jaymee foster photography

great googly moogly!! : )

I'm speechless, I'm dumbfounded, I'm floored...but more than anything I'm honored...

You can read the whole thing here...

Those of you who know me or have worked with me know that I'm never really short on words, like ever. This is one occasion though where I'm having a very hard time expressing exactly how much this means to me...

I never thought I would take my business to this level, never thought I would have this many AWESOME clients, never ever thought that this love, this passion of mine would ever lead to all this. I could add in a bunch of crap about how you should always "dream big" and blah blah blah but I think I'm going to close this post with two very short and simple yet very important words:

THANK. YOU.

to each and every one of you. My clients, my friends, my family and especially my husband - thank you for the bottom of my heart for helping me exist in this awesome life that I have.

: )

family is family - billings family photographer

I'm not sure I could be more behind on blogging if I tried - egads! Sorry 'bout that.

The fam and I are getting ready to head to Red Lodge for a little staycation in order to enjoy the Annual Christmas Stroll and to celebrate our 4th wedding anniversary (it's becoming a tradition of sorts.) Let's just hope Mother Nature cooperates, last year it was too cold and the stroll was cancelled. : ( Fingers crossed!

Speaking of family, I LOVE these pictures from way back in October. I love mainly what they represent - a single mom and her two boys, HER FAMILY - perfect - just as it is. I honestly wish more single parents would do this - celebrate who you all are as a family, no matter what it looks like. Because personally I think it looks spectacular. : )

Hope everyone has a great weekend! I'm just a few hours away from 2 lazy days of hanging around in a snow covered cabin with my love and my little. Can't wait. : ) 

no wimps allowed - billings family photographer

only wimps let a huge snow storm stop their photoshoot...and wimps these guys are not. : )

more from these tough guys later. : )

BE THANKFUL!! - billings senior photographer

love the energy in this...

and speaking of love and energy...today I am very very very thankful for the amazing amount of love and energy that has come from all of my awesome clients this year and all of you blog stalkers. You keep this girl going and for that I will always be so grateful.

Happy Thanksgiving.: )

 

almost that time -- billings family photographer

since we're almost to that time of year for big family gatherings and LOTS 'o' happieness and love I thought I would post this... : )

just because it made me smile on this COLD COLD day.  : )

*making the trip* -- billings family photographer

Off to work this morning so I'm gonna make this quick...

I just wanted to mention that few things mean more to me than when people drive in from out of town just for a shoot. The sacrifices they make (giving up their whole day, the gas, the drive time, etc) certainly don't go unnoticed and it just warms me to the core really. : )

nightly catch

As I was weeding through tonight this caught my eye and I could only think of one thing...

Every child (or person really) should have at least one person look at them like this - like they are just the greatest thing on earth...

the fact that you can see the admiration on their faces even when blurred at a 2.8 aperture (and when I was pretty much ignoring them and focusing on little man) gives you an idea of just how much Mr Merek here is loved by his mom and dad...

two under two and a half -- billings family photographer

two little boys under two and a half - one of those shoots where the theme was definitely "roll with it" or otherwise known as "the way I roll."

It is. This is the way I truly love to do this job and the way I feel I do it best. Limited amount of set up shots (mostly because little guy T and little guy P weren't having it) and more of this adorable little family of four just hanging out at the park on a gorgeous fall day.

Could I have fought for posed? You bet. I've done it before. Grab a toddler and a bribe and do what ever it takes to get them to sit still and smile perfectly at my lens. I learned a while back this just simply isn't my style so I stopped forcing it. (Please note I am in NO WAY attacking other photographer's styles, I'm simply defining mine, that's all.) Chasing a kid down a leaf ridden path with the Tickle Bugs gaining up behind him is so much more the way I like to do things. The smile I catch when he turns around to tickle me back is what I'm after.

I've said it a million times, I am not after The Perfect Portrait. Since I've structured my business a bit differently than others and I'm not really after print sales I focus more on an overall collection of fun, heart warming, feel good images rather than one perfect one of everyone looking and smiling at the camera. Twenty years from now when your kids are off and grown up and living their own lives I truly believe this is what you will want to look back and see. These are the images that will remind you of what life was like - this is what I want to leave you with. This is what I want you to want to "buy."

just a reminder...

all christmas card orders must be placed by monday! : )

*email me at jaymeefoster at gmail dot com with any questions!

*one of the great ones* -- billings family photographer

Any family photographer will tell you that ONE thing will make or break a family photoshoot - dad. Yup, that's it - it's all up to dad. This may sound stupid but I swear it's true. Any and all bumps in the road can be over come as long as dad is on board for having a good time. Crabby toddlers, stiff preteens, stressed out mom, cold weather, etc - all of it can be totally and completely ignored or risen above if dad is happy.

I understand that no man wakes up and squeals "YAY! Photoshoot day!" I know this and that's totally ok. I don't really expect them to *want* to do this - the good ones though will either make the best of it or fake it with all their mite and I don't care which it is - they both work.

My husband is a perfect example. The man (like most men) hates to have his picture taken. He has definitely gotten better about it over the years (for those of you who read my personal blog I'm sure you can see how he doesn't really have a choice.) Last year I BEGGED him for family photos. We didn't do it the first year we had raigan and that crushed me, I was determined to do them for holiday cards in 2009. So like the amazing guy he showed up last October and pulled out all the stops. He was "Mister Family Photoshoot" that day. He tickled raigan and kissed me and hugged us both and he put on a show for an hour that made me fall so in love with him that I could just fall over and die right there. In the end our pictures were amazing thanks a lot to my photographer of course but also in a large part to dereck. He made magic that day and when I come across another dad who does the same I just melt. I would like to introduce you to another awesome husband and dad:

Now don't get me wrong mom is AWESOME as well and Miss Halle, well she's just a show stopper. So the combination of the three of them make for pure magic in my book. Looking at their final images I'm sure you all can agree. : )

**And due to popular request...an outtake. I'm going to try and post one from every shoot when I can just for kicks and because everyone can always use a good clean laugh right? : )