This blog served us well, but we’re moving on uuuup!  Yep, Bamboo Photography has a new home, please head over to visit us on the new site!

I heard birds chirping today!  That makes me happy…because it means that Spring is just around the corner!  As much as I loved all the snow, and building snowmen and forts with the boys, I’m ready for some sunshine and warm weather.  I can’t wait to start our sessions coming up in the next few weeks, we have soooo many beautiful families and fun things in store!  If you want to get on our calendar for a session this Spring, my schedule is almost completely full, so please contact me a.s.a.p.  We have just two more openings!

During a visit with a dear friend and colleague Kristen, I mentioned that although she couldn’t see it on the outside, I was doing somersaults on the inside…to which she gave a full belly laugh…which made me even more ecstatic (on the inside)!   I realized that this is often the case, a deep joy resides within me, but I am not able to express it…especially when it comes to putting my work out there and sharing it with others.  This got me thinking, is it shyness, or introversion, or something more?

I started noticing the disconnect between what the heart says and what the mind says.  Like the heart says, “go!” and the mind says “waaaiiit a minute there, nooot so fast!”.  The mind tells us to live ’safely’, within the conceived parameters of the mind or within the confines of how big (or little) we think others can accept us to be.  The mind tells us to protect ourselves.  It keeps us disconnected from our heart, our trueness, our joy, our purpose, and our light.  In truth, we are each so much more than we have ever imagined…

Consider this:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”   ~Marianne Williamson

In the spirit of letting our light shine (thanks Kristen!)…

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did you know…

that Earth Day is observed in 175 countries and is the largest secular modern day holiday in the world?

that recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to watch a TV for three hours!

that more than 20,000,000 Hershey’s Kisses are wrapped each day, using 133 square miles of tinfoil. 
All that foil is recyclable, but not many people realize it.

that a highlight of the annual Earth Day ceremony at the UN is the ringing of the Peace Bell.  It is made from coins given by Japenese school children to further peace on our planet.

Cool stuff!  Find these and other fun facts here.

Did you know that Bamboo Photography is dedicated to offering eco-friendly services and products?  Help us to kick off our commitment to going green by sharing your best earth-friendly ideas with us!

Earth Day is tomorrow, April 22nd, and we want to know how you celebrate.  Click here for some great ideas and inspiration!

Send us your ideas, tips, suggestions, drawings, stories, pictures…we want to know all about how you celebrate our amazing planet on Earth Day, and every day!

Post your ideas in the comments section below, or send an email to:  photos@bamboosmiles.com with ‘earth day’ in the subject line.  Feel free to send in your thoughts, or let your children write in!  We’ll pick a few ideas to feature and share with our readers!

During the holidays, I participated in a portrait giveaway with Giving is Awesome. Though I had planned on choosing only one family to win a custom portrait session, I was so touched by the nominations, that I ended up choosing two.

Before I share the images, I wanted to share their nomination.

“Jonathan and his beautiful wife Jazmin have two wonderful girls, and a little baby boy on the way. They have always inspired those around them with their perseverance, determination, and most of all, their kindness.

Shortly after September 11th 2001, Jonathan was called into active duty with the Army for a tour in Iraq. At that time, Jazmin was about to finish her degree in Education and had just found out she was expecting her second child.

Although Jonathan was gone for over a year, she persevered in her studies, finished her degree, and purchased a home all the while with a toddler in tow and another one on the way. During this time although she was bombarded with emotion, she was always there with a smile, a kind word and a helping hand. Jonathan finally returned home to meet his daughter when she was about 6 months old.

All the years since, they have always worked hard together to provide a better life for their family. Recently, Jonathan has been out of work and their car was stolen. Jazmin was in the process of completing her Principal Certification.

I know things have been really tough for them but I don’t think they quite realize that through their diligence, they inspire others to keep going towards their goals no matter what the circumstances are. I just feel that anything that would brighten their Christmas is worth taking the time for. A gift of a family portrait will last a lifetime, a beautiful memory they can cherish forever. Thank you for your consideration and God bless.”

Just sharing one image that I love since every post needs an image!  I’ll be sharing images from their session tomorrow…

Some of you have been to my home, which is where I’ve been doing everything, and I mean everything. As lovely as it’s been, it’s also been extremely difficult to keep focus, and give the kind of attention that I want to give to my family, the business, and the wonderful people I’ve been fortunate enough to work with…all in the same space.

I’ve recently taken a giant leap of faith, and have leased a new gallery workspace to do my work… (Yay!) So it’s in the beginning stages, but I wanted to share some BEFORE pictures.

I am just renting a room (the first picture), with access to some additional shared space in the building.

I love the sweet little kitchen, and the possibility to serve treats, and even cooking a casserole if I want to!

There’s a yoga studio downstairs…with baby and parent (dad’s too!) yoga classes, and bellydancing and salsa classes… There’s an independent bookstore with a great children’s section across the street, and a fabulous cafe across the other street… plus more good stuff in the neighborhood!

I’ll post more as it gets completed and we’ll be having an opening party sometime during the Spring, with a focus on some fun stuff for the kiddos… I’ll send out invites as it gets closer!

With the addition of this new space, I’ll also be introducing totally new (earth friendly!) products, and our new pricing for 2009 which is a new and exciting approach, that I think everyone is going to love!

Thank you to the many friends, family, and clients who’s presence, faith in me, and positive vibes have nourished me to keep growing, improving, and without whom I wouldn’t have been able to take this step. Ya’ll know who you are and that I love you!

So, I have received permission to share the story of the family I chose to gift the Big Portrait Giveaway to. I’ll share the second family’s story too, as soon as I get the go ahead. This is the email I received, and I think that Lauren wrote so beautifully about why her sister deserves this gift of portraits.

“I am nominating my sister, Andrea B. She is one of the strongest women that I know. She married James B. in March of 2004. He is in the United States Air Force. They have been stationed at McGuire Air Force Base in Trenton, NJ since they got married. Andrea and her family have made numerous sacrifices so that her husband can serve for his country. He has done one tour in Afghanistan and they are being stationed in Italy in February.

As you might possibly know, a life in the services isn’t always a pretty one. My brother-in-law is an enlisted man and they are currently living below the poverty line. With four children, they made the wise decision for my sister to become a stay-at-home-mom. When things get really tough for them my sister gets a part-time job working nights. She is currently working at Target to save money for their passports (yes, they have to get these on their own!). As you can imagine, getting passports for a family of six is rather expensive when you don’t have anything extra after groceries and bills. They are currently living in the on-base housing that is going to be torn down very soon. They are a family of six living in an 1100 sf home. They do without things that I would consider a necessity and rarely get anything “extra”.

It broke my heart when I was there over Thanksgiving and saw that two of her children were wearing the same winter coats from the winter before although they were obviously too small. They wore gloves to make up the difference in the sleeves. I left my sons coat for my nephew and my parents bought a new one for my niece. She would never ask for help with something like this. The only time she has ever asked for help is when they can’t put food on the table. She has visited food pantries and receives WIC for the kids.

They have never had professional pictures taken. Not even at their wedding. The closest thing to “professional” pictures they have ever had is the studio at Wal-Mart. They may not have to worry about the bank foreclosing on their home or her husband losing his job, but they do have the worry of war in the backs of their minds. This would be such a great gift to them and I know they and their children would cherish it forever. And this would also be a gift that they probably will never be able to afford, at least as long as my brother-in-law stays in the Air Force. By the way, he is planning on a career in the Air Force and we couldn’t be prouder of him.

So, for all of your sacrifices and all of your love, here’s to you sis!”

I’m looking forward to meeting Andrea and her family soon, and sharing more of their story and of course their photos!  Thank you Lauren for taking the time to write in and nominate your sister.  It was a small act, but I just want to acknowledge that it’s through small acts like this one, of opening one’s hearts, taking a chance, making the time, sharing, and loving, that we can bring a bit of joy to others.  

Thank you again to ALL who wrote in to nominate a loved one.  

Every entry I received was profoundly touching, and I am completely moved by the thoughtfulness and love on the part of the nominators.  I received several powerful nominations of truly inspiring people and deserving families, and selecting a family to receive this gift was a very difficult decision.  So difficult in fact, that I have decided to gift portraits to two of the nominated families.  Please know I wish I could do portraits for all of the nominated families, as each and every family deserves portraits documenting their children, their love and their life.  

I will be announcing the winners and their stories publicly on the blog tomorrow.  For today, I will be contacting those who have won to congratulate them, and wish them a very happy holiday.  

Many blessings of love, joy, and peace…