:: i am abba's child: Praise for Avia Photography, {vol. I}

.: my heart needs what beauty speaks :.

So it is 4:26 am and I got back on facebook for the first time in a week, sat down at the computer around 11:30 starting to type an email, but realized I just wanted and needed to do what I originally set out to do – catch up on Mallory's photos.

Why did I just spend the last 4-5 hours looking at photos of some of my close friends' baby and maternity photos along with other random ones that popped up on newsfeed?

If you have know me at all or have stopped by my blog a time or two, it is no secret that I love photography.

I cannot DO photography, nor do I desire to, but I have a deep, deep appreciation and love for it and photographers.

Why is it that I was so excited to find Avia Photography's facebook page and albums of a lot of what they've photographed in the last year? Even though Mallory and Brian are some of my good friends, I have wondered why they haven't posted recent stuff they've shot on their blog which I follow on here, there's been a few things here and there, but I know they had to be shooting a LOT more than that, and not being on facebook regularly, I didn't realize till just a month ago maybe that they are all on their fb page for Avia!!!

Just now getting a chance to get caught up and as I kept looking and looking. And I have had this thing about commenting unashamedly on photos now since the first of the year when a lot of things changed in my life. Being reminded more than ever how precious, yet how short life is, one of the things I have been more intentional to do is said the things that often go unsaid.

Sure it's okay to look at a photo and not comment. But, for my heart, it has been to not hold it in but to see and appreciate the beauty, the joy, the life I am drawn to in a photo and simply say so when I feel comfortable and if it's someone I know well and feel safe to do so.

So tonight again, I realized there is something about photography, and good photography that I saw in Kate's photos of Ellie, Maria's maternity pics, Olivia's pics of her and her kiddos, and Mallory's family, maternity, commercial, wedding, and engagement photos.

I began writing about this a while back when I discovered Lynsey Tedesco Photography out of St. Louis after seeing some of her work online in Inside Columbia. After spending hours on her blog and website, I realized that a good photographer is not one who merely takes pictures.

A photographer is more than an artist, they are a storyteller.

Yet, they tell a story without using words.

Their art capitalizes on capturing the raw essence of who we are;
there is a spirit and invisible qualities deep within that are revealed, brought forth, and celebrated.

A spirit deep within us all that lives, moves, and breathes;
invisible qualities of the soul, made visible and shining forth into the world.

And I think this is precisely why photography moves me. As I asked myself why it does over and over again in this process again tonight as I let the hours pass away doing one of my favorite pastimes -- looking at photographer's work.

Discovering a new photographer or seeing latest work of some of your favorites is like tapping into a gold mine. I can spend hours and hours, as I love collecting photos that grab my attention that I keep in various folders for my blog, and literally could do this all night if sleep wasn't an issue and my arms and legs weren't going numb lol and my body hating me for all I have put it through lol.

But, I asked myself, what is it about all of the photos I saw tonight, of people I know and people I don't know.

What I realized in all of them, from my friend's photos of their kids to Mallory's photos of couples and families,

is that photos are more than a moment in time, they capture a spirit, heart, and emotion.

The rawest nature of the human condition... without words.

And the photo becomes so much more than just a picture, but a gift.

A gift that shares love, exudes joy, and celebrates the beauty within us all.

There was a joy and a love that captivated and allured me. A joy and a love I can relate to and re-live; a joy and a love that is absolutely beautiful. That speaks to me, awakens, heals, nourishes, restores.

A beauty that spoke to the depths of my soul as I was reminded that a photo is such a precious gift to share. And that my heart truly needs and deeply appreciates what beauty speaks.

And as I should probably head to bed (took an unexpected 5 hr nap this evening so it is all good), just a few from the fabulous and happily married duo of Avia Photography. From the first few shots a few years ago when I got to be a witness this baby come to life to now – Mallory continues to re-invent herself and her work – it is absolutely stunning.

Check out her latest samplings on their facebook page and a few (or a LOT) here below!

Cool and funny story, I actually saw this picture on Mallory's blog maybe not last fall, but the fall before that and the more I kept looking at the pictures, I realized, HEY, I KNOW this guy!! Nate and his family were our next door neighbors for years in the home I spent most of my childhood/early teen years. They moved to Kirksville when I was maybe 13 or 14, and while we've kept in touch and they'd visit randomly when the boys were playing in the show me state games, I had literally not seen Nate since he was 9 or 10, hence why I hardly recognized him, now look at him all grown up!! So it was cool finding out via Avia that he was engaged! Our moms had talked soon after about Nate's and then our upcoming wedding, but it was so cool to see them on the site and such a small world!

How's that for a fun engagement photo session?! They had some of the more traditional ones too, but obviously they are both tae kwon do masters, so loved that they incorporated this into the shoot!