at long last...

It's here.  Finally.  Many long hours of tweaking, deliberating, hand-selecting images, re-writing text and bios and formatting pages.  Then scrapping it all and starting again.  And for the first time in a few years, a brand new website for Stacey Woods Photography is LIVE.  I'm thrilled!  I wanted a very clean and uncluttered aesthetic, a very simple menu bar, and no distracting elements.  The images are gigantic, almost double the size of my former website, and I do love the scrolling filmstrip feature!  (The slideshow can be turned on if you don't feel like clicking through on your own.  And simply click on an image to disable the filmstrip feature ~ the images will then fade in and out instead of scrolling by.)

I have to say, BIGfolio did an amazing, amazing job for me.  I submitted my request to go live on a Friday night, thinking they would get to it on Monday morning... wrong.  They had my site live on Saturday morning.  Their customer service is fantastic!  They have been quick to respond since I first inquired about my new site, and every time I have a question, they respond right away with a very helpful answer.

I encourage you to click on over to my new website, have a look, and check out the features, pages, and lots of new images.  Some familiar favorites, too.  (I have accepted the fact that I may never be "finished" when it comes to choosing images!)  I'd love to know what you think.

PS, the maternity image above is of my sister, who visited me in May/June of this year, just before she gave birth to her baby boy.  We waded out into the Gulf of Mexico for this particular photograph.  I promise I'll share the rest of those images with you soon!

Five on Friday | iPhone Photo Apps You'll Love

Here we are at week two of the Five on Friday Project!  This week I thought I'd share a few iPhone photo apps you need to try.  Especially in light of so many folks signing on for the 365/Grateful Project.  It's super easy to document your grateful moments with your camera phone, because generally it's either in your purse, your back pocket, in your hand or on your desk most of the time (if you're like me!). FIVE ON FRIDAY  |  My Favorite iPhone Photo Apps

1  |  ShakeIt Photo my heart goes pitter-patter when the shutter sounds.  Reminiscent of a vintage polaroid!  Shaking your phone isn't necessary for the photo to "develop", but it is absolutely 100% required for fun.  :)

2  |  Shake It which is different than ShakeIt Photo.  I love it because it offers a more authentic white "frame" or back, and the processing is a little softer (the way I like it), but lately it's been a bit slow on my iPhone... not sure why.  Still love it though, and use it all the time.

3  |  Hipstamatic + all the fun films and lenses.  Try these lenses: Kaimal Mark II, Helga Viking, and Roboto Glitter.  SO much fun.  Fave films are Ina 1969, Pistil, and the BlacKeys B&W.

4  |  Tilt-Shift Generator mimics the super fun tilt-shift lens with your iPhone photos.  Love, love, love the effects of this app!!

5  |  Camera Bag's "Instant" selection has more muted processing than some other "polaroid" apps.  And the "Helga" (Holga) option is fantastic.

And just because I can't stop at five today... I recently discovered CrossProcess and PictureShow.  MillColour also looks promising.

This one was taken with the default camera on my iPhone 3Gs and ran through CrossProcess.

Now go check these apps out, and have fun playing!  And if you have any favorites of your own, please do share in the comments!  I'd love to find a few more outlets for my obsessive-compulsive iphoneography addiction.  ;)

on being grateful

"Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom."  ~Marcel Proust Lately I've been thinking a lot about gratefulness.  The importance of teaching my children to have a grateful heart and to be humble and kind to others.  It's so easy, in this convenient world we live in, to take our blessings for granted.  In our great country, we are blessed with so much but seem to never find the time to appreciate it, to stop and truly be thankful for it.

Enter the 365/Grateful Project.

I have begun my own gratefulness journey by using just my iPhone and some favorite photo apps, and I'm sharing them on Facebook each day.  Each month, I'll compile them and come share them here on the blog.  I would love it if you would join me and share your blessings with the world as well!

___

In this moment, I'm grateful for the opportunity to raise our children near the sea.  And for a bit of one-on-one time with Daddy.

To learn more about the original 365/Grateful Project, head on over to The Creative Mama today.  You can read my full article there.  I'd love for you to join me, and so many photographers all over the world, so that we can teach our children to appreciate their blessings as well.  They watch us every day, you know.  As always, if you do decide to come along, leave your link here in the comments so we can share with each other.  I hope to meet many of you and am looking forward to spreading a little gratitude together!

Gratefully yours,

Stacey

the five on friday project

So I decided to do something a bit different around here, and have a little fun on Fridays.  I'm starting off with Five Things I'm Grateful For this week, but next week it might be five things to make or do with your kids.... five things that make me laugh... five pieces of baby gear that I'd love to recommend... five random facts about me...  five cool websites I've come across, or, if you're really lucky, five knock-knock jokes from Parker.  ;) You're welcome to join me!  I'd love to have some company, read your Five on Friday, and get to know you a little more too.  If you decide to play along, simply link us up in the comment section below!

FIVE ON FRIDAY  |  Grateful

1 |  I'm grateful for the rain we've had this week. Every. Single. Day.  The rain cools the Gulf waters down, and in terms of hurricanes, Warm Gulf of Mexico = Bad.  Cold Gulf of Mexico = Good.  Yay for rain!!

2 |  Grateful for a clean desk this morning.  Puts me in such a peaceful, productive mood.  I'm uncluttering for the next few weeks, in preparation for a busy fall photography season, and to purge some of the everyday things I've let back up over the summer.  Two bags of clothing were dropped off this morning, I have a clear desk on which to work, and I opened the door to a clean, pared-down closet with my all clothes organized by color.  Ahhh.  (No laughing, please.  Organization makes me happy beyond belief.)

3 |  I'm grateful for snuggly kids.  Parker and Lila have been sleeping in Parker's trundle bed this week (their choice) all cuddled up to each other as sweet as can be.  Well, Parker and Lila, plus 2 blankies and about 6 stuffed animals/dolls.  It's crowded in there but they love it.  My heart swells every night when I go check on them.

4 |  Grateful for this album.  The kids watched "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" the other night, and then chose this CD to fall asleep to.  And thank goodness.  I was getting tired of hearing the Veggie Tales over the monitor.  I could listen to Vince Guaraldi forever.

5 |  Grateful for our home.  So many people in Tampa Bay have lost their homes in the past few years, and even though my husband's industry (mortgages/finance) has suffered in a major way, we're still okay.  Our house is pretty tiny (it was our "starter home" almost 10 years ago), and we're crowded, yes.  But it's charming.  Full of memories, full of little quirks.  It's OURS.  It's where we brought our babies after they were born, where they've woken up every morning for their entire lives, our little space where we rest and work and play.  Where we can lie on a blanket in the backyard, under the palm trees and the blue sky.  And I'm grateful for it.

Yep, it's an iPhone photo today.  I think I'll finally start that 365/Grateful iPhone project I've been meaning to begin.  Can't wait to see your Five on Friday lists!!

xo,

Stacey

TIME FOR YOURSELF

I'm not very good at making time for myself.  I know I should.  It's not healthy to always give and go and never take time out to rest your body, feed your soul, nourish your spirit.  I'm not good at carving out those moments for myself (except for my all-too-frequent ADD episodes of getting lost on the internet for just a quick sec endless minutes at a time.  But that doesn't count!).  So I'm making a conscious effort in the next month to take more time out for ME.  And I hope it catches on permanently!  Just a few minutes a day, a few hours a week, to simply go somewhere quiet and breathe.  Take a walk, a run, a drive, and just be alone with my thoughts.  Maybe I'll wake up earlier than the kids on Monday mornings (God help me with that one) and enjoy my coffee on the lanai, instead of via the drive-thru at Starbucks.  Maybe I'll begin journaling again, whether it be in one of my beloved Moleskine notebooks or a private blog just for me.  My soul needs it.  My mind craves the solitude and the restoration of sanity (especially come 5 - 6:00 pm each evening when Lila is clinging to my feet, begging "holdjuuuuu, Mommy" while I try and wrangle cups and plates, and Parker is nowhere to be found because he knows supper is about to start).  My body craves the rest, the peace.  I need to do this.

And I'd love for you to take some time for yourself too.  If you want to read what else I have planned, head on over to The Creative Mama and read the article that I posted, HERE.  I'd love for you to comment and let me know how YOU take time for just yourself, or how you manage to work in those precious few minutes each day.  How you balance.  How you manage to stay sane come 6:00 pm.  ;)  Feel free to comment here as well, wherever you feel most comfortable.  I'd love to hear your ideas!  (And I just might use them myself!!)

xo,

Stacey

COMING SOON ON THE CREATIVE MAMA | tampa child photographer

As most of you know, I'm a monthly contributor to The Creative Mama, a blog that is near and dear to my heart.  Last year, Angie approached me about writing a featured article during her "For The Love of Photography" week.  I was thrilled to participate, and I absolutely loved working with her.  To my excitement, she asked me to come on board and write on a regular basis, and with that, I joined the magnificent team of truly inspirational women who make up The Creative Mama. This year's "The Creative Photographer" series promises to be just as fabulous as last year, with inspiring contributors such as Deb Schwedhelm (her work just drips with raw emotion, and I'm blessed to be able to call her my friend), Jose Villa (THE single most amazing film/wedding photographer on the planet), Joyce Smith (how I adore her and everything she touches; can't wait to see Joyce at her workshop this weekend!), Sarah Lane (really wonderful work, especially her senior sessions!), Brenda Acuncius (ahem, I may or may not have arranged marriages between her two gorgeous children and mine... just sayin'), Leigh Taylor (super stylish wedding and relationship photography; I had the pleasure of meeting Leigh and her family a few years ago), the lovely team at Luxecetera (I always sing their praises; they designed my branding for me!), and lots more fun stuff to be announced soon.  I've had the chance to meet most of the photographers (and designers) on this impressive list, and would love to meet the rest of them someday (Jose, are you listening?)!  ;)  I know that you'll be blown away when you see their work and read the words from their heart.  Go, now, and bookmark The Creative Mama site, subscribe to the RSS, and make sure to come back and read what Angie has in store for everyone this year!

And if you'd like to read my latest featured article on The Creative Mama, you can go here.  Between the article and the glorious links above, you might be glued to your desk chair for a few days.  I've warned you.  ;)  Happy Reading, folks!

help-portrait: give the portrait, don't just take it.

"If these pictures have anything important to say to future generations, it's this -- I was here. I existed.

I was young, I was happy, and someone cared enough about me in this world to take my picture."

~from the movie, One Hour Photo

During the holiday season, it's so easy to get busy with to-do lists, shopping lists, school plays and errands, work projects and hopefully those special traditions that you're working to pass down this time of year.  I'm guilty of it myself!  But today, I'd like for you to just stop a moment.  Stop, relax, let your mind settle.

I'd like for you to think about all the beautiful (and even the blurry!) photographs of your children.  In frames on your desk, in albums on your table and on your shelves.  Those priceless canvases on your walls, your children's smiling faces on holiday cards and birthday invitations.  School photos, Christmas party photos, vacation memories, the snapshots of when you brought her home from the hospital, of your son learning to ride his bike.  Your old film negatives, polaroids, jump drives, CDs.  We even have mobile phones full of photos!

How do they make you feel?  Loved, cared for?  A part of something special?  Absolutely.  Our history can be preserved on film, on paper, on disc, on canvas for future generations ~ and it's a privilege to be able to preserve that for future generations.  To tell your story, your family's story, their story.  I personally feel that I've been blessed with one of the most important jobs in the world.

Could you imagine your life without photographs of your loved ones?  I certainly couldn't!

Now.  Take another moment to think about something else.  About SOMEONE else.  Perhaps a family who has very few photographs to treasure, or none at all.  Someone who needs to pass down their history, their legacy, but who cannot afford custom photography, or the local department store or chain studio, or even a digital camera.  A single mother who is having enough trouble putting food on the table and finding enough time to help with the kids' homework, much less making that precious time stop on film.  Maybe even a family who has lost all of their family photos to a fire or hurricane, a flood or disaster of some sort.  A sick child, an ill family member, someone who may not get this chance again.  Someone who has had a rough go lately ~ wouldn't it do your heart good to have a hand in making them feel like the most amazing, most beautiful person in the world?

I am honored to join the thousands of photographers WORLDWIDE who are participating in an amazing movement called HELP-PORTRAIT.  Help-Portrait's mission is simple: Find Someone In Need.  Take Their Portrait.  Print Their Portrait.  And Deliver It To Them.   And it's all happening this Saturday, December 12, 2009.

I know that you know someone who deserves a little time, a kind word, a few minutes to feel special.  Please, please send them our way this weekend!  Tell them about the Help-Portrait event, drive them there if you must, but please spread the word about this fantastic cause!

I also know there are lots of other photographers who read my blog (thank you!!) who would love to help and join Help-Portrait by donating your time, talent, and expertise.  If you're local to Tampa Bay, you can join us this Saturday, December 12 at 9am at the St. Pete Pier.  We'll be shooting from 10am until 2pm, but any little bit of time you have to donate would be fantastic and appreciated so much.  I know there are more photographers needed for our local event, so if you want to give me a call (727.698.0344) or send me an email (stacey@staceywoodsphoto.com), I'll point you in the right direction to get you signed up!  I'd love to see you there!  Also, a local lab has agreed to print all of the portraits from the event at no cost ~ so all we need is YOU!  Let's give of ourselves this holiday.  Not just of our wallets.

MAKE SOMEONE FEEL THAT THEY MATTER TO SOMEONE ELSE IN THIS WORLD.  SHARE YOUR GIFT, AS A GIFT.

If you're from out of town, look up the local Help-Portrait Team in your area.  This is a widespread event and we're bound to make a difference in a lot of people's lives this year.  Spread a little cheer!

If you have a few minutes, please watch the HP video HERE and see if there is something you can do to help.  Thanks again.  xo

an opened door

Remember that little article I wrote for The Creative Mama a couple of months ago?  Well, it looks like you're going to be able to read more of my articles in the coming months...  I've been asked to join The Creative Mama's team of permanent writers!  There are some pretty amazing women over there already, so please, go over and say hello!  And don't forget to add The Creative Mama to your blog reader.... you're definitely going to want to check it on a daily basis.  Whether you're looking for ideas on creative living, organization, home decor, menu-planning, green-living, photography, motherhood, and how to balance it all, Angie and our entire team will surely be posting about it.  So go see!  And remember to check back tomorrow for more. Happy reading!

a beautiful announcement ~ the maternity club

I am so excited to let you in on this fabulous little secret...  listen up, all my beautiful expecting mommies in the Tampa Bay area ~ you've just found your Haven!

I am proud to announce The Maternity Club, Tampa Bay's premier maternity day spa and wellness club.  A place where a mom-to-be can relax, rejuvenate, learn and connect with other mommies.  Full details to come a bit later, however I can tell you this:  Stacey Woods Photography will be offering custom on-location maternity photo sessions with your enrollment in The Maternity Club!

The Club will also allow you to experience a 3D/4D ultrasound of your beautiful baby in the privacy of a beautiful and luxurious setting, while indulging in spa services, prenatal massage and yoga, baby shower planning ~ among SO MANY OTHER LUXURIOUS OFFERINGS.

The Maternity Club will be anchored at the beautiful Indaba Spa (the same Spa that is graciously hosting my Holiday Mini Sessions this Saturday!).  The Spa is a new addition to the Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club in Palm Harbor, FL.  Indaba is such a beautiful retreat ~ I immediately felt at peace upon entering the grounds and walking through their amazing space.  Indaba boasts a meditation labyrinth, beautiful aethetician suites with private lanais, couples treatment rooms with gorgeous views, and a full luxury spa and salon.  The spa offers a sauna and heated indoor spa pool, as well as a fitness center and nature walk.

The Maternity Club is now taking appointments for ultrasounds.  Please contact Mara, The Maternity Club's Ultrasound Specialist at 727.565.4590 to make your appointments and learn more about this amazing experience!

More details about The Maternity Club's Grand Opening to come soon!  I'm thrilled to be a part of this new venture ~ I hope to meet many of you and to help make your pregnancy as wonderful, relaxing and as memorable as it was meant to be.

xo, Stacey

featured on the Creative Mama blog today!

Angie Warren, of The Creative Mama fame, contacted me a few weeks ago, and I was beyond surprised that she asked me to be a part of her blog series, "For the Love of Photography".  In the span of two weeks, Angie is sharing something for everyone at any level:  from the mom with a camera to a professional photographer.  Some AMAZING photographers have already contributed to this series...  Leah Zawadski, Marta Locklear, and many more, with even more to come the rest of this week (i.e. the fabulous Tara Whitney and the Shutter Sisters team!).  So suffice to say I was honored to be included alongside these wonderful and incredibly talented women!  (And still a little shocked, LOL!) You can read my article and see some of my images HERE.  Leave Angie some blog love (ahem, a comment!) on that post, and you're automatically entered to win a fantastic camera bag from Acme Made!  ;)

Thanks again, Angie, for having me.  And thank you all so much for all the comments and compliments so far -- I greatly appreciate every single one!  xoxo