Spring has Sprung in Missoula

It has been a very long winter in Missoula, and even spring has entered in stealth mode, giving us patches of warm, sunny days and then surprise sucker punches of snowstorms like the one that hit yesterday morning.  When I got up in the morning, the city was blanketed in a fresh coat of snow.  Thankfully it had melted off before the afternoon, but not before I stepped out to snap a few images.

Thomas and I often play a game of "what's your favorite season?".  His is invariably summer.  Mine is often split between spring and fall.  I like spring because of the newness of everything, and because when the maple trees start popping open and the lilacs start to bloom and the grass starts to thicken, Missoula becomes alive and bathed in a shade of spring green that finally makes me understand why Crayola dedicated a specific crayon color to it.  I like fall strictly because it reminds me of New England (minus the reds...I miss the reds), and I like to wear sweaters on a crisp, clear day.

Montana Spring Runoff:  Gardener-style... 

Crocus, undeterred by the snowstorm...

Lenten rose...

Future delphinium...

Future daffodil...

Future iris...

My favorite (and only) clump of purple crocus...not quite sure what happened to the rest of them...

Forgotten, unharvested onion...my friend says it looks like they're having a convention...

Volunteer tulips that took up residence in my vegetable garden about 10 years ago.  They must have been dormant bulbs in the yard and then when we moved the garden, they woke up.  They are a brilliant shade of red when they bloom, and I just haven't had the heart to relocate them elsewhere.  So I plant around them every year and wait until their leaves turn yellow before I cut them back.  Last year they nested next to the green bean trellis.  Not sure what will go around them this year...

Future raspberry...

Future strawberry...

Future honeysuckle flower...a favorite among our hummingbird population...

I love when the aspen leaves start to pop out.  They remind me of those big wooly-bugger caterpillars we find every so often...

The forsythia bush is getting ready to bloom.  I saved this bush years ago by hacking it nearly to the ground and allowing it to regenerate.  Andy has always said I should just dig it up and replace it, but I find great satisfaction in watching it heal itself and grow back much stronger.  I think the same can be said about people...

Thomas watched all of this from the comfort of our house.  He would tap on the window and then jump away when I'd try to take his picture.  This was the only shot I got, but I think it captures his gleeful personality. 

Matt and Sarah Engagement Photos

Oops...this post was originally saved waaaay back in December, and then I forgot to hit "publish".  Technogeek I am admittedly not.

I had the pleasure of photographing Matt and Sarah on a chilly December day in downtown Missoula. They are just the sweetest couple and they have a special place in my heart.  When they first came to me to ask if I would photograph their wedding next summer, it was hard to hide the tears of joy I felt to be asked to perform such an honor.

They are just a delightful couple and they are so in love that it just gives me goosebumps typing this blog. I am SO EXCITED for their wedding I can't even describe it. Sarah is just beautiful, and she has such a kind and encouraging spirit. They have a gentleness with each other that just reminds me of how love should be personified.

Thank you SO much for shivering away today you guys. I hope the Ugly Christmas Sweater party goes well!

Congratulations Noelle and Sandino

Here's a little sneak peek of a few of my favorites from Noelle and Sandino's wedding, held yesterday in the lobby of the old Florence Hotel. This charming couple have been together since high school, and they are a LOT of fun! Their wedding was an intimate ceremony with close friends and family. The fireplace definitely came in handy, since a chilly windstorm blew in while we were all inside, warm and cozy.





It was an honor to be a part of your day. Your love for each other and your laughter will carry you both so far! Can't wait to get the rest of the images finished and ready for you to enjoy!

So, Maureen, What Did You Do All Summer Anyway?

I've had that question posed to me more than once since I quit my corporate job in mid-July. Whoa. It's been a wild ride, I assure you!

After 8 1/2 years working for a corporation, I took a MAJOR plunge and left the safe, secure world of the steady paycheck to venture into the unknown and scary world of the artist. Did I face criticism for putting my family in financial danger? Yes. Did I think about the consequences of my actions? Assuredly, yes. Did I have any reservations? Absolutely, yes. Do I regret my decision. Decidedly NO.

I can feel myself coming back to a person I used to be. That sounds dramatic, but I assure you that it's absolutely true. I've been able to pay all my bills with my camera since the day I left the day job. I've been more attentive to the needs of my children. I sleep through the night without the assistance of Tylenol PM. I am happier. I am kinder. I am slower to anger. I have cooked regular family meals almost all this week. Essentially everything I sacrificed, rightly or wrongly, to a corporation that didn't really care about me personally, I have begun to rebuild. And it feels intensely, almost insanely, good.

What I did discover during these last seven or so weeks was the impact of burnout on a person. Physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. I was hit and destroyed on all of those fronts. The further I get away from it, the more I see it and wish I had intervened for myself long before it got to this point.

So in the midst of all this healing, I have had some fantastic experiences.

1) I was hired as the photographer for Next Step Prep, a seven-week performing arts academy associated with the Missoula Children's Theater. You can tune in to the blog I created for that program to see what these amazing 26 inaugural students did and the amazing experience I had documenting the process (there are about 10 more blog posts to do...sorry...things got a little hectic there).

2) I had a fantastic wedding with Suzanne and Bobby, two amazing actors who chose me to tell the story of their day. What wonderful people. What a beautiful wedding. I was blessed to have been a part of it.

3) I have been back in the studio doing what I love to do most--creating!!! I am also experimenting with some new lighting techniques that I think will knock the socks off some of our senior photos.

4) I am also hard at work developing marketing plans, strategies, and great deals to re-launch myself in the photography world, now that I have all the time and energy to do so.

5) I get to volunteer at my little boy's school. Thomas started kindergarten this year. It's amazing that this little teeny preemie baby is now sitting nicely in his chair at circle, engaged in lesson plans, and able to do the monkey bars unassisted (this was a LONG process of physical and occupational therapy this past summer and he has just excelled). I am so excited to be a part of his elementary school experience. If I'd kept that old job, I doubt I would have been able to do much. I also get to go to Madelyn's cross-country meets and cheer her own without the worries of having to schedule it around a corporate schedule.

So there you have it. I feel like a butterfly newly released from a cocoon. Cliche, yes, I know, but it's the God's honest truth.

I want to express a heartfelt thanks to my dearest friends, who not only supported me through thick and thin, but who also gave a rousing HURRAH when I made the decision to leave, to my clients, who were patient with me when I got a little behind, to the Missoula Children's Theater, for giving me such a wonderful opportunity to work on a fantastic project, and for my husband, Andy, who ultimately encouraged me to work 100% on the studio.

Life is good.

Suzanne and Bobby Sneak Peak

I had a FANTASTIC time photographing Suzanne and Bobby's wedding in Virginia City, Montana at the end of July. They are actors in different companies and have spent the summer living apart due to their work schedules. The wedding was held at noon on a Wednesday because nearly everyone had to be in a show that night (except for these two!). What a beautiful, genuine, heartfelt ceremony. I was so touched by their words and the little details and jokes inserted into their wedding. And even though it was outside and a bit breezy, we could hear EVERY word because hey...everyone in the wedding party was a stage performer!


More to come, but I just wanted to share a little sneak peak. We had the opportunity to do an "after the wedding" shoot at sunset on Boot Hill and in the old section of Virginia City.



Thank you so much, Suzanne and Bobby, for letting me be a part of your day. It was an absolute pleasure and an absolute honor.

Studio Updates and Baby Maysa

I had the opportunity to photograph the newest addition to Katie and Jeremiah's home...little Maysa, who was born in November and is just one of the cutest little girls I have ever seen. She has these adorable little petite features (except for her lungs, which are NOT petite!), and has the happiest little squeal. She was very tolerant of our clothing changes and loved her special cow blanket. I wanted to share one of my favorites from the day.


It was a bit of a whirlwind week at the studio. I had a wonderful maternity shoot with Liza, who has recently relocated to Missoula from Alaska and is the new owner of the Canyon Salon. I met baby McCaul, who decided to nap through a good chunk of the shoot which made for some absolutely beautiful portraits with daddy (as soon as I get permission to post, I'll share him with you!), and today I finished up a shoot for the cover of the United Way of Missoula County annual report. I was hired this past summer to create images for this year's "Live United" campaign. We did a group shot of about 40 people who gathered in the lobby of the old Florence Hotel, and we shot the image from the balcony above. Ed Doyle assisted me and even jumped around and made funny noises to get the kids' attention (which only proves that he is my friend, as this is sooooo not characteristic of my studio mate! THANKS ED!!!). Once I get initial edits done on those, I'll post them, too.

Busy weeks ahead, as Bye Bye Birdie opens at the Missoula Children's Theater on Friday, March 13th. If you haven't purchased tickets, get them quick. They are selling like hot dogs and apple pie! I'll be shooting the performance photos for that show, as well as Jack and the Beanstalk, the last after-school camp of the season for MCT. In April, I'll be traveling home to Boston with Thomas in tow to visit my parents for a couple weeks. My father finishes his radiation treatments on Friday, March 13th (HOORAY!!!). If you recall from my earlier post about Thomas's birth on a Friday the 13th, I consider that day to be very lucky in my life, so it's only fitting that Dad should end on such a good note!

I've been asked to do a couple photo shoots for families while I'm back in the Boston area, so if you know anyone who might be interested in scheduling a shoot, have them give me a call at (406) 240-6050 and we'll see if we can work something out. I'm going to limit the number of shoots I do so I can spent time with my parents, see some of my oldest and best friends, and sit by the ocean. I don't CARE if it snowed a foot this past week. I'll bring blankets and a parka if I have to. I miss the water.

Wedding season is also fast approaching, and my phone has been ringing frequently with inquiries about wedding packages and availability. We're starting to book up for our dates this summer, so if you are a bride interested in booking your photographer... call quick!

I have been burning the midnight oil (and the 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. oil) for the past week, so I'm going to take a much-needed nap and sign off here. I've been remiss about posting updates due to the crazy schedule, but I'll work on it, I promise!

Puttin' the Book to Bed

I hit the 50,000 word mark for NaNoWriMo a week ago, and have spent this past week adding in details and tweaking some stuff. It's certainly far from a polished, final work, but I'm really happy at where things ended up.



The print jobs were all sent to the lab, and I'm finishing up some edits tonight before I head over to the Missoula Children's Theater to take performance photos for "Nuncrackers". Madelyn was cast at the last minute for the show when one of the performers had to drop out, so she's spent the past week learning blocking, music, and all the little details. We're so proud of our little postulate.

The show opens on Dec 5th but there will be run-throughs and dress rehearsals over the next few days. From what I've seen of the show thus far, it looks like it's going to be pretty funny.

Secret Garden images from November 15th and 16th will be posted to my proofing site by this afternoon. Check them out. Performance photos for parents are available on disk.

http://maureenroyphotography.nextproof.com

We are also excited to tell you of our newest arrival to our home. Elfie the Elf arrived on Friday afternoon, a gift from my sister and her daughters. He's our resident "Elf on the Shelf" and Thomas is smitten with this little guy. Elfie flies back to the North Pole each night to give Santa a report on Thomas's behavior, and hides in a new place each morning. I'll post some of the funny places he's ended up. Thomas has beene excited to look for him in the morning, although today was more of a challenge, as he was sitting on the molding on the kitchen door, so it took a while to spot him. Thanks for the new addition, guys! I wish I could have an elf all year!

Have a great week, everyone!