finally! and please say hello

I hate to be fussy, but if you do happen to stop by my little piece of the internet, please take a moment to say hello!  I'd love to hear from whoever you are who take interest in my work!  aka - leave a comment!  and please don't feel shy.   Leave a comment every time you visit!


Now to the finally!


Shortly before Thanksgiving I purchased my own domain name and hosting.  Big step!  I'm usually really good at figuring the tech stuff out all on my own.  But making my blog be at my domain name stumped me.  I could NOT get it to work!  I kept trying over Thanksgiving, when any technical support was off for the holiday.  I got myself so frustrated that I decided to "put it down and come back"... 


So today, on another holiday, I tried again.  And enlisted the help of technical support.  The wonderful Jeremy T. was just.... wonderful!  So finally, I welcome you to www.careypace.com!!!  Big step, huh?  Thanks, Jeremy T.  

hudson

There is just something amazing, miraculous and exciting about the birth of a new little life that God created.  I wish I could put it into words, but I can't.  The emotion stirred deep within me is just too big for words.  To document the precious newness of a life -- to be part of that as an artist -- is such a honor to me.  I still can't believe I've been able to do this for five families!

On top of witnessing new life, documenting brand new parents just makes me giddy on the inside.  Particularly parents who do NOT look like I did at this point in my life (what on earth have I done!?!), but have sheer elation over their precious little one.   And even more especially when the daddy is head over heels in love.

Meet little Hudson and his parents.  Can you not feel their elation?  I love it.

























view Hudson's entire gallery here

relatives

Remember my nephew?  Well, he's grown, too.  And to celebrate that and my brother's three little blessings, we did a family session.  We did it where they live, in my hometown... and believe it or not, at a location that I've never, ever visited before. (which, to know where it is, if you were from there, you wouldn't believe I'd never been!) And man, what I've missed out on!  It was a perfect selection by my brother's wife, M.  I had a blast trying to capture the essence of my nephews and their family.  I was really pleased with how it turned out.

[by the way, my brother owns his own business!  Jim Beaver's Music Studios!  You should visit his site and his blog.  He teaches music lessons for all sorts of instruments.]

joy

Sometimes things go better than others.  For example, when I shot my friends this day, the pieces most certainly did NOT fall into place.  The light was failing me, and then I tried one too many photography experiments with the camera than I was ready to do, and the result was not my best work.  Disappointed and frustrated with myself doesn't even begin to describe it.  (but I hope to have a go again and do much, much better!)

And then other times?  Other times, everything goes right.

joy  [joi]  –noun

1. the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation.

These are special people to us.  And these children are special miracle children.  This family hadn't sent Christmas cards in years, and this year I asked if we could remedy that.  Spur of the moment one afternoon I called and asked if they could come over in a few hours to take the photographs.  The light was supposed to be okay still (since the time change limits the light in the afternoons now so much).  There were still some leaves in the trees, so everything wasn't dead, and the background would be okay.  I hadn't taken the time to research and think about posing.  Everything just fell into place.  And it was lovely.  The kids did awesome.  My methods worked.  And the parents so so so so SO worked with me to make it fabulous.

These images just invoke pure joy in me.  Don't they you?

Not only are the kids just precious, but I'm overcome with joy because I did good!!!  All the things I've been working to improve on came together and the images are just great.  I love it.  This is my favorite session I've ever done, hands down.  And I don't find it coincidental at all that it came together and I didn't have a chance to over control or over think it!

repeat - Natalie!

What a compliment it is when someone likes your work enough the first time to call you back and ask for a new session!!!

Mom K took me up on my offer to design holiday cards and wanted a cute shot of her girls (adamantly opposed to being in any herself... pffft!).   Remember newborn Natalie?  Well she's grown!  And she has the sweetest little grin.... unfortunately, she is very, very stingy with it!  It doesn't stay on her face long, we believe in a complete attempt to keep the camera from capturing it!  But I was quick and got a few!  That was K's main assignment for me!

And big sister Sarah is just the best.  Apparently she thinks I'm something special.  It's very cute.  But, my, is she the little model poser!  I. COULD. NOT. GET. HER. TO. STOP. POSING!  My passion is capturing the real genuine smiles and laughter -- not the sit with your hands in your lap, look at me, and say cheese.  But this girl is INTO posing and cheese!  She's just beautiful, and it makes me chuckle still to remember the day we took these images.