I'm Back!

Wowsers, I never planned on my blogging hiatus lasting quite this long!

After all this time, how about if we just jump right in with the good stuff?...

First, I have done a complete update on the content of my website, so swing on by and check it out!  I've added lots of new photos, and tons of information.  But, that's not all!  I've decided to have a brand designed for MWP!  The new logo should be completed early this fall, and once it is finished my website will be getting a new look to go along with all the new content.

Second, Michele Whitacre Photography LLC is officially a legal business in the great state of Arizona, and I couldn't be more excited!  The final step is to have a handful of legal documents drawn up, and MWP will be ready to start back up in Phoenix.

Now that both of those huge steps are behind me, it is time to turn my attention back to the blog!  So, here I am!

I still have to do some major clean up on my blog to fix some broken links and missing photos, but no reason why I can't do that and add new content at the same time, right?

As I redirect my focus back to blogging, I've decided to make a few changes to how I do things around here.  If you've been a reader since the beginning, then you know I've always kept the content of the blog strictly business, so to speak, but I think it's high time for us to take our relationship to a new level, don't you?

As a start along that path, I'd like to share with you a few photos from my wedding day. Kevin and I just celebrated our one year wedding anniversary earlier this week!

We were married aboard a cruise ship in Nassau, Bahamas. The good part about that was that our wedding was a 4 day floating party, and too amazing for words. The bad part was that we weren't allowed to choose our own photographer, and the photos of our wedding day are mediocre at best.

However, we did end up with one amazing image....

Since I knew I probably wouldn't get the best photos of the wedding itself, I took my camera along so that I could get some shots of us at the Atlantis Resort after the wedding.  I basically did my best to set up the shots, and handed my camera off to a friend to snap the photos.  Together we managed to get a few cute ones...

This one is my absolute favorite!...

I just want to say Happy (Belated) Anniversary to my hubby, Kevin.  He is the most amazing and supportive husband, and I'm so very lucky to have him in my life!  My wish is for everyone in the world to experience during their lives the kind of love that my husband and I are so fortunate to share with one another.

Stay tuned for more details about the changes you can expect to see here on the blog!

I'm so happy to be back, and I can't wait to open up my session schedule and start shooting again!

Michele Whitacre is a portrait photographer serving Phoenix, Arizona and the surrounding area. Visit Michele's website at michelewhitacrephotography.com. Become a fan of Michele's work on Facebook. Follow Michele's updates on Twitter.

Please Excuse My Mess

I'm so happy that you are here! However, you've caught me in the middle of a temporary blogging hiatus.

Kevin and I are in the middle of our huge move from Fort Wayne, Indiana...

to Phoenix, Arizona...

and I am taking some time off while we get settled in our new city.

I don't know how long I will be gone, but don't worry.... I will be back!

While I am very excited to get my business going again in Phoenix, I have lots of legal ducks to get in a row...

before I can open my photo session schedule.

I will also be busy scouting out new shooting locations in and around Phoenix, so I will be ready with tons of great ideas as soon as I am able to start accepting clients again.

In addition, I will be busy writing a series of blog posts that I have been planning for a while now, sharing tips on how to take better photos and detailing my method of shooting in manual mode.  I may even toss in a post or two on what I've learned so far about starting up a photography business while I'm at it.

I will be making major updates on my website...

I will be busy updating my photo galleries, and reworking my session and print options.

I will also be doing a bit of clean up on my blog, as I have recently realized that I have a lot of broken links and missing photos from when I moved over from another blogging program.

I've also decided that it is time for MWP to have a logo. So, I will be trying on some different options to see what feels like a good fit. Don't be surprised if you stop by one day and see a blog that it purple and green, only to find it red and orange the very next day. I'm going to be playing with colors, and styles, and fonts, and layouts, until I find one that feels like home. Once I do, I will be having a logo designed to compliment it.

So, please excuse my mess while I make all of these much needed changes and updates.

If you want to see what I am up to, you can always check out facebook or twitter, where I will continue posting updates while I am on my blogging hiatus.

As always, thank you so much for stopping by! I love hearing from readers, so while you are here why don't you leave a comment and say hello? :) If you are a fellow photog, please leave me a link to your blog and I will return the visit.

Michele Whitacre is a portrait photographer serving Phoenix, Arizona and the surrounding area. Visit Michele's website at michelewhitacrephotography.com. Become a fan of Michele's work on Facebook. Follow Michele's updates on Twitter.

Sweetness Overload

If you ever have the opportunity to see me with my family, two things will become immediately apparent to you.  First, I am completely head over heels for my husband.  Second, my dogs have my heart wrapped around their adorable little puppy paws.

It's not often that I manage to convince my hubby that sitting for a photo session sounds like a good idea, but every so often I manage to twist his arm into it.  (Usually when I suggest it at the very last minute and he can't come up with a good excuse on the spot to turn me down.)

I was lucky enough to get him to agree to a handful of quick shots of him with Zoe and Lexi this past weekend at a local park.  So, please indulge me, and allow me to share with you some photos of my family: my sweet husband, Kevin, and my adorable sweet peas, Zoe and Lexi.

I'll even save the commentary, and just allow the photos to speak for themselves:

Michele Whitacre is a portrait photographer currently located in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Michele will be relocating to Phoenix, Arizona during the summer of 2011. Visit Michele's website at michelewhitacrephotography.com. Become a fan of Michele's work on Facebook. Follow Michele's updates on Twitter.

A Rare View From the Other Side

I see the world through the lens of my camera, even when it is not in my hands. As I walk through life, I see things not as how they are but how they would look through my view finder. In my mind, I instantly convert the world into a series of photographs. I simply belong behind a camera.

The more comfortable I become looking at the world from behind my camera lens, the less likely I become to step out in front of it. It's not that I don't like being photographed, its just that I much prefer the view from behind the camera.

Over the weekend, Kevin and I were out with some friends. I wanted to take some photos while we were out, so I brought along my camera. The following photo is a completely candid shot, captured by my husband. I had no idea that he was taking it, or I'm quite certain I would have protested.

I thought perhaps it would be a nice change of pace if I showed my face on {the blog}, so here I am!...

I was torn between the image in color or black & white, so I posted both with the hope that my readers could help me decide. So, which do you like better? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Michele Whitacre is a portrait photographer currently located in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Michele will be relocating to Phoenix, Arizona during the summer of 2011. Visit Michele's website at michelewhitacrephotography.com. Become a fan of Michele's work on Facebook. Follow Michele's updates on Twitter.

Need a Laugh?

Last night after shooting the second part of a photo session, I took a handful of quick photos of my husband, Kevin, and our dogs, Zoe and Lexi.

When you photograph dogs, you never know what you are going to get!  This afternoon during a quick peek at the images, I found these two silly photos.  Both of them made me laugh out loud, and I decided I'd toss up a quick blog post to share the fun with my readers.

I hope Zoe & Lexi's silly faces bring a smile to yours on this fine Monday afternoon!

Zoe, licking her lips in anticipation of the treat that she knows is coming her way for being good...

Lexi, cheesing it up for the camera.  To me she looks like she's smiling with her eyes closed...

Happy Monday, Everyone!

Michele Whitacre is a portrait photographer currently located in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Michele will be relocating to Phoenix, Arizona during the summer of 2011. Visit Michele's website at michelewhitacrephotography.com. Become a fan of Michele's work on Facebook. Follow Michele's updates on Twitter.

Veronica + Marc + Baelie + Ethan's Sneak Peek

Back at the tail end of winter I held a contest, and Veronica was the winner. We've been trying for the past month and a half to make her photo session a reality, but we kept getting rained out. I lost count of how many times we had to reschedule due to inclement weather, but this session certainly holds the record!

We finally managed to sneak her session in between the rain clouds early Sunday morning. Veronica told me that she was a big fan of nature backgrounds and that was what she wanted for her photo session.  She let me talk her into shooting on the IPFW campus, and I was so thrilled that she did! That place is full of awesome places to shoot photos, and on a Sunday morning we had the entire campus to ourselves.  We got some fun shots, and I didn't even scratch the surface of all the wonderful places to shoot!

We started out doing a handful of photos of the entire family and then some of the boys by themselves.  This little cutie is Ethan.  He did so well at posing for his photos.  I told him maybe he'd have a future as a model some day, but he didn't seem too interested.  Instead he was quick to tell me all about how much he loves math.  A kid who loves math!  Now there's a kid after my own heart, indeed!...

Next up was Baelie, who also told me that he is a fan of math just like his brother.  Baelie didn't want to give us a good natural smile during parts of the photo session, so we kept having to threaten to do all sorts of silly things to make him laugh!...

You can't have a photo session involving two boys without some silliness involved, now can you?...

I told the boys to turn around and look at mom and dad kissing, and I didn't even get an "Ewww. Gross!!" out of them. They must have been on their best behavior for the photo session! :) ...

Meet Marc and Veronica, the proud parents...

Isn't that just the sweetest photo of the two of them? Usually my favorite photo from each session is one that most people would consider "artsy" or "creative" but not this time. The second I saw this sweet photo of this couple, it went soaring to the top of my fav list for the session.

This is another photo from the session that I really like! By this point, everyone was getting a little tired and worn out from posing for so long but the boys did so great.  They really hung in there and we got a few really good photos even as we were nearing the end...

Marc had to head off to work, so Veronica and the boys and I headed across campus to take a few fun photos at the top of one of the parking garages...

OK. OK. Here is my artsy-fartsy fav from the session...

(There had to be at least one, right?)

Thank you for letting me take your family's photos, Veronica. It was a pleasure FINALLY meeting you in person and spending my Sunday morning with your family. I hope you enjoy your pictures!

Michele Whitacre is a portrait photographer currently located in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Michele will be relocating to Phoenix, Arizona during the summer of 2011. Visit Michele's website at michelewhitacrephotography.com. Become a fan of Michele's work on Facebook. Follow Michele's updates on Twitter.

Brittany's Sneak Peek

After getting rained out on Saturday evening, Brittany and her Aunt Lisa braved the 90+ degree heat today for Brittany's photo session.

Brittany is a very sweet 10 1/2 year old child, who was a joy to photograph. Brittany thought it was funny to try to hide her face from me as I was trying to take her photos. She kept Lisa and I on our toes trying to get her to look at the camera!

Brittany is defying all of her doctors and staying strong and healthy past their expectations.  Go Britt!!  In celebration, Lisa arranged a photo session.  Completely awesome, right?!

It was so obvious how much Lisa just adores Brittany....

Um... Hello gorgeous blue eyes!!!...

We meet at a local park that is handicap accessible, and Brittany was able to swing a little while we were there. She was a little too tall for the swings so she couldn't go too high without her feet hitting, but she seemed to have fun anyway...

Just relaxing in the shade...

Isn't this just the sweetest photo? It just might be my fav...

Thank you, Lisa, for allowing me to photograph Brittany! It was a pleasure meeting both of you and spending the evening taking your photos.

Michele Whitacre is a portrait photographer currently located in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Michele will be relocating to Phoenix, Arizona during the summer of 2011. Visit Michele's website at michelewhitacrephotography.com. Become a fan of Michele's work on Facebook. Follow Michele's updates on Twitter.