funny story

So Myles has quite a vocabulary. I don't mean like extensive or highly impressive, but more like he has his own language with his own way of saying things. Sure we were worried at first, but the doctor seems to think he is just fine. So we laugh and enjoy his crazy antics. The other week when we went to see Santa, Myles came up with his own way of saying hello to the big guy and it went something like this:

Cameraman: "Everyone look here and say ho-ho."
Vorderman Family: "Ho-ho."
Myles: "Ho-ho sexy"
Santa: "Sexy?"
Hudson: "Yep, he said sexy."

What can I tell you, but that's how we roll in the Vorderman family. It's really kinda catchy.. try it!

My sweet little man last year.... before "Ho-ho sexy"

let the holidays begin

What a fabulous holiday weekend we had in Indy with our family. I swear it's like Disney to the kids. We did so much that I am not even sure where to begin. A Thanksgiving feast, the Children's Museum, Imax, Christmas tree lighting on the Circle, birthday celebrations, Christmas tree cutting, Steve did a sixty mile adventure bike race, and much more. Here we are at our new favorite place, Stone Creek Farm cutting down our first Christmas tree. What an adventure...

My gorgeous cousin Mandi, who is more like a 4th sister, sporting a very familiar face.... it must run in the family.

I hope your holidays were as blessed and full as ours. Now its time to switch gears and rev up for Christmas... we host and entire day & night of Christmas fun. Can't wait!

long time no post....

So the last couple of weeks have been busy and have left little time for blogging. But I didn't want to go into the holiday weekend without posting some recent work, stories to follow. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holiday's. It's like Christmas without the pressure of gift giving. Four days with family is bliss for me... I swear! So without further ado here is what has kept me away...

Wishing everyone a blessed holiday!

up to date

I can't believe I didn't share this sooner, but I suppose now is better than never. This weekend I participated in my first art show, which I was unable to attended, but heard it was a great success. The title of the show was "Distractions" and 25 local artists came together and through their art described what drives them to distraction. What do you think my piece says? It's so interesting to hear all the different interpretation. I see Christmas cards and holiday napkins in my future.

And a couple weeks back I donated a portrait sitting to the Science Central Auction. I can't wait to meet the family who won the bidding, and spend an afternoon getting to know and photograph them. This is the piece I used for the auction.

I just wanted to share some of the fun stuff I have been up to. Happy Wednesday!

The Davis family

For the last three weeks I have been writing and rewriting this blog post. I write it, then I laugh, then I cry, and then I start it all over again. I suppose when you are so deeply moved by something or someone it can take the words right out of you. I first began writing about life's gifts, and then wrote a second time about chances, and a third on assumptions. All of which seemed like fine posts, but none seem to do the four people I photographed three weeks ago justice. I have been wrestling to find just the right words to capture and give justice to Kathryn and her three children. So without restarting and hoping I do these four amazing people justice, here goes... I have known Kathryn for sometime now and when I see her out we usually get around to discussing our children. A rather common occurrence for most parents... get a night out and spend it talking about your kids. You wouldn't know it by listening to Kathryn talk about her three children, but each has had to overcome great obstacles just to survive. And it wasn't until several months ago that I learned exactly what those obstacles were. Michael the oldest, was an orphan from the Philippines, found in what they call a "dying room" and brought to Riley Hospital for a last chance surgery. He has had four frontal lobotomies, later diagnosed with autism, but he is most importantly alive and inspiring those around him, myself included. Madison, the middle and only girl has a glowing spirit with a contagious laugh just like her mother. She had been left outside a garden next to the police station in China. She had not been held in seven months. It only took Kathryn two weeks to undue what seven months had done to her young body. And then there is Joe who is a quite soul with searching eyes. His story is hard to describe and even harder to believe. Joe was found drawing on a rock outside of a storefront, which got him lots of attention because of his young age and the intricate drawings. When he was taken in, by another organization, "Chosen Children Village", which Kathryn oversees, he was diagnosed with throat tumors and was suffering from brain damage due to too much lead. Upon arriving to the states the diagnosis continued, which included paralyzed vocal chords and autism. It wasn't until later that Joe was diagnosed at the University of Michigan as a "savant artist", 1 in 10,000 children with autism are savants. Think Rain Man with art! During these years Kathryn found the time to start, "For the Children International Medical Mission Foundation, Inc." and has since found and saved 110 orphans from South East Asia, all adopted now. Are you starting to see why this experience was so big? So three weeks ago I set out to meet up with Kathryn, Michael, Madison, and Joe. I pulled up and was greeted with the warmest hug I have ever had and knew this was going to be one amazing afternoon. So before the words take me over let me introduce to you the Davis family.....

To my friend Kathryn with a zest for life and laughter, which you have so eloquently passed onto your three incredibly beautiful children. I am honored to know you Kathryn, Michael, Madison, and Joe. You have touched my life and I will forever be better for knowing you.

Pickard Family

I have been photographing a lot of friends recently, which has been awesome practice, but I have had to make it happen in short windows of time and sometimes with my kids in tow.... horror of all horrors! The kids are totally getting into the habit of tagging along on these photo shoots and even offer some unsolicited advice. Hudson has informed me on more than one occasion that she "really doesn't like that shot".... seriously! Jackson has more than enough location ideas, one of which I am using this weekend. And well Myles has enjoyed about 100 dumb-dumb suckers. A few weeks back we met up with the Pickard's, which was an added bonus for Jackson since he got to hangout with his buddy and because Mr. Pickard is also Jackson's baseball coach. Thank you Ray, Kandi, Carter, Peyton, and Preston for a super fun and crazy walk!

Cloud Family

As you may remember, this past summer I went to the NKOTB concert. While rocking out to my all time favorite childhood band I met Lisa & Sara. Lisa is one of those uber friendly, super personable, and addictively funny people you meet and stay connected with, which is what I did after meeting her at the concert. I met up with Lisa and her beautiful family while visiting Indy a few weeks back. Here is what we got during our beautiful morning walk together. Meet Lisa, Sam, & Brody....

This was such a beautiful morning and I had such a wonderful time with Lisa, Sam, & Brody. Thank you guys for hanging out with me and traipsing around the countryside. BTW, the next time you see the Cloud family there will be one more... can't wait!

Vasell Family

I can't possibly begin to tell you how excited I was to photograph the Vasell family. First, they were open to all my crazy ideas and better yet they had a few crazy ideas of their own. This is one baseball loving, fun having, full of life family, who were an absolute dream to photograph. Meet John, Kathy, Jack, Audrey, & Ben...


There were so many pictures to choose from that I will no doubt being sharing some during the burrowing months when we can all use a little reminder of warmer temperatures. Thank you Vasell family for inspiring me and for seeing out my vision. I am marking this one down as one of my favorite autumn evenings.

Head above water...

It happens to me every time! Every time Steve goes away I swear the kids huddle together and take bets on who can be the first to drive me crazy! I can usually defeat them in their attempt to drive me crazy, and to know me is to know that I handle chaos rather well, but I can't even begin to tell you the amount of craziness Myles unleashed this last week. To give you some kind of an idea, he poured Listerine all over Hudson's room, dumped an entire bottle of water into my shoes, threw the monster of all tantrums at the grocery, and hid my wedding ring. There is so much I want to share about the very interesting people I have had the privilege to meet and photograph over the last two weeks, but with just one brain cell left, it makes it rather difficult. Steve is now home and life seems to be settling back to normal. So as I settle back into "normalcy" here's a glimpse of what I've been up to these last few weeks.... Stories to follow when my other brain cells return:)

Mr. Myles

Heading out to gather the last of the Halloween costumes and thought I would share this picture of Myles from last year. He so rocked this look!

Myles channeling Elvis

men of honor

My friend Clay recently called and asked if I would photograph he and his son together. Clay is an officer with the Fort Wayne police department and his son Xavier, all of 22 years, is an MP in the Army, and has been serving his country for the last year, overseas. Xavier was deployed today for Afghanistan and won't return until June 2010. I have often wondered how a parent instills in their child the qualities necessary to make them want to go out and serve. I may never completely understand, but I did get a glimpse of what that might be during my time with Clay & Xavier, two courageous men that serve everyday without ever asking for anything in return. Clay wanted something understated and in black & white. Here's what we got.....

Clay & Xavier, I am honored to know you both and thankful for all that you do. God bless & keep you safe during your tour, Xavier. I look forward to seeing you when you return and photographing your beautiful and growing family.

the magic pumpkin patch

We had a fantastic time this past weekend hanging with family in Indy. On Saturday we went to the world's coolest pumpkin patch (Stoney Creek Farm), this place has everything. So as usual it has taken me a few days to get back into the swing of things. But I have lots of good stuff to share, which I plan to do starting tomorrow. In the meantime here are some pictures from last weekend....

Few more of Emily...

And now the rest of the clan...

Jackson looking very happy after defeating Uncle Larry at a game of chess.... I'm telling ya, this place has everything.

weekend fun...

Yesterday we packed up the family and headed to Indy for a weekend of family fun. This is my cousin Emily who happens to be one of the most magnetic people I know. I love her with all of my heart and couldn't help but share the pics that I just took of her. And while you're at it take a look at the budding filmmakers latest video http://www.vimeo.com/videos/search:pigeontalk Enjoy!

Happy Saturday!

ms. karen

The Sunday before packing up and hitting the road with Denise I spent sometime with Ms. Karen photographing her for her senior pictures. I laughed so much during my time with Karen that I wouldn't at all be surprised to learn someday that she became a comedian. Quick witted with loads of charm... not bad qualities to posses! Karen was hoping for something a little different than the norm and I hope she will agree when I say that I think we accomplished that. Here are just a few of my favorites from my time with Ms Karen....

Karen, it was so great spending time with you and getting to know you better. You will no doubt do amazing things with your life and I look forward to hearing all about it. Never lose that sense of humor of yours... you'll need it when you get to be my age:) All the best now & in the future.... thanks again for all the laughs!

workshop continued...

Do you know the people out there that inspire without trying? They seem to do it so effortlessly and to be in their presence, well, you really never want to leave. I had the joy of spending the week with people that fit that bill to a T. Take a look at the very talented photographers that I had the pleasure of hanging with while attending last week's photo workshop: Denise, Ben Pancoast, Prem & Cheridy, Monika, Jonathan, and John & Beth. When Denise asked me if I wanted to participate in the workshop with her I thought I might have a heart attack. Putting yourself out there for all to see can be a bit unnerving, but it certainly does seem to be part of the process. Doing this workshop was like taking another step in becoming a professional photographer and I learned so much more than just camera & processing tricks. I was reminded that it takes more than just producing beautiful images to be a successful photographer. A kind and genuine approach to those you photograph and those around you, speaks volumes and served as a valuable reminder. I have loads of pictures from the workshop, which I will share more of in the next few days, but in the meantime here are a few of my 'favs'. Tomorrow it's time to switch it up with some high school senior pics!

If you care to know I am shooting with a Nikon D2x, though everyone else at the workshop shot with Cannons.... am I missing something? During the workshop I shot with just one lens my 85mm. My husband (the pro) thinks this will help me understand my lens better, true as that might be it is really hard... I'm kinda a lens hog! Also, I am planning on getting the Nikon D700. Perhaps an early Christmas gift for myself:)







To the new friends I made this past week in St. Joe, I am so grateful to have met you and look forward to the next time our paths cross. Thank you for sharing in this journey with me!

Workshop photos...

Question. How does one begin to say thank you for the support that they receive? It seems simple enough, you just open your month and say thank you. But what if that doesn't feel like enough? I was speechless to learn that my friend Denise was sending people to check out my blog (via her blog) and even more overwhelmed to read the kind messages and emails I received as a result. What an unexpected and incredible feeling! Those of you visiting because of Denise and those of you that have been supporting me all along... Thank you for taking the time to be here, and thank you for leaving such awesome messages! I love making new friends and I am honored to have your support! To tell you the truth I'm feeling a bit of pressure now that nearly 400 people have been to this little site of mine today alone! Though it does seem like the perfect motivation to keep the creativity flowing. And speaking of creativity it was certainly the theme of last weeks photo workshop. Denise and I met some amazing people and pretty much laughed the entire time. Here are some pictures I took during our first photo shoot in St.Joe. I thought it only fair that the first picture be of my beautiful (inside & out) friend, Denise. And yes, I have thanked Denise a 1000's times and yeah it didn't really feel like enough. I love ya, mama!


Stay tuned for more workshop photos!

Workshop time!

This weekend I am heading out to my first photo workshop and I am so nervous I could wet myself. There will be some very talented photographers in attendance and I'm so nervous to meet them. I have been wanting to do something like this for so long and I know it will be good to get some objective opinions & perspective on my work. I am also very excited to learn some new tricks. I am going with one of my very talented friends, who is a wee bit nervous too, but together we figured we could win everyone over with food, drinks, and our unwitting charm;) Let's hope it works! In the meantime here are some photos from recent photo shoots....


See ya in a week!

back in action

It never fails, that when I return home from vacation (um, I mean work) it takes a week or so to get back into the swing of things. It's been another crazy week back with lots of processing, shooting, and scheduling.... I'm already scheduling for next year, no doubt a much needed boost to get me going! While I get back into the swing of things here are the photos from Ben & Jenn's Mediterranean wedding....

FYI, this was not your typical wedding. Ben & Jenn wanted something different and it was so magical to be with them and capture some of their special moments. This is one of my favorite shots that Steve took. Love, love, love it!

vordermanphotography.com

And now a few of mine...

Thanks Ben & Jenn for allowing us to share in this special time with you. xoxo

lost & found...

This shot is from a photo shoot I did earlier this summer and it happens to be one of my favorite summertime shots. The file ended up in the wrong folder and I had almost convinced myself I simply dreamed it up until I recently came across it, which resulted in lots of squealing. Now time to take it off to Lightroom to work a little magic.


I love how the simple things in life can make you feel so happy.

home sweet home

Traveling is great, but traveling abroad is even better. We just returned home from two weeks of traveling through Spain, Italy, and France. We photographed the end all to beat all weddings and while there had plenty of time to work on getting images for the upcoming show. While I get my thoughts together and decompress here are some images for the upcoming show. Wish I could share some of the wedding but those are top secret until the reception this weekend. Enjoy!







Going to a seminar with my good friend Denise tomorrow morning at 5am... off to bed. Ciao!

cerajewski family

I recently spent sometime with our friends the Cerajewski's (say sara-juice-kee). We meet up on Saturday morning to explore some forgotten areas around Fort Wayne. I love finding backdrops that match the spirit of the subject and I love not using the same one twice... unless requested. It's amazing what you can find when you look closely. Here are the photos I took of my good friends the Cerajewski's....






















Before every photo shoot I say a prayer that I will be able to see something more than what I have in mind. The third to the last shot is what I got when I let the moment be in charge and not the original idea.... marking it down as one of my summer time favorites. Thank you Cerajewski family for an awesome morning followed by and an awesome lunch at Coney Island!

Ps... Happy Birthday, Jeanine!

Kieffer family

There's just something about having three kids. First, you're always out numbered, usually out foxed, and for me always out smarted! Last weekend I spent sometime with the Kieffer clan and these three siblings had such an exuberance that I feared I wouldn't be able to keep up, but when I just let them do their thing on their terms it all turned out great. Here's a look at some of the pictures I got while sitting back and observing....

















This is one of the things I must remember about kids, they rarely do what you want them to do and if they do, it's only for a fleeting moment. This photo shoot reminded me yet again that I never want to have kids posing and smiling perfectly... think Toddlers and Tiaras. With that said, when kids are photographed on their own terms you get something real, which is something the Kieffer kids did perfectly. Another great shoot with another great reminder:)

no pain, no gain!

I recently hooked up with my friends Jimmie & Michael to capture the two having some fun together. Everything was moving along quite nicely until we did some stunts that included some running and jumping. That's when Jimmie suffered a little injury that eventually grew into a bigger injury... a sprained ankle. Who ever said creating art would be easy? Here are the pictures I took on a rainy Friday evening. I hope the pictures make up for the injury, what do you think....
















Aside from the injury this photo shoot was just way to much fun! I wonder if work is suppose to be this much fun... maybe it is and figuring out how to make it that way is the trick. Thanks guys for entertaining my ideas and allowing me to capture the love you share. All the best now and in the future! xoxox

Weemes Boys

As most of you know I was, once upon a time, a roller derby girl and during that time I met some incredible women. One such person is my friend Heather, aka "Oreo Slamher" or as my kids refer to her, "The Cookie Crumbler". I met up with Heather to photograph her two adorable boys Jaylin & Donovan and had just thirty-five minutes to do it. Here's what we got durning our quick but very entertaining time together....













Jaylin was totally cracking me up with all of his poses.... the kid was a natural! Thank you Weemes family for the many laughs! Can't wait to meet up again soon!

Bierbaum Girls...

To keep the trend of "sisters" going, I would like to introduce three of the strongest and sweetest little spirits I know. You know the kids out there that you just fall in love with the instant you meet them? Well, in my case it is all three of the Bierbaum girls. And as luck would have it these three beauties are friends with my three rascals. Check out Libby, Ally, & Emily.....







I hope my kids grow to be as strong & independent as the Bierbaum girls. Thank you Libby, Ally, & Em for giving me a run for my money and entertaining me to no end!

xoox,
Mrs.V

McArdle sisters

There is such an intimate connection between sisters, where one moment they can love on each other like kittens and the next be so angry they are fighting like a pack of dogs. I know this to be true because I have three sister of my very own and we have been there. But to be honest for me there is nothing better than having another soul that feels like me, relates to things like me, and knows how to care for me the way no one else knows how to. In the last couple of weeks I have photographed three different families that each have three girls and watching them interact makes me think this is just the normal way of things with sisters. I have known the McArdle sisters for years and I had the pleasure of spending last Tuesday evening photographing & observing them interact, and it made me smile as I thought of my own sisters. Here are the photos I took while spending time with three beautiful souls...

Thank you girls for spending time with me! You three are so very blessed to have one another!

Silcox family

I recently set out on a country drive to meet up with the Silcox family at their country home. It should come as no surprise to you that on my way to the house I got lost, turned into the wrong driveway where I was greeted by a herd of cows, and because I think God loves to play practical jokes on me, the song "Your Not From Texas" by Lyle Lovett, began playing on my Ipod. I had a good laugh, found the correct driveway, and met the nicest family in the world. As it turns out, they happen to be related to my neighbors. I had such an amazing time exploring their beautiful property and catching toads with Max & Harry. Here are the photos I took on a perfect summer evening.....

Jim & Shannon, thank you for making me feel so welcome at your home... it was incredible!

the many faces of libby...

I felt it wrong not to share these extra pictures I took of Libby during a recent photo shoot with she and her sisters. Libby had such an awareness of the light and camera that I could have photographed her all day long. Check out Ms. Libby doing her thing...

Love Ya, Lib's!

six more down....

I am suffering from a bit of writers block. And though my friends Sharon & Lisa think I shouldn't worry about it, I just can't help but. Before, during & after every photo shoot I am connecting & learning from the person or persons I am photographing. I love this process and believe it is part of creating beautiful images. The last week and a half has been a whirlwind of photo shoots and I can't help but think that this has attributed to my writers block. So while I search for the time to reflect on all of these amazing experiences here are some photos of the beautiful people I have had the pleasure to spend time with......

devlin sisters

Over the last few weeks I have been playing out my upcoming photo shoots... searching for just the right locations, playing with new compositions and lighting. This past weekend I finished three of the twenty-three photo shoots I have scheduled for the upcoming months! I say that not to sound pretentious but to say HOLY COW how did this happen! I truly believe that when you are standing in the place you should be the universe conspires great things for you and to be honest and yes, slightly cheesy, I feel like I finally made it back to a place I left so long ago. Most days I say to myself, "How the heck did this happen" but then I read my fortune cookie today and it said, "Don't ask why just accept." I Swear that is exactly what it said and so that's just what I am going to do. I know that I still have a lot yet to learn and in the next few weeks I will share some of the ways I am hoping to do that with some scheduled workshops. In the meantime here are a few pictures of three girls I love with all my heart. Meet Libby, Maddie, & Grace...

Thank you girls for an afternoon of fun! Xoxo

Hudson's first hair cut...

Just wanted to share a couple photos from Hudson's first haircut today. She donated twelve inches to Locks of Love. Check out how cute she is....

My little girl doesn't look so little anymore! Thanks Suzie Weaver for making my little lady so happy!

isn't she lovely....

Well we did it! We managed to survive the first week of school and with any luck we will survive all the ones that follow. It seems that for my family we are only able to remember each year by the accomplishments of our kids. This year it was Myles moving into a big boy bed, Hudson losing her first tooth, and for Jackson it was receiving his First Communion. You might remember some of the pictures I posted of the First Communion festivities earlier this year. Recently my good friend & neighbor AnnMarie asked if I would be interested in photographing her oldest daughter in her First Communion dress. And on Friday evening I picked up Leah and we headed to the downtown Cathedral to get some pictures outside of the church. As we were getting some shots outside we ran into a priest that unlocked the church and allowed us to spend as much time as we needed inside. No matter your denomination you can't help but be struck by the beauty of this church and to have it all to ourselves was quite magical. Here are the photos of my time with the very angelic Ms. Leah...


Now onto this year with hopes of accomplishing and learning all kinds of new things!

weekend warriors....

Just a few pics of the kids playing with face paint...

Happy Sunday!

Grandma Betty...

A few weeks back I met up with a great friend to take pictures of her grandma. Grandma Betty is my dear friend Kate's grandmother and for more than 3 decades she has rented a lake cottage over the summer months for her family. This is a family tradition you can't help but adore. I have always loved the way photography allows you to tell a story without saying a word. So without saying anything further here are the pictures of my time with a very special lady....








I was so touched by Grandma Betty and I even chuckled a little at her kind and gentle spirit because it matches my friend Kate's to a T. Thank you Katie for inviting me over to spend a little time with your family. I loved every minute!!

first day of school...

I think this summer will go down in history as the fastest summer ever. Yesterday marked the first day of school and I could swear we were just walking home from the last day of school with a world of summer time possibilities in front of us. Though we did lots and had lots of fun, there is something nice about getting back into the school routine. The kids got up, got ready, did their chores, and had breakfast all before 7:15am. Very impressive! Let's hope this is a trend that continues. Here are the pictures from our walk to school on the first day....

Jackson & Hudson, I hope this year is even better than the last!

summer vacation...

I no sooner arrived home from my trip to California and we were packing the car and the family for a week away on Lake Michigan. Literally twelve hours later the car was packed and we were on the road. We spent an amazing week on the lake and had a very hard time getting ourselves in the car to head home, but unfortunately school begins tomorrow and we had no choice. Here are some goofy photos of the family at one of our most favorite places on earth...

Bubble blowing contest...

Jackson lost...

Dune buggy ride...

I am sure you are wondering why Myles is not in any of these photos and I have a perfectly good explanation for that. I accidentally deleted all of our beach photos and with it went all of the fun shots I got of Myles running away in fear from the waves. But tomorrow marks the first day of school and that will give me some uninterrupted time with the big guy so you can bet I will be posting some pics soon. Now time for bed since we have to get up at 7am!

where has the time gone?

Where did the last two weeks go? I swear I was just in California crying my eyes out while saying my good-byes. I had the best trip imaginable, btw! The super duper surprise mission was a complete success and it should come as no surprise that I acted like a kid for the five days I was away. I wish I could blame it on my 15 year old brother or my 18 year old sister, but that wouldn't be entirely true. I did do some sophisticated things like attend the Sawdust Festival in Laguna and the Orange County Fair, though I fear the latter is not to sophisticated, but I am such a sucker for deep fried cheese and dangerous rides! I did a photo shoot on the beach and one of my pregnant sister, which I will share later this week. In the meantime here are just a few candid shots with my siblings....

Love you guys!

I love to travel... exploring new things, meeting new people, and I love the way traveling sometimes forces you to be patient. With that said I have to mention some of the beautiful people I met on my travels. On my flight to Cali I meet a retired surgeon from the Fort, who, like me, was on his way to visit family. The only difference is that he was saying official good-byes to his brother who has been battling cancer for three years and to his ninety-three year old mother. Sitting next to Alan was like sitting next to an old friend. Alan, I am throwing my healing thoughts & prayers into the universe with hopes that they find you. On my flight home I met Kat, a doula with a charming wit and grand spirit and as it turns out, an aspiring photographer. After this encounter I couldn't help but feel like the universe was alining in ways I couldn't possibly imagine. So the lesson here is that great encounters happen all the time, you just have to be open to them. Here's to opening your heart & mind to simple everyday encounters!

Cheers,
JenniV

are you keeping count?

Here I am hanging in Cali with six of my brothers & sisters having an amazing time, but would you believe it if I told you that I have one more sibling back home in the Fort? Yep, I am the oldest of eight, which just might explain my bossy nature though that will have to wait for a future post. My brother Terry is just a few years younger and a few feet taller than me and to be honest, I think he ropes the moon. Here are some of the shots I got while spending time with my brother's beautiful family....



















It's my last day in Cali and I'm off to enjoy one more day at the beach. Here's wishing everyone a happy Saturday!

The Weaver Family

I recently spent time wandering through the West Central neighborhood with my good friend Sue and her two daughters. If I said that this was a close family it would be the understatement of the century. I absolutely love watching the way these three interact with one another. I swear, there is a magnetic force that draws you into this family and once that happens, it's nearly impossible to leave them. Here are the pictures of my time with the Weaver's.....


I was so moved by the Weaver girls connection that when I got home I booked a flight to Cali to see my family, which is where I am right this very minute! I found this quote that sums up what I was feeling at the time I booked my flight to surprise my three brothers and my three sisters back home...

Carpe Diem, baby!

super duper top secret....

And the secret plan beings.....

Back in a few days to fill you in.

An evening at the farm...

When I was younger I dreamed of being Laura Ingalls. Oh, yes I am talking about the Laura Ingalls from Little House on the Prairie. I thought life on the farm would be so charmed.... playing in the creek, climbing in trees, and of course having my very own horse. I never really gave much thought to the chores, the outhouse, or that nasty Nellie Olsen. But when my friend Emily invited me to spend an evening with her family and their horses I immediately thought of my childhood fantasy and I couldn't wait. I spent nearly three hours with the Bermes clan and to be honest I could have pitched a tent and stayed all night. You can look forward to seeing more photos of the farm in the future because Emily offered to teach me to ride.... childhood fantasy coming true! I have to say that the Bermes kids are two of the most well mannered & thoughtful children I have EVER met and I loved every moment I spent with them. Here are the pictures from my time with the Bermes family....










Lesson learned from this photo shoot.... don't wear strappy sandals when you are photographing horses on a farm. What's that saying about common sense not being all that common? Loved this shoot & loved this family... I really don't want to be Laura Ingalls anymore, think I'd much rather be a Bermes!

Vorderman family craziness!

I am embarrassed to admit it, but we don't have a family portrait of the five of us together. I have recently been shooting a lot of families, which has made me feel slightly guilty that we haven't taken the time to have this done and so this past Friday we decided to remedy that by hiring a professional photographer. We set out with photographer Ben Williams to capture some Vorderman family craziness. I must admit that the anticipation of the day made me appreciate what so many other families go through preparing for a family photo shoot. There are a laundry list of concerns... what will everyone wear, will we get any good photos, will the kids be well behaved, and on and on. But before I entirely freaked myself out I took a deep breath and thought of the advice I have offered the families I have shot, which is just be yourself, wear what feels comfortable, and let the kids be themselves. So with that said Steve & I threw out all notions of having well behaved children and we let the kids pick out their favorite outfits. And what do you know we just got a sample of our photo shoot and guess what... it's perfect! It's us, it's crazy, and it will always be worth the hour we spent slightly stressing out over having the camera in our faces. So the lesson learned from this shoot is, if you don't have a family photo then you need to hire a professional photographer and do it! We're photographers and we did, or one of us is and one of is is trying to be.... I think you get my drift! Truthfully, if you can handle just being yourself then you are sure to have a treasure to last a lifetime. Here are the pics from our time in front of the camera....

Thank you Ben Williams for putting up with us and for giving us such a wonderful gift! Also, thank you to the families I have recently spent time with for inspiring me to do this for my family!

third times a charm....

When facebook came out I was rather reluctant to sign up. In truth, I am this way with anything high tech, or low tech for that matter. However, I am slowly improving in an attempt to impress my tech savvy husband, case in point starting this blog. So the skeptic in me, signs up for facebook and starts reconnecting with old friends. One of the best connections I have made using facebook has been with a couple I haven't seen in nearly ten years. When I was in college I worked at Arthur Murray as a ballroom dance instructor and I had the pleasure of meeting Bruce and Stephanie. I always looked forward to their lesson because they had this way of engaging everyone on the dance floor and creating ripples of laughter in their wake. So with the help of facebook I was able to reconnect with Bruce & Stephanie and just recently spent some time photographing their family. Here are a few photos from my time with the Schubert family....

This photo shoot was so much for me on so many different levels. Reconnecting with old friends, having Bruce refer to me as "Ms. Jenni" (protocol while together at the Arthur Murray dance studio) and meeting their two kids Zack and Katie. We picked up right where we left off and by the end of our time together I had already begun to miss them. But luckily Zack has the same out going personality as his father and he has already organized a play date. I can't think of a better job to have than photographing families. On each of the photo shoots I have been on, I have created new friendships, reconnected with old ones, and have been a part of creating something that will last a lifetime for someone else. I can't say for sure where I will be in a year, but I think this is pretty close. Thank you Bruce & Steph for being on this journey with me, I look forward to creating new memories with you!

second time around...

Something happens to me when I am shooting. I swear it is like I fall under a deep spell that is only broken when I take the very last picture. Until that moment I am in a constant flurry of searching, observing and waiting for that perfect moment. It is a moment, a rare moment I think, that sometimes never happens. Think of it this way, someone has a camera pointed right at you, so you do what most normal people do, you pose, you smile and you try looking your best. Well, this is not the moment I am after. I am after the moment that you forget, if only for a second that I am there. Make sense... Anyway I was so afraid I wouldn't be able to do this with two pre-teens and two teenagers, but I was so wrong! Here are four fantastic kids that just happen to be my dearest friend Carrie's niece's & nephew's. Thank you Dustin, Kyle, Katie, & Paige for hanging out with me for a few hours and teasing me about my hobo friend. These are just some of the shots we got from our time together...











As I said before, I am learning a lot and making a lot of mistakes, which I have decided to share after each shoot. And on this particular photo shoot, though I did achieve the look I was going for, it did take a while to get the placement/posing of the siblings just right. I am not a fan of choreographed pictures with perfectly timed smiles, however, I do see the importance of knowing how to pose people so that you can achieve a specific look. With that said, when I got home and shared my challenges with Steve, he told me about this touring seminar that will be passing through Indianapolis & Grand Rapids in the coming months. It is a touring seminar focusing on basic posing, flow posing, and so much more. Check out the link for full details at Pro Light Seminar. Hope to see you there!

Mission accomplished....

We finally did it! We finally got away as a family and spent some much needed time at the lake this past weekend. We boated, we tubed, and we tried to appreciate the time we had together despite the autumn like temperatures. All in all it was great getting away, if only for a day or two. Here are just a few pictures from our weekend and a birthday wish for my daughter....

My birthday wish for you Hudson is this... That you always embrace your rich enthusiastic spirit. That you honor those that are different from you and allow their unique spirits to inspire you. Don't bully or allow people to bully you. Stand up for what is right, especially when it comes to standing up for yourself. Do what others tell you can't be done. Continue to define and explore your dream as you grow and always stay the course even when it is tough. Learn not to take yourself to seriously and more importantly learn to laugh at yourself! Know that family and friends will always be your biggest supporters and in turn never forget to thank them! And my final wish for you is that you always dare to be different and find peace in the unknown.

Hudson, your favorite pair of Chuck T's will always serve as a reminder that you were once five.

XOXO,
Mommy

On a personal note.

How lucky am I to be doing what I love to do? I feel it, I sense that it has improved my spirit and I am so grateful for that! However, I have recently been feeling a bit shaky as I navigate through this journey. Why? Well, I am making mistakes! Oh, yeah... lots and lots of mistakes! Each and every time I shoot I learn something new, lessons that I hope will better me in a year's time when I finally take the big leap. I have also been wondering if I am sharing enough of the learning that is taking place. I have had a number of friends ask my advice about shooting and I am so happy to share my knowledge with them. I read this grand book by Paul Arden that said, "Do not covet your ideas. Give away everything you know and more will come back to you. If you give away everything you have, you're left with nothing. This forces you to look, to be aware, to replenish. Somehow, the more you give away the more comes back to you. Ideas are open knowledge. Don't claim ownership. They're not your ideas anyway, they're someone else's. They are out there floating in the ether. You just have to put yourself in a frame of mind to pick them up." Now who doesn't like the way that sounds? In the last two weeks I have been on six photo shoots and with each one I have learned something different and I am going to share that with you in the coming days. This is after all the one year journey of a girl and her camera. So I will share, embarrass myself, and mostly just laugh at my nuttiness in an effort to impart something to someone else. Once I get my thoughts together I will share with you each photo shoot... embarrassing truths and all! Here is a glimpse of what I have been up to over the last two weeks....



I was recently introduced as, "Photographer, Jenni Vorderman" and even though I didn't I have the guts to correct the introduction, it made me smile and think.... not yet, but in time!

a family project...

Miss Hudson will be turning six on July 20th and we have a family project planned for the next five days, which we have dubbed, "the last five days of being five." Each day we will choose an activity as a family and celebrate as we count down the days until Hudson's sixth birthday. And maybe, just maybe, we'll find a way to slow down summer if only for five days.

This is the way I still see my little girl...

BTW this is a great way to photograph your kids. Make it a point to do this once a month. Happy, sad, rain, or shine, just do it and you will have a treasure for always! I would suggest using the same background each month. That way in a year, two, or three you can look back and really see the changes as they were taking place!

weekend snapshots...

Weekend snapshots....

xoxo,
Jvo

slowing things down...

My grand expectation's of having a low key summer have turned completely sideways. It is hard to believe that an 8, 5, and 2 year old could have such full social calendars, but they do and we are running nonstop most everyday. We have finished most of our summertime obligations and my hope now is that we can finally fit in that trip to Chicago, visit family in Indy, and just hang by the lake. Though the moments are far and few between these day, here are some pictures of low key moments with friends.....











Here's to finding some peace & quite this weekend!

props to my hood...

It's hard to describe just how amazing my neighborhood is. Every day is a mystery... where will we play, who will we play with, and who will stop over for cocktails after the kids are in bed? Tough life, right? But truly, it is a magical place to live and I am so grateful to be here. I believe you gotta say what you feel, so I'm just sayin! Here are some photos from a recent play date with good friends...




A rare sighting.... me in a picture with my boys. Leave it up to a mom of seven to grab my camera and take a pic of me with the boys. I just love it! I hope your day is full of fun & play!

my little all-star!

Man I love baseball! I spent a summer in Chicago with my Aunt Ally going to ball games when I was ten and I can honestly say it was the best summer ever! Jackson made the all-star team this season and we had such a great time cheering him on. Although the team could only squeak out one win, they played with a whole lotta heart and you just gotta love that! Check out the little sluggers in action...





Until next season...

party, party, party!!!

Was your "4th" as crazy busy as ours? We attended three different parties on three different days and shared some serious laughs with family & friends. And aside from Myles going into anaphylactic shock from eating a walnut and giving us the scare of a lifetime, it was a safe 4th of July. Here's a peak into our holiday weekend....

Hanging with neighbors...

Dipping....

Laking...

Hope your holiday weekend was full of fun. This week I have three photo shoots scheduled and I am as giddy as a school girl! Oh, I can't wait....

Chris & Molly continued....

Here are the rest of the images from my first photo shoot with Chris & Molly. This was such a great day and great experience for me. Thanks again guys, for entrusting me. Enjoy...

Chris & Molly you'll always be my first.... xoxo!

my first photo shoot!

I met with Chris & Molly Saturday morning for my first official photo shoot. With my first victims in tow we headed out on a scavenger hunt for great locations and good light. I had three different locations in mind and my favorite was our last stop, which was certainly the most eventful. I came across this abandoned house a few weeks back and I was struck by the homes enchanting character and setting, needless to say I simply couldn't resist it. So with my two willing participants we trotted off to explore the property and were greeted by a rather excited dog and then by the owner of the property, Kirby, who pulled up in his pick up, and yes it was a bit frightening. No worries, Kirby gave us permission to be there so long as I promised to bring him pictures of the days photo shoot, which I have done in exchange for future trespassing privileges. There is no doubt in my mind that the best places to shoot are the places that say "No Trespassing". These are just some of the shots from our time together and I think it's a good thing we didn't listen to the signs....



Chris & Molly, I can't thank you enough for being so open to my crazy suggestions, allowing me to observe and capture the carefree love the two of you share. I had such a wonderful time with you both and wish you two a future full of love, laughter, and happiness!

XOXO,
JVo

No shame in my game!

I have a feeling I say this a lot, but I really, really had the best weekend ever! On Saturday I had my very first photo shoot and afterwards headed to Indy for a girls weekend that included a concert to see NKOTB! I could bore you with all the details about shopping, eating, drinking, laughing, having Jordon Knight say he loved my hat, and blah, blah, blah, but I will spare you. Instead I will bore you with some photos of my shameless and self indulgent trip to see a band I use to love so much and I must confess still do!

Me & my best gal pal...

Showing off my NKOTB paraphernalia..

This totally cracked me up!

I have to admit I was a little jealous this wasn't my fanny pack.

Yep, we were this close.

Carrie looking adorable.

Catching a concert ball...

And making new friends with Lisa & Sara!

I so loved this band when I was a teenager and going to see them perform as an adult was way to much fun! Tomorrow I will share the photos of my time with Chris & Molly, which we risked life and limb for! Here is a promo card my sweet hubby put together for me with two pics from Saturday morning. This is some kinda couple...

I must be getting old...

Forgot to post these pics from our trip to the bison farm last weekend. It was a fun day despite the rain and we even ran into some friends.





This horse reminded me of the one my mom said I could get if I got straight A's on my report card. That never happened..... Mom's are so smart!

Happy Daddy's day!

I love watching my husband with our kids! It is one of those things that never fails to melt my heart. Here are a few pics of the past with Stevie & the kiddos....

Happy Daddy's Day! You are a truly remarkable husband, father, and friend. All wonderful qualities our children will have because of you. And remember baby, "We're the big door prize"! And for those of you wondering what the heck I'm talking about, download John Prine's song, In Spite of Ourselves. It's kind of our theme song.... and when you hear it just remember that I never said we were a normal family!

learning something new...

Guess who learned to ride a bike with no training-wheels? Miss Hudson, finally learned to ride solo with some help from daddy, which was stellar timing since he was heading out of town for work. These are some photos taken at my brothers house where Hudson took her first steps toward freedom.....

My sweet, sweet, Jackson. See those two necklaces around his neck? A couple weeks back I gave each of the kids a dollar to spend on whatever they wanted at the grocery store. Hudson, no-brainer, spent her money on candy, while Jackson spent his on two cross necklaces from the candy-machine. I think we have a priest in the making and I am so not joking. His favorite song to sing each morning is On Eagle's Wings. Yep, that's my boy, Father Jackson!

My sister-in-law thinks she takes horrible pics, but I would have to disagree.... Hello Beautiful. Not to mention she teaches a body boot camp, which I will be photographing in a few weeks.

I love new beginnings. Here's to a weekend full of them!

what summer days are made of...

This past Sunday we headed up to a friends lake cottage to enjoy some fun in the sun. We joined a few other families and altogether there were twenty-seven people, seventeen of which were kids. Our friends cottage is something out of a Cottage Living magazine, which btw Cottage Living, Southern Living is not a suitable replacement! With that said Jeannine, our hostess, has this incredible talent for decorating and taking abandoned items and then turning them into a work of art. Every space in the cottage has this comfortable charm, there is a dreamy porch to take a nap, a spacious deck for reading, and even a tree fort to seek refuge from adults. The day was so magical that Steve and I can't stop talking about it. I have this quote, (you have to know I am always good for one or two a week), I cut it out of a magazine and it reminds me of what Dave & Jeannine's cottage would say to other cottages if it could speak, "A welcoming house is humble, not pretentious or ostentatious. It blends into its surrounding rather than just sitting on top of the landscape preening its feather." Here are some pictures from our magical afternoon with close friends....



Dave & Jeannine, your cottage is what all other cottages strive to be. You have done an amazing job keeping true to the character and charm of an old cottage. Thank you for sharing your home and day the with us. It will be one of those summer days we will look back on and treasure forever!

something to celebrate...

self-portrait taken last year at one of our favorite spots in Saugatuck.

Seven years ago today, Steve and I were married in Saugatuck, Michigan. We rented a beautiful b&b for the weekend, along with twenty seven of our closest friends and family members. It was a day that everyone participated in.... I designed my wedding dress, my friends mother sewed the dress, my nephew & sister-in-law made the wedding cake, our close friend Tim took the photos, and our very dear friend Cary married us. What an amazing weekend it was! Steve and I met because a good friend kept insisting we meet, which we eventually did and what can I tell ya.... it was all over from there! At the time we meet I was in school planning to study photography in Italy, where we often talked about getting married in some small village with just our family present. But just months before I was to leave for Italy, I found out I was pregnant with Jackson. I'm sure I don't need to tell you what a blessing that was and that putting my plans on hold to start a family was more than just a welcomed idea. My life has become so much more than I could have ever imagined and I have a wonderful husband and three beautiful children to show for it. So despite taking a different route than originally planned, the route I did take is far more blessed than anything I could have ever envisioned. Here is to the next seven years..... may they be full of peace, happiness, and health. I love you, Stevie!

Happy Anniversary, baby! You still take my breathe away!