4 reasons why Candice Glover inspires me

There are girls that are the prettiest, coolest, flyest, best dressed, most fashionable, etc. There are also the women who are the most confident, the smartest, the most secure, the most talented. Sometimes the two circles collide and sometimes not. There are many women I admire, for many reasons, but the gals that fall in the the second category get much more of my attention. Candice Glover of American Idol is on the list of women that get my attention.

She is a contestant on the hit show American Idol. There is a way that she sings that goes beyond just stringing sets of notes together. She sings with power, with passion clearly understanding the words that she sings and completely determined to make you believe the story she's telling through her music.

But it's more than that. Candice is not the typical Hollywood type. She is an average sized girl with average looks and average fashion styling BUT (and there's a big but) she walks on that stage with supreme confidence. She may truly feel that way about herself....or she may be in the 'fake it till you make it' category. Doesn't matter.....outwardly she has convinced me of her skills. She does her job so well that you are forced to stop and wallow in the beauty of her voice and her presence.

She is grateful. Week after week she sings. Sometimes she's great and sometimes she's just good. But she is grateful when she gets compliments and just as thankful for her learning experiences. It's no surprise that she is on the finale show.

She is determined. It takes a chick with some chutzpah to love something, want to do it passionately, get shunned over and over again, yet pick up and try again. That's Candice. She tried out for American Idol repeatedly and wasn't 'good enough.' So she honed her gift until she was ready for just this moment.

I photograph women from all walks of life. I don't photograph models. I photograph the everyday woman. I photograph the girl who likes her legs and hates her butt, who is a great accountant/nurse/teacher but a terrible housekeeper/cook/fashionista, the girl who only dresses up on weekends (and for photoshoots), the girl who is a great mother and a loving wife, the girl who has life experience full of joys and a few regrets, the girl who works hard and laughs harder, the girl who has tons of fun but remembers that she has a reputation to uphold. That's my client, my peeps, the chick I love the photograph. Candice reminds me of that girl.....and that's why I love her.

My favorite Mother's Day photo

Grandma, Mommy, Sister and Me. This is/was my circle of 4. My grandmother is gone now. I miss her. I miss that my children won't know her like I did. I miss that they won't get advice from her. They can't taste her soup. She can't make them a nice cup of Milo with extra condensed milk. Instead they get to call the woman she raised as their grandmother.

I am the woman I am today because my mother was raised by a woman with a strong commitment to her children. There was nothing and no-one that could stand in the way of my grandmother and the vision that she had for her daughter. Every child deserves a grandmother that is a little indulgent and a gives out lots of hugs and love. My children have my mother as their grandmother.

This morning my mother called me to say, "Happy Mother's Day." She told me that she was proud of my dedication to my family, proud of the way I mother. I wanted to say, "I got it from you." I wanted to tell her that I got every bit of it from her but I was interrupted by a bouncing 3 year old who realized that her grandma was on the phone. Those two love each other without bounds. They go on dates, they talk for as long as necessary and one of them cries when it's time to leave (I won't say who). The stern, loving and self-sacrificing woman who raised me is now a doting grandmother. I love watching the way she is with my children. She's a bit unrecognizable yet charmingly familiar. Grandmothering suits her. It's a beautiful dance of love.

About 10 years ago, before I was a mother, I gathered the most important women in my life and we took a picture....together. Now that my grandmother is gone, this gift is the one thing that I treasure the most. I am happy that on mother's day so many years ago, I invested in a gift to my legacy that will probably outlive all of us. I am eager for the portrait session this summer with my kids and their grandparents because the legacy continues. The memories never end. The stories keep going. The influence of generations of mothers is beautiful.

Living in two worlds and loving it :: Photos by Pru

It was a pink satin dress with perfectly matching pink shoes and a matching pink, flowery hair piece. My hair was pressed and then pinned into an elaborate up-do. It was gorgeous. I was gorgeous, drop dead gorgeous. My older cousin was getting married and I was a bridesmaid.....a 13 year old bridesmaid. The only thing I remember about that day was the way I felt. I felt amazing! I am a girly girl.....always have been.

But there was more to me. I was in college when I got my first real fix. I'd dabbled before but I hadn't gone all the way. But today was the day that I would make my Daddy proud. I was going to change the oil on my car.....and I loved it! I was addicted to grease under my finger nails. I am a tom boy.

I am a convergence of opposites.....and I like it!

I am not a mass produced  human. I am fully and completely complex. I like my hair straight and I like it curly. I like photography and taxes. I am quirky and funny, yet stern, rigid and opinionated. I am a girly girl and a tom boy. I am Pru.

Boudoir Photography explained.....

What is Boudoir Photography?
noun \ˈbü-ˌdwär,
Boudoir is a french word for a woman's dressing room, bedroom, or private sitting room.
Boudoir Photography is artfully photographing a woman at various stages of getting dressed.

What to wear to a Boudoir session?
You can wear anything, nothing at all, or perhaps something in between. A man's white dress shirt + his favorite tie,  paired with cute girly underwear is very sexy. Maybe you've invested in delicate lingerie, fishnet stockings and to-die-for heels.......then girl, wear that! Or if that sexy, little dress that makes you feel fabulous.....rock it! Maybe you're the girl who just loves her silhouette, then bring it and let's do some figurescapes. The options are endless.

How can I book my boudoir session?
In a few days, there will be a special boudoir marathon, just in time for Valentine's day. You can find all the details about Valentease, here. However, I shoot boudoir all year long. If you are interested in a boudoir session, drop me an email (pru @ photosbypru.com) let's chat about your vision and bring it to life ;).

Is boudoir for skinny gals only?
Not at all. There are no mass produced humans. You are beautiful at any age, shape, size. Some of my most beautiful boudoir portraits are of woman with massively sexy curves. Those images have been loved and treasured by their spouses.

What should I expect a my boudoir session?
Expect to be pampered. You'll get your hair done, your make up done ..... by professionals! To top it off, I will be there to photograph you. Don't worry, I am a regular woman too and I know first hand all about the jitters and the mental jibberish going on in your head. IGNORE IT! You are beautiful and it's my job (not yours) to find your most flattering angle and the photograph.

What happens after the session?
You'll be on pins and needles to get that email with the link to your private gallery. When you do, you'll be completely surprised at how beautiful you are. You may laugh, you may cry but you'll be happy.

Every woman loves..........

Every woman loves...........a good picture of herself. 

Women all over the world understand that value of a good portrait. Don't believe me? Just go to a restaurant and watch a group of girlfriends hanging out. If the gals are anything like mine, we will laugh hysterically over and over again. We will talk about all kinds of silly stuff and we will ALWAYS stop before the night is over to take a picture, even if it's just one. Women love to take pictures of themselves and of each other. 

Still, doubt me? Just hang out on Facebook and check out all the self-portraits that the women have, then check out how many the men have. Sidenote: We need to talk to men. I struggle to get my husband/son/father/brothers to give me even 5 minutes in front of the camera. They're cute, handsome and make me happy. A good photograph of my favorite guy(s) -- together or alone -- would be priceless.

So, why do women love taking pictures?

Must capture the pretty.

Women love to feel pretty, at work, at play, at church, wherever. We like knowing that our hair is on point. Our shoes are fierce and our outfit is to-die-for. Being well put together can make a good day better and make a bad day not so bad. For most of us, getting pretty takes work. It ain't easy. So after the process of getting pretty is complete, it needs to be documented.

Show off a body they're proud of.

I may or may not be a size zero but I'm on FIYAH and sizzling hot! 

Somebody made me do it.

Truth be told some of us are camera shy. We don't see our own beauty. Year after year, we promise ourselves that we will book a session after we lose weight, get our hair done, save up money....etc, etc, etc. Then you attend or plan a photographer-required event like your wedding......can't avoid a photographer there. Perhaps, your lover, who is completely convinced of your sexiness, insists that you do a boudoir session like Valentease.

To do something for themselves, finally.

One day, some of us will look up and realize that we ARE beautiful. Strikingly beautiful. Stretch marks and all. The kids will be grown. We won't be a size zero. But we will finally have the courage to make the investment into good portraits.

I am convinced that every woman loves the camera. At the very least, every woman knows the value of having a very good photograph. If you don't have a current very-good-photograph then it's time to come up with a plan. Call your photographer and book a session. Commit yourself and start the planning.

Like Photos by Pru on Facebook and I will help you with the steps to get ready for your next photoshoot........this year.

Cute Girls and their curly hair | Hi Texture Hair | Lawrenceville, GA Photographer

If we've met, then you know that I have kinky/curly hair. It's taken many years for me to be daring enough to figure out my natural hair texture and to learn how to conquer it. It's been a few years now but along the way I've had some help. A dear friend of mine was one of the first in the natural hair industry to inspire women across the world to embrace their natural kinky/curly texture. She was the creative force behind one of the earliest and most successful natural hair and fashion blogs. Her blogging days are now over but she's on to something even better. Her new venture is Hi Texture Hair Salon.

Hi Texture Hair Salon is a upscale salon in Lawrenceville, Georgia that caters to all kinds of texture. They specialize in curls and boy do they know how to keep them popping and shiny and just have a lady (or guy) feeling like pure awesomeness.

Shortly before opening, I had the pleasure of photographing a group of models whose heads had been cared for by the hands and mastermind behind this curly girl phenomenon. The pictures are of a set of women, (young, younger and very young) that are just thrilled about life and look the part. These are some of my favorites.

Find Hi Texture Hair Salon everywhere. Online. Facebook. Twitter. Yelp.
Oh, and right now there is a special discount on yelp. Check it out here!

Hi Texture Hair Salon

1860 Atkinson Road Suite 111

Lawrenceville, Georgia 30043

(770) 237-0037

www.hitexturehair.com

Standing the test of time

New love. New marriage. New baby.
Raising children. Watching them grow. Then Leave.
Yet. Still. In. Love.

That's the story of this couple, in three short lines. They have a love that has stood the test of time. They have a history of giving and receiving. This is the kind of love that has been proven. This is a love that knows all about the sharing and caring  of everything that entails a good solid marriage. And yes, of enjoying decades of time with each other. This is the kind of love that is reliable.

This picture is one of my favorites. It speaks volumes without saying a word. It says, I love you. I've got you. I trust you. You are mine. I am yours. We are in this thing together.

Isn't love such a beautiful thing?

I dare you, to schedule a session with your love. It may be 1 year, 5 years or 35 years but you deserve to have your love captured forever. :). Call me.

So.In.Love

It was the coldest Sunday of the season. The crisp fall air was unexpected. Just the day before, it was 70 degrees but that early morning was brisk and felt more like winter. It was downright cold. But when you're deeply in love, little things like being cold only fan the flames of your desire for each other.

She was wearing white, her dress and her bright smile. He was wearing swagger, the kind a man wears when he has his queen by his side. Their chemistry was undeniable. They liked each other, a lot.

I was incredibly honored to photograph these two right before they jetted off to say their I do's. I'm sure their warm-weather wedding was beautiful and blissfully delightful. This is a peek at some of their engagement portraits.

       

  

       

  

Back-Up Plan in Action

"I'm reaping the harvest God promised me.
Take back what the devil stole from me.
And I rejoice today, for I shall recover it all."

A few months ago something crazy happened. I dropped my camera, flash, lens, battery grip. The whole nine yards in water. I certainly didn't do it on purpose. A bride, took my advice. She took off her shoes, hiked up her dress and went in the creek on her wedding day. It was such a beautiful, authentic moment that if you were there, you couldn't help but get excited. The entire bridal party, joined her and we had a ball. I was so excited that when I got in the water to get the shot that I was going for I was a little less than careful and I fell. (insert scream here) AHHHHHH!!!!!

Well, I learned many lessons that day....and for once I was thankful that I had a second camera that I could use. The good part is that I got most of the pictures that I had envisioned and I am happy that though I lost my camera, I didn't lose the pictures. The other good thing is that there were other creative artists there and even if I missed my shots the moment still would have been recorded.

Fast forward to today. I was singing in church and as I was singing the words above, the whole scene flashed through my head. I have been using my backup equipment for many months and until now, only the people that were there know what happened. I haven't said a thing. I have just kept doing my photography thing and frankly, I think I've gotten better as a result of this minor setback.

We are a debt-free household and it will take time but I will replace (rather, UPGRADE) my equipment. However, I know for sure, that I shall recover it all! The devil ain't stealing my joy. Not even close.

She Prayed For Me.

Dear God,

Please bless Pru.

She said a whole lot more but my mind paused at those words. How did she know that I needed Him sooooo very much in that moment.

"Yes, Lord," I said in my mind....."Please bless Pru."

It's not often that I make a photography house call and feel like I've left prayer meeting. In fact, it's the first time.  Sometimes, God puts people in your life just so that they can pray over you. Thank God for that. Thank God for people who love my photography and love me.

and yes, God, Please bless Pru.

#feeling.the.warm.and.fuzziess