Bill's Blog

As the holidays approach [where did summer go?!!], my mind turns toward family gatherings.  If you’re like me, your holiday memories range from the sweetest moments of childhood to gatherings that even Clark Grizwold would find odd.  Whatever the case, I hope that this year’s holidays are your best yet.  Personally, I can’t wait to see Sheree’s elated Christmas joy when she opens her brand-spankin’-new vacuum!  Last year’s gift–a fresh ironing board and new iron–didn’t elicit the adoration that I’d hoped.  While I might not be too smart, I can learn from my mistakes.  I think she was disappointed that I didn’t spend more money on a finer household appliance.  So . . . if she’s not overwhelmed with this year’s gift, I suppose I’ll be buying her a new dryer [our washing machine is only about 3 years old].  That girl sure has it good.

Anyway–

Holidays remind us of what matters most–our Connections to God, family and friends.  Let me invite you to immortalize this season in your family’s life.  Portraits add warmth to your home, and yes, they make fabulous Christmas gifts.  However, I’d like you to schedule for a different reason [other than sending my own kids to college one day ].

Without question, there is one person in the world that I respect and admire more than anyone–my Grandfather, Billie Ramsey.  As a kid [only 17 years old] he helped liberate Europe during the Second World War.  After spending 14 months as a guest in POW camps, he narrowly survived a freezing march, when he and some buddies escaped [his first escape attempt, 2 days after capture, nearly cost him his life, and he still wears the stab wounds].  Upon returning, he married, graduated college, became a Teacher, then traveled the world in his career with Electric Cooperatives.  There’s much more to his resume than this, but I digress.

My grandparents lived a few years in Wisconsin when I was very young, and living in Arkansas [I think--maybe we were living in Iowa at the time].  My Grandparents always delighted in Christmas, showering their 2 kids and 4 grandkids with love, food, and gifts.  One particular year, I excitedly opened my gifts–next to the Christmas tree, snuggled in my long-sleeved pajamas.    The excitement of the day soon caught up with me, and I finally crashed into a nap.  Notably, I fell asleep in Grandpa’s lap, in the recliner, next to the tree.  Grandpa looked down at my sleeping face.  It’s the face that everyone compared to his, and now my oldest boy has the exact face of me, my dad, and Grandpa.  Grandpa chewed his unlit pipe–like he did most of my life.   As Grandpa and I both get older, there is something in each of us that will live in that moment forever.   That connection is one of the most profound connections of my life.

But it’s a connection that I don’t remember.

I have very few memories of that stage in life–I was really young.  The only reason that I “remember” that particular Christmas is because . . . you guessed it . . . my Dad snapped photos.  Thanks to my Dad, I have that connection for the rest of my life.  Truly–photographs profoundly tell the story of our lives.  They actually help to define who we are, and where we “fit” into our own lives.

So as you snap photos of your own, and as you commission a professional Photographer, remember the generational impact.  Not only are you celebrating your Connections today, you are honoring the connections growing in your kids’ lives.

I especially like tender, interactive Family Portraits in Black and White.  I like the timeless look.  So . . .

We’ll be shooting black and white portraits at Lads and Ladybugs Children’s Boutique, on JFK in North Little Rock.  [click here for directions and for a peek inside the store] We’ll be shooting 10 appointments [all the available time for one day] on September 26th.  2 of our appointments are already filled, so if you’d like to schedule, do it quickly.  Our standard Photo prices apply, this is not a Quick Pic, but we have reduced the minimum order to $250.  As always, if you would like to check out our prices, or see more of our work, check out our website:  www.beyond-photography.com.  Or you can do things the old-fashioned way:  give me a call:  501.519.7524.

Finally, if you’d like a little inspiration, and see the connections that others have commemorated, click below for a fabulous slideshow that Sheree whipped up.  I’ll look forward to talking soon.

Yours,

mr. bill