SELFie | Nashville Photographer

Now I love a good selfie.  GOOD is the key word here.  And, trust me, there are some really bad ones out there.  You know what I am talking about... The girl with the duck lips trying to be super sexy.  The guy at the gym with his shirt off.  But the worst of all to me is when someone can look so much better than they look in their selfie.  Bad light and bad angles are the major causes for bad selfies.  So we need to stop this unnecessary dilemma now.  Below are my favorite tips on how to take a good selfie.  

1)  As I always say: FIND THE RIGHT LIGHT.  And, yes, I just screamed at you but you need to get that in your amazingly smart brain of yours.  Look for shade as close to the sun as possible.  But never stand in direct sunlight- that will only cause unnecessary dark shadows on your face making you look so much uglier than you really are.  Because YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL so let your selfie show it!  

2) MOVE AROUND.  The best way to do this with your iphone is to turn the camera around to face the screen and literally move your body around to see where the light flatters you most.  Now I love backlight with my subjects because I can control so much more on my camera but with an iphone selfies usually don't work well with backlight.  The most flattering is usually with the sun hitting your eyes while you are in the shade.

3)  YOUR CAR!  Your car is an amazing place to take selfies.  That is why you see so many girls with their seatbelts on looking amazing.  The light filters in through the windows creating a soft light that flatters anyone.  Now make sure you have your sunroof closed if the light is too bright from above.  Or open it if there are a lot of clouds.  The only rule here is to only take selfies while parked (or at a stoplight while your neighbor car watches on and laughs).  Who doesn't laugh at someone taking a selfie?  And who hasn't been caught taking a selfie?  Of course not me.  

4)  Go easy on the filters.  This is HUGE.  Many of you just pop a filter on your selfie and don't ease up on the opacity.  Always make sure you put the opacity at least to 50% or less.  Because you don't want to look like an orange.  

So, there are my tips for making yourself as beautiful as you really are.  I really do love seeing photos of you all on my instagram and not just your kids or dog or grandma.  It makes me happy.  So please keep posting and try these tips!  If you do let me know.  I would love to see!  Have a great weekend friends!!!  

This is a selfie(s) with my youngest boy... Love him so. 

Happy Birthday to my Girl | Nashville Child Photographer

My first baby turned 9 yesterday.  It seemed like yesterday that I was seeing her tiny face for the first time and my world turned upside down.  She came into this world with her wide, beautiful green eyes looking straight into the soul of every single person in that hospital room.  She was so quiet yet so intense and aware.  Nothing has changed in those 9 years.  She has the ability to look into the souls of those around her and see things many do not see.   If you know her, then you know the love that she shows those around her.  The intense, purposeful Bella Grace love.  I am so proud to be her Momma and she truly is changing me more than I am changing her.  

I was able to get a few shots of her on her 9th birthday.  I can't believe she will be double digits next year.  I feel her childhood slipping away and I want to hold on with dear life.  But if this growing up is anything like I have seen this year, I am happy to be along on this beautiful yet intense ride.  Hold on, beautiful girl, you are going to soar.  And I will hold on as long as I can... But someday I'm going to have to let you go.  But, thank God, not today.

the life of a mom | nashville family photographer

I could not help but share this series of photographs because I know every single mom out there can relate.  There are some days where I feel like I cannot breathe without a child in front of my face.  My personal space is never respected when it comes to my children.  They have made me forget that personal space is even a thing that exists.  Sometimes I try to put myself in "time out" but it usually is quickly interrupted by the incessant need of my super-mom powers to intervene an emergency situation.  So these photos are dedicated to all the moms out there who just want a little personal space.  Know you are not alone.... ​

Mama said there'd be Days like this | Nashville Family Photographer

Every time I have one of these days I sing in my head (and sometimes out loud): "mama said there would be days like this..."   This morning my 6 year old would not get dressed and decided that she would fight me tooth and nail to get on her clothes.  As a result we did not have time to put her hair in ponytails.  You would have thought no ponytails in her hair equaled to being stung by a thousand bumble bees.  We exchanged words in the car (to put it nicely).  A pull-over one street over followed with my long, skinny pointer finger coming out waving as hard as it could muster.  10 punishments later, we pulled into the school where tears were still flowing from the fact that her hair was un-ponytailed.  Walking through the halls, I felt so much shame in allowing my daughter to cry and show her sadness (aka anger).  Not trying to fix it was very hard for this Mom who likes to portray that she is pretty awesome.  I got back in the car and breathed in the stale milk air deeply and then did all I knew how to do: cry for help.  My prayer went something like this: God, give me mercy.  I don't know how to do this. Am I screwing my children up?  Am I really a terrible mother?  How do I discipline over & over yet still show them love & grace?  I give up.

Then I realized that this was where God wanted me to be... helpless, yet knowing that He can help.  And I have to admit, I was sort of mad at Him about it.  I didn't want to be helpless.  I wanted to be strong.  To know the right answers.  To be the perfect Mother.  To have it all together.  But guess what- I don't.  Not even close to it.  So, I will say that prayer over & over for the rest of my life... God, give me mercy.  God, give me mercy.

Can you imagine this beauty giving me such grief????