A Little Change Will Do You Good.

I have made some minor updates to the site (http://www.typeaimages.com/). New music, new colors, new pictures. I invite you check it out!

In addition, the prices have been updated for 2009 as well. Please check them out if you are planning on booking Type A Images in the near future. Never fear, dear tentative clients...if you contacted me prior to January 1st I will honor the old pricing. That's just how I roll. : )

In more TAI news, Summer 2009 is hereby full. I have a few people I'm waiting to hear back on but I'm not going to be able to take on any more weddings between June and August 2009. I am still open for family and single subject sittings however. Just be aware that Saturdays are pretty much booked solid until Fall!

That being said, if you're currently planning a Spring 2009 wedding, shoot me an email! I have openings in March through May.

This year has been amazing and I cannot wait to meet more people and document more memories in 2009!

2008- A Year in Review

Oh My Goodness!! It's Nearly the New Year!

With this year nearly over, I thought it fitting to kind of gloss over a year that has been full of incredible highs and unbelievable lows, surprising triumphs, and devastating loss. It's been a long year, and one that even though a lot of good has happened I can't say I'm sad to see it go.

I'm ready for a new number, a new time, and a fresh start.

When the year began it was a Groundhog's Day type situation, with each day much like the last. I got up, dropped the baby off with her daycare provider, and went to my desk job. I did it in robotic motion, just kind of showing up but not engaging. Mostly because all I really wanted was to go pick up Betty and get her home.

Fast forward to April. I lost my job. I really hate that term "lost"....it sounds as if I got up one day and just forgot how to drive to work. In reality, my "zeal" for the position (or lack there of) had become, by that time, quite apparent. I wasn't happy. I needed a change. I needed to be with my daughter. April was a huge turning point. I was improving on my photography skills and starting the small idea of perhaps turning it into a full time career.

I never thought that Type A Images would take off as fast as it did. I can't begin to tell you how fortunate I feel when I wake up knowing I get to do what I love every day. I have met some wonderful families and couples this year and it's been a complete pleasure to be a small part of their day, capturing moments and making memories.

2008 was a big turning point for me. I launched a new career and said goodbye to an old one I had known for 5 years. I spent a lot of time with my daughter, which made me happier than I could ever explain.

However, sadly, 2008 will probably always be overshadowed by the loss of my grandmother. It's a loss that has changed me, altered the way I look at life, and one that follows me every day. I was incredibly close to Grams Betty. We spent a lot of time together and her absence colors everything I do. I'm sure, over time, the grief will diminish but at this point it has painted a black cloud over an otherwise wonderful, change-filled year. I miss her every second of every day. I feel that with her death, the very last of my childhood went with her. It took a bit of the wonder and magic out of life.

So when I go to people's homes or to their events to capture things on film, I always hope that the memories I am building for them become great reminders of happy times. I am forever thankful that I took as many pictures of my grandmother that I did, even when she was at her sickest. To steal a line from one of my favorite movies, life moves pretty fast....if you don't stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it. I love what I do...because I freeze bits of time and allow people to revisit them again and again. It's a great job, and I hope to expand on it and do more exciting events in 2009.

I hope everyone's New Year is filled with happiness and joy. I hope 2009 brings good things for all of my clients, past and future, as well as friends and loved ones. I am hopeful for a better year. I graduate this year (finally!!!!) and my daughter will turn 2 (scary!). And I plan on continuing to put my all into Type A Images. I don't normally make resolutions, but I do hope to concentrate on improving my craft, spending more quality time with my family, and making 2009 a great year.

Happy New Year!

A Message from Type A Images

From my family to your! Have a SAFE and HAPPY Holiday Season! See you in 2009!

Last of the Holiday Sittings

As I write this, there is wrapping paper on my living room floor and a bevy of Sesame Street characters scattered about my daughter's bedroom. It was a successful holiday and I closed it out with a family sitting today in Milwaukee.

This was one of the larger groups I've worked with, but we got some great shots out of it.

Enjoy the sneak peek!

I swear, most kids love me. I don't think this little guy was too thrilled about the camera though. I still thought the shot was pretty cute!

Kids and a Couch

Through The Frozen Tundra, To A Family Shoot We Go!

You do what you gotta do to get the good shots, even if that means driving your little SUV through 500 feet of newly fallen Wisconsin snow to reach a family in need of photography.

Today's shoot involved a family together for the holidays....it's what Christmas is all about! The house was lovely and we got some great shots!

I hope the Klas family enjoys their sneak peek and I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas!

This is, hands down, one of favorite pictures I have ever shot. I love how this turned out!

The family

How cute is she?!

My dad used to own a pool hall, and while I was taking these I just kept thinking how he would cringe to know that anyone was lying on a pool table. But hey, it made for some adorable shots!

Never done an upside-down shot, but there is a first for everything!

Fake It Til' Spring.....

When life hands you lemons, they say to make lemonade. And when Wisconsin hands you a foot of snow in 1 day, I say you head to the Domes. At least if you have an engagement session to shoot, which I did today for Timothy & Emily.

You have to love the Domes, because it gave us an opportunity to fore-go making poor Timothy & Emily trudge through the newly fallen snow. Plus, they had a good mix of greenery, cheesy Christmas decorations, and neat multi-colored walls!

Here is the sneak peek for Timothy & Emily. Hope you guys enjoy them!

This week is going to be nuts, to say the least. I have 2 family shoots and a wedding coming up this week, not to mention the holiday. So, be sure to check back for more sneak peeks coming up!

The Dome itself made for a great backdrop

I LOVED this green wall. LOVED it.

Tag, You're It.

Apparently I was tagged, and I'm supposed to list 25 random things about myself. I figured it may be a good way to get to know me. So, I'll give it a try. However, I'm not all that exciting and may find it quite the task to think of 25 things.

1. I am 28 years old. When I was little, 28 sounded incredibly old. Now, I feel far too young to be a mom, a homeowner, a wife...all that. I mean, I swear I was just 18 yesterday.

2. I have a slight obsession with vintage things. I especially love old-Hollywood and Edwardian fiction and fashion. I'm beginning to think I was born in the wrong era.

3. I have had several life-changing events, but the most significant were the day my daughter was born and the day my grandmother died.

4. I tend to attach songs to people. For example, if we have known one another for awhile, I'll associate you with a song and/or artist...even if it's someone you may not like.

5. I am still in college. I have two classes remaining this year before I graduate with a BS in Sociology in May. It was my original goal to be a Geriatric Social Worker, but then photography came along and wooed me.

6. I grew up Roman Catholic and attended Catholic school for 10 years. It was...interesting.

7. I could eat spaghetti every single day for lunch and dinner and never tire of it.

8. Before I ran Type A for a living, I worked for a medical company for 5 years. I would like those 5 years back please. : )

9. I have a crazy, teenage-girl crush on Jim Adkins from Jimmy Eat World.

10. I have been to over 100 concerts/shows and love going to see bands live. Although...it has been awhile. Kids will do that to ya. But I went and saw Jimmy Eat World 6 days before giving birth. I wasn't going to miss it!

11. I have four tattoos. A stargazer lily on my back surrounded by the lyrics "Find your place, speak the truth", a dove on my lower back, a fish on my tummy, and my grandmother's signature on my foot.

12. I love Anne of Green Gables. The books, the movies. So much so that Anne is a high contender for a name if I ever have another girl.

13. Photography pet peeves: Cheesy Photoshopping, that pose where the bride is standing and there are bouquets on her skirt (what IS that?), and "megapixel warriors" (Mine has 10.2...what are YOU shooting???)

14. My favorite photographers are Julia Cameron, Henri-Cartier Bresson, Sheye Rosemeyer,
Lewis Carroll, and Annie Liebovitz.

15. I rarely read fiction. I'm a non-fiction and biography nut. I'll pretty much read a biography on anyone.

16. I would love to travel to Japan someday. If only to eat the food.

17. I try not to get political on this blog, but I do fully support Universal Healthcare. Working with health insurance companies for 5 years led me to truly believe each and every American deserves affordable healthcare.

18. My dream home is in Beloit. Go figure.

19. I am a PC.

20. My hair is currently blonde with short bangs, but it has been green, blue, pink, purple with pink stripes, dark brown, black, and red. I like to experiment. I also see no issue with just getting sick of it one day and hacking it all off to start over again.

21. I drive a Saturn Vue, but I would REALLY love a Buick Enclave. How OLD am I????

22. My husband and I were married on top of a building supply company in Beloit that has a green grid roof....during a carnival that was going on down below.

23. I have two cats: Milo and Phoebe.

24. (Almost there!!) I LOVE Mountain Dew. I'd rather drink Mountain Dew than anything else. Alcohol wise I ususally don't partake unless there is Champagne involved.

25. I love being BEHIND the camera, not so much in front of one.

Snow Day: An Ode to Self-Employment.

My schedule for today:

1. Shower
2. Play with Betty
3. Nap
4. Finish Mindy and Greg's wedding
5. Eat
6. Play with Betty
7. Remember that this time last year I would have been driving through this snow to get to my stinkin' desk job.
8. Play with Betty
9. Smile.

Dog Day Afternoon.

Saturday I had the pleasure of being one of three photographers to shoot the annual Rock County Humane Society "Pets With Santa" photo fundraiser. It was fun meeting all the families and their little furry companions.

The event was hosted by K&W Greenery in Janesville which I highly recommend making a stop at if you are ever in need of something leafy and beautiful, this place is gorgeous! They had us set up in a nice little area with great natural light and a pretty koi pond housing goldfish to rival the size of any I've ever seen.

It was a fun way to do something for a good cause and help out the organization where my husband and I got our own two cats Milo and Phoebe.

I got some great shots of the dogs and even learned a bit as well, the man picked to be my own personal "dog wrangler" was a wealth of canine-related observations.

Enjoy!

Lucky Koi narrowly escaping a curious onlooker.
This dog was gorgeous, and didn't at all mind the festive Christmas bow

Plug-o-rama

Portraits work for pets too!

Pictures With Santa.

This Saturday the Rock County Humane Society will be hosting their "2008 Pet Photo Shoot" for the holidays. This is a fundraiser for the RCHS held at the beautiful K&W Greenery in Janesville (14 E Hwy Janesville, WI). I will be their photographer for their Pet's W/ Santa and Pets/Family pictures.

The pictures run from 10-3pm so I encourage you to gather up Fido or Fluffy and help out the RCHS for a good cause!

Ink.

My new tattoo I got in honor of my Grams Betty. It's her handwriting.

The Fire and Ice Wedding.

Ok, so it was cold. But not THAT cold, and at least the snow held off.

Saturday I had the pleasure of shooting Mindy and Greg's wedding. The couple was brave enough to try a few outdoor shots, even though Mindy was sporting a strapless gown.

The most interesting part of the evening was when poor Mindy's bouquet went up in flames. Unfortunately, this photographer was busy capturing the marriage license signing and I missed a the wedding guest furiously running towards the bathroom door with the flaming florals in hopes of salvaging something.

It was a no go, all that was left was Mindy's butterfly pin that had been tucked into the bouquet. It was a tad charred, but it survived.

Luckily for our bride and groom, the rest of the evening went off without a hitch!

Congrats Mindy and Greg! I hope you enjoy your sneak peek!

This is a "stunt" bouquet I used following the other one going up in flames. Works just the same, they were beautiful flowers.
Mindy and her "caution taped" bathroom following the bouquet incident!

Mindy and Greg

"I Do"

Bring On the Christmas Shoots!

I knew coming into the holiday season I'd start to get a bit busy with holiday portrait shoots. I was really looking forward to it because I enjoy sittings with families, especially when they have a kid the same age as my own!

This family was lots of fun and relaxed in front of the camera. Once their little one warmed up to the new person in her house we got some great shots.

Enjoy the sneak peek!

How is THIS for a Christmas card?

3 Year Old: 1. Photographer: 0.

I must remember not to get too cocky. Because, seriously, once you become pretty sure you have this whole "photographing kids for a living" thing licked...you meet a kid like Lauren. A kid dead set on making you work...and work HARD...to get every last shot!

Poor Lauren, all she wanted to do was have a nice leisurely Saturday of play and fun...and along comes this LADY...with her CAMERA...and now she's expected to be all cute and pose.

Well....
she sure showed me!

Thankfully, I'm quick....well, at least I hope I was quick. I think I got enough of Lauren to make for a pretty nice collection of images. I told Lauren that if she would sit still for 2 seconds and smile for me that I'd make her famous on my blog. Well Lauren, here you go!

Lauren's mom is one of my old high school friends so it was quite nice catching up again after over 10 years! I hope they enjoy their sneak peek.

Hurry up, Camera Lady

Endless energy....sometimes I miss being a kid

The Haunted Wood.

"Enter this wild wood and view the haunts of nature"

- William Cullen Bryant

I couldn't think of a better place to do a sitting the day after Halloween than the 7 Bridges Path @ Grant Park....simply because it's covered bridge entrance inscription is so perfect.

and......

According to local legend if you go into the 7 Bridges area of the woods at night, on a full moon, you'll see dancing lights, hear voices and footsteps, and if you stand on one of the bridges at night a ghost or mist will appear in front of you.

Well, we saw none of that...but it certainly gives the area a bit of mystery and intrigue.

I shot Kristen and Scott's engagement session today and from what I can see it's looking quite lovely. I have a feeling Scott provides a lot of comic relief for Kristen and I can't wait to shoot their wedding. Enjoy your sneak peek!

The spooky inscription

The beautiful beach....how could any place this lovely be haunted?

Indian Summer.

What is that cheerful sound?
Rain fallin on the ground

We'll wear a jolly crown

Buckle up, we're wayward bound

We'll come back for Indian Summer

- Beat Happening

The Teacher.

But all endings are beginnings, we just don't know it at the time

-The Five People You Meet in Heaven

I watched The Five People You Meet in Heaven tonight....okay...sort of. I got about 1/2 way through and couldn't finish.

I had been a bit a worried because since my gram's funeral I hadn't really cried much. I teared up a bit here or there, but I felt almost numb. Like it hadn't happened. I knew something was missing, but that weight of missing and grieving was just laying there, motionless. Nowhere to go.

Hate to say that a movie on the Hallmark channel jarred it loose....but it was a pretty good movie (from what I saw of it).

Made me think about regret. My grandmother had always wanted to be a teacher. She was whip smart and well-read...she would have made a fabulous teacher. But, she got married and had kids instead....eight of them in fact. Then 10 grandkids...and 13 great-grandkids. I think her whole life was spent enjoying her family, but housing deep regret over the life as a teacher that she had given up.

I don't know if she ever learned that she WAS a teacher, the best kind of teacher. She just didn't have the title, the schooling, or the pay. But she had the lessons that were bestowed on each of us. How to mother, how to love, how to enjoy learning, and how to teach others. If there is a heaven, and if she's there, I hope someone is revealing that to her. Showing her the difference she made when she believed there was no difference made at all.

She taught me a huge lesson when it comes to motherhood. That staying home and spending time with my daughter is not time wasted. Sure, I could be behind a desk. But when I gave birth, I too became a teacher. And being with Betty step by step is more important to me than any desk job.

I'm lucky enough that I can take pictures for people. It brings me happiness, I hope it makes them happy, and it affords me the luxury of being able to spend every day with my daughter, applying lessons passed down from Grams.

I'm just in thought tonight...not really sure why. Just wondering why things are the way they are and how to make sense of it all.

I'm hoping this ending is the beginning of another chapter, one that will come out good for all those left behind. It's hard to see right now through the veil of grief, but I have a feeling it's there.

I am in awe of this woman, who in 85 years fulfilled not only a role as a wonderful mother but as a teacher whether she realized it or not.

And I miss her.

Betty the Half-A-Bee

Half a bee, philisophically,

Must ipso facto half not be.

But half a bee has got to be

Vis a vis it's entity.-d'you see?

But can a bee be said to be

Or not to be an entire bee,When half the bee is not a bee,

Due to some ancient injury.

- Monty Python

My kid must think I'm goofy. As she woke up crying from her nap just a moment ago I busted out into a rendition of "Betty the Half-a-Bee". She gave me a quizzical look....then proceeded to cry. Oh well....just trying to introduce a bit of culture!

I promised Halloween shots, so here they be(e). Betty...the half-a-bee (stripes and wings, no stinger or antennae). Enjoy!

Betty on the move

"Now is the time on Sprockets when we DANCE!"