Hey Hey there, everyone! I hope this Saturday has some fun plans in-store for you…or, at the very least some relaxation. ❤️
Around here, well…we are prepping for Keenan-Thing- Four’s 15th birthday party. Yes… help me, Lord!! 20 amazing 15-year-olds will take over the house this evening…send me all the good vibes, please 😂I’m fairly certain we will need them.
Speaking of Birthday Parties and Good Vibes- Have you ever stopped for a quick minute to think about the story that you are living out? The practice is interesting. But, certainly amazing. I recently took the time to put my life in review– only in my head, of course- but, as though someone were reading my story. It was fun, tearful, hilarious, brought joy, and sometimes made me feel sad. But, it was very, very enlightening. And, it made me realize how important writing down the majority of this crazy life-story was. Then- then, the pictures!! Oh my!
Those thoughts led me to the times that I’ve sat with my mom and dad, a grandparent, my husband, or friend and re-lived their experiences of a first date, a baptism, adoption, birth of a child, a wedding day, college days, high school graduation, camping trips, family reunions, or 50th wedding anniversary. I could feel the emotions, smell the campfire, taste the salt air or wedding cake, and have often laughed or cried with my family and friends as I stepped back through time, taking the journey through their legacy with them. What a gift!!
And, yes- Their Legacy. It is so easy in this busy world that we live in to remember our grandparents’ existence has a legacy…a story. And as we grow older {which…well, yes….does happen to all of us if we are lucky 😉}, our parents’ lives become legacy. But, we forget that what we are living, doing, sharing, loving, experiencing right now is part of your grandparents’ and parents’ legacy… it is YOUR legacy. And, the story that will be handed down to your children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren as they continue this awesome stuff you’ve got going on.
It is my Faith in People and their stories that is My Why. It is the fact that my Life Language is Romance that gives me My Why. It is my Belief in Marriage and Family that grows My Why.
Your Legacy is My Why.
In small talk during a family photography session or during a meeting with potential wedding photography clients I often get asked the question, “Why did you get into Photography?” The short answer is that I have taken the path of photography and entrepreneurship because I need to serve and create. These are innate parts of my being. But something that pushes me even beyond my need to serve and create is the belief that my work captures the biggest joys of your life’s legacy. And I have to say, that is pretty powerful.
I was a photographer and creator long before I really understood what inspired me to really love my art. But, several years ago I was fortunate enough to be asked to dig a little deeper into the career that I had chosen to dedicate my life to. The Westland Farm team was attending a photography conference and one of the speakers said that success was predicated on finding and utilizing our individual Super Powers. SUPER POWERS??! {{Insert concerned facial expression.}} So, here we are trying to become better photographers and we are being told that we must find Super Powers?? Well, darn. Kinda put a damper on the remainder of that morning.
Stick with me for a moment more…
And, then one morning a week or so later it hit me. I was simply fixing my children’s breakfast when I realized that we do have some Super Powers! I am good at what I do (But, so are a lot of other incredibly talented people). But, NOBODY does what I do like I do it. And, they can’t.
Why not? Because they are not me. Seems so simple, right??
(So, here is that “Aha!” moment)
And, there it was. Clear as day. Doing what we do the way we do it is our Super Power.
In that instant I began the ability to see the “why” behind what I get up to do every day. Photography, small community-based business, and digital design give me the platform to not only create beautiful, unique pieces of art, but it also allows me to weave relationships with others as we get to know the individuals that we are working with, to serve others in a tangible, meaningful way, and most importantly, to provide story books for our clients that will tell the stories of the most important and cherished times in their lives forever; their Legacy.
Doing what we do because we are unique is exactly what defines each of our lives and is the perfect picture that we strive for each time we arrive at a photo shoot of any kind. So, my dedication to you is that we work hard everyday to create experiences for our families, seniors, and engaged couples that fit their needs and ultimately create images that they need to document life as it is in that moment of time, images that they will need to tell their story as time passes.
We love creating beautiful things. We love the interaction with other people. We all picked-up a camera as a young person and never put it down. And, all of those reasons are perfect, wonderful reasons to do what we do. But, what defines the heart behind this love is my unconditional drive to create in a unique and joyful legacy story for love-filled people.
Happy Saturday, ya’ll!
Sarah Keenan
Hi, to all of my new readers! I’m Sarah Keenan- the photographer, mom, small-business coach, and educator behind Westland Farms Studio, Blue Poppy Weddings, the Keenan Crew, and Flip Flop Family Photos. I love comments left below and read all emails and texts individually. Thank you for supporting our family and small business. Please let me know how I can serve you.
