Sarasota Bradenton Baby and Child Photographer » Custom newborn, baby, child and senior photography

Despite a long list of illnesses and surgery’s, Ava has all the spunk and determination of your typical 3 year old. Well, more actually! Her joy was just contagious and this was a family full of smiles and laughter. Ava’s story is heartbreaking, and this family has endured so much together….but you would never know it as Ava chased her brothers around and giggled and squealed with excitement. It was such a pleasure spending the morning with this amazing family….they are all hero’s in my book.

I am so thrilled to be a part of a team of photographers belonging to this wonderful project! The Littlest Heros Project is non-profit based organization founded in January 2008, made up of professional photographers nationwide that provide free photo sessions to our nations Littlest Heroes. If you have or know of a child suffering from a serious illness or disability be sure to check out  The Littlest Heroes Project for more information. These special families are eligible to recieve a complimentary photo shoot, images included.  Also, be sure to read all about my talented friend and founder of this project, Felicia and her amazing story.

I have noticed that I am always on a quest for light-soft light, reflected light, back light or harsh direct light-even when I am miles away from my camera. I have become in a way obsessed with it’s properties and how it reflects off of surfaces or filters through the trees. I actually sat through a green light the other morning while gazing into the rising sun, hypnotized by the way it turned a field of fog into liquid gold. A single leafless oak and a cow or two silhouetted up against this scene really captivated me. It took a few annoyed drivers behind me to finally snap me to with a few honks of their horns!  So anyway, this year I actually made several resolutions, which is so completely unlike me-not because I don’t think I could use some major personal improvements year after year but because I know better then to disappoint myself down the road with unrealistic expectations! This year is different- I really want to improve a lot of things in my life, personally and professionally.  I wont bore you with a long list of wishes goals but one of them is to not let scenes like the one I described pass me by….which means having my big ‘ol camera strapped to me all day…and another is learning and finding new ways of capturing the light in all of its forms. Gage really is a happy child, despite “the look”….you know the one, the “mom, get the camera outa my face” look. Bless his little heart I puffy heart love him~

Saturday was the annual “buddy walk” and we were so excited to have made it! Well, almost. Despite the mud and the humidity, the 1 mile walk was a breeze and the excitement of Hunsaders is always motivation to make it through. Food, pony rides, the butterfly tent, pumpkin patches live music….but wait. That all had to be left behind. For us anyway. Our sweet little girl had a nasty stomach virus that landed her in the ER later that day. It was awful….she had to have an IV and other unpleasant things done to her on top of feeling just horrible. Luckily, we got to bring her home late Saturday night and as of today she is just fine! Back to her sweet, and sometimes cranky, little self! She is terrorizing the cats as I type this…I LOVE it!  So, although our participation was cut short, we were so glad to have been a part of such a terrific event for some incredible kids and their families.

I am so excited to be making a donation to the Manasota Buds Buddy Walk this year. This is such a wonderful organization provding support to people with Down syndrome and their families. Please Mark your calendars for October 25th and come on out to Hunsader Farms Pumpkin Festival for their 7th annual Buddy Walk.  Visit www.manasotabuds.com for more info.