You know, most times that people are new to a studio experience they are nervous. I understand that. You are in the center stage with someone staring at you, what a self-conscious feeling! Having been a model many years ago I worked through that feeling. I have been there so I get that and I help my clients through that awkward feeling.

At this point, photographing the Wu’s felt like just hanging out. There is a magic that happens when we get to that familiar place. . . art. . .personality. . .connection. It all happens and it was meant to happen. I can’t wait to sign their wall portraits.

These are the things that get me so jazzed.

I have so much to be grateful for and so I want to say thank you to all of my wonderful clients and to the people who are on my team. Being a photographer means I get to be a part of so many families and I love knowing that I can create something that reminds you of your love for them. Each moment is priceless and we all need to stop once in a while to capture those moments for posterity to remind us what adds true meaning to our lives.

I recently received the sweetest Thank You card from one of my favorite people, Brooke Burke. She sure warmed my heart by writing in her note: “The Photography Book you made for my family is Incredibly Beautiful! And Priceless! It has become a Ritual during story time. The Kids call it our Family Book. What a generous gift that we all enjoy!”

Thank you Brooke. Thank you to all of the wonderful people in my life. Here’s to a new year and a new era. Here’s to creating beauty and love everywhere.

I’m a photographer and my photography website is at LinneaLenkus.com

This family portrait titled “Serving Double Duty” features a husband and wife who are both on active duty in the U.S. Navy. In the portrait the father is cradling his 9-day old daughter, while his wife gently kisses her on top of her head. This artwork is one of 12 from the “Images From the Homefront” collection, a project I proudly worked on with “Operation Homefront,” a non-profit organization that provides emergency assistance and morale-boosting programs to military members, their families and our nation’s wounded warriors.

“Serving Double Duty”
Both serving in Navy combat teams, this dynamic duo has been on several deployments – each at least 6 months in duration as a result of the on-going wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Over the last four years they’ve been physically apart for more than two years. Their daughter was just nine days old when this portrait was taken.

The mother in this portrait wrote:
“The strains on dual military marriages are tremendous because we’re apart so often. We keep our marriage strong through constant communication whether it’s through e-mail or letters – as long as we have each other’s words. It’ll be very difficult when it comes time to say ‘goodbye’ to our little baby girl, but we proudly wear this uniform because we know we’re an important part of what it takes to keep our nation free.”

This portrait photography features one of the nine military families I took portraits of for “Operation Homefront” which has become a traveling photography exhibit to increase awareness about the issues facing our country’s military families and to help raise money for the organization. Other images in the exhibit include a maternity portrait, newborn photography, family portraits and pair of desert combat boots which serves to represent our nation’s fallen.

On Tuesday, November 11th, 2008 I will also be Click here to see more of this unique family photography.