and in 2013, she found her wings {southern Illinois glamor, beauty, portrait photographer}

In 2013, she found her wings.

She found her spirit, the child that sings.

In 2013, she knew what to do;

she knew it was time to start something brand new.

The candle’s been lit; the fire’s enraged.

To stop at this point, would be nothing but grave.

The obstacles large, the challenges many;

but oh, the rewards that she sees are a plenty. 

So carry the torch, I shall work towards the end,

of this goal I’ve set forth to find beauty within.

Poem and Images © 2013 Aimee Wigfall

Aimee Wigfall Photography

I am so very grateful for the opportunities I’ve had in my life. The people I’ve met along the way, the experiences that have made me who I am. I have always been a “business-minded” person, but never have I truly had a sense of surety about what I really wanted to do as a career.

Until now.

It is all consuming to finally know what you want, thinking about what you need to do to make it happen, and finding the time to put all the pieces of the puzzle together to see it through successfully.

It’s so easy to let fear stand in the way of success. The unknown. The risk. The competition. The costs. The liability. The responsibility.

And, that is why I have not leapt.

Yet.

By minimizing those fears, asking the right questions, finding the answers, identifying the costs, assessing the risk, recognizing the competition, and developing a plan to minimize the costs and liability, I am finding my way towards my destiny. A destiny of personal rewards for myself and my family.

Gratitude is my attitude and success shall be my reward, for without the support of those around me, I have neither.

The Best of 2012

Since it would take me several posts to catch up on each shoot I completed last year, I thought, instead, I would post a Best Of and highlight some of the amazing clients I had in 2012.

2013 is on target to be a banner year for me, and I’m really hoping to excel beyond what I accomplished in 2012 to become the “go-to” photographer for Seniors, Glamour, and Portraits in the southern Illinois area.

2012 began with the sweetest little newborn ever! Born 4 weeks early and brought home to her adoptive family just a few days later, she started the new year off just right!

This is the little precious holding onto her loving mother and grandmother’s fingers. I just love the three generations all depicted in this simple shot.

As much as I love photographing newborns, I love just as much photographing women.

Here is a beautiful headshot of one of my former coworkers and a dear friend of mine. We took many, with various outfits, but this one my absolutely favorite.

It’s around this time that I developed my logo, which is a lot harder than it sounds!

I believe that we, women, do not often take enough time for ourselves, and now that I have a husband and children of my own, I KNOW that’s true! We get bogged down with life, running errands, doing laundry, feeding our families, working inside and outside the home, life moves so fast, before we know it we are approaching our 10, 15, 20 year class reunion and wonder where the time has gone.

So, on my 39th birthday, my beautiful friend, Katie, modeled for me in this awesome field of yellow flowers (read: weeds), that got mowed down about a week later! I know she thinks I’m crazy, but I absolutely died when I shot this image, and it is STILL my favorite shot from that day. She is supermodel HOT!

Weddings. Wow. They are a challenge, but I found that I absolutely LOVE shooting weddings. They aren’t for everyone, and they are SO. VERY. NERVE WRACKING! You don’t want to miss a thing. No time for errors, or being in this spot when you should be over there. I shot two weddings last summer and here is one of my favorite shots from each.

And then there was an engagement session that had me at the top of a small mountain along the Shawnee National Forest. My was it beautiful up there!

Then I photographed three beautiful sisters who were in town. They are all so beautiful and unique in their own way. These are my favorite images of each of them together in this triptych.

Not long after this, my camera – after only 4 years – crapped out on me. I don’t know what happened, but out of nowhere I got an Err99 and it just never came back to life. Thanks to Canon’s Loyalty program, I was able to upgrade my camera (an XSi) to one I’d been eying for quite some time at a very reasonable rate. With my new 7D in hand, I needed a model to practice on. Once again, Katie came to my rescue.

Enjoyed a family session during the peak of fall and all the amazing colors that came with it.

Did another family shoot over the Thanksgiving holiday. This gorgeous little girl is the product of two of my favorite people. And, she’s not shy at all for the camera!

To finish out the year, my friend and make-up artist extraordinaire, along with a new local salon owner, put together a Holiday Makeover shoot that turned out to be a moderate success, but an amazing learning experience. We’ll definitely be offering this again in 2013, on more than one occasion!

Overall, it was a wonderful year and I am so thankful to all my family, clients, models and friends who have helped and supported me throughout my journey. I will continue on in 2013 to further enhance my skills and develop my unique style in both composition and editing.

Thank you for an amazing 2012! I’m excited to see what 2013 will bring!

Look! Everything’s NEW!

Tags

beauty, glamor, glamour, illinois, New, photography, senior, southern, southern illinois, woman, women

Happy New Year!!!!!!

My poor little blog. It has been so neglected over the past few months. Even though I’ve been busy with portrait sessions, glamour shoots, reworking my website, developing a new pricing structure, and attending workshops, I have allowed myself to ignore this very critical component of my business.

But! No more! Today is a turn in a new direction. You’ll find that my style is becoming more consistent, my focus is sharper, and my mission is clear: Bring out the beauty in every client.

Starting today, you’ll be seeing more posts from me on a regular basis. So, happy new year to all my fans and followers. I invite you to look around my website, check out the new pricing structure, some of my more recent work, and contact me if you have any questions.

Also, if you know of any high school Seniors who are fun, involved, stylish and love the camera…have them check out my new Senior Rep program.

May all your dreams come true this year! Have a blessed 2013!!

♫♪ Nice Day for a Black Wedding ♪♫ {Carbondale, IL Wedding Photographer}

Tags

black gown, carbondale, couple, dance, illinois, love, marriage, photography, reception, southern, wedding

Disclaimer: Please excuse the modified reference to Billy Idol’s White Wedding.  It just kept running through my head!

At first, I wasn’t sure. A black wedding dress? Really? Hmm… that’s different. People are now finally starting to acclimate to the idea of black bridesmaids dresses, but a black wedding gown? I just wasn’t sure, but as she described her vision of a Greek-themed wedding, I knew it would be beautiful.

I wasn’t disappointed. In fact, I was blown away by how well it worked. She looked beautiful. The bride and groom in black, and the bridesmaids and groomsmen all in white. It was absolutely lovely.

Such a beautiful couple, and I knew it from the moment I met them at the consultation. Together for over eight years, they knew each other well, and knew what they wanted for their day. We clicked right away, and I knew we’d not just work together, but become friends as well.The ceremony was a celebration, and the reception was the party to prove it!

It seems all wedding days have their blips and minor frustrations, but in the end, it all about the love. And there was no shortage of love in this room for this couple. And certainly no shortage of love between them.

Field of Dreams {Carbondale, IL Photographer of Women}

Tags

50mm, canon, carbondale, dSLR, female, flowers, girl, illinois, natural light, photography, portrait, portraits, portraiture, southern illinois, student, woman, XSi

Meet Katie. She’s a gorgeous young woman, inside and out, and has one of the most infectious smiles and laughs I’ve ever seen or heard. I love photographing women like her. It’s so easy and natural, almost effortless. She gave me one of the best birthday presents by allowing me to photograph her in this beautiful field of little yellow weeds flowers, and letting me process her images in a variety of (slightly subtle) ways.

I love photographing women – all women – and capturing their inner beauty as much as what’s on the outside. So often we women spend all our time working inside and/or outside the home, caring for our significant other, kids, coworkers, parents, siblings, friends…everyone but ourselves. When was the last time you got all gussied up and did something just for yourself?

Being photographed – for yourself – can be such an uplifting and gratifying experience for your soul. Just an hour or two of letting go, being yourself, laughing and allowing yourself the freedom to leave the stress of every day life somewhere else can refresh your spirit in immeasurable ways. Kind of like a spa treatment, but with something tangible you can keep as a memory and reflect on another day when life seems a little crazy.

Who are you? What do you love? Where is your happy place? This is what I want to capture. You. Being you. Letting all the love you have inside show through the honest and natural expressions brought out in the course of a photography session with me. Sometimes it’s absolute happiness and overwhelming joy, and sometimes it’s a serious glimpse into the more vulnerable part of your heart.

So, if you need a break from the stress of everyday life, would like to take some time to create something special for yourself or your significant other, or just need a day out to laugh and have some fun, give me a call! I’d love to photograph you being you, today. You won’t be the same person tomorrow.