Website Tweaks

Hey friends! Just wanted to say thanks to those of you who have given some honest, helpful, and insightful feedback on the new website. We will be making some tweaks possibly in days to come in relation to where the blog is located on the site. So just keep an eye out and don't get "scurred" if you don't see it right away - poke around the navigation bar & it just might have moved over. We love tips, even if it's just something to make it more user friendly. We have also heard great feedback on the logo - thanks friends - but we also know that it shows up a lil' too big on some your smaller computers and you can't see the rest of the site, leaving you to think that you should click on the logo. Anywho, thanks for letting us know. We are just thinking through the best business practices & such! If you have feedback, I would love to hear it!

"You're too Expensive"

I have heard this a bit lately and to be honest it can be a bit disheartening at times. If you know me at all, I LOVE a bargain but will also pay a pretty penny for quality things that last, including images of my family. Sometimes when I get turned down for work due to price, it really bugs me. It bugs me because I question myself but also at times it makes me feel like I need to defend or validate my time, talents, and business. I am trying to the best of my abitlity to make wise long-haul business decisions, while also offering my clients excellence. There's nothing like the feeling I get when I make a client happy. Like today for instance, my recent bride texted me this morning "I love them [pictures] so much! You are truly gifted! Thank you so much for capturing our day." What beats that?!

A Portland area Photographer, Courtney Jade , wrote an excellent blog post earlier this year about "the price." Here's an excerpt that I whole heartedly agree with!

"You invest SO MUCH time, money, sweat, tears, and brainpower planning this wedding. One of the most important days of your entire life. You spend MONTHS getting everything ready, planning, deciding, choosing, coordinating…. and your day goes by in what always seems like an instant. Gone too soon. When the make-up has been put on, the hair curled… when the seats have been filled with loving friends and family, and the vowes have been spoken…. when you’ve had your first kiss as ‘husband and wife’, and the crowd is cheering… when the cake has been cut, the bouquet tossed, and the garter retrieved, and the dances are over… when you get into that getaway car and finally have a moment to reflect on the day (maybe)… what will you remember? What about in five years? ten? twenty?

THIS is why your photography is so important. Too often it’s an afterthought for couples. And I’ve heard more times than not “I wish we would have hired a better photographer”, or “I was really unhappy with our photos”, or “I never thought about it that much”. And every time it breaks my heart. This is why I do what I do."  - quoted from Courtney Jade's blog

Thanks Courtney for expressing it perfectly and reminding me of why I do what I do!

Happy Tuesday friends!

Love is in the air, Alan & Nicole

Alan & Nicole have been friends of ours for quite some time now. In fact, I will tell an embarrassing story on myself. It was the first time that Alan & Nicole came over to our house for a game night with a few other friends. We were laughing and playing cranium I believe it was when I saw something scurry across the room. To my horror I realized it was a MOUSE!!! I screamed (I HATE HATE HATE mice) and then we proceeded to go to Acme for mouse traps at about 10pm. I was so embarrassed but it has come to be a funny story in our friendship. So what does this have to do with their wedding?? A whole lot of nothing other than we are the kind of friends who can look past each other's rodents (smile).

You might remember Alan & Nicole from their engagement session on the blog last winter. We had so much fun that day that we anticipated working together on their wedding day. Alan & Nicole had a beautiful outdoor ceremony over Labor Day weekend at Cavaliers Country Club and everything was absolutely beautiful, including the weather (it was the day after Hurricane Earl). Nicole is always a pretty girl but she was absolutely GORGEOUS on her wedding day. My camera couldn't get enough of her! I will let the rest of the pictures speak for themselves! Wishing you all the best Alan & Nicole!

Friday Confessions

1. I ate a huge & delicious pumpkin muffin from Dunkin Donuts yesterday and I have been dreaming all day about eating another one :)
2. I am still plugging through "Eat, Pray, Love" - it's an interesting read, just no time to read this week!
3. I am super excited for the upcoming Fall mini-sessions! (there are still a few spots, hint hint)
4. I am dying to travel somewhere I can't speak the language and the money looks fake! I haven't left the states since my honeymoon...and my passport expires next month. I am going to renew it though, in case one of you fabulous people decide that you NEED me at your destination wedding!
5. I have huge feet - size 10 or even 10.5 sometimes. Thank you Macy & Dean, they grew during pregnancy.
6. I am totally scared of birds & snakes. Have I confessed this before? Don't know - but it's still true!
7. Last week's yard sale finds included an awesome kids chair that I will be bringing to my fall mini-sessions.
8. I have been driving around with a package in my car for over 2 weeks that I need to mail to my best friend. The post office is not a kid friendly place!
9. Yesterday my kids got to each lunch with my grandparents, I love watching them interact. Having 4 generations in a room is amazing!
10. Epic Mom Fail of the day - Macy has been having a rough day. A level 5 meltdown scream fit started during our errands today & lasted over 20 minutes. We were supposed to go to woodside creamery for a picnic with friends and ice cream - about 10 minutes into the drive I couldn't take the screaming and turned for home. I decided that whatever the meltdown was about, I didn't want it to continue there - we gave up our fun Friday plans. To be honest, it really bothered me too but decided to do what was best for the kids. We got home & I took her shoes off, put her in her high chair and started feeding her lunch and she started to calm down. That's when I noticed the slighthly red pinky toe. I touched her toe & sure enough the screaming started again - poor soul's toe was somehow bent when her shoe was on. Level 5 meltdown scream explained...sorry Macy, mommy still loves you!

Today I went undercover

Recently I had this idea to get the experience that most moms get when getting their kids picture taken. I won't give specifics because it's not necessarily about the exact place but mostly about the experience. I went in to one of the "photo studio within a store" places with an idea in my head that I would try to get one good picture of the twins together and use my coupon (yes my coupon :) for the one pose $7.99 special. I have to say that the people were courteous to me and the kids but the whole time I am there I felt like I was just getting a cookie cutter product. They took a handful of snapshots of the kids together and individually before Macy had stage 5 meltdown. After waiting about 10 or 20 minutes we were ushered over to the computer screen where they tried to sell me every cheesy border, photoshop bad color choice, bla bla bla. Of course if you want the $7.99 special you just get to pick the one pose with no enhancements. Enhancements even meaning things like just turining it b & w, that would cost you $20.They wanted to upsell you on anything and everything!

The picture I ended up going with was really just OK, a decent studio snapshot of my two kiddies. I have to admit it was nice to not have the pressure of being the mom and the photographer but I wasn't super happy with the final product. Mostly, this experience just confirmed to me to keep doing what I do. There's a place for it. There's moms out there that leave these places having spent HUNDREDS of dollars not knowing that there are other options. I am not bashing these types of places because they certainly serve a purpose or they wouldn't be in business, I just want people to know that they do have a choice.

"It is clear that custom photography is not in everyone’s budget,  it is something that most families save for to splurge on from time to time to memorialize their children as they really are  (not posed and primped in the cookie cutter studio setting)." www.professionalchildphotographer.com

So yes, I will be the proud owner of the $7.99 special package but I learned a long time ago that you always get what you pay for. Readers, thoughts on this subject? Am I not objective? I would like to hear your input!

Holiday Mini-Session

Sat Oct 9 Location: Milburn Orchard, Elkton, MD

Sun Oct 10 Location: Hagley Museum, Wilmington

Time slots from 2 – 4:30pm both days

Mini Session Fee $75
Includes 30 minute session at location & at least 5 – 10 hi res images on disc 
- Up to 4 people, $10 each additional person 
- This is just a short session to get that family or kids shot for the fall & holidays

**note: admission to Hagley or Milburn will apply & be responsibility of client,
 Check fees here - Hagley or Milburn

Use Contact Page above or email Emily directly to schedule your shoot! emilytroutmanphoto@gmail.com

Rock Star Syndrome

I had total rock star syndrome today...not that I was the rock star but that I was in the presence of photographic "rock stars" that seriously made my blood pressure rise and heart beat faster. Jasmine Star is someone that I have looked up to for so long and just gained so much knowledge from, as well as encouragement. She was there today in DC to talk about branding your photo business. I got to meet her and she is every bit as genuine in person as she is through her website, etc. In fact, that is also her primary business advice, BE YOU!

She came over and stood about one foot from me while she waited to for her turn to speak. My heart was beating a little bit faster...seriously, you know that feeling when you are close to someone you have a lot of esteem for but don't really know how to express it? I was probably a total dork when I talked to her but I was trying to convey the depth of how she's impacted me in like a 20 second introduction. I told her that "other than Jesus and my husband she has been one of my biggest encouragers." Of course this made her laugh and say "oh I must be really up there then?!" Yes, I said I was a dork.

But if I am "KIR" - "keeping it real" she has given me encouragement on a regular basis to keep pursuing my dreams. There's a quote of hers I saved on my desktop for days when I think I want to let the fear take over. Wise Jasmine once wrote on her blog, "When I made the decision to dive into photography I was fearful. Of course. But this fear was shadowed by my fear of not living the life I wanted. The fear of being trapped in a 9-5, wearing a black suit, and having power meetings. Ugh. I dove head first into my business when I realized fear shouldn't dictate how I live my life...because the life I wanted to live was trapped in a Canon camera, a unknown blog, and 250 black business cards. That's all I had, but fear couldn't rob me of following my dreams. It shouldn't rob anyone of them." That about sums it up and keeps me going! So thanks Jasmine for what you do in encouraging the rest of us to chase our dreams too!

I also got to meet Katelyn James, another great photographer here on the East coast whose blog I stalk! She really is sweet as pie in person :) SO here's a few snap shots from the day!

Monday @ WPPI

I will be spending Monday (today for most of you) at at WPPI conference in DC. Pretty excited to get spend a day with other professionals talking about photography. It will be a literal world away from the sick babies I had been dealing with all last week, although I do miss them when I am away. Here's to hoping this week starts out wonderfully and on the right foot! Did I mention I am leaving my house around 5:30am?! Oh yes I will have to find a starbucks on the way :) Fill you all in on it later!

A little off this week

It's already Thursday and I thought that I might be a little farther along in photo work and house work this week but there has been another agenda. Yesterday afternoon Dean starting getting sick again - spare the details but it's not fun :( I woke the kids up mid - nap (If you are a mom you know that this goes against everything in you) to take them to a follow up doctors appointment. We get there on time only to find out that our appointment was actually the day before... we were there on the wrong day. There were no openings so we had to go home unseen & reschedule for today. If you have ever had to get two toddlers in and out of the car, stroller, etc...you know that it's not easy, especially when they're tired and don't feel good. I left the office deflated and mad at myself for messing up the day on the calendar. Poor Dean has been having a rough time of it so at least we can see the doctor later today and get some answers. Life happens I guess :) I will get to the rest when I get to it! 

Nicole & Alan, Sneak Peek!

This past Saturday I was a part of a fabulous wedding of friends. If you live in the Northeast you know that the weather was absolutely perfect. Thank you hurricane Earl for passing through on Friday! Here's a sneak peek of the day... hope to blog more later this week! :)  I know you people are reading because now I can see how many visits I get in a day so make some comments! Lets start some conversations!

What really made my day was this email in my inbox this morning -

"Hey Emily!
 I just wanted to thank you for all of your hard work, professionalism and most of all, your positive energy you gave to all of us this past Saturday. I know both Nicole & Alan were so grateful that you were their photographer and our family can not wait to see the pictures!! You are such a gifted young lady and also a beautiful person inside and out!
 
I am so thrilled that you were a huge part of their special day!
 
Take care and again, Thank You from the bottom of my heart!
Love,
Patty (Nicole’s Mom)"

Thanks for your kind words Patty & here's a sneak peek!

Labor Day & the art of doing nothing

If you are like me you occasionally wonder about the history of an American holiday or two. I was curious about the beginnings of labor day and do what all Americans do..googled it. Here's what one site had to say, "Labor Day is an annual holiday observed on the first Monday in September to celebrate the economic and social achievements of laborers which consists of most of us. It represents an annual national tribute to the contributions we as laborers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country."

In honor of Labor day most of us think of relaxing, at pools, at picnics, and anywhere else lazy. I personally saluted our country's laborers by dipping in a swimming pool, reading a book, playing with my kids and a brief nap in a hammock. It was fantastic but it somehow struck me as the complete opposite of being industrious. If you know me though, I have a hard time being idle (unless the Real Housewives of someone's county are on :). It's good for me to relax a bit. The book I was reading was Eat, Pray, Love - yes I hopped on that bandwagon late but am enjoying the read. Liz Gilbert talks briefly about the Italians being good at "the art of doing nothing" or in their language "l’arte di non fare niente." Today I embraced a bit of that Italian spirit and relaxed with the best of them! Hope you all did the same!

Friday Confessions...Bieber and all!

I totally have Bieber Fever..."it's like baby baby baby" and my kids love to dance to him too!

I memorize songs from Yo Gabba Gabba and sing them randomly - if you're like "yo gabba whatta?" it's a kids show on nick jr that is totally freaky and awesome at the same time!

I love coupons, they're like free money

I had my first experience selling on craigslist this week and I think that I will do it again!

I used to love my dog a lot more before I had kids, he needs attention so if anyone wants to come take Dozer for a walk, let me know :)

I watched the Real Housewives of NJ reunion half hiding under a blanket this week because I didn't want to admit two things - 1. that I was actually watching it and 2. that they are actually that trashy!

I am sold my digital Rebel this week to a friend - it's a little bit monumental because it was my first digital SLR camera but I am excited for it to get a new lease on life with someone who wants to learn the art of photo :) yay for new beginnings!

I skipped right to the "fall" smell yankee candle in my house, I am ready!

Forever 21 and I have a new love affair, it's really a good thing that I can't really go in there with kids or a stroller - keeps me honest :)

I hate when my babies are sick, makes for a long week for us all!

Have a wonderful Labor Day weekend and stay safe!

An evening walk...

 

My new 5D arrived in the mail last week. Of course I needed no excuse to break it out and use it, so I took it on our evening walk last Thursday. We had our little buddy Luke over for a visit so we had a trio instead of a duo in the wagon, add Dozer into the mix and a good time was sure to be had by all. Thank goodness Matt was home because I can do the wagon and the dog but can't do the camera too!

Hope you enjoy these pics and the look of the new site. Really can't believe the day has come and I am happy about it, as well as proud to share my work...a little piece of my heart really. Now that we are up and running, please feel free to leave some comments, good, bad or otherwise! If you are the type to add RSS feeds to blogs, go for it and then you will be the first to know when I have posted something new! Thanks for all of you who have continually supported me and my work. The future's so bright I gotta' wear shades... :)

When things get scary

Today I witnessed a hilarious but honest and real moment in the pediatrician's office. A dad rolls in with two kids, a girl and a boy, about 5 and 6 years old respectively. The dad heads to the check in desk while the kids find a seat. After a few minutes the dad comes back to break the news that the girl needs to "get a shot for school." He kind of makes jokes about not wanting her to die of measels, mumps or reubella at which I am laughing a little bit already. The water works start the minute she hears about said shot. She then climbs in her daddy's lap and tries to change her fate, trying to talk him out of it. She then realizes that this tactic is not working. She waits for her brother to distract her dad, she casually slides out of his lap, around the corner and STRAIGHT OUT THE DOOR! Of course the dad realizes this and starts cracking up, along with anyone else that has noticed what has transpired.

I of course giggle at the idea of it all, but then am struck, how often is this me? When I get some bad news, do I jet? When I know something tough is coming down the pike, am I running off? Even though this "bad" thing is for my good and it might hurt a little but it will save me in the long run. It definitely hurts a lot less than suffering from any of those wicked diseases the vaccine is for. We often choose to not suffer in the moment instead of thinking about the long run. I am going to smile when I think of that little girl, not only for her spirit, but for the reminder that sometimes you just have to get the shot. And lets face it...most shots aren't really that bad in the end anyway.

A long time coming...

This website is a long time coming. I have been living with one foot in and one foot out of the photography world for a long time. As of late, I am jumping in with both feet! I have ALWAYS loved photography and in fact I actually have a stack of the first pictures I ever took as a kid. It's always been a part of me but I have had many distractions along the way. I was a photo major in college but allowed myself to be distracted by many other things. I can't believe that I am 6 years out of art school and have done over 20 weddings now... I just took a moment to reflect over all of these couples who entrusted me with their day. It's always such an honor to be chosen for someone's wedding day and that means 20 couples have given me that honor. I realize that some photographers do this many weddings in one year, but like I said - one foot in, one foot out - I've done that many weddings with just word of mouth and my free little blog I started a couple years ago.

Here's the deal, I have fallen IN LOVE with wedding photography..HEAD OVER HEELS. It's my niche, it's my deal, I love it. Lately there have been a lot of you who email me or facebook message me and say "is it OK that I just passed along your info to my engaged friend?" My response, "Of course!! And thanks for the referal!" The best way for me to connect with brides is from previous brides or friends of brides. So if you are engaged or know someone who is, feel free to send them to this site to check it out! If you are engaged and dig my style, lets chat :)

Sweet Shiloh

Oh the sweetness of a new little one! :) Shiloh is just over a week old and sweet as she can be. She didn't seem to be bothered by me taking pictures of her or moving her around or even the few wardrobe changes we did to her! It's always fun for me to get to do a newborn shoot, but especially for good friends it means all the more. As always, I am honored when a friend asks me to capture their life moments, especially a new addition. I bet you will just want to reach in these pictures and grab her little cheeks..I know I did! Congrats Curtis, Shawna, Caanan and Charis on the newest addition to your great family!

My Meghan (& Matt, of course)...

It's going to be hard to keep this one brief, both in words and pictures. Meghan blew into my life 3 years ago. I had met her in passing before that because we had friends in common but really started getting to know her a few years ago. I discovered she was sort of a mini- version of myself (sorry meg if that's not a good thing :). We got annoyed at the same types of things, laughed at the same ridiculous things and shared a deep affinity for starbucks...hey I think many a relationship has been built on less! We quickly became good friends. I always felt like we were on a peer level but I took on a big sister type role with meghan while she was at UD. There's lots I could say of course but for the sake of that brevity, I will just say that she is a "forever friend." A forever friend is the kind that you can always call a friend no matter where your lives take you. You will always be connected. You will always have a part of you that is joined with them.
Needless to say it was a great honor when she asked me to photograph her wedding and an even greater honor in actually doing so. It's an amazing thing, to be the one capturing the life moments, the little time capsules that people will look back on to remember. I always walk into a wedding day thinking "these are the pictures these people's grandchildren will look at" - it's a great dose of humility and a challenge for me. As with anything, it can feel routine for a photographer at times but reminding myself that for each couple this is THEIR moment...it never gets routine then. And then later I have my own moments as I first look at the images and start editing them. There was this one picture from this wedding that seemed to say it all to me, it literally took my breath away. It might not do that for others, but for me, knowing Matt & Meghan....it was the ONE. I love being able to do that for people, being a part of one of the biggest days of their life. So without more writing I will attempt the pictures that should be worth thousands of words :) Best wishes Mr. & MRs. KING!!!!!!!!!!!

Enjoy the epic post... I really struggled on this one to choose...I just about put up a slide show of all of 'em :)

Bowman!

Hey friends - vacation was great (more on that later) but it already seems long gone since getting home yesterday at 2am :) I am back in full swing and working on a session I did right before I left. Sweet Bowman is 6 months old and was SUCH a good sport doing an outside shoot in a billion degree weather. He laughed, smiled, wiggled and sat up like a big boy! You can definitely see why his parents are so smitten with him. Enjoy!

Friday Confessions - Vacation Edition

1. I waited until the last minute to pack today because I truthfully am not a fan of a lot of my clothes right now. I packed my favorite trusty outfits and pray that they fit the vacation needs :) I mean really, it's a beach vacation so I will spend 90% of the time in my bathing suit (another dreadful thought :)

2. My husband is the man - got the car all packed. I really should've taken a picture of all the stuff he got in the back of the highlander!

3. My poor dog used to be like my baby, now he left the house to go on his own vacation at my in-laws and I didn't even say goodbye, sorry Doz.

4. I love traveling and getting to eat whatever I want on the road (remember that I think McD's is awesome). Vacation calories are free :)

5. Got some good books packed and I am hoping I will actually get to read them!

6. Swore I wouldn't let my kids get addicted to the tv in the car.....thank goodness for the DVD Player :) I am sure it's going to be our life saver during this ride!

7. Although I love what I do, I will be happy to put my photo business on hold for a week. I know there are a couple of you waiting on me from your sessions, you will just have to be held over with your sneak peeks & trust that it's worth the wait!!

8. My husband and I disagree in driving styles and directions...18 hour car ride what?!! pray for us :)

9. I have a coupon for a free starbucks drink that I can wait to hit up before we leave tonight :) not sure which delightful drink I will choose!

Have a happy week friends and we will be back in action the first week of August! August!?? WHen did you get here?? :)

Growth...and a SNEAK PEEK!

Meghan's Sneak Peek....

I am humbled and thankful for growth in life. Not just the evident, physical growth we go through like my toddlers experience daily but also the ways that we evolve as people. I am especially thankful lately in how much I feel that I have grown as a photographer. It's important to keep moving forward in things, if you ever feel like you have ''arrived" you better check yourself because it's probably not true. I am sure there is still more to learn. I can tell with every wedding I do that I improve, even if slightly, and not just the final product images but also the way in which I work and anticipate what's next. I am thankful for every photographic experience I get because it pushes me to keep going. I also am thankful that with continuing to refine my skills and knowledge, I am producing even more quality images. Not to mention that better gear definitely improves the possibilities!
I think back to the first real wedding I was the solo photographer and...cringe. I had ONE CAMERA and FILM and I am pretty sure I didn't have a clue! It was a month after I graduated college and you would've though all those hours in the darkroom, etc would've prepared me but no. Thank goodness it was outdoors and the bride had all the confidence in the world. I think that was also the day I fell in love with wedding photography :) So thanks Terry & Mark if you are out there and reading this!