Lerissa Broome Photography

Farewell!

This is my LAST POST here on Typepad. My little blog has been here since 2008, but it's time to move on to my new home:www.lbphotostudio.net. Please be sure to bookmark my new site...and come by to visit!!

Just Keep Swimming

WOW...it's been a busy month. October always goes by so quickly (for my family, it's a month filled with birthdays and anniversaries, then it leads right into the holidays).

Speaking of holidays, Regan was Rapunzel for Halloween (her new favorite princess). She wore her yarn braid and costume to our church's fall festival...and had a great time! She did awesome at some of the games....throwing rings, tossing ping pong balls into (wait for it....) fishbowls. I was thrilled for her, until I learned she won a FISH (yes, the little goldfish...you know the one). I was less than thrilled about this prize....she quickly became attached and named it "Dorothy"...just like Elmo's. OH BOY

Anyhow, she talked sweetly to the fish all the way home...we put it in a vase (because I, of course, was not prepared to bring home a pet with gills). Surprisingly it was still swimming happily on Monday morning. By Tuesday I had decided we better buy it some fish food, accepting that this might become a permanent family member. I picked Regan up this afternoon, when we checked on Dorothy...she was floating in her bowl.

NOW, I'm certainly no fish expert...I actually don't care for fish, but was willing to make the most of it for my daughter. BUT, when she discovered her dead fish, she was HEARTBROKEN...big fat tears and sobs. Let me just say, grief is one thing, but when your child is grief-stricken...you just want to make it better. After calling my husband and having Regan explain about the fish through her sobs...he was of the same mind as me...GET A NEW FISH.

So, about $50 and 40 minutes later, we had Dorothy#2. Now, all I can say when I stop by her tank is: JUST KEEP SWIMMING.

Let your hair down

Hair is a popular subject in my home these days...thanks to Rapunzel. She is my daughter's new hero. Regan's favorite thing to do is to dress up...and lately, she is dressing like Rapunzel. This particular character has been chosen for this year's halloween costume (which, uh, I need to get started on making).

Well, this weekend, I decided to make Regan some "Rapunzel hair" (inspired by Pinterest). So, a roll of golden yarn (only $2.50!!!) and about 10 minutes later, we had a Rapunzel braid (and a very happy little girl).

 

This brings me to announce Costume Mini-Sessions...who is your child going to be this year?? Or perhaps it's their FAVORITE character or hero?? (Regan's favorite earlier this year was Jessie, from Toy Story2...so I did a Cowgirl Photoshoot to capture it before she outgrew it.)

SO, want to capture this special time?or unique costume?? Schedule a Costume Mini-Session!! It's a great deal, only $45 for a 30 minute session and a CD of your 5 favorite images! (this expires Oct 22).
 
 

Celebrate Childhood ~ All about me session

My daughter is turning four....where has the time gone? Just yesterday I brought her home from the hospital...or so it seems. She is growing up so fast...I don't want to miss a moment. That is what prompted this session, in addition to her current love for ALL THINGS cowgirl.

Ever since she saw Toy Story3, she has wanted to be "Jessie, the cowgirl". Her birthday is in a couple of weeks, so I was frantic about capturing her in this current phase...cowgirl boots, ponies and pre-school.

If you have a child, you understand how precious and fleeting their childhood is...so make the most of it....capture them JUST LIKE THEY ARE NOW. These NEW "All About Me Sessions" are the perfect way to capture what they're into: whether it's super heros, princesses or collecting rocks...this phase of their life is beautiful. In just a short time, they will move onto something else.

With that said, here is my sweet little Cowgirl:

 

 

 

 

This All About Me Session is wrapped up into two convenient packages:

$150~Session and Custom 10x10 Keepsake Book

$175~Session, Custom 10x10 Keepsake Book and DVD Slideshow

Contact me to book your child's session!!

Life's Little Moments: Cowgirl Cafe

This is the start of a new weekly blogpost...featuring: little moments of my life. (I'm hoping to be able to keep this up, but to be honest with you, some weeks are just plain CRAZY)

Today after work and dinner...I had the pleasure of visiting a great little cafe...hosted by the best cook: my daughter.  She whipped me up some tea (in the finest princess china) and offered me an assortment of delights: various plastic muffins, cupcakes and pastries! It's moments like this that just add the powdered sugar to my day...

(here she is in her kitchen, cooking up a storm in her cowgirl hat)

Merry Christmas, Happy HOLYday

Christmas is my favorite holiday of the year. I LOVE the lights, the music, seeing friends and family and giving gifts. It's such a fun time. While all of these things are fun and wonderful, they can also be distracting from the reason we celebrate this HOLYday in the first place.

My daughter has a children's Christmas book that explains how each of the festive decorations is a reminder of that Holy Night long ago. Such as...

The lights remind us that Jesus came to be the LIGHT of the world.

"Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." John 8:12

While Christmas is a fun holiday, it is FIRST a HOLYday. This was God's plan of redemption wrapped in human flesh, as a baby. The truth of this celebration is overshadowed by holiday menus, door buster sales, reindeer and a little man in a red suit. While none of these things are terrible, they are not what Christmas is about. Christmas really is about giving. Giving gifts to others makes me feel wonderful, it's great to be generous and self-less. BUT, even that is a reminder that we give because a gift was FIRST given to us. That precious gift was given first in a manger, then on the cross: His name is JESUS, EMMANUEL. 

"Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name EMMANUEL, which being interpreted is, God with us."
Matthew 1:23

If you take the time to observe every aspect of this HOLYday, you will see Jesus Christ in it: the LIGHTs, the GIFTs, the Star on your tree...HE is the REASON.

"For the wages of sin is death; but the GIFT of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23

May the LOVE, PEACE and JOY of JESUS CHRIST fill your heart and home this Christmas!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Where Life Becomes Art

I use this slogan on my blog, on promo cards, etc. This really is my goal as a photographer. Life is so precious and so short...it's lived every moment and in every little detail....so why not celebrate those details? Why not take those little moments: your son eating an ice cream cone during the summer, your daughter serving tea to her favorite bear, your kids building a sand castle at the beach. My goal as a photographer is to take those moments and make them into art to be celebrated and enjoyed for years to come.

Now, don't get me wrong, I like formal pictures, but my point is: to celebrate EACH moment of life, because they are all beautiful. This is more my style of photography...casual, fun, REAL moments. As a mom, these are the moments I want to remember because they pass so quickly.

Here is an example: I've been working on re-doing my daughter's room (she's currently into Princesses....OF COURSE), so I wanted new art for her room. I have seen this saying a few places and LOVED it, so I thought I would photograph her and create something for her wall. We got out nail polish, she wanted her hair curled...and she LOVES tutus and pettiskirts....so we had SO MUCH FUN dressing her up and this is one of the images, taken in my living room with a simple backdrop. I took that and created the wall art I had envisioned for her room.

If you have a great idea for some art from your life....give me a call or send me an email and we'll create something beautiful!

Monsters, Cheerios and Mini-Sessions

OK, so some of you seem surprised that I don't know EVERYTHING. But really, there are so many little mysteries in life, like WHERE do the cheerios rolling around on the floorboard of my car come from? who is the MONSTER that leaves socks lying around the house? WHY are milk jugs shaped the way they are? (you know the milk just runs down the side when you pour a glass...ugh). OK, so I know the answers to the first TWO questions....but really, why can't we get a different design for the milk jug??

SO, in light of learning NEW things and inviting ideas into my somewhat messy brain...Please accept this personal invitation to send me YOUR ideas for mini-sessions. WHAT would you like to see me offer? VINTAGE car session? a TOTALLY pink session? Please feel free to provide ideas...and if you come up with a solution for the milk jug...I think we should split it 80/20??

For my love, my best friend, A.K.A my husband

It's been 11 years. ACTUALLY, it's been over 16 years. Tomorrow, we celebrate 11 years of marriage, but much longer as friends and sweethearts.

Sometimes I forget our story, in the rush of life, but when I take the time to quietly remember, so many things come back to me...

-You asking me out for the first time at the youth Valentine's banquet, you brought me a rose
-You being the first one at my side when I collided with the bicycle at youth camp
-Your "BIG BROWN TRUCK" rumbling down my road to pick me up
-Driving from your house to bring me orange juice when I was sick
-Paying our portion of the phone bills so we could talk everyday (thank you to our parents for being so understanding)
-breaking up
-the Christmas play...I TOTALLY blame Brad
-being in the mountains when you proposed and feeling like we were on top of the world
-our wedding, not giving much thought to the passing hurricane, but being so happy to be your wife, finally
-each adventurous year together
-dodgeball in the house
-our beautiful daughter...and how much like you she is (come on, admit it)
-you always being the one to make me laugh, no matter how bad my day has been

I love sharing life with you...and so many days I take you for granted. But, when I'm being honest, as I am now....I really don't deserve you. I'm SO VERY GRATEFUL that God brought us together. How we have a history together, have grown up together...just being together....that's so much more than I ever hoped for. I love you, thank you for marrying me.

(taken with a FILM camera, using the timer....don't hate!)

A walk in the past

Last week I joined a group of photo enthusiasts who participated in Scott Kelby's Worldwide PhotoWalk. Our group met in Micanopy. This town is charming. I love the old homes, the slow pace, the big oaks whose branches reach toward heaven....it's just beautiful. And, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the antiques stores....so many fun things in there. It just seems like place where time stands still.

This was my first year participating in the walk and I really enjoyed it. I met a few new people, which is always fun....but mostly was able to just escape into creativity with my camera. It was about 100 degrees and I was soaked with sweat, but still had a wonderful time. Here are a few images I captured.



I just loved this wall! So much texture!

 






I think this may be my favorite image of the day. Not sure why, just love how it looks so unkept.

Or maybe this.

Or this...I just LOVE trees.

Thanks to Laurel Housden for hosting the walk, it was great fun! Be sure to go to Micanopy one day...eat at the Old Florida Cafe...it's delicious!