"That's My Mama" - Mother's Day Contest

We are finally ready to vote for this years', "That's My Mama" contest winner. Each contestant was to post a photo of themselves and their mom along with a short description on why their mom deserved to win. The first place winner will receive a free photo session with free photos. The second and third place winner will receive a gift certificate for a free 30 minute sitting.

Voting is very easy; read the posting next to each number and then choose your favorite number in the poll below. You will only be allowed to vote once. I am so proud of all these contestants and the great amounts of love they have shown to their children.

1.  This is a picture of my mom and I, I love this picture because She's not only my mom but my bestfriend. She's an amazing person, and an even better mother. I love her so much!! :D

2. This is me and my momma!! This is my all time favorite picture! Becuase it really isn't us at all!! I love this picture it really makes me think about all the fun that me and my mother have and will have in the future!

♥ my mother!

3.This is my mom and I many years ago - it is one of my favorite pictures of us. My momhas always been a hard-working mom. She raised my brother and I while my dad was a bi-vocational pastor. She has always been there for me, my brother, our kids and spouses for whatever the cause may be. She also was always there for any of the friends I would drag home for her to be "mom" to. More importantly, she taught me how to be a patient wife. She taught by example and still does today. She is wonderful mom and now she gets to be a wonderful grama to my kids. I love my mom!

4.  When you ask for a picture of my mom and me, that's a hard thing to do. Partly because one of us is always holding the camera, and partly because I don't have just one mom. Peggy, on the left, is the mother I got 13 years ago when I married her wonderful son. She accepted me and my sons, and treated me like family from the very beginning. Pat, on the right, is the mom of one of my best friends since 5th grade. She helped raise me, and some of my best childhood memories are because of her. And Phyllis, in the middle is my actual mom. The best thing she ever did was to live out an example of God's love to me. She was always there for me when I needed her. She is brave, courageous, loving, and kind. When I grow up I want to be like her. So, That's My Mamas!

5. As you may be able to tell, this is not a recent photo of me and my mom, as I am the little person with the chubby cheeks. This is one of my favorite pics of me and my Mom. My Mom is everything a Mom should be- supportive but not enabling, wise but not pushy. She encourages me and my siblings and all of our families every time we talk to her or are... See More with her. She is the most servant hearted person I know, without a doubt. With 5 kids and 13 grandkids, she does her best to keep us with all of us, but best of all- she prays for us constantly! Everything I know about how to be a Mom, I learned from her! Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

6. My mom is so amazing. She supports me in everything I do and is the strongest person I know. She is my hero and the person I look up to the most. She has the best attitude even when things are going bad. I LOVE YOU MOMMY! You are the best!! Happy Mother's Day.

                                        

7. This is probably one of the very few pictures of my mother and I. She is the best mom a girl could ask for. She makes College life tolerable and has helped me with some things parents would probably throw in the towel. I honestly believe if I didn't have her, I don't know where I would be today. She has been mom and dad 2001. I look back now and cannot imagine how I could of made it through my teenage years without her. Thanks Madre, Your amazing!

                         

 
8.  This photo is us being ourselves.. CrAzy and GoOfy! Roxanne Cain is not my birth mother, but she is my mom! She is the most amazing woman! I am so thankful for her! She took me in and made me part of her family and there is nothing more I could say to show how much she means to me! She loves me unconditionally and for that I am thankful! She is the BEST mom in the whole world!
I once asked my Mother; if she wouldn’t of gave birth to me, if things would be different? She replied, I asked God for 3 children and I couldn’t have asked for more. I love you MOM.

9.THIS MY MOMMA SHE IS THE BEST AND MOST WONDERFUL MOTHER I COULD EVER ASK FOR I LOVE YOU MOM (YVETTE BROWN)

Oh! To Be in High School Again

May is the month for Senior Proms and if you go out to dinner on a Friday night in May you are bound to see a group teenagers dressed to the T on their way to the most anticipated dance of their current lives. This year I have the opportunity to spend this evening with two groups. My first group was not the usual prom photo shoot. There was no multi-colored backdrop, no balloons tied together to make an arch (you know what I'm talking about if you're 30 or over) and no coined poses of the girl and guy. I pray I never have to do one of those :). I was blessed to spend the evening with a group of girls who had gotten it right; go with your friends, leave the dates for another time, and just have fun. And oh the fun we had!

During my time with these five girls I think I laughed the entire time. The session took place on the family farm and we had multiple resources to pull from; tractors, barns, the "General Lee" (you remember Dukes of Hazards), an old rusted out VW Van. And forget the limosine, the girls rode out in style in a Chevy Quad Cab pick up.

Thank you girls for reminding me why I love my job so much, you were awesome and I hope the prom is a memory you can keep for a long time.

2010 Senior of the Year Contest Winners

I am pleased to annouce that our first contest, 2010 Senior of The Year, has two very deserving winners. Our first winner is a beauitful young lady from New Smyrna Beach, FL. Kayla is a teenager dedicated to the mission field and community service. Over her 4 years of high school she has accumulated over 375 hours of service; serving in a multitude of places here in the United States and during 3 mission to Brasil. Her heart is with the Brasilian community; she will be taking her "senior" trip back to Brasil to do some more mission work. Kayla will graduate from New Smyrna Beach High School this May. Congratulations Kayla!

Our second winner is a young man from here in Port Saint Lucie, FL. Kyle is a senior at Morningside Academy. Kyle is also dedicated to the service of others; attending mission trips and enjoys working behind the scenes on multiple projects. As Kyle may not desire to be the "Star" of the show he has a great quality that comes with working "behind the scenes" - he gets to be a part of the "body and soul" of each project he works on. Kyle has recently been working hard toward the path God has set out for him. He will be attending Mississippi State in the Fall. Congratulations Kyle!

                                           

       

Both Kayla and Kyle will receive a free photo session of their choice with complete photo rights. Thank you to all those whose participated in the contest, both entries and all the viewers.

I chose this our first contest, one for the timing, but mostly because teenagers have become dear to my heart. Before deciding to stay home with my children I taught math at a local high school for 5 years. Doing this, I was able to see how a teenager struggles daily with their identity and their own individuality. In this era our teenagers are facing so many pressures, temptations, and influences. What are we doing to help influence teenagers today? Sure, most of you know that I am a Christian, so my view on this is very strongly Bible driven. But, regardless of our individual views, are we just sitting back and ignoring the true desires of our teenagers.

Just this morning I read another friends blog, Go Ask Alice, where she is sharing a recent experience she shared with some college students. These college students were sharing what they needed and desired to see from the current, dominating generation (the X-Gen). Their answers may be surprising, because a lot of times we feel like teenagers are dancing to their own beat, but, who taught them how to be musicians - "The overwhelming cry of this age group is a desire to see modeled out before them lifestyles that are absent, but so desperately needed, in our society today. Pure, authentic, holy lives are what they are asking to see—no, I’m not kidding."   

If you can see the camera it can see you

For Easter this year I was asked to do a large family photo and to be perfectly honest I was a little nervous. I am always a little nervous when it comes to large groups. When asked to photograph large families I always imagine the worst:

•one or more subjects always seem to be looking away or in different directions
•subjects blinking (there’s always one)

•someone being missing from the photo

•different moods in the group (some smiling, some serious, some playing up to the camera etc)

•the group being too far away or not all fitting into the shot

As I know that sometimes I just can't escape one or all of these happening I have come to learn a great phrase to use during my next large group session; "If you can see the camera it can see you." Maybe I should get a t-shirt made.

I could not have asked for a better family to work with this Easter. Thank you to the entire extended Underwood family for being such great sports and for the little "one on one" time I got with the newest member of the family.

2010 Senior of theYear Contest

This week we are starting the 2010 Senior of the Year contest. I am accepting contest entries now until April 10th, with voting starting on April 12th. All you have to is the following:

1. Visit Made in God’s Image Facebook fan page at and become a fan if you have not already.
2. Upload a photo of your 2010 Senior to the page wall and in the description write a few words on why your senior should be Senior of the Year.

Rules:

1. Allowed only one upload.
2. You must be related to the senior in some way, not just a friend. (i.e. parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, cousin, etc.)
3. Entry must reside in the St Lucie, Martin, and Volusia (my home away from home) Counties
4. When voting starts you must vote for one senior other than your own.
5. Voting will last one week from April 12 – April 18

I can’t wait to see all the 2010 Seniors.

Right in Front of Your Eyes

Amberli and Michael have known each other literally their entire lives. In fact, their mothers have been best friends since school and remain so today. So it's exciting for me to be able to photograph such a wonderful relationship. Amberli and Michael are now engaged and plan to marry in May of 2010.

You know, a lot of married couples say, "I married my best friend." But very rarely do they start out as best friends. Our love for each other is what turns us into best friends and the desire to be the best that we can be for our spouses.

Amberli and Michael were such a blessing to spend time with this past weekend. They are so comfortable with each other and very funny. She even let me stick her beauitful engagement ring in the sand while she walked away. They were cracking jokes and didn't complain once about the 30mph wind gusts or all the sand that we seemed to be eating. Despite the wind we had a great time on the beach and were able to get some great photos; how can you not have fun on the beach?

On The Farm

This past weekend I got the priviledge of hanging out with the adorable Brittany and her mom, Stephanie. And, did I mention we were on a farm? LOVE IT!!

Little Miss Brittany was a trooper, not only did we battle Daylight Savings Time, but it was also a little chilly. I was TIRED and it was about 50 degrees out. I know that's not bad for most people but I and Brittany and Stephanie have lived in Florida our whole lives. 50 degrees is chilly, especially when you are tired.

We were able to use an old yellow tractor, which made things fun, plus the tractor came out great in the pictures. We were met by two horses and donkey named "Nate" - which is funny because the owner of the donkey is also named "Nate". The donkey was the most interested in us, in fact he tried to get in a few shots, but he didn't take instruction very well.  

I truly enjoyed photographing both Stephanie and Brittany, they were fun and willing to try anything I asked. Stephanie and Brittany are a beautiful family and Stephanie looks stunning in these photos, especially since the location fits her personality so well. I absolutely loved the location and hope to be able to use more in the future.

Note Cards added to Etsy Store

I have added blank note cards to Made in God's Image's Etsy Store. The cards are now available and come in sets of 8 (envelopes are included). They are 4x5.5"; the perfect size for dropping a short note to someone to let them know you are thinking about them. I love getting emails from friends and family but there is something more special about getting a card in the mail. It lets me know that person was able to set aside some time for just me. 

All photographs on the cards are photos taken by me and inspired by nature. These photos are also available for print to hang in your house.

Etsy Store is Up (prints for sale)

It's here!!! I have finally set up my Etsy Store and prints are now available to purchase.

Etsy is a website open to artists of all genres to post and sell their work. However, not all members have to be a "seller", you can simply log on to be a "buyer". Of course, you will find photographical prints, but you can also find handmade jewelry, furniture, a multitued of crafts and other handmade products.

All photos for sale are photos that I have taken through out my trips to other states or simply from trips around town. Below are some of my featured items, ENJOY!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/madeingodsimage

Gift from God

This week I was able to photograph another baby model for an upcoming commercial project for the Grace House. The Grace House is a pregnancy resource center aimed to help abortion minded mothers (Grace House). The Grace House is expanding and opening a new location in Edgewater, FL.

Baby Thomas is 1 month old and one of four beautiful children, three of which are in the age range of 1 month to 2 1/2 years old. Mom is a very busy women. Thomas was a such a trooper allowing mom and I to move him around and try different positions, but I will say he definitely has a mind of his own already. Maybe that will be a strong asset in a house of all girls (except for daddy, of course).

Thank you to mom and dad for allowing to spend time with baby Thomas and his sisters who got a little camera time as well.

Lakewood Park Preview

I have decided to extend my trip to Lakewood Regional Park to another week. I did go last week, but took my daughter with me. Nature is my daughter's element but she is not the quietest person on Earth. There were tons of birds, but none that would stick around thanks to my spirited Sophia. So back again this week by myself.

Despite the live band that I was carrying with me I was able to get some photos of some more permanently placed objects. More to come soon.

Just in Time For Spring!

Made in God's Image Photography's spring special has finally arrived. The special is good for all clients; new, previous, maternity, newborn, engagement, family, senior, etc. This will be available March through May. Call today to book your appointment! The first FIVE bookings receive a FREE 8x10 print.