Snapshot of My Life
Get to know Nicole. As a mother, a wife, a small business owner and a photographer, Nicole always has something going on. This blog allows clients and fans to find out what's new and to learn more about their photographer. Nicole gets to know each and every one of her clients, so she wants you to get to know her. Check back monthly for the latest post.
Bed Rest... A Photographer's Worst Nightmare
First off, I want to thank everyone for their kind words and for sending your thoughts to both myself and my family. Being on “bed rest” (rather, “couch rest”, for me) is something I am not good at – at all! I am generally a very busy person – raising my two year old daughter, running a business, having some sort of order in our home, as well as trying to have any inkling of a social life, keep me extremely busy.
When I was pregnant with my daughter Quinn, the last photo shoot I did was a week before I gave birth to her, and I expected to do the very same thing with my son. Boy, (no pun intended), was I wrong! Since my little guy decided he was ready to come at 28 weeks, I very quickly realized that shooting far into my pregnancy was not an option and the doctors telling me to go on bed rest, really cemented that for me.
Now, let me specify ‘bed rest’ - unless it’s “complete bed rest”, it’s not what it used to be. I do not have to be sitting in a bed 24 hours a day (I would have completely lost my mind by now if that were the case!). I can sit on the couch, make myself meals and walk around for a little bit. Basically, they just want me to lay low for as long as possible so I can get further along in my pregnancy.
Having a two year old and being told to lay low? That was an interesting hurdle. Thankfully, I am very lucky to have an amazing support system in the form of my friends and family – they all stepped up more than I could have ever asked for them to do and have done anything and everything they can to help me keep this little guy in for as long as possible. This is not easy for me as not having Quinn with me all the time is torture, but I cannot say thank you enough to the people that helped me out as much as they did. I am now 32 weeks pregnant and only 2 weeks away from the major goal the doctors set for me within this pregnancy. Believe me, I am counting down the days (not that he will necessarily be born right then), but just knowing he will be strong enough makes me feel much better.
For my business, having to pass through the Christmas season without the ability to offer any of the packages I had thought up, is horrible. This is the very first Christmas season that I have missed, and hopefully the last. My business is a part of who I am. I love what I do, I love my clients and I love shooting. Obviously, family comes first (that’s a no brainer!), but the short time I have been off makes me even more excited for the New Year and all the plans I have for Nicole Murphy Photography. I love New Years Eve – every year I open my front door to let the old year out and the New Year in. This year, I am very excited to (hopefully!) be holding my healthy, beautiful son and my daughter helping me open the door, letting the New Year begin!
Mothers are SEXY and I know it.....
First off, I hope everyone had an amazing Mother’s Day! One day is not nearly enough to celebrate what it takes to be a Mom! I hope all of you are reminded of this more than just once a year. As most of you know, being a mom is the hardest job in existence – it is 24 hours a day and you never get a break – even when your child is sleeping, you are getting ready for when they wake up. The first thing on my mind at all times is Quinn – and I wouldn’t want it any other way!
There are photoshoots for when you are engaged, getting married, pregnant, have a newborn… etc., but there are new mothers sleeping in 20 minute intervals and trying to figure out breastfeeding. There are mothers of 10 month olds who never stop, constantly on the move picking up the trails of toys, food, and who knows what else. There is the Mom whose child is teething – molars! And no longer needs to do anything but scream. Mothers who are experiences the ‘terrible twos’ (I have heard that 3 is worse, if you can believe it!), mothers of teenagers (oh dear… I don’t even want to think of that!).
Are mother’s sexy? HELL YES WE ARE! I am giving 110% into raising a healthy, strong, independent woman. I run a business I truly love, I cook, I clean (kind of) – I am a great wife, daughter, sister and friend. If that isn’t sexy, than I have no idea what is. Beyonce even wrote a song about women like me (Girls Run The World), that my daughter and I regularly dance around the house to. Do I look like, have the money like, or the body of Beyonce? Um… Definitely not. But we do have something in common – we both love to make women feel amazing about themselves and let me tell you, this Mama can move!
Since becoming a mother myself, I have received a very large eye opener – to be the best mother I can be, I need to take some time for myself. I will be the first to admit that I love my comfortable sweat pants and oversized t-shirts (everybody has those days) and it would be lovely to say that my extra pounds are baby weight (but I think almost 2 years is a little too long to hold onto that one!) but you can easily get lost in that. Although we love our children and there is nothing wrong with putting them first, sometimes you realize you haven’t left any time or room for YOU, and that is something most mothers can honestly admit to.
Take some time for you, it doesn’t matter what it is, but you have to do something that is just for yourself - anything that is 100% about you, for you. Email me; come get pampered, get dressed up (or down ) that’s up to you. But let me remind you, or even show you for the first time, that you are a mother and that automatically makes you sexy!
You are sexy and you know it!
NMG
Feeling Inspired!
Inspiration is something that comes to me when I least expect it – when I’m looking for it, I very rarely find it. I am inspired by many things, not only within my work, but within my own life. Being a Mother is a constant source of inspiration. Being able to watch my daughter grow, learn and experience everything for the first time is more amazing than I could ever have imagined.
Meeting new people inspires me. I love how every woman I meet and work with have completely different stories. They all live their lives differently, but are looking for similar things; happiness, adventure and love.
I am inspired by other artists. I am currently bewitched by the phenomenal work of Sue Bryce. Looking at Sue’s images and how they make me feel is exactly what I thrive towards with my own work. As I continue to grow as a person, my work as a photographer does as well. I am constantly learning anything and everything I can and am always pushing to make not only myself a better person, but my work better as well. Being an artist of any kind is not easy – you are putting a part of yourself out there for all to see. Judgement is scary! Having amazing photographers like Sue offer free online classes and blog entries allows me to feel connected to where I want to go. It makes me feel like I can achieve it, and, like all women, even I have those days where I need a little nudge and a whisper telling me “you can do it!”. This inspires me to work hard, ignore negative criticism and never give up (which I am far too stubborn for anyways…).
I truly believe that when you need inspiration, help, a new opportunity and or whatever it is that you want, to call it and it will be available. It’s up to you to decide whether or not you are going to do anything with it.
I found Sue’s work on Pinterest one night when I was having fun and wasting some time. As soon as I found the image, I needed to see everything she had posted, and then I began reading her blog. I found her work when I was in a rut and needed the boost of inspiration. So without even thinking, I wrote her a 2 page letter that night. I will share the last bit of my letter to a complete strange whose work inspired me when I needed it:
“I am a hard working good person who has had to fight for everything good in my life and I am willing to fight for this because 10, 15, even 20 years from now when my daughter is growing up she will be able to look at me and say, ‘I can do anything I want. Just look at my mom – she did it!'”
Get inspired, stay inspired!
NMG
My New Outlook
While I am not a writer, I want to be able to let my fans know what’s going on both within my business and my life, so I’m going to “Wo”man up and write a monthly blog (bear with me please!). I am beyond excited to be making some very big changes within my company; a brand new blog, new team members, as well as an entirely new outlook on what I want for both myself and my business.
One thing that I really want my clients and fans to know (that’s you!) about me is that I am very much a real woman. I am a fabulously curvy woman with crazy curly hair that I swear has a mind of its’ own. I am stubborn, I love great food, absolutely hate laundry and I adore kissing my husband. I am a mother to an amazing little diva named Quinn (I wonder where she gets it…).
I have learned to love myself by helping other woman find their own brand of beautiful. This is something the women I have met and worked with have given me, and I strive to make sure I give it back. I love to take pictures of other REAL women. Whether you are 18 or 81, a size 2 or 22, you are beautiful! Sometimes we need help to see this within ourselves; and that is exactly what I am here for. I want to take your picture.
As women, we tend to put others before ourselves and get bogged down every day. This winter as felt as if it would never end – I don’t know a single person who didn’t feel the winter funk set in. But now the sun is shining, the snow is melting (finally!), I am ready for the warm weather and to have some fun. As a photographer, I want to provide you with more than just fantastic pictures; I will provide you with an amazing experience. Come and get pampered. When is the last time you’ve gotten your hair and make-up professionally done? Get dressed up (or dressed down ;)) – that is completely up to you! Have fun, feel beautiful and for a couple of hours forget about everything except for yourself and how wonderful you feel. This is the pick me up and confidence boost every woman deserves.
I am always excited to have new experiences to offer my clients. I recently launched my “Girls Night Out” shoot and I am beyond in love with the entire process. I have never been so excited to launch something before – I knew all my clients would adore it. Get your girlfriends together, have some wine, get your hair and make-up done and some glamorous pictures of yourself! This is the much needed amazing night that you will be talking about for a long time to come. I am going to concentrate on helping women celebrate themselves this year and love for you to join me!
As always,
NMG