Here we are at over 1,000 like's on Facebook and I could not be more thankful or excited!
I filmed myself reading this blog post...and I just hit play and saw that it was a little funked up with sound. I look like a bad cartoon, haha. However, you are more than welcomed to read along with me! :)
We are giving away a Free Creative Session and 15 image DVD to show our love for you guys. You'll have the rights to 15 of your favorite images and a one hour session with me, all completely free! To submit, follow the directions from the photo included in this blog post. In case you can't read it, share the image above from our Facebook page in your newsfeed (if you click on the image, it should pull it up on Facebook), then comment on it. You are then entered into the contest! If you have questions, let me know! There are only a few days left to enter!
There are a few things that I would like to say actually, if you'll let me. You don't have to read it... but you can if you want to! :)
Thank you, Thank You, THANK YOU!!!
Thank you to my wonderful clients for choosing me as the person to capture a little of who you are! I am so happy that you've welcomed me into you and/or your family's story! You've changed mine in ways I can't even begin to describe. Wether you're in Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Washington, New Mexico, wherever you are that I've been with my camera, thank you so much. You guys are a blessing to me and I really do love each and every one of you!
Thank you to ALL my beautiful friends whom I love, that modeled for me hours on end and just let me have my way with them when I was just starting out. You know who you are! And you know how amazing you are! But I'm going to tell you again-YOU ARE AMAZING! Without you being beautiful, wonderful, handsome, and so loving towards me, I don't know where I'd be!
Thank you to my Mary Kay ladies!!! You guys are a constant positive thread in my life! I wouldn't know what to do without having my MK makeup on hand for pinups. I also wouldn't know what to do if I didn't have you guys in my life! Kelli-you have influenced me in ways that have only made me better. I love you and am so glad that God put me in your fantastic unit! It's so awesome how my MK business has only made my photography business better. Thank you guys for being in my life, being my friends, encouraging me, supporting my services, and for having so much fun with me all the time wherever we go!
I love you all!
A very special thank you to
Katie Michelle Lundberg and
Sam Vicari, who modeled with me for my promo video in 50 degree weather back in May! You guys are simply fantastic. All I can say, without getting teary, is that I love you guys so much. Katie-gosh I love you! Your face is all over the place in my house! Anytime I miss you, I just look at your adorable pinup face and there you are! You literally are one of the most creative people on the planet. I'm so thankful for you sitting for me, even outside of this video, because I know without you, I wouldn't have the confidence I have to do what I do. You are what I call full circle beautiful. Not only are you a model, but your heart just gives and gives. I'm honored to know you and even more honored to call you my friend! Sam-you rock, both literally and in spirit. Without my constant worried phone calls being soothed by your "it's going to be okay, Hilary" I don't know where I'd be! Seriously, I can be a little neurotic and I'm so glad and blessed to have you as a friend! And when I asked you to be in the video, I got the happiest, "if you need me, Hilary, I'm there for you!" Man, you have the best attitude. Seriously, I try to copy it, haha. I wuv you, Sam!
Thank you to other photographers, who have always been so quick to help me out!
Stephanie Pana, for recommending bludomain to me for website use, for always helping to answer my questions, and for just being completely amazing!
Kim Anne and Staff, for being GREAT examples to a future photography studio owner, letting me ask questions about products and giving advice to my open ears!
Danielle Eileen for just being so cheerful, and always being a positive voice in my head!
Breanna Bloomquist, my beautiful sister-in-law, whom I love bouncing ideas off of and who is always encouraging me! And a BIG BIG Thank you to
Anna Thielen, the lady that I look up to and the best wedding photographer I have ever seen. You are so fantastic Anna! Thank you for letting me tag along with you and for being the most amazing wedding photographer at my own wedding!
Thank you to my office assistants, Madalyn (whom I'll go into more detail about later) and Natalie! :D Natalie, you're so happy all the time and you are just a pleasure to be around! I'm so glad that you have helped me out with getting organized, addressing labels, filing folders, and making newsletters. We hung a mirror together-that means we are like sisters! haha. You are fantastic in every way! And so hot right now hansel, hahah. I appreciate you and Love You So Much!!!
Of course, thank you to
Amanda!!!! Pinups would not be ANYWHERE NEAR as beautiful if it wasn't for you. God blessed me when you answered that pinup advert on Craigslist. He really, really did! I couldn't ask for someone with a better heart for people and for more talent then you. You are it!!! Thank you for doing what you do, having a great attitude, and for just lovin' on everyone that walks through our door! You. Are. Amazing. I love you!!!! <3
Okay, so here this goes. I want to thank my family...
Thank you Cody, for letting me get in your face with my camera lens. You, the cutest little kiddo that ever walked the earth, are a fantastic model! Fantastic singer! Fantastic little brother! I miss you so much and I just am so happy that when I'm around, you let me take a few photos of you! ;) And you give me a big hug! You are loving, handsome, and so so talented! Seriously, you rock. I love you and let the holiday of Codini begin!!!!
Jacob, thank you! You are my friend, my little broski! Thank you for, even though you completely 100% hated it, posing for me all through high school and into present day. (Jake and Natalie are pictured above in our awesome giveaway flyer!) You know you look good!!! I know you know, hahah. You always are thinking about me and ways you can help me and my business. Whether it's a random, "Hil-I just got a google adwords coupon in the mail" or a "hey I know a guy who might know a guy..." I appreciate your awesome networking skills and support. I love you so much and am so glad we finally live in the same state!
Thank you to my most beautiful, wonderful, amazing, talent and joy filled sister, Madalyn. Ever since you were a little baby, I just wanted to capture you from the inside out on film. From my first photography project that won at my first art show, to present day, I love taking your picture. In high school, I would have the worst days and look at Madalyn and she would just be beautiful! I would ask her if I could take her picture that day and we would. Suddenly, everything would be better. That's still the case! A day photographing Madalyn is a day in heaven for me. That is because you are special, and wonderful, Maddy. You are a gift to everyone you come in contact with and an even bigger gift to me! I love you so much!
Dad, thank you so much for being you!!! You're so great with color, design and follow through. You're an even better teacher! I noticed all the projects you would have around the house and I saw everything you did to make sure you finished whatever it was that you were working on. You are so creative and great at seeing something that isn't there yet and making it come alive. I try to do that with my photography because of the way I saw you do it with rooms, lighting and design. Do you remember the pinewood derby cars we used to make? And how you would have me sand the wood with sandpaper and then you would let me paint the cars? That, seriously, was so amazing to me. I loved being able to make something with you! I look up to you so much! But you already know that when I call you and say, "hey dad, can you look at this photo for me?" or "hey dad, what do you think of this project?" I am so happy to be your daughter! God gave me the perfect dad who loves me and supports me, knows exactly the right thing to say, and always has something positive to contribute to my life. Thank you for sticking with me!
Mom, you are so so so so so fantastic!!! Seriously-the most amazing mom anyone can ask for. Your people skills and sweet attitude are by far the best of the best. I learned from watching you that life is always, always about your choices. I remember in high school, you'd always shout to me and my friends "make good choices!" as we'd leave the house. Even though that embarrassed the crap out of me, I have always tried my best at choosing the right path! You taught me that you are only in control of yourself and your attitude-that you can't control other's behavior and that you have to be okay with that. Without that being taught to me, I know my business and my life wouldn't be shaped the way that it is. What a strong, faithful lady you are, momma! Seriously, what better example do I have in my life of a more strong, courageous woman? Everyday you give everything you do to your family, everything you are to God and all your love to everyone you meet, even throughout what you have to struggle with daily. I love you so much and I am just so super duper blessed to have you as my mommy. Thank you for believing in me and for always encouraging me to be the best that I can be!
And so, without further adu...
ALAN!!!!! :D You know that without you, none of this would ever have happened for me. You believed in me with all of your heart that I could do this. It was your belief that gave me the momentum I needed to chase even harder after this dream of owning my own photography business. You gave of your time, invested money and sacrificed just as much as I have by helping this business become a reality for me. Thank you for all of it! For being you for me!! You are the reason that I breathe, the reason that my heart beats, and the reason that I do this. Your constant support throughout my startup process, your light hearted humor when I jokingly photoshop something terribly (like your photo on lazers), your loving and kind attitude-these are the things that keep me going. I love you so much! I can't even begin to say how much, actually. You're my husband, my life partner, fellow vintage and ice cream lover, and you're my Love! God must really love me to give me you, sir. Seriously. I'm so glad I made a checklist way back when because I know exactly how lucky I am to have you, everything on my list that I wanted in a man. You're strong, hardworking, courageous, loving and faithful. Thank you so much for loving me, through me being stupid. Thank you so much for believing in me, even when I didn't. Most importantly, thank you for having faith for me, even when I was consumed with doubt. You believed this into existence right along side my heart. I am so in love with you! So thankful for you! So happy to be your wife! I'll end with Rock Chalk Jayhawk...all for you baby!
Lots of love,
h i l a r y h o p e
