He said "Aleee"....

and it melted my heart.  There's just something that happens to me when a 2 year old I barely know says my name with excitement :-)  With rounded knuckles, he clenched his hot wheels

for most of the session...but it was SO cute!!!

This little guy put up with me for the whole 2 hours...he did awesome!

This was a newer photography session for him.  He was used to a stuffy studio setting before and today he was able to run and sit on trucks and play barefooted in a stream.  

I hope ya'll had as much fun as I did...

It's alive!!!

My website that is...so if you wanna check it out (because it's totally awesome) my website is:

alibrownphotography.com

I am so tired from all the website stuff last night.  Or should I say this morning.  To be honest I didn't remember all that I did to it until today.  I admit...I've been looking at it quite a bit.  

Thank you bludomain for everything!  You guys rock! 

On a different note, I have been thinking alot lately about my day job.  For any new peeps that didn't know, I'm a Certified Pharmacy Technician by day...Monday, Tuesday and Fridays to be exact.  So that leaves me with the evenings, Wednesday,Thursday and Saturdays to pursue the fun job.  

My photography.  

But while I would LOVE to "quit my day job" and focus fully on my business (and have more time with my kids), I can't.  I have to help out a little.  

My poor husband also has two jobs...but way more physically demanding (he works construction by day and freight team by night)...while during the day I am mentally and emotionally exhausted from work, David is physically tired.  He goes to work at 7:45 in the morning, picks up the kids from Daycare around 5.  Then he does a couple "honey-do's" and after a quick shower, a quick bite to eat and maybe 30 minutes of veg time, he precedes onto the next job of lifting huge crates to dangerous heights...until he finally gets home a little after midnight.  Then  7 hours later...repeat the cycle.  Monday through Friday.  

Thank goodness we have our weekends together.  I feel like I never see him until mid Saturday rolls around.  

Dave has expressed a sincere excitement for wanting to be my second shooter.  I don't know if he's just following the footsteps of many other women photographer's spouses, but I actually love the idea.  What we need to happen first though is a way for both of us to quit one of our  two jobs.  How do we do this?  Oh I'm so glad you asked...

 

You see, Dave has wanted an apprenticeship to a heating/plumbing/air shop for awhile.  He love's working with his hands and he does an excellent job at anything.  In fact, he is almost done with the chicken coop he made for my girls (chickens) and it looks good enough for me to camp in.  It has roof shingles and everything!

If he got this dream job, he would work less hours, get paid more AND his GI Bill would kick in.  The government would pay him to learn his trade.  What does this equate for me...I then could quit my day job and focus on my photography.  So it's a win win....win (as Michael Scott would say) situation.  

So, if you ever think about us, would you say a prayer...that we would walk in God's perfect will for our lives.  We both are so tired and are ready for a change for the better.  But in everything (even the yucky times) I know there is a reason why we go through the things we do.  So we can learn to be content in EVERY situation..."I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me."  

Love you all!!!

We're movin' right along...

"dooby doo, dooby dum."  Do any of you remember that muppet movie with this song in it?  I loved that movie as a kid.  That pretty much sums up what's been going on for my business lately.  I must take this chance to say "THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!"  to anyone who has referred me.  You are what makes this thing roll.  

I know I'm probably gonna have bloodshot eyes before this girl's night is over *large thumbs pointing at me* I am stretching to get most of my website done tonight.  My mamma invested in my business by getting me a website.  "Thank you mamma!  Yer da bomb!"  So, I'm stinkin' excited about getting it launched.  

In the meantime I had the opportunity to shoot a cute little family last night.  I just wish I had the energy that this little girl had.  I would get so many things done if I did :-)  Anyhoo, it was a beautiful day and I just cracked up at all the expressions this little one would make for me.

She was a ham!  She'll have to teach her new sister (still percolating in mom) all those funny faces.  

Thanks for letting me capture some of those moments for you...it made the night very entertaining...  

*Kristen*

So, this gal right here is a trooper!  I had so much fun with Kristen...from moving vans, locked junk yards to an invasion of rather large mosquitos...she went through it all still smiling.  Thank you Kristen for making this such an enjoyable experience for me.  I will never forget the looks on the peoples faces as we carried your couch across the street..hahahaha.  

I hope you like your sneak peak...

*C* Family

This morning I had the opportunity to photograph some dear friends and their adorable 1 year old.  It was an early day, but Eli did wonderful!  She made me laugh and I just want to say "THANK YOU"- sweet family- you all are such a blessing to my life and I'm so thankful I can call you friends... Enjoy your sneak peak!

Tiffany & Fam

So...I had a fabulous time with Tiffany and her family.  Such a neat bunch of folks.  I couldn't resist but editing a few more than I said I would for a sneak peak.  If it weren't for the toothpicks in my eyes, I would totally finish them now.  But seeing as I need to wake up for church tomorrow, then I will just leave you with these.  

Side note:  the reason it took me so long was that my photoshop was being ghetto and I had to do things the hard way...one by one.  So, I will work on that tomorrow too.

Thank you Tiffany for the laughs, being adventurous enough to let me stamp your belly, and just altogether a wonderful time!  I hope you enjoy your sneak peak...

...I'm so excited...

and I just can't hide it...remember that awesome 80's tune?  Well, that sums up my feelings right now.  I just want to squeal for joy...all night I was dreaming of things, places, ideas for my next victim...I found her yesterday.

Backflash:

So, I was getting a bit discouraged that I wasn't as big as say Jasmine Star in a week.  You know. You get a thought into your head, a dream in your heart, and then...nothing.  Like, folks didn't care that I was stepping out to pursue my love of photography.  But it's not that ya'll don't care...you just don' t know.

You don't know my style, you haven't seen many images....and that's mainly because I just started...duh Ali, get with it.  But anyway, I still was discouraged.  So I was on this website of some fun and funky photographers who posted a blog about how they got started.  One thing that they said that really changed my attitude was that no one is going to seek me out.  I have to get out there myself, get dirty and find clients.  I was going to have to do some freeby jobs to build my portfolio.  Not all free mind you, just stuff that I wanted people to be able to look at pretty quick into me getting into it.

Sooooo....I decided that I really want to be able to have some maternity and newborn images on my site...for when I finally launch it.  (It's gonna happen folks...I just have to come up with 300 buckaroos to launch it-don't worry it will be worth it...looks super awesome) back to my story...sorry for the  bunny trails...so yesterday after dropping the kids off at daycare I started my hunt...the perfect belly.  I usually have about an hour or so until I have to go to work so with a belly in mind, I grabbed some 'Bucks and headed to my first destination.  Where else would be an awesome place to find a belly?  Well, the OBGYN of course!  To my arrival at the clinic, NO BELLIES!  Just a cute thin girl who, if was pregnant, needed about 9 more months of cooking in order for her belly to be ready.  

Ok...plan B.  I then headed to Target to see if there were any in the maternity or baby sections...nope.  So, you can imaging by this time I was SUPER oober discouraged because I WAS trying to get out there and be daring to find me a client to bless.  and in return she would bless me.  

So, I gave up, and headed to my friend Charlotte's office.  I hadn't talked or seen her in what felt like ages and I had a little more time left before work.  Five flights of stairs later - elevators were down - I see my Charlie at the top.  We talked and I showed her I was "official" because of my business card, we talked about some options for doing her portrait, and then I explained my story from that morning and just laughed at myself.  She apologized for the bad morning and we continued talking.  I was all this time out of breath and she said, "I know the elevators are down and we were wondering......" GASP!  "Wondering what?"  says I.  "I didn't even think about this, but the lady who works next store is just about to have her baby!"  (By the way, the unfinished sentence a few up is that Charlie was wondering how the pregnant lady did on all those stairs)  She added, "And she's a cute too."  

We went next store, and Charlotte asked for the "pregnant lady."  *Geez Charlie I at least thought you knew her name ;-)*  Out comes this beautiful blonde who's all belly.  The best part is that I didn't have to wait for her to get bigger...she's due in a month!  Her name:  Tiffany.

I introduced myself and asked her if she would be willing to let me photograph her and her amazing belly/family free of charge to use in my portfolio...she about cried...apparently, she and her friend at the front desk had been talking about getting some "belly pictures" done but weren't impressed with any places in town.  I gave them my card, showed some of my work off my ipod and they both were so excited. 

So, tonight at 7pm I get the honor of capturing this time in Tiffany's life.  I don't think it was coincidence either...I think that it was destiny...when I wasn't looking, the perfect subject kind of found me...

so, stay tuned for a sneak peak of the maternity session...

Christina & kiddos proofs

So here are the edited proofs for Christina...I needed a way for her family to see all the photos for ordering.  

I think this is how I'm going to start giving proofs to my clients...it's a neat way of displaying the photos...and the music adds a fun touch    :-)   

I just need a domain name now so that the proof viewing can be more private...I am investigating different hosts to see what I can do...

I can take orders by phone or email and will send an invoice via email...then will either mail for you out of towners or will have them available for pick up.

Hope you all are finding a warm place to snuggle with a blanket, read a book, and drink your hot tea or coffee in this crazy weather...

Rain, Rain, Go Away...

Due to the icky weather I had to cancel my session with the wonderful family I was going to shoot.  Ahhh!  So frustrating!  So, what do you do when you're in the mood for shooting and there are no subjects?  Torture one of your own offspring...

Ashton has been very proud of his new battle wound.  He gashed his head open yesterday.  I heard some crying upstairs during their quiet time, and had a little voice inside tell me to check it out.  To my discovery, blood...!

Thankfully I am one of those, stay-calm-in-an-emergency kind of folks.  So, as I cupped my hand under his ever flowing wound, I tried to encourage him that everything would be OK.  A roll of toilet paper later revealed that his gash was about 1/2 inch long and maybe 1/8 inch deep.  He probably could have used stitches from a doc, but I just got some butterfly bandages, and cleaned the area. A doctor friend of ours was returning a saw and was able to see if I did a good enough job cleaning it and closing it up.  I did.  :-)

Here is my dear, brave, subject...my son.  And his lovely boo boo.