Happy New Year!!!  Wow!  What an amazing hear I had!  Oh sure, it started off with a doozy of a winter and an unplanned 2 month hiatus as I became a full-time nurse to Doug after his accident, but professionally, 2011 was my greatest year ever!  So I never got around to building my mobile websites, pulling all the garden weeds or sending out Christmas cards for that matter, but I won’t complain because for me, busy = blessed.   I had the privilege of meeting and/or working with dozens of families from all over Montana, the U.S. and from as far as Europe and have enjoyed making new photographer friends through Facebook.    To top it all off, our family celebrated the Grand Opening of my new boutique studio in Livingston in August to rave reviews, were featured in the Livingston Enterprise and in the Bozeman Chronicle’s B2B (Business to Business) Trade Journal (see page 2…the Comings and Goings section), and were also featured on The Savvy Photographer Blog, an inspiration blog for photographers with a world-wide following.

Decorating and outfitting the boutique studio was a 10 month long labor of love.  In between, I shot my first newborn and baby studio sessions ever, a handful of family reunions, and a bunch of family/child sessions mostly here at Sky Ranch.   I am so grateful to the people who invite me into their lives trusting me to photograph their most important family moments. I want to remind each and every one of you how beautiful you are…how special your connections are…what a gift to your family you are.  So, with a grateful heart, I created something especially for you…the first of hopefully many more, “Year in Review” videos.  Here, are a few of some of my favorite images from 2011…”The Year in Review”!!!

May God bless you and your families in the coming year!

xo,

Susann

The Savvy Photographer Blog, launched August 1, 2009, by photographer Marsha Misfud as a blog that would inspire other photographers, had over five hundred thousand people visit in the first year.  Today, the Savvy blog is the talk of the town for photographers all over the world.  So you can imagine the thrill of it when Leslie Kerrigan, writer for the Savvy blog recently contacted me wanting to feature the boutique studio and interview me for their tour of five different studios this week.  I honestly had to pinch myself this morning when I saw our Livingston, Montana studio on the blog here.

Thank you Leslie, for the great write up and to Marsha at The Savvy Photographer for this opportunity.  You’ve been a great source of inspiration for me over the years and will continue to be…:)

We have been so very blessed that first of all, Doug survived the accident (the worst trauma Bozeman Deaconess had ever seen).  And that Winter finally gave way to Spring.  Blessed that my business continued to GROW despite the fact that I didn’t send out a single email newsletter all year and that my websites are not yet mobile-compatible (which was my plan for March, no less).  We took it moment by moment, day by day, week by week.  Summer has just flown by and it’s the last Art Walk of the season…and yes, of course…there is still so much I wanted to do to be “ready”…but guess what?  We are having a celebration all the same because sometimes you just have to count your blessings right where you are!

So please, join us and bring all your friends to our Grand Opening Celebration to be held in conjunction with the famed Livingston Art Walk:

WHEN:  This coming Friday, August 26th

TIME:  5:30 – 8:30 P.M.

WHERE:  114 E. Lewis Street (4 or 5 doors east of Main)

The Saarel Family would be honored to have you attend.  Enjoy a glass of champagne and gourmet caramels while you peruse our fine boutique photography products.  Enter a drawing to win a FREE Holiday Mini Session.  We are so grateful to be here and would like to share our joy and blessings with you!

I first photographed newborn Luke (see photos here) in my prop-overtaken home office at Sky Ranch, so mom Amy appreciated the loft-feel of my new Livingston studio space as well as the amenities.  Seven month-old Luke is one of the happiest and most beautiful babies I have ever seen and I’m sure you will agree.  I had asked Amy to bring a floor length gown to wear for the session, inspired by an image I saw in In-Style Magazine of Julianne Moore with her daughter, Liv.  Julianne wore a voluminous Alexander McQueen gown while her baby Liv wore nothing. Amy looked stunning in her beautiful Vera Wang gown and I loved Luke’s matching GroVia diaper shell (available for purchase at The Natural Baby Co. in Bozeman).  Here are some of my favorite images from the session:

And here was the inspiration:

Image from In-Style Magazine (Aug 2010)

Lo and behold, one day while driving through Livingston’s Historic District I spied the most spectacular 1,000 sq. ft. commercial space for rent.  Original tin ceilings and hardwood floor, a roomy office loft AND beautiful natural light (just in case I have mind to shoot a few sessions there)…  Every few days for weeks, I drove by and peered in, irresistibly drawn to the old place.  Doug and I toured the space a time or two (or three) until it finally came down to decision-making time…either I renew my lease at the too-tiny “boutique salon” or move into the fabulous & spacious “boutique studio”.

Sometimes in life decisions are really not that hard to make.  (It’s just signing the lease that makes you so darn nervous!) Which I was.  And I did.

Located in the heart of Livingston, just off of Main Street at 114 E. Lewis, the Boutique Studio is located just two doors down from teen hangout, Landon’s Lookout and is currently open by appointment only as we undergo renovations…from a fresh coat of paint to a new bathroom vanity and a few things in-between.  Here are a few “befores”…

I’ll be updating the blog with more “before & afters” as progress is made.  In the meantime, if you’re in the area and I’m in the “studio”, please feel free to drop in and check it out!  I’d love to give you a pre-Grand Opening tour!

It still amazes me how much energy and attitude is packed into the little body of a 2 year old.  And charming Novelle (daughter of Bozeman’s Bibs & Binkies owner, Jodie) is no different.  She smiles when she wants to, laughs when she wants to and pouts when she wants to.  Aah…the pure honesty,  raw emotion and cherubic beauty of a toddler…there ain’t nothin’ quite like it!

Miss Larissa has been my kindred spirit since the day she came into this world, kicking her way out of the womb (during a C-section emergency birth)..with an “I want to be born…I want to be born NOW!”  sort of attitude.  A baby with the eyes of an old soul who saw deep into my core.  My mini me in so many ways and so much more.  She is the mirror into my past and the light into my future.  She is for so many reasons, my favorite girl in the whole world…and always will be.  And I continue to tell her so every night.  Because you can never really tell them enough how much you love them and how much they mean to you…

And despite our crazy short summer that goes by in the blink of an eye, we somehow manage every year, to squeeze in a special summer photo session…just she and I.  These images are from Phase 2 of our photo shoot taking place just days before the twins’ departure to California to spend a few weeks with their Oma & Opa on the beaches of Santa Monica.  Larissa raided my closet for this one,  choosing  to wear one of  my  Monah Li dresses and matching hat.  Our session took place near Sky Ranch, in a open field and cattle chute at high noon.  I love you, Miss Larissa Sage…you are my favorite girl in the whole world!  xoxo…Love, Mom

I’ve been helping clients decorate their homes with portraits for years, offering not only complimentary in-home consultations, but even installation of the finished product.  So, I’m particularly excited about today’s release of photographer Monica Rich Kosann’s new book, LIVING WITH WHAT YOU LOVE (Clarkson Potter; $30.00 hardcover), officially available for purchase online and in bookstores nationwide. The book is already #7 on AMAZON’S list of hot, new releases in Interior Design!

Monica’s book shows and explains ways to add a final layer of personality to your home once the interior designer’s work is done.  Adding warmth and love to rooms, celebrating what you cherish most – be it family, pets, jewelry, books, or travel is so important…it’s what makes a house a home!

Being an owner of numerous family heirlooms and collectibles myself in addition to family portraits (obviously),  I am anxious to see and read about Monica’s ideas for integrating treasured objects with home decor and can’t wait to receive my pre-ordered copy which will be available at our Boutique Salon for you to peruse and which I’ll bring with me on future in-home consultations.

Since choices can be difficult following a portrait session…with display options ranging from image cases to desk portraits, from custom-framed wall collections to a grouping of fine art canvas prints, I am happy to have yet another helpful tool to assist you, my dear clients,  in seeing the big picture (no pun intended)…in visualizing how we can incorporate your latest family portraits into your home for your family to enjoy everyday.

So, just to give you a little background on my journey as a photographer and the concept behind The Boutique Salon, I thought I’d share with you this little promo video I created…just a little sneak peek of what’s to come.

I’d love to see you at the Grand Opening…and remember, we’ll also be hosting a Matilda Jane Trunk show for the 3-day event (the trunk is already here and let me tell ya, the clothes are darling!). Again, here are the details:

WHEN:  Friday, April 16 from 6-8 pm and Saturday & Sunday from 11-3 pm

PLACE:  119-1/2 West Park, Livingston (just above the Mexican Restaurant)

Bring your friends!