Applewood Photography, Fort Wayne Photographer
  • Home
  • Portrait Investment
  • Applewood Blog
  • About the Photographer
  • Contact Me!
Applewood Blog
Picture

Christmas Tree Farm 2017

12/17/2017

3 Comments

 
I am real tree girl through and through. I have always grown up with real Christmas trees, usually something like a Douglas Fir. The smells and the tradition of cutting down a fir tree have a special place in my heart and in my childhood memories.

Last year, we had a tough time finding a tree, it was expensive, the u-cut trees were sold out early, and our tree lost a lot of needles early on. My husband has been begging me to get an artificial tree for years, and so after Christmas last year, I caved. We bought a beautiful artificial tree, and this year we used it for the first time. And I don't hate it. In fact, I bought a second one for the family room. And some pine scented spray to make it seem somewhat real. 

I still wanted the tree farm experience (and photos ;) ), so we loaded up the kids the weekend after we had our third baby and headed to the tree farm. We had the whole tree farm to ourselves, and the owners were gracious enough to just let us play among the trees. It's one of my favorite Christmas memories we've made with the kids. We played hide-and-seek, my oldest made me take a photo of her with every tree that was her height,  and we started the tradition of buying a potted pine tree to put outside and to plant in our yard after Christmas. 

I'm a stickler for traditions, but sometimes when old traditions are broken, beautiful new traditions are made. 
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
3 Comments

Our Family Maternity Session

10/10/2017

0 Comments

 
I've always wanted family photos in a field of tall grass, and we finally made it happen. In our own backyard. This year we decided not to have the farmers plant corn or soybeans and just let it go, plowing a path and planting grass along it. I can't wait to add some wildflowers next year.

One of the problems with being a photographer is that I always want to take our own photos because my style is most like what I would want and have a vision in my head of what it should be, but it is near impossible to take self portraits and get the kids to look at the camera, let alone smile, while running back and forth between family and tripod, or pressing the shutter without looking like you're pressing the shutter. I knew I wanted maternity photos, but I am to the point in my pregnancy where I really, REALLY don't want my photo taken. I feel so blessed to have yet another opportunity to carry another beautiful life in my body, but I'm also getting a lot of comments like "How far along are you?" and when I say "7 weeks," they say "oooooohhhh!" as though they thought I was delivering the baby tomorrow.

But I bit the bullet, coordinated outfits, raced to get everyone ready, set up the shot and had my sister....who is a lifesaver, by the way....press the shutter, in addition to helping corral my kids, entertain them, soothe them, even dress them.

My point is, moms generally want photos of their family, and they of course want to be in the photos, but many times they have all kinds of excuses for putting it off. I'll do it when I'm thinner. I'll do it next year. I'll do it when we're not so busy or when Junior's braces come off. Trust me, that day never comes or you forget, and you instead regret not capturing that time with your family because it's too late and your kids are grown.  And your kids want photos with you in them, just as they remember you.

So just do it. Although I don't love how big I look, I am absolutely in love with these shots and am so glad we did them. It was no easy feat. My oldest had a major meltdown just 20 minutes before, refusing to put clothes on and screaming, crying, and yelling, all while the sun was setting quickly. I did not think it would happen. I was stressed. I know how you feel when your kids don't cooperate, really I do. You feel like you're unsure if we got even one good shot. And I as your photographer can assure you that there have been only 1 or 2 times ever when I felt like we didn't get a good shot. Trust me, we got the shot you wanted.

So do it. Just book those photos, deal with the madness of breakdowns from your kids who don't want to wear "that outfit," or a husband who hates having his photo taken, and bask in not regretting another year without family photos.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Kelly, my superstar sister!
Picture
0 Comments

My Family: Fort Wayne Extended Family/Children's Photographer

9/24/2017

0 Comments

 
You guys, we have been planning this photo for over a year, so I know how hard it is to get family photos, but it is soooo worth it.

I am the oldest of 8 kids ages 14-34 years old, and with families of our own, crazy schedules all on different shifts and different days, it is not easy to coordinate a photo shoot for 25 people. But we did it. Some of my siblings managed to ask off work. It was my brother and sister-in-law's anniversary, so they postponed their anniversary plans until after the shoot. There was a lot of rearranging, but I am so grateful everyone made it work. My brother lives with his family in Vancouver, Canada, and will be a missionary in South Africa, so I was dead set that this was happening, even though baby (well, her face anyway) isn't in the photo. And I'm so grateful to my sister-in-law's generous parents who took time to show up and make the kids laugh and press the shutter so I could be in the pic too. I will treasure these forever. ♥
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Epic grandkid photo fail, but honestly I love it. Ha ha!
Picture
Picture
Picture
Yes, my children do look like Civil War soldiers in posed photographs.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
My nephew might need a redo. It was not his day. ;)
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
0 Comments
<<Previous

    Archives

    November 2018
    October 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    October 2013
    May 2013
    January 2013
    October 2012
    September 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011

    Aubrey Dettmer

    Wife, Mommy, Vintage Lover, Coffee Addict, Photography Junkie

    Categories

    All
    365
    366
    About Me
    Advice
    Announcements
    Artificial Light
    Bab
    Babies
    Birthday
    Business
    Child
    Christmas
    Combination Light
    Community
    Contests
    Couples
    Documentary
    Easter
    Extended Family
    Families
    Family
    Finding The Light
    Friends
    Halloween
    Holidays
    Honors
    Just The Light
    Kids
    Landscape
    Maternity
    Mini Session
    Mommy And Me
    Newborn
    Photography Communities
    Seniors
    Share Six
    Teens
    Travel
    Tween
    Videos
    Weddings

    Loading

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • Portrait Investment
  • Applewood Blog
  • About the Photographer
  • Contact Me!