Hunter Family Photo Shoot--Longmont, CO

Mother’s Day is this Sunday and I couldn’t have had a better reminder of why this day is so important to all the moms out there. My friend Bethany recently gave birth to her fourth son, Beckham. She wanted to get new photos with the newest member of the Hunter clan so we met on Sunday to make it happen! I really enjoyed our time together. I mean how could you not… 3 rambunctious happy boys, a mom and dad who still affectionately love on each other in spite of the chaos of raising kids and a fresh new baby boy that everyone in the family just adores. My little photographer heart was on fire.

Their story is actually quite powerful and a good lesson that none of us have any control and are at the mercy of a much bigger plan. Bethany and Blais had three boys (Jamin, Blais jr and Kohen) all really close together. They are all in elementary/middle school now. Their life was pretty far removed from those early days of babies and toddlers… some might say they were in an easier phase of life where they didn’t have to worry about feeding schedules, naps or diaper bags. They could just pack up and go. But life, as it often does, threw them a curve ball.

Last summer, Bethany found out that she was expecting. It came as a big surprise to everyone and even though it wasn’t a part of the plan, it was still very exciting! She lived through everyone asking her, “don’t you hope it’s a girl this time?” And, “Woah, another baby?” And all of those other strange and judgemental questions we ask pregnant women (that’s a whole blog post on its own!) She found out pretty early on that it was in fact another boy. I asked the brothers if they wanted a sister and they all emphatically agreed, “No! We were excited we were getting a brother because we can teach him hockey!” Ha! Boys are fun.

Bethany and Blais have such a patient, kind and relaxed disposition. Life has thrown a lot at them. In fact, Beckham was born really early at 31 weeks. He had to stay in the NICU for a few weeks and Bethany and Blais had to make the trip down to Denver daily to see him. You can imagine the strength it took to get through those emotional and exhausting first weeks of their baby’s life. But now look… he’s so healthy and plump and perfect in every way! This little bonus baby was so lucky to have been born into this loving home.

Mother’s Day is a perfect reminder that what moms go through to bring little ones into this world is nothing short of amazing. Then comes the hard part. The actual raising of children is by far the greatest challenge I personally have endured and I think most parents would agree. It is the days, weeks, months and years following the birth of your child that are the hardest. We need a special reminder that we are loved by all of these little humans that depend on us each day. My hope is that these five boys do something extra special for their mama this year because she is so deserving.

Wishing all of the moms out there a most wonderful Mother’s Day! Cheers friends!

A Tribute to the Momboss

Today I am dedicating my blog to the Momboss. We all know her right? The friend or friend of a friend that is running her own small business while also running a household. You may even be her… and if you are, well then you my friend are in the right place. This is a tribute to you. If you are just here in support because you know a Momboss (or want to be one) then welcome, I am glad you are here. Let’s all pour a nice big glass of wine and raise them up to the women in our lives that are making s*#% happen.

If you’re asking yourself, what’s a Momboss? Or, am I a Momboss? It can be explained as a mom (work from home/work outside of home) that has also started a business and is juggling life as a both a mom and a CEO of her own company. The dual roles of mom and boss intertwine so delicately that you cannot separate the two. You are the boss of your kids, your household and yourself (and most likely your partner because you can’t help yourself). Your mom heart is at the center of everything you do. You are probably a superhero. If you have these symptoms… you are a Momboss.

I have to start with an admission of guilt. Before I took on this wild role of creative entrepreneur, I really didn’t understand anything about running a small business. For many years, I just considered photography to be my fun little side hustle. I only took clients that I knew and wasn’t focused on building a following. I didn’t have any strategies or plans or goals. I hid my images away in desktop files and rarely told people I was a photographer. I watched other women around me pursue various endeavors but never took into consideration what it was they were trying to build. I never asked them much about their businesses for two basic reasons. First, I didn’t want to hear a sales pitch. Second, I literally had no idea how hard they were working.

If I could go back in time to all of the moments I encountered a woman who was trying to start her own business, I’d give her a huge hug, tell her she was amazing and genuinely listen to her product pitch, her big plans or her brilliant idea. And sure, I have supported lots of women in the past by showing up to their events or purchasing a few products and services here and there but did I genuinely listen? Nope. And I’m truly sorry about that. Again, for two basic reasons. First, I missed an opportunity to learn. And second, I turned my back on someone who was just trying to make a dream come true.

I want to take a quick detour to elaborate on the sales pitch part of my judgments. I have heard other people describe similar feelings so I think it merits a deeper conversation. There are so many products and services available to all of us and it seems like everyday there is a new MLM (multi level marketing) or Direct Sales company presenting itself to consumers. My judgments against these types of companies comes from a deep-seated fear of being duped or taken advantage of....not the actual women who are at the forefront. I am admittedly way too skeptical and overly critical of gimmicks. I typically shut down whenever I see a sales pitch coming. It’s ridiculous. The thing I realize about this ludicrous judgment, is that not one of these women ever had the intention of tricking me!! What an egocentric reaction to these lovely ladies and their attempt to improve their lives and the lives of those around them. They simply wanted to share a piece of themselves with the world...and I wasn’t listening.

How did I not see this sooner? The realization that going into business for yourself is extremely challenging affirms my new opinion that nobody is trying to dupe me. At least not any of the Mombosses I know! Because here’s the thing, it is so hard to put yourself out there day in and day out and always be saying, “Look at me, look what I can do!” And the more women I talk to, the clearer that becomes. We are all on this crazy entrepreneurial journey together and it takes a lot of time, a lot of energy and a lot of sacrifice. So I don’t believe that anyone is intentionally trying to trick me anymore. A more accurate description might be that this woman learned of a really great product or service that enhanced her life in a way that she felt compelled to share with other women. It doesn’t mean I have to buy everything and she wouldn’t want me to unless I believed it was right for me. She also might be excited at the prospect of making a little extra cash for her family.

Which brings me to another challenging layer of being a Momboss. Cash flow. When I decided to stay home with our girls and leave a steady job, I knew it would be tough. We have made sacrifices and adjusted our spending to meet the basic needs of our family. We have cut out all the extras and try hard each month to stay on a budget. And even though I’m working my way through Dave Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover, we still feel financial stress every single month. This leads to a ton of mom guilt. I have to constantly be wondering if I managed our money well enough. Did I spend too much at the grocery store? Did we eat out too much? Can I afford a night out with my girlfriends (cuz Lord knows I need/deserve it!)? Is a date night even possible?? And I don’t suspect I am alone in these thoughts… anyone with me?

My husband is a 5th grade teacher and our family of four lives on his salary. This is a choice we made so that I could be home with the girls. I am fully aware of that and I’m by no means twisting your arm into thinking I have it harder than you. That is NOT what I am trying to do here. What I am trying to do is make a simple connection. This guilt and constant feeling of survival is a huge motivator to go out and try to make an income too! Maybe take a family vacation or buy that cute shirt I saw on the clearance rack. I don’t want to just get by, I want us to thrive! Can I get an Amen??

But money is and has never been the sole motivator… at least not for me. I also haven’t met any other Mombosses that decided to embark on this journey just for the money. It is so much more than the potential extra cash flow. It is about having an identity. It’s about nurturing a passion that runs deep and needs to have an outlet. It’s about the flexibility we can have to be with our family while also building something great. We are highly social creatures (some more than others ha ha) and we thrive on connection. Getting out into the world, meeting new people, helping others feel good, having a conversation from beginning to end without constant tugs from the little humans at our feet… it makes us feel like we belong to something bigger.

This part of our life-the Boss part- is also coming in dead last in the race for our attention. It is damn hard to turn your back on your responsibilities at home. We are often trying to tackle #allthethings during nap time or when the kids are at school. We have these small chunks of time that are full of distractions and disruptions. Sometimes, the only way to work on our dreams is to work late into the night after we put our kids down...and then we sacrifice time with our partners. What our friends and family see online is often the glamorous and fun side of our business.  What they don’t see is the hustle and grind it took to knock out a blog, return an email, schedule a Facebook post, write a killer caption, make a live video, update FB & Instagram stories, network, work on the website, pay the bills, order the stuff, return phone calls… it goes on and on friends.

I love my time with my girlies and I will always put them first. I will make thousands more sacrifices to try and make these dreams come true. I want my children to be proud of me for the hard work I am putting in so that they don’t have to go without. And maybe someday they will be inspired to work a little harder to have the things they want. I think my Momboss friends would agree. We chose this dual role so we own it.

The connections I have made with other Mombosses since starting my photography business has been invaluable.  I am very thankful for the many women that have encouraged, supported, loved, challenged and humored me thus far. You are a blessing to me. This is my tribute to you…

And now, a Public Service Announcement: If you know a Momboss, go hug her and listen to her wild ideas. If you are a Momboss, keep kicking ass lady and let’s connect! If you are thinking of becoming a Momboss, go for it! I’ll be your first cheerleader! Let’s celebrate our wins together. Let’s work on the challenges together. And let’s all join hands and run off into the sunset with the millions we will make from our big fat profitable dreams. (Okay that last part is a little Kumbaya, even for me...but big dreams right?) Cheers!

This is me, Jenn... thanks for stopping by! Don't be a stranger!

Behind the Scenes Roadside Shoot- Mead, Colorado

Have you ever seen a 'Behind the Scenes' image? Of course you have! Well I've been thinking lately about how a lot of what I do behind the lens and the images I produce can look drastically different than the environment I took them in.  It wasn't always like this... I have learned a lot over the 8 years I've been studying photography. I've taken online courses from industry leaders and pushed myself to learn how to work magic in any situation I find myself in. As a photographer, I think people expect my images to be amazing no matter what... it is our job right??  The reality is that most of the time, the surrounding conditions are less than ideal and it takes a lot of technical knowledge to get an image to look the way you want straight out of camera. But that's the fun part- read on to get a glimpse into my 'Behind the Scenes' roadside shoot... in a field of weeds!

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We live about 20 minutes North of the town we both grew up in. It is very rural out here so we have to go into town for pretty much everything. After living here for about 6 years now, I have come to know the back roads pretty well. I prefer them over the main ones. I like to shake things up a lot and my daily routines lie somewhere between “completely erratic” and “creature of habit”. So it’s not unusual for me to drive one way into town and then a completely different way home.

The most common route for me to go though, passes through farmland before cutting through small neighborhoods to get to my house. For several days in a row, I was noticing that the fields were all turning green. The first signs of spring were popping up everywhere and one day, on this particular route, I spotted a huge patch of purple just off the side of the road. I knew what it was immediately… well sort of. I know they are weeds, and they have a distinct smell. I don’t know the name though so if you do, please tell me!

Anyway… these weeds are everywhere each spring and for me, they carry the scent of summer on its way. I smell them and instantly think about the warm summer evenings and long walks to come. And as I got closer, this patch was so large and dense with these bright purple flowers, I couldn’t stop staring at it. It was a little beacon of hope that yes, in spite of the roller coaster weather we’ve been having, all the other blooms of spring will be here any day!

This little spot of beauty is just off the side of the road. It is surrounded by dirt that is not yet inhabited by crops or other weeds so it honestly isn’t a very pretty area. There are neighborhoods on both sides of the road and they add nothing to the aesthetic appeal. But I knew that if I worked the angles, I could come up with a scene that made it seem so much more appealing. Well at least I wanted to try. I decided to make a project out of it and see if I could transform the ordinary surroundings into a ‘Narnia’ like setting.

I passed by that huge plot of purple several days in a row and it kept calling to me. I really wanted to stop.  I knew I had to bring the girls here! And my camera. But I kept putting it off. Getting too busy, making all the excuse of why tomorrow would be better. I almost missed my opportunity completely.

The stars aligned just right last Thursday afternoon and I just happen to have my camera and both girls in the car with me. We were headed home from dropping our dog Huckleberry, off at grandma’s and were leaving for Nebraska in less than 2 hours. If I wanted to pull this off, I had to just do it. If I waited until we got back, the chances of the field being dried up were pretty high. The little flowers don’t live long and to be honest, this spot was only 1 or 2 days away from turning crispy. On top of that, I was up against some tough obstacles, It was about 12:30 in the afternoon with very harsh sunlight overhead. I would’ve liked to do a sunset shoot but alas, the time was now or maybe not ever. Which isn’t like the end of the world or anything but I wanted to pull off this challenge I had given myself gosh darn it!

We pulled over and I got the girls out. I let Lydia run wild as I got my camera settings dialed in. I set Emmy down towards the edge of the field and walked away about 5 yards to give some distance. It was so fun figuring out which angle worked the best. I found that if I got down on my belly, I could make the flowers look larger and more whimsical looking. If I stood up, the flowers faded and the brown dirt took over the entire image. I played around for a good 20 minutes. I’m sure anyone passing by got some amusement out of it. The girls enjoyed the unstructured play, and for the most part, did their own thing. I made sure to take some shots of the area and how it looks normally so that I could show the comparison.

Narnia

Reality

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Narnia

Reality

This part of photography is my favorite. I really love a good challenge and the technical aspects of photography are infinite. Trying new things always teaches us valuable lessons and this, like any art form, is not one to be perfected. It is a lifelong commitment and journey to grow, learn and enjoy getting better. Perfection and mastery are not motivators but rather inhibitors. If you constantly feel the need to be the best, you’ll sacrifice the joy that comes with progress. It’s all about falling in love with the process of making an image… and then showing those images to the world.

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Narnia

Reality

Feedback is wonderful and I would love to hear yours! What sort of ordinary moments have you made extraordinary?