The future Mr. and Mrs. Schellen

As she was teeing up, Erinn had her sights set on what she wanted out of this round of golf, and it wasn't a par, not a birdie, not even a hole-in-one; it was a cute red-head with a sweet dimply smile.  Erinn and Reed met through mutual friends while golfing, which probably was no surprise to Reed's family and friends, since the course was where he spent the majority of his time. 

Erinn and Reed hit it off right away- she liked his sweet, laid back personality, and he liked that she was silly, cute, and maybe even a little weird.

 

"Reed is the sweetest guy I've ever met.  I'm pretty lucky to have him." -Erinn

Erinn and Reed, I am so excited for your wedding.  I have been saving this post for today because in exactly one month, you will be saying, "I do," and I will be there preserving your beautiful memories for you.  Thank you for the opportunity to be such an important person in your lives.  You are both so sweet, and your love for one another is so effortless, obvious, and true.  You deserve true happiness, and you've found it in one another.  Congratulations from the bottom of my heart. :)

Whirlwind

Babies, boudoir, editing, baby shower-planning, video-making, website-updating, birthdays, sushi, more editing, bachelorette party-planning, updating, blogging, e-mailing, organizing, reworking, rewording, rebranding....and more editing...
So goes my life these days...caught up in the whirlwind of it all, but remembering to stop and breathe, be thankful, snap a shot of my baby, and kiss my husband once in awhile. 
All of these things to come on my blog soon.  Thanks for your patience. 
Here's a sleepy shot of my munchkin today to tide you over.

My oh my did he look too much like a little boy instead of a baby in that one...let's try a different angle to capture his baby face.

 



There. ^ That's better. :)
Happy Friday, beautiful people.

Balancing passion with patience

I'm crouched in position, mark spotted, ready to take my shot. As Mel Gibson said in the movie, Brave heart, steady... steady...and click, I have it. With a smile and a nod I let my couple know I got the shot I wanted. 
Not only do his wise words come to my head when I'm doing a photoshoot, but really when I'm thinking about every area of my business.  I started this journey 8 months ago.
Some days I'm beaming with pride thinking of how far I've come; some days I'm humbled with the thought of how little I truly know.
It's a constant battle for me to not let this passion I have take over my whole life-all of my thoughts and all of my energy. I have to remind myself to find beauty in the ride-in the journey itself.
So here I sit, balancing passion with patience. Steady...steady.

Getting a new face.

I'm getting a face lift!
Don't worry, don't worry...no scalpels are going to touch my face.  It's actually my blog and my website that are getting a face lift.  I am soooooo excited for it!

The fabulous Heather Beckman and I have been collaborating on a new website that is going to feature my new work.  Let's be real here, my work is getting better all the time.  Now I'm not saying that I am Marcus Bell, Sue Bryce, or Jasmine Star, but I am learning that I can't compare myself to any of those fabulous photographers.  I can only compare myself to who I was in the beginning and see where I've come.  I am so excited for the changes that I've made and I'm even more excited to see where I go and how I improve from here!  Thank you for being part of that journey with me.

Now enough about me, let's talk about this Heather girl...holy buckets does she have talent.  When we were setting up my website the first time, she was trying to explain to me how to simply upload pictures to it.  Wowza is there a process.  But she does it like it's no big deal.  She creates these masterpieces in such a short amount of time, and she is so patient with me.  Even when I have a crazy idea for something that I want to include, she says..."let me look into it..." never turning me down.  Haha.  I am tech savvy when it comes to my camera, but when it comes to this website stuff, I may as well be walkin' with a cane, ya'll.  To put it simply, if you need/want/are thinking about a website, Heather Beckman is ya girl.  She is simply marvelous and is so sweet to work with. 

Please check Heather out, ladies and gents...you are going to be so glad you did.

His Watermark

Hi, Jesus.
Thanks for listening to me every second of the day and showing me when to be quiet and just listen.  Thank you for my blessings and teaching me to follow my dreams. Please help me to not be so focused on my big dreams that I forget to see the little miracles that You've placed in my life every day. 
Sometimes I live so much through my lens that I forget to just be mommy, just be my husband's wife, just be a friend.  Help me to embrace the moments in life as they happen and cherish them as memories.
I get so scared to lose the memory that sometimes, camera in hand, I miss the emotion of the moment; please ease my fears of losing those memories.
Please keep me humble while instilling confidence; allow me to succeed but always in Your name; keep Your watermark on my life.

It's Me!



Who is the photographer behind all these photos and posts?  Who is Ms. Jenn Wiemann?
Hmm...I'm still getting to know her. 

Daily I learn something new about myself.  I'm growing and I'm learning every day, and I'm so thankful for the opportunity to do so.  Recently, I was given the assignment to go on a hunt to capture images of things that inspire me.
Here is a collage of those images...maybe this will give you a little glimpse of the girl behind the camera. :)



Who are you? 
What inspires you?
Think about it, and share it with me!

The Future Mr. & Mrs. Brau

So...I had a whole post written about Kaitlin and Kyle, and then Kaitlin invited me to view their wedding website, and I decided to delete everything I had written and share with you directly from Kaitlin and Kyle.  I LOVE THIS:  After spending an afternoon with the two and chatting with Kaitlin, this is them TO A T.

"Short and sweet (according to Kaitlin)...

Seven (yes...it has been 7...can you believe it?!) years ago on the eve of the Alabama vs. Ole Miss football game (October 14, 2005), we met at a fraternity party. Let me start by saying that my maid of honor had to drag me from studying to go out (and I am very glad she did!). Kyle was visiting Richard, now one of his groomsmen, during his fall break from UNO (University of Nebraska Omaha). We danced together and had a great time. When he asked for my phone number, I was hesitant about giving it to him. When he called the next day looking for me at the football game, I was still sleeping in my dorm room. I had originally told him I would be at the game, but I opted to stay in and work on a chemistry lab report (sounds just like me doesn't it!). We agreed to have dinner that night as a double date. I talked my roommate into coming with me to Old Taylor Grocery. The catfish was delicious, and we had a great night. With the date over and Kyle flying back to Omaha the next day, I thought, "Well, that was fun. I'll probably never see him again." To my surprise and excitement, he called the next day on his layover. I remember seeing his name pop up on my phone (unsure of exactly how to pronounce his last name...Bra, Bra-u....). I was jumping up and down in the middle of my dorm room, heart racing, giggling, my roommate screeching, "Answer the phone, answer the phone, answer the phone!" From that day on, until the end of December, we remained "friends" and talked on the phone nightly for hours (my girlfriends on the 11th floor of Martin can attest to this). Kyle made a second trip to Mississippi and met my parents over New Year's. During that time, we decided to officially start dating. The rest is history! I never thought I would be marrying a guy from Nebraska!

Short and sweet (according to Kyle)...
Alright, I'll actually keep this short and sweet... First of all, my last name, Brau, is pronounced "Brow," as in eyebrow (don't believe her if she pronounces it using any other four letter words). In a nut shell, it has been an enjoyable and adventurous 7 year ride, and I look forward to the rest of our life together (just a heck of a lot closer together!)."

 

 

 

Kaitlin and Kyle, your love is obvious.  When you look at each other, it's as if no one else is in the room.  I am so very excited and honored to capture the looks, smiles, and love you share on your special day.  I'm even more excited that you'll be able to live the rest of your lives together...yes, distance makes the heart grow fonder, but spending every day with the one you love is way more fun. :)