I am going to write a monthly newsletter going forward and send it electronically. If you haven’t already signed up to receive it, please consider doing so! It won’t be long and I promise it will have useful information. Click on  this link to read the first official permission-based newsletter (okay, I’ve done it before, but it hasn’t looked  as ‘pretty’ as this one: July 2010.

Newsletters are a way for a business to keep clients abreast of specials, important news, and relevant information. I like electronic newsletters because I can read them when I have time. I’m a ‘tree hugger’ so I like to save paper where and when I can. Truly. Ask my family how I am about recycling. I make everyone crazy. LOL.  At least paper is better than plastic. I’m so off plastic right now!! STAMP OUT plastic please! Okay. my brief rant is over. Whew.

Anyway, back to the newsletter… congratulations to Marni Schmid who answered my teaser question that came with a $10 gift certificate to Corner Cup Cafe. The question, as well as the prize, were not easy to find in the newsletter. Did my heart good at the number of people who read it and answered it correctly so quickly! Thank you! The question was who said “No try. Do or do not. Try not.” The answer was Yoda.

To ‘try’ to do something is to set yourself up for immediate failure. Put your eye on the prize. Try not. Just do. When my girlfriend, Elaine Barber, recently published her first book after having it be a dream for 20 years, and we all finally got to purchase a signed copy, I told her that someone said “The world needs dreamers. And the world needs doers. But what the world really needs are dreamers who do.” She is a doer! Amen.

So wherever you are, you have a choice. I love to ‘be’. And I love to ‘do.’ But try? As Yoda would say…. no try.

Thursday, August 5 – Call now!

It’s time to update your portrait to the outside world! Let’s make the phone ring for you! People love to see who they are doing business with or about to date or ‘talking to’ online. It’s important to all of us to look our best out there, let’s face it! So whether you need a social media portrait or a business portrait, call today and make your appointment for your professional portrait. You’ll be glad you did.

You can select from an outside or inside portrait. All sessions include full retouching and enhancing. All sessions are paid in advance at the time appointment is made. We offer a full, 100% money-back guarantee if you are not happy with the results of your portrait.

I will provide you with a tips sheet to make sure you look fabulous! I plan to speak with each of you ahead of time to assure we’re on track with the look you are going for, since the appointment times will not allow for consultations the day of your session. 

Call today for more information or to schedule your appointment while there are times available. 734-426-0900.

Zoey

I’m not big on carrying a camera around.  Yet, of late, I’ve decided that I need to photograph my personal life more.  I seem to be so busy creating portrait photography for other people that I often let the moments of my own life slip by.  And that can be a very bad thing since there is no one in my family remotely interested in holding a camera let alone using one!  So candid portraits, even snapshots, here I come.

On a recent warm summer evening, we had dinner outside with our kids and our granddaughter. ’Z’ always steals the show. None of us pay any attention to anything but her discoveries and delight of the most simple things.  She loves music and dances to everything including commercials.  She does yoga poses because she’s figured out it makes everyone laugh, especially when she’s stark naked which is a good deal of the time in the summer by our pool. She says “Mmmmm” whenever she tastes something good and blows kisses to everyone and anyone like her life depends on it. How can anyone not love babies?!

It’s occurred to me lately that I rarely take snapshot photos let alone print them. I’m too concerned with getting ‘the perfect shot.’  So I’m trying to turn a new leaf.  Tiny moments matter so much in our lives. They are here and with a whisper they are gone.  Get out your camera! Catch it.  It doesn’t matter if it’s perfect.  It matters that you have something to remember it by.  That’s my new motto for a while.

As our granddaughter grows, I want to catch it all.  Her mommy grew up in a split second. One day she was a tiny tot with her pony tail blowing in the wind and before I knew it she had grown up on me.  I have a chance to savor the moments more this time.  We intend to do just that.  I’m going to keep her one day a week (Mondays) for our daughter while she goes off to nursing school. Don’t worry, I will be exercising and eating my vitamins to make sure I have the stamina!

I’ve taken hundreds of photos of this sweet child since she was born 18 months ago. I love so many of them. But how ironic that my favorite portrait of her was one I grabbed on a hot summer evening just enjoying her thoroughly and snapping away mindlessly as she played. When I saw this image, it took my breath away. She so reminds me of her mother when she was tiny. Someone said ‘Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the number of moments that take our breath away.’

Get your camera out. Don’t let the moments slip away. Document them. Print them. Save them. Treasure them.

I recently was contacted about photographing a 50th wedding anniversary. When I asked the caller, the couple’s daughter-in-law, how she heard about me, she said ‘everyone knew my work and that I was the best.’ Okay. I loved this woman right from the start! Although ‘the best’ is relative, I graciously accepted her compliment and will forever remember it. It made my week. It gave me an opportunity to share the celebration and create keepsake images for everyone.

Sara & Richard

Sara and Richard celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary, and J. Love Photography was there to capture the occasion. It was held at Weber’s Inn. Love the place. Rod and I had our wedding reception there 9 years ago.  Sara and Richard had much of their original wedding party there from 50 years ago! They also had their wedding album, which I will be scanning and using as background images to their new album. Family and friends surrounded them from all over the country.  50 years. That’s a long time to love, honor, and cherish someone. May they have many more happy years together. And this winter, I’m going to be thinking of them as they sun and fun in Naples and it will remind me that getting older has its advantages!! LOL.

Rod and I talked about how if we do live long enough to celebrate 50 years together, we’ll probably be too darn old to enjoy it! I felt happy for this couple that they could celebrate such a wonderful occasion together surrounded by their children and grandchildren and so many friends.

Congratulations on your golden anniversary and thank you, Sara and Richard. You’re too darn cute for words!

I just got back from spending the day with the owner and founder of Jewel Kade  and about 200 of her closest friends!!! LOL. I got to see the new fall lineup of  jewelry that includes charms, bracelets, and necklaces. I met and made many new friends, and saw the new catalog for Jewel Kade’s product line. I love these people! They are artists whose handcrafted, made-in-America jewelry is the best photo charm jewelry I’ve seen out there bar none! The owner, Janet Kincade’s personal story is inspirational and heartfelt.

J. Love Photography is now offering Jewel Kade’s custom photo charms with your favorite photos as well as the entire Jewel Kade product line! This is a great gift idea for seniors, brides, and any occasion you can think of! Is there anything more treasured than a photos of our loved ones? Now we can wear them.  As so many of you know, my ‘little grammies’ are framed on my desk. I am fortunate enough to have a photo of my two grandmothers and two great-grandmothers together. I’ve always felt they have given me guidance as the angels that they are. So I made them into a photo charm with a lovely portrait of my mother on the other side. LOVE IT!

I’ve also put some of my nature fine art in a large locket that catches everyone’s attention!  So I believe I will probably do a series of these one-of-a kind charms for holiday gifts this year!  If you are interested in this, please let me know and I’ll add you to my mailing list. I think I’m going to try some ‘fun’ things like artfully done, colorful backgrounds with initials as well!  So stay posted!

Being a girlie, girl and a portrait photographer blend well together!  And y’all who know me know how much I LOVE jewelry from my toe rings to my earrings! Jewel Kade  has something for everyone. Check it out! And if you are interested in selling Jewel Kade or even getting your girlfriends together and having a fun night of playing with jewelry, just give me a call at 734-426-0900.