Lindsay and Matt had their first date on the levee of the Mississippi River.
Matt proposed on that levee a year later.
And so we had some fun with the camera on none other than..
the levee.
Can't wait for this wedding in October...you guys are too much fun!!
Thanks for stopping by!
Claire
Lindsay and Matt had their first date on the levee of the Mississippi River.
Matt proposed on that levee a year later.
And so we had some fun with the camera on none other than..
the levee.
Can't wait for this wedding in October...you guys are too much fun!!
Thanks for stopping by!
Claire
The editing for all the Haiti photos is coming to a close. I still have more photos and stories to share, but was reminded this morning of a moment I've told folks about but didn't realize I got a photo of.
One of our final days in Port au Prince we took food to some people who live in the street next to the iconic Cathedral that was all but destroyed in the earthquake that hit Port au Prince in January 2010. I was able to look inside one of the "homes" people have made and saw a tarp for shelter, broken down boxes for beds, and two jugs for water.
This is all they had.
I'm thankful to have a photo of it..I didn't even realize I had taken one from afar. I'm thankful to have a reminder that God's grace has been given in ways I don't even think about from day to day but not because of anything I've done. I need this grace just as much as those living in tents and just as this grace was undeservedly given to me, it's possible for them as well. It's good on this Friday to remember that the boys and girls we came to love in Port au Prince at Zanfan Lakay, the home for children of the street, no longer live with just a tent, cot, and the clothes on their back. They now, by the grace of God and the gifts of people in the states, have a home, new family, shoes, clothes, some of them even education, and all of them the chance to hear of this grace on a regular basis.
I’ve mentioned a few times already the boys home we worked with which was our main connection to working in Port au Prince. The home is named “Zanfan Lakay” which means “children at home” or “home for children.” Before I show you images of these boys, and girls, I’d like to tell you and show you a little from where some of them came.
You've already heard Naika's story and the ways God is using Zanfan to provide for her in tangible ways. Each of these children have a different story…but all are orphans. How they came to Zanfan Lakay or were taken there is an array of backgrounds and stories. The first members of Zanfan Lakay lived on the street. Some of them for 3 years in a place called Zakat. This area is close to a sewer where many folks live.
(the sewers flow through the streets of Port au Prince along with endless trash)
We had the privilege of visiting Zakat and seeing where these boys lived for months and years before God provided a home, food, shelter, shoes, and clothing for them. The following images are of Zakat & the room the boys lived in, some of the boys who lived there the longest, and our team feeding some of the people who are still living in the area & on the street.
The boys came from living at Zakat, to being taken in by Jimmy, who they refer to as Papa. With the help and support of local folks, teams that regularly come into Port au Prince, and families in the states, these children have food, clothing, shelter, and more than half of them are able to go to school. The older boys help teach and care for the younger boys & we even got to see them encourage each other with the bible and share the verses that encourage them the most. This is Zanfan Lakay:
How you can be praying for Zanfan Lakay:
Jimmy's wife, and Zanfan Lakay's house mother died unexpectedly this year. They are currently in a major transition and grieving a huge loss of their loved one and for the home.
After having to find a new house because of a spike in rent, the children have recently moved to a new area of town which means new schools and new adjustments. The hope is that Grangou will be able to eventually purchase the home the boys just moved into.
There are still children in the home who aren't able to go to school. Pray they would receive sponsorship and the funds to be able to attend and the possibility of your own family sponsoring a child to go to school. For more information on how to sponsor children please visit Grangou's site here or comment/email me (hello@claireelysephotography.com)
Please pray God's work through Grangou and Zanfan Lakay as well as the teams that regularly visit would expand to other needs in Port au Prince and continually bring good news to each of them.
Check out a photo of Zanfan Lakay's new house here!!
Thanks for reading and stopping by,
Claire
The story of why and how we went to Haiti can be found on these previous posts here and here.
I had the privilege of getting to serve in Haiti alongside Kate, my dear friend and roommate, and thought it only appropriate that you should hear her perspective and see some of the things we experienced through her eyes. This is what she had to say about our time at the Darres':
On our first full day in Port au Prince, we had the opportunity to visit a local pastor and his family who had recently decided to take in and care for 6 special needs children.
This family, the Darres, lived in the heart of the city, and had very few resources to care for their own family, let alone for 6 new children who required extra attention. Yet, they had a heart for serving these children, and the faith to trust that God would provide what they needed.
My aunt, Kandis- the physical therapist from Texas, had held a clinic for 40 special needs children at the home of this family before and had warned us that when we got to their home, we might see some things that made us feel uncomfortable, so I tried to be prepared for what we were about to experience.
(or as prepared as it is possible to be when in Haiti… )
When we arrived at the Darres' home, my first sight, ironically, was a blind man sitting outside the door where the special needs children were. He was tenderly holding a baby, and he very much seemed to be a kind of gate keeper for these children. Even though he couldn’t see them, you could tell from the way he held them and talked to them that
he loved them very much.
After speaking to the man, we peered into the dark, window-less room where the children were liying on the concrete floor on tattered mats. Kandis told us our only job was to go inside and love on them, hold them, laugh with them, play with them. And we were happy to do whatever we could.
The temperature in the concrete room was well over 100 degrees and several children had very high fevers. As I sat down on the floor and began to fan flies off the face of a two year old boy with cerebral palsy, I was overwhelmed with anger and frustration. He was crying out and obviously in severe pain and discomfort, but there was very little I could do to make him feel better. In that moment, I was so mad at the brokenness and fragility of this tent of a body that we carry around with us, disgusted with the lack of medical care available to people in these circumstances, angry at the ugly mark that sin has left on this earth.
At the same time, I thought about every time I obsessed about my body or appearance, every time I griped about a “first world pain”, every time I neglected to show patience and mercy in a situation where someone was desperately crying out for help. As I continued to hold this sweet boy, doing anything I could to communicate that someone was right there with him, God hit me over the head with a complete feeling of helplessness. As someone who (most days) feels like “if I just work harder, maybe tomorrow I’ll have it all together” or “I-can-take-care-of-myself-thank-you-very-much” , I have a hard time grasping the extent of God’s provision for me. But through this experience at the Darres' home, I envisioned myself and my circumstances through the eyes of this child- unable to do anything for himself, completely dependent on the mercy of someone else to provide for his every need. Without someone-his nanny, his caretakers, a volunteer-coming in to stoop down, pick him up, and take him outside to experience the sunshine, he would always lie on the floor alone.
But God always provides exactly what we need. And for this boy, and every other child at the Darres home that day, God provided wheelchairs. These wheelchairs, which are worth close to $10,000, were donated by people in the United States who knew that my aunt takes them to people in Haiti. She doesn’t bring the wheelchairs with any specific person in mind, but inevitably, they always fit someone who needs them. That day at the Darres, my new friend was picked up off the floor and put in his very own wheelchair. This provided almost immediate relief from a lot of the pain he was experiencing, opening up his lungs and allowing him to breathe more easily than he could on the floor. Even though he will never run or walk, he also will never spend every moment of his life lying on the floor. God lavished His grace on these children through the gift of a new, better way of living and experiencing the world.
Praise God that He graciously gives that same gift to all His children.
(The following images are of the 6 children who received medication and wheelchairs from donors in the states and the men, women, and children who care for them.)
If I'm honest, this was one of the hardest things to photograph while we were there. Sorrow and joy were both very real at the same time. I would say these photos accurately portray the many ups and downs of the week and encouragement that came in the midst of grieving. It's hard for me even to post these photographs as we saw these children living in what I can only describe as the worst of circumstances I had seen at that point...but oddly enough...they're better off at this home on this hot floor than in the tent cities where they came from...more on that soon.
If you or someone you know has access to wheelchairs or medication to be taken to Haiti on future trips please email me (hello@claireelysephotography.com) or comment below.
Check out our connection to Haiti and the group of boys we went to serve here.
Thanks for stopping by,
Claire
While in Haiti we did several different things throughout the week and got to servein multiple ways. Today, I’d like to talk about one of the many things we got to be a part of and our original connection to the opportunity to go.
So, Kate, my dearest friend and roommate, who is now a continuous help on wedding days and practically partner in this business, has a lot of family that have loved me as well as she has over the years. One part of this family that feels like my own is her aunt in Texas. Kandis is a physical therapist who works with special needs children in a school district right outside of Houston. She originally found out about Grangou’s work in Haiti through her own church.(more on Grangou and what they specifically do through the boys’ home we partnered with in Haiti is coming). For the past few years, Kandis has been taking wheelchairs to Port au Prince and providing assistance for special needs kids.
I’m going to pause my story here in order to give a shout out to American Airlines. A couple of days before we left, Kandis’s husband, Steve, went to talk to American Airlines about our flight. At this point Kandis had collected 7 wheelchairs and a gait trainer from current clients who didn’t use these particular chairs anymore as donations for her to take to those who need them in Haiti. We also wanted to take 6 checked bags full of clothes and medical supplies which was a priority since shipping these items is pretty much impossible (they will likely be stolen before getting to the right folks). So Steve went to talk to American Airlines about all these bags and wheel chairs. The guys at the counter remembered Kandis and her many trips with wheelchairs and Steve showed them pictures of some of the kids she goes to visit. American Airlines decided to let us check all the wheelchairs, gait trainer, and 6 bags..for free!!! Since starting a business, I tend to get super excited when I see people run their businesses well. I know many people have issues with just about every airline out there as traveling has sometimes become a nightmare for folks so really I couldn’t believe they let us do this. That’s kind of a big deal these days. It was a very redeeming and hopeful report in my mind and so I think American Airlines could use a shout out.
So…Monday morning we trekked to the airport, trailer in tow, with 7 wheelchairs, a gait trainer, and 6 huge bags full of belongings of our church members and medical supplies our friends had donated to people they didn’t know. It was a pretty awesome sight and the first of many humbling moments on our trip. When we arrived in Port au Prince after a very long day of travel, getting initiated right off the bat into the very different culture of Haiti simply by arriving at the airport, waiting…and waiting…and waiting some more…we met our team and had dinner at the hotel. While visiting with team members we were told in passing about Naika, a little girl who had recently been taken in at Zanfan Lakay, the street boys’ home we would be working with. Naika couldn’t walk. She had to be carried to get anywhere and held sometimes by multiple people in order to do any basic tasks you and I take for granted every day. With Naika’s condition, most children in the US would have the resources and therapy to be walking by her age. Naika is originally from the cemetery where many men and women live within the walls and amongst the graves.
I had heard of people living in the cemetery all throughout the trip but it wasn’t until we got back that I found out what these women live in. There is a cemetery in Port au Prince that has 24/7 guard service within its gates. There are women within the gates of the cemetery who have been allowed to live there and given “protection” by the guards in exchange for prostitution and “servicing” the guards on a regular basis. These women live in the cemetery, are abused and used by the guards, and often become pregnant without a way to care for their child. Naika became a part of Zanfan Lakay, the boys' home, because, Jimmy, the house dad at the home regularly takes food and clothing to the women within the gates. Naika was likely born with cerebral palsy and there was no one to accurately care for her within the gates, so Jimmy took her in.
I mentioned a gait trainer was donated to Kandis before we left. The thing about these wheelchairs and supplies Kandis gets is she takes whatever folks can give and doesn’t really know who in Haiti will need them, what size these folks are or what size their chair would need to be. She just takes what people give and sees how she can use them when she arrives. This trip was the first time she was given a gait trainer to take to Haiti. A gait trainer is basically a walker which is used for children who have cerebral palsy or other issues walking or using their legs. In the U.S., if a child with cerebral palsy is given the care they need from a physical therapist, the child can learn to walk with a trainer and even get to the point where they are able to walk on their own. Again, Kandis hadn’t heard of anyone in Haiti that she knew would need a gait trainer, but brought it anyway knowing we would likely find a use for it. God provided the trainer for Naika long before Kandis or our team knew about Naika’s need for it.
The following photographs are of the first time Naika walked. This happened our first day in Haiti. With all of the boys and girls from the home and our entire teamwatching, Kandis stretched Naika’s legs, stood her up, and then put her in the gait trainer. At first Kandis helped her get acquainted with the device and helped hertake her first few steps…and then the smile that came was full of more joy than I think I’ve ever seen in a smile as Naika began to do it on her own. Her face had suchan expression of redemption and hope. It was the first of many reminders that God is at work amongst these people, that he saves the lost, that he came for the poor and broken, and that he literally causes the lame to walk.
The next day, Naika walked the length of the front patio area by herself. She even got to watch a video of herself walking on her own.
With the gait trainer and the help of the older boys at Zanfan Lakay walking Naika each day, she will now have the opportunity to be stimulated each day with activity, go outside on a regular basis, play with other children, and we pray eventually be allowed to go to school and get an education
(something she can’t do now as the schools in Haiti do not take special needs children and much of the culture views those with special needs as unwanted and cursed.)
Throughout the remainder of the trip, Kandis was able to give all 7 wheelchairs to those who needed them and purchase an additional chair for a man who lives in a tent city where we delivered food throughout the week. More on those who received the other chairs and how God used our time there will be in later posts and stories.
If you know of a way to donate wheelchairs or funds to purchase supplies and medication needed to treat children like Naika or if you want to learn more about how you can sponsor one of the boys or girls at Zanfan Lakay, please comment or email me (hello@claireelysephotography.com) or visit Grangou’s website here.
"And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised
up, the poor have good news preached to them." Luke 7:22
Thanks for stopping by friends,
Claire
I’m going to start with a little back story. I explained in my last post some of why I went to Haiti. But it hasn’t been until I returned that I am beginning to understand more why I went.
I think just about every time I first meet someone, inevitably in the conversation, the question comes:
“so what’s your favorite thing to photograph?” or “so why are you a photographer?” or at the very least “so what kind of photography do you do?”
The answers to these questions are answered swiftly, without much forethought, and then followed by other conversation. I think after Haiti, the answers to these questions can’t really stay the same. And I’m thankful for that.
Yet, in the back of my head as I answer these questions, there’s always this one nagging question that I usually keep to myself:
Why did I pick up the camera in the first place?
I don’t ask this question in a way that assumes I never should have picked up a camera, or that I regret my career choice. It’s more of a little reminder to consider why. And God giving me the opportunity to go to Haiti was that little reminder played out in real life.
You see, I picked up a camera years ago as I struggled to know what I wanted to do with my life. Back then I thought I wanted to maybe be a “counselor.” This idea revealed that what I value most is having real conversations with people and serving others. That was the desire in a nutshell. As I’ve gotten older, studied photography in college, shot 3 years of weddings, started life on my own as a single woman out in the world, and had to make a decision of what I will follow, what I’ll live for, and ultimately what my mission will be…the desire to serve others hasn’t changed- it’s just become more focused.
The thing is, I originally picked up a camera because I saw that, for whatever reason, God had provided a gift, and a desire to use it and other gifts in order to help. I just haven’t been able to put to words what that “help” actually looks like or means. I've only part known what it means and why I picked up a camera to go, to serve, to use photography and this device that somehow by the grace of God stops His time in its very tracks in order to connect people, to bring awareness, and to bring money, aid, and help from people who, without these photographs, would not know about the need.
Until Haiti.
Since our return, I first of all got sick, which laid me out for a week. But honestly I can see the sickness was a very good thing for me in a lot of ways because it helped me process and settle back in. It also granted me a whole lot of time to read, research, and look deeper into this thing tha,t for lack of a better term, is titled “humanitarian photography.” For those who know and love me well, I’ve been throwing this term around for quite a few years in hopes it’ll stick and be something I could pursue. There is no definition in the dictionary for a humanitarian photographer, but a humanitarian is one who
1.
has concern for or helping to improve the welfare and happiness of people.
2.
of or pertaining to ethical or theological humanitarianism.
3.
pertaining to the saving of human lives or to the alleviation of suffering: a humanitarian crisis.
I’ve thought a lot about this term, this idea and desire I’ve always had, and the comments and ideas of other people who strive to be “humanitarian photographers.” I don’t have it all figured out by any means and I never will, as I’m not the one to know what God has for me now or in the future or why He does what He does…but I’ve been able to realize that long ago God put in me a desire to do something for reasons I may not have been able to put into words, and now He’s given me a little bit deeper understanding than before. I’ve realized that this thing I’m wanting to do with the camera, this aid I’m wanting to bring, this “alleviation of suffering” and desire to “improve the welfare and happiness of people” cannot and will not be separated from the ultimate need and goal of the gospel being that which saves them. I’ve read a lot about bringing dignity to others through photographs. Something I’ve always thought about is somehow using photographs to bring an awareness of people’s conditions and for people to open up their wallets and their time in order to give back after seeing what some people are living in. These are all still missions of mine and ideas I plan to pursue…but the point is..now, more than ever, it’s clear to me that all of these things can’t be separate from a desire to speak the gospel, to make the love of Christ, our need for it, our brokenness, and the grace that came from a man, who wept most of his time here because of the brokenness he saw, that humbled himself in order to go. I can go to other countries and take pictures of people in order to bring dignity to them in the midst of their circumstances, and I can photograph them with a smile instead of a frown in order to show that God made them in his image, and I can stop time in its tracks with this tool that God will likely use to bring money and time and concern from others….but if I do it without bringing the message of the saving grace of the gospel. If I reduce it to “happiness” and “welfare” or even “food” and “clothing” but do not bring the only “alleviation of suffering” there truly is…then what am I doing?
Some of the things we saw and experienced in Haiti are still difficult for me to know how to talk about. Some of my response has been fear to look at the images because I get overwhelmed. How am I supposed to put words to these images and reduce these people, these situations, these circumstances to a bullet point beneath a photograph? The truth is I still haven’t gotten to the answer of those questions. But I know I am to try. You hear people saying “I need to give a voice to these people” and I do. “ I need to bring dignity to these people and show others that they have hope, life, joy, and even faith..sometimes more than we do in here in this culture”..and I do. “ I need to do my share and give up my time and energy and money for these people who can’t speak loud enough on their own.”…and I do. But if I separate it from the love of Christ or from the saving knowledge that I am just as broken, just as helpless, and that it’s only by the grace of God that I have the opportunity to show a beggar where to find food…then I’m just another humanitarian, just another helper, and it’s just another 7 day pin-point on the blip of the radar of my life. God has called us to more. And I don’t know what it looks like in the day- to- day, or if I’ll have a chance to do another trip like this one or photograph those who are hurting and starving and naked and in danger…I hope I do…if it were up to me I would. All I know is I got to go to Haiti, God provided a way to photograph and speak His name while there, and now it’s my job to try in my limited understanding and ability to tell these people’s stories and thereby bring an understanding of the brokenness of all of us…not just them. So the next few weeks will be a very flawed and pathetic attempt to show all of us our need of the very thing that played itself out as we watched hurting, starving, naked, dying people…
...a Savior.
This is just an introduction and start of many, many photos I have and plan to show. Please bear with me as I process, in every sense of the word, the photos I was able to take and stick around to see more and hear some of these peoples' stories if you can. Thanks so much for reading, friends.
And thanks for stopping by,
*Claire
p.s. I'll be telling more soon about the group we partnered with but check out their website to learn more: http://grangou.org/
We had so much fun with Matt and Kelsi back in Monroe... across the river from my hometown:)
Kelsi and Matt met at Neville High School in Monroe and are getting married in February!!
They love their dogs.. (and so do we!)
Can't wait for the wedding, y'all!!
Thanks for stopping by,
Claire
Happy Friday Morning!
I am back from travels...briefly. It's been a crazy summer and I'm not at all interested in complaining about that because we have had some funnnn trips and weddings this season. Of course moving home and office in the midst of it has made things very interesting to say the least, but it all seems worth it when I can sit down with my morning cup of coffee in a place that finally feels like home and enjoy my favorite part of the day.
We will be leaving town a little over a week from now to document some ministries and stories in Haiti. I will post more details about it next week, but in the meantime please be praying for our time there, safe travels, and the people we'll be serving and photographing. I'm absolutely thrilled at the opportunity, and just wanting to be open to however God will use our time there.
For now I'll leave you on this weekend with a fun engagement/post-nuptial session of some friends of mine. These two go to my church here in Baton Rouge. They've been here over a year now and have been married just a little longer than that. Bess and Julian never had engagements made so we hung out downtown and fixed them up with some engagement/post-nuptial goodness.
Check these out...wishing a happy and restful weekend to all!
Thanks for stopping by,
Claire
Happy Friday!
I'm hoping these photos (of some of THE cutest kids of alllll time) will bring even more joy on this sunny Friday!
Sofia, Naomi, Julia, and Elliott are the children of two of my dearest friends at church.
Their dad, Barrett, was pretty outnumbered for several years, but not anymore.
Elliott Jude Black showed up about 2 months ago and is indeed as his mom says
"15 lbs of dreaminess!"
So enjoy these and have a wonderful weekend!
Thanks for stopping by,
*Claire
I love this time of year!
Consistent Christmas music listening officially started this week.
Thanksgiving is next week...which for me means several days in the mountains with the family.
And kids look cuter than ever this time of year!
It's the time when I get to hang out with so many families and celebrate with them what giving thanks, giving gifts, and getting older really means.
Happy Belated Birthday to Grayson.
And Happy early Thanksgiving to everyone!!
Thanks for stopping by,
*Claire
Happy Friday!!
Big things going on lately.
Let's just say I'm going to buy several paint cans today...grabbing friends and extra hands...and spending the weekend painting walls and building furniture because....
We got an office!!!!!!
This is has been the most exciting AND scary move I've made since I started this thing....by farrr!
But I'm excited. And I've already learned so much.
More on the office to come. We'll be doing some renovations and set up will take some time, but I'm looking forward to making the official announcement when it's all done!
In the meantime...check out Lori and Corey and their amazing vintage style. They wanted to jump into the past downtown and at Cheeburger Cheeburger (a diner here in Baton Rouge and beyond).
The diner idea was genius on their part! I couldn't get enough of these two.
Congratulations to Lori and Corey!!!
Thanks for stopping by,
Claire
Back in the swing and so happy to be.
The weather has been amazing and it's a perfect time for exploring and photo taking!
Jacquelyn is one of my wonderful friends from college.
She has continually been an encouragement and light-hearted, gospel-centered buddy of mine.
I remember having lunch with Jacquelyn at Zoe's (our date place:)) a couple years ago...and we had girl talk about the future and getting married one day. I remember her talking about how much she trusted God with that detail of her life, knowing it will happen and in his perfect timing. It was a refreshing and encouraging conversation.
And now I have the unbelievable privilege and joy of shooting her wedding in a few weeks!
To Jacquelyn and Patrick...you two are bunch of cuties!!
I'm so so excited and happy for you and ready to celebrate this awesome beginning:)
Thanks for stopping by,
*Claire
What an off season it was!
With Hurricane Isaac...football season kickoff...and most brides back in school, starting a new job, or just having to power through past the summer in adulthood...it has been quite a whirlwind of a few weeks even without shooting weddings!
But let's be real...it's so nice to be back in the swing of things...wedding season is back
and I am pumped!
Brandee is an artist..and a dang good one at that. She's an art major at LSU and as I've said before...doing shoots for artists is always so fun and entertaining.
This girl came ready with awesome ideas for her and Rhett's Save the Dates and engagement photos!
Every photo..set up...and object in these photos has a purpose and plays a role.
Brandee loves sunflowers...old furniture...painting...crafts....and picnics.
Rhett proposed to Brandee with all of her family and friends there...but hidden;)...and in front of an antique door he re-painted and built a frame around.
We knew we had to incorporate this unique detail in the shoot along with crafts they love to do together...a painting of course:)...and much more!
Brandee and Rhett...you guys were so fun to hang out with! I wish you the very best as you continue to plan and get hitched so soon!
May God bless your marriage in every exciting, humbling, and joyful way!!
Enjoy:)
Thanks for stopping by,
Claire
I started this little thing I call my business, I sought out to learn everything there was to know about photography & running a business. As weeks of excitement turned into months of steady learning, I quickly discovered that learning everything there is to know about photography only goes so far...
but learning everything there is to business...well there's no end to that.
In each conference, seminar, online tutorial, and class I've ever been a part of from the beginning of this somehow the discussion always comes around to making sure you get the "right kind of clients."
There are strategies and pointers galore out there to teach said inquisitor about such unknown territory, but I've found there's one rule that never fails...
picking the clients that aren't clients at all...they're friends...or they become friends.
Ryan and Alicia have been nothing short of amazing "clients" and honestly at this point I'm so charmed by who they are and what they are together that getting to shoot their wedding is just icing on the cake.
Kate and I had dinner with these two the other night at one of their favorite sushi restaurants here in town
(Must. Try. Rock.N.Sake.)
and it was a little teaser and taste of what this wedding will be like...so awesome!
Alicia and Ryan had their first date at what was once the Wine Loft in Downtown Baton Rouge. Though the loft has a new name, I met Alicia and Ryan there and we had an amazing...(once again almost torrential down pour)...journey through downtown Baton Rouge for their engagement session.
Alicia and Ryan...I'm ready to close the gap between now and your wedding day:)
You guys are awesome and have been such a blast already.
Here's to you
Thanks for stopping by,
*Claire
Parts of New Orleans are simply timeless...
I seem to think it's the trees.
You really can't get more timeless than those trees!!
Add in a super stylish beautiful gal and a handsome man who loves her a lot
and you have a good ole time.
Another timeless South Louisiana element?...
RAIN
This shoot was one of several this time of year that had a big fat "?" on whether it would happen when it was originally planned.
Sara, Patrick, and I all ended up driving through crazy scattered thunderstorms to make it to downtown Nola where there wasn't a drop to be found.
It was exciting to try to beat the rain....
which we did quite successfully.
The bottom fell out as we walked back to our cars.
Sara and Patrick are getting married next year at The Atlantis Hotel in the Bahamas!
To Sara and Patrick...thanks for sticking out through the rain. You guys are stunning! Here's to an amazing destination wedding:)
These were taken at the Piazza de Italia in downtown Nola and City Park in Mid City Nola
Thanks for stopping by,
*Claire
This little man knows how to do it all.
He cooks, he cleans, he fixes things...
Ben is 2.5 years old and even knows how to swim!!
Better than me!
So glad I got to spend a morning with this guy...
Happy Thursday All!
Thanks for stopping by,
Claire
I'm excited to share that Pocketful of Dreams, a UK based International Wedding Blog has featured Rachel and Brandon's engagement photos this morning!! (UK time of course)
Many thanks to Pocketful of Dreams for sharing Rachel and Brandon's story as well as these photos with the world!
(If the picture link doesn't work click here to view the post!)
Happy Tuesday.
Thanks for stopping by,
Claire
I met the couple you're about to see in probably the coolest way I've ever met "clients" before.
Kelsey and Patton are actually my neighbors.
We first met Kelsey as Kate and I were frantically moving in to our new apartment in the middle of October.
Kelsey was scooting by us on our shared balcony about to head to New Orleans and mentioned she and Patton were engaged.
My sweet friend Allison, who you've met here a few times, of course being the wonderful friend that she is suggested to Kelsey that she should most certainly allow me to shoot her wedding:)
And a few months later here we are!
I've said it before many times, but the most rewarding part of all of this is when clients are so much more...they're friends. Kelsey, Patton, Kate, and I live in, what is in my opinion, one of the best areas to live in Baton Rouge.
Spanishtown is right next to Louisiana's capitol building, a pleasant walk to all things downtown, and about 2 seconds from the river.
It is a place where you run into sweet neighbors at dinner on the town, walking down our tree-covered street, and when running the Tuesday night Happy's 5K's.
(which by the way, Kate and I did for the first time randomly last night and it reminded me that I don't care what anyone says...Baton Rouge is so fun!!)
Kelsey and Patton,
I can honestly say I can't stinking wait for your wedding next year! We're going to have a blast:)
Thanks for stopping by,
Claire
So it's 7:00 am..
The things I say today may make no sense.
Did anyone realize May was coming up?
(Happy Birthday Jaylyn by the way:))
With the craziest wedding season I've ever experienced...
and multiple..multiple shoots a week and month...
and so many weddings coming up
(I promise I'm not complaining:))
there has been this fear in me...and sometimes it's not just been a fear....that I'll burn out. That I am burnt out.
In college while taking multiple photography classes a semester I promised myself time and time again that I wouldn't get burnt out on photography. "I love it too much" I would think.
And it's so true...I love it. But God has reminded me that work here on earth is not perfect and will at the end of some days still be work.
But THEN...
I get to do a Friday afternoon shoot with a trio like this one.
Tony, Laura, and Ruby were a gasp of fresh air in the midst of a crazy crazy week and month.
I'm so thankful God does use work...work that we love...maybe for you work that you don't love so much...to be our blessings in disguise at times and to bring us back to what matters...and hopefully in your case, even if you hate your job...to bring you back to thanksgiving knowing that you're provided for.
It may sound crazy, but I think my favorite part of this job is when a couple, a family, a grandmother, a ring bearer...whoever it is knows how to play...with each other and with those around them!
Sadly, I won't be able to shoot Tony and Laura's wedding...I'll be rocking out at Jaylyn's!...they got engaged at this park back in August and will be married this month!
Tony, Laura, and Ruby...you guys are rockstars. Thanks for a beautiful ending to a crazy week. Thanks for being so fun!
I wish you all the best in your marriage and life together!!
Thanks for letting me be a part of it:)
Thanks for stopping by,
*Claire
You may remember Jaylyn and Brian from a few months ago when we "cooked" up a little celebration for their engagement
cheesecake style.
Just to jog your memory you can see the deliciousness here.
Jaylyn is one of my very bestest friends and has been such a vital and beautiful part of my college experience, my Baton Rouge experience, my friendship/ hardship/ sanctification experience...and oh so much more!
Jaylyn has taught me to be organized!!
She has been in massive support and on the front lines with Claire Elyse Photography and my dreams for it literally since day one.
Some of you may know her as my assistant at your wedding.
Others may know her as that girl with the stunning blue eyes.
I know her as work buddy, roommate, prayer warrior, amazing cook, dreamer, road trip-the-country companion, and so so much more.
Has anyone ever been able to put into words how special being in someone's wedding is?
If so, I'd like to read that article.
Sometimes words don't do excitement justice.
I get to stand in Jaylyn and Brian's wedding one month from today. (This is quite surreal because they've been engaged for
F.O.R.E.V.E.R.
I can say this because..well...I can. It's been forever.)
But what a worthwhile wait.
Brian and Jaylyn are one of those couples that just make sense together. And they have from the very beginning. One of my favorite things about their engagement was how meticulous Brian was about the ring. He and I would secretly meet up at the same restaurant every time there was a new development and discuss every detail of each ring he was thinking about getting because he wanted her to absolutely love it.
Just as special as being in someone's wedding is knowing that it's right..
I'm honored to stand next to them in one month and show my support and belief that this one is good and oh so blessed by our gracious and loving God.
Love you friends,
*Claire