On a Personal Note… Barbara Bell Photography | Chapel Hill, NC

I sit here with afternoon sunlight streaming in the window. It’s a beautiful Sunday, and it reminds me that I don’t have to get everything done today or even right now. Take a moment to enjoy the sunshine, I remind myself.  It’s easy to start the day with an early morning portrait session and then want to dive headlong into editing and producing, but what if… what if instead… I sat down for a minute.  It’s so easy to be run by our to-do lists, isn’t it?

My sweet pea has gone to get some new bees because, well, it’s spring and all, and keeping bees makes him happy.  I, on the other hand, prefer to stay on our screened-in porch with a long lens while he is installing the n00bs and keeping said bees.  (Even when Dan and I were dating, I believe a part of me knew that bees – and tractors – would be in our future.)

My dog (and #notmydog, if you follow my stories on Instagram) are lolling in the sunshine, and the chickens who noisily cluck all morning are silent.  I realize how nice it is to sit in this (rare) quiet moment.  It seems sometimes that we’re here to coordinate all the moving pieces, and sometimes as a reward, we get to sit and soak it all in. This is that moment.

Me on the inside...

Me on the outside...

I know how challenging it can be to organize so many moving pieces, especially when it comes to organizing a family portrait session.  Often, I’ll shoot on a weekend to ensure we can get work schedules and sports schedules aligned for families.  This morning’s session was no different.

My job as a wife, daughter, sister, aunt, cousin, friend and photographer is about making people’s lives easier, and I like to think I do it well…or at least, I hope to do it well. Sometimes, it’s as simple as asking more questions to find out what people need or listening to the stories they want to tell. Sometimes it’s a bit more complex, and always-always-always? It’s about finding a solution for people. This is what makes my world.  I don’t always get it right.  I don’t always remember to ask enough questions.  I get so excited that I might forget to listen more than I talk. I’ll keep working on it.  In the meantime, I’ll enjoy this quiet moment filled with sunshine. That will be enough to fill my well and to continue to do the things I love to help make people’s lives easier: Create photographs. Inspire Families. Share memories.

Visit Barbara Bell Photography to book your session today.