I tried to make my blog post title smaller, but I just couldn’t cut anything out…seriously! Last week, I ventured down to super charming Santa Barbara, CA for United 2014.

Let’s just start with these fine ladies…..Lisa, Melissa, Heather, Tammy and Joanna. Old friends, new friends, forever friends. I loved sharing this trip with you!

It’s hard, really, to find just the right words to describe my week. Inspiring, motivating, enlightening, confirming, educational, emotional, character building….these words just seem so blah for such a rich experience. It’s kind of crazy when you connect with people online and then meet them in real life……sorta like, “hey, I know you – wait I don’t – wait I sorta do cuz I know so many details of your life” (thanks social media). But then you realize they are just like you and everything else stops mattering.

There are so many directions I could run with to talk about this experience, but instead I think I’ll just focus on a few…..the ideas that really just stood out to me and just took me back to my basic life values. It’s no accident that I ended up with this group of peeps!

So here is what you will find if you come to United or hire a photographer out of this circle of radness (yes, I sometimes make up words when I feel they truly define what I’m trying to say).

****Kindness****
****Selflessness****
****Hugs****
****Integrity****
****Sharing (of everything)****
****Unending support****
****Authenticity****
****Awesome photography****
****Friends for life****
****Perspective****

Basically it comes down to this……when you do for others and and give of yourself, great things will always come back around – both personally and professionally.

I think I should just stop there and just say how grateful I am to be involved in a community of professionals that live life in that way. It’s unbelievable and life enriching for sure! I’m also very blessed to be married to someone who walks through life this way so it’s a perfect time to add a big thank you to my right hand (also knows as my awesome husband Todd) who rocked the home front while I was away! You never stop supporting – I don’t know how you do it – but I’m so grateful!!!

All week, there were so many opportunities for practice. New and long time photographers stepped up to the plate and taught, led shoots and graciously shared their knowledge (thank you so much).

Sidenote **SHOUT OUT TO MELISSA WHO ROCKED HER BRIDAL PARTY POSING SESSION**

Ok…back to my focus.

I think by now everyone knows I have a love for families and kids. Getting to know them, building a relationship, and then really capturing their essence together. It’s what makes me love photography so much….really seeing people and how they relate and grabbing that moment forever.

I met the loving soul that is Jessica Drogosz a few years back and we have happily stayed connected despite our multi state distance. She and her talented friend and fellow Chicago photographer, Eva, put together a fabulous opportunity to hone our craft with a child and family shoot on the gorgeous Santa Barbara beachfront. Thank you ladies for giving of yourselves on day three when we were all so whooped!! Your coordinating and graciousness and skill was much appreciated! I met some amazingly talented women on the beach that day…..and those friendships will continue to grow, I just feel it!!!!

To the families that came out for us during what I call “the witching hour” (all parents of small children know this hour) – BIG GIANT THANK YOU!!!! I felt unprepared without some form of candy in my pocket for bribery reward! But I know you are all going to get barraged with gorgeous images from the talented photographers on the beach that day!

So I’ll end tonight with some of my favorites from our shoot that really just solidify what I love about families and kids – total joy!