We just discovered that, in the process of creating our NEW blog, our email went down … errrr, two days ago. So if you have emailed lisa@turtlestreetphotography.com, we promise we are not ignoring you! SO sorry for the inconvenience.

Until we get this resolved – which should be in the next day or two – please email turtlestreetphoto@hotmail.com.

Thanks for your patience, and trust us when we say our new blog will be FABULOUS!!

Going into 2011, I feel more blessed than I ever have in my whole life. Health and well-being, two awesome kids, a wonderful husband, friends and family who are always there for me, a stable day job that allows me to feed my family, a “side gig” that allows me to stretch myself creatively, and a roof over our heads. Life absolutely does not get any better than this.

So I initially felt a bit stumped when thinking about goals and aspirations for 2011. I already have everything I want! But then I realized it’s NOT about possessing … it’s about giving. What do I want to share with the world? How will I, in the words of that old spiritual my kids love, “let my little light shine?” A couple of things come to mind:

1. I want to give my clients images that blow them away, that they want to blow up and hang in every room of their home, that are brought out twenty years from now when their child brings home their future spouse, that bring a heartfelt smile to their face, and a tear to their eye. I want my work to be more emotional, more candid, more honest. 2010 was all about portfolio-building for us, and refining our technical and post-processing skills. For me, 2011 is about taking the artistry and creativity to the next level.

2. I want to give my kids more presence. Having two jobs and two kids under the age of three often means I am multi-tasking: answering emails while I make dinner, or making up ridiculous songs while I develop client galleries. But I’m determined to strike an even better balance – I know I can give our clients incredible customer service and artwork they’ll always treasure AND make sure my kids, when recalling their youth, can remember my face because it was NOT always in front of a computer. I want to multi-task less and accomplish more. BALANCE, I will find you if it’s the last thing I do! (P.S. The kids are napping right now).

3. There IS actually one thing I want for myself, and I am 100% certain it’ll make me a better wife/mom/employee/friend/person: To give myself an honest-to-goodness break. I will take a real vacation this year with my husband no matter what. We say it every year; but this year, it’s actually going to happen!

What’s in store for us in 2011? We remain committed to giving our clients the best. We’ve added more digital packages, maternity and baby collections, and an inspiration guide for each client; we’ve kept our print and product prices lower than most custom photographers, so you can keep on buying the prints you love; we’re looking forward to seeing old clients and making new ones, as folks use their referral and repeat customer credits; we’ve got a little CONTEST coming soon, to celebrate our 1st birthday (mwahahaha); and we’re redesigning our blog.

My wish for you, clients and friends, is a year filled with the best life has to offer; of dreams coming true, chances being taken, and lemons being turned into lemonade. Thanks so much for trusting us, welcoming us into your hearts and homes, and joining us on this incredible journey! Without you, there would be no Turtle Street, and we recognize how lucky we are each and every day.

(… and finally, here are a few shots of what we’ve been up to the past few weeks. Happy New Year, all!)

P.S. I absolutely love shooting outside, even in snowy, twenty-something-degree weather .

Our newfound intensity was sparked, quite honestly, by Mark getting laid off in February – we figured that if we didn’t jump in headfirst right away, we might never have such an opportunity again. With over 60 sessions in the past ten months (and one more to go!), it’s been more challenging and more work than we could have ever dreamed, yet it was also more fun and rewarding … like a lot of things in life!

To round out the year – and before things get too hectic with our son’s 3rd birthday festivities and the inevitable holiday madness – I wanted to post a quick “year-in-review” with some of my favorite images … one for every month since March, when we had our first honest-to-goodness paid shoot as actual professionals.

Without further ado … one of the very first images from our very first session back in March. Mr. J’s soulful blue eyes are sure to melt many hearts! I can’t wait to watch this little guy grow up.

And here’s my April pick. This one is especially poignant because this young man is now a United States Marine – he completed basic training just a few weeks ago. He also happens to be my cousin, and our entire family couldn’t be prouder.

Fast forward to May. This was the first engagement session I ever did, and I was thrilled with the results. This couple was so real and natural in front of the camera – not to mention gorgeous and SO in love.

And here’s June, which was insanely hectic and our first taste of what “busy season” really means! This family was a joy to photograph and they were styled beautifully. We had a great time in Hart Plaza and along the Riverwalk – I hope to do more sessions downtown in 2011.

On to July … these kids were so cooperative and photogenic I could hardly believe they were real! I love this sibling pic – it was totally spontaneous.

Now for August. I hate heat and humidity, so August is a great time to do sunset sessions. You just can’t beat the amazing light, and temps are usually cooler in the evening. This couple and I really put the glowy light to good use during their engagement session!

September was a month almost entirely comprised of babies. I had a LOT of faves that month, and here’s one of them. The colorful handmade blanket, the dreamy bokeh, and the dashing contrast of this little man’s red hair and blue-green eyes … love it!

October is my favorite month for photo sessions. The temps are cooler; the colors are beautiful; and us Michiganders are squeezing every last ounce of enjoyment from the outdoors before winter comes along! Here’s a shot from one of my senior sessions that I just loved – I really hope to work with more teens in 2011.

And here’s Mr. November.  This session was memorable because it had been SO cold and on this particular day, it was magically much warmer. Like the sun came out just for our little photo shoot! Plus, this guy was just as cute as can be.

Finally, December. We’ve managed to fit in a bunch of sessions in a very short window of time, and this one stands out, because it feels like the epitome of fatherly pride.

So there it is … a little Turtle Street “year in review.” And although things are going to slow down a lot these next few weeks, we will be far from idle … there are tons of website updates coming in a few days, plus a few personal projects we’ve been postponing. We’re looking forward to an amazing 2011, and for a chance to be included in the NEXT “Year in Review” post, email lisa@turtlestreetphotography.com to book your 2011 session .

They are available in any denomination and can be customized with any message you wish, sent to any address in the country (or directly to you!). Email lisa@turtlestreetphotography.com to get yours … but do it TODAY … orders received by Friday December 17th are guaranteed to arrive in time for the holidays!