Santa, baby

Sofia met Santa for the first time this week. And it was the REAL Santa. It was a good thing too, cause as soon as she sat on his lap she grabbed his beard. She was so cute, she didn't cry at all, and she even smiled a little. I know next year will probably be a different story altogether, but for now I'm happy.

Aside from the Santa picture, I've been taking my own holiday (and every other kind) pictures. Lacking professional studio equipment, I made due with what I had laying around the house. I used my duvet for a backdrop, with Christmas lights and a big snowman for a photo companion. They turned out great! Sofia was adorable in her Christmas dress from Nana.

So with all the picture-taking going on, I made a decision. I am going to start my own photography business. It's a win-win situation for me because I don't have to go back to work full time and I get to do something I already do all the time that I'm passionate about. I can purchase all the equipment I need to get started for about $600 and I already have people wanting me to take pictures of their kids and families. This week I bought myself an external flash, which is the first step to making my photos look 100% better and next I'm going to buy some studio equipment.

The best part of this decision is that I get to stay home with my baby girl. Yay! I can take her with me on photo shoots, or she can visit with Nana and Poppy. Either way, I'm not out doing a job I don't really like for eight hours a day, only to come home exhausted and hardly get to spend any time with Sofia (or my husband).

I plan on officially launching my rates and services sometime after Christmas. In the meantime, I've started a website and a Facebook page (Jennifer Blake Photography). Eeeeee! So excited!