I met Miranda on FACEBOOK and then again at the ARNOT MALL BRIDAL EXPO last January!

We met on a chilly December afternoon for their engagement session – they were troopers!

I love love LOVE those shots!!

After our session they stopped by the house to meet Schrute – and fell in love! The feeling was mutual – Schrute loves to make new friends!

Thanks again for a great session!!

I had an email from a friend the other day telling me that she overheard some women in a local bridal shop talking about barden photography. The women said that my work was beautiful but just way too expensive for this region. My friend said she spoke up and said – next year you have your memories and your photography left from your wedding. Danielle is the best there is – and totally worth every cent.

This meant so much to me. 1. She spoke up. 2. I DO NOT think that I am the best there is – I would love to approach greatness but never want to get to the point where I sit back and look at my work and say – well – I’ve learned everything there is to learn and can’t get any better. So to hear her say that – means so much! 3. It has taken me quite a while to get here – since 2004 – and I have worked hard to get here. To hear that I am worth every cent – is humbling!

When I have a session with you – it’s not an appointment in a studio. I take the time to get to know what YOU want from the session. You get what I see in your family – the interactions between everyone. I make sure to get all the combinations of your family – any shots that you specifically requested – let your kids be kids and just run around and capture them in their own environment. I adore newborn sessions – I come to your house and we work in your environment. If your baby needs to be fed or changed or cuddled – take that time. We don’t rush through any session – especially a newborn. I don’t just go home and put your pictures on a CD and then send them out to you. I go through and pick out my quick favorites – editing them and putting them on FACEBOOK (or not if you prefer) for you to see as a sneak peek – usually within 2 days of our session. I then go through and look through each photo and edit them. I usually spend about 3 hours total on each portrait session. I then upload them to a photo sharing website and email you the link – and send every image to you – with the rights to reproduce them – on a CD.

Engagement sessions and senior sessions are slightly more – they usually take longer to shoot and longer to edit. If you are a volunteer fire fighter and want a session engineered to that style – we can do that. If you want your car incorporated into your senior session – we can do that. You all know how much I love my dog – so if you are a fellow dog lover and you just have to include your pet – let’s do it. I have to warn you that they might steal the show though! You get the same quality and attention to detail as any portrait session – with your images on a CD to reproduce.

Weddings – oh weddings! I chose this job knowing that weddings happen on Saturdays – normally. In 2010 I had 30 weddings – out of 52 Saturdays – that’s a lot – but I love it! I’m passionate about weddings whenever they occur! For me – communication is the key. We talk before the wedding – you share details – the shot list – the expectations – your feel for your family. At your wedding (I usually arrive 20 minutes early), I go over the layout and chat with the other vendors that are there already. Many times I meet you at a parent’s house or wherever you are getting ready – then travel to the church and then the reception. Wedding schedules are often similar for photographers, but your wedding is perfectly unique – to YOU! I make sure to capture details – those moments that are meaningful to you – the details you have spent hours creating. Whether you purchase a 6 hour – 8 hour – full day package – or something in between – I pour everything into your wedding – and I love every minute!!

I approach your wedding this way – think of me as a guest with a camera. Yes – I will be there for your every moment and need – but I don’t want you to notice me. I will not be in the way – I will not make the day about me – I will not stand in the center of your wedding aisle in front of your parents. I want you to look at your wedding photos and experience such an overwhelming feeling of emotion at the moments captured.

Again – I don’t just come home and put your images on a CD and send them out. I go through each image and edit it – usually spending about 20 hours on each wedding – editing. Custom creating each image to fit YOU! You get all the images on a CD – quality images – and they are yours to keep forever.

You won’t find another photographer that does what I do. We are all UNIQUE – or should be. I love capturing your moments and even more – I love hearing your response to your images.

I can promise that when you book barden photography for ANY session – you will get unique photography that shows who YOU are!

. BE YOURSELF . ALWAYS .

I took photos of the *D* family last fall! We talked about a winter scene for this year – thankfully we got one!

It was a BRISK afternoon! You guys were amazing with the cold weather!

Thank you guys so much for having a snowy session with me! See you next year!!!

Jessica was given a gift certificate for Christmas last year – and decided to use it for her Christmas photos THIS year!

We met on a chilly December morning – but they were all smiles!

How sweet is he!

LOVE those shots!

That might be one of my favorite series – EVER!

Thanks again Jessica – hope to see you again next year!!

Jenna and I met in August to take her family photos – and then again at the beginning of December for their Christmas photos!

Her kiddos are too cute!

She is so chatty and excited every time I see her!

Such a cute family!!

SO HANDSOME!

LOOK AT THAT SANTA BABY!!

Jenna – thanks again for having me capture your Christmas memories! Can’t wait to see you in April!!

I met Danielle on FACEBOOK and we’ve had this session set up for quite some time!

When I came in her house her little guy ran right to me with a hug – love him!

How sweet are they!!

They are expecting their third miracle this month!!

You guys made me feel so welcome! I can’t wait to see you when your new one arrives which SHOULD be any day now!!

I met Amanda through Sarah’s wedding this summer! My husband also knows her husband – Ken – they grew up together – somewhat.

Their family is so sweet! I had a great time photographing their daughters – there’s just something about sisters!!

That last shot is my FAVORITE!

I can’t wait to see you guys next year!

I met Mandy on FACEBOOK! She had seen my work from some of her friends and we set up an appointment. About two weeks before our appointment I had put a status on FACEBOOK stating that I was visiting Joyce Geiger for the afternoon – Mandy asked how I knew this Joyce. I told her she was my grandmother – it turns out that my grandma is Mandy’s great aunt!

SMALL WORLD!

When I showed up to Mandy’s house – her daughter met me at the door – SO EXCITED to get her pictures taken – and to show me her bedroom – and to have me read her a book – and color with her – and … you name it!

She was so sweet and so ready to get her pictures taken!

HOW RIDICULOUSLY ADORABLE IS SHE!!

This little one is so precious!

There is just something about sisters!!

Love those shots!

Mandy – thank you so much for having me capture your family! Which is really related to my family – CRAZY!

Your daughter made my day!!

Patience: good-natured tolerance of delay or incompetence.

I don’t have much of it. I never have. Like any kid, when I was in high school, I couldn’t wait to grow up and be an adult. When the last month of my senior year rolled around – I needed time to stop – it was moving way too fast! In college – I couldn’t wait to meet my husband. After Jared proposed to me – I realized that time was moving too fast – again!

When the time came around that people started asking me more and more to take pictures for them – I couldn’t wait to start my business. To quit my “real” job and be a “real” photographer. I never thought the time would come for me to be able to quit my job and photograph beautiful people all day!

That was almost 7 years ago. In March it will be 2 years that barden photography has been my job!

It took tons of patience – and still does! I am not nearly where I want to be with my photography – I compare myself to other photographers ALL THE TIME. I am constantly pushing myself to be better and learn new things. There are a lot of new photographers popping up or moving into the area and it’s important to find your niche and stand out.

Getting pregnant started out with no waiting at all – we got pregnant within the first month of trying! Waiting for that first appointment and then waiting to see our baby on the screen. Waiting for a miscarriage or to go in and have a procedure and then waiting to start trying again. And then waiting and waiting and waiting for it to happen. Waiting for test results to come back on why we were waiting so long. Waiting for it to happen on its own or make the decision for medical intervention. Then making the decision to wait to start trying again in December – because of my barden photography baby.

Waiting for a test result that I didn’t think would be positive AT ALL! Waiting – again – to see our baby on a screen – holding our breath and praying and waiting some more. Waiting to tell people about our surprise miracle. Waiting to figure out what to do about the summer and the weddings I already had scheduled.

WAITING – God has been teaching me patience my whole life it seems.

Now we wait – again. Wait until I have a big baby belly – baby showers – our sweet baby in our arms. Wait to take pictures of the first newborn that I don’t have to give back at the end of the session! Wait to spend three months cuddled up with our miracle and soaking in every moment that life has to offer!

I made the decision to cut down on my schedule and enjoy the preciousness of life – it was hard. I have been waiting so long to get my business going and established – a loyal client base that can depend on me for their memories. Now I have it – and I have to cut back.

So God is teaching me patience and trust. Patience throughout our wait to see our miracle – trust that everything will go according to His plan. Trust that I will be a good momma and a better wife. Patience in the long nights and fussy days.

Trust in His plan for barden photography – that my clients will wait for me – because I love you all too much to lose you!

Look at the goodness of God –

2003 – 1 wedding.

2004 – 1 session.

2005 – 2 weddings. 1 session.

2006 – 6 weddings. 3 sessions.

2007 – 6 weddings. 23 sessions.

2008 – 10 weddings. 38 sessions.

2009 – 24 weddings. 142 sessions.

2010 – 30 weddings. 206 sessions.

GOD IS SO GOOD!

I trust that I will someday become the photographer I want to be – but then again – I never want to to step back and look at my work and say – that’s it – I’m done. I’m the best I can be and the best there is – I never want to stop improving and growing and learning. I trust that I will not intimidated by the other people popping up with cameras – but driven to succeed and be a better artist!