Crazy Silly | Goshen Child Photographer | Traci Shupert Photography

This cutie is the brother of that sweet little baby from a few days ago, and he just happens to be my nephew. Full of expression and spunk, he enjoys playing with his matchbox cars, trucks, and planes. Lucky for us, he was willing to take a break from the fun in order for me to get a few photos. He's a crazy silly little guy!

Walk On | What to Read Wednesday | Traci Shupert Photography

I was in a local toy store this weekend, and ran across the book, Walk On by Marla Frazee. Several years ago, I was at a workshop about teaching reading, and the presenter read this gem of a book to us. To borrow the words of Publisher's Weekly, "It's a pep talk for those ready to leave crawling behind (and for those who may need a refresher). " I love the simplicity of this book. Whenever we face obstacles and challenges, it really is about putting one foot in front of the other no matter our age.





Have you heard about Reading Rockets? It's a great website for nearly everything reading under the sun. I ran across several interviews with author Marla Frazee on their website. In this interview, she talks about her long road into the publishing industry. She had to do a lot of walking before she made it!

In the Midst of the Fog | Goshen Child Photographer | Traci Shupert Photography

We got to spend this weekend with my husband's sister and her family. They have the cutest boys, and are always a lot of fun to hang out with. We thought it would be fun to take the 3 year old to Shipshewana to ride the carousel at one of the indoor shopping areas. Unfortunately, we picked the day that it was closed for maintenance. What a bummer! (I even checked the website the night before to make sure everything was OK. I guess I'll call next time.) But we found a toy store, and it was all good! In the midst of the thick clouds and fog of today, we found a spot to take some photos of these growing boys. First up is the youngest. You saw him here on the blog back in July. I'm completely biased, but he is so very yummy!

Kinda Sorta What to Read | Traci Shupert Photography

I'm taking a stretch here on What to Read Wednesday, but I could not stand waiting any longer to share something I think is pretty cool. So, I'm calling this blog post my recommended reading for the week. (Shameless, I know!) :)

Let me take you on a journey back to my childhood. My parents had these friends they would get together with nearly every weekend to play cards. On one particular Sunday when I was probably around the age of 8, I was playing a game by myself in an adjacent room to where the adults were playing cards. My parents and their friends were unaware of my close proximity. I don't recall exactly what was said, but the words that entered my ears and mind were completely inappropriate for someone of my age to be hearing. 99.9% of the time as I child, I was a rule follower (and still am today). I knew that my parents should be alerted to my presence in the next room, and that I had heard every word. With my eight year old indignant voice, I said, "THERE'S KIDS IN HERE!" The words are now infamous, and will often come up in conversation when we're reflecting on my childhood.

What is the point of this little story? It's serves as background knowledge into my extraordinary ability to overhear conversations.

Fall 2009. I'm waiting in line at the post office which had recently been remodeled, but somehow is still unable to hold more than 10 people at a time. That bothers me. I digress. Back to the story. I've reached the front of the line, when I hear a conversation begin several people behind me. My radar ears immediately picked up on it. Here's how it went:

"You've got a lot of things you're mailing."
"Yes, I knit hats for newborns to sell."

Ding, ding, ding! I have got to talk to this lady, but it is now my turn to present myself to the postal worker to send my package on it's merry way. The postal worker asks the standard questions, "Is there anything hazardous, yada, yada, yada, in this package." But I'm not really paying attention because I'd much rather talk to the lady who knits hats for babies. As I'm paying for my postage, I gather up some boldness, turn around, and begin speaking to the knitter (I think I may have made up that name, but is there a technical name for people who knit? Let me know if you know.)

"I take photos of newborns and babies. Do you have a store in the area or a website I could go to?"


And that's the story of how I met Debi of Debi's Creations. This weekend I had the opportunity to take photos of her adorable work. She has a shop on Etsy (love that place!). Head on over and check it out.

Patience | Middlebury Newborn Photographer | Traci Shupert Photography

Patience definitely pays off. Mom and I worked with Little Miss A for quite awhile to get her into a nice, deep sleep. She was a major trooper throughout the afternoon as she experienced many costume changes. This sweet baby's mom and I go way back - we're talking all the way back to high school. So, it was fun to catch up as we waited for her little girl to enter the world of dreams. Her oldest child was a super helper too! She did everything from running to get the pacifier to holding the blanket so I could get the shot. Thanks for a fun afternoon! :)

The Bible | What to Read Wednesday | Traci Shupert Photography

Come on in for another installment of What to Read Wednesday! At the beginning of the year, one of my church friends started a group on Facebook where we would support one another in reading through the Bible following the One Year Bible Chronological plan. This particular schedule for reading the Bible has scripture arranged as it chronologically happened.

I'm a reading teacher (as you might have already figured out previously), so everything I do is supported by the belief that every child deserves to be a reader. Everything I do is to help them accomplish that goal. If they are able to successfully read and comprehend, they will be able to read and understand the most important book in the history of the world. Happy reading!

Happy Birthday to iheartfaces! | Traci Shupert Photography

The folks over at iheartfaces are celebrating their 1st birthday. This week's photo challenge is "Best Face Photo". As I read the description of the challenge, I immediately knew what photo I wanted to enter. You see...this is my niece, and she can be a silly little girl. After I convinced (i.e. bribed) her to let me take some photos of her this weekend in the cold and snow, she started making all these wacky faces. She told me that this is her face after her teacher has to ask her to refrain from talking. I'm calling it the "Oops! I'll stop talking now!" face. Oh, how I love that girl (even though she talks to much)! :)

10 in 10 | Traci Shupert Photography

Who: Anyone
What: 10 sessions in 2010
Where: Locations throughout the Michiana area
When: February - November, 2010

The last several months, I've been thinking about how I can use what I've been given. The lyrics of a song, Follow You by Leeland, have been on my mind for many days and nights.

You lived among the least of these, the weary and the weak
And it would be a tragedy for me to turn away.

All my needs You have supplied
When I was dead You gave me life
How could I not give it away so freely?

Today, as I was riding to church, I was struck with the idea, 10 in 10. Why not donate 10 sessions in 2010? There are many great charitable organizations (like Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep, The Littlest Heroes Project, Think Pink, etc.) that create opportunities for photographer's to donate their time and talent. I've thought about joining each of those organizations (and I still might), but I would like to give 10 in 10 a chance this year.

Here's the 411:
I'm looking for anyone (families, children, newborns, expecting mothers and fathers, high school seniors, engaged couples, military families, etc.) who may not be able to afford custom portrait photography, who are survivors, who have served our country proudly, who have made a difference in the lives of others, who are in the fight for their lives...anyone.

If you know someone or are someone who would like to be considered for one of the 10 in 10 sessions, send your story to: traci@tracishupertphotography.com

Here's what each 10 will receive:
-Up to 2 hours of on location coverage
-Online gallery to view images and share with family & friends
-10 of their favorite images edited and ready to print on a CD
-A 4x6 print of each image in the gallery
-One 8x10 print of their favorite image

I will be taking nominations throughout the entire year. I will announce the first 10 on February 1st, and thereafter on the first of every month through November. Please contact me if you have any further questions.

P.S. I thought today was the perfect day to kick this off since it is 1-10-10! :)

Snow | Mishawaka Child Photographer

The sun greeted me when I awoke this morning, and I knew this would be a great day for photos. I called up my niece, and she agreed to venture out in the cold with me to serve as my model. She's been losing teeth left and right these days, so it's been fun to document her toothless smiles. We literally had to trudge through about a feet of snow to get to the spot. She let me snap away, and when I realized my legs were numb, it was time to escape to some warmth. I would concede that winter may not be the most ideal time to take photos, but as long as we have boots and light, we are good to go!

What to Read Wednesday | Traci Shupert Photography

I'm feeling a little nostalgic about Christmas today, so I'm sharing a photo I took during our getaway to Chicago right after Christmas. The bokeh in this image comes from this huge tree in front of the John Hancock building along the Magnificent Mile. I adore shooting wide open, which means there is a very narrow plane of focus and everything outside of that plane is out of focus or blurred. (Does that make sense? Sorry if I'm getting a little too technical. And I hope I'm explaining it correctly. Feel free to correct me.) :)

I'm putting a little twist on What to Read Wednesday. I do have a reading recommendation, but it's not your typical bookish reading. I've been thinking long and hard about my next steps in this fun, new endeavor that I ventured into last year. I've been trying to think of how I can describe for you how I feel when I'm behind the camera. There is this creative energy that is released from my heart when I get to spend time with you, and document your life. I think of each image as a creation - a piece of art that I get to shape and refine. One who creates, we call a creator. So, in the end, what really makes this all worthwhile, is that as I create, I am drawn closer and closer to my Creator. I get to use God's first creation, LIGHT, and his best creation, YOU, to create a photograph. Which is essentially, writing with light (graph = to write, photo = light).

So, with all that in mind, I've posted the brand spankin' new Session Information for you to read on this Wednesday. If you already had a session scheduled with me for 2010, your portrait agreement and pricing will not change. Thank you to all my clients who have helped make this creative endeavor possible! I'm looking forward with joy to possibility of being your photographer!

New, Part 2 | Traci Shupert Photography

Something new, part 2. Several years ago, I decided to learn how to do digital scrapbooking using Photoshop. I've scrapbooked for years (the paper way), and the idea of digital scrapbooking appealed to my techy side. With the help of Google, I found lots of *free* digital scrapbooking goodies and tutorials that helped me learn (some) of the tricks of the trade. Photography and design fit very nicely together, so I will now be offering custom design services for all kinds of cards, announcements, and you name it. Above, are a few samples of custom designed birth announcements that I can help you create.

Something New for Clients | Traci Shupert Photography

Welcome to a little something new for my portrait clients - Inspired Walls. So, you've had your photos taken, and now you're wracking your brain on how to display them in your home. Well, look no further. The Inspired Wall guides are here to help. After your session, I will take a sampling of the photos and offer up some ideas for you on how to display them. I'm a visual learner, so this is right up my alley! Let me know what you think? Would you find this helpful? Stay tuned for more things I've got buzzing around in my brain. :)

New | Traci Shupert Photography

Happy New Year! I've been working diligently on a website over my Christmas Break, and I am so excited to unveil it on this New Year's Day! Visit it by clicking here or on the photo above. Be sure to add it as a bookmark!

After lots of Christmas gatherings and a Chicago getaway (photos to come soon), my husband and I are enjoying our time at home relaxing today. A year ago, I was having fun participating in Karen Russell's Photographer's Workshop. Hoping that I would be able to take what I learned and create beautiful photographs for myself. As many stories go, I started taking photos for friends and family and my business grew from there. I cannot explain the unexpected joy I've experienced through looking through the lens and clicking all of the beautiful people you see on this blog and the new website. Thank you!

I will be announcing some changes to very shortly, so stayed tuned for more newness!