and new PHOTO BLOG:
www.rachelhalsey.com/blog

Enjoy!

I totally want this as a canvas in my living room:


They look like they belong right there :]


One of my favorites. They look like a magazine ad. I almost can’t handle the perfection!


lovelovelove!

They are so adorable/beautiful/lovely:

Major cuteness…

I love Greenville when I see images like this:

And to end. So freaking gorgeous.

And this, my friends, is what I did this past Sunday, February 21st:

Oh the joys of living in South Carolina – where the weather changes more often than most people change their socks ;]

Love love love to my internet friends. Here’s to a sunny week!

:]

er, dog-sit….

Nope. Nevermind. The first one was perfect :]
This is Bailey.
Bailey belongs to my co-worker, Kim.
Bailey is softly “bark. bark. bark.” ing at me right now because I’m not paying enough attention to him.

If you have any questions you’d like for me to add on here – please don’t hesitate to shoot me an email or post your question here in the “comments” section.

How long will our shoot last?
Basically, until we both feel like we’ve gotten the shots you want! Shoots can last anywhere from an hour to two and half… I’m flexible and understanding. Especially when it comes to photographing babies and children. I understand that people get fussy when they’re hungry or tired (hey! It happens to me, too!) so please don’t feel bad if we have to take a little “break” to ensure everyone is as happy as possible so that your pictures turn out extraordinary.

What should I wear?
I think I get this question more than any other. And it’s an easy answer.
Wear whatever makes you feel great.
Be comfortable. If you’re comfortable and feel good about what you’re wearing – it will show. Don’t worry about matching – instead think coordinating. Similar styles/complimentary colors photograph beautifully together. Typically, solid colors photograph better than busy prints but again, if you feel your best wearing a boldly patterned dress or shirt – wear it!
{Here is an example for you – please excuse the quickly put together collage!}

Why is lifestyle photography so expensive when I can go to the mall and get “studio pictures” for $24.99?
Another great question. This is a question that I so badly want to answer for anyone curious as to why lifestyle photography is so expensive.
My job is not just a job to me. You are not paying me to get the lighting right and snap away right when your child has the perfect smile on his or her face.
You are paying me for our time of shooting, plus hours worth of editing so that I can create timeless art for you and your home.
Nothing saddens me more than handing over a disc of your edited images and seeing them printed out at your local discount or drug store.
Your photos will not be given the justice that I am envisioning when I capture the moment as well as when I’m editing the final image.
My hope is that you will treasure your images for what they are - pieces of art. I love seeing an image that I’ve captured of a moment in time when you and your family are being just that – a family. No fake smiles or cheesy poses. Just personalities and love and joy and happiness.
And when you have an image such as that made into a canvas and hung on your wall? I get butterflies because of how beautiful each family looks as art.
And these are images that will last forever. Shouldn’t they be go so much deeper and be worth more than a mass $24.99 picture package?

How long after my shoot will my images be ready?
Typically anywhere from 1-3 weeks. May and June are the busiest times and the months for the most weddings – so expect processing to take a bit longer than usual.
I try my best to keep you updated on my progress and I will always send you a few “samples” so that you aren’t completely dying from lack of seeing your beautiful works of art! ;]
Wedding processing takes longer and ranges from 2-4 weeks.

Baby Mac is the cutest. He was such a sport throughout everything and I must say – quite the photogenic little man.
Anne, Bradley, and Mac – I had a blast and all three of you are precious.
I can’t wait to watch Mac grow and get even more adorable (if that’s even possible!) :]
Internet friends – enjoy:

Can you even handle these baby blues??

Love these two. You can tell Mac already has his mama wrapped around those little fingers ;]

Mac’s nursery is adorable! I had to get his name in at least a few shots…

THOSE EYES! This is probably my favorite of the day.

And then… we had bathtime! I have never seen a child so happy as Mac was in the tub! I love this shot:

On his parents bed :]

A sweet family portrait:

And of course I had to get some shots of Anne and Bradley…
By the way, Anne – I’m calling you before my next paint job to find out the exact color of your dining room!

Sweetness…

1. What are your initials?
R~O~H
2. What is your favorite thing to wear?
pj pants!
3. Last thing you ate?
A bowl of cereal.
4. One place you will NEVER eat at?
I don’t care for Indian food. Ick.
5. I say Shotgun, you say:
Huh?
6. Last person you hugged?
Hm. Probably my sweet husband.
7. Does anyone you know wanna date you?
Hopefully not ;]
8. Would you date anyone you met online?
I’m off the dating market, whew!
9. Name something you like physically about yourself:
My eyes.
10. The last place you went out to dinner to?
Panera.
11. Who is your best friend?
John Halsey <3
12. What time of the day is it?
5:30 pm
13. Who/What made you angry today?
Angry? No one. Irritated? Now that may or may not have been my hubby. And my dogs.
14. Baseball or Football?
Baseball.
15. Ever gone skinny dipping?
Nope.
16. Favorite type of Food?
Thai.
17. Favorite holiday:
Thanksgiving. & my birthday =P
18. Do you download music:
John downloads it for me.
19. Do you care if your socks are dirty?
Yes! Clean socks, please!
20. Opinion of Chinese symbol tattoos?
I guess as long as you know what it means and it means something to you…
21. Has anyone ever sang or played for you personally?
22. Do you love anyone?
Oh, I love a lot of people!
23. Are colored contact lenses sexy?
I’m not sure contacts could ever be “sexy”.
24. Have you ever bungee jumped?
Nope.
25. Have you ever gone white-water rafting?
Nope again.
27. Has anyone ten years older than you ever hit on you?
Maybe. I don’t remember though.
28. How many pets do you have?
Two pups and one kitty cat.
29. Have you met a real redneck?
I live in South Carolina. What do you think? ;]
30. How is the weather right now?
31. What are you listening to right now?
Simon and Garfunkel
32. What is your current favorite song?
Oh goodness… I don’t think I can pick just one! It would probably be something by Damien Rice, Joshua Radin, Death Cab, or Bright Eyes.
33. What was the last movie you watched?
34. Do you wear contacts?
I do.
35. Where was the last place you went besides your house?
Office.
36. What are you afraid of?
Spiders. Snakes. Losing a loved one. Failure. (Not in that order. Ha)
37. How many piercings have you had?
3 in each ear and one in my nose.
38. What piercings do you want?
I think I’m done with piercings.
39. What’s one thing you’ve learned this year?
That it is far better to be genuine and have people dislike you than to be who you think people want you to be.
You will never please everyone so you might as well be true to two people: Jesus and yourself.
40. What do you usually order from Starbucks?
In the winter – Peppermint mocha. In the summer – Iced caramel macchiacto .
41. What Magazines are you reading?
In Style.
Random photography magazines.
42. Have you ever fired a gun:
When I was ten I went to summer camp and took a riflery class for four days. Does that count? ;]
43. Are you missing someone?
I’m always missing my family (they live in NH).
And right now I’m ready for John to get home.
44. Favorite TV show?
Law and Order SVU.
45. Do you have an obession with WoW?
Haha, no.
46. Has anyone ever said you looked like a celeb?
I used to get Mara Wilson (Matilda) A LOT.
And in high school I had a few people tell me I look like Kelly Clarkson. I don’t think so though.
47. What celeb do you look like?
I don’t think anyone anymore!
48. Who would you like to see right now?
My sisters. And my mom. And my dad…
I guess my entire family!
49. Favorite movie of all time?
Wild hearts can’t be broken.
American beauty.
Anne of Green Gables (and Avonlea!)
The family stone.
50. Do you find yourself loved?
More so than I deserve.
51. Have you ever been caught doing something you weren’t suppose to?
Of course.
52. Favorite smell?
Patchouli.
53. Butter, plain, or salted popcorn?
Buttered and salted!
55. Ever been in a cop car in real life?
Thankfully, no.
56. Has anyone you were really close to passed away recently?
My great grandmother.
57. Our Lady Peace or Nickelback?
Neither.
58. What’s something that really bugs you?
People that are fake.
Ridiculously long lines.
Taxes.
59. Do you like Michael Jackson?
RIP, MJ. I have been known to break out some Thriller moves every so often ;]
60. Taco Bell or Burger King?
bk.
61. What’s your favorite perfume?
At the moment – Viva La Juicy. Mmmmm.
62. Favorite baseball team?
Yankees.
65. What’s the longest time you’ve gone without sleep?
Hm. 24 hours.
66. Last time you went bowling?
Probably my freshman year of college!
67. Where is the weirdest place you have slept?
In a treehouse.
68. Who was your last phone call?
My sister, Abbie.
69. Last time you were at work?
I’m always at work! ;]
70. What’s the closest orange object to you?
The spine of Mere Christianity in my bookshelf.

And because blog posts aren’t fun without pictures:
We have had gloomy, gloomy weather here in Greenville lately. Sometimes I let the weather affect me much more than it should.
The other day, I let my puppies out in the back yard just as it was starting to sprinkle. I sighed and silently cursed the yuckiness of the day.
And then I looked up. I saw this tree and was instantly amazed at how beautiful it was. And creepy. I loved it.
I grabbed my camera and snapped this before I went back inside and then you know what I did?
I forgot about it.
Until today, that is. And when I saw it on my camera – it made me smile all over again at the reminder of beauty being found in the yuckiness.
I think that’s a good thing to be reminded of.

Gotta get that bling! ;]

A glow-y portrait:

Love this:

Same bench. B&W :]

I was feeling generous with this post ;]

Sweetness…

My favorite of the day: