A Look Back at 2012 | Cheyenne, Wyoming Wedding, Engagement, Senior, Family & Newborn Photographer

Two thousand twelve was a year I struggle to describe in words, but one word just keeps coming to mind as I attempt to articulate those 365 days. Full. Full in the sense of it being jam-packed, but more importantly, and more accurately, full in the sense of blessings I received.

Last fall, my husband and I realized we were pregnant with our second child, a fact that was surprising, thrilling, and a little terrifying all at once for me. I had a summer booked full of weddings, and sessions were filling up fast as well. One wedding in particular was a month after my due date. Thank the good Lord for my family. My mom and sister pulled together to help me with that wedding, my mom taking my then two-year-old and newborn for an entire day and my sister assisting me at the wedding. My mother-in-law also came to the rescue on more than one occasion, sometimes on very short notice, to watch the girls. Not to mention my husband, who became Super Dad and managed both girls on his own for so many of his weekend’s off. I am quite certain I wouldn’t have made it through last summer and fall without my supportive family.

I guess I didn’t anticipate the growth my business would have my first full year in Cheyenne. I also have a really hard time saying ‘no.’ To give you an idea: I started out telling myself I would only take about 4-5 sessions a month…September ended up with 18 sessions, two of which were weddings. I did end up having to say no to quite a few folks, especially once I got buried in sessions to edit. You see, being a photographer isn’t just about taking photos; it’s also about editing the photos, getting proofs to clients, processing orders, designing albums, and finally getting prints and products out to those clients. Unfortunately, it became next to impossible to get everything done before Christmas if I had continued to take sessions.

So, this was a very long-winded way to say….what a year!! I feel so blessed to have had such amazing clients in 2012, many of whom I’m thankful to be seeing again in 2013. I can’t tell you how grateful I am to have met so many new faces and to have the opportunity to tell so many amazing stories.

I’ll start with families, newborns, kids and maternity sessions. I met so many sweet families this year!

Most of the clients I had to turn away were high school seniors, in fear I wouldn’t be able to edit their sessions before the school yearbook deadlines. Seniors, the time to book your senior portraits is now. Don’t wait until the summer when I’m already booked up. I have sessions booked into June already, and wedding season really heats up mid-June. I hate turning seniors away; they are some of my favorite types of sessions. Even though I had to turn down quite a few, I met some awesome kids this past year and had so much fun with each and every one of them.

Remember when I wrote earlier that I didn’t have a lot of openings for seniors this year? Well, this next set of photos explains why. Weddings and engagements are becoming a much bigger part of my business that I had ever imagined. This next summer is very near to being completely booked in terms of weddings (if you ask my husband, it is already there :-)). I am so grateful to have been a part of these incredible moments last year and so excited for those to come in the next year.

Thank you to all my wonderful clients who helped to make this year full of so many blessings. I am thankful every day to be doing what I love.