04 Jan A New Year, A Story Keeper and Thanks

2017.

What a whirlwind.

This has been the busiest year of my business so far.  After years of slowly chipping away at my dream, I finally took the plunge!  (I say, “I” but really, I could not have done any of this without the support and help from my rockstar of a husband, Andy.)  I took a major step back from my job of 5 years, managing a coffee shop, to step into my photography full time. Now I work at the coffee shop only a handful of times a month to support my coffee and barre (spokanebarre.com) addictions.  Plus who could resist a latte?  Not me!

I have had more new clients this year than ever before and so many sweet returning clients.  It has been more of a blessing than I could ever say, to get to walk with clients through engagement, wedding, their first baby or even second or third!  I’ve photographed adoptions, births, proposals and of course many, many weddings.  I honestly have no words for the honor I feel to get to join and witness the most treasured moments in the lives of so many.  This is such a dream.

I have found myself this year ending each wedding with the feeling – that was my favorite wedding ever!  From the wedding with the most gentle and kind hearted bride and groom that I’ve ever met.  To the wedding with the best dancing guests, who tore up the dance floor the whole night, making for the most hilarious editing later on!  To the taco truck caterer. To the funniest laughing group of groomsmen.  To the wedding on top of the rolling Palouse hills.  To the wedding with four kinds of egg rolls or the huckleberry soft serve ice cream at the reception (I think that’s what my wedding dreams are made of…). To the wedding with the crying groom, overwhelmed with love and joy.  To the wedding of close friends that had me crying through the ceremony.  To the wedding of the two “only” children, whose parents were marrying off their one and only babies.  To the wedding with the kindest families that I wanted to be adopted into.  To all the weddings that we made real life friends.  You are all my favorites, from the most genuine spot in the bottom of my heart.

It’s crazy how personal this job can be.  I’ve met and networked this year with so many amazing girl bosses.  Many in the same line of business as I am.  I could compare – and I have to correct myself from doing so – but more often than not, I’m finding myself more and more sure of who I am as a photographer and who I want to be.  And each and every one of the amazing women that I have met bring something different to the table.

I photograph my clients and my world through my own lens, my own eyes.  Through the experiences I’ve had, the obstacles I’ve faced, the places I’ve been and through the people I’ve loved and been loved by.  I am the only one with MY voice.  And I use my voice most often through the camera that I bring up to my eye and the images I capture with it.  I’ve been learning this year to be confident in my voice.

It’s new for me.  I love people, but I’m an introvert through and through.  I’m a middle child, peacemaker, with big ideas and dreams always rolling around in my brain.  I’m a relentless self starter and I usually do the things that I come up with, for better or for worst!

This year has been big for me.

I would be remiss to not thank my incredible friends and clients!  You all have supported me and challenged me and hired me and laughed with me.  Your stories are so precious to me!  I hope you know that I do my absolute best to soak in your stories as you tell them to me.  Feeling them, treasuring them, capturing them in a photograph.  I’m honored to be your story keeper and sometimes even secret keeper.  I could not be who I am without you.

So cheers as we head into the new year from Andy and I!  We are excited for what is to come.

***All photos are thanks to the amazing Cami Bradley from camibradleyphotography.com