A good friend called to check on me the day after the fire and her first words were “have you had a good cry” I hadn’t at that point. I was on the verge a couple of times the evening before, as I watched the Fire Dept suit up and walk through the front door of my studio.

It was all so surreal, being held off by police officers watching the building where my studio resides being taken over by firefighters.  So many thoughts go through your mind. I wanted to run in and grab as much as I could.  (Have you seen the movie The Jerk?  I just need this, and this, and this.) I kept thinking if I could just get in there and make sure everything was safe from being destroyed and gone forever.

I was very fortunate.  The space my studio is in did not receive much damage and I will be back in business this week. It is a little stinky (thank goodness for Blue Capri candles and my girlfriend who introduced me to them)…it is a little messy too, but all the memories are safe!!!  I have so many portraits of my children, our family and friends and all my wonderful client’s memories in my studio gallery, as well as all my electronic files of EVERY shot I’ve taken!  So you’re saying to yourself, don’t you have a backup drive…sure I do, it’s in the studio!

So lesson learned, keep your backup drives elsewhere! Bigger lesson learned treasure every moment and CAPTURE as many as you can.  The moments captured are gone from your memory quickly but when you have them in print and can look at them each day it is simply something to cherish.

When it was all clear and the fire dept allowed us to enter my studio for a few moments to get what was “important” one of my favorite portraits of my girls was knocked off the wall and lying on the floor of my studio.  It is now back in its place hanging on the front wall as you enter my studio.

I believe that things come into your life for a reason. What did I walk away with from this experience…hmmm.  First and foremost that I have amazing friends and clients, that I LOVE what I do and feel so thankful that I’ve been able to give memories to so many people.  You realize how important it is to capture those moments when you risk losing them.

I want to say thank you to everyone for reaching out, checking in on me.  The studio is good…I will be shooting a sweet baby boy on Thursday morning!

I am thankful.

-kierston