As a family photographer, I feel this pressure to focus on the perfect, happy, iconicly momentous moments in a family’s life.  When you only have 2-hours with someone, you want to be sure to catch all the highlights, right?  But the more I do this thing, the more I am drawn to the in-between, seemingly unimportant fractions of a second in a family’s life. Those times when you think no one is looking and your guard is down. You are neither smiling nor frowning but resting in who you are.  I find those moments fascinating.  Have you seen that quote by Abraham Lincoln?  “There are no bad pictures, that is just what your face looks like sometimes.” It’s funny ‘cause it’s true. Those moments in-between the peaks are no less important than the big ones. Those are the moments our life is made of.

Thank you, Starkey Family, for allowing me to tell your story. xoxo

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My calendar is full for the summer, but I am now booking storytelling sessions for September-November 2013 (local+travel) | mollyflanaganphotography@gmail.com

Giving is true having. -Charles Spurgeon

To learn more about a Storytelling Session for your own family, please email me at mollyflanaganphotography(at)gmail(dot)com or just mosey up to the top of my blog and click “contact”.
I am booked for the summer but will soon be opening my calendar for the fall.  Yippee!  xoxo

In the words of LeVar Burton, “But you don’t have to take my word for it…”

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So if I told you that Visual Storytelling is a great class, it would be a lie…because it is soooo much more than that. It truly is the best photography class I have taken…ever. I loved every minute of it and have learned a tremendous amount about myself as both a person and photographer, the most exciting being that I concretely discovered my vision as a photographer in this class.

With other photography classes, there is usually some part of the class, even a small part, that I find could be tweaked or improved, but this class…it was PERFECT. All four lessons from beginning to end was chock full of information, and much of the material was completely new to me. It was so nice to have new concepts to delve into that hadn’t been introduced in other classes. There is seriously no other class like this one. I learned a ton, grew a ton and am forever changed as a photographer.

As an instructor, Molly was a wealth of knowledge and shared so much beyond the lessons as well. She made us dig deep and pushed us beyond our comfort zone to explore and expand our craft. The way she organized each lesson was very clear and concise, each week expanding on the previous week’s lesson. As a Type A person, I loved how the material was richly layered in both an intentional and methodical manner.

I cannot recommend this class highly enough. By whatever means necessary, take this class!

-Mary

Well, I left a couple of minor details out of my pipe dream.

1. I had three kids

2. I didn’t have a dishwasher

Now, I am pretty hardcore about keeping the dishes washed. I hand-wash them after every meal and usually a couple of times in between, but I am not a fan of drying (ain’t nobody got time for that). I simply leave the dishes to air dry until the next time I am washing. Then I put the dry dishes away. Wash the new dirty dishes. Leave them to dry. And the cycle continues. As the months went on, I thought of the Johnson & Johnson happy baby commercial often. Telling myself, “Ah, tomorrow. Tomorrow when the evening light is gloriously golden, I will put the dishes away, scrub the sink, and plop my precious baby in the sudsy water. It.will.be.magical.”

A few weeks ago, Oliver moved out of his crib into a big boy bed. It was one of those bittersweet parenting moments where time felt like it was slipping through my fingers. Life was moving too quickly. As I began to replay Oliver’s baby milestones in my mind, I realized, we never did it. The bath! I never found time to fill it with lavender scented soap and watch him squeal with delight as he squished the bubbles between his chubby fingers. The next day, as the warm springtime sun was setting, I haphazardly shoved all of the dishes in the cabinets, took a magic eraser to the stainless steel, and stripped Oliver of his Batman t-shirt and diaper. I placed him in the sink, so excited about the magic that was about to happen, when I realized something was wrong.

“Er, well, just kind of turn your body this way, Oliver. Yeah, like that. Okay, now just sit down. Watch out for the faucet. Oops. No no, just sit down. It’s ok! Don’t cry. It’s ok! Just sit down! SIT DOWN!!!”

I realized I missed it. The Johnson & Johnson moment was gone. Oliver looked up at me with furiously confused puppy dog eyes, and quietly said, “Down?”

You know branding is a pretty big deal in the world of photography.  I remember a few years ago trying to sit down and figure out what my *brand* was.  What made me different from all the other photographers out there?  I had no idea about colors or fonts or packaging or logos.  But I knew what kind of pictures I wanted to take.  And I knew the way I wanted to interact with people.  So instead on focusing on the outward appearance of my blog and how I physically portrayed my image, I focused on building my brand from the inside out.  Through that internal branding experience, I discovered what my overarching vision was for my photography.  I have shared it a million times on here, but this quote by Carolyn McCulley has served to consistently bring me back to the reason why I want to be a Visual Storyteller:

Material goods & self-glorifying domestic perfectionism are definitely not the heart of the home. The heart of the home is found in the relationships nurtured there and the comfort offered to one another – comfort we have first received from God, the Father of compassion, and then share with one another.

Over the last 6 years, my camera has helped me apply this wisdom to my own life as well as how I approach photographing others.  I have poured who I am into being a STORYTELLER… documenting the true heart of the home, while investing myself completely into telling stories about the lives of families I work with.  For the last couple of years I have really wanted to express my overarching vision through the appearance of my blog, but anything I came up with on my own just seemed cheap.  I knew this was an area where I must collaborate with some professionals to help me convey what was in my mind.  However, the idea of trusting a stranger with all of my hopes and dreams and ideas was terrifying!  What if they didn’t get me?  What if they were terrible to work with?  What if I hated the end product?  Taking the jumbled mess of beautiful and meaningful things out of my mind and placing them into the hands of strangers felt like such a gamble!

Then, several months ago I came across This Paper Ship and fell head over heals for their work.

This Paper Ship is a husband-and-wife illustration + creative team with a passion for typography,
bright colors, whimsy, and keeping the art of hand-drawn alive.

Their work is simple, yet loaded with personality and color.  And whimsical without being too girly.  Their illustrations remind me of the old animated opening title sequences to campy movies from the 60s like the Pink Panther.  Why don’t movies do cool stuff like that anymore?  I stalked Joel&Ashley (in the endearing internet way, not the real life creepy way) for quite a while and finally worked up the nerve to contact them.  In our emailing I told them one of the things that I love about storytelling is wide-angle pictures that tell a story.  I like it when you are able to go back to a photograph or painting and see different things each time you look at them. I love pictures that are invitation to stay and visit and hang out for a while.  I wanted my illustration to be detailed and somehow have a story intertwined in it.  And I wanted it to reflect my approach of shooting exclusively in client’s homes and/or businesses.

Well, what they came up with exceeded all of my expectations!  Watching them work through this creative process of taking someone else’s thought and turning it into something tangible was nearly as rewarding as the finished illustration itself.  I was worried that I would be disappointed.  Or maybe that I would feel like a simple drawing could not add much or mean much in the grand scheme of things.  But I am SO glad I did this!!!  It feels good to have created a brand for my business that is thought out, personal and full of love.  And to have something beautiful to represent my goals and vision for my photography.

Thank you This Paper Ship for sharing your gifts and talents in such an incredible way!  xoxo

I can’t wait!!!

I have heard that classes can fill up super quick, so if you are planning to take a class next month, don’t dilly-dally on registration day! You can also sign up for The Define School newsletter on the bottom left of the website’s homepage to be notified when registration begins as well as any special promotions.

My Visual Storytelling class begins April 8th and lasts for 4 weeks. You will have access to a new lesson each week, along with homework assignments and our very own “classroom” on a private forum for you to ask questions, share your work, and all that fun stuff. I really like this set up because, while reading the lessons will be benificial, there will be plenty of time to share, elaborate, and explore the concepts together through out the month! If you have questions about the registration process, you can contact the brilliant folks at The Define School here.

Visual Storytelling with Molly Flanagan
WEEK 1: What is Your Story: Discovering Your Unique Voice
WEEK 2: Tall Tales: The Essentials of Visual Storytelling
WEEK 3: Short Stories: Telling a Compelling Story in a Single Image
WEEK 4: Stories for Strangers: Compiling a Story for Clients

And it has been a while since I blogged instagram pictures! I sure love my phone!
Find me on IG: molly_flanagan

In the same way, I can not find words that come close to expressing how honored I was to play a part in the lives of the Geurink family by telling a tiny part of their story. I have been trying to figure out what details to share about this family, but no matter what combination of words I use, my words fall short.

The Geurinks did an internet search for “lifestyle photography greenville sc” and I am so happy my name appeared on that list! Thank you internet!!! Michael and Katrina are missionaries working with Amazon tribes where Brazil, Peru, and Colombia all come together. Rarely stateside, they do not have a permanent home in America, so they live in this old bus from the 1960s with their 4 Brazilian children, each of whom have the most incredible adoption stories.

We’ve always said, “Home is where we are together.” We’re not tied to one particular house or city. Our home in Brazil has been a boat we named Peregrino, which means “pilgrim” in Portuguese, because we truly are strangers and pilgrims on the earth looking forward to a permanent city. – Michael Geurink

By faith [Abraham] made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country…for he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. . Hebrews 11:9-10

Soon the roof will be finished,
bricks laid,
electricity will run through the walls.
Plumbing lines, counter tops,
driveway and mailbox will all be put in their places.
Furniture will be arranged, pictures hung.
Meals will be made.
The yard will become green grass and gardens instead of red South Carolina clay.
Toys and homework will be strewn about the tables and hallways.
Time will pass.
And in the process this house will become a home.

My mind can’t help but fast-forward to years from now when when these blonde babes are fully grown, pulling into the driveway to bring their own children to visit Grandma and Grandpa. They will take their children through the house reminiscing about all of the memories held in each corner. Memories that, today, they have not yet made.

Today it is just a frame surrounded by mud, but each day Trent and Ashley and their kids live and breathe as a family, this house becomes more of a home. While they have a tangible blueprint that tells them exactly what their house will look like once it is built, there is no simple blueprint of how a house really becomes a home. Yet the process is part of the adventure. And this adventure is just beginning…

Material goods & self-glorifying domestic perfectionism are definitely not the heart of the home. The heart of the home is found in the relationships nurtured there and the comfort offered to one another – comfort we have first received from God, the Father of compassion, and then share with one another. – Carolyn McCulley

Email me at mollyflanaganphotography(at)gmail(dot)com or send me a message through this blog contact tab to learn more about having your own story told. xoxo

The Define School is an “unconventional school for the evolving photographer”. Online classes are offered throughout the year on a range of interesting topics. The prices are affordable and classes are small to allow for lots of interaction.

To learn more about my Visual Storytelling class visit my page on the Define School website. Be sure to take some time to click around and check out all of the other amazing classes being offered! Hope to see you there!

xoxo

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You see, a couple of years ago I stopped booking traditional meet-at-the-park sessions. These days all of my family sessions take place in homes or other meaningful spots. Meeting at a random park, shaking hands and getting down to business feels so impersonal to me. So, it felt wrong for me to do a session for Deanna that my heart wouldn’t be in. I know, it’s crazy. Shouldn’t I just suck it up and take the park pictures? It’s only a couple of hours of my life. No big deal. The thing is…

I am only on this earth for a short time and I only have so much time I can devote to photography.
I want to make each experience count.
Really count.
I want to know your life.
To see your things, your space.
To see how you really relate to your family
To see how your home supports those relationships that are the most valuable to you.
I want to help you celebrate your life.
Not the perfectly dressed, perfectly combed, random-park life.
The real one.
Your home is where your real life happens.
Your home is who you are.
It is your sanctuary.

I can’t really explain the depths of my crazy obsession with people’s homes. I just have to do it. I know this is what I am meant to do, and I love it. I wanted to give my best to Deanna and not settle for park-pictures. After talking it over with my husband, I decided to take a leap and ask Deanna if she thought it would be ridiculous if I just came to her house instead. To my delighted surprise, I found out she had been thinking the very same thing. We made plans and last weekend I packed my overnight bag and hopped on a plane to Washington DC.

I am so glad I was able to invest this time into really getting to know Deanna and her family. I counted it an honor and tremendous responsibility to enter Deanna’s home and experience her life…

To feel the warmth of an afternoon cup of coffee whose jolt of caffeine is so desperately needed to keep spirits high till bedtime.
To hear the sounds of a mother comforting a son deep in the throws of the terrible-twos.
To taste the love poured into smiley face chocolate chip pancakes.
To see the affection of a father that commutes two hours each way for work and plays hard with his little ones even though he is exhausted from a week of bread-winning.

These are the stories I cannot tell at the random-park.

Experiencing these things as an outsider is humbling.
I’m entering a sanctuary not meant for me… something so fragile and beautiful… yet with a foundation built with unshakable strength.
I’m becoming acquainted with the heart of a home.

Some may see a typical American couple in a typical American house with typical American kids living a typical American Saturday morning. But I see something so beautifully complex and rich and magical… there are no words I can speak to adequately describe it.

Meet the McCaslands…

For more information about travel rates for a Story Session of your own, email me at mollyflanaganphotogarphy(at)gmail(dot)com or send me a message through the contact tab.