the janelle vano studio blog

Please excuse my mess...

I've been making some changes to my blog during the last couple days: I upgraded so I could design the top banner and changed the format. Well, if you scroll down to my past entries, you'll see that some of my horizontal images are cut off on the right side. I haven't quite decided what I will do about it yet...if I'll create smaller versions of ALL the cut off images or see if I can make a format adjustment (which doesn't seem possible right now). As a perfectionist, it really bothers me to see my images this way, but I also have so much other work I need to be focusing on...I hope you can excuse it for a little while at least :)

And since blogs are always best with an image, here's one I took at my neighbor's home yesterday. They just put a tire swing on this beautiful old tree for their grandchildren. And I captured many great images (I definitely want to do some sessions with a tire swing....classic and timeless!!), but since I don't have the parents' permission yet, I'll just share this one...

 

When winter comes, and I'm cold and getting a little depressed, I'll just look this and remember warm summer days :)

-j

Little horsing around...

Yesterday, I spent some time with my friend, Daphne, at South Point Farms. I took English riding lessons from Daphne when I was 19 years old (before I was a mom). I miss the jumping and hope to take lessons again one day...from Daphne of course, 'cause she's the best!!!

I brought along my camera for a little photography fun and thought I'd share a few of my favorites...

These thoroughbred fillies were so excited to have some new visitors, they decided to show off a little....

Love this little filly's natural highlights...

-j

Happy New Year!

I love the idea of a new year and new beginnings! I don't usually do new year's resolutions, but I've decided that it really is a good time to set some goals. So, I have come up many business ideas and plans that I'll be sharing very soon, but the first 'personal' goal of mine is to take at least one photograph a day. At the end of each year, I always feel like "Where did this year go!". But if I keep a photographic journal this year, then I'm thinking that I will not only have an artistic challenge for myself each day, but I will also have an answer to my question on December 31, 2009. 

Sabrina and I started our new year with a little glass of sparkling grape juice poured into Great Grandma's depression glass and watched The Dead Poet Society...extra special and inspirational :)

Dream big!

-j

update on the blog...

I don't know if anyone else noticed, but the pictures I posted earlier today were really kinda 'rough'. Well, I found out that the blog company made some recent changes...and they're not very good! Anyway, I have figured out how to get my images posted without having the blog completely destroy the quality and have just re-uploaded all the images from Thomas and Karen's wedding. Just refresh the page if you viewed them earlier...and enjoy!

-j

I'll be posting tons of pictures later today.

Check back later for some great images. I had a very busy weekend with a wedding on Saturday (Congratulations Heidi and Chris!), an engagement session on Sunday, a couple days with some great kids while their parents went out of town to watch KU win the championship, plus a couple nights of baby rocking (yes, I still love working as a newborn night-nanny whenever possible). I can't wait to share some pictures...but first, I might just need to take a short nap :)

OK, I can't help it...here are a couple personal images.

This was with the 135mm f/2.0. Sabrina just slipped on some running shoes so I could play with this lens out on our road; she gave me strict instructions not to get her feet in the picture :)

And this is our little country home captured with Nikon's fish-eye lens. I really love both of these lenses that I rented for the wedding; I think I'll have to purchase them soon!

-j

Big Change!

Pictures of my girl 3 days ago....

And pictures of her today....

I'm still in a bit of a shock because she's always been a 'long hair' girl, but I really didn't feel like I could tell her no when she said she wanted a shorter style...since it is her hair. And after she told me how short she wanted to go, we both thought it would be awesome to get a full 10 inches cut and make a donation to Locks of Love. So, right now we have 2 beautiful ponytails ready to be mailed off. She's such a beautiful girl, inside and out, with long hair or short! And she's absolutely thrilled with her new look!!! But I have to say, I started to tear up earlier today when I thought about this new hair style and how pretty soon she'll have braces, go through a major growth spurt, need a whole new wardrobe....I won't even recognize my little girl soon!  :( Yes, I'm completely freaked out about having a TEENAGER later this year!

-j

I'm still here!

Wow! It's been a while since I've posted! It's been a little crazy over the past month or so. We found a new home and moved during the busiest time of a photographer's year...December. Once we got moved in, I had to figure out how to get the best possible internet connection out in the country. I've lived out on the 'edge' of the suburbs before, but this time we are living out on the edge of the edge...Edgerton that is. After going through a trial period with a broadband card, I gave in and ordered satellite internet. Not only do you get to put up a large sum of money to purchase the equipment that will soon be outdated, but you also get to pay a lot more per month than DSL (which doesn't reach out this far to the country) and have a LARGE dish attached to the roof of your home that makes it look like you're trying to search for life on other planets...oh well, I guess it's only the deer that are laughing at us :) I'm so thankful to be back online!

Driving out to our new home one day, I noticed this beautiful field with amazing light. As soon as I pointed it out to Sabrina, she said "take my picture!". So, of course I stopped my car immediately and grabbed my camera!

She cracks me up because she starts out trying to be so serious...

then, the silliness starts...

 

 

I know these aren't the typical portraits that parents have in mind for their own kids, but these are the kind that make me smile everytime I look at them!

I want to say 'Thank you' to all my clients who were so patient with me during my challenging month and I look forward to another new and exciting year...can't believe we are almost through the first month already! And I'll be posting images from recent sessions soon. I actually have some twins I'll be shooting this Thursday..can't wait!!!

I hope you all have had a back-bending, side-aching, laughing kind of day!

-j

A little space for my girl :)

Just love her so much!

-j

He really is an angel baby now.

I've experienced the saddest moment as a photographer...a mom called me Saturday morning to cancel the family portrait session I had on the calendar for this afternoon. She said her beautiful little baby, Evan, went to sleep Thursday night, November 1, and didn't wake up in the morning; he was exactly 3 months old. Listening to the mom sob as she tried to say the words just ripped my heart out!

I met the family when I got a call during the first part of August. The mom said she had won my newborn package at an auction earlier this year. She had planned to call before her baby was born, but a car accident put her into labor 2 weeks early; everyone was ok, but Evan just came a little sooner than expected (2 weeks more to hold him in their arms...a car accident is not usually seen as such a blessing!). We set up a time for his session and met within days. They're just an adorable and loving family!

Everytime I was at their home, taking pictures or delivering orders, I stayed much longer than usual. The mom and I chatted about newborns; I'd share all my secrets about how I help them get on a schedule and sleep through the night (since I still do night-time doula/baby nurse jobs when I get the call). And Sabrina played with big brother, 3 year old Mickey. I have known and cared for hundreds of babies since I started babysitting when I was 10 and nannying when I was 18, but I have never known a family that experienced SIDS before this. It is still a medical mystery!

So, now I look through the images I captured of little Evan. I feel honored that I was able to photograph these moments and small details of his short life because now they are family treasures. Death is part of every life (I know we all seem to forget this as we run through our days) and I am so thankful that we are given the promise of eternity in Heaven through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ; I pray for the family's strength during this hard time and also that Evan's life is used in His great plan!

With the parents' permission, I want to share some images of precious Evan when he was just 3 weeks old...

 

 

 

-j

Halloween

My girl was a beautiful princess again (a tradition I started when she was 13 months old) thanks to her Aunt Emily (who pulls out the old sewing machine once a year for her niece). She's been an Indian Princess, a Renaissance Princess, an Egyptian Princess, a Chinese Princess, a Fairy Princess, a Spanish Princess, and now an Arctic Princess....

 

 

Thanks Em!

-j