Nguyen Family

This sweet family was referred to me by one of my previous clients and I’m so grateful that they were. They were so much fun & their little boy was SO adorable! [as was their little lady] They were so laid back and I’m very happy with their photos! You could sure tell that there was a lot of love in this family! Here are some previews!

PURCHASE | http://rachelsmithphotography.zenfolio.com/nguyenfamily

Strong & Beautiful SUPERMOM Contest | GIVEAWAY!

We’re STRONG, We’re BEAUTIFUL, We’re SUPERMOM

Strong & Beautiful SUPERMOM Contest GIVEAWAY with Rachel Smith Photography

MOMS – our hearts are full, but our hands are fuller. We’re overworked, over-tired, over-run, and rarely get US time. As much as we love our little ones, we sure do miss having a day where we can watch Lifetime movies instead of Mickey Mouse. We miss being able to go to the bathroom without little fingers peaking underneath the door with a little voice screaming, “Let me in!” We miss lots of normal everyday things that we sacrifice once we enter the beautiful but crazy world of motherhood. Most of the time we look at ourselves in the mirror in our sweatpants, with our greasy ponytails, with baby spit up running down our cleavage, and a bigger belly than we used to have because the 9 lb. 4 oz. little one decided to blow your belly up like a balloon over the course of 9 months. We look at ourselves and see MOM. We don’t see Rachel, Sarah, Ashley, Rebecca, Debbie, Nichole, or Lori. WE. SEE. MOM. We rarely take time for ourselves as we give most of our time to tending to our little ones 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Got the flu? Too bad, you still better show up to “work” at 6:30am when your darling 9 month old is crying in his crib, ready to be fed. Feel like death? Too bad, you gotta clean up the throw up off your 3 year old’s bed because she caught the flu from you, all while you are holding your 9 month old son, who is still crying because he is hungry. Your husband is deployed, your dishwasher is broke, your air conditioning just went out, and your sickness continues to get worse and worse. Meanwhile, it’s almost bedtime and you are counting down the minutes as your 3 year old is crying because she misses daddy, all while your 7 year old angrily tells her daddy left them to go shoot guns and get shot at in ALF-GAM-STAN. You hold back your tears and you try to think of where he might have heard that but you comfort your 3 year old as you hold your 9 month old on your other hip and hold back tears yourself because you miss “daddy” too. And to think….he still has 5 months left. Need a day to yourself? Take the kids to grandmas! Oh wait, but you are stationed 857 miles from any family and all your friends here have kids and lives of their owns, you can’t ask them to watch your kids so you can take a shower ALONE, so you can go to the bathroom ALONE, so you can go walk the aisle of Target aimlessly, ALONE! Getting tired reading all that? I am! Most of it probably doesn’t even make sense. But that’s because nothing during our crazy days usually make sense. To sum this up, as much as motherhood is a beautiful thing, it also at times can be stressful and most of the time, us mothers never take time to ourselves to remember that we aren’t just mom. We are Rachel, Sarah, Ashley, Rebecca, Debbie, Nichole, Lori, etc. etc. Mothers are some of the strongest people there are and also some of the most giving. I, being a mother, want to give back to those mothers who give so much. So that being said, I am running a contest to give away a free portrait shoot to one lucky winner. Not only will they be getting a free portrait shoot to show off their beautiful self. They will ALSO be treated to a “mamas day out” with professional hair & makeup by Makeup by Briana, all while sipping on a glass of wine, eating strawberries dipped in chocolate, and being KID FREE. 😉 Sometimes it’s the little things like adult conversation, a little makeup, and being reminded of your beauty when you see yourself looking pretty in a picture that can give you the little pick me up you sometimes need. Taking time to yourself is just as important as giving time to your little ones. So take this opportunity to have a day to yourself and be spoiled. 🙂 Then, on those days when you look at yourself as mom in the mirror and see that 3 day no shower hair, crusty makeup, and sweet potato baby food running down your shirt and you wonder where YOU went, you can pull out the photos from your shoot and be reminded of your beauty that you easily forget because you are so full with the inward beauty of the selflessness of that which is – MOTHERHOOD. Being supermom isn’t an easy job, but someone has gotta do it. 😉 See details on the contest giveaway below!

These are some of the photos that remind me of the strength & beauty of motherhood. Some of these photos remind me about the blessings of motherhood, but also those times that made me feel like SUPERMOM. 

“A mother is she who can take the place of all others, 
but whose place no one else can take.”

The winner with the most “likes” will receive the “mamas day out” which will consist of:

wine & chocolate strawberries

professional hair & makeup by Makeup by Briana

portrait style photoshoot with Rachel Smith Photography

                                 Contest ends September 30th at 11:59pm!
             This promotion/contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed, or  administered by Facebook. 

HOW TO ENTER

1. Submit a photo of you being mom with your kid(s) along with a paragraph telling what makes you a strong supermom. I want to know what struggles you may have overcome to make you feel like a supermom. I also want to hear about the joys you’ve experienced as a mother that make your life as a mother, beautiful.  [email info to: rachelsmithphotographyNC@gmail.com with SUPERMOM as the email title]

2. Once I post your photo to the contests’ album on my Facebook page [www.facebook.com/rachelsmithphotographyNC], Share your photo/story on your Facebook page asking your friends & family to “like” your photo and “like” Rachel Smith Photography. 🙂

Knight Family | Lifestyle

The Knight’s contacted me to take some lifestyle family photos for them because their granddaughter was going to be moving a ways away and they wanted to get some photos of and with her before she moved. This little lady gave me a run for my money for sure but that wasn’t anything I am not used to as she is the same age as my little man. This session was a ton of fun & I am thankful I had the opportunity to capture these little everyday lifestyle moments for the Knight family & their granddaughter.

October 6th Mentoring In Person Workshop | Book your seat today!

So, some of you have asked and I have listened! The workshop you’ve requested is finally here! [months later] I wanted to build my knowledge and skills more before I decided to finally do a workshop. This announcement is regarding the in person workshop. I will be making an online version available within 10 days of the in person workshop. So you out of state peeps, stay tuned! 🙂

I want to specify that what I will be teaching in the workshop is the way that I do things, the way I run my business, and the way I do my photography. I am in no way saying this is the only way or the right way, but it’s my way. So, I promise to teach you what I do to the best of my ability. I want each attendee to walk away having learned lots of new information about photography and also to build their confidence in knowing how to succeed in their skills & their business! That being said, the workshop will be held October 6th from 4-8pm in the Jacksonville, NC area. I am only offering 10 seats because I want to limit it so that I can still be very hands on/personable in being able to answer questions and assist during the hands on styled shoot. But I am super excited & nervous about my first workshop. I have decided to make it much less than most workshops are that are $400+++ because this is my first one and I want it to be affordable for those who have humbled me by offering to invest in the growth of their business by investing in mine! So thank you to those of you who have requested this, it humbles me and thank you in advance to those of you who book my first workshop. I promise to make it fun, exciting, and full of knowledge to help you take your business and skills to the next level!

I have made seats to the workshop available for purchase on Etsy. Remember, there is only 10 seats available so book as soon as you can! Once you purchase your “seat” you will be given a downloadable ticket to print out and bring with you to the workshop. Here are more details on the workshop:

October 6th, 4pm-8pm 

Investment: $250

ETSY LINK TO PURCHASE: 

https://www.etsy.com/listing/162844681/rachel-smith-photographys-october-6th?ref=pr_shop

OR CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE A SEAT!!!

YOUR PURCHASE INCLUDES:

ONE seat at the October 6th date of Rachel Smith Photography’s Mentoring Workshop
Cupcakes & Drinks at the workshop
2 hours of FAQ, shooting manual, posing, natural lighting, sunset glow, using your flash on or off camera, customer service, business tips, marketing, building professional relationships, pricing, etc. 
1 hour hands on bridal styled session to practice skills learned 
1 hour post-processing tips, practice, editing FAQ’s
Handouts & Shooting Manual Cheat Sheet
8 Rachel Smith Photography Custom Lightroom Presets [shown in pictures on Etsy listing]
Name entered into a drawing for a $20 ETSY Giftcard 
A chance to win a FREE photoshoot from Rachel Smith Photography [see details below]

***The attendee who refers the most people to book the workshop as well will win a FREE Rachel Smith Photography photoshoot with their camera for “About Me” pictures for their photography websites and a custom designed photography logo made by Rachel Smith Photography***

***Refer a friend who books the workshop? You each will get $20 off!!! Email for discount code prior to booking. rachelsmithphotographyNC [!at] Gmail.com***

Please bring your “ticket” that you downloaded from here to the workshop as proof of purchase and to enter your name/business into the Etsy Giftcard drawing!!! Downloads of the Lightroom presets, handouts, and cheat sheet will be given at the workshop! 🙂

If you have any other questions about the workshop – please email them to: rachelsmithphotographyNC@gmail.com

THANK YOU! 🙂

Tentative Mentoring Workshop Details!!!

OK WORKSHOP PEEPS! Here are the details below of what will be included in the workshop. Price is still being determined dependent upon location of workshop & how many people show they will book. [dependent upon price I know lol] 

There will also be TWO gifts to win:

$20 ETSY Giftcard Drawing 

AND

The person who refers the most people to book the workshop as well will win a FREE Rachel Smith Photography photoshoot with their camera for “About Me” pictures for their website and a custom designed photography logo 

DATE OPTIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS – I can only do ONE or the other so please head to my Facebook page and comment in the comments on the status with the photo shown below to let me know which date is best for you! I am excited for this and hope you all decide to attend! 🙂

Sunday, October 6 [probly from 4pm-8pm]

OR

Saturday October 12 [probly from 4pm-8pm]

Siebrecht Family

The Siebrecht family are friends of ours. Jared works in the same unit as my husband. Kaitlyn had asked me for pictures on a few different occasions and every time she would hesitate and decide it was just too much money to spend on pictures at the time. Well, FINALLY Kaitlyn decided to bite the bullet and book a family shoot with me. She told me she had been saving her babysitting money because these types of quality pictures are worth the investment. I cannot tell you how much that meant to me. It seems that so many people book based off “the best deal” they can get and “cheapest price” but it makes my hardworking photographer heart happy when a client can’t afford it but saves up instead anyways. This shows me that they value my WORK and didn’t book me based off of price. During the shoot while I was “posing” everyone [as best I could with the 2 little active kiddos haha] Jared said, “Man, you are particular!” I laughed and even though he didn’t mean it as a compliment [and I think what he REALLY meant to say was “Man, you are bossy!” lol] I took it as a compliment because it is because I am so particular/bossy however you wanna call it that you don’t look so awkward in your photos. I’ve done some bad poses throughout my day so I have learned the hard way what works and what doesn’t work. So, for those of you with an upcoming session – I apologize for being particular. But I promise you will thank me when you don’t look like an uncomfortable weirdo in your pictures 😉 haha Anyways, I hope you enjoy these previews of this sweet family! 

Samosky – 6 months photos

Six months ago I did a giveaway [not a contest, just a giveaway via submissions] for a free birth session to a first time mother whose spouse was going to be deployed for the birth. Claire was the submission that I ended up doing the free birth session for. I was honored to be there to capture that experience for their family. It was a very touching moment. You can view their previews from their birth HERE!

Needless to say, I was HONORED when Claire asked me to capture little Jackson’s 6 month photos. I cannot believe he is already 6 months and it was so great to see him with his daddy in person. It was nice to see daddy being able to look at him, hug and kiss him in person instead of through the phone via Skype like he did when Jackson was born. Such a sweet family and I am so thankful to have been able to capture these pictures for them! I hope you enjoy some of my favorites from their session! 🙂 To view all of the images and/or purchase them, visit: 

http://www.rachelsmithphotography.zenfolio.com/samosky6months