10th year of being your full time photographer | central kentucky family photographer {priscilla baierlein photography}

How have ten years passed by so quickly? Wasn’t it just yesterday that I was sitting in my little windowless office dreaming about the what-ifs of being a full time photographer? Just yesterday that I was taking the long way home to stop any place I could to practice what I had just read about in the little photography book I ordered off from Amazon? Well, if we want to take it back even further, it really seems like just yesterday I was the college girl spending all her money on ramen noodles, disposable cameras, and one hour photo labs. The girl who ruined too many pictures to count by accidentally getting her finger into the shot. Yes…y’all…that was me. I couldn’t say it was “perfectly imperfect” when my finger was straight up covering someone’s face. Somehow, I was also the girl who wrote in a freshman English journal that I dreamed of owning a photography studio one day. Not remembering this until I was five years or more into this journey and sorting through boxes in the basement. When I was just playing with a disposable camera, I was driving down the road dreaming of what would look good in a picture. My high school friends would also always tease that I was the girl in “Can’t Hardly Wait” who chased after everyone with her yearbook and cried out in heartache “These are precious memories people!” I will neither confirm nor deny this. In fact, when I started falling in love with photography, I would often say that I just wanted to photograph the things that I love before they were gone. It was mostly old barns at the time, but soon turned into people. The first time I photographed a genuine smile…well…I was hooked and knew photography was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life and somehow we would make it happen.

Now, it’s been over ten years since I’ve called this my full time job. It’s been 10 years of laughter, of new friends who become old friends, hugs, snuggles, tears, butterflies just before arriving at a new home, of prayers before every session just to ask God to help me really see them, spending countless hours behind the computer…dreaming…creating…editing…culling…writing, using my gifts to love others, showing those in front of my camera just how loved they are, running a business while being an imperfect human…struggling with infertility…becoming a momma…postpartum depression…triggered PTSD…self doubt…feelings of not enough…self loathing…many days when I could barely pull myself out of the bed…and making it to the clearing to find love for myself again, a husband who supports me in every way, figuring out how to run a business with google and good mentorship and surrounding myself with all the education I could, learning and relearning all the things as they change, constantly discovering some of the most incredible people in this very saturated industry, photographing my own sweet family, being able to work from home and hear my husband and son play in the next room, having the flexibility to be there for sick days…snow days…field trips…family vacation…and after school snuggles, finding my voice and how to use it for love, finding my clear dreams lead by the one who created me, making new friends over and over again, falling in love with so many families and the way they love, getting the gift to slow down and truly see people and all their love, full hearts after sessions, love notes from clients, picked flowers in my hair, the sweetest little hugs, genuine smiles, first breaths, first snuggles, first kisses, being one of the chosen few to be in the room, first dances, tears of overwhelming gratitude, traveling the world, princess twirls, jumps on the bed, watching families just be in their most beloved places, and my heart being so incredibly full.

If you are here reading this, if you have ever clicked on my website, if you have ever shared an image I’ve taken, if you’ve ever liked a social media post from me, if you’ve ever left a comment on a post, if you’ve ever cheered me on silently from the sidelines, if you’ve ever given me the gift of photographing you…your family…your wedding…your birth…your birthday, if you’ve ever told a friend about my work, if you are or have ever been a part of my email list, if you are one of my loudest supporters…you are part of this family…we are in this together…I love you and I am SO grateful for you. Every single bit of it has made a difference and I know deep down in my soul that this IS going to be the best year yet and I cannot wait to see where WE are at the end.

Here are just a “handful” of my most favorite images from the last 10 years. You all have brought me so much joy and I hope with everything in me that I have shown you your love, just for a little bit.

Do you have a favorite image we have created together over the last 10 years? I would love for you to post it to instagram or facebook with a little note about why you loved it and your session! If you do, please tag me, or the business page, or use #priscillabphotography or #priscillabphotograph10years. It has filled my soul to see everyone’s favorites. I will be doing a drawing at the end of this week to see who will get a 16×20 canvas of their favorite! 🙂

So much love to you,

Cilla

PS…Have you booked your spring session yet? It’s that time of year! Summer and Spring sessions are filling up. Only 8 signature sessions are booked each month! You can see more information HERE and reserve your spot by emailing me or contacting me HERE.