Bittersweet...

2. pleasant but tinged with sadness. "The Free Dictionary"

I really had to search for the definition of that word. It's appearently a color, a plant and now a music group. But for me it describes what's happening right now.

The Class of 2010 is getting ready to graduate. One of them will be my son. My oldest. No, I can't believe he's that old aleady, just as I'm sure you are feeling the same about your child.

But this isn't about my son as amazing as he is! It's about your child and a huge THANK YOU!

Even though I have been taking pictures for over 15 years and have had my own business over 5 years, the last 8 months have been different. Last fall when I moved from my home into a "brick and mortar" building, it changed everything! It became a brand new business, building from the bottom, up and doing it all from scratch. What is so amazing about this was the parents who shared their awesome children with me! The 12 families who wanted a "Once in a lifetime" senior portrait experience for their children. Now 12 seniors may not seem like many, but for a "new" business "just starting out" and only 8 months, that's a pretty big deal. And I have to say Thank You for the wonderful opportunity to get to know their children. I will be crying right along with you as they walk up to get their diploma's!

I had been thinking about this all weekend. It was prom weekend for my son, he forgot to take his picture paper and missed out on formals at the dance. I had taken a few at home, the usual mom with a camera shots. Going on Facebook, I got to share pictures of other families, some of them "my" seniors. The ones who graced my camera room this year and it was so exciting to see them dressed up for the evening!

But the highlight came last night when I got a picture text from one of my senior moms sharing with me her beautiful daughter dressed up in her prom dress! That did it! What an awesome experience I've had this year!

How can I help make this special for the class of 2011? From the moment they walk into the studio for their senior portraits till the night their date ackwordly pins on the buttonaire or fumbles with a wrist corsage?

Anyone can take your child's senior portraits. You can take your child's senior portriats. But experience has taught me, they are more comfortable with someone experineced in the emotion of "them". And mom or dad probably isn't that person...your just too close to them. They need someone who just knows the technical side of the art so that the emotional side just slips on through to each pose. Someone who does not need 4 hours to get 75-100 shots that just plain overwhelm and deaden the experience. Someone who does not need to fix it in photoshop so three weeks later you can see a lot of porcelin doll faces that just aren't your child. Let me create the story that unfolds the beginning of the "once in a lifetime" year. You invested in them for 17 or 18 years, why settle when it comes to a keepsake that you will cherish long after the cap and gown are put away.

To help make this a little easier, all senior sessions (mini session excluded) can take advantage of a 75% savings when booked for June. There are only 15 of these sessions available, so reserve your date quickly.

And thank you for sharing your child's senior year.