maternity
birth story
the baby
the family
the kids
bubbles! | St. Louis Photographers
Posted on April 24, 2010
Yesterday was amazing. And we’ll be back to share images of those tiny NICU babies with you soon. Right now the words are just failing me so instead of yet another emotional post, how about some fun pics of our own kiddos?
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What do you get when you mix 5 kids aged 1, 2, 3, 4, & 5, with bottles of bubbles??
Lots and lots of giggles, puddles of bubbles on the ground (Gray, you are such a stinker!), bubble soaked clothes, and did I mention giggles?? Oh, the giggles!
Bailey, Thomas, Parker, Sophie and Grayson… it’s awesome that our kids love hanging out together!
the world will never forget. seamus.
Posted on April 22, 2010
I don’t think it’s a coincidence that I took a call at Children’s today for a baby who was dying. I also don’t think it was a coincidence that we ended up in the roof-top garden either. On the same day, in the same garden, one year after the moment I met Seamus. The day he saw the sky for the first time.
As I was up there photographing, for the first time since the day Seamus passed, I cried. And as I cried I remembered every single detail of the two days I spent in the garden with Seamus. And I laid my hand on the mom’s shoulder today and told her that there was a little boy up in heaven with her daughter today. And his name is Seamus.
Whenever I talk about my time during those two days in the NICU I talk about Seamus. Because it was Seamus that brought me there. He was who I was racing to get to as I dropped my kids at my moms and rearranged scheduled photo sessions. It was for him that I went.
But with the first click of my shutter I knew I was there for another reason. I wasn’t there for Seamus. He was just the one who called.
I was there for Sharon and Tom.
I was there to capture the love they have for their son. To capture images of now memories that would become foggy from grief and no sleep. To capture joyful moments and incredibly sad moments. To capture last moments.
And while I was there I wasn’t thinking of myself or my kids or the nurses or doctors or even Seamus. All I was thinking about was Tom and Sharon.
Because I couldn’t imagine being put in their position. To not only have to say goodbye to their son, their baby, but to say when. And how.
And after a year of other stories like theirs, I always come back to them. Because HOW they said goodbye was beautiful. And joyful. Seamus heard laughter amongst the tears those two days.
(it was super sunny that day so I had nurses and doctors holding blankets to shade them!)
If you ask Tom and Sharon, they will say to tell Seamus’ story but to not make it about them, that it’s not about them. But what they don’t realize is that MY side of Seamus’ story IS about them. My story IS them. Because they were who I was watching those two days. They are who I was photographing. They are who became our friends this year, our good friends. They are who taught me about love. Who taught me about parenting. Who taught me about protection and selflessness and grief. About laughter and friendship and inner circles and sisterhoods.
Two big things happened in the last year. Kim and I created Fresh Art and I met the Johnstons.
And on the first day I met the Johnston’s it was mostly joyful. Seamus got to see the sun! He was outside! His entire family was with him! It was incredible. But the second day we walked up to the garden. The second day.
It was just a different day.
That was the day they had to say goodbye.
To their son.
And it is a day that will be etched in my memory for the rest of my life.
Because not many people witness parents losing their child. But I did. I watched them sing to him and read to him and hug him and hold him and smile at him and kiss him goodbye. And I captured all of it for them.
And I bet you’re wondering why I am so hell bent on sharing their very private story. On a blog. For the world to see.
But the answer is simple.
I don’t want you to forget.
Because I never will.
And now the world won’t either. You won’t. When your kids are driving you crazy his name will pop in your head and you’ll calm down. When you feel like you’re having a bad day you’ll remember Tom and Sharon and feel grateful a flat tire is your worst day. You will remember. I promise.
Because these people remembered…
My child and I, by
An invisible cord
Not seen by the eye.It’s not like the cord
That connects us ’til birth
This cord can’t been seen
By any on Earth.
This cord does it’s work
Right from the start.
It binds us together
Attached to my heart.
I know that it’s there
Though no one can see
The invisible cord
From my child to me.
The strength of this cord
Is hard to describe.
It can’t be destroyed
It can’t be denied.
It’s stronger than any cord
Man could create
It withstands the test
Can hold any weight.
And though you are gone,
Though you’re not here with me,
The cord is still there
But no one can see.
It pulls at my heart
I am bruised…I am sore,
But this cord is my lifeline
As never before.
I am thankful that God
Connects us this way
A mother and child
Death can’t take it away!
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Cara – {Webster Groves High School Senior Photographers}
Posted on April 21, 2010
Cara is one of Chris’s soccer players and normally I see her like this…
Cute, but with her long hair in a pony tail and her uniform on. Not to mention sweaty and dirty! So when she showed up the other day for her senior photos and looked like this…
I have to admit it took me by surprise! She looked gorgeous! She IS gorgeous! I just never see her as anything but a soccer player!
Kim and I really enjoyed walking around town with Cara and her mom b/c we shot these in the morning… opposite of when we usually shoot so the light was completely different! I tell you what though, I swear Kim and I do better when things get changed up a bit! It’s so much more fun creatively when you really have THINK about what you’re doing with your settings you know? It made rushing out the door totally worth it!
Isn’t she just the quintessential American beauty?
Thanks for absolutely rocking this out Cara! You look amazing! Oh, and I’ll see you at the game today! HA!
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Fresh Art Photography | May Mini Sessions
Posted on April 20, 2010
Last week I asked Kim to take some photos of me and the kids. As a gift to myself for Mother’s Day. Because I am NEVER in front of the lens. Ever. But I didn’t want portraits, just not my thing. I have good portraits of my kids that I’ve taken. And although portraits of my kids taken by someone else can be fun, for these photos I wanted just us.
US.
Playing catch with Grayson (something we do ALL day), reading our current favorite book (Llama, Llama, Red Pajama), blowing bubbles (what we do at bath time every night and on the porch in the afternoon) and just BEING TOGETHER. Because we ARE together. A lot! Because I’m the momma and that’s what I do, i spend time with my kids.
So Kim met us in a field. Her armed with her camera and me armed with bubbles, balls, my grandma’s quilt, our blankies and a book. Oh, and my three kids.
And she clicked while we played. There was no posing, no portraits, no “smile at the camera” or “say cheese” because we were just US. And I loved it.
Wouldn’t you love some natural photos like this?
Well come join Kim and I on May 15th in a field for our May Mini Sessions! Bring your kids, your dog, your husband (if you want!), and all of your favorite things! We will capture you just being you… NO posed shots, NO portraits and NO trying to get your kids to look at the camera!
It’ll be a great day! Email me at jodie@freshartphotography.com if you’d like to book your time slot!
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behind the scenes | St. Louis Photographers
Posted on April 19, 2010
Before I start showing you some of the fun we had on Saturday I want to tell you about RK. Or Randa Kay, the woman who literally came across our blog on Friday for the first time ever and showed up on Saturday to help us.
A photographer in Idaho sent her our blog to look at for ideas as RK does awesome blog designs and as she scrolled around she read about the Shoot for Seamus. And she offered to help.
What is amazing is that we asked for help. On our blog, via email, via the Johnstons, etc. We asked and no one answered yes but RK. A total stranger.
A stranger to us but not to the NICU where her sweet daughter spent three and a half weeks of her life. And the memory of that bonded her to the Johnstons and led her to give us her day.
Thank you RK. It was truly a pleasure to meet you and I hope we see you again one day! And because she blogged about the day more eloquently than I ever could, please please please go read her post about it HERE.
We also need to thank Pamela Meier. Her session was at 10:30am and afterward Nolan took Ray home so she could go to lunch with us and stay for a while in the afternoon. It was SO good for us to be able to introduce her and Sharon! Two mothers we think about daily and pray for constantly. Hearing them talk about their boys at lunch was so nice… we all shed a few tears but we also laughed. A lot. It was good.
Thank you to Pamela, RK, Tom and Sharon for hanging with us all day, helping in any way we needed and laughing with us! You guys helped make the day perfect!
And now for the photos!
Us all laughing about Ed’s socks+shoes! Sorry Ed! We love you!
My favorite shot of Sharon ever!
We drove cars insane all day by blocking the roads!
How to get twins to smile! HA!
A little auntie & uncle love.
And NOW… these photos were all taken by RK on her phone…
Kim, Jodie, Tom and Sharon Johnston, Pamela Meier
RK, Kim, Sharon, Tom and Jodie
Thanks again to everyone that came, donated money or time and helped us pull off an amazing day! So many people love Tom and Sharon. And SOOOOO many people love Seamus! We are so happy we could do something small to remember his this year.
And Friday, a year to the day that he passed away, we’ll be in the NICU photographing other families in honor and remembrance of Seamus. If I can find the words I will tell you how he has changed my life this year.
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Last Shoot for Seamus sneak peek! | St. Louis Photographers
Posted on April 19, 2010
Alright people! Can we admit that TEN sneak peeks up just two days after the sessions is rockin’? Yes? Thank you.
So let’s get started!
Oh wait. Are you dying to hear about the homeless urinater? HA! That sounds like some kind of underground super hero doesn’t it?
Basically, there is a building near where we were shooting that is a “home” for the homeless and they sat around in lawn chairs watching us all day. We were about a block away and we’ve shot down there enough that we weren’t nervous at all… just sayin’! Anyway, all of a sudden, out of a side window on the building we were shocked to see a very distinct stream of urine! I’m not sure if he was standing on a chair or if that’s their normal way of relieving themselves but it was hilarious!
Ok! Enough! Bring on the photos!
SHOOT FOR SEAMUS #6 ::: THE TOWNSEND KIDS
Jeff Townsend is Tom’s best friend and Seamus’ God Father. He also happens to be the AD at Kirkwood High School, C’s rival school and where we both graduated from! But rivalry or not, even Chris thought it was awesome he signed up his kids to come down for the day! But Jeff wasn’t even there… instead we got to meet his beautiful wife and GORGEOUS children!
Meet beautiful Muiren (Jeff and Eileen you are going to have your hands full with boys in a few years!) and her adorable brother Brogan…
They were so well behaved and Muiren even had fun picking what props she used for her photos! ANYTIME she wants photos let us know!
And how cute are they with their uncle Tom?
Thanks Townsend family! It was great to meet you!
SHOOT FOR SEAMUS #7 ::: THE LIEBROCK KIDS
Remember the Townsends? Well, meet the Liebrocks! Jackson, Annabelle and Finn are cousins with Muiren and Brogan! So we sort of did those two sessions in tandem which was a blast! The kids we weren’t shooting all played together, the adults chatted with the Johnstons, it was so great!
Jackson.
Annabelle.
Finn.
And then we did a photo for the grandparents!
Pretty cute family huh?
Thanks Liebrock family! It was great to meet you too!
SHOOT FOR SEAMUS #9 ::: PAIGE
This is Paige.
Paige’s parents are out of town so shhhhhhhhhhh.
Her mini session is a big secret! How great is that? Her two Aunts brought her down and are going to surprise her parents with these photos! ANYTIME someone wants to kidnap my kids for the day and take their photo… please!
Could she be any cuter? I mean seriously!
Thanks Mary Beth for arranging this! I can’t wait to hear what her parents think!!!
SHOOT FOR SEAMUS #10 ::: THE CLEVELAND KIDS
The last session of the day was perfect. It was for Megan and Evan, Tom and Sharon’s niece and nephew. Who are some of the cutest kids I’ve ever seen! And I just HAVE to start their sneak peek out with this very imperfect, photographically speaking, image b/c it TOTALLY is perfect for them!
Imperfect b/c my focus is totally soft, but I just HAD to keep it! I love it!
Luckily we got some other less-imperfect photos too! HA!
Thanks for bringing them down Julie… I know it was a LONG day for you guys! But it wouldn’t have been the same without you there!
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So that wraps up our sneak peeks but tomorrow. OH TOMORROW. You will laugh when you see some of the behind the scenes photos! Sharon… I hope you send that post to all of Tom’s friends! HA!
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Shoot for Seamus | sneak peek numero dos | St. Louis Photographers
Posted on April 19, 2010
Editing mini sessions are SO fun! Seriously, photogs can you relate? We promise 10-12 images total per session. Which means we each only need to have about half that! Editing 5-6 images? AWESOME! So here we are, cranking through the sneak peeks!
But before I start the official sneak peek numero dos (I’m in a Spanish mood I guess!) I have to tell you the BIG HUGE MAJOR faux pas we witnessed not once but TWICE on Saturday!
We were in what I guess is now not our secret shooting place because throughout the day THREE other photographers showed up to shoot their clients. Which is fine. If you asked us directions to this place we’d give them to you, we don’t feel we own this abandoned industrial park!
HOWEVER.
If you show up at a location with your client in tow and you see other photographers shooting or getting ready to shoot?
GO SOMEWHERE ELSE!
The first encounter was insane. We were standing near the three cars we had parked, Kim and I both with massive cameras slung on our shoulders and Tom’s truck full of props/furniture was parked 20 feet away on the street we were preparing to shoot on. And this photographer (that I want to link SO badly since she had her website PLASTERED all over her car!) drove up, pulled AHEAD of Tom’s truck, parked, got out and started shooting!
Dumbfounded doesn’t describe what I was feeling but it comes close. Pissed off maybe hits the nail harder on the head. But it was a mix of the two for sure!
We sort of froze for a minute and we were debating going somewhere else but we already had our props out so Tom, or Papa Bear, asked me if he should make them leave! HELL TO THE YES!
So our big bad Papa Bear walks over and asks her to leave so we can finish our shoot!
But are you ready for this?
SHE CAME BACK! Like less than an hour later she did the same thing again but this time totally ignored us and shot around us!
Listen people. Please hear me here.
If you want to know where we shoot, just ask. We’ll tell you. If you see us shooting (or any other photographer!) somewhere and you have a client with you… GO SOMEWHERE ELSE! You just don’t shoot that close to someone else!
And later in the day it actually happened again with a second photographer but by that point, eight sessions in, we lost the fight and just moved ourselves.
The third photographer? He stayed at least 2 blocks away and was only there briefly. He gets it and we appreciated that!
Faux pas. Major faux pas!
SHOOT FOR SEAMUS #4 ::: JENN AND DUSTIN ROBERTS
Ok, so let’s just start out this sneak peek by telling you how Kim and I practically high fived each other like school girls when Jenn walked up! Can you say GORGEOUS? And their clothing choices? Impeccable! We literally could have photographed then all day long! It was SO hard to stop ourselves from just going and going! Let’s just say that we are waiting on pins and needles for Jenn to call us to say she’s pregnant!
SO yes. She’s gorgeous right?
But the BEST part of their story is that they already HAVE great photos! They had engagement and wedding photos taken by our friend Bobbi Brinkman and they really haven’t been married all that long… but Jenn felt passionate about taking some photos to document their honeymoon stage. The time between wedding and children. That time that can seem to fly by with only some snap shots to record it. And I think it’s awesome that she’s already documenting their life b/c I think most of us kick it in gear once the babies start coming.
Anyone else want a honeymooning shoot? We’d love to help you out!
SHOOT FOR SEAMUS #5 ::: THE MCAVIN BOYS
The McAvin boys know the NICU at SLCH all too well as they were there during the same time Seamus was hanging out in his isolete. Small world that St. Louis ALWAYS is, Sharon recognized Matt as a friend from high school. So the Johnstons sort of showed the McAvins the ropes of the place they knew too well.
Meet Owen. And below is Ryan.
Thankfully, these cruisin’ little men, who just celebrated their first birthdays, are NICU graduates! They were as sweet as can be and it was great to meet their family… except as SMALL A WORLD as St. Louis always is… I know their Aunts! Who came down for the shoot and surprised the hell out of me! Beth and Bridget both played soccer for Chris and babysat our kids last year! We love that family, actually, C and I have TPed that family! HA! It was rad how many connections there were in the alley that day!
Thanks McAvins!
SHOOT FOR SEAMUS #6 ::: THE BALOGH KIDS
Kim and I met up Ford, Virginia and Jeb at our V-day minis and it was great to bring them down to our normal shooting space! Although Ford was a little disappointed that we didn’t have all the cool snacks like we did in February!
Virginia ALWAYS has on the cutest clothes you’ve ever seen and let me send a shout out to her awesome mom, Charla, who is a rep for this company… CHARLA… will you link to the website in the comments so we can all go peek? And leave your email b/c you never know who might want to host a party for you!
Thanks Balogh kids and of course Charla, for coming out to support the NICU!
The last FOUR sessions will be coming soon as well as an entire post dedicated to the behind the scenes photos!
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