The Big Easy

Posted on January 24, 2012 by Lacey

The weekend trip – or 36 hours in one place – is becoming really popular in my life. I don’t mind it. I get to see new places, I get to spend time with great friends, I get to eat really really really good food. So, I’m not complaining about whirlwind trips. My first of the year (Yes, there are more planned. Say it with me…YAY!) was to New Orleans with Adam and our friends Kyle and Laura.

Here’s what we saw:

This is my bestest, Katie. She is rad.

Posted on November 1, 2011 by Lacey

Sometimes the backdrops at weddings give us a chance to turn the camera on each other. At Jinny and Ryan’s wedding there was a magic field of fog and Samantha and I took turns posing. And at Samantha and Jason’s wedding, there were so many props Katie and I just about lost our minds. We couldn’t help but take a few of ourselves. I snapped these of Katie. She’s so cute.

Sarah and Sam

Posted on July 22, 2011 by Lacey

I love the candidness of life…especially when I’m taking photos. I like to stay true to who people are. I like to catch them laughing without being fake. I like to capture a moment when things are a little messy or a extremely exciting. I find that every day life is so much more fun than the posed. (Not that the posed is bad…I mean, I wouldn’t have a career if the posed was bad.)

Two weekends ago, I went to the St. Louis area to meet up with my friend Sarah Molitor. She has a beautiful baby boy named Sam and I hadn’t seen him since he was just a wee little thing, so it was high time that I made the visit. I’ve loved Sarah since she started at Jewell. She lived across from me in the dorm, she has the best curly hair EVER and she is one of the hardest working people I know. She’s smart and funny and devoted to her family and friends. She has one of the truest hearts and I am pretty dang lucky to call her my friend. And now she’s a wife and a mom and it’s no surprise that she excels at both. In February, she’ll become a mom again and I’m so excited to watch her life grow and her little family.

These photos are from my trip. I wanted to catch the every day life of Sarah and her little man. She fed him breakfast, we played in the house and took a trip to the park. Every once and a while I would put my camera down and watch Sarah with Sam. It’s incredible to see the girl I knew in college as a mother. She’s loving and careful. She teaches and she encourages.

Sam is such a lucky little boy.

Sweet summertime

Posted on July 10, 2011 by Lacey

In between the craziness that is wedding season, I took a little trip and floated down a river. I’m pretty lucky…and a little sunburned. Happy summer, my dear readers!

It’s not about me

Posted on July 1, 2011 by Lacey

Two and a half weeks ago, my boyfriend lost his best friend.

Two and a half weeks ago, a friend lost her husband and a baby lost his father.

Four days ago I stood in an airport conference room and watched a wife receive a folded flag in honor of her husband.

Three days ago I stepped inside a funeral home room, shook with nerves and witnessed one of the most heartbreaking moments a person can have.

Two days ago I drove down streets lined with people waving American flags. I watched my boyfriend hold back tears. I watched soldiers – those who were so strong in the beginning – break down in soft-cushioned pews. I watched a woman stand up and walk down behind the love of her life for the last time.

Two days ago I hugged the bravest person I know. I handed her a memory card filled with photos that she will show her son when he’s old enough to understand. I spent three days with her and a baby named Everett. I watched her laugh and celebrate a life. I watched her mourn and grieve. I watched her hug soldiers and reminisce with friends. I watched her walk with a Colonel. I watched her hold two folded flags. I watched her rub her hand over a Purple Heart. I watched her.

It’s amazing how a heart can change in the course of three days. Mine did.

I am changed. Forever.

Ally | The Happiness Project

Posted on April 19, 2011 by Lacey

This is Ally.

She has a huge heart and an even bigger smile. When she giggles, I can’t help but giggle. She has giant dreams and when I think of her, I think of someone who is simply in love with life and what it has in store for her. She has hope and grace and intense love for people. Her spirit is, in one word, intoxicating. I dare you not to like her.

The lyric that reminds me of her the most is from my favorite Temper Trap song, Sweet Disposition. The line – ‘Oh, reckless abandon. Like no one’s watching you’ – well, to me it’s Ally in a nutshell. She runs with wild abandon and she run like no one’s watching.

I’m so excited to see who Ally becomes.

The Happiness Project

Posted on April 18, 2011 by Lacey

“All I ever wanted to hear was music, but then I met you and all I heard was you.” - Rachel Getting Married

My first memory of music is my dad. He’d tuck my sister and I into bed and he’d sing ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight”. His voice was deep and a little off-key, his glasses were perched on his nose, his mustache moving up and down as he sang the words. I’d smile and close my eyes. I liked the high part and Dad squeaked it out for us. Allison would giggle which would make me giggle and we’d go to bed happy girls.

As I got older, I became infatuated with his record collection. I would sort the covers by color, put them in alphabetical order, spread them across our dining room. My favorites were Billy Joel and Carole King. I liked James Taylor and Elton John and the Doobie Brothers. I’d wait for Dad to get home from work, he’d slip the record out of it’s sleeve and put it on the turn table. I’d watch with wide eyes. And then the music would play…I’d dance around, sing into a hairbrush. Dad would pretend to play the guitar or tap his hand on the table. Allison would run out and we’d dance around merrily and I’d pretend to know the words when really I didn’t. But Dad did. And I liked that.

Music has always been a constant in my life. It hasn’t always been good. I mean, yes, I did go through a boy band phase and I used to save up to buy ‘Singles’ at Wal-Mart when that used to be cool. I’d lock myself in my room and turn up my stereo and sing into the mirror. I’m a little pitchy – I get that from Dad – but I don’t really care. I like the beat, I like the guitar, I like the sound. So, I sing along regardless of what it sounds like coming out of my mouth. And now, now you can find me rocking out in my cubicle or dancing around my kitchen or missing an exit because of some intense car singing (yeah, that really happened).

Since I’m plugged into my iPod the majority of the day at work, I started writing down lyrics that touched me or made me think or were just all together lovely. I filled blank pages of paper, the sheets of my moleskine and I started to think about what I should do with them. In an effort to balance my life and get back to all of the things that make me happy, I’ve decided to take on a lyric/photo project that I’m calling The Happiness Project. I’m gathering people that I love, picking a lyric from a song that reminds me of them and asking them to run around with me while I snap their photo.

I’m merging two of the things I love the most: photography and music. I’m trying to make it something beautiful. And happy.

Get excited…The first will be up soon!

Posted on April 15, 2011 by Lacey

More soon…

The comfort of friendship

Posted on January 4, 2011 by Lacey

In everyone’s life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit. -Albert Schweitzer

{I can’t take credit for snapping all of these…Katie and Jayson are super talented!}

Happy Photos for Happy People

Posted on January 2, 2011 by Lacey

Sometimes, my dear readers, I stop myself and can’t believe that I get to take photos. What started as a hobby has blossomed into a new career. People ask me what I want to do five years down the road and before I could never answer and now I say photographer. It’s crazy to think that life can change that fast in a year and a half.

I could not have done any of this without my dear clients. I’m so blessed to work with beautiful-hearted people who smile and laugh with me. I’m so thankful for your referrals and happy words and praise. You make me so very happy. Thank you!

I also would not have made it through without my photo friends. Samantha for second shooting with me during wedding season and keeping me sane. Katie for helping me tackle my sister’s wedding and for letting me second shoot with her and for crazy roadtrips and even crazier stories. Kylee and Tori and Sara Jo who have helped and shadowed and were just downright awesome. I have wayyyyy too much fun with you all!

The year 2010 brought much joy to my life. New friends were made, experiences were had that I’d never imagine. I, along with some pretty awesome people, shot seven weddings this summer and second shot on several others. I started a new big girl job with a commute and am slowly learning how to navigate the City. Friends got married and others got engaged. Some moved away and some moved back. I lost 15-ish pounds, wore a pretty bridesmaid dress and watched my sister take another last name. I smiled and I cried and I laughed…a lot. Dear 2010. You were good to me, but I think 2011 will be better.

The blog has gone through a little redesign. Hopefully, and I seriously mean this, I will keep this layout. I’m constantly changing my mind, but I think I might have finally found/made something that I actually like. Wishful thinking, right? Don’t judge me on how many times I changed my logo this year. I’m indecisive, I can’t help it.

I wanted to start my first post of 2011 off with my favorites from 2010. I am one lucky girl. Enjoy!