Life's Joyful Expressions

Tips and Techniques ~ Special Needs Kids ~ Working with Wheelchairs

2012-01-03T09:53:00.001-05:00

(using a merry-go-round at a park to straddle)

Recently I was asked by Marsha McNeely Photography if I would be a guest blogger and discuss my experiences when working with kids with special needs. And my readers know I am passionate about these kiddos so I said I'd be more than happy to share the knowledge that I have. Thanks Marsha for asking and for having the same passion that I do.

This week's blog post is all about the wheelchair (or walker or other medical devices). I'm sure by now if you did a quick scan of my posts you will not see portraits in which my clients are in their chairs. And this is very intentional. One of the first questions parents ask me is 'What can we do about the chair?' and I've had a number of photographers ask me 'How do we get rid of it?'

First I want to be clear on this..a wheelchair (or other medical device) is an extension of that person. It works as their legs, etc. So while you may view it as a device your client may not. In fact, most of my clients have names for their chairs..and you only give a name to something that has important value to you. So remember in having conversations with the parents or child to have compassion when talking about the chair. That being said, the chair does not define who that person is and should be minimized at all costs (unless asked otherwise).

And how do I do that? What do I do? For me, the first bit of information I need is listed in my pre-session questionnaire that I have all parents complete. I ask what are your child's abilities (and I do this in all areas..cognitive, physical, etc because there are often more than one system in play for the child and all need to be considered). For wheelchair users, I ask if the child can sit unassisted and I begin to develop a conversation with the parents from that. Can the child sit by using props? Leaning against other people? Sit in a chair? Straddling a roll? With that bit of knowledge I overlap that onto the parents vision for portraits. Is the session outside, inside, family portraits, senior class portraits, etc.? And I then ask about other abilities the child has and start to paint a picture of what a session could look like. I have yet to have a parent object to removing the chair...actually the opposite..gratitude for building a vision of the child and not the chair.

There are lots of things to consider when having one of these sessions!

Time is one of the most important!! You must remember that you and I can most likely sit and stand up unassisted and quickly. But these precious children will most likely need help and transfers are often time consuming. So you must plan on extra time. How much depends on what the session will look like. I usually plan on at least 10 minutes for each transfer (out of the chair and then again into the chair). Set changes or location changes will mean more than one transfer. So be patient and make sure the parents know you are not in a rush!! Take your time!!

Multi-tasking is a great way to use that time. If it's a family session and each family member is going to have some individual portraits, take those while the parents are performing transfers. But make sure this is all scheduled ahead of time with the parents so all family members are aware of the order of events.

Transfers can be very tricky. And even though I have a lot of knowledge about how to do it, I NEVER do one!! Let me make that clear..doing on one your own is a No-No!! I will ask the parent every time, 'Is there anything I can assist you with?' Most often the answer is no or can you carry this item for me. As much as I want to be helpful I do not want to be the cause of any injuries. And besides, the parents are pro's at this!

Always display dignity to the child or young adult. Sometimes shirts come up or pants fall down. Don't stare but instead engage everyone especially the child in light banter. You will be building a connection with the child and saying to them 'I think you are important'.

Eye-level communication is so important and often overlooked by the able-bodied community. I know my kids don't like when I stare down at them and neither do people who use wheelchairs. So I make it a point to be on eye-level as much as possible. That means squatting or kneeling or even sitting on the ground. What ever the situation calls for get yourself down on their level. You will be amazed at how well interactions will be free-flowing and how much easier it is to get natural laughs and smiles.

Use of props is key here. And when I say props I mean anything. In one of the pictures this dashing young man could sit well if he straddled something. And because the parents wanted outdoor natural setting pictures we opted for a park where we could utilize the playground equipment. Another one of my clients below was able to transfer to a stool that we hid with cloth or by taking very flattering head shots. In fact, she always dreamed of having a glamour session...why not? For her senior pics I used a very fun backdrop and mom got out her fan and off we went. Tell me it's not fun. These kids are kids! Ask what they want to do and find a way to do it!! Props can be leaning on other people, using pillows, pillars, etc.

Posing needs to be creative but make it look natural. Yes, the posing of a family might be a tad non-traditional but I can guarantee mom and dad will care only about having a family portrait that flatters everyone without the wheelchair. I am under the belief that even though I know the traditional rules for photography..it's OK to break them (as long as it looks good)! Besides, the trend right now in photography is not your traditional family portrait work..it's about families interacting, connecting and just being themselves!

If you need to use the wheelchair, I do have a few suggestions. First, getting on eye-level with the person who is in the chair is going to help reduce how much chair is in the picture. So yes, get lower to take their portrait. Have the chair on an angle (just like in regular posing work..never have your subject square to the camera!). Then have all other family members lean into that subject. By having them closer to the subject it's easier to build your triangles, etc. And take a tighter cropped in portrait to again reduce the amount of chair showing.

But I would urge you as the photographer to work to have your subjects out of their chairs and as the parents make sure your photographer has a plan for this. If they do not or are not willing to allow for enough time for transfers during the session, then look for another photographer.

(using a piece of playground equipment to straddle)

(using a family member to lean on)

(cropped in shot to eliminate chair from picture)

(different posing..captured her sweet reflective expression)

(glamour shots...wheelchairs are not our limitations..only our imaginations are)

Little Miss "M" and all her Sweetness!!

2011-12-05T14:27:00.000-05:00

Little Miss "M" is cute as a button!! I so love seeing her at church but this was a treat to be able to take her portraits. I think we lucked out on the one sunny day in a two week period with the skies so blue and so cheery! I think my favorite picture is the family one where I asked her to "gently hold your brother". You just can't script stuff like that..look at her face! Bryan and Karah, I had a blast and thanks so much for a fun session.

Miss Leah and her Senior Portraits ~ Special Needs Photography

2011-10-21T10:07:00.000-04:00

Getting to know Miss Leah was such a treat. Her spirit is so upbeat and glowing that once you meet her you know that you were blessed. During our pre-session meeting she and I went through her closet planning out what she was going to wear..how fun it is to do that especially since I don't have any girls of my own to clothes-talk!! Her favorite color is pink, she LOVES musicals, she loves flowers (and so do her mom and dad) and Leah loves to play games. While I was there we played a game three times and she won every time..I was beginning to think I got hoodwinked but mom said it's her favorite game!!

Once again I'm indebted to Jim Flowers in Etown for letting me use his garden as the backdrop for Leah's session..I think that mom and dad had just as a nice time exploring all the flowers and glass art work as Leah and I photographing her senior portrait session. Thanks Leah for a wonderful morning and I wish you all the best! Keep smiling girl..it's such a blessing to us all!!

Miss Aleena..Special Needs Kids Photography

2011-10-11T10:30:00.000-04:00

Each year I have a session or two where the kiddos just steal my heart. And this season it's little Miss Aleena. And the thing is I think she knew it too. At our get to meet the kiddo session she kept singing 'The More We Get Together, Together, The More We Get Together the Happier We'll Be!" What a sweet song and a sweet child. And yes the happier we will be.

Miss Aleena is such a smiler and is bubbly and giggly and full of life and personality. And she was amazing during her session too. Her natural smiles just came shining through after a few minutes and we were off. Infact, I had a hard time even selecting which proofs to show mom because even though many stood on their own this session was a collection of stories. Aleena's stories! Thanks for the great morning kiddo!!

Comm Solutions Tech Expo 2011 Video..Just for Fun

2011-09-29T19:56:00.000-04:00

More Comm Solutions Technology Expo pictures..

...there were just so many good ones to choose from! Enjoy!!

Comm Solutions Tech Expo 2011

2011-09-29T19:11:00.000-04:00

For the past five years I have been honored to be asked by Comm Solutions to photograph their Technology Expo. It's an event where they bring together existing clients with their technology partners so that clients can get a quick overview of the industries latest technologies.

And each year I develop a theme to photograph the foursomes. This year I got to thinking..hmm..these individuals are highly motivated, smart, and very competitive. And so I thought I'd add a fun element to their golfing experience with every group having a minute to win it like mini game.

From toilet paper rolling to hula hoop tossing to panty hose seeking...I really think everyone had a great time. Thanks again Comm Solutions!

Crystal+Jimmy ~ 9.10.11

2011-09-22T09:53:00.000-04:00

Ooooo..where to begin?!?! I've been eagerly awaiting this wedding all year! Yes, it's a fun date but I have known Crystal since she was a little girl and my husband knew her family from when he was a kid. And honestly, it was my honor to be asked to photograph their wedding. For those who are not from around the Central PA area, 4 days before theit wedding we had major storms and massive amounts of flooding. Crystal and Jimmy were called by their venue and told they had to relocate or reschedule because the Stone Mill was completely under water. I think I would have been seriously depressed but Crystal was amazing in her faith. She said that in 4 days she was getting married to the love of her life and she did (in fact at the Inn..what an amazing job they did cleaning it up). What I love about Crystal is that she is so sincere and what I love about Jimmy is the way he looks at her..completely in love (and a bit wrapped around her finger..and I think in this case, it's a good thing)! So gushy I know..but such a wonderful couple!

We are fortunate to have taken all the formals before the wedding in a slice of time when the golden sun came out just for us because it retreated not long after and we were again covered by clouds. I'm in love with this first picture of Crystal. She is simply radiant and beautiful and fun!! I truly mean that. Her colors were perfect...bright pinks and oranges and so fitting! And the sneakers the guys wore...sooo cool! I loved the entire planning process with both of them because they let me creatively do what I wanted and we laughed and just had a blast.

I wish them all the best in life and the cool thing is that from time to time I will get to see them and witness their marriage journey. Blessings to Crystal+Jimmy!!

Joni and Friends ~ Family Retreat :: and God's Helping Hand

2011-08-19T08:00:00.046-04:00

This last picture is very special to me..not because it's of my husband (even though this makes it all the more special to me) but because of the message the next day.

This thing they are on is called Jacob's ladder. It spans about 50 feet in the air and has posts suspended every 5 feet with rope. The goal is to work as a team to climb to the top using whatever strategy you and your partner can come up with and then once you reach the top climb onto the platform. As if that's not hard enough you must each walk across a wire holding only each other's hands..and as the wires diverge apart you must work to support each other before falling to the ground.

My husband was the last to go with a teenager that very much reminded us of our own son. Wanting to try things but maybe sometimes a tad over confident in one's skills. As they sat and watched group after group go Matt felt like this young man was faltering in confidence a little bit based. But Matt did not. He knew this was actually exciting and something he was glad to share with the young man (and I was glad this young man was paired with Matt..I knew my husband's strength and ability and I knew DEEP in my heart there was a reason they were paired together).

Finally their time came. I can't imagine the butterflies in their stomachs (well, OK mine) as we waited for them to go last. Matt quickly climbed the first rung while the young man faltered a little trying to figure out how to get up there. With people screaming all sorts of encouragement it was very difficult to for the two men to hear what each other was saying...so Matt came down to listen to him and offer a strategy. We could all see how the young man looked into Matt's eyes, grabbed his hand and was hoisted to the next level. And so it went on.

Once they reached the top rung the next challenge was the platform. My husband lied down and hung over the edge of the platform and grabbed this young man's arms and pulled him up. From there it was not over. They slowly slid their feet out over the wire a few inches at a time..sliding their feet not lifting so they would stay grounded at all times as to where the wire was. Holding their hands against each other and looking directly at each other they made their way farther than any group had gone..simply by working as a team and completely trusting each other.

The next morning during the testimony time, the young man's mother got up and thanked Matt for the experience made possible by simply taking the time to work with him (let's just say it was a HUGE lesson to both Matt and I as well). The next person who stood to give a testimony was another father who had taken the same challenge with his son.

He described it like this...(and I paraphrase very loosely).."as I reached down to grab a hold of my son's hand instructing him to look into my eyes and trust me, I lifted him past that obstacle. And we did it over and over again until we reached the top working together hearing only each other and not the distractions around us. At that moment I thought of Jesus, holding out his hand waiting for us to take it and look Him in the eyes and trust Him as He lifts us through our trials in life..one by one until we reach the end".

Many blessings to you all and thanks for reading about our Joni and Friends Family Retreat experience!

Joni and Friends ~ Family Retreat :: the Kiddo's

2011-08-18T15:30:00.000-04:00

Well, this wraps up the kids ministries..I honestly am so tired from this week of camp that I just can't think straight anymore. So I decided to just pick some and put them out there. Do you know how hard it is to go through 1500 pics and pic your favorites??? They are ALL my favorites. And I do try to capture everyone at least 10 times during camp.. LOL .. so I hope you enjoy them all.

Tomorrow I have one last post with a powerful message from a dad during the testimony sharing time on the last day. You won't want to miss it!!

Joni and Friends ~ Family Retreat :: the Talent Show

2011-08-18T08:00:00.000-04:00

The Talent show is filled with wonderful acts that these campers practice ALL year long. This show is a big deal to the campers as well as their families. Magic tricks, math tricks, gymnastics, singing, musical instruments, recitations, skits about friendships and skits about Jesus' love, slideshows of pictures taken through out the year by campers and even a wheelchair racer. These campers ARE talented and what an amazing display!! Of course I take pictures of every act but this year I had so many requests from campers themselves to make sure I blog their act..so I tried and here they are!!

PS..Yes, Elvis has left the building..but don't worry he'll be back next year!!

Joni and Friends ~ Family Retreat :: 20 Years, the Power Swing and Rockets

2011-08-17T15:00:00.000-04:00

20 Years of Family Retreats is a wonderful accomplishment and we hope and pray for many more years to come. Currently at Spruce Lake there are 3 weeks of camp offered and with the expansion project of Spruce Lake they are going to expand the capacity to essentially have 4 weeks of camp. Of course this capital campaign can use your funding as well as your prayer.

The power swing is something that campers have done for years. ALL campers regardless of disability have a ride on the power swing and conquer their fears. Many campers this year who went the entire way up were only able to be hoisted a few feet in past years. And new campers who only wanted to be harnessed in and gentle pushed were encouraged by campers of old.

The rocket project to me symbolizes the new ideas that are literally exploding within the Lancaster and Phila Joni and Friends field offices. It was a fun craft that was enjoyed by all ages (and it's one my son now wants to build here at the house!)

PS..yes that is Kathy again lying around..this time in the middle of the target zone. She promised her campers 20 camp bucks to go shopping with if they could hit her! Funny how I didn't get a turn :)

Joni and Friends ~ Family Retreat :: the Worship Ministry

2011-08-17T08:00:00.000-04:00

Worship and prayer is THE most wonderful part of the Joni and Friends Family Retreat. Mike and Toni Whaley are the talented worship leaders and their ministry for Joni and Friends is so touching (their son even served at J&F as an STM too). The friendships they have among the campers is so wonderful to witness. Now please don't think they just get up here and sing and are done. Umm..no!! The preparation of the music for camp is pretty extensive. I would think it's not an easy task to choose music that touches campers of all ages, denominations, disabilities and sermon topics, yet they do an amazing job! And not only do they lead the worship music, they also are in charge of the entire talent show. From rehersals to really working one on one with the campers. Toni and Mike are such a blessing to Joni and Friends!

Each morning camp would start out with a time of worship lead by the Whaley's. Then after the campers left for programming the camp Pastor (lead this week by Kevin Cain) would give a sermon to the parents and caregivers. This is a time I so want to stay and listen to because I know I need to hear these messages but I was blessed to have my husband relay his lessons to me...so I was free to go photograph the different childrens ministries.

Kevin and his wife Pam were missionaries a long time ago. And part of his responsibilities included being the pilot...so alot of this camp's lessons related to flying (as well as some very funny tie-ins to What about Bob the movie). My husband took flying lessons all during his teenage years and was intrigued as how he weaved God's message throughtout his stories.

I have known the Cain family for 3 years now (in fact I photographed their beautiful daughter Kelsie last year for her senior pictures). I love how Kelsie came up to me again this year to reassure me that I have made the right directional choice in my career. And her dad Pastor Kevin told me that he felt that I just "get it" and should keep persuing these kids. I really do love my job but every once in a while you need to hear a message of affirmation letting you know you made the right choice. Thanks for your kind words...again I felt like I was served by my J&F family.

Part of what makes camp worhsip so emotional for me is that I know SO MANY of the families and their stories and I pray for them too. I know their struggles and their desires for their chidlren. In fact the week before camp one of the moms called me and we talked for over an hour to update me on her boys (who I also photographed for family portraits this last fall). It was a hard phone call to hear because of the trials they endured this past year. But when I can spend the week capturing the pure bliss on their kid's faces, I feel that I have been blessed indeed!

PS. Kelsie got very sick this week and was rushed to the hospital in severe pain. But you know what she was thankful for..that it actually happened at camp because she knew all her J&F friends would visit her and pray for her. What a wonderful blessing to see in her situation!

Joni and Friends ~ Family Retreat :: the Campfire (the Rec crew)

2011-08-16T15:00:00.000-04:00

the Campfire is (I think) is one of the fun times at camp that everyone loves! Campers sing silly songs and wonderful hymns praising God too! And then there is the Congo line that ends up being over 200 people long complete with wheelchairs and all, and of course the night ends with smores! No camp trip is complete without smores.

What I want to focus on here is the rec crew. These are the behind the scene staff and STM's and volunteers that set stuff up all around camp all day long. Chairs for 200 people don't just appear .. and the kids games not only had to be set up during camp but someone had to create them in the first place. And who researched and ordered all the sensory stuff for the kiddos with autism to use? And the water slide?? Costumes anyone?? Yup..ALL these guys. And SO MUCH MORE!! I will admit that I think their job albeit fun and rewarding is one that goes unrecognized but is vital to making the camp experience flow so smoothly. So thanks Vicky and all!

PS..my son was her right-hand man all week long! He loves to help..in fact he just wants to be in charge. And I offer Vickie as an example of someone who had a job to do BUT yet by allowing him to be part of that served yet again. Thanks Vickie from Ian!

Vickie, Ian my son and Kristen his STM

(PS...now he is saving up for one of those cordless mic systems..oh help me!!)

Joni and Friends ~ Family Retreat :: the Intro's, Porch Ministries, Massage School and the Dinner

2011-08-16T08:00:00.001-04:00

We all know how exciting it is to get to camp but yet not know what's going on and who is who right?? The staff at Joni and Friends did a wonderful job (as they always do) with taking the theme that is given to them and just running with it..and this year they soared above every one's expectations. Sib and Joan welcomed everyone to camp then the family banners just flew into the program center .. one for every family. Oh how to hear the squeals of excitement over all the cheering when your family name is called. What a great way to start camp. (and yes, I am blogging out of order!)

Another wonderful ministry is loved by so many at camp..it's the porch ministry. Here you can get your hair cut or a massage or just a relaxing foot massage. I myself got a pink feather put in .. for fun .. but I liked it too much I actually might put a pink stripe in my hair. Seriously, these volunteers work on the hair and feet of those who really deserve it. And as Viv said on the last day (the mom of the host family) how wonderful it was that her daughter who had not had her hair cut in over a year trusted Marcie to gently cut her hair for Locks of Love. And they serve with love. (just as an fyi..Andi..the nice lady who does the foot massage has a second ministry at camp..she makes me coffee and has it fresh brewed for me in the morning so that after I am up all night editing I would have a nice pick me up! thanks Andi!!)

Another wonderful ministry is a group of students from a massage school who bring ALL their tables and lotions and special tools up to Spruce Lake to provide massages all day to the families, campers, STM's and staff of Joni and Friends. And these aren't quick ones either. These wonderful volunteers give of themselves freely and with such love. To see how they gently lift a camper out of a chair onto a table so they can receive such a blessing or even give a massage to a camper in a wheelchair..it really does bring tears to your eyes to see. This year, for week three, they performed over 90 massages in 4 hours. They rock!!

Oh wait..who is that below? Oh it's Kathy..our wonderful staff in charge of the young adults. Shouldn't she be working?? Well in all honesty, Kathy prepared for camp ALL year long and this 30 minute massage is so well deserved. Kathy is the woman from my church who 3 years ago asked if I would be part of this Joni and Friends ministry. And from that experience I decided to refocus my business to children with special needs. So I guess I should say a special thanks to Kathy!

And last but not least for today is the special dinner for the adults only. The STM's take the kids and play games and go swimming and have all sorts of activities planned while the adults get all dressed up and have a sit down meal in quiet.. with no kids .. with no feeding tubes to take care of .. with no children who can't sit still or feed themselves .. no crying or tantruming or anything.. just adult conversation!! How awesome!!

As a little aside, my husband and I were waiting to upload pictures for our slideshow during this time and I suggested to him we take a break and go grab a bite to eat. The rain cleared and so we took our meal to a nice little wrought iron table outside. Kym, a staffer of Joni and Friends, saw us and came over and put her iphone down on our table with music playing and walked away. We too had been served yet again by our friends at Joni and Friends!

Joni and Friends ~ Family Retreat :: Happy Grams

2011-08-15T08:00:00.002-04:00

Happy Grams are a ministry in their own crazy kinda way. I overheard Sib (the coordinator of camp) say she created over 1500 happy grams for people to use and by Friday they were all gone.

The purpose of a Happy Gram is to send a message to another camper, or STM, family member, etc with words of praise or encouragement. Then they get hung EVERYWHERE in the lobby of the dining hall..so while you are waiting in line to get your meal you can read over them (while searching for yours of course).

To some it may seem like a silly thing, but I will admit I still have all the Happy Grams I ever received!!

Joni and Friends ~ Family Retreat :: Behavior Support and Resource Ministry

2011-08-14T08:00:00.001-04:00

Joni and Friends is so blessed to have a behavior support specialist as part of the support staff during the week. Her name is Donna (ok..yes those are my glasses she is wearing..she and I were goofing around but I think she looks good in them). Donna's role is to help support the STM with campers who primarily have (but of course not limited to) neurological disabilities such as autism, mood disorders, ADHD, conduct disorders etc. When behaviors begin to escalate for whatever reason Donna is there to help bridge the gap between the STM and the camper. But part of her job is just to hang with the campers to build trust.

Donna is such a sweet kind soul and honestly I think (in fact I know) the campers love having her around...even though occasionally when they see her coming they know they better calm down. Funny how her presence is even a tip to the camper as to how they need to change their mood and join back into the fun things going on.

The resource ministry at camp provides wonderful material regarding disabilities, how to create a disability ministry at one's church, devotionals designed for parents with specials needs as well as fun things like camp t-shirts. I myself have used the materials at our church to have a Sunday School series for the kids designed to make our kids aware of others with disabilities and how they can be a great friend.

Joni and Friends ~ Family Retreat :: Men's and Women's Ministries

2011-08-13T08:00:00.001-04:00

Yes, I promise I will get to the kiddos..but I want to make sure I highlight other ministries that happen during the Joni and Friends Family Retreat before I unleash all the goodies for the kiddos.

I have been asked what makes this a family retreat?? And of course there are so many pieces that go into that answer but today I am going to focus on the women's and men's ministries. I will admit this is where I am little saddened that I can't attend for long because I must run around to all the other places during camp to photograph.

The women's and men's ministries occur after the worship time in the mornings. This is a time for bonding and sharing of all facets of life regarding being a parent or caregiver of someone with disabilities. Yes, we as society often focus on the person who has a disability but I tell you that it does indeed take a tole on the caregiver and they are often overlooked.

While many parents can take their kids to sports and activities, most of these parents are running their kids to speech, OT, PT and other therapies and are dealing with feeding tubes and toileting issues and so much more. We all worry about what will become of our kids when are grown and we are not here anymore but for these parents that worry is 100 times more. Who will take care of their adult child who can't feed or dress himself? Who will advocate for that person when they themselves can't talk? For these parents, having a date night is a HUGE challenge because of the burden of finding child care that is qualified and WILLING to go the extra mile. The responsibilities of these parents are so much more than what the average parent is called to do .. and these parents are heroes!! Truly heroes!!

During this time the men and women share about their lives and how God works in their lives. And not everything shared is pretty. In fact, there is a lot of grief and sorrow shared but this is a time where healing does occur.

For men, sharing is a very hard thing to do. Men are supposed to be tough and strong and the providers of their families, but often they carry an extra burden and have no one to share it with. During the steak dinner the men introduce themselves and about their families. And this is the ice breaker for sharing during the week about many topics. And they do share..my husband attended the men's ministry each day and the messages he came back with were amazing and comforting to know that we were not alone.

For women, sharing comes more naturally but mom's usually don't take time to relax and recharge. There is simply little time for that. The women's ministry aims to create a tranquil atmosphere where they can share amongst themselves and get refreshed.

Yes, our friends and families see our lives and what we do..but unless you live it day in and day out it's hard to truly express how it is just different. I feel that this ministry is one of the most important ones during camp and I am so thankful this year that my husband was able to attend.

Joni and Friends ~ Family Retreat :: the Prayer Ministry

2011-08-12T08:00:00.004-04:00

The prayer ministry at Joni and Friends is beyond expectations. These wonderful warriors begin to pray for our camp experience way before camp even starts. They are praying for our preparations and travels and once we are here they pray for the love of Christ to shine through during every part of the camp experience. I myself asked the women to pray for me during this week that I may balance work with participating in the retreat with my own family as well as connecting with the campers and their families. They also have prayer boxes all around the camp for you to slip in a request. There is a relaxing prayer chapel that you can go to and spend some quiet time in there or ask for someone to pray with you.

This year, upon arriving at camp, a couple went into the prayer chapel not to ask for prayer but rather they prayed for this ministry and that it would bless the campers. How amazing is that!! And I can tell you that there were so many examples of God at work. As a great friend describes it..it's a slice of heaven right here on earth.

Everything around this camp centers around demonstrating the love of Christ to others whether it is through caring for a camper, being assigned to a ministry, well....everything. On Monday morning before the campers arrive we all gathered in the program center to have our hands blessed so that we would go forth and remember the work we were to do this week..in love! What a blessing! At the end of camp, all program staff ad STM's gathered in a circle around all the campers and their families and we prayed again to commission these families to God's work as they returned to their homes and churches.

And each morning the STM's would also gather for devotions lead by the pastor of the camp. I will admit I never made it there because I was up wicked late every night editing and then in the morning I had my own family to attend to, but I honestly had such a sense of peace knowing that the STM's assigned to be with my boys started their days with prayer.

Joni and Friends ~ Family Retreat :: the Greeting

2011-08-11T08:00:00.009-04:00

Now it's Monday afternoon and everybody (STM's and staff) have been commissioned. After a quick rest and lots of setting up it's time to greet the campers. Honestly, this is so important and so wild to watch. In fact, it's a very very very happy time. Nothing says welcome more than happy smiles!

Each camper and their family is greeted at the entrance to Spruce Lake and asked if they would like a soft or loud greeting. As I've written about in many blog posts before noise can be hurtful or overstimulating so even care is given to that from the moment they start camp. Once the camper drives up the lane and receives their greeting, it really is crazy getting checked in..or so it seems...but this is where the STM comes into play.

Each camper and their family is now matched with their STM. This helps the parents or caregivers to go get unpacked while the STM and camper participate in activities going on all around. From "airplane" rides given by Jerry in his chair to rockets blasting up in the air and facepainting and more .. camp has begun.

Now that I have been here for 3 years its actually kinda hard to photograph this event because I want to greet the campers that I have gotten to know and call family. So yes, I get my hugs too! The most touching part is seeing a returning camper greeting their STM from years past and watching them connect like they never skipped a beat. And for new campers, I see the uncertainty in their face but I know by the end of the first day they are going to be best buddies.

Joni and Friends ~ Family Retreat :: the STM's, Nurses and Host Family

2011-08-10T08:00:00.001-04:00

The STM's (Short Term Missionary) are at the heart of what makes Family Retreats such a success. All the families that attend this retreat have an individual affected with some sort of disability. And each camper (whether a child or an adult) is assigned an STM to be their buddy for the week. STM's are with the campers during meals, programming, all the fun things like water slide trips and talent shows, but also with them during the not so nice times when the child takes off running or is having a meltdown. The role of the STM is to support the family during these times.

Each and every STM pays to attend camp. This offsets the cost for the families. Can you imagine..a camp where you PAY to WORK!! And there is a huge waiting list to be an STM!! Praise God for that!!

On Sunday, STMs arrive a little before noon. Many are excited to reunite with each other and many are new and don't know what to expect. It doesn't take long for all STM's to quickly realize they are all here on the same mission field with the same goal...to serve God by serving these wonderful families.

The staff of Joni and Friends completely understand that most of the STM's have no experience with special needs children or adults and many not even know what the disability of the camper is that they are assigned to. The nurses for the camp are there to help them understand exactly what they need to know in order to be a more effective STM for their camper. The staff also have the STMs go through training throughout Sunday and part of Monday in order to get them as ready as they can be. Training to create an awareness of things they might see, how to work with the campers, what will be expected of them and more.But as the host family told them all that first day..'Don't be afraid to ask..we want you to ask!'

The host family is a family who has attended camp for many years. Their goal is to interact with the new families and make sure they are making connections with the other families that have been there a few years. It's neat to have the host family act as a family unit by greeting and serving but they are also present in all the other ministries (mens, womens, siblings, and more)..just another way to bridge any gaps that might be there. The week I was there the host family were the Hall Family from CT. I have had the privilege to visit them in CT last year..let's just say that they were the perfect fit.

I must quick mention the nurses here. These nurses don't just sit back and wait for a call. They are there to train the STMs for safety precautions as well as serve these families with everything..even with feeding tubes, etc. And they even bring medical resources with them to answer questions when they themselves might want a little more information.

One last thing to note..we even had an STM who was deaf but was an amazing lip reader..but nevertheless there was even a sign language interpreter for him and the campers who might have needed that service.

And when Sunday night seemed to be winding down..the program staff reved it back up with fun games for the STMs. Minute to Win it is always good for team building activities and but much better some good laughs. Yes, that young man is wearing a kite on his head..and yes he ran all around the program center trying to get it airborne and to outrun his opponent. Such fun and laughter and a great start to the week.

Joni and Friends Family Retreat 2011

2011-08-09T10:14:00.000-04:00

LINK to animoto's website...it does take a while to load so please be patient.

Joni and Friends Family Retreat 2011

Joni and Friends Family Retreat has become a home away from home for my family. Yes, I go to serve using my photography, but it's also a place where our own special child can Be Free to be who he is. This year's theme was "Be Free" and for our family it was so fitting. My husband and I came away with some simple but life changing messages that we plan on really embracing as we raise our own children.

This week I'll be blogging about the individual ministries that occur at the camp..childrens, womens, mens, recreation, prayer, STMs and so much more. I hope you enjoy this enough to follow this week to see what it's all about. If you are touched by this video and would like to know more about serving at the camp or about having your special family attend, please email me to find out more and I can put you in touch with the right people at Joni and Friends. Camp registration is actually started in January and is filled in a matter of 2 months.

Blessings to you all!!
~holly

PS. I'd like to acknowledge animoto and their supporting of this ministry by allowing us to have a free "for a cause account"..it truly does bring to life all that we experienced this past week!

Little Miss "A" and a Special Little Story!

2011-07-21T19:32:00.000-04:00

Something that I've been working on with my clients is envisioning the end product that they would like to see hang on their walls. To do this, I have them think about the personality of their kiddo and the story that they bring to life. In this case, Little Miss "A" has been learning to skip and jump and twirl at her therapy sessions and she was dying to show me what she can do. Now maybe one of these pictures alone might not make it to a frame as a portrait (even though the first one in the series makes me smile), but when combined together they really capture who this little darling of a girl is.

So I thought I'd show just one sample of a storyboard (and somtimes people call them collages) to spark ideas of how a simple thing like learning skills in therapy can translate into a silly loveable giggly little girl's story!

There will be more of Little Miss "A" coming soon but for now I just wanted to post a teaser!

MCP Project 52 ~ Sweet Relief

2011-07-16T10:32:00.000-04:00

I finally feel that I am able to get back into the swing of things with this project which is good for me to think creatively but involve my kids too. And that's so important to me! This week's theme is "Sweet Relief". If you live in an area of the country right now where the temps are always in the 90's then of course your mind is going to think pool, or ice cream or even air conditioning (which I'm not sure how I'd do that one?!?)

My youngest son loves to ride his bike..and prides himself on his top speed of going 26 MPH. For me..at age 7 that's way too fast but he takes after his daddy there. And his end-o a few weeks ago didn't even stop him from getting back on and trying again (thank goodness for helmets because his cracked all the way through). I think he's been inspired lately as every morning he watches Le Tour de France with me (a fun bonding moment together). Today he was riding his bike up and down the hill and at one point came over to me (who was sitting in the shade) and said.."Mom, I think it's too hot!" So I treated him to a popsicle and it hit me - Sweet Relief... so I hope you enjoy this as much as he did his popsicle.

~holly

UPDATE: I was informed this morning that it was featured as one of the top ten picks for the Sweet Relief theme. Thanks Oweo for helping mom!!

Melissa and Adam Tie the Knot ~ June 25th, 2011

2011-07-12T21:55:00.000-04:00

Melissa and Adam are such a fun and sweet couple. They got married at one of my favorite locations in Lancaster, PA at the Pheasant Run Farms B&B. It really is set up for such amazing wedding photo opportunities and now with the new addition of the rock water falls, it was an amazing setting for their wedding. Melissa and Adam really put a lot of thought into the details of their wedding and the pulled together so well. You can tell that Melissa and Adam really think about each others needs before their own..it was obvious from the little comments they would say to each other as well as their hand written vows. And their friends!!! If you were there then I don't really have much more to say! But if you weren't, let's just say they like to laugh and make you laugh (which can be hard to control when you are trying to be so professional). I think the jokesters in them really shined when they did their jumping shot as well as the entertaining new and improved 2011 Village People rendition..I have NEVER seen such goofiness but it really was perfect of who they were as a group. The last person I want to note was the DJ. DJ Jimmy Jam is by far the best DJ I have ever encountered. He is entertaining, gets the crowd so into everything and had an amazing light show that he puts on. Again, another testament to the care put into every detail of this wonderful day. Thanks Melissa and Adam for letting us be part of your wonderful day! Good luck and best wishes!!

For many more pictures, visit Melissa and Adam's album on Life's Joyful Expressions Facebook page.

Remember, these are just a few of their memories..to see more visit Melissa and Adam's album on Life's Joyful Expressions Facebook page.

Ian's July 2011 Photowalk..Today We Worked on Movement with Lines!

2011-07-08T15:05:00.000-04:00

Every few months I take my oldest son on a photowalk with the intention of teaching him one new technique to focus on. In the past we have worked on using different apertures and on framing the objects at one of the 4 nodal points...today was all about creating movement with lines. I usually keep him shooting on aperture mode and let him pic his DOF and together we talk about adjusting the ISO..but his mind is still young to grapple with the numbers game so this is easy enough for him (I don't even let him shoot on automatic mode!!)

I think he did an AMAZING job. Keep in mind he is going to be 10 in a few weeks and has some serious ADHD issues so keeping him focused can be a crazy task in and of itself. And I think he gets a tad frustrated because I only let him use my 20D rather than mom's 5DMarkII but well the ADHD part kinda makes that decison of mine a nobrainer.

Today we were supposed to wake up early and go photograph the sunrise at the river. He even had his alarm set to 5:00 (an hour I hate to see. He told his daddy by the time I get out of bed and get the equipment loaded in the car it will be much later..and he's right!)..well we both overslept and when we did wake up it was raining and overcast. He was a little sad but instead we headed out to a "fancy restaurant" (as he likes to call it), stuffed ourselves silly with breakfast and then headed on over to Milton Hershey School to say a quick hello to daddy. After that we went on our photowalk there in Founders Hall. Much of it was inside but we didn't care..in fact we thought it was nice not to get wet. We went outside under the covering to get a few more shots and then headed home.

Ian was shooting using aperture mode, and ISO inside 1600 and outside 400. He edited the pics using Lightroom and then asked me to photoshop them with the finishing touches by adding "Ian Hess Photography" on them. Ian is an intersting child and usually we butt heads and have nothing in common..but this is the one thing we share and I totally love it! Thanks for looking.

Feel free to leave a comment as he will be tickled pink!!

MCP Project 52 ~ Hidden Objects

2011-06-30T12:30:00.000-04:00

Well, Yes I have been remiss about this project..infact I've been trying to not blog peep or use too much social media so I can spend more time with my kids this summer..but MCP's Project 52 did pop up when I was quick checking my facebook.

I really didn't intend on doing the project this week as I'm up to my eyeballs in wedding editing. After a quick trip to Costco my youngest son "volunteered" to put the TP away...Hmm..I think he meant build a castle with it. No matter..I thought it was cute that he was playing peek-a-boo with the rolls. I quick grabbed my phone and snapped a picture.

I contend that not all pictures are going to be perfect..and not all will be in focus..and not all will be framed just right..BUT capturing a moment in time that will make you laugh for a lifetime is so worth trade off. So don't be afraid to use whatever you have at that moment to create your memories!

Chris + Amanda Get Hitched ~ 5.29.2011

2011-06-14T13:53:00.001-04:00

Chris and Amanda got hitched and what a celebration it was. I am thrilled to have been asked by such a sweet couple to photograph their wedding. Their wedding was held on a Sunday afternoon which usually means less time to do everything but because of all their planning, everything went off without a hitch. I knew I would love these guys the moment we met..they are so real with each other which was refreshing to see. Chris adores Amanda which is so obvious even when he looks at her and Amanda has such a huge giving heart. You can't help but fall in love with them. Even though Chris and Amanda live here in Lancaster County they did have their wedding in Pennsburg in the church Amanda's parents got married in (I think that's sweet!!). The reception was held at the Meadows in Hellerstown which has beautiful photo opportunities. Chris and Amanda held each other tight and really cherished the special time they had together before the reception. Usually I put all of my special comments here at the top, but in this case I am gonna go out of my comfort zone...during this wedding there were some tender moments that I'll actually comment on below the pictures. I truly want my readers to get a feel for how special this wedding really was.

Check out dad's thumbs up...

Oh..and check out the groom's foot...

Amanda wanted her photos to be a blend between some classic style and others of the more contemporary style but covering all the details. So when I saw the stain glass windows I knew we had to do some magic here with a more traditional look but with some soft sweet lighting for Amanda and a little more bold look for Chris.

Honestly this group was such a bunch of jokesters...the girls were hilarious and knew Amanda would react!

No wedding is complete without the cool school bus if you are a school teacher! How perfect!

Can anybody find dad in the picture?? Honestly too funny!!

This was one of the sweetest moments of Chris and Amanda's reception. In fact, I think it was one of the sweetest moments I have seen at a wedding in a long time. In honor of Chris' grandpa everyone gathered around the dance floor to sing together "I Left My Heart in San Francisco". The children sat on the floor just watching as grandma was serenaded by almost 200 people. Such a beautiful way to honor their heritage.

Dustin + Jaclyn ~ 5.14.2011

2011-06-02T15:07:00.001-04:00

Congrats to Dustin and Jaclyn!! but to friends and family they are known as Dusty and Jacki (and very quickly to me they became that as well)! I can't say enough how elegant this wedding was. The details were simply beautiful from her great-grandmother's necklace to the handmade lemonaide favors (which by the way had some kick!). Growing up Dusty was friends with the son of my wedding photography partner Bill and so for all of his friends it was an amazing reunion to rekindle those childhood memories. Even I loved hearing all the stories and antics of what they all did growing up.

Now Dusty and Jaclyn have already been married for about a year. But, their family and friends were not able to be present and they felt it important to celebrate this wonderful event with the ones they love, so they created what I think was one of the most romantic weddings I have photographed.

The wedding was in Phila and so of course we did the picture in front of city hall. It's cool to jump out of the limo-bus in the middle of traffic..quick grab that picture, listen to all of the horns honking their congrats, quick jump back in the limo and continue on to the reception all between the rain drops. How fun!! We did battle with the rain all day. Each time we thought it had cleared up enough to go take some outside pictures..mother nature had a different idea. At one point we would head out for one picture, then run back in because of the rain. It was actually quite comical to watch. But finally right before the ceremony the rain gave us a break and we headed out the to park for a quick bridal picture walk.

I LOVE when couples carve out the time for pictures of the two of them. Dusty and Jaclyn really felt it was important to create some images that were fun and artful to represent who they are and I am honored to be asked to do that.

Bill and I had a wonderful time at their wedding and I truly wish them all the best!!

yes, I really did have the bride jumpin up and down on her bed..so fun!!

hey, if the bridesmaids can't get the dress bustled..let dad have a go at it

city hall in Philadelphia...oh the horns that were a honkin!!

Brittany's Hope ~ Walk of Love

2011-05-16T12:05:00.000-04:00

On May 1st, 13 families who have been touched by the love and support of the Brittany's Hope Foundation gathered for the annual Walk of Love event. This event is one of their bigger fundraisers to help with funds that goes to families to financially support the adoption of children with special needs from across the globe. Special needs can be thought of as those who have a disability, those children who are older or those who are siblings.

This organization is a blessing to both the families as well the children that they touch. Currently they are still in their Walk of Love campaign so if you would like to donate, please follow this link to help bless the life of a child.

Being that I focus my work on photographing children with special needs, it was fun to work with Brittany's Hope to capture their moments. I found is wonderful to see families and friends all touched by this organization reunite. Many have not seen each other since the last walk and I loved seeing the kids interact. There were games and prizes, bouncy houses, food, face painting and of course the walk.

I LOVED how the walk began..each family proudly holding the flag of the country of which the child came from, led by the flag of the United States. The initial lap of the walk is truly a walk with all united and from there is became funny to see the kids RUN around the track. For each lap completed they had a tally mark added to the back of their t-shirt..and that t-shirt can be worn again next year to continue the journey.

I'd like to say a special thanks to Brittany's Hope for asking me to being part of their 2011 Walk of Love.

Christen and Andrew ~ 4.16.2011

2011-04-29T09:18:00.000-04:00

This by far was a wedding with lots of excitement...and I know for how awesome Christen and Andrew handled this day..their marriage is going to last a lifetime. I'm always excited when I get to photograph a wedding. And sometimes it's fun to just be the second shooter for someone else so that I can focus on just the details and background happenings.

Christen had been working on all the details from over a year ago. And lots of brides say they have been but I really mean working on making everything and planning..I really never have seen anything like this before. But in life we all know we can't plan everything and weather is one of those things.

One this day it poured..OK, poured is a little bit of an understatement..but they say if it rains on your wedding it's a sign of good luck! Well they are the luckiest couple I know! And yes we even had tornado warnings where we were...hmm..do we try to sneak some pictures in or head to safety??

And to just make matters a little more hairy..the power went out where the reception was held..and the backup generators failed. WOW indeed!! But I tell you..the guests almost didn't care. It was a such a fun celebration and a wedding to talk about for a long time to come. So you just have to get a little creative in what you do at a wedding like this! The power did come on again about an hour or so left in the reception..and everybody had a great time.

I hope you enjoy some of the pictures I took for their celebration and thanks for letting me part of your day!!

PS..and working with no lights can present a challenge..but I really think we got a few cool shots that can only be done with no lights on..how fun than in the midst of it all..she was totally into getting some unique pictures!

For lots more..head on over to the album on Life's Joyful Expressions facebook page!

Enjoy this small sneak peak!!

~holly

Special Needs Session ~ What to Look for in a Photographer.

2011-04-27T09:15:00.000-04:00

Special Needs Session ~ Tips and Techniques: Why Should I Use a Special Needs Photographer?

What a great question! Why should you seek out a photographer who professes to focus on special needs children? Well, I might be able to provide some insight as to why I think our precious bundles of joy that God gave us deserve a special touch.

Here is what I put on my postcards to just give a quick blip of starting a conversation with parents to let them know "I get it!!"

Having a successful photography session with a special

needs child can be a challenge. It is hard for parents to feel

a sense of understanding from a photographer unless

they themselves have "been there". As a mother of a special

needs child I was unsuccessful in getting my own child

photographed until I learned how to take pictures of him.

And this is where my passion to do this for others was born.

...to Capture your child’s Life’s Joyful Expressions!!

I truly believe the wonderful spirits that these wonderful kids have are amazing..and each and every session I have I learn more FROM these kids about myself. So I feel I'm blessed by each and every family I work with.

NOW, What Exactly Should You Be Looking For In a Photographer?

Planning..this person should be a planner. He/she needs to plan on everything so the parents don't have to. Plan on weather, location, anticipate for anything unexpected and be able to adapt on the fly. I start my planning way before the session even happens. Once I have the initial phone conversation with a parent and have a small idea of the disability I will send out my packet of information. In this packet includes the generic information about me and my work, my giving back as well as clothing tips, etc. BUT it also includes what I believe to be the most important papers to be returned to me...I call it the Pre-Session Questionnaire. This questionnaire is where I ask about abilities ! I want to know what the child CAN do and LIKES to do!!
The Pre-Session "Meet the Child Session" is my next piece of planning. I will have a session where I visit the child and we play games and talk about what they are interested in. During this meeting or play-time, I am taking that questionnaire that mom or dad filled out and using it as a tool to see for myself. It's one thing to read on a paper what the child can do but I find it much more helpful to witness and engage in it myself first-hand. I think if your photographer can't take the time to meet ahead of time then he or she may not really be interested in highlighting your child in their best light.
Flexibility and adaptations are the key to the entire session. A photographer for special needs children MUST know their equipment and craft like the back of their hand. This is not the time to be fumbling with equipment. Yes sometimes things happen like a light gets knocked over or who knows..but the key here is the photographer must be able to continue on without skipping a beat.

How as a parent are you going to know this when just talking about it with a photographer.

Ask QUESTIONS!!

This is an investment for your family to create those memories. Make sure the person you decide to use can handle the situation.

How many years have you done this?
How many sessions have you photographed special needs kids?
How did you get into this?
Do you yourself have a connection to the special needs community?
What do you know about my child's disability?
Do you have references I can call?
How do you handle a session if my child is melting down?
How long is the session going to be?
Do you have blog or sample pictures I can look at?
Do you have any certifications?

SKPA Accreditation

Just a word about certifications and/or accreditations…not every photographer decides to become certified in their craft. And there are lots of certifications that a photographer can choose from. Some are well known throughout the industry and will be recognized by fellow photographers as excelling in their work.

For kids with special needs there is an accreditation that is specific to this niche.

It’s from SKPA (Special Kids Photographers of America). This is the one I chose for my work. There were technical exams that one must pass as well as exams regarding different disabilities and how to approach those needs. There is also a piece to this accreditation where work must be submitted to judges across the United States and is judged based on various criteria. In order to become accredited, one has to pass all 3 parts at a very high standard.

My point is, those that are very serious about working with this population of children will usually pursue some sort of accreditation so that parents can feel at ease about who they are selecting. It’s not necessary but it does show the parents a level of commitment.

CONCLUSION

When all is said and done, what should speak to you is the quality of the photographer’s work, how they approach their planning and your overall sense that it’s going to be a good experience. If you don’t get the warm and fuzzies..find someone else. But above all..HAVE FUN!!!

If you have any comments, please feel free to add it on the blog or on the facebook page http://www.facebook.com/LifesJoyfulExpressions.

And for my business website, visit Life's Joyful Expressions.

Compassionate Photography for our Special Needs Kids
Serving: Lancaster, Hershey, Harrisburg, York, Philadelphia, Elizabethtown, Mount Joy and surrounding areas.

Special Needs Session ~ Tips and Techniques : How to get that Blurry Background

2011-04-20T08:00:00.006-04:00

Have you ever wondered how you get that blurry background so that your subject matter will pop right out of the page? I feel it's one of the things that truly separates a snapshot from a portrait (when dealing with people). As part of my tips and techniques series..I thought I would give you a little know-how and perhaps you can try it with your kiddos.

BOKEH

The blur quality is called "bokeh". It's achieved by making certain settings on your camera. Even point and shoot cameras have the ability to do this..but you just might have to dig out your manual on the how to!

The easiest way to play with this is to put your camera on Aperture-Priority mode. Most often it will have an A or Av (again check your manual). Using this mode will allow you to control the depth of field (for the blurriness) and let the camera control the shutter speed. You can achieve this using other modes such as manual, etc but I'm giving you can example to play with and try on your own.

Lets' try it out!!

I suggest playing with something like I did...toys or blocks. Don't make a person sit there while you play with this technique. Try it out on objects first and then try it out on a person.

Frirst, line them up in a row as I did below.

This first picture here was taken using aperture priority mode and having the f-stop set at f4. Let's just make it simple and say that the lower the number the more light that gets in (the larger the aperture opening). The higher numbers let less light in. Want to try something without a camera. On a bright day....look at an object across the street and see how when you focus on it..it's in focus but everything around it is blurry. Then put your hand to shade your eyes and see how other objects become more in focus when you do this. Ever been to the eye doctor and he dilates your eyes and everything is SSSSSSSSSSOOOOOOOOOO bright and nothing is in focus. But when you go into the dark room you can actually see things again..same concept.

In this example I used f4 and chose to use an ISO of 640 and let the camera decide on the shutter, See how the police truck is not even all in focus and it just gets blurrier as you move out. The lower the aperture number the more blurry it gets quicker. The lens I had on goes to f4 but if I had stuck on my lens that goes down to 1.8 I would have to been so very careful as to getting what I wanted in focus...so for this example I thought f4 was a good starting point....keep reading.

This next shot was taken at f7.1 and again at ISO 640 and I let the camera decide the shutter speed. Notice how the entire police truck is all in focus. The details on the orange truck and blue car on either side of the police truck are starting to become more pronounced....keep reading.

This shot was taken at f14. Now it's obvious that the orange truck says Ford Motor Company and you can see specks that were on the surface that the toys car were on. I did have to adjust the ISO to let in more light because the shutter speed was dipping down to where hand holding the camera would have produced shaky results. If your camera has an auto ISO you could use that too. Remember this is not an exercise in technical perfection..it's an exercise in trying to control your depth of field...keep reading.

This last shot was taken at f22 and again I changed the ISO to compensate for a longer shutter speed. EVERY car has detail. No longer are the extremities blurred blobs but they are now cars with details.

Technically what is happening here?

Actually I could explain it but I'm not going to. Yes, I do completely understand but I think you would get bored out of your mind. That's not the fun part. I just want you to start experimenting and having fun creatively.

How Can I Experiment More With This...

There are factors that will affect the amount of blurriness. Try the same exercise with objects like this standing 2 feet away and then try it at 10 and then at 20 feet away. You will see how the closer to the object the more blur you get, but that's it harder to make sure your focus is dead-on. You can even try this same example with the camera at different angles and see what you get. It's all about light in reality but how you are controlling that light.

Yesterday when I was asked this question (for the millionth time,, ok not quite) I thought this would be a perfect tips and technique post. And I'm all about sharing techniques in the hopes that someone might learn a tip or two.

If you just want to keep your camera on it's automatic settings..of course that's fine. Point and Shoot cameras will use what I call safe settings to ensure a high keep rate for your pictures. But when you want them to pop a little more you are going to want to find that manual and have a fun lesson trying this technique out.

Trying it With the Kids

Please note that once you figure it out and like the look of blurred backgrounds...and now you want to try it out on your kids, your keep rate of pictures is going to go way down. It takes lots of practice...LOTS...but keep at it and have fun!

If you have any comments, please feel free to add it on the blog or on the facebook page http://www.facebook.com/LifesJoyfulExpressions.

And for my business website, visit Life's Joyful Expressions.

Compassionate Photography for our Special Needs Kids
Serving: Lancaster, Hershey, Harrisburg, York, Philadelphia, Elizabethtown, Mount Joy and surrounding areas.

Special Needs Session ~ oh the Colors..and the Smiles..and the Sillyness

2011-04-14T13:32:00.008-04:00

Oh my..I think this week I went to heaven. Little Mr. "D" was such a bundle of energy and sillyness and smiles and did I mention energy!! I think he was so excited about taking pictures that the entire process kinda overwhelmed him a bit so I kinda just went at his speed. FAST and then FASTER yet!! Kinda like a catch me if you can. His mom said to me "I don't know how you do it..I could never be a photographer." Well of course not to your of kiddo silly..especially when they know how to pull your chain.

But how precious is he. Mr. "D" knew when he wanted to look right at me and when he didn't. He knew when he wanted to play with my chair amd when he wanted the pillows. Yeah for him. Who needs words when smiles and gestures and laughing get you by. I hope you enjoy this session as much as I had photographing him. ~holly

this pillow one is my favorite!!

Giving Back ~ Oh my word..how cute is She!

2011-04-13T14:59:00.001-04:00

Oh my word!! She is as cute as a button!! And this mini-session just flew by because we were having so much fun! Mom was so excited to have pictures taken and I'm thankful to have done this for her. Honestly, I just don't even know what to write because she just steals the show with her smile. I hope she brings a smile to you today as well!

Enjoy ~holly

Special Needs Session ~ Respiratory Considerations : Tips and Techniques

2011-04-13T13:42:00.000-04:00

Special Needs Session ~ Tips and Techniques : Respiratory Considerations
It's spring and many parents want to have the children's pictures taken outdoors. I love pictures with beautiful flowers and the trees starting to bloom. It's the time of year when new life is just so exciting. However, this is a time of year when allergy and asthma sufferers can have some challenges. But don't think that outdoor sessions are the only ones with challenges...the indoors can also pose it's challenges.

Kids with respiratory conditions often have triggers such as dust, mold, animal/pet dander, cold air, pollen and even exercise. Some children have hardly any tell tale signs that they suffer from asthma or allergies until that one trigger happens. Last week I wrote about sensitivities to odors and this fits right in with that topic.

My suggestions for respiratory conditions are actually pretty easy...

Keep studios extremely clean. If you know you have that kiddo who really can't handle any type of dust without going into a major sneezing fit then make sure you have cleaned before the session. And not right before. I suggest a few hours before giving the dust that always gets kicked back up into the air a chance to settle so it's not like an inhalant. Since I work on-location I'm not so worried about this sinceI work at the child's house..and if the child suffers from this the parents will keep their house clean. Just be careful when bringing items into their homes that can have dust hidden in things like the creases of reflectors or softboxes..because if you pop it open you might be pushing particles into the air.

Last week I wrote about temperature sensitivities. An asthma attack or sever coughing fit can be brought on by colder temperatures. So make sure the session fits into the right time of year for the child. During the spring when pollen just seems to cover everything, it might be best not to have a session outside if the asthma is that severe. The parents would know best so make sure to have a candid conversation.

Yesterday I had a little boy who would start coughing once he got laughing and carrying on. So make sure you balance being silly to generate wonderful expressions with carrying on so much that the child breaks into a coughing fit. For me, with this little guy I found if I sat on the ground it limited my silliness which limited his and kept him where I needed him to be.

Like I also wrote about last week I don't where perfumes or heavy scented soaps because of smell sensitivities. It'salso for allergy and asthma reasons. Be safe..and just don't use them for the kids sake.

I have had one parent tell me that she prefers early in the morning session because her daughter is rested and her lungs feel like they have not been working as hard. She also said that the dew on the ground keeps the pollens away for a tad...she already knew what her daughter needed and what time of day would work best and asked me to do that. I was only too happy to work with her time schedule.

I would not worry much about kids with respiratory conditions. Chances are the parents have been dealing with this for a long time. If they are seeking out a photographer who specializes in special needs children then it's because it's severe enough to need that extra touch. But, since the parents are along (and might even be part of the session) the parents are going to know what to do in case an asthma attack happens. Just go by their lead and ask if there is anything you can do to help. Most of all..just be patient!!

If you have any comments, please feel free to add it on the blog or on the facebook page http://www.facebook.com/LifesJoyfulExpressions.

And for my business website, visit Life's Joyful Expressions.

Compassionate Photography for our Special Needs Kids
Serving: Lancaster, Hershey, Harrisburg, York, Philadelphia, Elizabethtown, Mount Joy and surrounding areas.

Special Needs Session ~ Joni and Friends Benefit Auction ...Good Luck

2011-04-11T18:20:00.000-04:00

A BIG shout out to the artist Staci Frenes for allowing Life's Joyful Expressions to use this song

for the Joni and Friends Eastern PA benefit auction.

I hope to see many of you there supporting an amazing organization.

So what's the auction item...

a Family Portrait Session for a family of a special needs child PLUS new for 2011,

the "Gift Collection". That includes 12 gift prints and a mounted family wall portrait!

So come out and support one of the best organizations that I know and am proud to work with.

Friday night at Manor Church in Lancaster, PA...7:00 PM!

See ya there.

And for your viewing pleasure..the video presentation for Friday evening

(some of my favorite sessions from last year)!

Life's Joyful Expressions

www.lifesjoyfulexpressions.com

717.283.5365

Compassionate Photography for our Special Needs Kids.

Special Needs Session ~ Sensory Processing Disorder : Tips and Techniques

2011-04-08T08:00:00.002-04:00

Special Needs Session ~ Tips and Techniques : Sensory Processing Disorder

Wow, can you believe that it's almost Easter? I'm not sure where all my readers are located but I'm in PA. And it's still a bit chilly here in PA and the weather is NOT cooperating as much as I'd love it to. In fact, I've actually rescheduled a session today and I thought it would make a great post as to why...Sensory Issues!

Many children with special needs have sensitivities to touch or temperature or smells..so I thought how perfect to blog about that in lieu of having a session today.

Oh the different senses we have...

Touch..having a session inside in a studio is much easier to control touch sensory issues (but there can still be pitfalls there too). Let's say you decide you want to have a session outdoors but you know your child does not like the feel of grass..then make sure to plan on having a blanket for your kiddo to sit on..or maybe even a cool chair. Props can be very cool in custom portraits so don't shy away. Just make sure that what you choose is coordinated to the outfits you have chosen as well as the feel of the portrait you are trying to create. And blankets and chairs can be cleverly hidden as well if that's the goal as well. Inside a studio usually it's easier to control what your child touches or sits on but still be mindful of this sensory need. If your child has a sensitivity to being touched by a person make sure you tell the photographer NOT to touch the child. This is when using visual techniques and auditory prompts will be the way to go.

Smell..this is one that even gets me as an adult. I don't like how I smell when I come out of a restaurant or school buildings..sometimes odors just linger in clothing. So I as the photographer am very aware when I work with my clients that there could be smell sensitivities. I always avoid wearing perfume or using strong shampoos or soaps. How does this translate to an outdoor session? Make sure the location that you and your photographer select is not near anything that produces strong odors. We may not even smell an odor but so many of these special kids have noses that are so ultra-sensitive. Some kids may even have problems with nice smells like flowers. So be very aware when working outdoors..even check the businesses around the portrait session location, which way the wind blows, etc. For a session in the studio..make sure the lunch room area is NO WHERE near the actual place the pictures are taken..or make sure you schedule at a time that people would typically not be taking a food break. Or better yet, make sure the studio has a food policy for their employees about odorous foods. If you are working with a good photographer and have a pre-session meeting at the studio you should be able to tell..but make sure to ask!

Temperature..and this is the reason for today's reschedule. My client is super-sensitive to temperatures..cold and hot. Even though she wanted outdoor pictures of her daughter for mother's day, we felt that the session may not be as enjoyable for this delightful young lady if we had it today outdoors...so as a parent don't feel bad about rescheduling. As a photographer, be aware of that need and make sure to work with your client. If the child is cold or hot you are not going to get natural fun portraits..and mom is not going to like them..and mom is not going to want to purchase them. Nobody wins. Now if it's an indoor session and it's possible, perhaps the thermostat can be adjusted for this session. Newborn photographers often work in situations where the heat is turned way up so the baby can be undressed. Up or down..thermostats can be adjusted. Just ask!

Hearing...just like all the other senses, hearing can be a problem. And I am not referring to "being able to hear" as that's another blog post I have already written. I am referring to hearing noises and sounds much louder then typical kids hear them. Perhaps the hum of the light in a waiting room bothers the child or the child can hear the gentle buzzing of the bees in the flowers that are over fifty feet away. This can be a serious problem! I suggest a visit to the portrait studio before the session to check out the lighting and humming of anything. Some things can be changed (like the light bulbs or even turning the light off) but some can't like the banging of pipes in the walls. So be aware. On location you will want to check out the traffic from cars and trucks and also the businesses in the area to make sure no whistles go off during that time or other strange noises that might hurt the child's ears. But outdoor sessions tend to have less control because you can't control mother nature. So if sound sensitivities are a major concern, think carefully about where the session is going to be held. If the sounds are not addressed properly then the child might actually put his/her hands over their ears and those will not make for pleasant pictures.

Visual...I am referring to a sensitivity to light or darkness. Outdoors portraits tend to be brighter because of the abundance of light and indoor portraits in professional studios tend to run darker to control the light. Either way those are setups that are not easily changed but you can opt for one over the other based on your child's needs. I work on-location currently so if a child doesn't like to venture outdoors because of the outdoors being too bright, then I will bring my studio to their house where the child is most comfortable. As with the ears, if the child has a sensitivity to bright outdoor light hands over the eyes are going to be a natural reaction. Make sure to come up with a plan.

Will OT techniques help? Yes!! If you have a child that has sensory needs and he/she is working with an OT and have been taught about joint compressions and/or brushing I would highly suggest using them before the session starts. These are a perfect way to calm a child but I only advise using them if you have been working with a trained professional as doing these techniques wrong can actually do the exact opposite.

Sensory Processing Disorders are often a secondary diagnosis to other disabilities such as autism, ADHD, CP and many more. Check out past blog posts under the Tips and Techniques section, Special Needs Kids Photography label or under individual labels to find more information specific to that disability.

And please note that these are just my experiences with Sensory Processing Disorders..if you have other experiences and have information that would be helpful to other photographers and/or parents please feel free to share either on facebook or this blog post.

Parents with children who have sensory processing disorder will know exactly where this is coming from! Often these considerations will play a big role in deciding where a session should be held. I urge you to have an open conversation with your photographer if any one of these affects your child..it can easily make or break a session!!

That's it for this week. If you have any comments, please feel free to add it on the blog or on the facebook page http://www.facebook.com/LifesJoyfulExpressions.

And for my business website, visit Life's Joyful Expressions.

MCP Project 52 ~ Fusion

2011-04-03T20:54:00.000-04:00

This by FAR has been the "funnest" assignment as of yet. The topic was fusion and I had seen a technique to photograph smoke done a long time ago and thought this was the week to try it out. What I loved was that my oldest son (the one who is 9 and is into photography) helped me with EVERYTHING here..from shopping for insense sticks (which the house still reaks of "ocean breeze" and is making my hubby sneeze like mad) to the setting up of the black room to the figuring out the lighting and camera settings to finally the photoshopping.

From a single picture of smoke as captured below we created these wild colorful filled almost ink-blot like art pieces. Every picture we took of smoke had so much potential to be a masterpiece.

I indeed included the ones Ian did not just because he asked me to BUT because he was so excited to do every piece of this project by himself as well!! Awesome job Ian!!! I'm very proud of you. (Ian's works are denoted in the photo).

Special Needs Session ~ the Swarr Family

2011-03-31T11:56:00.000-04:00

Karen called asking if I would take family portraits of her gang. I was thrilled not just because that's what I do but because I got to know these two rascals at the Joni and Friends Family Retreat that I attend during the summer as part of the Life's Joyful Expressions giving back ministries. Let's just say that Charlie and Alex are just like every other set of brothers I know (including my own kids)...they love each other but can instigate trouble almost on the drop of a dime.

I knew going in the I would have limited time due to attention so I had to make it suprt fun to keep them focused. Yes we got some typical family portraits but then we got some silly ones only a few of which I posted. And I love when kids get these ideas in their minds..like the throwing of the leaves...and climbing down the ravine...let's just say mom and dad didn't follow us down to see our mischief...he he!!

I really had a great time with the Swarr's and I hope to see them again at camp!!

MCP Project 52 ~ Just for Fun

2011-03-30T14:16:00.000-04:00

This week's theme is Just for Fun!! I thought about trying a new technique but my plans were changed for me. My boys and I all got the stomach bug so we got to spend some quality time together. My youngest son volunteered some of his crafts because he said we should do something fun since we were sick. My vow for Project 52 was to keep it personal..and so this week I showcase our work! ~Enjoy

PS..I highly recommend this non mess craft..your imagination is the limit and so easy for even young kids to do!!

If you are interested in joinng MCP Project 52, check it out! You can join at any time!!

MCP Project 52 ~ My Jewelry Box

2011-03-22T21:49:00.000-04:00

My Jewelry Box ~ Um yeah..everybody knows I don't wear jewelry. In fact my only accessories are my glasses. But you say..Holly, isn't that a jewelry box in the picture. And i say..shhhhhhhh..yes..I do own one BUT ladies and hear me on this..have you ever tried to find a screwdriver in your husbands toolboxes and couldn't find one? And you vow to buy your own set and hide it where he can't find it (and therefore he can't steal it and lose it and you have to buy another one?)? THIS is your answer. Go hide your tools in your jewelry box. He will NEVER look there..trust me. Oh good grief..I just realized if he reads this post I'm doomed!!!!!!!!!

Enjoy
~holly

Giving Back ~ Mom's Little Diva

2011-03-22T14:40:00.000-04:00

Mom told us right from the start that her little diva was very serious and just didn't like to smile. Well, so true but she's still cute and curious and loveable.

Part of my giving back to the community is not just to have small mini-sessions with the families but to find ways to give back to those who want to learn..kinda like a mentor I guess. Occassionally someone will call and ask me if they can tag along and learn more about Water Street or perhaps they might want to learn about lighting (which here is just the minimal setup due to circumstances) or photography. I think it's such a blessing to be able to do this because now I feel that the moms and their kiddos are actually giving back to me and my guest. How fun to be able to share.

So Brynne asked me if she could shadow me for a project she had in school. I believe it's her senior project. On the way there I got peppered with questions (for her project) and I hope I answered them well. However, I knew that what would tickle her is if I let her have one of the sessions to photograph on her own. I photographed the first session to show her what I was looking for as a package for mom to have and then I let Brynne have my second session.

Now I have seen Brynne's work with just a point-and-shoot and I know how talented she is...and when I handed her my DSLR I think at first she was a tad timid but then she got rockin' (um..sorry mom and dad..she might be asking for one soon).

So back to Miss Little Diva! Nope she didn't want to smile no matter what we tried but I still feel that Brynne captured some wonderful shots to highlight just who this little Diva was.

Enjoy,
~holly

Giving Back ~ yeah for Mom!!

2011-03-22T14:28:00.000-04:00

My readers know by now how important my giving back sessions are to me. And I know they are loved by the women as well..but every once and a while you get a mom who just doesn't want her picture taken for whatever reason. Once I explain how I feel about the importance of not only remembering the children but also mom being the cornerstone in the lives of these kiddos..well, I have yet to have one mom say no. So what I urge you to think about today is have you given back to someone today? We are all blessed and need to pass that along. Perhaps it's not a small mini-session or pictures like I do..maybe it's a cup of coffee for someone or a ride somewhere or perhaps just an ear to talk to. Just food for thought today.

Blessings,
~holly

LJE to donate a session to Joni and Friends Eastern PA Office...check out the video!

2011-03-17T16:00:00.000-04:00

A BIG shout out to the artist Staci Frenes for allowing Life's Joyful Expressions to use the song Miracle Baby for the Joni and Friends Eastern PA benefit auction. I'll be showing this small slideshow and then auctioning off a portrait session and print credit. I hope to see many of you there supporting an amazing organization.

MCP Project 52 ~ Lights and Darks

2011-03-15T11:41:00.000-04:00

So who here has thrown in a load of laundry (the whites) and at the last minute before ya close the door to the washer, bend down to take a quick check and realize that stuffed in your pile of whites is a child's dark something?? Well, that's my inspiration for this week's MCP Project 52 "lights and darks". ~Enjoy

Last week's picture "childhood Toys" was featured as one of the top 10 finalists..yeah for Hess trucks!

Joni and Friends ~ Joni and Ken come to PA

2011-03-09T21:36:00.000-05:00

Joni Eareckson Tada came to PA and it was a blessing to those of us who got to hear her speak..whether it was at Messiah College or a special luncheon or anywhere on her journey. Ever since I've been involved with Joni and Friends I've wanted to meet her.

(funny thing is during my teenage years my mom read her book and made us girls read it too..and back then I thought hmm..interesting someone who broke her neck that can draw with her mouth...but then I never gave it a second thought..and now I am so inspired by Joni and her story and proud to serve this organization!!)

This was her first trip since she was diagnosed with cancer. She spoke very briefly about her cancer and how it has made her stronger - about her wonderful husband Ken and all his support - and she even shared a poem about a bird that she reflected on many times during her "down time".

There was sharing time from Mike King who reflected on his work with the Wounded Warrior's as well as magic tricks from Troy (one of my camp buddies from week 3). Troy also shared about his picture frame from camp that he made that still does not have a picture in it. He explained that during the year he feels empty and that when he goes to camp there are so many wonderful memories made there that he can't pick just one to put in his frame. For those us us who go to Family Retreat as someone who serves or as a camper we can certainly relate (and it explained why there were empty frames all over the room during our lunch).

For those of you who follow Joni's ministries I'm sure you know how she loves to sing hymns. In fact during this short time that I was there she broke out into hymns many times. The Troyer family lead us in several hymns during this fellowship time. What made me smile was when she requested those of the Brethren and Mennonite backgrounds to stand and sing # 606 ~ Praise God from who ALL blessings flow! How wonderful to see so many standing and singing..how wonderful to see those who were invited as well as many of the servers from Messiah Village join in!

I'm excited to see how Joni and Friends Eastern PA and Messiah College will work together in the future for their disability initiatives. Thanks Sib for asking me to be part of this day!

MCP Project 52 ~ Childhood Toys

2011-03-07T13:49:00.001-05:00

This week's assignment was almost too easy for me..it's not your classic toy in the sense that everyone will know..but if you last name is "Hess" and you live in Lancaster County PA then you can look no further.

Everyone in our family becomes the proud owner of a new "Hess truck" during the holiday season. And most relatives will tell you all sorts of stories of playing with them when they were a kid (now of course you also get the stories about how they were built better way back when too).

So I asked my boys to go gather their Hess trucks (of which they were all too happy to do) and voila!

-holly

How adorable!!

2011-03-06T13:53:00.000-05:00

What a pleasant little fellow he was..and smart as can be. I was educated on how many sides a stop sign has and the sounds that emergency vehicles make and how they are all different. He was such a cute kiddo. And at one point he decided that I needed to be on a reward system..yes me. He decided that he would ONLY smile after I gave him a piece of candy. Too funny!! Little did he know that I was stocked so I knew I would get tons of smiles and giggles out of him. Love it!!

MCP Project 52 ~ Week 9 : Express Yourself

2011-03-03T15:15:00.000-05:00

I was over a friends house (whose husband is a dentist) and the rows of candy jars just cracked me up...I thought how wonderful that you can put these out for all to enjoy even with the dentist around!!

This picture was taken by my iphone and then quick edited using the instagram app (very cool app and it's free which you can't beat that!). I just wanted to see about creating something not using the expensive gizmos!

Enjoy!

~holly

Joni and Friends ~ Day of Pampering 2011

2011-02-28T14:59:00.000-05:00

Joni and Friends has become a huge part of my life..not only because these are the families that I wish to work wish in my photography..but more so because I can relate to these families..their lives and everyday challenges. I am truly honored to work with Joni and Friends and their events.....

and today was the Day of Pampering.

On this Saturday, 4 area churches were having their day of pampering for deserving moms who have children with special needs. The one I was privileged to photograph was held at Manor Church in Lancaster. It's home to the larger of the events hosting over 150 moms and caregivers. (I must say I am selfish here.. I choose this one to work this location because I have built relationships with SO many of the moms either because I have photographed their families or because we have attended camp together).

And this year was no different in the amount of love and compassion and pampering that was doled out to these wonderful moms. Upon registering for the event the moms are treated to a coffee bar and fresh fruit but only after they hand over their keys. From there their cars are swept out and cleaned and a beautiful flower is left on the seat. This time gives many moms the chance to reconnect.

At 10:00 the service begins with powerful worship music led by the Women at the Well and prayer. Every year there is a sermon for the women to immerse themselves into. There is NEVER a dry eye in the room as all the women (myself included) can connect on so many levels to the spoken message. This year Cathy Riker was our speaker and she spoke of her life with her child who has autism, ADHD and mild MR. As she spoke about the aspect of how this changed their lives and their family life and what they thought life would be like..I could just see the compassion and love and empathy on the faces of other moms in that sanctuary. And when she demonstrated how God is just more powerful than the disability you could also see the glimmer of hope in the eyes of these ladies.

One of my favorite parts of the service is the blessing of the hands. As the women come forward to have water poured over their hands other women pray over their lives..it is a very powerful thing to be in the room at the time. You can just feel the Holy Spirit filling these moms with peace.

And then..SHE came out!

Her name is Mimi Gundel. We all thought she was going to do some small skit about how it is important to take time for yourself..that you need to be refreshing yourself daily in the Word as well as physical activity in order to be the caregiver in the family...but noooooooo...she did not stop there. She had ALL the ladies up and doing aerobics in the sanctuary but it was all with humor. A wonderful site!!

And after, it was off for the moms to be served a wonderful meal and fellowship and then scurry off to their treatments. Everybody that serves on this day is there as a volunteer out of love and compassion.

To honor these moms who give of themselves selflessly.

21 people bring in their sets of china and are responsible for creating a theme for their table. I love how every table is unique. And the women who take this upon themselves leave little presents as well ~ picture frames, journals, dip kits..yummy!!

Bless the volunteers that clean out the cars...because it's cold!! I stay out long enough to get some pictures of the fun and them I hustle my way back into the building..yes, I'm a wimp!!

Worship time with no children to worry about is a rare luxury for some of these moms.

The blessing of the hands.

Bet they didn't think they would be doing a workout before lunch!

Getting all prettied up...hair and nails and massages!

I was thrilled when somebody told one hairdresser that she wanted her hair to be just like mine.

That mom has style!!

Fellowship and friends. And lastly,one of the most important parts of this day is the prayer chapel and the amazing women serving there..when enter the room, there are women there who want to pray for you and with you. God's love was everywhere!

"Mr. J" and Company ~ Special Needs Kids Photography

2011-02-24T11:35:00.000-05:00

Christina and I met through LCAM (Lancaster County Autism Mommies) which is a great local support organization. But it wasn't until she saw the pictures I had taken of a friend's family that she contacted me and said "I want that!" I remember reading that thinking..yeah..that's my goal....to get parents excited about having a portrait session with the blessings in their livesl. Her vision was just to capture her boys as they are and interact with each other..with the hope of a camera smile or two. She was a little nervous venturing out alone with the boys for the portrait session - but I think by the end she was well at ease. Infact, she even rewarded their awesome efforts with a trip to a local kids fair (and that's even after they picked my treasure box clean)!!

We met at Long's park on what I think was just a perfect day. I brought along a bench my mom and I found at a yard sale so they could have something their size to sit in and play on..I think it went perfect against the amazing background. Mr. J loves things that spin... my dad and I found some summer pinwheels that week that I thought he would love. We blew bubbles and jumped around and let the boys explore. I would say we had a great afternoon and I am glad I got to meet Mr. J and his sidekick!!

~enjoy

If you live in the Central PA area or surrounding area and are intersted in having a portrait session with your special needs child please feel free to contact me .. I'd love to talk and see how I can capture the spirit of your child!

A Little Piece of Heaven ~ Special Needs Kids Photography

2011-02-21T10:51:00.000-05:00

Oh how cute could this little one be??? She was a little slice from heaven gift wrapped in charm. She has been diagnosed as a special needs child but during our session we just had too much fun to even tell. ~ And maybe it's because she had me wrapped around her finger. Here's a little collage that can be hung in her room to remind herself of what a little diva she is!

~holly

MCP Project 52 ~ Open your Heart

2011-02-18T20:27:00.000-05:00

Week 7 for MCP Project 52 ~ Open Your Heart

Yes it's Valentines week and there were plenty of opportunities to photograph hearts like candy and snow melting with holes that looked like hearts .. but I chose to play with my kids this morning (as they had a day of) and voila...it kinda gave me this idea. I {heart} my kids...

This was processed with lomography in mind. Very fun to try and play with. What I love about this project is that I get to create and process images using new techniques that wouldn't usually work on portraits but allow me expand my knowledge. This was all about going out on a limb and trying new ideas. Isn't that what life really is?? A long journey of learning??

~holly

It's Senior Time ~ go April!!

2011-02-15T15:00:00.000-05:00

April rocks!! Her smile is one of those that just draws you in. You look at her and just you need to know why is she smiling?!? Her adventurous spirit showed as she was climbing in trees and over rocks and all around this beautiful garden. Speaking of the garden .. April just wanted to be outside and have lots of color and represent who she felt she was. The warm weather set the mood ~ and this location was actually an accident. Well, I feel that there are no accidents and that God gave us this palette to work with...we just didn't originally plan on it. Currently April is a student of Donegal and will be attending Kutztown in the fall. She just can't make up her mind on what she wants to do (art therapy or nursing or elementary education or who knows)..and that's OK!! From the time I got to spend with her I believe that she will succeed in anything she chooses. Good luck April!

MCP Project 52 ~ Words

2011-02-10T12:09:00.000-05:00

Week 6 for Project 52 is "Words"! I love how these topics can take you just about anywhere and since I vowed that this entire project series is going to about making it personal, I began to think along those lines.

In church on Sunday my mind drifted off (shh..don't tell) to how my oldest son only had 7 words at the age of 3...and I was contrasting that in my mind to the youngest son who had a lot of words. Then I began to feel so thankful inside that I have been documenting the lives of my sons with scrapbooking..and so here's this week's picture.

Yes those are my scrapbooks..umm yeah..those are only a few of the over 30 that are filled (and yes I have so many pages to print yet too). I take some of the scrapbook pages and I hang them in my living room, I then rotate them out so the kids can see how I am celebrating their lives.

This particular page on top of the pile of books is filled with silly saying that I wrote down from my younger son when he was 3. Every 6 months or so I will create a page filled with their funny sayings or stories...all my pages are always filled with lots of journaling. It's a gift I hope they treasure for life!

~blessings, holly

MCP Project 52 ~ To Muse

2011-02-02T15:48:00.000-05:00

This week's assignment for the MCP Project 52 was themed "to muse". Hmm..trust me I was musing it myself trying to come up with something. It's been a little crazy with the weather here and the kids have had off school A LOT and playing outside in ice storms is not exactly an option.

On a side note, I've been reading more about my speedlights and what they can really do .. and I've been wanting to experiment with them. My oldest child is very into working with my equipment and learning about photography..so today we broke it all out and set up a little studio on my back porch. Actually, he set up just about everything..and then got to take a bunch of pics himself which he loved..and as I write this he is currently photoshopping what he took. I love that he wants to learn what I do!!

Anyway, the hockey jerseys the kids are wearing were Christmas presents and they say "1 of 2" and "2 of 2" but from far away they say 12 and 22. I love it. So this is my picture for the week of the kids "musing"...it was funny to hear what they were talking about.

~holly

MCP Project 52 ~ Soothing Repetition

2011-01-26T13:19:00.000-05:00

This week's assignment was to photograph something of "soothing repetition"! My husband and I laughed at first when I read it because we felt that we were the epitome of "soothing repetition"...soup, ginger ale, tissues, sleep..REPEAT!! You guessed it.. we are sick. The entire household. And no matter what..my mom and her mom before that and her mom before that always said when you are sick, get yourself some ginger ale, chicken noodle soup and sleep and you will feel better in no time. And now, being that I am still sick..I am off to go get me some of that sleep!

Special Needs Session ~ Tips and Techniques : Story Boards Part II

2011-01-19T08:00:00.011-05:00

This is the second post about story boards and

how I use them in a photography session for children with special needs.

Last week I put the cart before the horse because I realized that not all my readers will know what is a story board (or it's sometimes called a picture schedule).

It's nothing more than a picture schedule.

Below is a common one used with kids on how to wash their hands.

WASHING HANDS

Let's break this down

turn on water
use soap
wash hands - (put hands in water)
turn off water
dry hands

Now these pictorial steps are often used in preschool settings and classrooms with kids that have special needs..they are there to give a general reminder for kids on ALL the steps that they must do to complete the task. Story boards can get more detailed..some kids might need that and some kids might not.

Now, back to how this relates to a photography session...last week I posted pictures of the tools that I would use such as the backdrop, the camera, the lights, and reflectors. Those by themselves are not a story board but rather parts of the story. Usually I don't create story boards myself - and below you will see why... I just provide additional pieces that a parent might need to add into the story line they would create for their child in order to prepare them for our session together.

Let's create an example...
So say we are having a session at a park..the mom might already have a story board created for visting the park. I don't want to recreate that because it's something the child is used to seeing...and some children will resent the fact that the story board is different. Below is listed what mom already has and what I will give to her to add in to complete her story board.

picture of clock at 3:00 - mom provides
picture of child's jacket - mom provides
picture of family car - mom provides
picture of park child is familiar with -mom provides
picture of saying hello - mom or I can provide
MY picture - I provide
picture of playing - mom provides
camera picture - I provide
picture of rewards - I provide picture of my treasure box
picture of clock at 4:00 - mom provides
picture of waving goodbye - mom provides or I can provide it too

You get the idea yes?? Now if the session would be at their house for more formal pictures on a backdrop then the story board would be more like this

picture of clock at 3:00 - mom provides
picture of their house - mom provides
picture of saying hello - mom or I provide
MY picture - I provide
picture of camera - I provide
picture of family portrait - I provide
picture of backdrop - I provide
picture of lights - I provide
picture of person sitting in front of backdrop - I provide
picture of smiling - either mom OR I can provide
picture of rewards - I provide a picture of my treasure chest
picture of clock at 4:00 - mom provides
picture of waving goodbye - mom provides or I can too

Again, some kids might need more detail and some less..but the parent knows this best and will therefore create that..my job is to fill in the blanks. Make sense??

Below are some extra boards I have with me for communication purposes..I'll address each one individually.

The first is just a plain communication board with some core vocab words. What ?? seems to be helpful for me to let them child know I did not understand...and this is where I rely on the parent to help me out.

This is my symbol I can give out for saying hello. Every parent I have met that uses a communication system already has one but I have it just in case.

Again, this is the symbol I use for saying goodbye. Another one that parents would use and most likely already have.

This is a generic picture I found of someone sitting in front of a light. I thought about using a real person but then one parent told me her daughter would get hung up on the fact that the person in the picture was NOT her so that family keeps it generic. If your child needs a real person to look at I can provide that too.

Most likely if the child is using a communication system they already have a symbol for smile or happy or some similar emotion. I have never used mine as the parents always use theirs..however, it is important to work with the kid about the expectations at a session. The child needs to know this is going to a fun session, one rewarded with treats and that the child is going to happy. See why it needs to be incorporated into the planning?

This is a Mood Thermometer. It is NOT a story board but a tool that I use with kids who are nonverbal. When I can sense that there is something up and they want to tell me how they are feeling I can use this. It did come in handy once..here I thought the child was getting frustrated but in reality they were super happy it's just the face did not match their emotion.

And last but not least..a keyboard...for the kid who just has to tell me something and can spell it out I keep this on hand. However I've never used it. I got the idea when a child who had a communication device brought hers along and the parent said.."we had to run back and get it because we almost forgot it"..that made me think of just making a paper version to keep with me just in case.

I hope this was helpful. In my own household we used many of the techniques with my child. Many of my readers know at well past 3 years old he only had 7 understandable words so some of the tools really came in helpful. And for us we created pictures of everything. We even put some in his backpack when he went to school so he could look at them on the bus and feel safe. It may take a little bit of effort but the payoff is huge.

Good luck. For the actual photography story board symbols I use to give to the parents about my equipment, visit last weeks blog. http://lifesjoyfulexpressions.blogspot.com/2011/01/special-needs-session-tips-and.html.

Well, that's it for this week. if you have any comments, please feel free to add a comment on the blog or on Life's Joyful Expressions page on Facebook.

And for my business website and more information about booking a session for your wonderful special needs child, visit Life's Joyful Expressions.

MCP Project 52 ~ Shades of Grey

2011-01-18T12:45:00.001-05:00

This week's assignment was to utilize the concept of "shades of grey" in your work. I seriously contemplated what that meant..was it about light..color..or should I figure out something about morals. Then as with all of us life got busy for a few days and I forgot about it. Then Monday morning I was working with my kids helping them memorize their scripture verse for basketball practice and I had an internal thought..."life is just so crazy and at least there is one thing in my life that is NOT a shade of grey!"...and I just knew what I was going to photograph.

So yes my photo is processed a bit more on the black and white side...and yes it's on purpose!

~holly

Special Needs Session ~ the Zimmerman's

2011-01-13T12:09:00.000-05:00

I really love my job especially when I am blessed with meeting some really fun kiddos! This is the Zimmerman family! Aren't they cute?? When I first talked with mom she was full of ideas about what she wanted. Kris (mom) thought that it would be nice to celebrate her family by including the farm and the barn and she even wanted some pics taken inside the barn on the HUGE haypiles. Umm..yeah those things are havy so once you get one in place - you are NOT moving it! She also wanted black and whites. I decided to highlight some of theie pictures in black and white and some in color.

When I met the family for the "Get to Meet the Kids Session" I was taught all about green tractors and farms and I even got some first hand knowledge about Sign Time - a program on TV to teach kids about sign lanugage. Very cool indeed.

I hope you enjoy these pictures...My favorite is the lollipop picture!! In fact, I feel like you have to see it in it's large format to really enjoy it. And I also think the lollipops were so huge the kids just didn't know what to do..very funny to watch!

Thanks again for looking and if you or someone you know has a child with special needs and would like to talk about scheduling a session, please call or email. ~holly

The Box with the Golden Handcuffs

2011-01-13T11:33:00.001-05:00

On February 19th, Matt and I have been invited to attend a fundraiser gala event hosted by our dear friend Rich Geisel. We have known him for over 15 years and he has been an inspiration to both of us in different ways. Rich is actually the individual who saw potential in my work and guided my in getting Life's Joyful Expressions Photography started. And to celebrate the success of Life's Joyful Expressions Photogrpahy, Matt and I felt inspired to give back to our Compassion friend living in Uganda and sent him to college.

Rich's gala event (which he asked if I would photograph and of course I said yes) is actually the beginning of a journey. He describes it as "one man's journey to break free and "Be". During the next year he will travel from Peru, to Albania to Uganda (and who knows .. maybe Matt and I will join him there) to Vietnam and many more places. On his blog you can follow him on his journey. Here's the thing..this journey is ALL about giving back and finding a sense of purpose. At every location he will be buying from local merchants, working among the people and when he leaves..he gives everything back to the community. He leaves EVERYTHING and takes only with him the knowledge that will be gained while he is at that location...what that knowledge is only he will know until he shares it with us.

ALL monies from the event are being donated to charity. Even the fee to attend the event!! It's all about giving back!! I'm excited to see what items are going to be available at the silent auction..yes, Life's Joyful Expressions Photography will be donating a session as well.

We have all been blessed with individuals in our lives who have done something for us..our choice is how we respond. I'm so excited for the event to hear his speakers and to learn more about this journey.

Perhaps you will feel inspired after reading just a little..but you might say I just can't afford to give back right now. Oh really...I disagree. Take time to pause and look around at your life. Perhaps there is someone who can use an ear to talk to today, or a child who needs a smile of encouragement. We are all at different places in our lives but we can all give back in some way.

For more information about this project..check out Rich's site The Box with the Golden Handcuffs.

From the site http://theboxwiththegoldenhandcuffs.blogspot.com/

The box with the Golden Handcuffs

"A lot of you have asked me where the title “The box with the Golden Handcuffs” came from. For me the box is the unconscious self and the microscopic universe it owns and the handcuffs are what holds one back from being the person you were always meant to be. Some of my cuffs were acquired willingly and some unknowingly while others were created by my own hand. . I forged my first pair in childhood during the time my Father and Mother were splitting up. When I first experienced abandonment I looked for anything that would lock in emotional security and lock out disappointment. These first handcuffs were the golden handcuffs of a child’s imagining that all of life is one big happy ending. They would for many years both protect and punish me. You can't tie yourself to a lie and expect the end result to yield truth.

Other handcuffs would eventually take their place around my wrists; The handcuff of needing to never be alone, the handcuff of not accepting failure, the handcuff of material success, the handcuff of pride, the handcuff of impatience, the handcuff of anger, the handcuff of not accepting mortality, the handcuff of baseless fear, the handcuff of avoiding risk, the handcuff of wishing to be someone else, the handcuff of narcissism, the handcuff of nostalgia, the handcuff of co-dependency, the handcuff of ignorance, the handcuff of limited imagination and some I can’t even name.

All of these bracelets can in one way or another take on a golden sheen while they limit your potential and simultaneously make your life appear safer and easier on the surface. Our freedom appears compromised when we see ourselves as nothing more than a speck of dust in the rays of creation yet when we come to understand that those rays are what connect us all together, to everything past, present and future, it is a far more comforting vision then the measurable confines of our earthly existence. I want to choose unshackled where I will and will not go in life and in my liberation discover the freedom of the unexpected."

Special Needs Session ~ Tips and Techniques : Story Boards Part I

2011-01-12T13:29:00.001-05:00

Yes it's Wednesday and I'm going to begin this year's Tips and Technique posts for Sessions with Special Needs Kids. Those who follow my blog know that I took the holidays off to be with my family (of course after your orders were in of course).

STORY BOARDS - PART I

This is part one of a two week series that I am doing about introducing the concept to having pictures taken by a professional photographer to a child who has special needs. Story boards are excellent tools to use for kids who need that visual cue about items and about the order of which an event should happen. This is very especially useful for kids who are on the spectrum or those who might have brain injuries..and of course others as well.

I'm introducing these first as pictures as to what I would typically show a child to get them familiar with things they are going to see.

The first is of course the backdrop and I tell the child that there are lots of different colors. This one happens to be grey but it could be white, black, purple, red, etc. Personally, I stay away from white in a special needs session because of needing multiple lights to make it look really white and well, I've found it's just not the safest or most practical practice for me. Actually I try and stay away from any backdrop that I would need to light with additional lights. I can do it (and of course have..but it is based on the disability of the child. SAFETY is always first).

Then of course is my camera. That one is usually the easiest to understand. I usually take a few pics and show the child on the viewfinder their picture which they love. You have to be careful with this. I have found in some sessions that little hands like to touch knobs and have changed settings on me during an actual session and there goes a series of pics I thought I had. It's not worth getting made at but be aware it could happen. Just laugh and move on and GENTLY let the child know that I'd prefer them not to do that.

Of course you will have to talk about lighting. I use either shoot thru umbrellas or soft boxes. Lately I've gone to the umbrella mode because it's more portable and if a child tips the stand over, the umbrella usually catches the ground first and gets ruined but the light is fine (at least it usally is). Now this is for photographers....note that the shape of the umbrella or softbox is going to be the catchlight. If you are a stickler about square catchlight you might want to reconsider for these sessions and consider these umbrellas. Occasionally I have been asked.."well how can the camera make the light work" and depending on the child I show them my Pocket Wizards. That actually lets me know this child is really processing!

This last picture is of reflectors. I tell the child that the reflector is shine a little light back. Sometimes I use them and sometimes I don't. Here is the post to an entire blog about reflectors. http://lifesjoyfulexpressions.blogspot.com/2010/10/reflectors-photographing-kids-with.html The thing that kids love about reflectors is how they "pop" open so this can be a fun way to engage a child. Sometimes I havea reflector on a stand and sometimes I have mom or dad use it as a reflector or to help me block light.

Now you are probably saying..but Holly, I thought you do most of your special needs sessions outdoors..why these pictures. Well, because not all my sessions are outdoors. I often come to a families house and set this equipment up in a living room or basement. We just move some chairs around and fit it in. This allows a child who would not otherwise be able to handle the added stress of going somewhere to have a session to at least be comfortable with his/her surroundings.

If I indeed have a session that will require any of these items indoors or outdoors I also bring them along to the get to mee the child session. Sometimes I take them out and we put them together and sometimes not. It really depends on the disability of the child..and how I can prepare myself for the "get to know the child session"??? Ask questions of the parents...what are the disabilities, routines, etc. It's on the questionnaire I send out but communication is going to be the ticket here.

Indeed there are other pictures I could make up for equipment but I tend to keep it basic for everyone involved..so far it's worked for me!!

Part II of this series is the trickier one..how I show the child what will happen at a session using a story board. See ya then!!

Jimmy and Crystal's E-Session

2011-01-10T13:20:00.000-05:00

Crystal and Jimmy are like 2 peas in a pod! I've known her since she was a little girl (infact she even remembered coming over to my house to swim - which due to old age I did not remember) and Jimmy is this very talented musician. When you put them together he just makes her sparkle..and you CAN tell. For their engagement session (which was on a very chilly November morning) we went to Columbia to the John Wright Store and Restaurant where there are these cool kilns. And the leaves were amazing. Then we went over to a park a bit down the road. I couldn't help myself in having so much fun and it ended up being a double session...well, it helped too that it was the last session of the year for me so I was more than willing!! A big shout out to Mr. Hoot too (her dad..OK we call him Mr. Hoot) as he took care of the dog so we could just kinda do out thing.

Their wedding is next September 9.10.11 and I can't wait. ~Enjoy!!

(my personal fav)

MCP Project 52 ~ Illustrate a Song

2011-01-10T12:54:00.000-05:00

MCP Project 52 ~ Illustrate a Song

I read the theme early Saturday morning after I had just posted last week's picture (yes a day late..opps). The blog said that the picture had to "Illustrate" a Song and I knew instantly that I wanted to do something to honor the kids and their first basketball game ever. So I literally hopped up the steps and asked the kids to get their basketball out..which then they proceeded to dribble in the house. LOL!! I told them to make their "game face"! And this is what they came up with.

Jock Jams : "Get Ready for This"!!

I even made a video of their adventures and used this as the intro slide

(check ou the previous blog post for the video).

Maybe I'm just a proud mom but I think I'm allowed! ~enjoy

Ian and Owen's First Upward Basketball Game Ever

2011-01-08T21:46:00.000-05:00

I won't be posting every game but this was the first basketball game ever for my boys. Yes I am one proud mom. Numbers 11 and 12 are both mine!!

Enjoy

MCP Project 52 ~ Around the house

2011-01-08T18:37:00.001-05:00

You might be asking why is there a picture of a flute on your blog?? Well, I've started the year with a new project. Yes, I did try a similar project last year but it was not my cup of tea. This one is called the MCP Project 52 where each week there is a new theme posted and you decide how to execute that idea.

This week's project theme was "things that are around the house". Yesterday I had my flute sitting out because I've been practicing. I'm going to really try to make these theme's very personal..and so is this week's.

For those that follow my blog but didn't know it I was actually a music major in college..well actually I was a double major (computer science being the other). I played for several year after graduating but once kids came along the time just wasn't there. Recently I have begun playing again and I have developed a renewed appreciation for those in musical arts.

If you are interested in particpating in the proejct yourself check out http://www.mcpactions.com/
~holly

Love is in the air ~ Engagement Session: Amanda and Chris

2011-01-06T21:42:00.000-05:00

Amanda and Chris are one of those down to earth couples that you instantly just like!! You see them look at each other and laugh and you can't help but be drawn in to them. I had a wonderful morning photographing their engagement session which we held here in Elizabethtown at the Masonic Homes formal gardens. They are working in Lancaster and wanted a place that was different .. that she said brides in Lancaster just don't go to. They are getting married next May near Allentown and I can't wait!! Hope you enjoy!

Special Needs Session ~ the Seaman Family

2011-01-06T12:38:00.001-05:00

When I first met the Seaman family I instantly fell in love with Mr. C!! Yes he could not say my name or even look at me. And yes he was not interested in anything I was asking him about nor could he communicate anything back to me. Infact, he just wanted to bounce on his trampoline...but there was something in his eyes that just got me! Infact I came home and told my husband that I knew this would be one of my most challenging sessions to date..BUT that I knew that this was going to be a special one!

I actually met his mom Lisa at a session I had for LCAM (Lancaster County Austim Mommies) a few weeks before and I knew by talking to her how passionate she was for advocating for her son. And I got to thinking that I had seen her before and voila..I looked back at the pics from Last February's Joni and Friends Day of Pampering and I found a picture where I captured her laughing so hard at a skit that she was crying. I later realized that we also have a mutual friend who had told me about this young boy years ago..and I realized what a small world it is.

We met at the park so that we could provide much needed sensory breaks. And this allowed for me to photograph each of the children with their parents and spend time with each child as well. I think it worked out great. Infact, his sister took a little dip in the brook when I left (I found that out after!!)

This first pic of Mr. C was actually the last picture taken as we were leaving..I was walking out of the park with his sister talking about what she was going to do for the day when I turned around and saw this. I knew when I took this that mom was just going to melt. And I was right!! ~enjoy

We met at the park so that we could use the swings as sensory breaks. It worked out perfect so that we could have some time to photograph each child and parent with child and yet let Mr. C just chill out a bit.

If you or someone you know has a child with special needs and would like more information about having a portrait session..please call or email holly@lifesjoyfulexpressions.com I'd love to talk to you about how this really can be a fun experieince!!

And don't forget to visit the Life's Joyful Expressions Website for more information about Photography for our Special Needs Kiddos!!

Special Needs Session ~ the Brandt Family

2011-01-04T13:07:00.000-05:00

I met Jen during the Joni and Friends Day of Pampering back in February. She asked me if I knew a certain person that went to my church. I said yes I did. This mutual family friend of ours Miss "T" is such a wonderful mother with her own special needs child (who I just adore)!! Miss "T" blessed Jen and her family with this special session! What a wonderful person!!

I've been waiting to blog this family because I know they had Christmas cards going out and I didn't want to ruin any surprises. Yes I did post one quick sneak peak back in October but I tried to stay away from this family picture and some key others. The Brandt are such an amazing family. The siblings are truly loving and respectful of each other..I felt blessed on this morning to work with them. I can't begin to imagine the struggles that they have gone through but the one thing that just resonated from Jen (mom) was her faith. How truly inspiring and refreshing to hear her praise God for her wonderful family. Amen!!

And after this session the kids were treated to Hershey Park and Jen was running a half marathon the next day. Made me tired thinking about it (but Jen..I'll see you there next year myself..race ya?!?).
I hope you enjoy!!

2011 Weddings Earn Free Canvas Cash Dollars!!

2011-01-03T10:22:00.000-05:00

2011 Weddings Earn Free Canvas Cash Dollars!!

Get your family and friends to comment

on your wedding pictures on either

Facebook or Life’s Joyful Expressions’s Blog.

Once you reach 75 comments You instantly

earned 75 Canvas Cash Dollars.

Want more?? no problem!!

from that point on every comment

will earn you another dollar.

Earn as many dollars as you can!!

Restrictions apply. Please call or email for details.

http://www.lifesjoyfulexpressions.com/

Wishing you and yours a truly Blessed Holiday Season!!

2010-12-22T13:08:00.000-05:00

To my readers and fans, I just want to wish you and your families a truly Blessed Holiday season!.

This was an exciting year especially the growth of the Special Needs Sessions.

I feel that 2011 is going to be even more exciting and will hold wonderful treasure.

I'll be back online and tinkering around and posting new blogs about this and that after the holidays.

But for now, it's time to take a rest and spend time with my family.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

The word exchange game!!

2010-12-13T09:51:00.000-05:00

This is from one of the last giving back sessions for 2010 and it was a hoot. We all know my spanish is not the best..I can say a few words like sit down please, thanks, smile, etc. which is usually enough to get along. Growing up I learned to speak french as my parents speak french around the house and if we wanted to know what they were saying secretly we had to learn it too. These kids weren't too sure why they were here to take pictures as I think it all got lost in translation when it was explained to them. So once they figured it out I could tell they were not mentally prepared. And so we invented a new game which we called 'let's exchange a word game'..you tell me how to say something in Spanich and I'll tell you in French. Some words were just silly but I had them rolling on the floor literally laughing when we go to things like 'you look like a silly duck'..or 'somebody farted!' I love to hear kids laugh! What a way to end such a wonderful year.

Dinse Dental

2010-12-10T13:41:00.000-05:00

Many of my readers will recognize this place..it's our own Dinse Dental owned by Dan Dinse. Dan asked if I would come and take a quick picture of him and his staff so that he could update his website..and of course I had to take some others while I was there.

What I really liked about Dinse Dental was first how open everything is. It's hard enough to go to the dental clinic and feel at ease but this spacious office feels just perfect. There's even a cute little play area for the kids to make themselves at home. It's apparent too that Dan's practice is very up to date on using technology to not only provide exceptional dental care for his patients but also for identifying potentially life threatening illnesses that can be treated by seeing other physicians.

Now what I LOVED at Dinse Dental was the staff. It's so obvious from the moment that you walk in that everyone is treated as family. I even saw a walk in while I was there and the level of care and attention he receieved was quite remarkable on such a short notice!

And the last thing that I LOVE LOVE LOVE about this practice is how much they give back to their community in various ways. And I'm not talking about just a small donation here or there..I'm talking in substantial ways that bless others the way Dan (and Ling his wife) feel they have been blessed in their lives.

PS..NEVER leave your cell phone just sitting out while hanging at Dinse Dental...you will find a picture of prankster Dan's teeth as your new wallpaper!!

Miss Gentine!!

2010-12-08T12:38:00.000-05:00

When I have my giving back sessions I generally set up my gear and guess at the settings until I can grab a counselor for some test shots. Usually I ask Miss Gentine to help me. Now here is a lady with such a passion for God and these ladies. Miss Gentine always has time to ask how I am and how my family is doing and she she prays with me for when my own family is going through some rough times. I often say on my blog how blessed I am when I go to Water Street Ministries and Gentine is one of the reasons why.

Thanks Gentine for ALL that you do.

~holly

PS..and she, like me, LOVES funky glasses.

Wishing whistles came across in blog posts!!

2010-12-07T15:14:00.000-05:00

Usually the clients during giving back sessions wear jeans..which is cool as nice jeans never go out of style..but each year it seems like I get one family that is very spiffed up. And these folks were it. Mom did not speak English so the kids translated for me. Yes I know a few spanish words to make this enjoyable and I do understand more than I let on. And what a hoot when I started answering them in English to their spanish conversation..we all cracked up. So then we exchanged spanish for french words. You had to be there but let's just say I truly enjoyed these guys. And I wish them all the best!

What sweeties!!

2010-12-07T14:56:00.000-05:00

Oh yes these were some sweeties!! Sometimes I wished I had more time during the giving back sessions but in this case I simply ran out of candy!! I rarely use candy but this young man already had his system figured out when he met me. It was funny!! Hope you enjoy!!