Love You More.

Behind The Scenes.

I would like to warn everyone, before you start this post it would be smart of you to grab some tissues. This is a post that is incredibly close to my heart, and I cant promise you that there will be a dry eye around after it is read. Cant say I didnt give you fair warning.

This is a project I have been working on for months, as my first attempt to get behind my camera again after my Papa passed away this year. For those of you who know me, Papa is someone I had the most incredible amount of love for. There wasnt a time that he wasnt cracking jokes and making people laugh. Whether it was at Sunday dinner, where he would try to make some smart comment to my Uncle Darren claiming he wasnt hue deficient like he was saying (clearly the top of the cheese container was red, not green), or telling Nana she was off her rocker when he knew he was wrong but wanted to give her a hard time, Papa was always laughing. He was so full of life, and he lived 90 years full of family, adventure, and laughter. I looked up to Papa in so many ways.

Papa had been fighting several health issues for a couple years and when he fell in April, we were told that it would be the downhill slope. While Papa was giving it his best his body wasnt able to keep up with his spunk and he left us a week before my 25th birthday on April 20, 2015. He was surrounded by friends and family in his home with love pouring out for my Nana and the family from people I didnt even know, but that were a part of Papa's life. I knew that he touched so many people's lives, but I was unaware of just how many until his service where the chapel was filled with anyone who knew him. Everyone had a story to tell about how Papa had helped them, or made them laugh, or been there for them when they needed someone. Despite there being tears for the loss of such a wonderful husband, father, grandpapa, and friend, the most common thing that was happening was laughing as story was told about him.

I hit a really rough patch while I was dealing with the loss of Papa and I didnt spend any time behind my camera. It was hard for me to put myself into my work because I felt that I had lost such a big part of my life. I was trying to do several things to get me back in my groove and it finally hit me. My younger cousin Thomas didnt only get his name after Papa but just so happens to have gotten his good genes and looks just like Papa did when he was his age. I hit Thomas up when I had a solid idea of what I was thinking of doing and he was so down. I then went to my Nana, Mom, Aunt Lori, Aunt Karen, Aunt Jo, and Aunt Fran and asked them to pick their favorite picture of Papa because I had a class that I was taking that I needed them for. (We wont talk about the fact that I graduated from college last year but no one seemed to ask questions about that. Yeah, didnt think of that one did you, ladies. ;p ) While we werent able to get all the shots done in time for Christmas like I wanted to, we were able to get three of them done without life throwing stuff in the way.

People inspire me, and Papa was the biggest inspiration to me to be great. This project was fueled by him.

I had so much fun with this project and with having something that made me so excited to get behind the camera again. Thomas, thank you for being so into helping me get this done and for sharing all the stories about Papa that you had. I know that you loved him so much and I see so much of his love in you. I cant wait to do the last three that we have.

Nana, Aunt Lori, Aunt Fran, (even though you dont have yours yet) Mom, Aunt Jo, and Aunt Karen I hope that you enjoy having these shots of Papa and Thomas as much as I enjoyed putting them into my photography. Papa loved all of us so much and he was always ready to show us whether it was as a husband to Nana for 50 years, or to all of his daughters who he would have done anything for, and especially to his very long list of grandchildren and great grandchildren.

1. I miss you everyday, Papa. I know that you are up in heaven having a good time making everyone laugh, and also spending plenty of time down here making sure that we have a clear path to walk down. I miss your jokes, but I am so happy that you taught all of us how to make jokes out of anything we have going on. I miss your laugh, but I am so glad that there is so much laughter that happens whenever we sit and talk about you. I miss your warm hugs, but I love that you taught the family to care so much about each other and that there are so many people who we can turn to whenever we need a hug. Thank you for all of the things that you taught me and for all of the love that you have given me even after you passed. I know that I will see you again one day, and I know that you will be there to hear about all the things that I did. Until then, please keep your eye on all of us as we try to follow in the adventure and love filled footsteps you left for us. As I am sure that you are doing. Enjoy.

Struggle Bus Now Boarding.

Before I start with my usual dialogue that comes with each of my posts, I am going to give you two of my most favorite quotes I've come across while doing a shoot to date. 

First, "Something about the struggle bus is going to be mentioned in your title, isnt it?"

And second, "It is seriously going to get to the point with your posts with us that all you're going to have to say is, 'Its these people again, enjoy." 

- Kellie Wolff

While it might seem that I havent been posting much these days, it doesnt mean that I havent been shooting. I have come to discover that my ideal of being so popular that I am always shooting, starts to get complicated when I have so many shoots to go through. It has been a month since I was able to fly to Colorado, my third state in a year for the Wolff Family. Baby Garyn has been with us for all of them, first in Alaska when mom and dad got married. Second, in Washington when mom and grandpa and auntie trekked around the drought that was what we thought would be a lake. And third, in Colorado where we finally got to see all of her adorableness. It was hard to tell who was more excited for me to come, Kellie or Karlie, but they once again had me fly to them to capture yet another precious moment of time in their lives. Garyn was having some issues with acid reflux and having to be naked for the first time with lights flashing in her eyes, but despite her most persistent efforts to let us now how mad she was about all of it we were still able to get the most adorable pictures of her. Kellie got some great behind the scenes pictures of my time with her, which isnt something that is seen that often but very accurately showed how much goes into these shoots. Per the usual though Kellie was sassy, Karlie was ready to pick up any smart ass thing that I said to make her mother laugh,  and I was a sarcastic little hellion working to bring ease to capturing the most precious moments with Garyn. 

Chris and Kellie, I just wanted to let you know how much I have enjoyed being your designated photographer this year. I cant even begin to thank you for all that you have done for me and for my photography. I have loved the time that I have gotten to spend with your family, and in all the different places that I have had the chance to go to with you guys. Kellie, though you might think that I will run out of things to say about you I can promise you that you are really underestimating my ability to retell stories about the times I spend with your family. You guys are always so much fun and you make for the best stories to tell. Photography, for me, is all about telling a story and you have given me such a mind blowing amount of room to tell your story. This year I have been able to capture some of the best moments of my entire career, with your family. Garyn is so lucky to have been born into a family filled with so much love and I dont have any doubts that I will be around to watch her grow up with her sister Karlie teaching her the ways, and you and Chris providing her with so much room to be just as awesome as Karlie. Thank you for everything that you guys have done for me because of your appreciation for my work, and sass. I cant wait to see the next place that I travel to capture more moments of your adventures. 

Its these people again, but not for the last time. Enjoy.