Nov 29, 2010 | posted in For Photographers, Personal | 15 comments

I’ve learned something so significant in the last couple of weeks and months. Significant enough to come out of hiding from all things world wide web and share it with the few lonely readers who still frequent this site. ;) Hi Richie!

We’ve all felt it.  Inspiration.

The feeling of absolute confidence (read: faith) and perfect peace (read: calm).

That heightened sense of motivation and drive toward excellence.

The state of meaningful momentum and true connection to our honest character: the real YOU.

For most of us (myself included) inspiration is recognized as a fleeting feeling that only drops by here and there to show you just how awesome your life is NOT all the other 364 days of the year.

Well, here I am, nearly 30 years in. . . and I’m just now realizing that we can actually LIVE in that space. Like, all the time.

We “simply” have to be willing to fight the good fight!

Easier said than done.

Over the last weeks and months, I’ve learned that when you find yourself really, truly, deeply committed to living in a space of inspiration, joy, progress, LOVE . . . the forces of Hell will literally gather around you and do everything in their power to derail you.

And they take the unlikliest of forms, so watch your backs.

Thankfully, there is a flip-side to this horrifying reality, because simultaneous to Beelzebub and his army of Red Bull drinking hooligans, the universe also raises up helping hands EVERYWHERE you turn to support, uplift and even (and perhaps especially) to PROPEL you along your “pathway toward all awesomeness” (for lack of a more fitting description).

And again, they take the unlikliest of forms, so stay open.

(Note: The image connected to this post is probably the one image that I’ve taken in my life that inspires me more than any other. Consequently, it also personifies the very reason I am willing to fight tooth and nail to stay inspired every.single.day)

________________________________________

More on this later, but I simply couldn’t end this post without a brief expression of gratitude.  ‘Tis the season, after all.

You want to talk about committing to LIVING your life they way it’s meant to be lived and the universe (read: GOD) raising up helping hands to support and uplift you? Fine. Let’s do.

A few weeks ago, on an honest-to-gosh whim, I signed up for the Maui leg of the Making Things Happen tour with Southern Weddings Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Lara Casey and guest speakers, photographers Fred Egan and Jory Cordy.   I knew NOTHING about the workshop. I knew NOTHING about Lara. The workshop just randomly showed up on my radar, a little voice in my soul quitely said “GO,” and because listening is such a vital component of my new found FIGHT to stay inspired, I simply responded, “You got it!” I forked over the cash, booked a flight to Maui and buckled my safety belt for the ride of my life.

Here I am, only a couple of weeks out, having found a new best friend in Lara who I cannot imagine my life without, and additionally I’ve been invited to be a guest speaker at the last Making Things Happen event of 2010 in Watercolor, FL! (Join us! Lara just announced 5 additional seats!)

I feel so blessed to have met (not to mention to have learned from) Lara, Fred and Jory. Collectively and individually they are significant wave makers, all.

Thank you Lara, Fred, Jory and all my new MTH friends.

. . . and a happy bleated Thanksgiving. Naturally.

xx,

N

Nov 18, 2010 | posted in Baby Gavin, Personal | 23 comments

I’m tired.

of the white noise and the incessant chatter.

of the inundation of useless information.

of being interested in irrelevance.

I’m exhausted by of the cynicism and the babble.

I have no energy left for the insincerity.

Because life’s too short.

Too short not to find time to splash in puddles just because.

Too short not to mold play dough into the shape of martians with a beautiful 4 year old whose infectious giggle and knack for GOOD conversation are the stuff dreams are made of.

Too short to miss out on rolling around on the trampoline with a 5 year old who has more passion in his upper lip than any adult I’ve ever met the world over.

Too short not to be reading Charlotte’s Web with a soulful 7 year old who every.single.day reminds me of the goodness of God and the beauty of life.

Too short not to be dreaming of a beautiful little boy, whose memory ignites my soul in a way that defies description.

Too short not to be walking on the beach, hand in hand, with a man who loves me all the way to Jupiter and right back again.

I want to laugh. To cry. To love. To LIVE.

. . . in the here and now.

Before it flits away into foggy yesterdays.

because life’s too short not to splash in puddles just because.

Nov 05, 2010 | posted in Weddings | 27 comments

Erin and Conor’s DIY Portland wedding was nothing short of perfect in every way.  The attention to detail was like nothing I’ve ever seen before.  Erin lived, ate and breathed her wedding planning for the months leading up to her big day.  She did it all without a planner and nothing fell short of perfection.  Erin  Jane, you amaze me! Enjoy.

Above 2 images (L temple, R reflection): shot by my wonderful assistant  Elli who drove up from Seattle to spend the day with me.  Thanks Elli!

I have never seen anything as amazing as the “fairy-wand-thing-a-ma-jig” Erin had made for her beautiful niece in lieu of a bouquet! WONDERFUL idea!

I am speechless over the feather details that Erin incorporated into her design throughout her wedding . . . and the boutonnieres? OH.MY.GOSH.

In a Mormon temple marriage, everyone (including the photographer) waits outside for the couple to make their debut as Mr and Mrs. There’s NOTHING like the look on everyone’s faces when they see the happily married couple for the first time since “I do”.  Love the look on Conor’s mom’s face. PURE JOY.

LOVE the bridesmaid’s Anthro dresses.  Love the color, love the cut, LOVE THEM.

I could literally write entire sonnets dedicated to Erin Jane’s bouquet.  It was unbelievable.

After the temple, we headed off to the reception location.  It was held at Erin’s parents house.  Check out this spectacular view of Mt Hood shot right from their backyard!

Um yes, it’s homemade jam.  And um yes, Erin made the moss covered frames.  And um yes, Erin should consider a career as a wedding planner. I wish I could get married again (to Uncle Richie of course) simply to have her plan my big day.

Oh don’t you worry, Erin has her under grad in art and her master’s in design and she totally designed her AMAZING invites.  I.AM.IN.LOVE.

I told you the boutonnieres are like nothing you’ve ever seen before.  They may just be the very definition of awesome.

Of course she also hand stamped every candy favor bag.

I thought the way she displayed her seating tags was AWESOME.

Connor’s grandmother hand embroidered each napkin (they were all unique) and all the table cloths.  I am seriously obsessed with that woman.  She is MAGICAL.

BEST.FOOD.EVER.  After allll the planning and allll the work, I think Erin was most excited about the delicious food.  YUM x 7 billion.

In case you missed it above, they totally had an ice cream cart.

Congratulations Erin and Conor! I love you and couldn’t be happier for you in a million years!  xx! N

PS. More coming soon from their fun bridal/groomal session.

Oct 28, 2010 | posted in Uncategorized | 9 comments

broken computer.

family in town.

big race this Saturday. (please say a prayer for me.  PLEASE. I’m waaaay south of freaking out about it.)

halloween.

foggy, grief ridden brain (baby gavin’s birthday hit me up in ways I hadn’t anticipated. I’m not a blubbering mess, as I’d expected to be. I’m “just” feeling really incapacitated.)

medical bills/billions of calls to inept insurance company.

richie’s working on a HUGE (read exciting) project and deserves my full support.

lots of fun shoots coming up in the next few weeks.

plus, I just don’t feel like being plugged in right now.  I don’t feel like being socially connected via the www.  I just don’t feel like stressing over blog posts and email land.  I just don’t feel like it.  At all.

and the beauty of being boss???

This: peace out hommies!

I’ll see ya when I see ya.

N

Oct 26, 2010 | posted in Uncategorized | 7 comments

The night before Gavin’s birthday, I cried myself to sleep. I felt lonely and more devastation than there are words to describe. When I woke, I found this beautiful email from a blog reader named Marie.

It’s still dark outside. The sun has yet to decide to rise and here I sit, still in my bed, with a heavy heart, because I know what today means. I sense the struggle you must feel to get yourself out of bed, because I, a person you’ve never meet is having a hard time too..I didn’t lose my son and my 13 month old (to the day) is sleeping soundly in her bed, yet I can’t seem to pull my legs to the side of the bed. I’m thinking of you. My heart aches. I can’t even begin to fathom the pain and utter sorrow you must feel. I hurt for you. Every.part.of.me.hurts.for.you. I say my morning prayer and I plead with my father in heaven that (if only for today) I may carry some of your burden. Make it light, if even for this once. I wish I could wrap my arms around you in the way that life-long friend would and give you the comfort you need. I wish I had the right thing to say to make it feel better. Not go away, but make it okay; yet I can’t seem to form any clear sentences. I can only think to myself “throw a party…that makes things better.” When I don’t know what to do, I do what I do best and that is to have a party. As I sit here and picture you with your sweet family around Baby Gavin’s grave having a party (cuz every 1 year old needs a party), a smile scratches the surface and I pray that you have a day of celebration among the grief (if even for a fleating moment). I think of Him and all the burdens He has carried for each of us and I again pray that I can help Him carry your burden this day….I read a scripture and I’m sure you’ve heard it before (maybe even have it highlighted a time or two) but I think of you and hope it’s one that gives you comfort…especially on this day…Know ye that ye must believe in Jesus Christ, that he is the Son of God, and that he was slain by the Jews, and by the power of the Father he hath risen again, whereby he hath gained the victory over the grave; and also in him is the sting of death swallowed up (Morm. 7:5)…and with that thought, I get all the love I can muster and I send it your way with a big Aloha Nui Loa…then I fold a little piece of you and place it next to my heart and throw my legs over the side of the bed and start my day.

You are never far from my thoughts but today I hope you can feel my love/support and have it to lean on.
Your forever friend (whether you like it or not)


Marie Rose

If all of us were as compassionate, as loving, as in tune as Marie, the world would be richer by far.  Thank you my forever friend who I’ll probably never meet. With love, Natalie