Anne Miller

Friday, April 17, 2015

What's In A Name?

Growing up, I have to admit I thought my name was so boring and plain. I had friends with much cooler, more interesting names and it seemed as if everyone had a nickname that derived from their name except for me.

I…

Was...

Just...

Anne...Blah.

But as I grew older, I began to appreciate my namesake and what it meant, what it stood for.

anne:

My parents named me Anne because I was born on St. Anne’s Day and they thought the connection was meaningful. I share my birthday with one of the most inspirational woman I know, my Nana. My Nana is 92 years young and we have shared 34 years of happy birthdays together and we don’t spend them apart. My family and friends call me Annie and my niece can finally say NeNi...yup, I finally have a nickname!

marie:

Marie is my middle name. But more importantly, Marie is my mother’s name. My parents decided to give my sister, brother, and I their names as our middle names which I think is a special family tradition. Marie is a piece of my mom, my sister, me, and now my niece Chloe Marie as well. Most importantly, Marie is a family name and it's where I draw my strength and inspiration from every day. My mother ran a successful business and through her example I learned the value of hard work, the importance of details, and the joy felt when following your heart to serve others.

anne marie photography:

When I think about the name Anne Marie, I think about my family. I think about why my parents gave me this name. I think about when my father would yell “Anne Marie!!!” when I was in trouble, because what parent doesn't put their child's first and middle name together when they mean business? Anne Marie is my full name that I am proud of and so excited to represent my business. It says everything about who I am and is the name that's at the core of my business. For me, it went from a name that was once so boring and plain to now being a name that is so meaningful and rich.

Anne Marie Photography simply put, is me...Anne. There is a lot behind the name. There is family, there is tradition, and there is a person who is excited about a future full of vision and dreams. There is a person who wakes up every day looking forward to meeting and serving you in the best possible way I can. It’s the only way I know---with respect, kindness, compassion, and love. Behind the name is a person who goes above and beyond to make your experience special, because I truly believe that everyone deserves to feel loved and appreciated--not just in words but in actions.

I am proud and excited to be launching my Anne Marie Photography Facebook page.

I invite you to give it a "like" and continue to follow me in my journey. Together we will remember life and honor it in a beautiful way!

Thank you for your continued support. And if we haven't met yet, I sincerely look forward to meeting you!

xoxo,

anne

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Anne is a Connecticut based natural light photographer specializing in family, children, and engagement portrait photography. To learn more about booking your portrait session, please contact Anne at annemariephotographyct@gmail.com

Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Everyone Has A Story

Who doesn't love a great story! Not the stories we read before bed or that we get from the library or these days on our kindles. It’s the stories we share with each other that connect us. Life is filled with so many beautiful, tiny moments that leave us wanting to share our stories both past and present, they are what we reach for and remember as we grow older, when we get together with old friends, at family gatherings or over a cup of coffee with a new friend. Stories are the link to understanding our family history and the link to building friendships that last a lifetime. The stories we tell are important and meaningful.

It’s not often my brother, sister and I are together for holidays so having my brother home for Easter reminded me of how much I love listening and telling stories from our childhood. We could go on for days about the intense games of Nerf basketball we would play in the hallway, the family trip to New Jersey when our suitcases flew off the top of the car and all our clothes scattered across the Jersey Turnpike because dad's “magic knots” came undone--or according to him--it was the wind. The endless games of kickball we would play denting the side of my parents aluminum siding house, or the classic Rent Me story when my parents rented an old, chipped-up wooden fisherman’s boat and we found ourselves stuck in the middle of the ocean dodging enormous waves from the passing ferry boats, seriously not even knowing how to steer the boat. With each new story, we would bust out in crying laughter just thinking about all these good times. When we get together and reminisce, we laugh so hard we snort and can’t catch our breath. It’s pure joy. It’s our shared experience together.

Stories are real. The emotions you feel when you hear and remember a great story are real. The joy you feel when you laugh so hard it hurts. The connections you feel as you play off each other remembering a different part to that particular experience. Even an old photograph can spark a memory that leads to a great story. Tell your story, write it down, share it, and let it be heard. Stories bond us and the best stories will leave you breathless and your jaw aching!

I love this image of my family that was taken a few years ago at the place we vacationed growing up. We went back to celebrate my mom’s birthday and can guarantee there was a story being told as Justin snapped this shot.

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Anne is a Connecticut based natural light photographer specializing in family, children and engagement portrait photography. To learn more about booking your portrait session, please contact Anne at annemariephotographyct@gmail.com

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Lily, Ava, Barbara & Bill | Family Portrait Collection

As I gear up for a season with incredible families and couples, I am excited for all that’s been going on behind the scenes of Anne Marie Photography and can't wait to share more in the coming months.

Last spring, I had the honor of photographing my dear girlfriend and her beautiful family. Words cannot begin to describe how much I adore this family and especially these two loving sisters. I remember their births, holding them in my arms the day after they both arrived, 21 months apart, and cannot believe how big they are now! I remember rocking them to sleep, singing them lullabies, and reading them bedtime stories, “again Annie, again”, “Ok, one more and then bed ”, I would say...several. times. over. And now they are excelling in school and making new friends in their new home.

At the time when we had our session, we didn't know that in a few short months, they would be moving across the country. I am so thankful we had this special time together. I love remembering their laughter and how happy the girls were running around barefoot and playing in their flowy, new, white dresses. These photographs hold a special place in my heart. We will always have them to look back on and remember this time before they moved...a little token of Connecticut to have in their new home.

It may be April Fool’s Day but it is no joke how much I miss this loving family and these girls! Every image tells the sweetest story and the in-between moments are what I find myself smiling about as I stare at their photos, even a year later.

Here are a few of my favorites from their session.

xoxo

anne

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Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Constant Reminders

We live in a world filled with reminders and to-do lists. Reminders when our check engine light comes on to tell us it's time for a tune-up. Reminders that pop up in our inbox 15 minutes before a meeting. Or the reminders we get from the Doctor’s office letting us know our appointment is coming up.

As much as these life reminders help keep us on track, there are different types of reminders we keep around to fuel our spirit and to bring a smile to our face. The constant reminders we place around our homes, on our desks, or even in our wallets. The constant reminders that mean something in our hearts. A photograph of your children or maybe that picture of a girls trip you took with your friends that you framed to remind you of that amazing trip. Maybe your constant reminder is a poem or a piece of artwork, a piece of furniture, or a set of china from a loving grandparent who lives in your heart. These are the simple and most beautiful reminders which we turn to when we need a quick pick-me-up. They remind us about life, love, and happiness and isn't it pretty awesome how they bring us immediate joy!

For us, we love to display constant reminders throughout our home. Maybe it's a small token we picked up on our honeymoon or from a trip we took together, they are the constant reminders that help tell our story. But one of my favorites is a quote I bought when I was first starting to build my photography business. I remember running into the grocery story one night and happened to stumble upon a wall of quotes. I stood there debating if I should even buy it because it seemed like an impulse buy. As it turns out, this constant reminder is one that motivates me on a daily basis. I see it every morning when I wake up and every night before I go to bed. It's pretty simple, yet for me, it’s incredibly powerful. It’s my gut check, it helps me quickly keep things in perspective as I continue to make decisions about the business and it challenges me to constantly ask myself "WHY".

I had to start making time for new opportunities even if this meant having to say "NO" to certain things. Do more of what makes you happy. This simple phrase has created an enormous amount of freedom in my life and helps put some of the harder decisions into perspective. Do more of what makes you happy has opened up new doors because as difficult as it is to do, I've had to say "NO" to the things that were not making me happy, in order to make room for the things that would. And to be honest, this is still something that is difficult for me to do but I've learned that it is ok to prioritize and unselfishly be able to say no.

The daily life reminders and to-do lists will always be there, but it’s the constant reminders that lift us when we need a quick pick-me-up. They help comfort us when we need it most, and they give us permission to do more of what makes us happy.

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Wednesday, March 18, 2015

St. Patrick's Day | a family tradition

Ever since I was young, my mother has always gone all out to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. I'm talking all the staples...corn beef, cabbage, carrots, potatoes, and her homemade Irish soda bread, delicious!! Her Irish soda bread would always be the first to go; I don't think a crumb made it off the table. She would even put green food dye in our drinks which my sister, brother and I loved and thought was the coolest trick. She used to tell us the leprechauns did it...gotta love a mother’s touch.

She started cooking several days in advance and no matter what day of the week St. Patrick's Day fell on, it was a big deal for her to celebrate her Irish roots and more importantly to teach us the importance of our Irish heritage. Coming from parents who are 100% Irish and 100% Italian, my mother definitely loves having one day to celebrate the Irish in us all. The St. Patrick's Day menu is something special, only enjoyed once a year. It's a tradition we all look forward to all month long!

I am so grateful to my mom who has created such a fun (and delicious) family tradition for us all to gather and enjoy together. Here are some pictures from our St. Patty’s Day celebration including my Nana who celebrated her 92nd St. Patrick's Day and is full of so many amazing Irish stories along with my niece, our newest little leprechaun :).

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Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Truth Tellers

Through the good times and difficult times, who are your truth tellers? When the sun is shining (like today! wohoo!) or when the dark clouds roll in, who are your truth tellers? I fell in love with this expression when our priest delivered his homily, a powerful message, which resonated deep within my soul. So simple, yet so…well, for lack of a better term, TRUTHFUL!

“Who are your truth tellers?" “Who are the people in your life that tell you exactly how it is, exactly what you DON’T want to hear?” He paused. He wasn't talking about the sugar-coated; everything is perfect about you people. Nope, he was talking about the people closest to our hearts, who know us best and see our full potential. The people who tell us what we don’t want to hear because it makes us better people. It’s a beautiful feeling to have truth tellers in our lives and to also BE a truth teller for someone else.

As I sat there listening, I began to think about who my truth tellers are and what being a truth teller meant to me. I am so grateful to have so many wonderful truth tellers in my life. We all need them; we are all better people because of them.

A truth teller is someone who does not come from a place of judgment but a place of compassion.

A truth teller does not come from a place of jealousy or negativity but a place of kindness and positivity.

A truth teller does not tell you what you want to hear because it’s the easy way to avoid conflict but instead a truth teller tells you what you need to hear and should hear in that moment.

A truth teller always comes from a place of love and friendship.

A truth teller accepts you for who you are, and doesn't try to change you. They support and care for you deep down inside and have your back…no. matter. what.

Your definition of a truth teller can be as simple or complex as you want it to be, it’s your truth. My truth tellers are my unconditional supporters, my positive lights, and the ones who pick me up when I need it the most. I welcome advice I might not always want to hear because it forces me to listen and shift my thinking. Sure, the truth is hard to digest sometimes but I've learned that the truth is the only thing I want to hear.

The truth challenges us to be better people and it helps us see outside of ourselves. My truth tellers give me insight to life outside my world, and they help me be present in my everyday life. Truth be told, it’s all a work in progress!

Hearing the hard truth, and not the sugar-coated, everything is perfect truth, is only going to help us become our best selves. Big hugs and thanks to all my TTs.

xoxo

anne

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To learn more about booking your portrait session, please contact anne at annemariephotographyct@gmail.com

Monday, February 16, 2015

Erica & Greg | A Stylized Shoot

These two. These two have what it takes, you can see it in their eyes, in the way they look at each other, the way they giggle uncontrollable when they hold each other tight. Meet Erica + Greg.

Recently, I had the honor of joining 15 other local photographers for a Photography Session, planned by Southern CT based wedding photographers, Jason and Maggie Henriques of Jason Loves Maggie, Photographers. Even though I specialize in family and couples photography, I was excited to do something different, and couldn't wait for the opportunity to meet so many wonderful, talented photographers. It was an afternoon to get together and practice what we love to do! We all had a blast shooting a “styled” wedding day, complete with dress, jewelry, and amazing hair and makeup artists! A big thanks to Jason and Maggie for setting up such a fabulous day and opening up their hotel room at the Omni Hotel in Downtown New Haven for all of us to use for the day!

So when Jason was looking for a couple to be our models for the day, I reached out to my cousin Erica to see if she and her boyfriend Greg were up for some fun! Immediately, she said “YES” followed by, “let me check with Greg, not sure if he will share my same enthusiasm”. When she got back to me saying they were both available and excited, I was beyond pumped, first and foremost because it meant I got to see them! And secondly, I was thrilled for my cousin to experience a fun day of being pampered!

But what I wasn't expecting was what unfolded right in front of my eyes. Even though it was not a real wedding and we were playing dress-up, I still got emotional (big shocker, right!). When Erica’s pretend wedding day look came together, the hair, makeup, jewelry, headpiece and finally the veil…oh the veil, it will get you every time! I started to get emotional. The majority of the photographers did not know she was my cousin, so when I stood there by the window looking at her, while everyone snapped away to capture her beauty, I couldn't help but reflect on her life, her successes, how far she’s come, the places she’s traveled and now right before my eyes the attention was on her, and the amazing man she shares her life with. I realized in that moment that my little cousin was not so little anymore, she’s all grown up, and the happiness I felt for her was one I was not expecting, but it happened, and it was real.

I'm so grateful that Jason captured this moment for me, I will cherish this shot forever. So I guess it’s safe to say that someday, on her REAL wedding day, I’m going to be a blubbering mess, haha!!

After shooting at the Hotel, we all hit the streets of New Haven for the second portion of the day, and ended up at the Yale campus. Oh and did I mention it was freezing, and while we all had hats, gloves and jackets on, Erica and Greg walked around without coats or anything to keep them warm! Thankfully Erica wore her adorable winter boots that made for some really fun shots. The cold didn't bother them, they were amazing sports, up for anything, and truly had a blast. It didn't bother them one bit that they had 15 different photographers snapping away, giving direction, and asking for them to look here and there. They were such a joy to work with and their connection was beyond beautiful to watch. They have what it takes, you can see it, and you can feel it. Greg is such a gentle soul, a man who cares so deeply for my cousin. He has NO idea how wonderful he is, but that’s ok, Erica knows and now, so do I.

I will remember this day forever. I met so many fabulous photographers and look forward to our future group gathering throughout the year. This day also gave me an inside look into two beautiful people whose paths crossed while teaching at the same school in downtown Hartford. Their love connection is real, everyone saw it and felt it. Erica and Greg have that special something that comes along once in a lifetime, and to see my cousin SO happy, well…you deserve it darling. Every look, every stare, every ounce of Greg’s affection, you deserve it ALL.

Here are some of my favorites from our fun day. To my family, not to jinx it or anything, but we may have another Mastronardi wedding in our future…but no pressure Greg!

xoxo
anne