the pursuit of happiness from within | inspiration

this joy ride is a fun little blog that posts a bi-weekly inspirational-style "newsletter." I used quotes there because it's not necessarily news - just sort of a feature. Recently they featured Luke and Natalie, a young newlywed couple exploring life, art, photography and love. I was inspired by something Natalie said in the feature and I wanted to share it with you:

Natalie, what inspires you about winter?

"the pursuit of happiness from within. there’s something so special about winter… the ways that it draws you into your home and close to the ones you love, keeps you warm with piles of blankets, & lights a burst of inspiration to create & discover. it is a very bare season, though- hushed and quieted by summer’s past. still, i like the time of waiting, of lingering dark nights & slow mornings. we need the winter to reflect, to calm ourselves, to reach deep inside & find that little light within us that keeps us going, making, and creating."

I couldn't have said it better myself. I think my love of the snow and the winter months is summed up right there in that paragraph. While I am excited about spring time and all the life it brings along, I plan to make the most of these last few weeks of winter. Who's with me? :)

Grand Prize Giveaway! | Virginia Wedding Photographer

Ta da! Welcome to the new Sincerely, Liz: Photography blog (formerly known as Love & Laughter Photography)!! Yes, that's right. The name has changed and from it a whole new business has blossomed. Excited and thrilled doesn't even begin to explain how I feel about this debut! I have poured my heart into this redesign and with the help of Luxecetera and my amazing family (who have helped me stay sane when I thought my head was going to explode from making decisions) I would like to present to you my baby. :)

I want to extend a HUGE Thank You to all of my clients, blog followers, awesome friends and family. It is only because of YOU all that this business has grown to where it is now and I am so grateful to you for helping make my dreams come true! (Does that sound cheesy or what? Seriously though... I mean it. This whole full-time photographer thing really is a dream come true.)

So, thank you. Here is your present. ;)

Week #5 Giveaway: A $300 Gift Certificate to Sincerely, Liz: Photography

To enter this giveaway, you can do any number of things:

  1. Join the NEW Sincerely, Liz: Photography facebook page.
  2. Sign up for my new newsletter!
  3. Subscribe to Sincerely, Liz: Photography blog through your favorite RSS reader or email.
  4. Follow me on Twitter.
  5. Share this contest on Google Buzz.
  6. Share this contest on Twitter.
  7. Share this contest on Facebook.
  8. Share this contest on your own blog.

You have until midnight of Friday, March 12th to enter as many times as you would like.

Exciting enough?!

Have fun and good luck!

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keeping up with the workload | Virginia Portrait Photographer

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With all of these giveaways going on lately, I am sure some of you may be wondering where all of the pictures are?! I've been saving most of my recent work to be published on the new website so I've been holding it hostage, per se. But I thought I'd drop in today to give a little peek into where I have been spending most of my time these past few weeks:

on a working vacation to florida to visit my favorite cousins:

playing in the snow with a beautiful expecting mama and her husband,

cuddling up to brand new, healthy baby boy, with the most loving parents in the world,

capturing memories for another family whose dad is headed off to war,

celebrating the nuptials of another beautifully in-love couple,

and snapping the shutter at a photo booth during a father/daughter dance.

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my protector | unravelling project

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I have a lot of Gratituesday ideas stirring in my head, but today's has been at the forefront of my mind for the past few days. Today I am grateful for creativity. I am thankful that I was given the gift of a creative mind (passed down from my extremely talented Grandmother, no doubt) and that I was encouraged to nurture and exercise my creativity by both my family and friends. I am thankful that exercising my creativity can be a healthy outlet for me during stressful times.

The Unravelling course started yesterday and my mind has been stirring since I read the opening message. I am LOVING the project already! This week Tommy is packing and then we're saying goodbye... so bear with me guys, I know you're probably so tired of hearing about his departure. But it's been right in our faces for the past few weeks and it's all we're thinking, breathing, and dreaming about. Naturally, my work is going to reflect all that is going on, right?

Week one of the Unravelling course is a focus on our feet. Where do they take us? What do they say about our lives? I have a few ideas in my head to further explore this area of my life I've never thought twice about - but this was the first one that came to mind.

My husband. My protector. Here we stand on our front steps. This photo says so much to me. It says that he is the guardian of both me and our home. It says that he is strong and trained well. It says that I trust him with my safety and my security.

This actually says so much more than just those few things. The last year of our marriage has been a crazy rollercoaster ride and we are both looking forward to the growth this deployment will bring. So without going too far into detail... I just want to say that this photo stirs up many emotions with me and I love it. I l.o.v.e. it.

I am so grateful for my creativity and that I have been encouraged to exercise and nurture it.

“Liz Cook is an incredibly talented and attentive professional. Her sweet and gentle countenance is paired with her ability to capture the most tender and joyful moments of the births that she photographs. Liz’s photos will bring you years of enjoyment as they draw you back to the delight and bliss of your birth experience.”
— Laurie Flower, CLD, ALC, CBC, CLC, CPD