Life in the View Finder

Weekend Break

Weekends... Rock!  No better way to say it other than that!

I can't believe it's already over, although yesterday I kept thinking it was Monday... that's sad.

Did you all have a nice weekend?!  

Hubs and I had a bit of a break this weekend from a lot of things that have been joining in the fun on our plates.

We were able to relax on Friday and grill out a delicious dinner with a pork sirloin and a warm bacon and spinach salad.  It was so nice on Friday evening that we even sat outside on the deck to eat as a nice cool breeze came through.  

Hubs and I needed to be able to sit and do that catching up on each other.  Things last week had started to get a tense little buzz or hum around these parts.  So it was really lovely to sit on the deck and just talk about everything... how our schedules are going to change once baby L gets here, what are some things we want to do before he comes and after he comes, what the hubs is needing, what I'm needing... things like that!

Saturday we spent kind of aimless which was awesome.  We were finally able to take a dip in the pool which felt amazing on the bump!  We then met up with some friends that were passing through town on their way to the OBX and then headed over to my parents for a little while.  It was one of those days where we just got up without a plan of attack for the day and ended up just getting to visit and be with people we love!

Yesterday was AWESOME!  Two of my best girlfriends threw me an incredible baby shower!  (more details to come on that in a blog post this week (pictures and details all included).

Needless to say after all that, hubs and I had a truly great weekend!  I took a bit of a break from my camera (I have to say bit because I took a few pictures yesterday at the shower because the details were just so thoughtful!)

And I think now I"m ready to tackle on this week... back to work.  (It's interesting and surprising and wonderful how busy I actually am with photography full time)

I have a bunch of little lists swimming around in my head that I need to get down on paper today.

I have a gallery I need to tidy up and finish for a local caterer.  His food was beautiful at the last wedding I shot and I offered to share my images with him.

One of my girlfriends had her baby a few weeks ago so I'm planning a little visit to meet baby S and bring over some dinner for them.  Of course my camera will come along on that visit and I'm hoping for a small impromptu newborn shoot.

I have a cake smash this Thursday which we've been planning and planning and planning.  I'm ready to see this shoot come together.

And I need to work on some concepts and ideas for my upcoming weekend shoots.  I get to shoot an Ever After shoot for my girl Elizabeth on Saturday and I have a super cute maternity shoot on Sunday!  

Plus the hubs and I have birthing class on Wends, and  our first sit down meeting together with our fabulous Doula on Tuesday evening.  

And that right there folks makes me realize just how real all this is!  I'm going to have a baby next month... wait, WHAT?!

It's also helping me to realize just how orgainized I need to start getting.  Where is that notebook that I need to write all this down in?!  

Can I please get with the times and stop using my planner that's more like a book and get everything synced into the computer and the cloud?!  

Any of you still out there use a paper planner?!  

If not can you please help me break the ties I have to this book of mine?

xoxo

B

 

CSA Saturday! Week 4

So last week was an awful bust!  I didn't use hardly ANYTHING of what we got last week except for some squash and some lettuce.  

I hate to admit it, but I'm pretty boring when it comes to my lettuce.  I'm not a big fan of spring mix, or the ones that look like weeds.  The bulls blood scared me a little and I was NOT a fan of it's taste (but yay for me for trying!)

Last week I made a paleo style french onion turkey burger that we wrapped in lettuce rather than buns.  I also made purple sweet potatoe and squash fries (which were delicious!)

I whipped up some more asparagus soup (which was NOT paleo) and a pasta for dinner one night that had peas, squash, sun dried tomatoes and some chicken.

This week as hubs and I left to pick up the CSA we were happy to see that we wouldn't be receiving as much greens.  Um... wrong!

We got:

• Spring lettuce mix
• Spinach
• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Peaches (YES!!!)
• sweet potatoes
• broccoli
• Squash medley
• Peas
• Swiss Chard

It's a LOT huh!  And we didn't even get the radishes, beets and romaine that we were supposed to get according to the newsletter.  

Our fridge is FULL!  

I am proud to say though that we are already using our new produce.  Last night while the hubs grilled a mesquite pork sirloin (that tasted like a hot dog which is kind of my favorite thing) I threw together a warm spinach and bacon salad with eggs and a warm cider vinaigrette.  

Today I'm planning on making a swiss chard fritata for breakfast (with bacon) and then I'm going to make a large batch of summer squash soup both for eating now and freezing.  

We still have the beets from last week so maybe tonight I'll do a roasted beet and pecan salad.  

Again as always... please leave me a comment or e mail me (brooketuckerphoto@gmail.com) if you have any ideas for quick and easy recipes!

 

A most romantic love story (and marriage advice)

Good Morning Everyone and Happy FRIDAY! 

I thought since it's Friday and the weekend is coming up I'd share with you a story that I learned at Victoria & Eric's wedding!  (if you haven't seen their wedding check it out Here)

This amazing couple has been married for close to 57 years!  

When I was taking their portraits last Saturday, I asked them what their secret was.  He chuckled a bit and then replied that it was "letting her have the check book!".  

I laughed and pointed at my husband who was also kind enough to back up shoot for me that day! ("Did you get that Honey?!")

We shot a few more portraits and then he walked over to me and said in all seriousness it was keeping up the love story.  He shared with me their story and it took every pregnant hormone ounce of my body not to openly weep in front of him!

I'd like to share a little bit of their story with you today...

They met prior to him going into the Navy.  He was working at a funeral home and she was in her year of postulancy before taking her vows to become a Nun.  

Her mother had become ill and passed away and while she was at home helping to make arrangements she met him.  

He was smitten right away he says.  He called upon her father and asked if he could take her out.  He made it very clear that back then... there was no kissing or making out.  There was barely even hand holding.  It was courting back then and it was wonderful.  

Her father disagreed and did not approve but they went out instead.  He said he had a wonderful time but they parted ways and she left to go back to the convent and he left to join his ranks in the Navy.

He says from time to time he always thought about her and wondered how she was doing.  He couldn't quite get her off his mind.

Later, her father became ill so she returned from the convent once more to take care of him.  He happened to be on leave and word had gotten around that she was home.  He didn't want to take a chance of letting her slip away again, so he came "calling."  

That's when he says they began courting and she decided that life as a nun was not meant for her after all.  They have been together since.

That's a movie story if I've ever heard one before!  To me it's magical and sweet and lovely.

We chatted for a few more minutes as I thanked him so much for sharing his story with the hubs and me.  

He told me a few words of wisdom that I will probably always remember and think of often. He told us the secret to a long marriage is truly loving the person your with for all of them and for all situations.  He explained to us some of the rough times that they had shared... but that's what he said... they "shared" those times together and they got through them together.  He gave us two tips that evening:

1. Slow down and take time with each other.  Don't rush things like everyone does now.  Think about the days when he was younger and life was simpler.  It wasn't about the internet or moving too fast.  It was about courting someone and getting to know who they are and what means something to them.
2. Keep things fresh.  In marriage coming home every night 7 days a week to a dinner on the table and a predictable schedule can make any woman/man restless.  Shake things up and do something different to keep the spark going. He would call home one night during the work week and say let's all go for a picnic.  Or he would call and spontaneously take her out to dinner.  He specifically mentioned that dinner may be the corniest restaurant (kind of like a sonic is what he said) nothing fancy.  But it was still out and they were still together.

*He also said that about every 3 months he tried to go away with her somewhere.  Even if it was just for a night's stay somewhere different, he wanted to whisk her away and have a new experience.

I can't thank them enough for sharing this story and sharing their wisdom on marriage with me and with my husband.  This story has stuck with my heart since the moment I heard it.  There hasn't been a day or even a moment for that matter that I haven't thought back to that chat in the garden.  

I think it's the best part about what I get to do with my camera.  I get to meet people, I get to learn about their lives and I get to learn new lessons and new ways of thinking.  I am touched by their lives and their experiences and it makes me a much better person than I ever would be without it.  I am more thankful for this with every day I get to spend with my camera.

I hope you are just as moved by their story as I was, and I hope you can take away some piece of advice or joy.  

Happy Friday everyone!  Have a great weekend and take a few moments to truly look at your spouse or significant other and slow it down a bit!

Victoria & Eric: Hampton, VA Wedding photographer

I've known Victoria since she was little.  Her big sister Lauren and I were friends since we were little so I was around when Lauren was still taking advantage of Victoria (like a big sister should!)  

I was so excited when Victoria contacted me to see if I would shoot her wedding.  In her message she told me it was going to be a really small, very intimate ceremony at her father's house in Hampton on the inlet...just close family and friends.  Outdoor small wedding?!  Yes Please!

It was truly magical.  It was a gorgeous day and the outside was AMAZING!  White tulle, and wild flowers lined the walkway into the back yard.  It was green and lush and I had never seen a venue like it.  It was comfortable and inviting yet so visually stunning...like out of a magazine.

Victoria was the same!  She was glowing and I have never seen her look more beautiful and more content.  She laughed and joked while getting ready and it truly was a celebration in that small room upstairs as her mom, sister and four or five of her close friends helped her get into her dress and her shoes.  

This was the first time I had ever met Eric and just at the mention of Victoria, he lights up.  

During the ceremony he couldn't keep his eyes off her and I believe that for him the moment she came through the door that evening, the world stopped and everyone else just melted away.

Here are some of my favorites.  I hope you enjoy them!

To see more from this gorgeous couple's wedding, you can view a slide show Here

Currently...(end of May issue)

I have completely slacked on this one this month but a lot of good has been going on!  

So anyway...

Currently:

Dreaming:  About labor.  Yeah I know it's not fun.  I am not only actually dreaming about it,    but I'm also constantly thinking about it.  Maybe it's because baby L has decided that I need to    be in pre-labor for the last 2 weeks up until he decides to join us.  

Planning:  Several upcoming shoots:  maternity, newborn, beloved, boudoir marathon!

Wishing:  I was more creative at taking pictures of random people while I'm out.  Heck,  wishing I was better about bringing my camera with me everywhere I go and oh yea... using it!

Enjoying:  Editing this current wedding!  I LOVE small intimate weddings and I've had 2 in        the past two weeks!

Reading:  TOO MANY BOOKS at once!  The Happiest Baby on the Block by Dr. Karp, Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, 50 Shades of Gray E.L. James and The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth.  Yea... what am I thinking?!

Hoping:  To make it to a baby shower before I deliver Baby L.  

Appreciating:  My husband.  I think I write him down every time I post this but it's the darn truth.  I don't know what I'd be doing if it weren't for him.  Thanks Hubs for supporting me in pursuing photography full time, being a back up shooter for the smaller weddings, helping me off the couch because I am now like a turtle on it's back, helping with dinner and the dishes... I could go on and on and on!

Feeling:  Very grateful!

And a little nervous!

And completely silly... as usual (you can't tell in this picture but I'm totally practicing my Heidi Klum face! ;) )

(Taken with two of my best girl friends at the wedding last weekend!  Photographer and baby dance break!)

and smising... it's all there!

What are you currently feeling/thinking/hoping for?

 

 

Victoria & Eric Sneak Peek: Hampton, VA wedding photographer

Over the long weekend, I was able to shoot a beautifully small and intimate wedding!

Here is a quick sneak peek of what I'm finishing up today!

More to come on the blog this week!

CSA Saturday! Week 3

This week our CSA basket was a little bit overwhelming!

Hubs picked it up and when I came home shortly after I found a large basket full of greenery.  

We are still struggeling to finish off all the greens from last week (in fact sadly we had to throw some of them out.)  

Our baskets each week are for a family of 4 and I have no doubt in my mind that even still, I'm sure that family of 4 has left overs.

Last week was difficult though because hubs was out of town and who really wants to cook a big, huge, experimental meal for themselveS?!

The haul this week:

• Bulls Blood (which are apparently beets)
• 2 more containers of strawberries
• 1 container of blueberries (which is good because I ate the entire container in one sitting last week!)
• Sugar snap peas
• Baby vidalia sweet onions
• Swiss chard
• Curly Kale ( I see a lot of kale chips in our future this week)
• More spring lettuce
• Spinach
• Squash 
• White and Purple potatoes

SEE!! I mean it's a little bit overwhelming.  I've never seen our fridge so full of just veggies alone.  Really, it's almost all lettuce and greens alone!

This week I am going to try my very very best not to let anything go to waste.  

I will make a swiss chard fritata tomorrow to eat for breakfast and save.  I'm thinking I will also use the recipe they gave us for a beet salad.  I've never had beets, if you know of a great recipe PLEASE leave me a comment or send me an e mail.

I'm thinking we are also going to be eating a LOT of salads this week!  

We do have a lot of our goodies frozen and ready to go for smoothies or week night dinners but still, it's challenging to see all that food and find a way to eat it in one week.

Last week I made a creamy asparagus soup in the vitamix, which was pretty tasty.  I might have to find a way to use some of those greens and potoatoes in a soup this week!

Please... if you have any suggestions or great recipes to share, I am in desperate need!

 

It was...an awkward Thursday

Yesterday was supposed to be my "light" day.  It was supposed to be nice and relaxing and a time to play catch up with a lot of different things (including laundry, and personal editing and e mailing).  

Early that morning I had a pregnancy craving for a delicious quinoa salad that you can get at the Leaping Lizard . If you haven't ever been there and you live in this area... GO... FAST!  It was even featured on Diners, Drive ins and Dives!

Anyway... I wanted to catch up with my friend Bea so we decided we'd meet for lunch around 1 so I could see her and satisfy my craving.

Well that was all well and good (and I was super excited) until the door slammed too quick and I locked myself out of the house... no keys.

It was an instantaneous feeling of dread.  

WHA???? NOOOOO!!  I felt like it happened in slow motion.  Bewildered at how I could do such a thing I started turning the door knob and pushing on the door;  slowly at first and then with a vigor I didn't even know I had!

I kept pushing on that door all the while silently cursing the fact that in the beginning of May I made fun of a friend who was staying with us that locked herself out of our house as well and had to bust through one of our screens.  This was surely Karma for making fun of her.

After realizing that the door was not going to budge, I broke out the reinforcements.  First it was bobby pins.  I used to be really great at lock picking with bobby pins in college!  I could do it in less than 3 minutes!  Yesterday:  I broke 5 bobby pins in that lock.  

What's funny is the amount of doors we have in this house!  I broke bobby pins in each door, it was sad.  

I then broke out the credit card/panera card.  I ALMOST was able to get our back door, until weak little panera card broke.  

By this time I was getting hot and desperate.  Pregnant women do not need to be running around lock picking at 1230 pm in the humid air!

Desperately I called the hubs wondering if he had any advice.  He suggested looking to the window our friend had busted through.  I mean I did have the windows open yesterday.  I tentatively peeked at it... this move would require me having to climb on patio furniture and through the window and I wasn't sure my belly would fit.  In the end it wouldn't matter because someone locked all the windows before we had gone to bed that night.  That window wasn't budging.  

In fact, the only window that could have been a possible entry was our kitchen window which would have required me to not only carry our ladder from the garage to the back yard but also standing on that ladder and figuring out a way to actually shove the window through and break it.  At this point, I was doomed.

I shut myself back in the garage (sweating at this point) and made the call to my friend to tell her I was stranded.  

Luckily she was able to come get me within about 15 minutes and take me over to pick up our spare key at the parents house.  

I'm super grateful to her for doing this for me because it's awkward being hot, pregnant, hungry and locked out!  

At least I had some water with me, and a book... and my phone!

Does anyone else ever do this?!

puppy paws and other such things

This week so far as full time photographer has been a pretty busy/great week!  

Today thankfully is a "catch up" day where I am planning on finalizing some edits, getting all my gear ready for this weekend's wedding and having dinner with my amazing friend and photographer EFriske!!

I have to admit... it's kind of a nice life so far!

Speaking of life... here's what's been going on according to my phone:

• Best road snack ever!  Part of our 12 pm stop from the wedding road trip last Friday
• Still eating asparagus from our CSA (we have like 4 bundles frozen as well!)
• My BFF using the belly as a pillow
• New sunglasses are the BEST!

• I adore puppy paws!
• I swear I think she believes she is a lioness and that our backyard of weeds is her jungle!  
• The hubs early birthday gift (we plan on going out tomorrow morning, he will ride and I will sadly sit this one out with my camera on the beach!)
• Cutest onesie EVER!  I'm so sad that I even bought two one for newborn and one for 12 months.  Yes I do that for myself, why wouldn't I subject my son to it?!

 

 

Sophie & Mike are married!

Ginny and I hopped in the car on Friday morning for our 3 hour drive;  excited about our road trip and the chance to photograph a truly fun laid back wedding.

About half way there, we noticed the sky was getting darker and darker. On our last long stretch of road we started to see big puddles and pools of water.  About 20 minutes outside of the house it started to rain.  I got worried!

While all this was going on outside, Sophie and Mike were tucked away inside the house in Hatteras letting absolutely nothing take away from their moment or their happiness!

While Sophie had gone out to get her hair done, Mike had moved the sofa's and the furniture to make a perfect indoor beach aisle complete with sea shells lining the walk way!  They had set up a cocktail hour downstairs where people could hang out and relax before the ceremony began.  Mason jars lined the pool table and hors d'oeuvres were set out on little plates waiting for the guests to devour. 

Sophie was radiant!  She never once stopped smiling as she was getting ready.  It felt as though this was how everything was meant to be all along.

Sophie and Mike are wonderful together!  You can actually feel how much they love, care and support one another when you are around them.  They are perfect compliments of one another!  Sophie talks about Mike and their first date and how funny he is and what a great man he is.  Mike can't stop gushing about Sophie;  anything from how she's an awesome surfer to how beautiful she is to how much she has accomplished.  

Mike beams when he talks about Sophie.  He can make Sophie smile so big with just one look. And as Sophie was walking (scratch that... I'm not sure she could get down the aisle fast enough) you could tell she took his breath away!

Here are some of my favorites from their wedding!  

Seriously Sophie:  GORGEOUS!!

Small celebration in the Bride's Room!





























Congratulations Mike & Sophie!  

Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your wonderful day!

 

Sophie's Bridals: A perfect beach bridal

A while back my friend Ginny of Flourish Designs asked if I would shoot a wedding with her!

Ginny is a huge inspiration for my photography.  We met through my hubs and the crossfit gym.  Ginny opened up a whole new world to me of fantastic people that were all about getting together, shooting and teaching each other!  Ginny and I have gotten even closer as friends and I was so honored that she would ask if I would partner up with her for Sophie's wedding.

We met at Starbucks and I knew right away this was going to be an incredible time!  Sophie is GORGEOUS!  At first glance she's just striking but then you get to know her and she becomes so much more beautiful because of who she is.

We talked a bit about the wedding and then set up a time for bridals a few months down the road.

Luckily we were all able to get together with our busy schedules for a fantastic bridal portrait shoot in the beginning of this month (Sophie is now Dr. Sophie with her DPT).  Um can you imagine planning your wedding, finishing up your DPT, getting your white coat and studying for boards ALL at the same time?!  Seriously, amazing!

Sophie is the perfect beach girl and it was only fitting that we go on down to the Narrows for her session.

She was beautiful in her dress and so patient with us as we posed her in different ways and we played around with equipment we ended up ditching. (That's a whole other story for another time!)

Here are a few of my favorites from her bridal portrait session:

Hello gorgeous dress for a gorgeous girl!  Isn't that the most perfect beach dress?!

So Sophie pretended to be all shy and as if posing for pictures was foreign to her... and then after a few shots I realized she totally knows what she's doing!  It was like an inner Tyra came out!  SMISE girl... SMISE!

Seriously... GAWGEOUS!  

This next one is probably my favorite from the session:  look at that smile!

DETAIL shot!

Sophie made that bouquet herself!

Thanks Ginny for letting me come along and shoot with you!  I had the best time and I'm so thankful that you introduced me to this awesome girl!

Sophie I'm so glad I got to meet you and hang out.  You are such an incredible and special person.  Mike is extremely lucky and from seeing him at the wedding, I know he feels that way!

Thank you for opening your heart and your wedding to me!  Ginny and I couldn't have asked for a better couple to shoot together!  

Hope to see you again soon (maybe even out on the water... Sophie is also a fierce surfer...seriously this girl can do it all and does with a humble heart!)

Check out their wedding which will be up tomorrow!