Awkward & Awesome Thursdays {Week 5}

Such an amazing week I've had...and of course like all thing awesome, it just flew by in a snap! So many things from my time at the amazing Chicks Who Click Conference that I want to share with you all in the coming weeks, including some exciting additions and changes to Missie Jurick Photography; but first it's time once again for Awkward & Awesome Thursday!

The Awkward:

• Can I get a round of applause,please? I spent four days surrounded by extremely talented, blog-stalker-worthy, utterly wonderful fellow photographers...and somehow managed NOT to completely embarass myself! I didn't fall, walk around with spinach in my teeth, trip over any cords during a photo session sending sets tumbling, or {that I know of, anyway...} say anything completely ridiculous. For this I'm granting myself a one-week "pass" for anything in the awkward range of life. This week, as far as my blog is concerned, I was the epitome of perfection....{?? is this allowed ??}

The Awesome:

• Stressing slightly over being at a conference all by your lonesome only to find that a friend from WVU, who you haven't seen in 4 years, is there too!
• Having a career in which conferences are actually FUN, motivational, enriching, emotional, and life-changing events. True confession: when I was a teacher and went to conferences I'd be watching the clock thinking "when's the break?!" Since becoming a photographer full time I don't miss a session and am always just wanting more! True confirmation that I've made the right call for myself in leaving behind a steady paycheck to build my own business. It really is all worth it.
• Needing a box of tissues because you're just that moved by someone's images and story.
• Being "that girl" on a 5 1/2 hour plane ride who talks a stranger's ear off because you have so many ideas in your head you just can't keep them in a minute longer or you'll explode....and having that stranger thankfully not strangle you or pretend to fall asleep. {Regina, if you ever stumble upon this blog thanks for listening and your feedback!! }
• Coming home to your dog waiting excitably at the door for you, tail wagging and tongue out.
• Your best friend coming to visit...and a house being a home again because of that.
• Excuse to go to the Cupcake Gallery!!! Your best friend is here with her hubby and two crazy-cool kids, and everyone knows after a day at the Children's Museum you HAVE to have cupcakes!

Heather & Erica will have their posts up today, too, so don't forget to check in with them! I hope you have a fantastic weekend...HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY! XOXO missie

Awkward & Awesome Thursdays {Week 4}

Welcome to week four of "Awkward & Awesome Thursday!" This week I'm writing to you from hot, hot, hot & sunny Scottsdale, Arizona, where I am so excited to be attending the "Chicks Who Click" photography conference at the beautiful FireSky Resort. I'm thrilled to say my flights here were not only smooth, but I somehow managed to avoid the dreaded "C" boarding group on my Southwest flights AND scored the extra leg room of the emergency exit row. To top it off, my bag was the first off the carousel and I had enough time to sit by the lagoon here and read a bit before everything begins tonight. Ahhhhh....but, I will stop there before I jinx myself for the trip home! I hope you all  have had a fabulous start to your summer, and without further ado......

The Awkward:

• Going to a conference all by yourself...I feel like I'm back in middle school! What should I wear? Who do I sit with? They're laughing over there in the corner...is my skirt tucked into my undies? Do I wear the lanyard and ID tag around my neck, or is that not what the "cool kids" are doing? Where's Sandy Puc'? What's she wearing ... is she wearing hers? If she is, then I'm not nerdy for wearing mine....she's cool, she's got multi-colored hair...ok, other people are wearing theirs so I'm OK....but the bag? What do I do with the bag? Is it nerdy to carry it around? OK...I'm just gonna sit here and read until the first class starts...
• Realizing that the reason you seem to be 1 hour early to register and then again to go to the first class is because you ARE 1 hour early. {How could I forget about that final time change I just had?} These gals at the registration table must think I'm weird and really not good at telling time...I was right in my world, just not theirs...oh, well....it only took me 3 hours to figure it out...

The Awesome:

• Being at this conference!
• The goody bag !
• The amazing talent downstairs...I can't wait to soak it all in and make new friends!
• My Grandparents!! They both competed in the Senior Olympics this week  and brought home a Silver (PopPop), Bronze (Grandma) AND a Gold (together as a pair team) in bowling! So darn proud of them!!

OK--- ten minutes 'till show time! I'll blog more about this week for sure. For now, don't forget to check out Heather and Erica's Awesome & Awkward posts, too. Always a hoot, and always with beautiful imagery!

Merry Bee Farms

This is beautiful Merry Bee Farms...I am lucky enough to have met the owners, and beyond thrilled that they are allowing me to offer their property as a location for portrait sessions! I enjoyed a beautiful spring morning walking around taking in all the scenary last week as I prepped for the Bowman's family session. I am so in love with their farm...and so grateful for the opportunity to photograph there. I just love the morning light on their farm, and so hope to get to take advantage of it more in the future....

Member Spotlight Headshots {Omni Fitness}

Omni Fitness Center in Fayetteville, NC, is going to be starting a Member Spotlight every month on their website and facebook page; each featured member will be applauded for their achievements, and hopefully their individual accomplishments will also serve as motivation for other members. It was my pleasure to photograph this inagural group of Omni Fitness Members!

The Bowman Family {Merry Bee Farms}

I was so excited this morning to finally have the chance to photograph a session out at this beautiful location. The owners of this farm have been beyond gracious in letting me come out to oogle their fantastic setting, and roam about to enjoy their horses and cattle with my lens. Today I got to share this scenary with a super sweet family, and I so hope to be able to share it with many more families in the near future....

{I am in love with these two shots...when my hubby & I finally have our family I can just picture a set of 2 or 3 of these over our couch. Doesn't this just scream "fun?!"}

Ah! Such a beautiful family!

 Mr. Connor wasn't the happiest of campers this morning, but there is a series of shots to go with this one where he's sitting on the crates that I know his Mom & Dad are just going to love...

 Miss Jade is such a wonderful big sis...isn't that first shot of her in the awesome hat just so sweet? It completely matches her personality....

After a morning in the thick, wet, Carolina heat there's no better way to wrap up a photo session than to enjoy some watermelon. {well, unless there's a pool nearby...I think we were all ready to find one to jump into by this point!} Bowmans, thank you for being such a wonderful bunch to work with! Enjoy the rest of your vacation time, and Happy Father's Day to you Aric! Hope you enjoy this sneak peek...

A Diva and 3 Dudes {Camera Strap Cover}

I learned from an early age the importance of accessorizing, so it really is a wonder that it took me until now to finally get one of those cute camera strap covers that you see everywhere. There's an endless supply of them out there on the web to purchase, and so many beautiful fabric patterns....it was hard to choose just one...

With so many stores offering them, it was a bit overwhelming to decide who to order from...so I thought for anyone else in the same boat I'd post my personal opinion on my recent purchase. While a camera strap cover isn't as "important" as chosing a lens or camera bag, it's still a purchase and something that reflects your style, and it's nice to feel confident in any purchase that you make.

As I mention a lot, I am a HUGE fan of etsy. I just love the unique things you can find on there, and I love the artistry and love that goes in to everything being sold...not to mention I love supporting other small businesses. There are a slew of etsy shops that sell these covers, and a surprising price range as well for something like this. I wound up ordering from a shop called A Diva and 3 Dudes; they had one of the lowest prices, and their customer reviews all raved about receiving their order quickly and loving it. {There were a few more expensive shops that had a little wider selection of fabrics, some even with ruffles or the option to have 2 fabrics for 2 looks...I loved those, but when I saw a few comments about taking forever to get the products I decided to try another route.}

I'm sure all the other shops are fabulous- their designs are cute, and I've personally never had a bad experience from any etsy shop - but I can tell you that I'm thrilled with A Diva and 3 Dudes and will definitely order from them again. Their prices were awesome, I had my strap arrive in 2 days {I love instant gratification}. It's just as padded, comfy, well-made, and convenient as they describe. I wore it this AM on a lengthy outdoor family session; we were walking all over a farm in thick, humid, wet North Carolina heat;my camera never felt so comfy on my neck, and I loved the padding-just the right amount. My favorite little feature, though, is the little lens cap pocket. I have a few lense cap straps, but I've had the attachment fall off, and I'm always sticking the caps in my pockets and forgetting where they are...this was so nice to just pop into the pocket and not worry about...

Awkward & Awesome Thursday {week 3}

{This week's images are inspired by my hubby, who for some reason is obsessed with owning one of those t-shirts that says, "That's how I roll." And, well, let's be honest-everyone has one of these awkward moments happen!}

The Awkward:

• I cannot believe I have to admit this, but I spent an entire weekend visiting one of my closest friends, and didn't realize until I got home that I had completly screwed up and didn't remember that it had been her birthday!! I gushed and gooed over her adorable baby girl, brought the baby a gift, brought wine and cake to thank her Mother-in-Law for having me over, and somehow managed to completely mess up by not only not bringing the Birthday gal a gift, but didn't even know to wish her a happy birthday! Unfortunetly birthdays are not something I'm good at remembering, and I try so hard to stay on top of them because to me that's a day that should be celebrated and celebrated big...so to Liz, and ALL my friends since I know I'm a dunce about getting cards and calls out to you, I love you and wish you the happiest of birthdays!
• ok, really? There's nothing that can top that for me this week...that's about as awkward and embarrassing as it can get for me. I'd much rather have found myself grocery shopping naked than to have had this happen!

The Awesome:

• Getting to catch up with an incredible friend that you haven't seen in months...
• Getting to meet that incredible friend's amazing new baby girl...
• having the excuse of getting to link up with your incredible friend to be able to enjoy the first official roadtrip with your brand new car...
• ...and that new car happens to be a convertible, and the weather happened to be perfect... and you sound sooooo much better singing in your car when the wind is blowing and the music is blaring. {ok, so maybe anyone stuck at a stoplight near me may not have thought this was so awesome....}

Don't forget to check out Heather and Erica's blog posts, too. Their Awkwards & Awesomes are always a treat...and I just adore their other posts, too...

Ella {Asheville, NC}

Fourteen months I've waited to meet miss Ella...and oh was it worth every minute of waiting to finally get to see her chubby little cheeks, sweet little smile, and adorable little toes! Not to sound cliche', but I remember when she was just a twinkle in her Mommy's eyes...and now she's this amazing little 5 month old!

I met her Mommy back at Fort Irwin, and unfortunetly the Army pulled a cruel prank on us and moved us to diffferent parts of the U.S. just before Ella arrived. Thankfully for me, Ella's Papa & Grandma happen to live in beautiful Asheville; while she & her Mommy were out here visiting this weekend I was able to take advantage of the opportunity to at long last catch up with my friend and finally meet Ella. Of course, that meant they were not going to have an excuse to avoid my camera.

Liz just glows with happiness when she's holding Ella...it was such a joy to watch and capture. We actually shot these photos right where Liz married her sweetheart, Patrick; I just love that the setting is not only just lush and beautiful, but has such a special significance as well...

Operation: Love ReUnited {Fort Bragg}

As a photographer I truly believe my job is not just to take a photograph of someone, but rather to really capture a glance, an embrace, a laugh... a fleeting moment of time that is a story forever preserved. As one photographer I greatly admire wrote, "I do not sell paper."
A photograph, to me, is one of the most valuable things a person can own. It does not ever depreciate - in fact, it's one of those rare things in life that only gains value as it ages. It is something to cherish forever, something that is proof of "us," something that can be passed down for generations so that we are not forgotten.

I think {hope} that this is how all photographers feel, and this rather romantic outlook is the reason why I especially love photographing families. The idea that these moments will be theirs to look back makes me smile, and I love the thought of them all sitting around someday sharing these images with grandkids & great grandkids - telling stories, reliving memories, and honoring the amazing love & bond that they have.

Last evening I had the pleasure of meeting up with this beautiful family for an OpLove session. They're celebrating Dad's arrival home from Iraq for his R&R...and, of course, the fact that it's the start of summer vacation from school. Despite the "thick" heat outside, they were all just smiles & laughter, and I enjoyed every second of getting to know them. I can't wait to get their gallery out to them so that they can pick their favorite images for me to send downrange to Dad. I hope these memories help bring "home" to him so that the rest of the deployment just speeds by a little bit quicker...

If you would like to know more about Operation: Love ReUnited (aka OpLove) please click here. You can also find the information on my wesbite here, under the "information" tab.

Awkward & Awesome Thursday

Here we are! Week two of the "Awkward & Awesome" blog post, where you get to have a little giggle at my own expense. In addition to getting to know me a bit more...It's free! So, why not come back every week? And while you're at it,  check out my fabulous friends Heather & Erica, who are taking part in this fun little bit, too! (and don't forget to share your link to your blog with us so we can follow along with you. Drop me a line on facebook)


(drumroll, please....)


The Awkward:

• Ya know those "sneeze guards" up at salad bars & buffets? Whack!! Completely smacked the back of my head on one...that's what I get for cheating on my diet at a Chinese Food Buffet. (I believe it was the sesame chicken that I was reaching for....)
• At this same restaurant a woman kept following me asking where I found my shrimp...well, I didn't have any shrimp on my plate, I had no idea where the shrimp was, and I was running out of ways to tell her that...
• What's up with the atomic wedgies that only seem to occur while you're running on the treadmill at the gym...during the most crowded time of day? (is there a discreet, polite & ladylike way to pick those?)
• Having to chase my cat, Biff, around my yard while I'm in my hot pink pajamas...he's been having a bit of a love affair with our stray cat through our screened in porch and once again "busted loose" to go on out and party. I should add that the street I live on has a couple museums and businesses, so there's always people out and about....

The Awesome:

• A bowl full of fresh blackberries
• My heating pad + a good book = sweet relief for my back after yesterday's workout
• Speaking of good books....Water for Elephants is fantastic. I read it forever ago, but am re-reading it this week so I can see the movie. 
• My hilariously entertaining, completely supportive, and oh-so-loving parents celebrating their 38th wedding anniversary.  
• "Poe", the stray cat I've been feeding and trying not to fall in love with, finally let me really pet her the other day. Her purrs were going full-force as I rubbed under her chin. 

Stephanie & Josh {Shady Wagon Farm}

At a fantastic photo seminar in Raliegh I was fortunete enough to be sitting next to a super fun, super talented, & super sweet wedding photographer, Kristin Boness. Between the spells of lovelust & super powers that Jerry Ghionis and Sandy Puc' had us all under, we were able to strike up a few conversations and of course traded info. A great little friendship formed via Facebook, and I was tickled pink with enthusiasm one day to get a call from Kristin asking if I'd be interested in shooting a few weddings with her.

Weddings make me so giddy...the details, the colors, the emotions, the fun, excitment, personalities, locations....for me, it's all a photography dream! And in the not-too,too-distant future (when the hubby is retired from the army & we're not be-bopping around the world every 2 years) I plan on diving into the world of wedding photography more. But for now, when I'm not in a  location long enough to really create bonds with amazing vendors and truly break into the wedding market, I plan on soaking up all the fun I can get second-shooting these beautiful events. {of course that doesn't mean I'm not up for flying solo! Just not marketing myself for weddings right now...I'm digging the fun sessions I do.}

This past Saturday was my first time getting to work with Kristin. It's always a little "butterfly in the tummy" feeling to second-shoot with someone - what's their shooting style? Are they wound up balls of stress? Too relaxed to the point you're wandering aimless?- Whew! Thankfully Kristin is definitly NOT any of those. She is so organized, so calm, and obviously feels the same way I do about the importance of really getting to know who you're photographing. It was a BLAST working with her and getting to know the DJ & Videographer, and I certainly look forward to  more Saturdays with her. (just need to remember to avoid the temptations of the slices of wedding cake we're offered!! YUM)

As a second-shooter I get to enjoy a little less pressure than the main photographer, and get to have fun shooting from a different perspective-which I think suits my "storytelling" style well. It also means I get to play with the detail shots...which are always my favorite :-)

These are just a few of the images I took at Stephanie & Josh's wedding out at the beautiful Shady Wagon Farm in New Hill. They are SUCH a sweet & gorgeous couple and I really enjoyed getting to know them and their love story. (Josh proposed with the help of their new little puppy...how cute!) I loved the location & the gorgeous shade of blue the gals wore. Everything just popped with color...but with the earthy setting, I just had to give these images a bit of a vintage tone for the blog post. XOXO

Awkward & Awesome Thursday {a fun little group posting}

Kelly Hicks' Blog     Heather A Scott Photography & Design Blog   Erica Vining Photography's Blog