Smiling as I'm editing Claire's senior pictures this evening. We did her session recently -- she knew she wanted autumn overtones to her images -- and I was enchanted with her lovely demeanor and quiet intelligence. We laughed about whether she'll chose Indiana University and I, as everyone who knows me knows, can't imagine why a high school senior would choose anyplace else (unless he/she wants an engineering or agriculture degree....  We don't have those, here!).  

I've done portraits for/with about 25 high school students this past month and the young minds are engaging and joyful.  I love photographing these kids.  I would've enjoyed having a photographer walk around my favorite spots with me when I was their age....  What a blessing for me to be able to create       beautiful images that Claire and others will embrace the remainders of their lives.

Coming up for air, momentarily, from non-stop wedding work....  It's been a gorgeous few months. I've literally shot tens-of-thousands of beautiful wedding day shots, for dozens of marriages. Nowhere near caught up on editing, yet, but I will be by the end of November.

After that? Well, for starters, I'm planning to watch every IU basketball game this season....! 

Basketball, running, photography, traveling, IU, golf, kayaking, motorcycling, reading, watching films/documentaries, wandering, writing, etc.....  Like most folks, I've not yet figured out the right proportions of how much time to devote to X when A, B and C are equally compelling, but as I travel over Thanksgiving week and again in December, I'll be doing some reshuffling of the deck to make sure I devote more time to personal pursuits in 2018. Aside from vacation in 2017 I've not had a free weekend this year. That's fantastic, from a business standpoint, but I feel out-of-sorts from a personal standpoint with how busy I've been professionally.  There's a best-number of annual shoots, and I've learned that working more (saying "Yes!") is, for me, moving in the wrong direction, and that I must learn to say "Thank you, but no" more often (and turn that time into personal pursuits). 

Life keeps nudging us in the direction we're meant to stroll. I'm being nudged toward slowing down and appreciating quiet, peaceful moments.

Weddings, weddings, weddings!

This is the first weekend ever that I've taken a Saturday wedding and then also another the following day (Sunday -- today) . What a rush!  Got home late last night from the first wedding, slept for a bit, woke up before dawn for a 10-mile run, and now back out the front door to the second wedding...! 

The trade-off? So much laughter, so many poignant moments, so many beautiful images and memories.... Life is a constant balance, of sorts, and this mad burst of late-summer-through-autumn weddings has been an astonishing, meteoric experience.  I'm blessed that so many couples have chosen me as their wedding day partner.  

After college I shared an apartment in Chicago for a couple years with a great guy who had a wonderful expression I've always remembered: "I'm busier than a one-armed wallpaper hanger!".

Well....  I loved the quote back then, and I'm feeling it (in spades) now....  Not a single day off in over two months, which is fantastic (the work and service are being sought out) but daunting (a day off on the horizon sure would be an oasis)!

At last glance I'm at 23 weddings for 2017, and 2018 is filling quickly, too.  Intertwined, of course, are weekday portraits, corporate work (today's assignment was a fantastic limestone supplier company), business head shots (I've never liked that description of a business portrait, but somehow it's the accepted language) and senior pictures.  

November 18th.  

That's the next date I've written in my calendar to schedule no assignment.  I'm running my 25th or so marathon in November (I've lost count of my marathons) so my Thanksgiving 2017 will be a celebration of A) having a remarkably successful year as a photographer and B) taking a few days off to catch a deep breath.  Before the next wedding, which will be the following weekend....!

Delirious, energized, grateful, appreciative, determined and awed,

Jeff

(thank you for having faith in me, to paraphrase the incomparabel John Hiatt)

Such a lovely young man....  Laren is a member of the IU baseball team and an all-around good human being. I love being around intelligent, dedicated, positive students. I told him that he inspired me, with his mature demeanor and sharp world view. I'm looking forward to watching him play center field for the Hoosiers this coming spring, and to see where he takes his career post-graduation.

My business is such a fascinating mix of older/younger, indoor/outdoor and studio/on-location. I shot headshots each day this week, and am now off to shoot a wedding all Saturday afternoon/evening. Tomorrow is an engagement shoot. There is a constant stream of joy, anticipation, celebration and appreciation. I work at the center of a circle of positive energy, and for that I am blessed.

Crazy non-stop month of portraits, senior pictures, engagements, weddings, corporate work and family reunions....  It's a whirlwind, but exhilarating.  Such a simple, straightforward recipe: Treat every person with love and respect, keep pricing Midwest-affordable, and take meaningful, honest, beautiful images.  

Give me a call, send me a note or stop by my studio to talk about your upcoming shoot.  And give my Facebook page a "Like" (https://www.facebook.com/jeffnorrisphotography) to see a once-a-week or so update on what I've been shooting recently!

Now, back to editing wedding photos....!

Squarely in the midst of shooting 20 weddings for 2017, with a couple more possibilities for later in the year. I'm not sure the right number of weddings for a calendar year. Different photographers would say different numbers. But I'm completely comfortable at this spot. I continue to love wedding photography, and believe there's a point at which too many would tip the scale to labor, rather than a labor of love. 

I'm overjoyed to offer beautiful photography to couples, and am exceedingly proud to do so at a sensitive price and with genuine, caring client care.

Shooting weddings is an indescribable rush. I say to friends and family that wedding photography is akin to riding a roller coaster for eight hours while simultaneously doing your normal job. It's fast and frantic and action-packed and exhilarating and sometimes you wish the day would slow down just a bit. But, that said, it's also a series of known steps -- each in its own time and place. Methodically and deliberately, while also quickly, I shoot each image that the bride and groom (and their families) have requested and will anticipate. At the same time, I'm always (ALWAYS) looking for thatonemoment or lookatthat! shots that will surprise and delight the families when they receive their images. It's a fascinating mindset of living fully in the moment -- ready to create when and where wow! happens -- and planning just-down-the-road for the next moment that is absolutely going to unfold, and for which a photographer has to be prepared.  Being a successful wedding photographer absolutely includes the need to be hyper-aware and utterly committed. And prepared. And knowledgeable. And emphatic. And to listen. And lead, at times. It's a slow build and a fast series of random, exciting turns that, like the roller coaster, is in the upper echelon of thrilling, breathtaking experiences.

I long-ago decided that I'd build my business by meticulously ensuring that each client is surprised and delighted with their images.  I love my intersection of price, customer service and quality.  I believe you may find a better price on occasion, and even a better photograph sometimes, but I won't be beat on the three-tier combination.  I want a perfect image for my clients as much as they want the perfect image.  It's a trusting, inexplicable, deeply-rewarding relationship.

Here, Monica and Luke had mentioned to me on our engagement shoot a few weeks ago that they wished their dogs had joined us.  I immediately said that I'd happily get together again as soon as possible to get the "full" family portrait.  We met at 6:00pm yesterday and by 6:08pm we had this perfect image.

I'm honored to hold up beauty to the world and help, in a small way, to offset negativity, dissent and division.

Give my Facebook page a follow, and I hope to work with you, too.

https://www.facebook.com/jeffnorrisphotography/

Being a full-time photographer means X amount of time working directly with clients and X+ time alone, spent reviewing and choosing and editing images.  I love the editing process.  It's a joy to listen to a favorite album or artist as a backdrop to going over each shot.  Music, photography and coffee (or a cocktail, depending on the hour of the day)....  The senses are rewarded day by day.