SUMMER GIVEAWAY

Start your summer off with not one but TWO awesome GIVEAWAYS! My friends over at WOODSNAP are gracious enough to not only give my fans a chance to win a 16x20 if you enter the giveaway on Facebook... BUT you can also enter to win a collection of FOUR 8x8s on INSTAGRAM! Go join us simply by following the rules per post (FB: like the post AND woodsnap, share the post right off my page, and win! IG: like Woodsnap share the image and hashtag #spanksters to enter)

Not only do I love my own woodsnaps but my clients LOVE them as well. I have several clients print their images on wood and are always so pleased with the compliments they get from their art piece. AND as you know, I am an iPhone lover and when I travel I always try to print a few of my phone images on a woodsnap. Now you have a chance to get your very own images printed on wood and see what you have been missing! They take an average image and make it a piece of ART! My walls can't get enough!

Winners will be announced Monday June 16th. JOIN US.

Artful | the retreat

This past year I had a rough year... I shared a little about it HERE. I was lost in what I was doing and lost sight of WHY I was doing it. I got swept up in playing it safe t make people "happy" all the while I was losing my love for my work and was sinking in a pit of self doubt and confusion. I was ready to give it all up because I really didn't even know who I was as an artist any more. I was so busy trying to make sure I was doing right by everyone else I ended up HATING what I was doing. SO, like I have said before, I ALWAYS feel there is good that comes from our dark moments... and the good from this is that I have come out of it with more clarity and have found my happy place again. I have talk to a few people about it and many have asked that I share with them what got me in this place and how I found my way out.

Whether you are just starting and don't know where to begin or if you have been in business for a while and feel like you are just in a creative rut.... I am here to help pull you out! It is so easy to get lost in who you are with so many amazing new photos popping up in your newsfeed. Or to get started admiring another photographer and using them as inspiration so much so that you forget what your OWN creative voice sounds like... I KNOW. I have created a full 5 days of self discovery, creative clarity and renewal. We will dig deep and open your eyes, heart and mind to what your inner creative is trying to speak, we will come up with ways to get your business out in your community and attract clients that value YOUR ART, and more than even that, you will have a week of bonding with other photographers who are struggling in the same way. The one thing money can not buy, beyond the shiny new equipment, past the perfectly thought out business cards, and deeper than the website you have designed....are FRIENDS who GET IT. A safe haven of friends you can be YOU and share your struggles, joy, fear and excitement with. We are going to experience AUSTIN, eat good, work hard, and have a week that you can walk away from CHANGED. JOIN US.

This will be FIVE days of learning but not really a "workshop setting" we will talk shot non stop…no question will be left unanswered…BUT it might be answered on a boat tour or while we are shopping the quirky shops of Austin for inspiration for our shoots later that evening. We will get our hands dirty and BUILD…yes ladies, bring those muscles…we are going discover ways to build our own "sets" and I will show you how you can change up your shooting even without a studio.

There will be 4 full (maybe more) sessions that will challenge you with your shooting and help build your portfolio to SHOW what your creative potential is to your inquiring clients. We will shoot styled shoots, natural light shoots, lifestyle shoots, and we will play with OCF and include some element of fun like fire, smoke, water, or…all of the above! I will show you how to communicate with your clients to have more creative control of your sessions and how to search out those clients who will BELIEVE in you and TRUST you enough to guide them in their session, and as result appreciate YOUR talent enough to PAY for it. We will go over marketing, and you will have access to ALL my workflow templates and you will COMPLETE them so when you go home all you have to do is add your images! We will also do your head shots so you show YOUR personality.

This is going to be a TON of fun but a LOT of work crammed into a full week so pack your bags, kiss your family goodbye and join me in AUSTIN TEXAS for a week that will change the way you view your business!

**ASK me about FRIEND discounts! :)

My 2014 workshops are now 5 day long retreats! My first one being in my NEW city:

AUSTIN, TX

SEPTEMBER 18-22, 2014

visit my WORKSHOP tab for more info and to reserve your seat!

Chic Retreat Seattle 2014

What an amazing week! Four full days of learning, laughing, bonding, and growing. I am so honored that I was asked to be a speaker among such amazing names in the industry! I got to hang out with Kelli France (owner of Chic Critique) and Leah Remillet (Go 4 Pro and Thrive) that I had already known for the past few years...but I also got to meet Heidi Hope, Brittney Kluse, Courtney Dailey, and Jean Smith for the FIRST time ever!! These women are AMAZING and I am still on a high from this trip! Soooo here is the IG run down from the 4 days... I will spare you all the details but here are a few...

1. Yes that is THE Pioneer Woman! I was THAT crazy fan at the airport

2. Then there was this man on the plane who had no idea what personal space was and had his elbow ON MY HIP for 4 hours!

3. As soon as I landed I got picked up by Tash (Ike & Tash Photography and Motion) because I met her at WPPI and she is now my forever friend. Like this lady has a piece of my heart. the end.

4. So the next day the retreat started...but first a stop at Biscuit Bitch for some real Seattle coffee.

5. The inspiration I got was CRAZY amazing!

6. whaaaa of course there was a stop at Free People Seattle.

7. and there is ALWAYS a reason for a fun iPhone session in a bar. yes there is.

8. Friendships made.

9. again another iPhone shoot... when the light is right, you shoot no matter what.

10. I am officially in LOVE with this city.

11. solo funny story. I was waiting on my cab to take me to the airport... I am doing what all tourist do...taking selfies in the streets of Seattle assuming no one I know will see me until I hear my name... YES Kelly was watching me rom her room! OMG I died!

12. you just can't get enough of that sign.

13. out of order but before I go out of town my hubby takes me on a special date night, just what I needed.

14. we were wiped out.

15. I can say my first trip to the PNW was AMAZING and now I must go back because I am addicted!

and now... for your viewing entertainment... this is what you get when you have 2 cell phones. One with a flashlight for OCF duh the other with a photo booth app and a group of photographer... the end. 

don't hate on our mad posing skills. maybe they can add to the next Chic Retreat a tiny little posing demo! ;)

Here is the video recap...

6 things I wish I had known when starting my photography business

Question: Spanki, I am just starting out and I admire your work and how you share with your fans your struggles and successes. I have a question for you, what would you have done differently looking back on how you started your business knowing now what you do?  So I am like many of you... we share a similar story. I approached my husband with the "what if". I mean I was the girl who always had a camera in hand from as far back as I could remember. I was not one to look at it as "art" but more as preserving a moment in time. I seriously brought my camera with me EVERYWHERE... yes even to the bars when I was in college!

At the time we had three kids and I was a stay at home mom itching to do more with myself. The longer we talked the more we realized photography seemed to be a weekends and evening kind of job which would interfere with my involvement with my own family.

Fast forward a few years and one more child later...

I had spent thousands attending one of the top Faux Finishing schools in America. I was trying to establish myself a career that worked around my families schedules. The we had to up and move to small tiny county town because my husband had found another real estate investment. I was blogging my everyday life through pictures when a few people in the town approached me to take their portraits... and so there it all started. If I was ready or not...which I WASN'T.

What I wish I had known:

1. You get one chance at a first impression. Just because you can create a Facebook page and buy a logo off ETSY doesn't mean you should. Why rush it. Take your time and LEARN what you are doing first. PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE and remember...less is more.

2. Do not expect it to come easy. The longer I am in this industry, the more I see people asking or complaining about how no one will tell them something. WHO OWES YOU? No one but YOURSELF. YOU research. YOU learn. YOU do. If you are taking this serious then expect no one to help you... you find it. Trial and error are your best friends. I have always said "you will never know the true meaning of HOT until you touch something that burns you" same thing goes for business. You will NEVER appreciate it or take it serious until YOU put your own blood sweat and tears into it. In the beginning I was fixated on learning, I'd sit at my computer for almost 8-10 hours a day just reading, researching, and soaking up every bit of information I could. I'd take notes, I'd cry, but I always came back for more.  Again...going back to #1, it takes TIME.

3. DO NOT WORRY ABOUT WHAT OTHERS ARE DOING! I hear so many people worrying about why "so and so" is charging so little for her work or why "so and so" doesn't shoot as much as you...blah blah blah. THIS is a pet peeve of mine. WHO CARES what "so and so" is doing? What are YOU doing? I have a close photogrpaher friend who is single, lives on her parents property and charges about 1/3rd less than I do but is equally as good as me...what sense does it make for me to compare or worry about what she is doing or charging? I have four kids, I have to charge more for my time because my time away from them is valuable. I might have to pay a sitter and that is accounted in my session fee... My family agreement is I pay the house note among a few other things... so comparing what she charges to what I charge is not comparing apples to apples for me. And to waste time or to get angry about it is doing nothing but taking the focus off MY JOURNEY. and you know what... I don't succeed that way. She can shoot 5 nights a week if she wants, what is holding her back...I however do NOT want to be gone from my family that much. again APPLES and ORANGES... you do YOU. :)

4. Do not fixate on what's in "So & So Photography's" bag. Like you know, my husband does some real estate investing so it is feast or famine for us. When we sold a property I went out and bought everything that was in the professional photographer I looked up to's "bag" but that didn't make me a professional. I got so frustrated my images didn't look like theirs that one day I just sold it ALL. I literally kept my camera body and one lens (50 mm 1.4). I had decided if I can't create amazing and quality work with the bare necessities I had no business being IN business. It made me step out side my box and push myself. Six years later... I still just bring my one camera and 50mm on every session I shoot. :)

5. EDUCATE. I told myself I didn't have the money to learn. BIGGEST MISTAKE EVER. If you don't have money to learn then you don't have money to start a business. I invested money in business cards, a website, equipment, pretty camera bag... but "didn't have money to invest in learning". Hear me... I spent TWO YEARS doing everything WRONG! I lost more money in those two years that I could have paid for a handful of informative workshops/courses. But I was more worried about that red rimmed lens or that "professional looking camera bag"...for what? so I could carry it on a session for a client who didn't appreciate ME and my talent and in the end for them not to place the order I needed to continue to be in business...yes HUGE MISTAKE! Learn how to run a business, market a business, how to find the right clients and to sustain a profitable business. THAT is why you are doing this right?

**If you really truly have no money, that should NOT stop you from educating yourself! There are so many amazing sites that give information for FREE! Use it.

6. This is a BUSINESS. If this is your hobby, fine. BUT if you are telling yourself and your family you are doing this as a BUSINESS...then RUN YOUR BUSINESS. The one thing I discover most when I am working with one on one mentorings is that in the end, they are loosing money to have a business. If you are walking out of your door or shutting yourself in your home office (closet, bedroom, wherever you can find a quiet place) and you are taking time away from your family... YOU CHARGE FOR THAT TIME! If you do not feel like you are "good enough to charge for that time yet" then lets re-read #1... do NOT call yourself a business until you are GOOD ENOUGH. Yes you can build a portfolio, yes you need to practice on any friends or family that will let you, but if you are giving them any images you need to charge for that TIME. If I am away from my family, if I am paying a sitter or missing a baseball game...I WILL need money to make up for that time away. PERIOD. You owe it to your family.

We are all on a journey. We ALL have a different desired outcome. What I want for my business isn't what you might want for yours...we have to row our own boats and support each other along the way. There is no "competition" because NO ONE is on my exact journey. So support one another. Encourage one another and cheer each other on. YOU CAN DO THIS!

*what can you add... what have you learned the hard way that you'd have told the starting out you?

Much love.

here we go again....

Here we go again on our own..Goin' down the only road we've ever known... Yep we are closing on this beauty mid-July (I know I am posting a little more premature than I typically like bc I KNOW the real estate game and its not ours until we have the KEYS). In a new town...one I didn't even know existed up until the day we saw the house. We fell in love. Obviously for its stunning views but the floor plan was made for us. It is almost HALF the size of our current house but I am ready to downsize. I just sold ALL of our furniture, no really...ALL of it. we still have a washer and dryer and our mattresses. like ALL! Once my husband is done doing the happy dance because he doesn't have to move all of it...it will sink in what I did and the realization of my having to replace it won't merit such fun dance moves! ;) The crazy cool think about this house is that it is ON the river...okay yes, a dried up river, but river none the less...once it rains smarty pants. THAT is the only reason we could afford such awesomeness. but hey I will take it and hope that the rain gods mistake my husbands "not moving furniture" dance for a rain dance and we will be swimming and boating in no time. We were really scared to show the kids for the first time because this terrain is SO DIFFERENT than what we are used to but they looooved it. So much exploring to do! Now you know what I will be doing ALL SUMMER LONG so if you feel like taking a trip to TX I will have a paintbrush waiting for you! ;)

the best days of my life...

...But all the possibilities, No limits just epiphanies

I'm never gonna look back...I'm never gonna give it up...

This is gonna be the best day of my life. The time is NOW. that time in our lives that we continually look back on and refer to as "the good ol days". The time where we are discovering who we are and what we are meant for. The times we are just now starting to realize mom WAS right about a few things.. it is a time for fun. a time for growing up. a time for you to be YOU.

These ARE going to be the best days of your life....

"Mom, that is like the hottest girl in all of the town, you have the best job ever"...Words from a fourteen year old. My son has been in love with Miss Bailey for a few years now and it was just icing on the cake that she chose me to do her senior images. It was pretty funny how my kids, especially my boys rarely make an appearance in my office but one it was time to edit this gallery I had a few young boys hanging out doing "homework" on the floor behind me. I have to say....my boys sure have good taste!

The Reset Confrence

(Bex, myself, Kellie, Bobbi and Mike)

I will never forget the email I got from Bex telling me about The Reset Conference. About her and Kellie's dream of a conference to help inspire and educate others. I was blown away and so humbled that she was asking ME to be a keynote speaker. I will remember our first phone call like it happened yesterday. A stranger. Someone I had never heard of or spoke to before... God put her in my life and the minute I talked to her for the first time I just KNEW. We talked for almost two hours...TWO HOURS! Like we had known each other for years. We talked about business, family, our chaotic and busy lives, about God and our parallel faith. We talked about our dreams, goals, fears, determination to overcome those fears and so much more. This girl was meant for me. She is a forever friend.  We briefly met at WPPI a few months later but those of  you who have been know what a crazy busy time that week is and coordinating a meet up is almost impossible. So it wasn't until she was picking me up from the airport the weekend of the conference did I really get to KNOW her in real life.

Her and Kellie, whom I was meeting for the first time too, were more than I could have asked for in hostesses and as friends. They showed me around the town of Champaign. We ate...GOOD... and shopped and enjoyed each others company all of Saturday before it was time to crack down and be ready for the full day of conference Sunday! Enjoy a recap of  my trip via my SPANK.stagrams...

1. Well I was enjoying my cup of jo special THANKS to my sweet friend Marie owner of Bloom & Grow Photography who gifted me a start bucks card via FB!

2. the obligatory "wing in the air" shot

3. FINALLY got to meet my sweet BEX!!!

4. When I landed the scooped me up from the airport and took me to get sushi... FLAMING SUSHI!!

5. Bex, simmer down with the camera you photog.

6. WHAT...again? gah crazy girl.

7. obligatory coffee house shot...you know..."when in a coffee house do as the coffee house peeps do"... oh. did I make that up?

8. Sweet Kellie, we had SUCH a fun time over breakfast!

9. "when in an alley with crazy fun light...do as the peeps in the alley"... oh am I making this one up too?

10. Bex writing on the dry erase wall in the coffee shop....leaving our mark.

11. because its the truth.

12. poppin tags...

13. dinner with the speakers!

14. getting our speeches ready for the conference.

15. is that Bex stressing her presentation or covering her nose from the dog's "little extra smelly gifts" you decide...

16. officially a peeper... I see your door ladies!

17. ALL OF MY FAVORITE things in one cute box on my bed from Bex and Kellie! So sweet and thoughtful.

18.eeeeek I FINALLY got to meet and HUG Kim from SHUTTERbagUSA I adore her real leather bags!

19. whaaaa a Photo Booth! get out. a room full of photographers + a Photo Booth = can not pull me out of that thing!

20. I seriously was so so so excited to get to meet all the fun people I am friends with on FB in REAL LIFE!!!

21. feet.hurt. loooong day.

22. again. Bex. get outta mah food woman.

23. these sweet ladies brought me coffee while I packed up and headed to the airport.

24. FUN weekend but was ready to head home to see my family! (thats not really me in that plane) ;)

so serious I am. speechin'

It was a FANTASTIC weekend. I am so grateful for the relationships I have made throughout my journey. I know I say it often but this is a gift I never expected out of photograph and it is one I NEVER feel worthy of deserving.

The Beatles said it best...

When I grow up to be a man Will I dig the same things that turn me on as a kid? Will I look back and say that I wish I hadn't done what I did? Will I joke around and still dig those sounds When I grow up to be a man?

boys. quickly becoming my favorite to photograph. As a momma of three boys myself, there is something so fun about photographing senior boys for me. It is like a tiny glimpse into my quickly approaching future. The genuine smile a boy gives...after having my own, melts my mommy heart. They are so tough but so sweet. So full of life yet the most kind hearted clients I have. I love a being able to go outside my comfort zone, simplify my thinking and just shoot in a different...more BOYISH way.

SPANK.stagrams | weekend life

1. Stayed at my parents condo while we house hunted for the weekend.

2. Gosh when did my baby boy turn into a TEEN?

3. The kids love standing out on the patio watching the hustle and bustle from down below.

4. always. there is ALWAYS a photo op and I LOVE that my kids go along with it.

5. We got to hang out and go to dinner with my bestie in Austin and Paysli and Riley were turtle watching.

6. my baby... starting to look like a GIRL.

7. then we headed back to Montgomery to my parents house for one last swim in their pool before they sold their home.

8. MY Holly B...ok so she's not MINE...but I try to get as much of her as I can.

9. we stopped at a small town diner to eat and the desert menu won us over!

10. our first stop when we go to austin HAS to be at P Terrys budget stand.

11. my boys can't get enough water. fishing, swimming...they did it all.

12. OMG at that face!

13. well apparently I didn't have a 13. ha

14. we looked at a property that had its very own landing strip and hanger. Paysli loved playing she was an airplane.

15. more night time swimming.

16. and what is a weekend with no baseball..its not a weekend we know, that is for sure!

a little of who I am...

People see that we are moving...AGAIN. I am getting asked several questions... here it is...here is ME.... part of my "story" starts like this... We were 21 years old with a baby on the way. Both of us had to quit college to start our journey in the "adult" life we chose. We did all we knew to do with a baby on the way, we bought our first home... and we bought a home that was a "good deal".  We put a little blood, sweat and tears into that home. We painted (those of you who know me, know that painting and decorating is where my heart is) inside and out. Put new flooring down, changes a few light fixtures and got it all homely and perfectly us... Then we realized, if we listed it, we could pocket a pretty good little penny. So what the heck... we decided to list it and just see how it goes... long story short that was 15 years ago (and 16 houses and 7 tracks of land ago) and we are still at it. At first I fought it. It was unconventional and not the "norm". We were talked about and we heard the whispers from miles away. Why couldn't we just be happy with what we had? Why we were always trying to live above our means at such a young age? Why didn't we have 8-5 jobs with insurance like the rest of them? We heard it all. and yes... It made me question what we were doing...but deep down I loved it and it was ALL we knew to do to "make a living for our family". I was proud of us. We had the world stacked against us. No one said we'd "make it" at 21 and no college education. But we fought. We fought hard. Maybe we didn't do it the way everyone "expected" or saw as "right" but none the less...we DID IT. .It was just a way of life for US and honestly it has become something we really enjoy and I find myself craving the next remodel project.

Sometimes we buy old houses... sometimes they are foreclosures. Times we have built and others times we have just bought raw land and cleaned it up and sold it.. we never know what our next project may be.

We have been questioned. Made fun of. Put down for not having a "real job" but none the less, we haven't given up. We keep going. Keep living the life WE WANT and ENJOY. Whether it makes sense to anyone on the outside or not. This is what OUR family does. As our kids have gotten older we have decided NOT to continue if they chose they don't want to move...but they don't mind. They get excited to go look at old home and see the potential in what it can be.

so, yes, I move... actually I move a LOT. And it is okay. It is just what we love. I love to find a home someone has given up on and go in and give it the love it needs. With every home we purchase we never know if this will be the last or if in a year we will have a for sale sign in the front yard. We leave it up to God to lead us and if we love it, we stay...if we are ready for a new adventure (which most of the time we are) then we pack it all up and find the next one. We know that no matter what four walls surround us...it is the people inside that make it a HOME.  So do not get surprised if a year from now you see we are moving again. We just never really know...and honestly I love it like that. If you follow me long enough, you will get used to our crazy life and I ask you just embrace it with us! :) I will be posting our journey here so if you want to see the dilapidated piece of a craptastic house we are buying and watch as we give it love and try not to kill one another or strangle our kids in the process...check back often but HERE is the first of many post. We close the middle of June! if you are good at painting/construction/design/marriage counseling...contact me ;)

DREAM BIG, SPARKLE MORE, SHINE BRIGHTER WORKSHOP | Clarksville, TN

One of the things that I’m thankful for the most in this industry is the photography friends that I have made along the way.  It has always been my goal to help others succeed in this business and now I am teaming up with some of the BEST in the field to bring you a workshop like no other.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

YES!  Here it is!  A workshop that will focus on every genre.  Weddings, newborns, children, family and seniors.  I have hand picked these amazing talents to join me in Nashville for 3 full days (and one amazing opening night dinner) of teaching, sharing, shooting (in small groups, you will have the chance to shoot with each one of us) laughing, crying (yep, we might just get raw and the tears will flow) all for YOU!  Nothing will be held back, we are all open books and are ready and willing to share with you!

So, we want YOU to join us!  I can promise you that this week in Nashville will change your business for good.  You will leave inspired, renewed, and with a ton of new friends.  Still not convinced?  Well, let me introduce these ladies to you.

Meet Sarah Cornish (My four Hens Photography)

My Story:   I have loved Photography ever since I can remember. When I was ten I remember asking for a Polaroid Camera for my birthday. At fifteen I got to road trip and backpack across the US from CT to CA with my awesome film photographer aunt and take it all in. I dreamed of getting back to that for a long time. It has always been a huge interest, but getting married and having children at a young age, we didn’t have the means to support that fancy for years. The truth is we barely survived. We lived paycheck to paycheck. We were happy, but boy things were tight.

One year, when our son Noah was just born my husband surprised me with a DSLR when we received an income tax refund. I didn’t put that camera down from there. Every opportunity I had, I read tutorials online and watched videos on YouTube. I put my camera on manual and didn’t look back. As the economy tanked a few years later, and after having our daughter Sophia (our fourth child), I knew I had to do something to help my husband supplement our income. We were drowning. I was tempted to sell my camera, but I had been a hobbyist for years at this point and figured in a last ditch effort I would put myself out there. The response was amazing, and I haven’t gone back since. It has been nearly a decade since I truly lost myself to photography. It has been the biggest blessing imaginable. I now not only have countless beautiful images of our children, but I am able to help support our family. I am a true believer that dreams are meant to come true, if you work for it and you really want it.

Meet Courtney Weittenhiller (Blue Dandelion Photography)

My Story:   I started with film photography in college (while getting my BSN degree) and it quickly was a hobby that got out of control. I can’t tell you how many thousands of rolls of film I went through in the early days, but I have boxes and boxes of photographs that are near and dear to my heart. I shoot both digital and film these days but my D800 is my favorite go to camera. Weddings and newborns are my specialties and I love them both for different reasons! I shoot alongside my husband and I’m so blessed to be able to share this career with him. We have four beautiful kiddos who add a sweet chaos to our lives, but I couldn’t imagine it any other way.

Meet Tiffany Bender (Munchkins and Mohawks Photography)

My Story:   I have always taken pictures- and lots of them! I think it came from my mom. No, I KNOW it came from my mom. Back in the days of film she would have boxes and boxes of images all over our house. I could piece a decent part of my life together with just those images, actually you would probably feel like you lived my life just from those pictures. So, I guess history repeats itself.

With the birth of my son the obsession began. I took thousands of pictures his first year- I have even filled two computers with those shots. With the birth of our second child it only became more pronounced. Not only did I want to capture the moments, I wanted to do it beautifully. That is where it began. I have shot and shot and shot some more until I could replicate what was in my head.

I dream about photography. It has not only become my career, but my love, and my passion. In fact- I think about photography more than I probably should! I LOVE what I do and I feel so blessed that I have the opportunity to life this life.

Meet Julie Paisley (Julie Paisley Photography)

 

My Story:  I never ever intended to be a photographer, much less a wedding photographer!  But, fast forward 5 years and here I am.  Since I was practically “thrown” into this business, I made a TON of mistakes, in fact, 2 years into the business I had to back up and almost start over because I didn’t lay the correct foundation.  I vowed right then and there that I would devote half my business to teaching and educating others (I have a degree in education, so teaching will always be my first love) and over the past 2 years I have had the privilege of teaching others all over the world.

I am obsessed with love and I strive to show the REAL you in the photographs I take.  My style can be described as dreamy, romantic and real and I specialize in relationships.  You see, when you connect with others, it shows in the images.  That my friend is my goal.

and.... me, Spanki Mills (Spanki Mills Photography)

My story: Years ago before my youngest child was even thought of, my husband and I sat down and talked about the possibility of me becoming a photographer. But, with three children already we decided against a job that seemed to be primarily evenings and weekends.

Fast forward a few years… now my youngest was 3 and I was a stay at home mom just capturing the everyday moments of our lives and blogging them and it was then when the photography business found me.

It was no time before the small town I lived in got word that I was “good” at taking pictures and like many of you, before I knew it I was a full time photographer but I was NOT running my business. I was drowning, my family was suffering and I was becoming miserable. At that moment  I decided it was time for a reset and I needed to take control over doing something I loved.

Four years later here I am. Finding a work and home life balance and loving what I do again.  I specialize in seniors and families and inspiring others.

So, I hope we have convinced you to come to Nashville in October and join us for this amazing workshop!  We are already brainstorming and planning, we want it to be great, no, we want it to be AWESOME!

Ready to sign up? CLICK HERE Don't wait...we are almost HALF FULL in the first hour of registration!

We can’t wait to meet the 50 of you who join us in Nashville!!!

SPANK.stagrams | a weekend in my life

With FOUR kids life is ALWAYS crazy! It isn't very often we have a weekend where we have "off" from sports but this weekend we did. Between the kids all going to the county fair with friends we did get to have a little family time with our littles!

1. Waking up with coffee on the driveway while I watch my boys play basketball...and as usual Buster doesn't get far from my side.

2. Paysli and her friend at the fair... that looks like fun! ;)

3. Pacen and I waiting for our table so we can get some Crawfish.

4. Paysli was so sick...but kept going for more!

5. Finally, dinner and a drink!

6. All day. All night. these boys play ball all they can.

7. We took the entire family to the movies, and I looked back to see my oldest holding my youngest hand. melted my heart.

8. When did my Baylen get so big!

9. Again with the basketball at sunrise!

10. a teenage GROWING boy and 5 lbs of crawfish made his tummy happy!

11. The twiners were so into the movie...and the popcorn!

12. GOD'S NOT DEAD. A wonderful movie and if you haven't seen it GO NOW!

dream BIG

Sometimes when we dream BIG we get scared. Scared we can not do what it is we are dreaming of. I have found if I write down my BIG idea or dream, then make a list of smaller tasks to accomplish to get myself ready I don't seem to be as doubtful of my ability to reach for that dream...if you care, list one BIG dream you are reaching for and share with me 3 things you can do to get yourself closer to your goal! :)

Imperfectly perfect | PRINT your memories

The room went quiet as if time stopped. They were words I never expected to hear. Disease. No cure. Amputation. This can't be happening. Not to me. This is stuff you hear other families experience, NOT mine. He is a normal two year old. He looks just like his twin brother. How will this effect him? How will he get to be a BOY without a leg? This is NOT what is happening.

After I picked myself up from the floor. Weeping and holding my baby as tight as I could, I did what any desperate mother would do...I called to set an appointment with a different doctor to get a second opinion... and then...

I called a PHOTOGRAPHER.

I desperately needed to document our lives before our new "normal" set in, the one I couldn't truly grasp could become MY reality. Bare feet and shorts. I needed a photographer to capture my three boys, each with a set of HEALTHY legs. One day he might not remember he was in fact seemingly perfect on the outside. That his leg was made of flesh and not plastic. That he could wear shoes and socks and have stinky feet just like his brothers. I needed that to be something he could hold onto when the days ahead got to hard. I needed that to be something I could hang onto when the days ahead were too much to bare.

Grace be to God that the diagnosis was indeed CORRECT, however we were lead to a doctor that was persistent in trying an experimental surgery and my son not only HAS HIS LEG but is healthy and in normal activities. He is also in medical record books for being the FIRST kid EVER to keep his leg with this particular disease!

*Image taken in 2007. Canon 20D and iPhoto edit. But it hangs LARGLY in my home and in my heart.

*Image taken in 2007. My most perfectly IMPERFECT favorite image EVER. shoes are on the wrong feet. The fat baby hands... the dimples and snaggle tooth grins... as years passed, THIS has became nothing more than a fading memory. One no matter how imperfect the image, will last with me a lifetime because I have this image.

A few years later...

It was 1am. The phone rang... oddly I knew what awaited me once I picked up. "He just took his last breath". Gone. Cancer won the battle and took my father away from those who loved him.

I slowly slipped out of bed not to wake anyone... walked into my office, turned on the light and dug through the photographs I had. I sat on the floor and as I flipped through the images I paid extra attention to details I had never really noticed before. His hands, that smile. It was almost like I could hear his voice. I sat there and wept over those images for the next few hours. The reality has become that these photographs and my memories were all I had left of my dad.

A few years ago I had a client. A lovely woman. Dressed to a T in her red soled shoes and always carrying her purse adorned with the designers initials. Her images were beautiful and she did loved them, but she just didn't invest in them. Sure her order was fine. It was on the average side of my client orders at the time. But oddly this angered me. It angered me knowing that she cared enough to invest into her shoes and handbags more than the precious images of her family, the life she LIVED. If not for her...for her children. One day, when her kids get that dreaded phone call, they will not get up at 1am to weep over her hand bags. Her grandkids will not sit holding her shoes and tell of the memories they had. No, they will pull out the images they had of her LIFE. The life she lived and recall the fun times and possibly the sad but all over PHOTOGRAPHS.

*image taken in 2006 and iPhoto edit. Early morning. Yesterdays makeup. Me in my pajamas and Paysli in a diaper and shirt. Held the camera myself and snapped hoping for the best... and I GOT it!

Yes photography is about ART. But more than anything photographs are about the he.ART of your loved ones. Photography is about capturing the moments in your LIFE that are inevitably going to change over the years. Get your family photographed and PRINT THEM... you never know who will get the most memories out of them. Hang them on your wall. Display the love you have with your family and friends. They do not need to be perfect...just perfect to YOU.

*Image taken 2011. Dirty jeans. Untied shoes. It is perfect to ME.

testimonial from Rosie

Meet my sweet friend Rosie with Reflections by Rosie...she was kind enough to share her story of struggle, strength and perseverance. It's funny how much life has changed in a matter of two years. Seriously.

I remember tripping across Spanki's Facebook page for the first time.  At that time, I was a brand-new photographer.  I had been running my business for a little over a year, and had recently had my fourth child.  Things were going…well…okay with my business.  I had made a profit, but BARELY.   Definitely not enough of one to justify calling Reflections by Rosie a full-on, full-time, BUSINESS.

At that time, too, I had just wrapped on my second year of shooting high school senior portraits.  I was busy, but yearning for more advice on posing.  On locations.  On...well...everything!  I was fumbling through the dark.

I basically needed someone who was successful in senior portrait photography, and whose work I loved and connected with, to talk to.

In a bad way. :)

Then I found Spanki Mill's Photography page.

Spanki and I had a few things in common:  we are both photographers who are moms of four kids.  We are both strong in our faith convictions.  We are also busybodies, but in a GOOD way: we both like to keep our creative minds active.

We also had a few things that were different: she was rocketing to success in high school senior portrait photography.  She was also earning much higher numbers in sales than I was, and we were both in similar markets.

I needed her to teach me HOW THE HECK SHE DOES IT!  How did (and does) she market to this elusive group of high school seniors?  How does she talk to them in posing them that results in such natural-looking images?  How does she keep her business relevant and active in her community?

So, I e-mailed Spanki and signed up for my first "A Day With Spanki" workshop (one-on-one).

I remember my mind being blown, on multiple occasions, during my first workshop with Spanki.  She had such simple, but effective, ways to suggest marketing to me in ways that I had not even considered.   Being so new into the business, I was only thinking about the "traditional" ways to market.  I was forced to think about billboards (which I couldn't afford!) as opposed to looking at the businesses that are UNDER the billboards.   She also helped me to understand that I needed to focus my efforts on marketing to a specific KIND of high school senior, as opposed to EVERY kind of high school senior.

The posing part of the first workshop was wonderful; but honestly, I walked away with much more of a savvy business sense than I had anticipated prior to our first workshop.

After that workshop, I really dug in and focused on what Spanki had taught me.  I wanted to find local businesses that was consistent with what I wanted as a brand.  For my business, I wanted more a "fashion" feel to my images.

For a few months (no one said that it was going to be quick!), I contemplated, studied and applied what I had learned with Spanki for the first workshop.    I worked on making my images better and more consistent with what my "target" senior would want in their images.  I had also signed up for a Critique session with Angela Richardson from AMR Photography with the Chic Critique Forum so that I would have another photographer whose work I admired's opinions on my images.

Then, Ella Zane Boutique opened.   I was totally, and completely hooked!  The boutique was perfect- very modern looking clothes with a classic feel.  The inside of the store felt very much like something you would see in Los Angeles (where I lived prior to moving to the Houston area).  Clean lines, amazing clothes, sweet staff….I was in LOVE!

I remember the day that I met the store's owner, Jessica.  I also remember how flabbergasted I was when she asked me to photograph her whole line!

Score!!

The rest of the year was a total whirlwind.  Seniors started booking me at a much higher rate than before.   I had increased my rates; and I was making money; but I was starting to teeter on the edge of burnout.  I remember feeling both happy that I was seeing success, and sad that I wasn't spending the time with my family that I had wanted to anymore.

In other words, I was starting to become a victim of my own success.

Fast-forward to this past November: Spanki wanted to hold a workshop in Galveston.    When she asked me to be her hostess, I was flattered and excited, as a refresher course was something that I needed (full disclosure: I had also taken a course from Alicia Caine of Profit First Photography that was helping to re-establish equilibrium in my business and personal life).  Helping Spanki plan the workshop was a lot of fun, and the fact that Spanki was local to me probably made it easier, too.

I was excited to meet the 9 other photographers who had signed up for Spanki's A Day With Spanki.   Most of us were local to the Houston area; however, there were a few women who had commuted in from Austin.

The house- oh my gosh- was incredible.   The waves crashed right up alongside the house.   The interior decor was simple and modern…it had a California meets the Mediterranean feel to it with a little bit of a Swiss flair.    The living room where Spanki ran her class was perfect for the workshop- it was open, inviting (just like Spanki!).

The other photographers, though, were what really made this workshop special.   Being a one-on-one alum, I had missed out on the sisterhood that is A Day With Spanki workshop.  Each of these women brought something unique and special to the table.  Each had a story to share, and each had a unique perspective on photography, posing, and life in general.  Over the course of the weekend, we discussed SO MANY things that I will take back and use going into the future.   I was able to hear about Spanki's, and the other photographers, successes (and sometimes failures!).   The whole experience was both insightful, business-wise, and cathartic, personally-speaking.

Long story short, I came out of my second A Day With Spanki Workshop with both professional insight that I may not have grasped the first 'go round, but also with personal insight and friendships that will carry me through for many more years.  I also had a chance to really get to know Spanki again, and we learned that our lives continue to intersect in some amazing ways.  It was refreshing to level with Spanki on the business in a way that I was not ready, or capable, of relating to her on for my first one-on-one, and I walked away with a whole new set of ideas that I will take forward with me.  I was grateful that I had this experience- again- and I was appreciative of all that Spanki continues to teach me about photography, business, and as a friend in real-life.

In this crazy, chaotic and sometimes isolating business we call photography, it is wonderful to have friends who can truly relate with you on both a personal and business level.   I've learned that success isn't measured in just dollars and cents, but also how rich your heart feels at the end of the day.

She's having a baby...

okay so I stole the title from one of my favorite 80's movies (hey don't start counting...I will NOT tell you how old I am) But it is true. She's having a BABY... a little boy. A gift planted inside her that is growing daily. As this family prepares their hearts and home, this little boy is preparing to meet the most amazing set of parents he could have ever been gifted to. He has an older sister who will boss him, keep him in line, spoil him, and probably paint his nails a time or two. He has no idea what is waiting for him... but they have prepared their hearts and with open arms...we wait... 

Spanki's FAMOUS Chicken tacos....that aren't really famous

Years ago a friend gave me a recipe for her simple chicken tacos...and my kids LOVED them. They are an easy weeknight favorite for us and over the years turned my kids have named them "Spanki's FAMOUS chicken tacos"...

which is funny because A)  they are not MY tacos. and B) they are NOT famous... BUT they ARE indeed chicken so I guess one out of three ain't bad right?

so here is what you need:

• 1 bag of chicken breast boiled in stock.
• 2 cans of Rotel (I used mild because my 8yr old thinks regular is too spicy...okay so I am blaming it on her...it is really me, I am a sissy)
• minced garlic
• ground cumin
• salt + pepper
• tortillias

Boil the chicken breast with either the chicken stock from a can or add a bouillon cube or 2 and S+P to liking.

I usually just shred my chicken with 2 forks, or you can dice it with a knife.

add in some of the stock, the rotel, about 2 spoons of minced garlic, S+P and lots and lots of the ground cumin (to taste)

bring it to a boil and I just let it go until it cooks down...

while the chicken is cooking I start the tortillas.

and there you have it... my kids add shredded cheese and that is it, but we add lettuce, tomato, and avocado. Make enough for leftovers because the second day they are even better!!

enjoy. In the comments below will you please share or link your "go to" easy weeknight favorite!

*disclaimer: I am in NO WAY a cook or food photographer so there you have it.

SPANK.stagrams | real life

Life has been a little bit of crazy. A mommy of four means I have little time to just sit and do nothing... so what have I been up to lately?

1. My twins have had 2 major school projects which as you know turns into a "mommy project" I am happy to repost I can officially pass the 6th grade again! ;) (I am kidding, this time they actually did the majority of the project themselves... it is hard for me not to pull out my hot glue gun and glitter and take over, but being BOYS they seem to have an issue with me putting pink glitter on their class work...maybe my daughter will appreciate it more)

2. Yet another Valentines Day has come and gone... the hubby took me on an out of town road trip date day (ok so really that was just a fancy way of saying we had something to do out of town and threw in a "date" lunch) so we left a little something on the table so when the kiddos got home from school they'd have a little treat...candy, stuffed animals and Starbucks Mochas with a little note telling them "You MOCHA us proud to be your parents) yes people, thats as CREATIVE as this once very creative momma gets these days.

3. Our Valentines day road trip selfie. (really you all know car light is the BEST sooooo.... it was more about looking good in the light than capturing the moment) ;)

4. Oh did I mention that our Valentines consisted of walking property? Soooo romantic... funny though, our first Feb 14th SIXTEEN years ago was spent doing the exact same thing!

5. This past month I did another full day 1:1 mentoring session and they are FULL days to say the least, but so much fun. I LOVE getting to hear each story, dream, and journey.

6. We had an amazing model, Carly.

7. Not sure, but when I teach I clearly channel Vanna White and make it look pretty good...wouldn't you say ;)

8. And....it is select ball season again. This is one half of my duo, Brylen but on the field he is known as Ya-ya (because I love the Sandlot and it is just as cute as he is)

9. If it isn't baseball, or volleyball, it is running my 14 yr old from track practice right over to his 7:7 football practice... is it time for a margarita yet?

10. THIS makes all the running, laundry and stinky socks worth it.

11. Oh annnnnd.... Pretty Paysli had her very first speaking part in her 2nd grade play, if you couldn't tell by the very awesome and oh so elaborate homemade costume, she was a ladybug! (don't hate on my sewing hot glue gunning skill)

12. Pacen, the other part of the twin duo in this house... also known as Pac-man on the baseball field. He just eats it up...haha get it "pac-man...eat it up) yah I think I need that margarita now, I am so much more funny when I have been drinking! ;)

enjoy a few images of Carly from our mentoring day!

the best is still unwritten... Dallas, TX senior

"Reaching for something in the distance, So close you can almost taste it. Release your inhibitions..." Brooke, such a sweet and fun girl. Her eyes say it all, without words you can see into her sole and feel the kindness of her heart. Today is where your book begins...

...The rest is still unwritten

SPANK.stagrams | WPPI 2014

I do not care how many times you go to WPPI in Vegas. Each year is so different from the last....not better (and hopefully not worse) but a DIFFERENT kind of FUN.  This year I went with Monica Roberts Photography, Wendy Gail Photography and Tina from Shot of Whimsy Photography. We had a BLAST and I was so glad I got to spend a few days with these girls!

So what is WPPI? It is not a week long party like many of our husbands might say ;) It is a week FULL of learning, networking and laughing. I get asked often "is it worth it" I say YES. Yes because YOU can make it what YOU want. There are more classes than any one person not only can go to but can process the information from. There are so many different styles of shootouts challenging yourself with shooting, building a portfolio or adding a little character to your work is all available if that is what you want. But for me, above ANY of the other there are RELATIONSHIPS made. Sure we know each other on FB, but with social media it is easy to forget the value of FACE to FACE conversations. Believe it or not, there are so many people there I have never even heard of and to have to chance to meet them is every bit worth the trip. I have know many of my FB friends for YEARS and the moment you get to hug them and sit down and have a REAL conversation with them is priceless. The relationships I have made from the past 4 years WPPI have gotten me friendships, vendor contacts for my business, business relationships with likeminded photographers and so much more. This year there was possible talk of being invited to speak at an AMAZING conference, I got to meet 3 new AMAZING companies that are now going to be offering my workshoppers AWESOME discounts, and I met 2 guys who heard my dreams for the future and THEY. GOT. IT and want to help get me to that place! BIG things come from this "week of parties" and I can not wait to watch as it all unfolds.  Here is a little look into our 2014 WPPI trip...

This post is WAY long but I narrowed down as much as I could so I will post the first half then the second at the bottom of the image.

1. Tina, myself and Wendy met at the airport in Austin and Monica flew from San Antonio.

2. we were ready to get there, we had planned, talked, stressed, and worked for this day for MONTHS and it was HERE!

3. we met up with Moncia at the Vegas airport and our week... began!

4. We got in Sunday evening and after unpacking we headed down to the lobby bar to get a few drinks and people watch.

5. Did I mention we had a few drinks?

6. OK maybe a few TOO many drinks!

7. The next morning as we headed down to the trade show I could NOT wait to meet up with my long lost friend Monica Day, I was searching everywhere so I could find her and HUG HER NECK!

8. I got to hang out with my sweet and long time FB/IG friend Rachel Vos and Michelle Newell and met Tash for the first time!

9. of course I had to stop and get my pic taken with the Woodsnap guys... 3 years and counting.

10. My Monica... can't you see why I ADORE this lady! (and yes, I claimed her as MINE...deal)

11. Wendy and Monica apparently hacked my phone

12. Someone had to do it...right?

13. celebrity spotting.

14. Please don't ask so I do not have to answer that...

15. the elevator selfie, when in Vegas...

16. the VOLCANO from the Rain Forest cafe...we needed a sugar fix and this delivered

17. finally got to meet Sasha from Bluelips Photography ...LOVE HER, she is as REAL in real life as she is on FB

18. room service = no explanation

19. **CHEERS** to business relationships that are more FRIENDships than anything else!

20. Candice with Candice Rock Photography....everyone told us we looked like sisters... I'll take it. I could only wish to be that beautiful! and Christian who happens to be my favorite Woodsnapper.

21. you can't go to Vegas and not go to Secret Pizza, best place ever and such fun memories each year!

22. just a little stalker-ish...we all have it in us.

23. Monica wrecking havoc on the Woodsnap booth, again...just don't ask!

24. people watching from my room during a tiny little break/ phone charge session!

25. Loved watching Ike and Tash give their presentation at the Black River booth

26. so happy to get to meet Bobbi from Bobbi and Mike

27. Can not wait to work with this crazy lady next month at The Reset Conference!

28. Dessert adventure... I mean shoot! ;) (thats another story)

29. Lovely ladies, Sasha and my two Monicas.

30. Rob, ok this guy won me over with his smile...and laugh. thank goodness he finds us funny...I thought he'd run off!

31. Walking to Pure go get our dance on...too bad by the time we got there our feet were killing us. But hey it was a fun little detour through the Flamingo.

32. Girls night outs are the BEST

33. We had our own little mini photoshoot in the hallway...that is what happens when you are surrounded by photographers.

34. Steve Saporito...just watch out, you will be seeing a lot more from this man I can promise!

35. TASH!

36. Only Tiffany with Munchkins and Mohawks can make laughing beautiful. love getting to spend time with her!!

37. On our way to Serendipities for some frozen hot chocolate and onion rings!

38. Long with Custom SLR (my HANDS DOWN) FAVORITE camera strap EVER! so fun meeting the vendors you deal with face to face!

39. LOOOONG chat with my friend Kelly Moore. Can not wait to see what she is planning, I have been bribing her for over a year to get this done and I KNOW she will make it PERFECT!!!

40. Dessert shooting with Essie.

41. Remember Charity my Simply Spanki friend who joined us for the SS slumber party...I got to hang out with her in Vegas too!

42. Charity again, and Stephanie (another Simply Spanki sister) and Christin who happens to be local and we have hung out at a meet and greet before!

43. oh my sweet Bex... she is the host to the Reset conference and I just didn't get near enough time with her in Vegas so we will have to make up for it in Chicago.

44. Oops...no matter how many times I'd tell myself I was NOT buying anything while I was there... Kelly Moore gets me my pocket book every time!

45. Kelli with Chic Critique and Leah with Go 4 Pro... it was WPPI 4 years ago that we met and the relationships that have built are priceless!

46. Ricky!! Co-owner of Woodsnap and a dear friend... THIS is what I LOVE about WPPI, you get to see friends once a year but you pick up right where you left off and I am so glad we got to catch up.

47. Chic Critique meet and greet. I got to meet some AMAZING ladies!

48. Ok, so here we are making fun of Monica for her feet hurting and being a maw-maw...

49. that is what I get for making fun of her... shoes off. My feet HATE Vegas!!!

50. SO, I was done. Spanki -0 Vegas-1 I was ready for my coffee and a loooong nap on the flight home. As I sat at my terminal I run into my childhood friend and husbands college roommate Justin! soooo I thought I'd sleep the flight home but nooooo, we talked and laughed the entire way, thank goodness we didn't find each other in Vegas...that Baccarat table wouldn't have known what hit it!! :P

and if you prefer to watch as you listen to my favorite song...this is for your viewing enjoyment.

[video width="640" height="640" mp4="http://spankimills.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/IMG_8653.mp4"][/video]

Vegas you did my heart good... one more year.