My specialty and passion is in documenting every day life for families. These sessions are called Day In The Life, and the they last all day. I come and spend the day with you, documenting this stage in your life. You can read more about these sessions here. And make sure to check the Day In The Life tab on the website, as well.
After a Day in the Life photo session I send you three links. One is a link to a movie, that tells the story of your day in about a 100 photos (like this one) from your Story Gallery, one is a link to the same photos in an online gallery form, and the third link is to see your Full Gallery, approximately 300-500 photos from your day.
Now that you've seen your beautiful photos - ones that have made even your friends cry - what to do? Sure, you can view and/or purchase the digital files, but wouldn't it be wonderful to have the pictures printed, too? I highly recommend printing your Story Gallery photos into prints, or making them into a lasting photo book.
I am so excited to offer a stunning, customized wooden print box, filled with the images from your Story Gallery. I use a professional printing lab, which guarantees the colors are true, and every print is high quality. I design the cover of your print box from your images, and add your last name, the month and the year of our Day In The Life session.
If you'd like to see an example of a photo book I made in a professional lab, click here to see one. I have now made a few of these books, and they are all so, so gorgeous!
These print boxes with the images (and the photo books) make the best gifts for moms, dads, grandparents, godparents and for your children! Can you imagine their joy in receiving such a precious gift?
Or how about a gift card for a Day In The Life session of their own?
Click here to contact me for details!
Not just Vero Beach, Florida, and the surrounding areas, I can travel to your location, too.
A One Hour Documentary Photo Session
Last week I post about the Mini Session. While it can be fun and fast, it is just that - over so fast you get what you get. In a One Hour Documentary you have more opportunities to get the family portraits done, but also get relaxed images of you and your children playing, exploring, interacting.
For the B family we chose a park setting where the kids enjoy climbing trees, exploring and running around. For a One Hour Session we can pick any location your family would enjoy best - the beach, the park, your home, your favorite ice cream shop, a bowling alley - the ideas are endless.
You can certainly dress in coordinating outfits, but that is not necessary. We can document your everyday life in whatever way that represents your family right now.
If it was my family? My youngest would wear her ballet leotard, tutu and her broken butterfly wings.
My 2016 sessions are almost all booked up - contact me for availability and booking!
A Mini Photo Session for Christmas Cards And Gifts
A Mini Photo Session is a quick way to get your family pictures taken. Perfect for Christmas cards! And perfect if you know your kids will cooperate (somewhat), or if you don't mind if someone is showing a grumpy face in the pictures.
In a Mini Session you get 30 minutes with the photographer, and end up with 5-10 digital images. For some families that is all that is needed. Click, click, click and you're done.
If that is not enough, there is always the One Hour Documentary Session, where you can feel a bit more relaxed, get both portrait images as well as documentary squeezed into the one hour. You also get more photos, 15-20 from your session.
These images were taken this past Saturday in a Mini Session. You might recognize the family from one of my Day In The Life Sessions (see their movie here).
Stories of Joy Photography does not offer these Minis very often. My passion really is to document the ordinary days in the lives of families. I find the all day 'Day In The Life Sessions' to be more special and meaningful, but it is kind of fun to do these quick sessions sometimes - especially right before the Holidays!
I have two 'Mini Sessions' and one 'One Hour Session' available this month. Contact me for details, and to book your session. But hurry - these will book fast! Or find out when we can schedule your 'Day in The Life Session'! (Before your family is in a whole new stage in life...)
The M Family - Day in The Life (Florida)
Earlier this year, I spent a fun, busy day with the M family in Florida. Their 3-year old boy/girl twins and a 10-month old baby boy provided so many pictures for our day I had the hardest time choosing photos from the Full Gallery to the Story Gallery. The fact that these three children were so stinking adorable and beautiful didn't help me narrow down photos, either.
So, I chose the longest song (about 7 minutes) and ended up with close to 200 photos in this movie. Sometimes you just have to make exceptions (normally a Story Gallery is about 100 photos).
The daily life with three kids under three is so filled with moments - all day long - that a lot of photos were taken. If you watch all the way to the end, you'll see the pictures end pretty abruptly. That's because all the adults were so wiped out after the busy day.
Could we all just pause a moment and appreciate the hard work parenting is? Mommies and daddies have the hardest job, especially in those early years. And when it's coupled with babies who don't sleep, well, it really shows the love and sacrifice parents do, every day.
Mommy M and Daddy M are doing such a wonderful job with their family and their young children. It was a joy to spend a day with their family!
Enjoy the movie!
The M Family - Day In The Life (New Hampshire)
Earlier this month I had the privilege of spending a day with the M family in New Hampshire. They are a wonderful, wholesome, inspiring homeschool family of five, with children ages 9, 7 and 4. About two months ago mom was diagnosed with cancer. An aggressive one that is large and spreads fast.
Mom writes a blog (click here), and in September she wrote:
Emotionally yesterday and today have been the hardest. A short conversation with my oncologist revealed that i have a life expectancy of 4-12 months. Needless to say that that pretty much knocked the breath out of me. I hadn’t realized how insufficient the chemo is with my particular cancer. I have 1% chance of a miracle, so I going for that 1% and I am not stopping.
The day I spent with the M's, mom was feeling good. Dad was home from work, and grandma had come to stay for a couple of months from Finland. And a friend from Texas was there to help with a healthy, organic diet.
I hope the pictures will speak for themselves, but you could imagine a day in the life of young mom diagnosed with a serious cancer would have been a depressing day. Instead, there was an amazing peace and joy in the house, all day.
In the beginning of her blog mom writes:
I am a daughter of a mighty and compassionate God. He is the God of gods and Lord of lords, mighty and awesome, He is my refuge. I am the bride of my considerate, ever-understanding, and oh so breath taking husband. I am a mother to our three sweet, rambunctiously giggly and happy children, they are my everything. I am also a 36-year old woman who is about to take on cancer! This is our story.
And yes, I completely sensed the presence of God in this household, and the many, many prayers people are praying all over the world. This family is in for a fight, but they have God on their side, and they are not alone!
Would you join the prayer forces?