• I discovered being on the other side of the camera is verrrrry different than holding the camera...What an eye-opener! 📷 When you’re a photographer, you get the ability to almost “hide” behind a camera during the shoot, but when you’re the subject—you feel (at least I do) totally exposed ( no pun intended 😏). 👇🏻 Even after a decade in the photography industry I still don’t feel “natural” in front of a lens. But guess what, that’s ok! I tell all my clients if you don’t feel a little bit awkward at first I would be surprised! ✨ But the real magic happens when let your guard down a little, and the photographer captures you in your natural form! 👍🏻 I have to admit, when you get the images back, it’s always worth it! I just recently had a photo shoot of an elderly gal in our community, and during the shoot she confessed she hadn’t had her pictures professionally done in over 45 years (aka at her wedding)!! . Don’t let the worry of not feeling comfortable scare you away from getting in front of the camera! One day you will be thankful you did! . How long has it been since you’ve had your photo taken?! . . Thanks to the awesome #kristenmarcusphotography who drove to Florida from Alabama to capture this for me!
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    I discovered being on the other side of the camera is verrrrry different than holding the camera...What an eye-opener! 📷 When you’re a photographer, you get the ability to almost “hide” behind a camera during the shoot, but when you’re the subject—you feel (at least I do) totally exposed ( no pun intended 😏). 👇🏻 Even after a decade in the photography industry I still don’t feel “natural” in front of a lens. But guess what, that’s ok! I tell all my clients if you don’t feel a little bit awkward at first I would be surprised! ✨ But the real magic happens when let your guard down a little, and the photographer captures you in your natural form! 👍🏻 I have to admit, when you get the images back, it’s always worth it! I just recently had a photo shoot of an elderly gal in our community, and during the shoot she confessed she hadn’t had her pictures professionally done in over 45 years (aka at her wedding)!! . Don’t let the worry of not feeling comfortable scare you away from getting in front of the camera! One day you will be thankful you did! . How long has it been since you’ve had your photo taken?! . . Thanks to the awesome #kristenmarcusphotography who drove to Florida from Alabama to capture this for me!
  • Can I be real? I was never a popular kid in high school. I was never in the “in crowd”. I didn’t fit in the “popular” clique, or any other one for that matter. I was a band geek. A “prude”. Made fun of for being in youth group and standing by my faith. I was a varsity softball player for 3 years, but never loved it. I dated a guy in college for two years, but only saw him on the weekends. I wanted to find my place, but I struggled to do so. To be honest, I never really felt like I “fit in”. I never really found my niche. I was lost. 🤷🏼‍♀️ That is, until one day, I picked up a camera in my journalism class. Enter change-my-life-emoji-*here*. It opened up a world where I actually felt like I BELONGED. ✨ Little did I know, that one risk that I took in a class in high school, changed my life forever. A little dramatic? Maybe, but I can’t imagine my life right now without all of the people I have met along the way with my little camera in tow. 📷 From learning from the best in Washington DC with National Geographic photographers, to photographing elderly violin players on the streets of Italy, to shooting weddings and seniors for more years than I’d care to admit......I look back on my high school years and realize how they formed my life. 👇🏻 If you are in high school and have resonated with anything I have said above, hang in there. It gets better! Be watching for those opportunities that may change your life! Take that risk. Try something new. You never know where it can take you!
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    Can I be real? I was never a popular kid in high school. I was never in the “in crowd”. I didn’t fit in the “popular” clique, or any other one for that matter. I was a band geek. A “prude”. Made fun of for being in youth group and standing by my faith. I was a varsity softball player for 3 years, but never loved it. I dated a guy in college for two years, but only saw him on the weekends. I wanted to find my place, but I struggled to do so. To be honest, I never really felt like I “fit in”. I never really found my niche. I was lost. 🤷🏼‍♀️ That is, until one day, I picked up a camera in my journalism class. Enter change-my-life-emoji-*here*. It opened up a world where I actually felt like I BELONGED. ✨ Little did I know, that one risk that I took in a class in high school, changed my life forever. A little dramatic? Maybe, but I can’t imagine my life right now without all of the people I have met along the way with my little camera in tow. 📷 From learning from the best in Washington DC with National Geographic photographers, to photographing elderly violin players on the streets of Italy, to shooting weddings and seniors for more years than I’d care to admit......I look back on my high school years and realize how they formed my life. 👇🏻 If you are in high school and have resonated with anything I have said above, hang in there. It gets better! Be watching for those opportunities that may change your life! Take that risk. Try something new. You never know where it can take you!
  • Confession: getting 21 girls together was little daunting, but boy oh boy, it was worth it!!! 📷 My 2020 KV Spokesmodels knocked it out of the park on yesterday’s Besties Shoot!! ✨ Sooo thankful for my girls! 😘 Happy countdown to graduation, ladies!!!! #kvseniors #kvspokesmodels #classof2020 #kellyvandykephotography
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    Confession: getting 21 girls together was little daunting, but boy oh boy, it was worth it!!! 📷 My 2020 KV Spokesmodels knocked it out of the park on yesterday’s Besties Shoot!! ✨ Sooo thankful for my girls! 😘 Happy countdown to graduation, ladies!!!! #kvseniors #kvspokesmodels #classof2020 #kellyvandykephotography
  • Engagement season always seems to be after the holidays for me. Hmm... I wonder why?! 😆 💍 I have heard some epic tales of proposals these past few weeks! Honestly, those are my favorite stories to listen to! ✨ If you’re engaged or married with a fun tale, share your proposal story below! 👇🏻 #isaidyes💍 #howheproposed
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    Engagement season always seems to be after the holidays for me. Hmm... I wonder why?! 😆 💍 I have heard some epic tales of proposals these past few weeks! Honestly, those are my favorite stories to listen to! ✨ If you’re engaged or married with a fun tale, share your proposal story below! 👇🏻 #isaidyes💍 #howheproposed
  • Let’s take a poll: Are you a goal maker for the New Year, or are you more of a come-what-may kind of person? ✍🏻 Confession: I’m a paper-and-pencil-make-goals-upon-goals-lists kinda gal. I LOVE working toward goals—it flirts with an unhealthy addiction, but hey—it makes me feel accomplished and good about myself! 💪🏻 I separate my goals in my planner into two categories: Personal and Professional. I then have learned from the book “The Best Year Ever” to break them apart into quarters of the year. For instance, what are my personal goals for quarter one? Then I only list out 3 per quarter (or one goal per month). 👍🏻 I hit almost all of my business goals and personal goals last year doing it this way (I guess I could hit all of them if I had even tried submitting anything for publication (whoops!), and if I had installed wall drying racks in my laundry room). But you should see my goal lists all scratched off —that’s the best part!! 👇🏻 I’m not 💯 sure what paths I will take in 2020, but the uncertainty is what makes life interesting, right?! What goals are you wanting to crush in this new and fresh decade?!! Let’s do this!! 👏🏻 Come see how I fared on my 2019 goals with my new blog! Link in bio! #dreamscometrue✨ #lovegrowth
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    Let’s take a poll: Are you a goal maker for the New Year, or are you more of a come-what-may kind of person? ✍🏻 Confession: I’m a paper-and-pencil-make-goals-upon-goals-lists kinda gal. I LOVE working toward goals—it flirts with an unhealthy addiction, but hey—it makes me feel accomplished and good about myself! 💪🏻 I separate my goals in my planner into two categories: Personal and Professional. I then have learned from the book “The Best Year Ever” to break them apart into quarters of the year. For instance, what are my personal goals for quarter one? Then I only list out 3 per quarter (or one goal per month). 👍🏻 I hit almost all of my business goals and personal goals last year doing it this way (I guess I could hit all of them if I had even tried submitting anything for publication (whoops!), and if I had installed wall drying racks in my laundry room). But you should see my goal lists all scratched off —that’s the best part!! 👇🏻 I’m not 💯 sure what paths I will take in 2020, but the uncertainty is what makes life interesting, right?! What goals are you wanting to crush in this new and fresh decade?!! Let’s do this!! 👏🏻 Come see how I fared on my 2019 goals with my new blog! Link in bio! #dreamscometrue✨ #lovegrowth