give

I really want to share this story with you guys because it really made an impact on me, both as a person, as a mother and as a photographer…..

A few months ago I was contacted by one of my favorite clients, she wanted to do something special to help cheer up one of her best friends by paying for her to have a session with me to photograph her son.  I love how thoughtful my client is.  Have you ever met someone and just clicked right away, well that’s her, you talk to her for awhile and you feel like you’ve known her forever.  So kind and thoughtful and creative, love that!!!  So we schemed early on to do a little something extra for this family, they deserve it, they’ve been through a lot.  Little Ethan is an amazing baby, so sweet, so happy, with the most loving parents you could imagine.  You’d never know it by looking at him that he has some health issues.  He was born with a tumor on his lung.  I can’t imagine what they have been through as parents worrying about their little guy, yet they all seem so strong and so happy. 

I must say I just fell in love with this family, Ethan was just the cutest during his session, so easy to photograph and connect with.

Ok, so fast forward, they place their order and I was thrilled they decided to order a storyboard on canvas, I’ve been secretly hoping someone would order a storyboard on canvas for awhile, so I was psyched!  Here is a photo of it, a 14×14 gallery wrap, but it just doesn’t do it justice.

And when it came time to place their order, I must admit that I was like a kid on Christmas, I just clicked away ordering extras, it was so much fun and so exhilarating!  I totally love my job!! 

I really wanted to surprise them so I drafted another storyboard they hadn’t seen during the proofing process…I had it printed as a 10×20 mounted storyboard….

and I love the way their album turned out…(forgot to take a picture of the dvd darn it!)

My most favorite surprise was the 10×10 leather bound book….

CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL THE PAGES.

It’s the first one I’ve done for a client and I think I’ll have it printed to show as a sample.

When we got back from vacation it was all waiting for me in big boxes on my dining room table.  It was like Christmas again!  I just couldn’t face boxing it all up and mailing it to her since they live out of town so Jase and I packed up the kids in the car last weekend and delivered it.  I can’t tell y’all how much fun it was to show up on their doorstep with an armload of stuff!  Doing something nice for them was such a simple thing to do, so easy
for me.  And seeing the smile on their faces made me realize that I
really should give of myself, of my talent, more often.  It is so
rewarding.  I must confess that what started out as doing something nice for someone else, totally turned selfish, I got sooo much out of meeting this wonderful family.  It really made me look inward and be thankful that my children are healthy, it just seems to be something so many of us take for granted on a daily basis.  I do, and I shouldn’t.  I admire them so much for their strength and am so thankful I came to know them.  Watching over your sick child is something I don’t think any parent should have to do, it just seems unfair. 

And…..the BEST news ever!!  Ethan’s tumor has
shrunk.  Totally unexpected and it’s rare that they shrink, this is
GREAT news.  I am overjoyed that he is doing so well and really pray
that he gets better with each passing day.

If you guys ever have the chance to give of yourself or your talent, you should totally do it!