When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie... photograph it.

I had a thought today.

I got an email that an adorable couple that I recently met with had decided to book me for their wedding this summer. I squealed with glee. I met them and LIKE them. Do you know how much more FUN that makes photographing someone's wedding? When I, as a photographer, connect with a couple, the shots are always more heartfelt, creative, fun, etc. What I enjoy even more than shooting the wedding is the engagement session. This is where I spend an hour or so with two people who love each other enough to make a commitment in front of friends, family, and, most importantly, TO each other. And I think that being photographed together is a bit of an amazing experience. It's like a date on film. It's where a couple decides what VERSION of their relationship they want to "catch." It tends to start out awkward and end in love, fun and hilarity. I will tell you this: whether you like the WAY you look laughing/kanoodling/p.d.a.-ing with your partner or not, you'll like the feeling it gives your to see it captured in a still shot. It's... confirming. It's amore.

So here's my thought. (you assumed I tangented into the land of forget, didn't you?) Engagement sessions, which for decades were just a quick headshot and are now a photojournalistic/fashion-shoot-like EXPERIENCE, have become a "norm" in the I'm-getting-married process. They're fun to do, share, and look back at. So, why just engagements? How FRICKING FRACKING FANTASTIC would anniversary shoots be? Hush, I'm serious. I think that would be even superior... the "Hey, we made it 15 years, 3 kids, 2 health scares, 2 homes, 4 jobs, 4,293 fights and 4,344 make-ups -you read right ;-)-" photo session. I WANT to shoot these. You and your honey should want to star in these. Relationships aren't easy. They're work. They're also worth celebrating. Remember why you picked him/her.

So today... I like love.

Girls (and boys) next door

Due to a hefty handful of reasons, my family has one vehicle. It's a minivan. It's grey. You're jealous. It's also not always in my possession... many days the hubs has it. If you've been an ang-blog-follower, you know that a goal of mine is to "get out there" and shoot without letting excuses get in my way. This last week I stopped making an excuse out of lack of studio or even transportation to and from locations. While I certainly don't want to photograph everyone who hires me in the same spot, exploring the 4 block radius surrounding my wee bitty duplex worked out alright. Not too shabby. I shot a sisters shoot and another family both steps from my abode. It also makes me want to do more at-clinets'-home shoots. Think outside the "pretty picture box." You don't need Minnehaha Falls or the Rose Garden. All you need is love (or was it strawberry fields forever? I think the first).

True love, mutual respect, and kettlebells

Since 2005 I have shot dozens of weddings. I feel lucky to be able to say that there are few "types" left unphotographed by yours truly. If you promise to keep a secret, I have something to tell you though... I have a favorite type. Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! You heard me. There is something magical about a couple who decides to wed without months of planning and searching for the "perfect" _____________ or ______________. They've decided that the reason BEHIND committing themselves to one another is perfection enough.

On Saturday morning I woke and found a message in my inbox from a friend of a friend. She heard I shot weddings and submitted a last minute "Excuse me, what are you doing this afternoon?" plea. My gut instinct was to turn it down as I already had plans. But what's this? My shutter button finger sometimes itches and twitches and won't relent until I photograph something... or more accurate someONE. So I happily rearranged my day.

A and B were married at a fantastic, small fitness/wellness studio in the Kingfield neighborhood of Minneapolis. The guests were few, the cuisine was potluck, the intentions were noble, and I heard the bride utter more than once concerning layout and decor... "Whatever you think, I'm sure it will be beautiful." And it definitely was.

http://fourgatesmpls.com/

Flexible like a gymnast, without the freakish upper body strength

Any other mom, especially those of young children, will nod their head vigorously in agreement that multitasking is a mom's most developed skill that she never wanted. I don't WANT to excel at combinations like bandaging a boo-boo while making a sandwich or grocery shopping while performing itsy bitsy spider to keep everyone entertained. There it is, though.

Today, with my returning right-eye vision, I found myself armed with minivan and a desire to socialize. Off to my friend E's I flew. Boss and I were delighted to join her and her houseful for some coffee and Dora reruns. I also decided that today would be a good day to fulfill her recent request for a few portraits of her, just her. E's last year has been a big one and she's come out on the other side ever-so beautiful and accomplished. That's plenty reason for a few photos of oneself, I say. So, with Nikon in hand and 4 children under two years old afoot, I HOPEFULLY proved, at least to a small degree, that you don't need a high-rent studio or even lighting besides Mr. Sun, to catch a couple good portraits. You don't even need a quiet/easy location. Be bendy, people. Her daughter "I" did sneak into one or two. Because small people are tricky. And fast.

MS can kiss my S.

First post... my first blog post. Oh, the temptation to cover, no DRENCH it in witty puns and offbeat humor about my life, disease, and work. I am the "Chandler Bing" of talking about what's really bothering me. I tend to have a tangy one-liner for every situation but if you ask me how I'm doing, I'll meet your eyes with mine for the obligatory 2 second time period, express a hearty "I'm tired but great," and change the subject as quickly as humanly possible. Once I even brought up the topic of football in an emergency-subject-shift. Football.

What brings me here on this sunny/snowy Thursday morning? Surely this mom of 3.5 ("Skittles" was 11 1/2 yesterday, "Blondie" is 7, "Boss" is still in the age of months... 20 of them next week, and "Finale" is due to arrive in 2 too-short months) has many better things to do with her time. And I do. I'm making this a priority though. I think it's important. What brings me here is that I want to tell a bit of my story. I want to talk about working through hardships. I want to inspire... well... myself. I want to remind ANGIE that I have a bit of worth and can succeed. I've worked very hard to make this point. Unfortunately, I feel like the harder I work, the more hurdles are placed in front of me... and if you saw my round physique you'd know that hurdles aren't my thing. I'd prefer a nice shallow puddle to skip over.


I won't spend a ton of time talking about the specifics of my woes. We'll cover the basics though. I was diagnosed 9 years ago with Multiple Sclerosis. It manifested with optic neuritis in my right eye. Because my left eye is a lazy eye to begin with, I was essentially blind for a couple of weeks. I've had a few other symptoms over the years... numbness, extreme fatigue, memory loss, and additional eye flare ups. On the whole though, I've been very lucky. The lesions on my brain are multiplying yearly yet I've kept it together. I thank my kids and parenthood for this. I remember when I was diagnosed and married with no children. I essentially gave up. My frame of mind was covered in tarnish. I don't have that option anymore. The kids need me and the option to disappear in my own sickness and pity no longer exists. I accept more help than I'd like, but I'm here and "in it."


In those nine years I've also adopted a baby, divorced, done the single mom gig, had several jobs both cubicle-tied and nanny-like, met and partnered anew, started college, switched majors 3 times, gotten pregnant twice, married, became a stepmother, parented, written dozens of mostly-pointless papers and essays, and checked my facebook several thousand times.


In this time I've also dabbled in and out of my own photography business, both through many classes and self experimentation. It's what I love. It's where I feel comfortable... behind the lens. I have let two major things get in the way of taking this love and FLYING with it. 1. My MS. I have told myself for years that because of my vision problems, I have no "business" making portrait photography my goal and occupation. There are too many amazing and... well... completely SIGHTED photographers that I should probably find another cubicle position after the babies grow a little and forget about building my own business. 2. Lack of self-admiration of my work. I pretty much can't see past my own mediocrity. What I should be doing is shooting and improving every day but instead I wallow in what's missing.


Even with my qualms... I'm doing it! A few months ago (before my most recent loss and regain of vision) I decided I'm jumping in. I finish my business management degree in May and with my new business and marketing knowledge I've decided that I shall fill my days with motherhood and my evenings and weekends building and sustaining my business. I had planned to "jump in" midsummer after Finale is born and settled in, but because of my recent vision loss, my nanny gig is nixed and I find myself with plenty of time and a dawning spring of opportunity. I'll still be posting new work on my website (angelaairdphotography.com) and Facebook (angela aird photography) but this is where a lady or gent would go if they want to see personal photos or read about the excitement, frustration, shoot-stories, behind the scenes, or to feel great about themselves by observing my inferior grammar and punctuation.

There won't be any posts about football.