Joni Streit Photography

63 years of marriage.

35 years of service.

A lifetime of love.

A legacy of faith.

To say photographing this beautiful couple was an honor is a complete understatement. It was a joy, and I loved every second. Judging by their smiles and hugs at the end of our time together, I think they had fun too.

There are so many things I could share about these two. They were missionaries in Niger, Africa for 35 years. Their faith is their foundation and their cornerstone, and it is obvious. And inspiring. In order to keep their French language skills up, they read the Bible together everyday in French. They pray over an extensive list of prayer requests from missionaries and friends all over the world. They go for walks and hold hands. She journals daily and has written a book about her life. He is learning to use his new Fitbit and just started a new diet. She plays the piano. He loves to listen. They love their family and they love their God.

Here's a snippet of a conversation I had with them...

Me: Heath, what's your favorite thing about being married to her?

Heath: Her joyful demeanor. (she giggles.)

Me: Norma, what's your favorite thing about being married to him?

Norma: He's a godly man. And he has been willing to put up with me for 63 years. (he smiles.)

I've had a lot of questions lately as to whether or not I'm still taking on photography sessions. I am happy to say that I am! The first few months of every year are always slow for me. This year was no exception. Right about the time I was ready to start taking on sessions, we had two very difficult losses in our family. Life just was really hard. I also think I was kind of knocked on my rear end by a lot of situations out of my control. So my break extended longer than usual.

This is why being an attendee at the "Follow Your Heart" photography workshop at the beginning of May was EXACTLY the inspiration I needed to jump back into work. I was so incredibly fortunate to be able to book a seat with four of my biggest photography idols... The Blissful Maven, My Four Hens Photography, Spanki Mills, and Sarah Beth Photography.

The workshop was held at the gorgeous farm {The Oldeststone Farm}. It was literally eye candy everywhere we looked. And if you know me at all, you know that I LOVE animals... I have a secret dream to live on a farm in Montana and go 'off the grid'. It could not have been a better scenario to capture my heart and feed my soul. As an introvert, what I did not expect to happen was to come home with some really amazing new friendships that I know will last a lifetime. There's something so beautiful about 30 women coming together from all walks of life and all over the country.

What I came away with the most was the need to really capture what matters... the hugs, the kisses, the way you look at your child, her little hand in yours... all the things that I love. The real stuff. Less posed, more YOU. Less perfection, more INTENTION. Emotional-driven photography is what grabs my heart in that twisty, but oh-so-good way, and somehow... I think I've gotten away from that more than I'm happy with.

Another thing I've been planning to do for awhile is to set my schedule a little more specifically. I have two teenagers who are very busy, a husband who works nights on a every-other-week schedule, and two parents with Alzheimer's who are declining at a very rapid pace. My shooting schedule has to work around those things, but those people come first in my life, as you can surely understand. I plan to open up my shooting days to Monday evenings, Thursday evenings, and one or two weekends a month (Friday night, Saturday morning, and Sunday evening) depending upon my daughter's tennis tournament schedule. I'm hoping this will improve my customer service and make scheduling less stressful for everyone. This will be adjusted in mid-August while both of my children are in the middle of their tennis seasons. I will release that schedule closer to time.

The final thing I want to talk about here is that I will gradually be phasing out "Mini Sessions" this year. As efficient as they are, I don't like being rushed to capture "moments". I'm very grateful for the success I've had over the years with these abbreviated sessions. But I'm excited to fully engage with your family without the pressure of a ticking clock. Sessions will last about an hour to an hour and a half and will be all inclusive with the edited images. Instead of paying a session fee, you'll pay $200 upfront, and that will go toward your total cost.

I feel good about these changes and welcome your feedback at any time. My favorite sessions ever are in your home, in your yard, on your front porch. Contact me at jonistreit@gmail.com for more details and to book your summer evening family session.

xoxo,
Joni