Right before Christmas, I was invited into the Miranda home to capture real family life.  I knew it was going to be a great shoot when I was offered a glass of fantastic red wine almost as soon as I got there!  Joe & Liza have quite a collection and it’s now my favorite way to shoot…AND, I should also mention that Liza is an amazing cook…after our ordering session a few weeks after this shoot, she totally treated me to her homemade Thai food.  It was ::singing:: Incredible!! I learned that Liza and I share a love for organic products and our sharing of foodie places to visit (like The Terrapin Creek Cafe in Bodega Bay ) and our mutual love for the Sonoma County region started with our very first conversation on the phone.  We also share a love of children and her and Joe’s kids are Beautiful!  She told me on the phone before I came that they would probably need some warming up time when I got there…but….

As soon as the door opened they were yakity-yakity-yak-yak-yak!  Off to the playroom/loft I was swept and I got the grand tour from the girls’ point of view. Once I finally made it out and into the kitchen, there was Liza “whipping up” the afternoon snack of baked brie, fresh salami, baguette and of course the now-famous red wine. Joe dotes on the girls and their teamwork in parenting is a sweet dance.

What I’m reminded of when I’m spending time with families like this one is what truly matters most.  You might think I’m going to say wine…and I almost did…but, sincerely, again what I noticed is connection within the family.  Holding.  Touching.  Delighting.  Purposeful and intentional love. It makes every difference.  The girls were happy.  And that BABY!  She never complained one single time.  I mean…babies fuss when they get sleepy…but she was content as she could be. All smiles and just go with the flow. I loved hearing all the stories about how Joe & Liza met in medical school, how Liza grew up in the midwest, and how she quit her practice to stay home with the girls…and how Joe is gonna get my husband to stop snoring!!!  I loved watching Liza and Joe feed Gelsey and show that gentle care for a baby.  I loved capturing the girls twirl and giggle and snuggle down for story time. There really isn’t a better job in the world…

Joe & Liza…thank you so, so much for your simple hospitality. I LOVED being in your home and playing with your girls and having plenty of time to get to know you all.  It’s sweet to see the girls play together and I’m looking forward to watching everyone grow over the years.  Looking forward to meeting up again soon. I can’t tell you how spoiled I feel to have shared that wine and Thai food…you’re too good to me!!

Oh…Joe & Liza also love jazz music so if you’d like to watch the full slideshow of their shoot, you can see it right here!

Much love,

Treacy

One of the reasons I love photographing families is because there is so much opportunity for emotion to surface.  With younger families, you get the emotions of glee and wonder and total baby infatuation.  But with older families, I can really start digging and getting into the depth of the emotions as the kids become able to verbalize what they feel.  And this family, the Chorley Family, pulled out all the stops.  They didn’t realize they were doing that as we were shooting – but it was amazing.

After our intial warm ups and hanging out and laughing, I started asking them tell each other things.  Some things evoked laughter.  Some heartfelt comfort and pride. I started with Mike & Shannon (who are some of the sweetest friends I’ve ever been fortunate enough to know and love) and we began with some easy, goofy questions that made them relax and have fun.  After a while, we moved into more introspective conversations – and honestly – all I did was give an invitation for them to experience their feelings for each other.  They did all the work – I was only there to capture it.  They will be married 25 years this April – and they love, love, LOVE each other.  They are the real deal. And they lived out loud in front of my camera while they told each other things like what they admired in each other, why they still love each other, what they dream of for the future and as you can see…they just delight in each other.  What a blessing to witness that.

I moved onto the kids next, each taking their turn snuggled and nestled in between their parents and I had them exchange words of gratitude.  I heard things like, “I’m proud of you because…  I love you because…  Without you in my life, I would have….”   As they gave words of encouragement to their parents and as they received words of praise from them, I just watched as their hearts soaked in every single word. Every nugget, that maybe they knew inside, they had been longing to hear.  It was FA-REEZING cold by the time we finished, but there was such a warmth within the family.  Such a lilt in their steps as we hiked back out to the cars.  (Which could have been from frostbite!)

Shannon and the kids later tell me with tears in her eyes, as she read a thank you card from Grandma for the Christmas photo gifts, that the experience of bonding and healing they had during the shoot was so special.  The kids told me how seeing the photos of being held and loved and delighted in made them feel loved, and protected and safe.  And mostly they felt grateful to have such awesome parents.  Fantastic. Just fantastic.  If all kids could know that…could see with their own eyes how truly and deeply they are loved…our world could be different.

It’s why I do what I do.

{segway} 2012 is going to be a year of shooting and working with more intention.  Of creating opportunities for couples and families to connect. To be making bigger differences. I’m so serious, excited and passionate about it that I hired a dream team to help me build…I don’t even know what yet. Something bigger than what I can do alone.  The whole discovery, building and unveiling of my bird-brain ideas (and believe me…I have about a million of them…) are going to be documented live on their website – so…if you want to follow that and watch me grovel around…you can do that right here.  We had our first meeting yesterday and today is #2.  I’ll be chatting it up here as well…but only if it’s going good. Hahah..just kidding.  (I wonder why I’m having dreams about being naked in front of the classroom…yikies!)

Mike (who btw is an ah-mazing craftsman and I want a house built by him someday) & Shannon (undercover Hot Mama) – I know you say you’re not cool – but I couldn’t disagree more.  You’re are so favorite and I’m humbled that you all let me into your moments of tenderness as a family.  The way you love each other is a testimony to many of how love wins.  It’s so easy to be with you. Thanks for loving our family.  We are so, so, SO fortunate to have crossed paths with you.  So fortunate.

Here’s the full length slideshow of the tenderest shoot of 2011.

Love you much,

Treacy

Man, was it cold!!  But when Katie + Jesse started snuggling up, it was worth the frostbite.

Chances are, if you’ve had a shoot with me in the past two years, you could have met Katie already.  She assists me often…and we love her around here. Monday, it was her turn to sit in front of the camera. (true confessions: I haven’t had mine done yet…maybe next week…)  Anyway, Katie + Jesse and I and their sweet doggie Kulta set out on an adventure on Monday to Truckee – one of the coldest spots in the nation. Not kidding.  We found the perfect winter landscape right off the side of the road. Complete with a naked aspen grove, an old broken down structure and snowy patches.  It was gorgeous.  And cold. (did I already mention that?)  But they warmed it up in no time with their connection and love vibes.

I’m so proud of Katie right now.  On Saturday, she walks across the stage and graduates with a degree in photography from CSU Sacramento.  She interned with me last fall and again this fall to meet some of her requirements.  She is such a joy to have with me.  She has an incredible eye for composition and finds beauty in almost any situation she finds herself in.  But our journey didn’t start with photography.  I met her when she was about 8 or 9 years old. Katie was our favorite babysitter many moons ago…(I remember picking her up from soccer practice before she started wearing makeup.)  That makes us both old. Ha! She was lucky enough to snag Jesse and got married 5 1/2 years ago.  Their wedding was one of the few that I’ve shot.  (hallelujah!)

Spending time with them is easy.  Jesse is one of the kindest, most tenderhearted men I know.  He works hard, missing every weekend with Katie, while he builds into the lives of troubled teens.  I admire him so much.  He treats Katie with so much respect and gentlness.  They are super lucky to have each other.

Katie and I were on a shoot together yesterday, and we were talking on the way about how much we both love having photos of our families.  It just seems to fill us to overflowing…like we know the world is alright when have meaningful photos to look at.  I know…kinda weird.  (But we are and we like it that way.) It’s just that having a meaningful photo to reflect on and remind us of special moments preserves our experience.  It’s like keeping a memory for always. And for me, it also helps me see things that maybe I don’t see otherwise.  There really is something deep that happens inside me when I see with my own eyes how I’m loved.  Whether it’s in a glance, a touch, a smile, etc.  It makes me feel strong and valued and able to conquer anything.  Whatever it is…it feels good.

These are a few of my favorite photos from the “Brrrrr…..MAN is it COLD out here” shoot.  It’s one of my favorites.  Kulta was such a good girl and gave me many perfect doggie smiles.  I don’t know what she kept finding in that snow, but she was having a great time running through the field.  Jesse – THANK YOU FOREVER for your jacket. I owe you for the rest of my LIFE.  Katie – I simply love you.  Thank you for all your hard work this fall.  You are doing amazing and I’m so excited to watch you grow and learn and blossom.  This world is lucky to have the two of you. Truly.

Enjoy your slideshow.

Love you much!

Treacy

Look what just arrived today!  When I saw the box, I ripped it open as fast as I could because I knew that inside was the latest addition of cuteness around here.  These dainty frames make me so happy I could squeeze them.  The rustic and distressed little frames are 8×8 and hold a sweet lil’ 3×3.  Comes in cream, steel, moss, chocolate and black.  I’m always on the lookout for products that would make us all happy and I’d say this one does the job!  Welcome, Dainty Little Frames.  I love you.

And if you’re not sure what you would put into one of these adorable displays, maybe you should go here and we can cook something up for ya’! I think it’s the perfect gift, don’t you?