Here Goes Nothing…
Happy Friday, friends! Welcome to my first official blog (that feels weird to say). This is another awkward introduction that puts me outside of my comfort zone! For those who may be new around here, I am Olivia, also known as “Liv” by my close friends! I am a lifestyle photographer based in Birmingham, AL and also a wife and mother to 3 sweet girls: Daphne Elizabeth and twins, Audrey Willow and Everette Delilah. My passion for photography began prior to having children while traveling with my husband, Nolan. I am self taught through lots of practice, trial, and error. My desire is to capture organic moments and timeless memories through the collision of creativity, natural light, and finding beauty in the mundane. This is what fuels my desire to provide the same quality images for you that I would want to receive myself.
I’m here for you Mamas.
Life is a balancing act of unmet expectations for societal standards and finding what works best for your family.
My career background is in healthcare and I have a Master’s degree in nursing. I continue working part time as a nurse practitioner. However, creativity is truly my passion and fulfills the space in my brain needing a creative outlet! I absolutely LOVE seeing how the images develop to capture your family’s unique personality. Did you know I’ve been a nurse for 10 years? And a nurse practitioner for 6 years?! Can’t believe how time flies. Working in healthcare is not easy (hello burnout) with small children due to the long hours and little flexibility. However, I’m so grateful for my experience because it has shaped me into who I am today. I am so so grateful for the current opportunity to work creatively doing what I LOVE while balancing part time work in health care. This newfound flexibility allows me to make my family a priority which is a huge necessity for me!
My past experience gives me something that I believe is so helpful in the creative world in many ways. PERSPECTIVE. As a nurse, you have so many roles: Advocate, listener, counselor, friend, and educator to name a few (in addition to actually caring for patients). Nurses have a learned ability to view perspective from a mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional standpoint.
What that means specifically is this: I see the difficulty you feel in caring for your precious newborn(s) while completely and utterly sleep deprived while also recovering from childbirth or a C-section (which is major surgery). I know there are dozens of newborn skin rashes that are 100% normal and nothing is wrong with your sweet baby, nor will it negatively impact your photos thanks to wonderful photoshop brushes! I know what postpartum depression looks and feels like (both professionally and personally). I know the mom guilt, anxiety, and pressure we all feel as mothers to “keep up.” I understand the sacrifices made each day for those littles who can’t care for themselves. It takes its toll on you from all sides eventually. And lastly, I have had the COVID vaccine but will still gladly wear a mask for our session! Your family’s safety from all perspectives is a priority to me.
With all of that being said, what I am trying to convey is that I feel called to be intentional with each client from ALL perspectives. Building relationships and lifting each other up while having a laid back and easy approach to our session is my main goal. Although I am a very strong willed enneagram 1 (aka perfectionist), I have had the opportunity to work on my self growth over the years. I believe having realistic expectations sets the tone and helps to prevent disappointment in the long run. I 100% do not expect your toddler or baby to act right, sit still perfectly posed, or behave during our photo session! What I have found that works best is to let children “do their thang” if you will, and get their wiggles out. The best photos are captured while they are playing or at the very end of the session when they have opened up! I am here to tell you to stop sweating the small stuff and know that there is beauty in the mundane! It is truly my pleasure to capture that for you!
If you’ve made it this far, thanks for reading the thoughts that God placed on my heart to share. I am so excited for what is to come and to see the future unfold. Thanks for reading friends! Stay tuned for more…
It’s true that comparison is the thief of joy.
Perspective is Everything.
Don’t waste time comparing your circumstances to what appears on social media, but instead take time to reflect on what truly matters most in the mundane messy middle.
P.S. I had the pleasure of working with Eleanor Stenner Photography, who is a creative genius and who took my headshots recently. Always happy to work with fellow believers who are passionate about what they do and who represent Christ so well.
