my part & had nothing to do with Blogger.
So, this is my gift to you. They are 5x7, super cute, nifty desk calanders.
I love the one that I made myself last year, and just designed the one I'll be using in 2010 (you can see my calander below). The thing that I love the most about this calander is, it's great for quick reference & it looks super cute sitting on my desk :)

So here is what you'll need to do to get yours:
- Email me with which calander you want (A,B,C or D).
- I'll be in touch to find out what image you would like to put in it.

That's it! Oh and one more thing. Please email me before Jan. 10th to let me know that you are interested. I would like to have the complete order placed by Jan. 12th. If you haven't had your session with me yet, or are waiting on your gallery to be posted, you will still get yours. I will ask you which calander you like & will include it in your order.

I hope you had a very Merry Christmas & wish you nothing but good things in 2010!!!

Calander A

Calander B

Calander C

Calander D

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Giving is Awesome {The Winner}

2009-12-25T20:54:00.001-05:00

Choosing the Giving is Awesome winner was a tough task this year. With unemployment at 10%, and a terrible economy, there were so many people who deserved custom photography & I would truly give anything to award the prize to everyone who was nominated.
Thank you so much to everyone who participated! I just looked at the Giving is Awesome website & am happy to report that 356 photographers signed up this year & donated $384,218.00 worth of custom photography to qualifying families! Now I don't know about you, but I think that is AWESOME!
And now....For the winner...:o)
I chose Greg and Kathy Sharp!!!
The Sharp family was nominated by Ben & Julie Wallis and will receive a portrait session & package valued at $1000.00!

Here is the story that was submitted:

When Julie told me about your giveaway, both of us immediately thought of a family in our church. Greg and Kathy Sharp are a couple in our church that have been through so much in the past few years. They have two young girls: Breanna (8) and Raigan (6). Over the past months, Breanna has gone through a gauntlet of testing concerning problems with her hearing and vision. Raigan is severely autistic. Raigan has (and continues to undergo) undergone more different types of therapies than I can count. She is currently enrolled in a special program (INCREDIBLY expensive) that is aimed at teaching her basic cognitive skills...as of yet, she has never said a word. Greg owns a lighting landscaping company called Sharper Lighting. Due to the downturn in the economy, his business has taken a serious hit. He has expanded his company to include more "green" resources and technologies, however, business continues to be slow.

With all of this context, Greg and Kathy are still giving to others in so many different ways. They both are very active in autistic awareness...both were participants in the recent Autism Walk in Jacksonville about 2-3 weeks ago and Greg was in Miami this past week speaking at an autism conference. With everything else going on, Kathy heads up our children's choir at First Baptist Church Jacksonville Beach...even going to the extent of actually writing the script of the upcoming children's choir Christmas musical. She is also active in teaching our KidZone Children's Church which is designed to teach children K-3rd grade about how God loves them, and also allows their parents to attend our Worship Service on Sunday mornings without having to worry about their kids.

I have no doubt that Greg and Kathy could never afford professional, custom photography. Due to "life" issues and finances, I believe that the last family portrait that they had done was when Raigan was a baby. I think that, not only do the Sharps qualify to be nominated, but that professional, custom photography would be so immensely appreciated and be such a blessing to them.

I will be sure to post the images from the Sharps' session! I hope everyone is having a very Merry Christmas!

Take care!

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My Little Man

2009-12-24T14:35:00.003-05:00

This little guys is sooo excited about Santa this year! It's really such a joy to watch him as he talks about how Santa is going to come to his house because he is on the "nice" list :)
Here are the images from our Christmas card...I'm in love!

This is totally him...my goofball :)

and this is going to be a Christmas present to myself...I'm going to have this printed on a great big canvas!

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The Steadman Kiddos

2009-12-23T13:18:00.002-05:00

These cuties belong to my dear friend Pam. Last year they had a session around Christmas & it's amazing how much they have grown...time goes so fast!

I had a good time with you guys Pam! I love you!!!

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The Hodson Family

2009-12-23T13:08:00.001-05:00

I have been looking forward to this session for a long time :) Tralyn (aka Mom) and I started talking back in April about planning a shoot & I couldn't be more pleased with the way everything turned out!
Her girls are beautiful...don't you agree?! They make me want to have a little girl :)

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Sweet Jackson

2009-12-23T12:56:00.003-05:00

This little guys is SOOO cute!

Thank you Kristen & Michael for such a fabulous session! I hope you have a Merry Christmas!! I'll talk to you guys soon :)

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Merry Christmas!

2009-12-21T14:57:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I took Christian out for a little mini session & put our Christmas cards together! We are gearing up for the big day in the Larson house & I wanted to make sure to wished each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas!
Here is our 2009 Christmas card...LOVE the way it turned out!

As 2009 comes to an end, I can't help but reflect on how far my business has come in the past year. I feel so grateful to be a photographer & am humbled that you have given me this unbelievable opportunity.
One of the best things about what I do is witness & capture beautiful moments in peoples lives. Whether it has been the birth of a little one, celebration of a recent engagement, or to document the love that a family has for each other, I have enjoyed every moment that I have spent with you.
I have the absolute best, most supportive clients imaginable & I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for allowing me into your lives!
I have a Christmas present for you & will be back on Wednesday to tell you all about it!
Until then, be safe & enjoy this Christmas season with your friends & family!

XOXO,

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Baby Hannah

2009-11-25T10:03:00.004-05:00

This sweet little baby is so cute! I am so in love with her newborn images :)
Congrats Jude & Jenny on your beautiful little baby girl!

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Waiting for baby Jackson

2009-11-20T10:01:00.001-05:00

I had such a nice time meeting Michael and Kristen! They are such nice people and are so excited about baby Jackson.
Let me just say that Kristen has the most perfect belly :)

Giving is Awesome :)

2009-11-19T19:55:00.002-05:00

http://www.givingisawesome.com/

You know someone. You know someone who's experienced a tragedy, is struggling to stay afloat, is raising kids while holding down more than one job, or is volunteering selflessly despite extenuating personal circumstances. You know someone who can't afford custom photography, but who would cherish it this holiday season. You know someone who deserves a year-round reminder of their family's spirit, love, and beauty.

You know someone. I guarantee it.

I want to know who they are, and I want to give them the chance to experience complimentary custom photography -- $1000 worth, to be exact. Whether it's canvas or albums, prints for Grandma, or a slideshow to watch over and over, it's in your power to give them the artwork they deserve this holiday season.

Oh, and the best part? The person who nominates the winner receives a $200 print credit. What better reason to show some love could there possibly be, people?

The rules:

* You cannot nominate yourself, and the person nominated must sincerely be incapable of purchasing my services. (Being unable to make mortgage payments for a two-million-dollar-vacation-home in Paris does not qualify as sincere financial need.)

* The nominee must reside in Jacksonville, Florida (beaches, OP,etc...). Tell me who you know, what they're experiencing, and why they deserve my artwork. Please include a way to contact both your nominee and yourself as well.

* You must e-mail me the full story : haydnkreephotography @ comcast . net

The winner will be announced on Christmas Eve -- get nominating! I can't wait to read all of your entries!

Open your heart to someone this holiday season -- and thanks for giving me the opportunity to open mine.

With love,

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Ps. If you would like to find a participating photographer in your area, or if you are a photographer who would like to donate your art to a deserving family, visit: www.givingisawesome.com

Addison is 7 months old!

2009-11-18T23:05:00.001-05:00

I can't believe how big Addison is getting! She really is so pretty and this is the 3rd session with this sweet baby.
Oh...I want to say that pokadots are my new favorite :)

Addy with her super handsome big brother Max! He has grown a lot too!

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2009 Christmas Card Collection by: Haydn Kree

2009-11-16T10:58:00.004-05:00

The 2009 Christmas card collection is here! I put together a beautiful collection of cards that has something for everyone & am so excited how everything has turned out :)
You can view the collection by clicking here & enter your email address & the password "cards"(all lower case).
And of coarse, a few examples here on the blog :)

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Are you a font freak?

2009-11-11T09:00:00.002-05:00

I sure am :) I found a jewel of a website that offers tons super cute FREE fonts.

You can browse through all of the beautiful fonts & download them one at a time, or they have a button on their sidebar that allows you to download every font they have in a zip file. Pretty cool huh?!

Have you run accross any websites that offer cool stuff? I would love to hear about some of your favorite finds!

Enjoy!!

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♥ Your questions answered ♥

2009-11-10T12:24:00.001-05:00

From time to time, I receive questions from other photographers asking a whole range of questions from Do you use photoshop actions, to What type of camera do you have? Sometimes, it's just a sweet note telling me that Mark and I are being prayed for, or asking how I balance my time between being a mother/wife and being a photographer.
I have to be honest with you, the first time I got an email from another photographer I thought, wow...your asking me for help? How can I teach another photographer anything when I still learn something every day?
So a couple of weeks ago I decided to hire a professional to design a new blog template for me. I thought about my old template & how many hours it took me to figure out the html coding to get it looking the way I wanted. I thought, "gosh, it would be a real shame to just send this template to my recycle bin after all of that work!" That's when I came up with the idea to have a contest to pass the template along to someone who could get good use out of it.
So, when I announced the contest, over the course of the week my email box was flooded with all sorts of questions. It took me a little while, but I did get back with everyone.
Some things I find myself answering over and over so I thought I would post the answers in case anyone else is curious.

1. What type of camera do you use? (the #1 asked question by far)
I shoot with a Nikon D700 and have a D200 as a backup camera.

2. How do you balance your time between your work life & your home life?
Gosh...I think if I knew the answer to this question I would be a rich women...Lol. The truth is I work an awful lot & sometimes it's not balanced at all. Then other times, I get really organized and surprise myself. I think that what a lot of new photographers are surprised to learn is that being a photographer is much more than just shooting & making beautiful art. It's about being a business owner, book keeper, sales person, customer service rep., artist, blogger...and the list goes on and on!
If I could give you one piece of advice, it would be to schedule your time off just like you would schedule a session. It's important not only to take care of your business, but to take care of yourself.
I hope this helps...it's something that I still struggle with every day & if I learn any new secrets, I'll be sure to pass them on :)

3. How do you get the picture on your blog to have rounded corners?
When I first stared putting round corners on my images, I would do it manually in Photoshop. Then I found a fabulous free action from this site:

There are several free actions on the web that will give you rounded corners, but I love the Coffee Shop action because it re-sizes your image as well as rounding the corners :)

4. What software do you use for editing?
Photoshop CS3

5. I love your baby portraits! How do you get so many good ones? I've done one baby session and it was really hard. The baby wouldn't stop crying & I was so nervous! I came away with only a few good ones.

First let me say do not get discouraged! Newborn portraits take practice and lots of patience so don't be too hard on yourself :)
Here are a few tips:
- Get them young! The first two weeks is ideal & if you can shoot the session during the first week, even better!
- Plan on taking lots of breaks. During my typical newborn session, the average baby eats 2 to 3 times. I also let Mom know that during our pre-session consult so she can be prepared. When baby is full, she will get relaxed and sleepy for you which makes your job a lot easier!
- Don't be afraid to position/touch the baby. I know this might sound silly, but I've talked to several photogs who are very intimidated to move babies around & you must feel comfortable doing this in order to achieve the poses you want for your images.
- Keep them warm. I always bring a couple of small, super soft blankets that I cover baby while I move them around, or to use between shots.
During the winter months, I bring a heating pad with me to warm the blankets so baby will be extra cozy.
- Don't get in a hurry! Take your time & enjoy the session :) Newborns are my absolute favorite subjects & I always try to enjoy every moment that they are in front of my camera.

6. I notice that you shoot with other photographers sometimes. Are you afraid that they are going to steal some of your secrets? After all they are your competition...

Lol...No. I don't really have any special secrets & every time that I have had the pleasure to shoot with a fellow photographer, I have always walked away a better photographer! The truth is, if they happen to learn something from me, I am flattered!
I don't really look at my photographer friends as competition for these reasons:
- There are plenty of people in Jacksonville for everyone to have a thriving business.
- When a client hires me they have done so because they saw something in my work that they love. There is nobody but me who can produce my work & even if someone tries, it's still not going to be my art.
- Photographer friends are the best! You have so much in common & they are super fun to hang out with!
- It's so nice to know that if I ever need a question answered, I can always count on my photographer friends to help me out. It also makes me feel really good if I can do the same for them!

Do yourself a BIG favor & make friends with other photographers in your area! I promise you that you won't be disappointed!

I hope this helps answer some of your questions! I have a whole list & will do another q&a post in the next couple of weeks.
It really means a lot to me that you take the time to read my blog & send me such sweet emails.

Take care everyone :)

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Happy Halloween!

2009-11-07T22:00:00.005-05:00

I hope that everyone had a fun halloween!
Mark and I had the best time with Christian. This is really the first year that he was SUPER excited about going trick or treating. It also really made me reflect on how fast time really passes. Seems like only yesterday that he couldn't even say the words "trick or treat" and now he doesn't even want me to walk up to the front door with him when he gets his candy.
He is growing up so fast!!
Next week is Christian's 4th birthday & he wants a Spider Man party at Chuck E Cheese. So, as you can imagine, the party plans have begun & to my suprise, Christian has been very involved in the planning process! From the guest list, to what kind of cake he wants, and even the color of the balloons! I think it will also be the first year that he really understands & enjoys his birthday.

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Blog Template Winner(s)!!!

2009-10-21T12:43:00.002-04:00

Where you looking for me yesterday to announce the winner of the contest?

Yesterday, I didn't have time to blog because Mark had to go to St. Vincents for a blood transfusion :(

However...I do have a little suprise......Yay!!!

After reading your emails I just couldn't select a winner....so EVERONE WHO WROTE ME will get a copy of my old blog template!

So, if you entered the contest, please email me with the address you would like for your template to go to! I will then get your new blogger template to you in the next couple of days :)

I hope you are having a good Wednesday!!!
XXOO,

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Getting a new blog design!

2009-10-15T13:06:00.001-04:00

Hi everyone! I hope your having a good Thursday! My blog is going through a few changes this week, so that's why it's looking a little different.
I'm too excited to see the final result!!

One of the most common questions that I get asked is how I get the images on my blog to be so big. Well the first step to big images on Blogger, is to have a template that is wide enough to accomidate large pictures.
So, I thought it would be fun to give my old template away to someone who
could use it.

Template Features;
- Fits images up to 900 px wide.
- 940 px wide header area.
- Horizonal link bar to run under header.
- One column for posts for a more uncluttered look.
- Three colums at the bottom for extra links.
- You can also add a custom background!
****You must have a Blogger account for template to work****

So, if you would like my old template, just leave a comment, or email me @
haydnkreephotography @ comcast . net.
*Make sure to leave a link to your blog!*

Winner will get the template & I will walk you through how to make your images large when posting.
I'll post the winner next Tuesday!

Good Luck!!

XXOO,
Erica

The Hallett Family

2009-10-14T15:40:00.000-04:00

I had such a good time with the Hallett family! We met out at Big Talbot Island right before the sun went down for their session & I'm just thrilled with the results :)

Thank you Amy for introducing me to your beautiful family! There are a lot more beautiful images to come :)
xxoo,
Erica

Beautiful Addilyn

2009-10-09T10:41:00.003-04:00

It was so hard to decide which images were going to go on the blog! She is just so stinkin cute, there were so many images from this session that I adore.
I LOOOOVE her cheeks :)

Little smile in this one :)

One more :)

2009-10-08T10:48:00.001-04:00

One more from Christians discovery. I can't decide which one I like better :)

discovery

2009-10-07T12:15:00.000-04:00

He discovered the outside air unit last night & I was lucky enough to have my camera.
I love this image...

Travis Curtis

2009-10-05T13:31:00.004-04:00

Little Travis was 14 days old for his first portrait session. Isn't he the cutest little guy?!? He stayed awake for most of his session and was such a good sport :)

Travis with his big brother Tommy. What beautiful boys!

My little Spider Man

2009-10-02T12:34:00.003-04:00

I can't believe that he is going to be 4 soon...
Yesterday he said,
"Mommy is your name Erica Larson?"
It sure is buddy.
Is Daddy's name Mark Larson?
That is Daddy's name...Is your name Christian Larson?
Nope...my name is Spider Man!
Is it Spider Man Larson?
Nope, my first name is Spider & my last name is Man!

Guess what Spider man wants to be for halloween? Yep, thats right. I went and bought his costume early because I was afraid the stores would run out.
Now guess what Spider Man wore to Walgreens last night... :)
I hope you have a good weekend!

2009 Holiday Mini Sessions for Kiddos

2009-09-23T17:38:00.006-04:00

What are holiday mini sessions you ask?
Holiday mini sessions are 30 minute sessions designed for you to get updated images of your kiddos for Christmas cards, holiday gifts, etc...

How much does it cost?
$120.00 for up to 2 children. Add $15.00 for each additional child.

Where & When?
November 7th at Memorial Park in Riverside.

What is included?
- A 30 minute session for up to 2 kiddos.
- 25 5x7 (two sided) Christmas cards.
- 10 edited images in a password protected gallery for 7 days for ordering & choosing images for your cards.
- One 8x10 print.
- 10% off print order. (You must place your order during the 7 days that your gallery is active to qualify for the 10% discount)

This is a BIG discount, so sessions book quickly. To book your mini session, call 904.226.8359 to reserve your time.
Session fee is due within 2 days of booking your session.

We are going to have a fabulous time! I can't wait!!!

Available times:
8:oo-8:30 *reserved for Williams*
8:30-9:00
9:00-9:30
9:30-10:00 *reserved for L. Williams*
10:00-10:30 *reserved for Jordan*
10:30-11:00 *reserved for Daniels*

For Rafah

2009-09-16T17:18:00.004-04:00

This sweet little girl is Jalila & I had the best time with her! She was so eager to get in front of the camera. She said, "I wanted to make a pretty picture for my Mommy."
Jalila & my little Christian are in the same class at Christ the King. I had to be really sneaky when I came up to the school for her session to make sure that Christian didn't see me :)
It was funny to see Christian's face when I was editing images from the session. He just couldn't figure out how I had taken all of these pictures of Jalila at school without him knowing about it!
Enjoy & thank you so much for looking :)

For Amy

2009-09-08T10:47:00.004-04:00

I was so excited to shoot this session because I had not seen Amy since we were in the 7th or 8th grade. She looks the exact same as she did, except I'm pretty sure that "back in the day" we were both sporting perms & huge bangs that were teased and plastered in place with TONS of Rave extra hold hairspray...lol. Good times...good times :)
Now Amy is the Mom of 3 beautiful, sweet children that were a complete dream to photograph. We met at Memorial Park, in Riverside & managed to capture some beautiful images!

Amy

Ashlyn

Ayden

And last but not least, Kirsten

Why does custom photography cost so much?

2009-09-02T13:52:00.007-04:00

The digital revolution has brought amazing flexibility and ability to control various factors during the image taking and making process. Photographers, the hobbyist, the professional, the amateur all benefit from this ability to manipulate pixels. However, with flexibility comes a price. Digital camera equipment is still considerably more expensive when you factor in its’ lifespan, the need for additional resources for processing those images, the time it takes to get a usable image and the effort that goes into creating a work of photographic art.

We all know that you can go to the local Walgreen’s and pay a $1.99 for a print – as a client you may wonder why you may pay upwards of $50, $70, $90 for a custom photography print. Photographers hear this statement every once in awhile:

“How in the world can you charge $60 for an 8×10 if it costs me less than $2 to print at x store?”

The truth of the matter is the answer to this question is multifaceted. Much of the cost of a photographic print produced by a professional photographer has a lot to do with the time, equipment costs, artistic vision and reputation of the photographer not to mention expertise and the usual costs of running a legitimate business.

The cost of TIME

Approaching it from a time standpoint, let’s imagine that you have hired a photographer who has work that you love. This photographer is traveling an hour to your destination to photograph your session. Here is an example of a time break down:

session prep time (30 mins – 1 hour, includes equipment and back up equipment checks + vehicle checks)
one hour travel time TO session
15-30 minutes prep time at client’s home
90 minutes-2 hours with client photographing subject
one hour travel time FROM session
30-45 minutes uploading time from digital cards from camera to computer
30-45 minutes time spent backing up the original images
2-10 hours editing time to present you with a diverse gallery of edited images
1 hour uploading images to a private gallery
1 hour prep time getting ready for ordering & submitting order to the lab
30 minutes-1 hour sorting through and checking order
30 minutes-1 hour prep time for delivery
any additional phone time or time needed for add on ordering, shipment issues, quality issues
In this example, the time spent per client can range from just under 13 hours to 19 hours – dependent on the photographer’s level of service. This is time dedicated only to ONE session. When the photographer charges $150-$300 for the photo shoot (aka SESSION FEE) you are not just paying for the two hours of session time, you are paying the photographer for 12-19 hours complete time for your session.The COSTS of Maintaining a Custom Photography Business:

Regarding equipment costs, a good quality professional camera with a selection of good optical quality lenses and digital storage mediums and computer set up can run from $10,000-$30,000 costs dependent on the photographer. Even though you can purchase a really good quality digital SLR for about $2100 there are still other costs related to photography. A good lens for portrait photography can run from $900 to $2500. A dependable computer system with software loaded for business and creative usage can run $2500 to $8000 dependent on the photographer.

Then come lab costs for specialty products. A good photographer knows the lab is integral to their success. Photography labs dedicated to the professional photographer often cost more and offer a range of products that allows the custom photographer to continually offer new, innovative products for you, the discerning client.

Discussion other costs of running a photography business could take awhile so we’ll skip many of the intricate details. There is of course much more: including costs of running the business, taxes, studio rental/mortgage if the photographer has ownership of a dedicated studio, vehicular costs, costs of advertising/marketing, costs of sample pieces that the photographer will likely bring to your session, etc.

APPLES to ORANGES to BANANAS:

Often times clients will mention to their photographer that X studio in the mall/department store only charges $19.99 for an 8×10 “sheet” or they may mention other things related to discount photography chains. The fact is those discount chains make their money on volume, not on customized 1:1 service. In February 2007 leased photography retail space by a rather well known discount department store that started in Arkansas closed down 500 of their portrait studios across the nation? The reason is simple, you cannot make money on 99¢ “professional” prints if you do not sell enough of them. Interestingly enough – those same studios that offer the loss leader packages often charge much much more for their a la carte pricing (as high as $40-50 for an 8×10). The whole reason the big department stores began offering portrait services in the first place was to get you, the savvy consumer, in through their door so that you could spend more money with them in other departments. Your “PORTRAITS” are considered the “loss leader”.

Going to a chain studio, as a consumer, you don’t have the benefit of 1:1 attention for 2 hours at your home where your child is allowed to explore, play and be comfortable in their home environment, nor do you get the experience that many custom photographers are known for or the lovely captures of natural expressions. You simply get a bare bones, “SAY CHEESE” experience. Keep this in mind when selecting a photographer.

REPUTATION/EXPERTISE of the PHOTOGRAPHER:

Being in demand, being well known for quality work, having a good reputation often costs time on the photographer’s part. Their expertise comes at a cost, their time learning their craft and learning the intricacies of lighting and the commitment put forth on their end to create a persona about their business that oozes professionalism. A great number of photographers go a very long time from the time that they purchase their first good camera to making money at the business of photography. Many photographers, when first starting out, rush in thinking that the business will be easily profitable in no time, how expensive could it be to get a camera and use it to create their dream? They often neglect to factor in the cost of business, the cost of equipment, software, back ups, etc..

Being of sound reputation, a better professional photographer knows that they must always reinvest in their business to create the reputation of being top notch. To create good work good equipment, reliable equipment, back up equipment is a necessity. The photographer who desires to be known as better/best/unparalelled reputation-wise knows that the most important thing they can do for their business is reliability and dependability. This is how reputations get built. Good work often is a wonderful side product of building that good reputation.

I hope this (lengthy) article helps shed some light on WHY a custom photographer is a better choice for your family’s memories. The photographs that are produced as a result of the professionalism and dedication that your photographer has will be cherished for a lifetime (or more) and great thought and consideration should be placed into hiring who is right for your family’s most precious investment.

Permission to use by Professional Child Photographer Consumer Guide web site, and author: Marianne Drenthe

Roans custom birth announcement!

2009-08-21T18:00:00.003-04:00

I LOOOVE the way that little Roan's custom birth announcement turned out! I think it looks Pottery Barn-ish :)

Super sweet!

I know that I've been a really bad blogger lately & that it looks like nothing is going on with Haydn Kree Photography.
I've got lots of new sneak peeks coming up next week, along with some personal updates. I hope that you will stop back by & visit :)

Everyone have a fabulous weekend & take care.
XXOO,
Erica

Photo swap {round 2}

2009-08-14T12:10:00.003-04:00

For round 2 of the photo swap, Brittani and I met up with Stephanie and her man at Hanna Park.
Now typically when you think of a photo session at Hanna Park, you would think of going on the beach to shoot. Instead, Stephanie found this terrific pile of junk for our backdrop, which I just loved!
Round 3 is for Mark & I which means that I am on a crash diet as of yesterday...lol.

I loooove the dress that Steph got from Etsy!!! Don't they look hot!?!

The Cullen Family

2009-07-31T13:04:00.002-04:00

I love working with the Cullen family so much! They are an absolutely gorgeous, loving family that have really become near and dear to my heart.
Erin (aka Mom) had a vision of a colorful family session at the beach, but...the first time that we met, it started to rain.
This first image was one from the rainy day & I just love it! I love the colors that the dark cloudy sky cast on the ocean, the calmness in Erin's expression & how content Addison looks in her Mommy's arms. Secretly, I wish that I had one just like it of Christian & I :)

I took this one that day too...Love it!!!

We did end up meeting again after the first attempt & managed to get some beautiful family images.
Enjoy :)

Matt (aka Daddy) and Max :) How fun are these!?!

Little Miss Addison & Mommy...She has grown so much since her newborn session!

Erin,
Thank you so much for everything. You are such a beautiful person inside & out & I appreciate the friendship that has developed between us. You have been so encouraging to me during such a tough time & I am so glad that I have gotten to know you & your lovely family.
XXOO,
Erica

an update on mark & prayer request

2009-07-18T16:55:00.004-04:00

I've been getting lots of emails lately asking how Mark is doing. We feel so grateful to have such supportive people in our lives & that you take the time to write & let us know that we are being prayed for & thought about. Thank you a million times :)

There has been a change in Marks health over the past several months. We have noticed that he is getting sick more & that his need for blood transfusions has increased. Mark remains strong & positive & at this point, it has been a bit of a "waiting game" to see what the Aplastic Anemia, is going to do next.

One of the horrible things about this disease, is that you have so many questions that remain unanswered. There are so few people that actually get aplastic anemia (1 in 1,000,000), that even the doctors don't know much about it. In all the time that Mark has had it, we have never even met anyone else with the disease.

This is so hard for me to ask, but could you please pray for my strength? Day to day it's been a hard lately. I can't imagine my life without Mark & even if I think about it for a moment, my heart just breaks. I keep so much inside that there are very few days in the past month or so, that I don't wake up with a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.

I also feel so guilty for these feelings. I want to be strong for my family & to have faith that God is in control. It's just so hard not to be scared to death of what the next day will bring.

At this point, all I know to do is pray, have faith in God, to be thankful for every day....and pray some more.

Thank you so much for your support. It means more to me than you will ever know.

XXOO

Photo swap {round 1}

2009-07-14T17:23:00.005-04:00

A few weeks ago I met up with Brittani & Stephanie, two very talented fellow photographers, for a fun photo swap.
We did Brittania & her sweet hubbys session first & they were fabulous in front of the camera :) You can't tell from the images, but it was soooo hot! We were all drenched with sweat by the time we finished.
I have had the best time getting to know these girls! It's so much fun to have friends that are photographers. This past weekend we met again for round 2 of the photo swap & captured Stephanie with her man. I'll post their images really soon :)

Addison is 3 months old!

2009-07-13T11:53:00.002-04:00

I can't believe that Addison is three months old already. It seems like only yesterday that I was shooting her newborn session & let me tell you...she is still so darn beautiful! More to come with the Cullens family beach session :)

I hope everyone has a wonderful Monday!!

I ♥ Faces Wedding Bells {week 25}

2009-06-28T23:56:00.006-04:00

Week 25 is going to be a fun week at I ♥ Faces!! The theme is wedding bells, and the guest judge is Jasmine Star!!! How fun is that?
My contest entry was from Beth & Tien's beautiful wedding that I had the pleasure of second shooting.
It's one of my favorite images from the wedding because this was not a planned kiss! Robin, the main photographer, asked all of the bridesmaids to blow her a kiss. Well, when the girls heard Robin's request, they kissed each other! My camera just happened to be in the right place at the right time...pretty lucky huh?!?

Head over to I ♥ Faces & join the fun :o)

Handsome baby Roan :)

2009-06-23T17:25:00.007-04:00

Meet little Roan...Isn't he the cutest?!? I tell you what...this is why I love my job!

Big brothers Luke & Jake

Mommy Patty

I love it when I can catch a smile :)

Patty,
Your boys are so beautiful! It has been so nice to get to know you & I can't wait for the big home coming :)
xxoo,
Erica

Sweet, beautiful Sadie

2009-06-19T15:57:00.005-04:00

I was invited to spend some time with the Wallis family last week for their beautiful daughter Sadie's first photo session! Ben (aka Daddy) is the Pastor of the
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH of Jacksonville Beach & his beautiful wife Julie is a school teacher.
They are blessed with two handsome boys, Jax & Landon and just welcomed their sweet daughter Sadie about three weeks ago.

Here are a few from our session :o)

Julie & Ben,
It was a joy to meet your family! I can't wait for you to see the rest of the images :)
Jax & Landon,
You guys did a fabulous job!!! Make sure you brush your teeth after eating all of that candy :) LOL.
XXOO,
Erica

I Heart Faces {week 21} Pets!!!

2009-06-02T10:21:00.006-04:00

This week atI heart faces they have a special "pet" category! I was super excited because I loooove animals :)

This is a portrait that I took, and then painted in Corel painter.

This is Bandit. He belongs to my Mother-n-Law & he is the sweetest doggy! I love the curious look that he has in this image :)

Christian got a new "do"

2009-06-01T17:36:00.002-04:00

My little baby boy is not so little any more...
The first time that Mark & I took Christian to get a haircut, we learned that he had a cowlick on the left side of his bangs. Basically, once his hair dried it looked like the left side of his bangs were about an inch shorter than the right. For the next month everywhere we went people would ask me if he cut his own bangs...
So ever since that hair cut, I've always asked for the stylist to leave it longer.

That is....until this past Saturday...and I LOVE his new "do"!!!!

Here is a before shot;

Here is the new do!!!

The Wedding of Beth & Tien {Part 2}

2009-05-29T12:45:00.003-04:00

I finally got the time to put together part 2 of Beth & Tien's beautiful wedding!

This little cutie is Beth's niece, Addison! Isn't she precious :)

Okay...I wanted to show you this because I think that Tien's toe touch is quite impressive...WOW WEE!

I love Sonny's expression in this image! (Sonny is Tien's brother & was also the best man.)

There is a really sweet story behind these red socks. It was actually a surprise that Tien planned for Beth :)
Beth was very close to her Grandfather, who is now in heaven. He wore red socks every day & was well known to do so. Because he could not be at their special day physicaly, Tien had all of the guys wear red socks in his memory.
Is that not the sweetest?!?

Now this was really funny...Tien had something else up his sleeve (literally) when he went to take off Beth's guarder for the toss.
Robin & I knew this was going to happen ahead of time & my job was to get Beth's expression when she saw what Tien pulled out from under her dress!

Here's the expression shot...LOL

And this is what he pulled out :)

I really had THE BEST time second shooting Beth & Tien's wedding with Robin! We made a really good team!
Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and look at part 2!

A great idea for custom birth announcements

2009-05-28T11:14:00.003-04:00

You may remember Erin from a session that I posted a while back for baby Addison.
After our session, I designed a (5x7, flat, two sided) custom birth announcement for the Cullen family. During the design process, Erin came up with fabulous idea that I wanted to share with everyone.
Because it was a 5x7, she wanted to put a full bleed image of the family on one side of the card. Her thought was that when family and friends received the card, they would not only have a beautiful birth announcement on one side, but a 5x7 family image on the other side that they could then frame.
I thought this was a FABULOUS idea!!!

Here is the finished birth announcement;

I looooove it...and it looked even prettier once it was printed!

A quick little tease for tom & linda

2009-05-26T16:49:00.003-04:00

Just one little tease for Tom and Linda from their San Marco photo session...aren't they the cutest?!?
You may remember seeing Tom on the blog before when I created a painting for him when he received "Houston's Top Docs" in "H" magazine.
I'll have more images up for you guys really soon :)

Happy Memorial Day!

2009-05-25T10:57:00.002-04:00

I wanted to wish everyone a Happy Memorial Day & to thank all of our military, past and present, for fighting & serving our country. It's because of you that we enjoy our freedom and our everyday lives as Americans. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

This is a picture of my Grandfather, Charles Bowman, who bravely served our country for 45 years and 4 months; 20 years & 4 months with the U.S. Navy and 25 years with the Federal Aviation Administration.
He sadly passed away at the young age of 64 after a long cancer battle. He and my Grandma were married for 43 years! I know that he is in heaven with Jesus watching over us.
I love you Grandad!

Fix-it-Friday {I ♥ Faces}

2009-05-22T12:23:00.004-04:00

This is my first time participating in Fix-it-Friday on the fabulous I ♥ Faces photography blog. Every Friday an image is posted, and the ladies at I ♥ Faces ask their contributors to "Fix it up" and explain how they did it.
The readers are also asked to play along! You can see all of the contributors "before" and "afters" HERE :)

This is the image for week #14 "Ponytail Princess"
BEFORE

AFTER

When I first looked at the photo I knew that it would not be too hard because this little girl is SUCH a cutie pie!
I also knew that I wanted it to have a "vintage" look when I was finished.

So, this is what I did;
1. Dodged the catch lights & iris (I didn't do anything with the eye whites). I use "screen" with a layer mask to achieve this. I like this option because it is non destructive.
2. Burned the eyelashes & pupils. I use "multiply" with a layer mask for this.
3. Unsharp mask & layer mask to sharpen eyes.
4. Simple "S" in a curves adjustment layer.
5. Levels adjustment layer to lift mid tones to brighten the white wall & the little girls face.
6. Cropped in a landscape format going about 3 inches past my actual canvas on the left.
7. Used the Rectangular Marquee tool and grabbed some of the white wall on the left & used the Free Transform tool to stretch it on to the empty canvas that I created when I cropped the image.
8. Cloned out the couch.
9. Used a Nik filter "Pastel" at 20%.
10. Created a new layer & filled it with white. Reduced the opacity to about 10% to give the image a "powder like" look.
11. Hugh & Saturation" adjustment layer to saturate her lips.
12. Second Hugh & Saturation adj. layer to tone down the pink on her pony tail holders.
13. Grabbed a soft brush in "color" mode at 20%. Chose a color from her lips and lightly brushed her cheeks.
14. Put the image in one of my card templates.

Gosh...I hope I didn't forget anything!

Time for daddy to take over potty training...

2009-05-21T12:24:00.004-04:00

I never imagined that potty training would be such a challenge! My son Christian is now 3 & 1/2 and has been going pee pee in the potty for quite some time.
But....when it comes time to poop......that's a whole different ball game. It has been a HUGE challenge!
So, the last time we were at the Pediatricians office, his doctor suggested that we allow Christian to "watch" us when we are going. I was not to hot about the idea of giving up my private time in the bathroom but....well lets just say, you get desperate.

Yesterday I made my daily trip to the restroom with my 3 year old right by my side. When I was finished, I zipped my pants up and said, "See Mommy is a big girl!"

By this point, Christian looked pretty puzzled. I squatted to his level and said, "whats wrong buddy?"
He said, "Momma...Where is your pee pee?"
I said, "Momma doesn't have a pee pee because I am a girl & girls don't have pee pees."
Christian thought about this for a moment...then he said, "Momma, I'm going to tell Daddy to go to the pee pee store and buy you one."

I think that was my clue that it's time for Daddy to take over! I can't wait to tell him about this when he's about 17 :) LOL

Photo Swap!

2009-05-20T10:17:00.003-04:00

As a photographer & a Mom I have stacks of images that I am not in. Even before I became a mother, the only time that an image would have both Mark & I in it was when one of us would hold the camera out to take the picture. So needless to say we have lots of images with our two giant heads & Marks right arm... sexxxaaay huh?!? Lol

So, when I read about a group of professional photographers who decided to do a photo swap, I thought it was a brilliant idea!

The details;
- This is open to PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS in Jacksonville, or who would be willing to travel here.
- You must be willing to participate in photographing & providing the other photographers with their images, free of charge, as the same will be done for you.
- A date & location will be picked once we get a head count & look at every ones schedules.
- I think the group should be smaller (maybe 3 or 4 photographers). That way everyone can get the attention they deserve.

Are you game? If so, drop me a line at; haydnkreephotography @ comcast . net :)

I can't wait to hear from you!!
xxoo,

I ♥ Faces Blurb photo book challenge {week 19}

2009-05-19T15:11:00.009-04:00

I'm sooo excited about the I heart faces photo challenge! The images submitted will be considered for the I ♥ Faces blurb photo book, which I know will be amazing!!!

The instructions were to pick out your favorite face photo. Well, if you know me...this was not an easy task...LOL. I went back in forth with about 5 different images before I finally called my hubby in the room to help me make the final decision :)

So this is my entry for the professional category. I can't wait to see all of the entries!!!

I am submitting this photo into the www.iheartfaces.com Blurb Book photo contest. I am granting I ♥ Faces permission to use my photo in a printed version of a book for commercial use and possibly advertising of a photo book on both the Blurb and I ♥ Faces web sites.

First Communion Sessions

2009-05-19T14:39:00.005-04:00

One of the best things about being a photographer is that you get to witness & record so many special times in peoples lives! I love First Communion portrait sessions because the parents are always so excited & the children look like little angels.

Emily, Erin, Marian & Marianne attend Holy Spirit Catholic Church. We met at the beautiful Rosary Garden at Holy Spirit to capture the girls first communion portraits. These girls have been friends for years which made the four mini sessions even more fun. It was so cute & sweet how the girls would encourage each other while they were getting their picture taken.

Meet Erin & Emily (sweet twin sisters!!!)

This is Marianne :)

And last but not least...beautiful Marian!

All four of the girls sitting on the park bench before we started. Don't they look like beautiful little brides :)

Getting back to normal after a hard week

2009-05-18T10:57:00.007-04:00

Through out my life I have heard the saying, "God will never put anything in your life that you can't handle". I've also heard, "Whatever doesn't kill you will make you stronger". These statements certainly took on a whole different meaning in late 2002.

I never believed in love at first site, that is, until I met Mark in early 2002. My Mother was working at a cigar shop in Sawgrass Village & I had gone to visit her one afternoon. I walked in the door, and there he was! Our eyes locked, we were introduced to each other by Mom, and then we had a conversation that lasted for about 3 hours.

When I was driving home that afternoon, I remember thinking about how handsome and sweet he was & that I didn't want our time together to end. It was just one of those moments that you wish that you could "freeze time".
Well, it wasn't long before he was calling me & we were having our three our conversations every day. If it wasn't on the phone, we would meet at the very cigar shop that we met at & just sit & enjoy each other for hours. I woke up every morning thinking of him, and went to sleep every night thinking of him. It didn't take me long to realize that I had met my soul mate.

During this time, Mark had been building a new house. In late 2002, he moved in to his new home & invited me over to see the house. I was so happy for him & couldn't wait to see the home that I had heard so much about. He picked me up & drove me to his home...and I never left. It's funny...he never officially asked me to move in...but, he never wanted me to go home. Life was just perfect...

A few months after we had moved in together, we had been doing some work in the yard & I noticed that he was getting out of breath. I was a little worried, but then just thought, "maybe it's because he's getting a little over heated". I didn't realize it at the time, but Mark was really worried. You see, he had been diagnosed with Aplastic Anemia several years earlier, but had been in remission for six years. This feeling that he was getting of being "out of breath" was the same feeling that he had when he was first diagnosed.

We sat down that evening and decided that it was time to make a appointment to see what was going on. At the time, I really had no idea how serious this horrible disease was. I thought that if someone had anemia, they just needed to up their iron intake. Boy did I have a surprise three days later when we walked into the doctors office. I remember when the doctor walked in with Mark's lab results in his hand & told us that Mark's Aplastic Anemia was back. Looking back, I still didn't know how serious this was at that moment. It wasn't until we got home that night and I Googled "Aplastic Anemia". I was devastated, and so scared about what was to come.

When I came out of the office that night, I found Mark on the sofa staring off into space. He looked up at me with tears in his eyes and asked, "Have I ruined your life?" I said, "You are the best thing that has ever happened to me!" I put my arms around him and we cried together. This was the beginning of our fight with Aplastic Anemia. You can read more about our fight in a previous blog post HERE.

Fast forward to last week...

Mark got sick...really sick. We went to the doctor they wanted to put him in the hospital immediately. He had an upper respiratory infection, a fungal infection on his leg, and his blood levels were critical. Well if you know Mark...he was not about to let the doctor put him in the hospital. He told the doctor that there was no reason for him to be admitted & that he could come to the hospital every day & come home at night. So, that's what we did for a week, and then on the weekend, we had a home health nurse come into our home.

To top it off, the day that I took Mark to the doctor, I received a call that my Mother-n-law had been admitted to St. Lukes hospital was sick. Then to really put the icing on the cake, the next morning, I got another phone call that my Father-n-law had fallen while walking the dogs, and was taken to the hospital & most likely had broken his shoulder.

Needless to say, I was a wreck! I put out a prayer request on my Facebook page. The next morning when I opened my email, I was so humbled by the response that I received by my request. I had a ton of emails letting me know that we were being prayed for, and offering help. God is so good...

Thank you so much for taking the time out of your day and letting Mark and I know that you care. Even though Mark & I continuously live with the uncertainty of Aplastic Anemia, we feel so blessed. We have God, each other, a beautiful son, and such a caring network of support from our wonderful friends and family.
I am happy to report that after LOTS of IV antibiotics, 4 units of blood, and alot of prayer, my sweetie is doing much better! My mother-n-law is out of the hospital & my father-n-law did break his shoulder, but it wont require surgery.

You will never know how much your supportive words and prayers mean to me.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart...I love you guys!

XXOO,
Erica

I Heart Faces {week 18}

2009-05-13T15:46:00.004-04:00

I was so excited to see that the I heart faces challenge for week 18 is "laughter"! There are so many things that I love about images of people laughing. For one, I love the way that someones eyes just "light up" when they burst out in a big belly laugh. Secondly, I love the way laughter images are completely candid & you can really see the personality of your subject...and lastly, images of people laughing make me smile :).

I decided to enter this image of Christian (my little man) in the children's category. It was taken on his birthday this past November when my husband & I surprised him by bringing cupcakes up to his school for his special day.

I think it's sweet that you can see the blue and pink frosting in his back molars! I thought about taking it out, but then thought that it adds to the memory of that special day. :)

I Heart Faces {week 17}

2009-05-04T19:17:00.005-04:00

I found the best photography blog called I heart faces that celebrates the art of photographing faces. It's a fabulous place where photographers, at any level, can go to get inspired and compete in there fun weekly challenges! I encourage anyone who enjoys the art of photography to go and check them out :)

This week the challenge is "hats". You can enter in (2) different categories (kids, or adults) I chose an image of Christian for the "kids" category that I took about a year ago. I love this images so much it's actually on my splash page!

The judge of the challenge is going to be Jodi Friedman with MCP actions I'm excited to see everyones entries & see who Jodi picks!

Family

2009-04-30T15:09:00.004-04:00

We had the best time last month visiting Mark's dad, brothers & step mom in Texas last month! I just got to go through some of the images from our trip & thought I would share a few special ones that I really love.

This group shot is 3 generations of Larson men!
(from left to right)
Eric (Mark's brother), Dad, Mark (my sweetie pie), Chris (Mark's brother), and Christian at the bottom (my other sweetie pie)

Mark's furry sister Missy :)

Mark's other furry sister Choula :)

We really had the best time visiting. It had been about 2 and a half years since we had seen everyone (looong overdue!) and hopefully, we will get back there to visit again really soon.

The Wedding of Beth & Tien {Part 1}

2009-04-28T12:43:00.005-04:00

Last week I was thrilled to second shoot Beth and Tien's wedding with Robin in Destin, Florida.
The wedding was so full of love and culture and it was such an honor to be there to document such a special occasion.
I absolutely love second shooting because I challenge myself to come up with creative images that the couple is going to cherish, and the main photographer is going to be able to use in the album. I figure the last thing that the photographer and couple are going to want is 500 group images of the family & wedding party posing and looking away from my camera for the main photographer. I always try to look for sweet candid moments that happen between the shots that the main photographer is taking (kind of the "picture within the picture" that the main photographer is capturing).
There are so many images that I love from the wedding that I have decited to break it up into 2 different posts :)
Enjoy!!!

Charity {Giving Back}

2009-04-15T16:54:00.004-04:00

Comming Soon

My New Logo!

2009-04-10T18:17:00.004-04:00

I am so thrilled with my new logo! It was created by the very talented Joell, owner of Image Garden Design. Not only did Joell design the perfect logo for me, she was also a complete joy to work with.
Image Garden Design specializes in card templates, blog designs & logo designs for photographers. Joell herself, is a very talented photographer! I think that is a bonus because she really understands the needs of owning and operating a photography business.
So, if you ever need to freshen up your logo, website, or just want to pick up some beautiful new card templates...check her out! You will not be disappointed!

A Wonderful Prayer

2009-04-08T22:13:00.005-04:00

I received this little prayer via email tonight from my Dad & thought it was really great. It's a reminder that you never know what other people are going through in their own lives & to have a little patience & understanding for others. You never know, your actions might be the highlight of someones day :).
I've noticed that so many people are so quick to judge & treat people in a way that they would never want to be treated. Every time I run across a person like this I just think to myself, "Gosh, it must be hard to be so angry and hateful all of the time".
I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did. Feel free to steal it & post it on your blog or paste it in an email. I think it's a message worth sharing.

Heavenly Father, Help us remember that the jerk who cut us off in traffic last night is a single mother who worked nine hours that day and is rushing home to cook dinner, help with homework, do the laundry and spend a few precious moments
with her children.

Help us to remember that the pierced, tattooed, disinterested young man who can't make change correctly is a worried 19-year-old college student, balancing his apprehension over final exams with his fear of not getting his student loans for next semester.

Remind us, Lord, that the scary looking bum, begging for money in the same spot every day (who really ought to get a job!) is a slave to addictions that we can only imagine in our worst nightmares.

Help us to remember that the old couple walking annoyingly slow through the store aisles and blocking our shopping progress are savoring this moment, knowing that, based on the biopsy report she got back last week, this will be the last year that they go shopping together.

Heavenly Father, remind us each day that, of all the gifts you give us, the greatest gift is love. It is not enough to share that love with those we hold dear. Open our hearts not to just those who are close to us, but to all humanity. Let us be slow to judge and quick to forgive, show patience, empathy and love.
Matt 5:44

Working for God on earth doesn't pay much. . .but His retirement plan is out of this world..

A sneak peek for the Allrich family :o)

2009-04-01T22:28:00.003-04:00

I met with this sweet family about 2 weeks ago for their family session. We went out to Big Talbot Island & when we got out on the beach, we quickly realized that we were facing Gail force winds! Everyone was cold, sand was blowing...it was pretty apparent that in order to continue the session we would have to find a location further inland.
We started the hike back through the woods to get back to our cars and as we were walking, we came upon a section of the path with no wind. I was so excited!!! We continued on with the session, and I couldn't be happier with the beautiful images that we captured!

Hey Liz!
There is more to come!!! I hope you enjoy your preview :)
Erica

Validation {A fabulous short film}

2009-03-31T15:02:00.004-04:00

I thought this short film was just too cool. This is for anyone who has ever needed a little validation...or just needs to smile.

Meet Baby Addison

2009-03-30T17:24:00.002-04:00

This little cutie pie was only about 12 days new when I went to her house for her very first photo session.
So, here she is...Lil' Miss Addison

The very handsome big brother, Max.

Some little details...

Mommy (Erin) and Daddy (Matt) with their newest little angel!

Thank you guys so much for inviting me into your home...I had the best time!! :)

The economy stinks!!! Lets have a contest {The Winner}

2009-03-30T10:05:00.003-04:00

I want to thank everyone for your contest entries! It was not an easy choice...The winner is Taylor Williamson!
Congrats girl! I am so excited about your idea :)
I will share Taylor's idea a little later. I have been so sick for the past 4 days & am finally getting to go to the doctor.
I hope everyone is doing good & I will post more details soon!
xxoo,

The economy stinks!!! Lets have a contest :o)

2009-03-20T18:51:00.004-04:00

Anytime that you turn on the news these days you can guarantee that the news anchor's will be talking about something depressing...the economy, the War Against Terror etc... So I thought it would be fun to have a little contest & get our minds off of depressing issues even if it's just for a little while.

So here is the contest:
If you could have any type of photo session what would it be? Send an email to haydnkreephotography{at}comcast{dot}net telling me all about it. Tell me who would participate, location, clothing selection etc... You can be as detailed as you want to be.
What I'm looking for is creativity. This could be any type of session {example: family, engagement, trash the dress, fashion...and the list could go on & on}
Deadline for submitting your entry will be Friday March 27th at 12:00 midnight EST.
The winner will receive their dream session with $100.00 gift credit!

The Rules:
Only 1 entry per person
The session has to take place in Jacksonville or surrounding areas (the beach, Orange Park etc...)
You can not exchange the winning gift for cash.
The people mentioned in your entry must be the people photographed.

I can't wait to read your entry! If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to shoot me an email.
The winner will be announced on Sunday March 29th! :o)

Good Luck!!!

Beautiful Ella

2009-03-20T16:45:00.006-04:00

Amy Crider from a post about a month ago. Well, a couple of weeks ago we decited to get together and take some pictures of her girls Ella and Reece.
As you may recall, Amy and her family have not only been wonderful clients, but have really become great friends. In the past year we have had several sessions including; maternity, Reeces' birth, newborn & her My Little Miracle Party. As you can imagine, over the coarse of the past year, Amy & I have developed a very special bond & I have been so honored to capture such special events in there life!
When I arrived at Amy's house little Miss Reece was pretty tired so we decited to focus primarily on getting some beautiful images of Ella. When we first started, I did manage to get an image of the girls together & then Amy & Reece sat and watched as Ella modeled for me in the back yard. I was so proud of her...she did a fabulous job!

Can you tell that Ella is like a little mommy to Reece? They are both so beautiful :)

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A Fernandina Photo Session With A Side Of Friendship

2009-03-20T13:23:00.007-04:00

I had the best time last month meeting up with two of my friends & fellow photographers Ginger Dupre and Jenny Medure for a fun fashion photoshoot in downtown Fernandina.
Ginger invited Josinda & Alisha to come along and model for us. The weather was just beautiful & the girls did a fabulous job getting their groove on in front of our cameras.
On a side note, I enjoy these types of sessions so much! It is so nice to be able to experiment with different poses, camera angles & post processing techniques that I normally might not get to do during a paid session. It's also so much fun to get together with photographer frinds to have "girl" time. It really has been a blessing to have met so many wonderful people since starting my photography business...I really do have the best job in the world :o)

This is Ginger...Isn't she beautiful!

Ginger with her hubby Jon who is always sending her little love notes on Facebook...Isn't that sweet!

And this is Jenny...She is so gorgeous!

And our fabulous, beautiful models Josinda (who is getting married soon!) and the lovely Alisha

Alisha

Josinda

During the session 3 college guys became very interested in what we were doing. They watched & then volenteered to get in front of the camera!

And a couple more of Alisha.

Thank you so much ladies! I had a fabulous time!!! :)

My Anniversary!!! Woo Hoo!!!

2009-02-24T15:08:00.007-05:00

Well, Feb. is a really busy month for Mark & I. We call it our "Love Month" I know...it's just a little corny...but that's just us :)
We have Valentines Day, our anniversary & my birthday all in one month! Let me tell you, Mark stays very busy during the month of February.
This year we celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary which really felt like a huge milestone for us. I couldn't help but to thank God for keeping him hear with me for another year. I didn't really want any material gifts...I am just really happy to have my family together plus, Mark has had a really good month!!!
Last week Mark surprised me & arranged a babysitter & took me to Ruth's Chris for dinner. We were actually able to have a very romantic dinner & grown up conversation (an added bonus with our 3 year old) at the very place that Mark asked me to be his wife. It was fabulous!!!

These our a few images from our wedding day. They were taken by Barbara Pickett who is a wonderful photographer that lives in Dunellon, Florida.
All of my wedding images were taken with a film camera & have had no edits in Photoshop.

Lil' Baby Bear

2009-01-29T16:34:00.003-05:00

I thought these were just so stinkin' cute that I had to share a few! This is the third time that I have photographed this little cutie & she is like a dream in front of the camera (not to mention very sweet).
Enjoy!

Meet Erica

2009-01-27T12:13:00.001-05:00

Comming Soon!

A Good #14

2009-01-27T11:47:00.004-05:00

Yesterday I was tagged on Facebook and asked to come up with 25 random things about myself. Well, #14 on my list was "I love to laugh so hard that it hurts my stomach & tears stream down my cheeks & wish I could do it every day."
Later I received an email from Jaren (a very talented fellow photographer) that #14 on my list had inspired a post on her her blog. When I checked out her post she totally made my #14 wish come true! I had a wonderful belly laugh after seeing what she had posted for me. I will now & forever refer a "good belly laugh" to a "number 14" thanks to Jaren!
Check out Jaren's cameo next Monday on Scarlett Lillian's blog!!

This is my favorite picture of Christian for 2008! He's having a fabulous #14!!!

I've been tagged on Facebook! 25 Random things about myself...

2009-01-26T11:41:00.006-05:00

Rules: Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you.

(To do this, go to “notes” under tabs on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your 25 random things, tag 25 people (in the right hand corner of the app) then click publish.)

1. I'm super emotional...I can't even watch Extreme Make-over Home without crying.

2. I have been married to Mark for 5 years next month.

3. We brought our son Christian home when he was 2 days old & adopted him when he was 1 year old.

4. I get freaked out if someone touches my stomach...This took a while for Mark to get used to.

5. I sleep with a stuffed animal in my arms & a pillow between my knees every night.

6. I have a hard time sleeping if I don't hear my husband snoring...

7. My 2 favorite things to eat are sushi & chocolate.

8. I always try to find the good in people.

9. Mark calls me "Spootie" instead of "Erica" and it's starting to rub off on Christian.

10. I love to sing to the radio in my car when I'm alone.

11. I love my job & feel blessed to be able to do it.

12. I tell Mark that I love him at least 30 times a day.

13. I can't whistle no matter how hard I try.

14. I love to laugh so hard that it hurts my stomach & tears stream down my cheeks & wish I could do it every day.

15. I feel funny if I don't wear high heel shoes.

16. I can only stick my tongue out about 1/2 of an inch.

17. I love my doxie pup & would have at least 3 more if I had the time.

18. I horrible at spelling!

19. I love perfume & makeup & have way too much of both!

20. If I wasn't a photographer I would want to be a nurse or social worker...I enjoy helping people.

21. I'm a romantic at heart.

22. I have a hard time making big decisions.

23. I am a people pleaser & have a hard time saying "no". That is why Mark is now my business manager.

24. I enjoy watching cartoons with my little boy :)

25. I HATE to do laundry & will wait until the last possible moment to do it.

I tagged some of my Facebook friends this morning! I've been tagged before but I must say it was pretty hard listing 25 things about myself! I had to put my thinking cap on this morning :)

Why Choose Custom Photography?

2009-01-21T12:10:00.003-05:00

Custom photography is more of a luxury than your entry level cookie cutter chain experience. Custom photography truly is not for everyone, it requires a level of commitment, investment in time and money, forethought and planning on the part of the subject/client and requires a larger time commitment for the photographer as well.

Clients who enjoy taking a more active role in the creation of their families’ memories have the desire to have portrait art that is truly personalized. These more discerning clients have been known to budget and allot time for a custom photography session. Many clients opt for it to be a once a year special experience, some opt to have custom photography sessions done to record their child’s stages in life. Having said this, it is clear that custom photography is not in everyone’s budget, it is something that most families save for to splurge on from time to time to memorialize their children as they really are (not posed and primped in the cookie cutter studio setting).

There is a great deal of time involved in creating high end custom photography sessions for a client. The luxury of great service, better choices and a supberb end product. The result of all this are heirloom quality images. The time invested at the session is only a small portion of time involved in this process.

Custom photography has been likened to purchasing a fine vehicle. To get to point B from A let’s face it, even a bus ride would suffice. If you want to luxuriate in a finely appointed vehicle, customizing your own experience by listening to smooth jazz while sitting in a climate controlled setting adjusted purely for your comfort in a body hugging leather interior, perhaps that Lexus you so desire is your cup of tea. Custom photography is much the same cup of tea. It is the Lexus of the photography world. It is where the intangibles make the experience truly wonderful and the images themselves make the investment of money and time truly worthwhile.

Custom photography can be broken down into even more levels. There are on location, studio, mixed studio/on location, specialty location and destination type photographers. The beauty of custom photography is in the choices and in the luxury of thoses options. The customized service level you are sure to experience will be amazing. The knowledge that your final images are the result of someone caring about those moments so much that they take extra time ensuring that the artwork you receive is good enough to stand by with their name on it. That level of quality and commitment is all but lost in the age of "mass produced," "mass marketed," corporate "everyone is a number". Custom photography is based on being unique to you. How great an experience would be, to be able to sit back and allow a photographer to do this highly custom work for images that you will most likely cherish for a lifetime?

Keep in mind more than anything that the Lexus will never appreciate in value the way your portraits will. The portrait art you become invested in from your custom photographer will no doubt increase in value and become more priceless as the years pass.

Now that you have read about why you should choose a custom photographer, you might be thinking, "Why does custom photography cost so much?"
That answer & more, here.

Permission to use by Professional Child Photographer Consumer Guide web site, and author: Marianne Drenthe

My Little Miracle Essay Contest Honoring the Crider Family

2009-01-21T11:57:00.021-05:00

Last week I had the privilege to attend a luncheon at Florida Institute for Reproductive Medicine to honor Amy Crider & her beautiful family.
This is a story that is near and dear to my heart & has really come full circle for me. Before I tell you about the party let me give you a little background on the relationship that I have with Amy's family.
This past year I was introduced to Amy by our mutual friend and hair stylist Pam. I had mentioned to Pam that I really wanted to photograph a birth & that if she knew of anyone who was interested to send them my way. I received a call a couple of weeks later from Pam telling me that she had a client that was interested in birth photography & that she also needed a maternity session.
One of the many blessings of being a photographer is the special people that God puts in your life. Amy and Tracey are such beautiful people inside and out & it has been a true gift to document such a special time in their lives. In the past nine months we have done a maternity session, birth, newborn session and this luncheon.
Amy is a wonderful Christian woman who today, I am proud to call my friend!
Here is some of what we have captured over the last 9 months:

This is Amy & her sweet daughter Ella

This is the day that Miss Reece came into the world

Reece's first breath.

The first time Amy saw little Reece...I just love these!

Amy's mom Robin holding Reece. Can't you just see the love in her eyes...

This was taken at our newborn session. I love how comfortable and content Reece is on her Daddy's back.

A couple of months after Reece was born Amy wrote a very touching essay for the "Little Miracles" nationwide essay contest sponsored by Ferring Pharmaceuticals. The fifth annual contest celebrates the birth of children who were conceived using Ferring’s MENOPUR® and/or BRAVELLE®. Amy was Runner Up!!!!
Here is her essay & some images from her Little Miracles luncheon:

A Modern Day Miracle: My Daughter, Reece Elizabeth
If I Knew Then What I Know Now

“The problem with infertility is that I am mourning children that do not exist and I'm the only one who misses them."

I once read this quote, during my infertility journey. It is hidden in my heart so I will never forget what others feel as they pursue their own journey to parenthood. It is hard to know where to begin this essay; I have written and re-written it in my head a million times. My husband and I have been on an amazing journey and it is hard to put into words. Infertility, is a powerful, heart wrenching, scary word, and if spoken aloud-thoughtlessly, can bring one to tears in a matter of seconds. Am I an infertile? Yes. Did I ever imagine I would be one of “those women?” No. Am I thankful that I am now considered part of this elite group? Absolutely.
Our journey to parenthood has been a life changing experience, one we will never take for granted. With the support of our family, my amazing doctor, a very special nurse, our increasing faith and new pharmaceuticals, we have experienced in all regards a modern day miracle.
In the fall of 2004, I gave birth to my beautiful daughter, Ella. After exactly 12 months of charting, temperature taking and perfectly timed intercourse; we were finally on the road to building our family. Little did we know our journey had just begun. Convincing myself everything was fine regarding my fertility, especially after conceiving Ella on our own; we decided to try again for a second child. After experiencing months and months of disappointing negative pregnancy tests, I knew it was time to head to the doctor.
On November 9, 2006, my daughter’s second birthday, I received devastating news of two very large tumors attached to my ovaries that were possibly cancerous. My husband was deployed to the Persian Gulf at the time, and it felt as if our world was tumbling down. After extensive doctor visits and second opinions, I was referred to Dr. Kevin Winslow at the Florida Reproductive Institute. There was no cancer found, but Dr. Winsolw discovered I had stage 4 endometriosis and had severe damage to my abdomen and reproductive organs. We were so thankful that I did not have cancer, but at the same time realizing our life-long dream for more children was no longer a possibility; that is until we learned we did in fact have options. He explained that with new medical advances and specialized stimulating drugs such as Bravelle and Menopur we would have a chance of recovering a few healthy eggs. My husband and I embarked into unknown territory. At that point I became an advocate for my body as well as for my future children; learning all I could about my physical body system and in turn learning about my inner spirit and strength. After undergoing a laparoscopy to drain the endometrioma’s (endo tumors) we started our first IVF process. Excited, scared and anxious we shared our story freely with others, extended family, friends and even strangers; one mistake we would decide not to make again. Not knowing how we were going to pay for this process, but not willing to accept a hysterectomy, I started raising funds and made a website and began selling my handmade necklaces. With the news of our exciting journey, our families and friends began selling the necklaces to pay for our awaiting miracle. Upon hearing of our adventure, my nurse shared our story with Dr. Winslow and in turn he provided his services without charge. This act of selflessness was more than we could comprehend. We had been in a whirl-wind of emotion and we were so optimistic, we just knew our first IVF would result in a child. Sadly, our pregnancy test was negative and we lost our embryos. We were completely devastated. It was so hard for us as a family, but to have everyone question and offer advice was almost unbearable. From that point, we had a small support group that we were able to confide in. Looking back, it was so important to accept our loss and move forward, for I had so much to live and be thankful for. I knew that we hadn’t been on such an amazing journey to end up sad and bitter. After losing the embryos and having time to grieve, I began to realize that I needed to take all of the energy that I had put into getting pregnant into something positive to help others, just like my healthcare team had taken care of my husband and I. I then enrolled into college, pursuing a nursing degree at night, inspired by my IVF nurse, I hope to one day advocate for others in the same way she did for me.
After taking a short break, it was decided we could try one final IVF and if it failed, we would continue with a hysterectomy. This time, I first underwent abdominal surgery and had all of the endo removed, six weeks later we started our second and final IVF. This time, we were very private with each step of the process, more realistic of the odds and were more emotionally prepared for the unknown outcome. We surrounded ourselves with a small support group, focused on our daughter Ella, made long term plans of becoming a nurse and strengthened our marriage and faith.
It is with the utmost pride I write today, that I am just 7 months short of graduating nursing school; my daughter Ella is now a proud big sister as my daughter Reece Elizabeth was born May 23, 2008; beautiful, healthy and absolutely our true modern day miracle.
If I knew then what I know now; I actually wouldn’t have changed a single moment. I have learned that you can’t compare your own fertility journey with others, you have to be an advocate for yourself, be informed about your body, have an intimate support group, follow the doctor’s orders explicitly and most of all be thankful for the opportunity be part of something bigger than yourself. Am I thankful to be infertile? Absolutely.

Some of the sweet girls that work at Florida Institute for Reproductive Medicine

Tracey, Amy, big sister Ella, Lil' Reece, Brian & Robin (proud grandparents)

The prize! I still don't know how they got that in their car...

Patty...The BEST IVF nurse EVER!!!!! :)

Kevin Winslow M.D.

Daniel Duffy M.D.

And of coarse...a couple of HOT MAMAS!!! LOL

Amy & Tracey, Thank you so much for inviting me in to your lives! I have enjoyed capturing your special moments & getting to know you as friends. God truly has blessed you with each other & both of your little miracles.

Need help with photoshop?

2009-01-14T14:14:00.003-05:00

I have gotten so many emails from new photographers asking if I teach Photoshop. So, in 2009 I am going to start offering one on one Photoshop training sessions.
I know that Photoshop is not an easy program to figure out on your own & I am happy to share my knowledge & experience with you!
For more information or to book a training session please call: 904.226.8359.

Sneak Peek for Amy

2009-01-07T16:22:00.005-05:00

This past weekend I had a great session with Allyson & Victoria. One of the pictures from this session is going to become a water color painting. The only problem is I'm having a really hard time choosing the image that I'm going to use!!!
Here is just a few of many beautiful images captured of these gorgeous girls in their back yard last Saturday morning. :)

My Latest Painting

2008-12-29T16:56:00.005-05:00

I was contacted by Mackenzie {pictured right} asking if I could paint a picture that had been taken of herself, her sister & their 2 dogs to give to her mother for Christmas. After she emailed the image to me I was so excited to take on the project! I knew that it would not be easy because most of the girls facial features were blown out by the flash on the photographers camera. I even had to get Mackenzie to email a picture of her teeth to me before I started so I could see how they are shaped!!! :)

Here is the original:

And about 17 hours later...

I had the best time with this project & am so proud of the way it turned out. The family has decided to have the painting put on an 16x20 canvas & framed in an antique gold frame. I can't wait to see this painting on canvas!!!

And The Winner Is...

2008-12-26T15:23:00.006-05:00

The winner of the Giving is Awesome essay contest is "Glenda" of Orange Park, Florida. The essay was submitted by her sister Megan. I'm going to contact Megan & Glenda to get permission to put the details of the essay on the blog because some of the information is of a personal nature. However, I did want to congratulate Glenda for winning a photo session for her family & 600.00 in photo art! Megan will receive a $200.00 gift certificate for nominating her sister! I can't wait to post the images & the wonderful essay that her sister sent in. More details coming soon!! :)

Giving is Awesome {Update}

2008-12-20T17:46:00.004-05:00

I wanted to give everyone an update on the stats for Giving is Awesome;
There are now 453 photographers signed up & $484,531.00 in artwork that will be given away to deserving families!!! I can't wait to announce the winner for our area on Christmas Eve :o)
Stay tuned!!!

www.givingisawesome.com {The Details}

2008-12-15T10:33:00.008-05:00

Okay, so what is http://www.givingisawesome.com/ you ask? Giving is Awesome is a simple effort by photographers worldwide to give back to their communities. Regional contests are sponsored by photographers across the globe. Each photographer is encouraged to give both a session fee and a generous amount of portrait art to a worthy individual or family this holiday season.
As of todays date; 337 photographers have signed up & pledged to give away $358,702.00 worth of art to deserving families!!! Is that not awesome?
This sounds so cool! How can I get envolved?
I'm so glad that you asked!! This is what you need to do;
You know someone. You know someone who's experienced a tragedy, is struggling to stay afloat, is raising kids while holding down more than one job, or is volunteering selflessly despite extenuating personal circumstances. You know someone who can't afford custom photography, but who would cherish it this holiday season. You know someone who deserves a year-round reminder of their family's spirit, love, and beauty.
You know someone. I guarantee it.
I want to know who they are, and I want to give them the chance to experience complimentary custom photography -- $600.00 worth, to be exact. Whether it's canvas or albums, prints for Grandma, or a slideshow to watch over and over, it's in your power to give them the artwork they deserve this holiday season.
Oh, and the best part? The person who nominates the winner receives a $200.00 gift certificate. What better reason to show some love could there possibly be, people?
The rules:
* You cannot nominate yourself, and the person nominated must sincerely be incapable of purchasing my services. (Being unable to make mortgage payments for a two-million-dollar-vacation-home in Paris does not qualify as sincere financial need.)
* The nominee must reside in Florida. Tell me who you know, what they're experiencing, and why they deserve my artwork. Please include a way to contact both your nominee and yourself as well.
* You must e-mail me the full story : HaydnKreePhotography@comcast.net .
The winner will be announced on Christmas Eve -- get nominating! I can't wait to read all of your entries!
Open your heart to someone this holiday season -- and thanks for giving me the opportunity to open mine.
With love,
Erica Kree Larson

www.givingisawesome.com

2008-12-11T23:18:00.004-05:00

Stay tuned for details of a surprise giveaway!!!

Have You Donated Blood Lately?

2008-12-11T12:07:00.007-05:00

My husband Mark is the bravest person that I know. Every day that I wake up next to him, I thank God for that unbelievable privilege. I know that may sound a bit extreme, but there was a time when I would cry my self to sleep because I didn't know if he would live to see another day.
Mark has a rare bone marrow disease called aplastic anemia. This basically means that his bone marrow does not make enough red blood cells (which supply your body w/ oxygen), white blood cells (which fight infection), or platelets (which clots your blood). Because you need these vital cells to live, Mark had to receive blood transfusions on a regular basis to stay alive.
Over the last five years, he has been through three different chemotherapy treatments to fight this horrible disease. Because only 2 out of 1,000,000 people have aplastic anemia, it is very hard to find doctors that treat him. For his first 2treatments we went to Shands Hospital in Gainesville, Florida. Unfortunately, both treatments were unsuccessful.
The third treatment was the most drastic & scary. We found Dr. Robert Brodsky in Baltimore, MD. at Johns Hopkins hospital that specializes in aplastic anemia. I will never forget the our first visit with Dr. Brodsky. He was telling us all about the risks of the treatment & he stated, "There is a 50% chance that you will die from this treatment". I lost it...I remember Mark just holding me as I sobbed saying over and over that he WOULD live through this treatment.
Mark did go through the treatment and today, is in what they call "Partial Remission". This means that his body is making cells, but his blood levels are not all within normal range. To Mark & I this is a success! There was a time when he would need transfusions every day to live & now he can go months without one.
Just last week Mark went from feeling good, to getting out of breath when he took out the recycling bin. We went to the doctor & sure enough, he needed a red blood transfusion. I always get nervous around the holidays because the blood bank can sometimes take days to get blood Mark's blood. During the holidays the demand for blood goes way up, and people aren't donating as much. There is nothing worse than waiting by the phone for the blood bank to call while your husband can't even get off of the sofa because he is so weak.
So, this week I'm going to Florida Georgia Blood Alliance to role up my sleeve. I wanted to tell you our story in hopes that you might do the same :o)
To everyone who donates blood, Mark and I would like to say thank you. You are a hero & are saving many many lives. Thank you from the bottom my heart. Without you & God I wouldn't have my Mark...*THANK YOU * THANK YOU * THANK YOU* :o)

Dr. Tom Stark

2008-12-10T16:34:00.008-05:00

Dr. Stark is an Otolaryngologist (or ear, nose & throat doctor) in the in the Woodlands, Texas. Every year H Magazine searches high & low for the "Best" that doctors Houston has to offer & publishes a list for its readers. Dr. Stark was named best Otolaryngologist for 2008!
This painting commemorates this accomplishment & will be given to his father for Christmas :o).

The Original Image

Wowser...

2008-12-07T15:06:00.012-05:00

I finished editing these images & just knew that I had to post them! What a cute kiddos!!!

Paul & Elizabeth's Preview

2008-12-05T18:30:00.004-05:00

I had such a good time taking Paul & Elizabeth to downtown Jacksonville for there portrait session this past Saturday. This is the first time that they have had portraits done since they were married in 2004.
So this is for Paul & Lizzy!

This is my favorite of Elizabeth :) Look at those beautiful baby blues!!

Ps. Hey Elizabeth, I have something special that I'm working on for Christmas!! Mark & I can't wait!!!
-Erica

My Family Christmas Card

2008-12-05T15:59:00.004-05:00

Ok, I do realize that this might spoil it for some... but I LOVE the way my Christmas card came out this year!! The holidays always remind me of how many ways that God continues to bless my life. I am very fortunate to have such a wonderful family that I am so proud of...

For Cynthia... :o)

2008-11-30T17:27:00.006-05:00

I had a wonderful time working with Cynthia & her family this past Friday. As you will see in these images, Cynthia is blessed with an absolutely beautiful family! So, Mrs. Cynthia... This is the preview of your family beach portraits :o).

American Diabetes Association "Step Out" At the Jacksonville Zoo

2008-11-21T11:12:00.005-05:00

I had the absolute pleasure of working with the American Diabetes Step Out walk at the Jacksonville Zoo a few weeks back. I was asked to photograph the group photos & the people that I met were so nice!!! The weather was perfect & everyone was just so excited to be there.

Friends of Amy!!!

2008-11-18T20:48:00.004-05:00

Miss Amy sent out a beautiful email plugging my business & how much she likes my work. It was just so sweet of her to do that. I wanted to offer anyone who is a friend of Amy a $25.00 discount.
When booking your session just say, "Amy sent me" and you will automatically receive this discount. Actually to make it even better, the first two friends that book will get a $50.00 discount!!! (that is half off of your session fee!) :o)
Thank you so much Amy. I love you girl!!!

Meet Little Cameron!!

2008-11-13T19:30:00.003-05:00

This little guy belongs to my best friend Amy :o) You might remember him from an earlier post (what happens when 2 little boys don't want their picture taken). A few weeks back Amy & I got the boys together for there first playdate. They just had the best time together!!! As we were watching our little guys play Amy brought up the point that Cameron & Christian are only a couple of years younger than we were when we first met (we met when we were 5!!!)
I remember when we were little girls talking about the future...Getting married, having kids ect...It is just to cool to watch our children become best friends :o)So I got some fabulous pictures of Mr. Cameron & wanted to share them. You will see this little cutie again...In a couple of weeks Amy & I are taking Cameron out for an actual photo session. I can't wait!!!!

Cameron's Storyboard

Happy Birthday Christian!!!

2008-11-11T10:18:00.007-05:00

I can't believe that my little man is 3 today...Gosh time goes quick!!! On Sunday we played around a little in the back yard & captured some really cute images. I'm going to make his birthday announcements from some of these & thought I would share a few :o)

My Family Jaguar & Urban Style

2008-11-10T22:52:00.005-05:00

Well we finally got around to getting our family portraits done. We had Robin of Robin Adams photography capture our images. Robin does beautiful work in both portrait & wedding photography.
Check out her website :o) http://www.robinadamsphotography.com/
We started out at the Jaguar stadium & really got some great images :o)

Then, with a quick costume change, we headed over near the baseball grounds to capture my family urban style.

It was so different being on the other side of the camera. Robin captured everything I wanted & more!! Thank you soooo much Robin!!!