Monthly Archives: January 2015

I’ve been holding off on posting my goals this year for 2015.

Let me just throw this out there… there is nothing special about January 1!  Ok?!  Let me just get that off my chest!

Ok… so there might be in terms of deployments or birthday’s or things like that!

In terms of goals though… why do we emphasize January 1?!  You can start whenever you want!  Change happens when you decide you are ready and you make up your mind to make things change!

So this is why I’m holding off on my goals a little bit.

This year feels different to me!  I don’t know why… but it feels bigger!  I feel like there is more in store for me and for my business than just making business goals, publishing goals!

I’ve had stirrings!  (I know that sounds funny) but it’s the truth!

I honestly feel like God is calling to me to do something more… I just don’t know what that is yet!

Last year was a rough year.  A really rough year.  I was dreading January last year in a big way.  Tuck deployed and although I’ve touched on it, I’ve never really shared how truly hard it was for me.

I’m not a very strong person.  There are times when I can be strong.  I can be physically strong when it comes to pain or needing to push through to get a job done.  Emotionally strong though is something that can come and go with me.

Last year I was not in a place where I would call myself emotionally strong!

I ended up getting there eventually, but with the help of many many people and lots of encouragement!  I had to completely break down first before picking myself back up and getting to a point where I used to be:  independent and capable.

Why is this important?!

So much of what I learned last year has changed who I am this year.  It’s changed who I am in my business this year!

It’s why I feel this stirring to do more!  It’s why I keep putting my pen to paper and then placing it back down when I think about writing my goals for 2015!

There are things I want to do, basic things:  Work on providing a solid client incentive program, packaging and branding, continue to update the website more often, and blog more!

But there is this other huge piece that has a need to do more!

I have this desire to educate!  I want to mentor!  I want to start a non-profit!

Basically I want to give back but in a really big way.

I’m not quite sure how yet.  I’m researching a lot of things and my notebooks and journals are filled to the brim with scribbles and ideas and thoughts that are just all over the place.

I just know that this year will be a big year for me in a way that comes straight from my heart!

Eventually, I will sort it all out.

I know it will all come together. But I can feel it in my heart… 2015 is my year to give back!

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I can’t say it enough, how much I just adore this family!  Anyone who meets this family falls instantly in love with them!  Krystin and Vince are just great people.  That’s even an understatement!  It’s hard to describe two people the way you absolutely need to describe these two!  You just have to meet them in person for yourself.

I’ve been really blessed to work with them a lot this past year!  They had one incredibly big year and an adventure they will always remember!  You can check out some of their ride here and here !

Back in December, we were able to get together for a quick little family session!  It was nice being able to just breathe on one of our sessions!  To just relax and catch up and not worry about all the details or the timeline!

The three of us could just walk and talk and enjoy each other and take our time!

We spent most of the session trying to keep warm!  It was chilly that day (nothing like today but still… cold enough)! And we talked about their amazing honeymoon!

Here are some of my favorite images from our quick session together!

I love little G!  She’s just the best little mix of sass and sunshine!

FAVORITE!!!  Love this one so incredibly much!

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  • January 9, 2015 - 2:32 pm

    Marcy Pearl - Brooke: These pictures are absolutely beautiful. Of course, I’m a little biased being Vince’s mom and Krystin’s mother-in-law. You do such great work. And Greyson – what can you even say about her – she’s a beautiful and sometimes crazy little girl. Thank you for all the great pictures you have taken of them.ReplyCancel

In this industry it’s so important to define who you and what makes you, well you!  

There are soo soo many photographers in the Hampton Roads area alone but also so many photographers new and seasoned in every area these days!

I actually love that there are so many people to choose from!  I love that you can decide who fits your family, or who fits your wedding or who fits your style the best!  You can choose who will be the best photographer to fit your needs!

Your photographer is someone that you are trusting to capture your essence and your true self!  You are asking them to understand who you are and connect with you on a personal level so they can truly show you how beautiful you are from the inside out!  And not just you, everyone involved in your session!

So, what does this mean:  you need to trust, connect and relate to the person on the other side of that camera!  You need to love who they are as an individual and not just love their work!  You want to feel as comfortable with them as if you are working with your best friend.  Once you can feel that way, your personality and your spirit will shine in your images!  You will receive genuine and authentic images that you will want to cover the walls of you house!  You will love them because they truly represent who you are and everyone else in them!

How do you get to know your photographer:  Research them!  Spend some time on their web page and their blog!  Actually read their blog and their personal posts.  Do you love the same things?  Can you connect over a weird love of Harry Potter or Coffee?

Start a conversation with your photographer over e mail or the phone!  Talk with them and get to know what they sound like. Do they have inflections, are they super upbeat and positive or are they more laid back and mellow!

Go out and meet with them and discuss your idea for a session!  Meet with them for a quick coffee date!  Just get to know who they are before you get to your location.  This way when you actually start clicking away, you have something to talk about!

*This is especially important for little ones.  If your little one can open up and feel comfortable with the photographer, you are golden!!!  

So after all this talk about spending the time getting to know your photographer:  Who Am I?!

I am Brooke Tucker and I am a Children, Family and Lifestyle Photographer focusing on providing a Lifetime Experience for all my clients!  (you can read more about The Lifetime Experience on my website!)

I am a momma to a seriously wild and crazy cutie named Linc who is 2.5 years old!  (Yep, I wrote 2.5)

I am a quasi military wife and I’m incredibly grateful that I have only experienced one deployment.  That deployment taught me more about myself, my family and my marriage than I could ever have been blessed to know.  It was a blessing in disguise… one that I’m happy to say I don’t have to repeat!

I am incredibly awkward and goofy and clutzy!  I promise you that I will fall at least 2 or 3 times during our time together.  It doesn’t have to be during a session either.  We could be meeting for a coffee at Starbucks and I will trip on my way in, sitting in my chair and again on my way out (probably over the same curb I tripped over coming in.)

Despite being awkward and clutzy, I somehow have some grace in my body oddly enough.  I am a Body Flow instructor and I used to be a dancer!

I laugh really loud!  I’m very high spirited and energetic!

I adore shooting family and children because it means I get to go out to a session and actually play!  I will roll around on the ground and pretend to be a swamp monster.  I will play tag and duck duck goose!  I love to play chase and peek a boo!

I will love your children like I love my own!

I carry a bag with me full of “surprises” for my littlest clients to help them feel more comfortable and break up the session time!

I am super emotional and cry at the drop of a hat!  Sometimes I cry while editing because I truly feel the beauty of each image and the importance of what that image could mean one day.

I love sushi, coca-cola and anything that has to do with salt!

I truly believe that it is vitally important to tell our story as we are living it!  All of our moments:  the best ones, the lovely ones, the hard ones and the bright ones, tell the world who we are!  They tell our family and our friends and our family yet to come that we really lived and we lived well!  We enjoyed each moment and we loved hard each moment!

I want to capture those moments… those wisps of baby hair, that sly coy smile your toddler gives, the running hulk hugs or princess butterfly kisses.  I want to keep those memories for you so that you can visit them whenever you like.  So you can share them with your world and continue to pass on those wonderful traditions.

This is who I am!

Am I the right fit for you?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed in:coffee break chats- for photographers | Personal | PhotographyTagged in: | | | | | | | | |
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