I met Jackie when her little family won my very first BEAUTIFUL contest!

It’s ALWAYS bittersweet when we get together – because the little boy that brought me into their lives – is no longer walking on this side of heaven.

So – family photos are HARD for them. Waking up and getting through each day is HARD for them.

Remember what I said about GETTING THE SILLIES OUT!?

Oh – you want to take pictures at a little castle in the woods? I guess. If we HAVE to.

SUCH an amazing little castle!!

Jackie – while I don’t personally KNOW how hard family photos are for you – I see it. I feel it. Thank YOU for asking me back into your lives even after all the hard things.

YOU ARE STRONG. YOU ARE BRAVE. YOU ARE LOVED.

I’m not sure how I met Rachel – but we’ve been friends on FACEBOOK for a while!

Amanda submitted Rachel’s family for BEAUTIFUL – and she won!!

Rachel & Rich are on my WANTING list – a list of people who are trying & hoping & wishing & praying for a baby!

Their daughter – a NICU miracle – just turned TWO!

I had messaged with Rachel and mentioned that we COULD schedule in Sayre since my parents live that way – but then we decided on Mansfield. I didn’t check in with her before our session – which I normally do. I texted her that I was at wal*mart – where we decided to meet – by the GIANT yellow tractor-trailer. She couldn’t seem to find it. Was she at the right spot? Sayre wal*mart right?! NOPE! Mansfield wal*mart – AHHHH! This was SIX O CLOCK – sunset was very shortly after 7 – so we met in Troy – HOPING the light would last!!

WE MADE IT!! But this little peanut wasn’t REALLY in the mood for photos!

It’s a good thing that lifestyle photography is my specialty!

I LOVE THOSE SHOTS!!

Rachel & Rich – thank you SO MUCH! I LOVE meeting the little babies that so many of us have prayed for!

I hope you LOVE your photos!!

Thank you SO MUCH for writing to me about the people you LOVE!

As always – it was hard to choose a family!

I also want to remind you to tell the people that you think so highly of EXACTLY HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THEM!

Last year – Amanda wrote to me about her friends Rachel and Rich and their baby girl Reagan.

BUT – they didn’t win – then.

THIS YEAR – they won!

It was SO hard to choose – like it is EVERY year!!

If you submitted a family – but they weren’t the winner – check your email for a limited time offer regarding a session for that family!

THANK YOU AGAIN SO MUCH FOR supporting this little business of mine!

BE THE LIGHT – THROW KINDNESS AROUND LIKE CONFETTI!!

It’s time for BEAUTIFUL again! This is the 9th year I’ve ran this contest – and I LOVE IT!

I will be awarding 1 family a photo session!

Email me @ dcbarden@gmail.com – write a paragraph or two about a family you know that deserves a FREE photo session.

I will be choosing 1 family from the entries and announce the winner on March 1st. The deadline for the submissions will be February 28th. I need to hear from 10 people to make this contest work!!

Make sure to tell me WHAT MAKES THEIR FAMILY BEAUTIFUL.

YOU CANNOT SUBMIT YOUR OWN FAMILY – but you CAN submit a family that you’ve submitted in the past – as long as they were NOT the winners! 

If you were a previous beautiful winner – you can’t win again – sorry bout that!

Also – you MUST use the photo session within 2018!

You can submit as many families as you want!

THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!!

I challenge you to think about a BIG act of kindness you could participate in this month! AND THEN DO IT! 

Shalane nominated Evelyn and her family AGAIN for my yearly BEAUTIFUL contest!

This year was THEIR year! They WON!

I met Evelyn first at MOPS and then again because our kids go to school together – so we see each other often enough! Her smile and positivity is absolutely INFECTIOUS! When they pulled up – their boys got out of the car and were really NOT very excited about the idea of family photos – they’ve NEVER had ANY taken professionally!

Aren’t they just ADORABLE! This MIGHT be my FAVORITE shot of the evening! SO SWEET!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE those shots!

At the end of our session – the boys said – well – that wasn’t TOO bad!

That’s a WIN in my book! Evelyn – thank you SO much for meeting me!

And Shalane – thank YOU for submitting Evelyn and her family!

Thank you SO MUCH for writing to me about the people you LOVE!

As always – it was hard to choose a family!

I also want to remind you to tell the people that you think so highly of EXACTLY HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THEM!

A few years ago – Shalane wrote to me about Evelyn – she didn’t win at the time.

Shalane wrote to me about Evelyn again this year – and the love for her friend just SPILLED over through her email!

SO – Evelyn – your family is the WINNER this year! Evelyn submitted a family that won a few years ago!

Your friendship is inspiring!

THIS YEAR MAY HAVE BEEN THE HARDEST YET!

If you submitted a family – but they weren’t the winner – check your email for a limited time offer regarding a session for that family!

ALSO – AS PROMISED – the winner of the LuLaRoe by Samantha Caamano legging drawing is … Veronica Gulliver!!

THANK YOU AGAIN SO MUCH FOR supporting this little business of mine!

BE THE LIGHT – THROW KINDNESS AROUND LIKE CONFETTI!

A long time ago – I started a BEAUTIFUL contest. You submit a family and they win a free session!

Jackie and her family were the some of the FIRST winners of that contest – a contest I now hold every February!

I’ve mentioned before how I love photographing families year-to-year!

This one – was a hard one. It’s always hard when someone is missing.

Nicholas is Jackie & Scott’s firstborn – a fighter! A ray of sunshine! And he is greatly missed!

Jackie & Scott – I LOVE YOU GUYS! Thank you for sharing your lives and your story with me.

The month of February holds two pivotal days for this family – Nicholas’s birthday and the day he left this earth.

Please pray for Jackie & Scott and their families and friends as they navigate through this month.

The lives that Nicholas is touching – the hearts. It’s absolutely beautiful!

It’s time for BEAUTIFUL again! This is the 8th year I’ve ran this contest – and I LOVE IT!

I will be awarding 1 family a photo session!

Email me @ dcbarden@gmail.com – write a paragraph or two about a family you know that deserves a FREE photo session.

I will be choosing 1 family from the entries and announce the winner on March 1st. The deadline for the submissions will be February 28th. I need to hear from 10 people to make this contest work!!

Make sure to tell me WHAT MAKES THEIR FAMILY BEAUTIFUL.

YOU CANNOT SUBMIT YOUR OWN FAMILY – but you CAN submit a family that you’ve submitted in the past – as long as they were NOT the winners! 

If you were a previous beautiful winner – you can’t win again – sorry bout that!

Also – you MUST use the photo session within 2017!

THIS YEAR – something a little EXTRA will be thrown into the mix! 

My sister – Samantha Caamano – has started selling LuLaRoe!!

Make sure to check out her page on FACEBOOK and browse her inventory! You won’t be disappointed!

Every person that submits a family will be entered into a drawing for a FREE pair of leggings!

You can submit as many families as you want!

THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!!

I challenge you to think about a BIG act of kindness you could participate in this month! AND THEN DO IT! 

I love holding this contest every year!

Make sure you tell the people you submitted – how awesome you think they are!!

I will be offering a special to those of you that submitted a family that didn’t win – I’ve already emailed you the details!

CONGRATS to Angie and her little one!!

Guys – some awesome people love you! Crazy awesome people!

Thank you again SO MUCH! I cannot wait for BEAUTIFUL 2017!!!

It’s time for BEAUTIFUL again! This is the 7th year I’ve ran this contest – and I LOVE IT!

I will be awarding 1 family a photo session!

Email me @ dcbarden@gmail.com – write a paragraph or two about a family you know that deserves a FREE photo session.

I will be choosing 1 family from the entries and announce the winner on March 1st. The deadline for the submissions will be February 29th. I need to hear from 10 people to make this contest work!!

Make sure to tell me WHAT MAKES THEIR FAMILY BEAUTIFUL.

YOU CANNOT SUBMIT YOUR OWN FAMILY 

If you were a previous beautiful winner – you can’t win again – sorry bout that!

Also – you MUST use the photo session within 2016!