The Lays // Family session

So much has been going on here in the office, but not much to do with pictures! Hench, the lack of blogging lately.. I’ve been cooking up some blog posts that are non photo related that I’ll be releasing soon!
In this time I’ve been thinking about the question “what kind of photographer do I want to be?” After my first wedding last May, I was hooked and love nothing more that to capture people in love and help
tell their story to the world. After all, isn’t that what this business is all about? Story telling? In this thought process I’ve been thinking, “Okay, I know I want to be a wedding photographer. I know I DO NOT want
to take pictures of families in front of their Christmas trees ever again (loved loved loved the families I met, but that is just NOT my style). I loved shooting seniors and will take a few of those this year. Do I want to
be a family photographer?” I’ve battled with this one a lot. Over the last few months I’ve taken about 20% of the family sessions I’ve been contacted about… trying to decide if this is where I want to go. Through all the
questions I’ve found that I will be taking family sessions, but a very limited number. Once March, April, May – August roll around I’ll be booked for weddings, engagement sessions and bridal sessions and will resume
family stuff come October. All that to say, yes.. I will be taking limited family sessions through March. As far as April goes… we will see.

There’s such a great mental process going on here in the Hensley house
regarding this photography thing. I feel like a completely different photographer than was sitting here 2-3 months ago. I still don’t think I’ve reached “artisthood” and not sure that I ever will. When I think about
an artist, I think about my beautiful sister, Kayla. She can pick up a paint brush, without any formal training, and a few hours into listening to The Clash.. a literal masterpiece emerges. There is something to be
said about the difference in talent and giftedness. I feel that my growing ability to wield my camera and see things through the lens that not everyone sees.. is a talent in development. Anyone can be talented in
anything they practice incessantly and out of that a passion will form.. or a passion precedes the hard work. Someone who is gifted doesn’t really have to work all that hard. Like, Kayla.. she is a gifted painter, drawer,
collager (just made that word up, thank you). They wake up knowing how to do something better than anyone else out there. I’m not sure that I was truly gifted in anything.. I feel I have certain spiritual gifts that
have been revealed to me as I get older.. and we could talk about that topic for months.. so we won’t go there. All that to say… I feel like I’m emerging from this beautiful cocoon and my head is finally above water. I feel
completely confident in what I do. It took a lot of LONG-LATE-NIGHTS, HARD WORK packed days, an AMAZINGLY supportive hubby, my God and MANY MORE MAZING PEOPLE to get to this point. And it feels good.

I can’t wait to share what I’ve been working on in the next few days and I hope you enjoy this as much as I do! This is what I love.. put in blog form.

Meet, the Lays…. This family is seriously amazing and I can’t wait to work with them again! I’ll decide to not be a family photographer and then I’ll meet a family like this who change it all…

and I leave you with sweet feet!