Precious Life

Photography is a media that immortalizes everyone and everything.  

From the beginning people asked me, "Why photography as a profession?"  

Suzie (Me) 3 years old.
My obsession with pink did start young...

Memories are precious, photographs tell so much with so little spoken.  As a young child I had met many of my family members and parent's friends before I "knew" them, all through the use of photographs.  My mother, grandmothers, aunts, and other family members had family albums and photographs everywhere in their homes.  There are many found memories of mommy and me time where mom is showing me pictures of our family and asking "Who is this?"  If I didn't know the answer she had one for me.  Please keep in mind I'm about 3 years old in these memories.  

 

Sharon (My Mom) and Thomas (My Dad) 

I'm just like my mom. She taught me how important family and friends are and how to make sure to remember everyone special or important.  After the past 5 years of running a photography company, I have asked myself, "Should I have been a dentist?", the answer is NO!  

Leona Murray
 (My maternal grandmother)

This April my family lost a very important member, my maternal grandmother.  Leona, aka "Grandma Murray" taught me many valuable life lessons.  If my profession had been dentistry, Leona would have had the best teeth in the neighborhood.  But that's all I would have been left with.  With photography I had the chance to get close to someone who had more strength and courage than the bravest soldiers.  Leona sat with Lady In Pink Photography for an interview into her personal life and was featured in book written by the LIPP team.   The book, A Diary of Hope, Volume #1: "Celebrating Life After Breast Cancer.", was written to help give hope to women just finding out that they are going to face a battle against breast cancer, all proceeds from book sales are donated to breast cancer research.  

Over the last 5 years, even I'm shocked at how many clients, friends, and family members Lady In Pink Photography has said goodbye to.  Having provided many other families, besides my own, with the peace of mind that their families will also be remembered is what makes photography my choice career.  Please take a moment to meet a few individuals LIPP was lucky enough to photograph and have known at all.  Each one has changed my life in one way or another.

Flower.  He was the best smelling skunk, we said goodbye in 2012.

Pete, passed away before the prints were delivered.  We said goodbye in 2012

Kelly, 29 years young.  Said goodbye 2014.

On the flip side of being able to provide peace of mind to clients, the Lady In Pink Photography team has welcomed just as many, if not more, new lives into the world.  These are Lady In Pink Photography team member's FAVORITE SESSIONS!!!!!  Just in the last year we have said "Hello" to 3 new tiny cute little babies and we have many new pets too!  Pictured below are a few brand new individuals in our world!

John, 3 months young, we said hello 2013

Dora Mae, 9 months young, we said hello 2014

Jensen, 3 weeks young.  We said hello 2014

Bailey, 1 year young.  We said hello 2014

Lucas, 9 months young.  We said hello 2013

LIPP was even lucky enough to find this young Great Blue Heron Baby!  We said hello 2014.

 Cannot wait to see who else the Lady In Pink Photography team members meet this year and next!!!!  Looking forward to many more years of providing memories and moments to clients, friends, and family.  I know, that when the time comes to put the camera down and retire, that Lady In Pink Photography will have given many households and families the precious gift of everlasting memories.

The Proposal of a Life-time

"Once in awhile, 

Right in the middle of an ordinary life, 
Love gives us a fairy-tale."
                               ~ by Anonymous ~

June, Friday the 13th.  Full moon rising up over Fort Myers Beach from the Sanibel Causeway view, Florida.

Friday June 13th, was a freaky Friday for me.  My heart raced, pounded, and jumped within its rib cages...   

Every photographer's worst nightmare came to life for me, so I thought.  

I'm used to being behind the camera and in charge of a session, but Friday the 13th of June I gave up that peace of mind and went in front of the lens with someone special.  About a year ago, I met a guy who quite literally swept me off my feet, and he does everyday.  I call him my Knerd (words knight-nerd combined) in Shining Armour because he has saved Lady In Pink Photography from the big bad "Technology Dragon" that threatens to stop post production many times.

To be in front of the lens is not an easy thing to think about, really it is easier done than said.  The nightmare began when we arrived home and our Lady In Pink Photographer, Charlotte, handed me the card to upload.  I noticed immediately that out of the 100 or more photos that we took, there were only a handful on the card.  My mind began to panic.  During my studies at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, I had to check out different cameras from their student supply, and many of the cameras were abused by students and once in a while the data was lost.  The only thing going through my mind was panic and fear that everything we just did was lost.  My panic soon vanished and was replaced with pure shock!  The LIPP team and Knerd in Shining Armour had pulled an amazing stunt!  

On my computer screen shown pictures of a brilliant ring and behind me down on his knees is Chris, with the same RING in a Tardis Ring Box!!!!  

The Lady In Pink Photography team members involved quickly pulled out the Compact Flash card with the our full moon images on them.  Still can't believe that it's now time to plan our own wedding!  I'll be looking to many past clients and now friends for help and suggestions on what to do and not to do.

Lightning starts to connect behind Suzie and Chris during their Lady In Pink Photography "I Do" Boutique Session on Sanibel Florida.

First steps

Salutations and happy last few weeks of spring to all.  Not sure about you, 2014 has been an amazing year to trump all years yet to come. . .  

Yet. . . It's already June and what?! I'm not READY!!!!!  How did summer sneak up so quickly?

Just one more image of spring.

I'm here today to share another Lady In Pink Confession.  This is a big one!  

Wait... Wait.. Are you ready the confession?

I, Suzie Dugan, am proud of my own company like a mom is proud of her own kids, sometimes it even feels as if LIPP has a personality of "her" own.  It's true.  Shhhh, don't tell anyone my little secret either!  The story begins in 2008... Early in the year, let's say Spring, I had noticed that weddings on the books for Photography By Imaginations' (my then employer) were down from previous years.  What was happening?  When the housing bubble burst in Florida, luxury items were first to go.  Wedding photography and high end portrait photography was one of the first items marked off and discarded for couples and families.  Long story short, my position was eliminated and young, scared, little me entered the job market again.  Even with an economic downturn there is always a need to express words with images.  

With summer looming ahead of me and nothing to do, I picked up a few retouching jobs in Fort Myers and started my first draft of Lady In Pink Photography's business plan.  At the time, "her" name was Susan Dugan Photography.  As many businesses begin to take shape and form their visions, things can change.  Nicknames can become so important that they begin to shape and form into something bigger than imagined.  This was happening to me... Every time I went out with my camera to photograph a sunset or something tourist like, people would make me blush by calling out, "Hey, lady in pink, come over here and take our photo too." and may I remind you I'm always covered head to toe in PINK.  By the time draft one was completed it was beyond obvious that we had a new name, a mission statement, and was ready to open the doors by October 2008.

5 years and 8 months later and bringing us back up to the present day.  Many goals written into the business plan have been achieved and now the business plan is evolving and changing to ensure LIPP will be around to continue providing memories.  

Thank you for taking a moment to read another confession from the lady in pink, time to get back to photo editing.

Bring on the summer sunsets!!!!!!