Life throws curveballs at us, and we have to change our plans, or sometimes abandon them and make new ones. Such a curveball was thrown our way in mid-2009. We were moving out of our studio on Broadway and preparing to sign a lease on a new studio space. At the same time, we were selling our house and buying a new one. Just over half a year later, we received our surprise and blessing – a baby boy, born on Christmas day. I didn’t think my life could be any more hectic and busy than it already was, but I’ve discovered that it can, and is!

My children are the light of my life. They’ll only be little once, so I can’t be a full-time photographer right now. Still, I’m not willing to give up my photography, which has become a part of who I am: mother, wife, photographer. For this reason, I am drastically changing the way I run my business. I need to maximize my time with my family, so I have limited my schedule and simplified my packages. These changes will make it possible for me to continue to offer the same high quality, unique portraiture you’ve come to expect from Andrea Jones Photography, while still being “Mom” for my family.

The changes we’ve made include:
- Moving back into a residential studio. This allows us to maximize the precious little time I have (if only there were 30 hours in a day!) and to keep costs down by not having the expense of a retail location or employees.
- Providing you with the digital files from each session. This saves you and us time from placing orders, packaging them, and scheduling lengthy ordering appointments, again allowing us to keep costs down and pass the savings on to you.
- Specializing in babies, children, and maternity sessions. Our small residential studio doesn’t have a lot of room for big people…and that’s okay, because photographing little ones is what we love the most!

I’m working furiously on the new website, it will be live any day, hopefully by the end of the weekend. All information will be there to explain the new packages and procedures. So check back, and let me know what you think!

Kinzie Nowell Jones was born on Christmas morning at home~our very own Christmas gift from God! We had an amazing birth experience and are absolutely blessed. All my boys have been wonderful and we couldn’t be happier-exhausted but happy!!!!

I am sorry to say we just haven’t had the energy to get out props and backgrounds and lights and take some professional photos of our baby. I think Landrie was 19 days old when we finally managed to do that, and by then, of course, he was well past the sleepy newborn stage where you can pose them in all kinds of crazy ways and they’ll sleep right through it. Maybe we’ll get it done in the coming days…but for now, we just have some snapshots to share of our little man, and that will have to do!

We are expecting our Christmas baby any day now, so I am officially on maternity leave. I will be spending the next weeks with my family and new baby. We wish you all a wonderful holiday season and thank you for your support and your business. God bless!

I’m sure many of you remember my first assistant and dear friend, Darcy. She is due just four weeks after I am, though she looks a heckuva lot better than some of us that have gained almost 50 pounds already! I was so excited to be able to move around enough still to do her maternity portraits. She and Caleb and baby boy were all great fun and we got some wonderful images from the session. Here’s a peek! She is so young, beautiful, and radiant…I can’t wait for the baby to arrive!!!!!

My first post on the new blog was this adorable little munchkin as a newborn. She was beautiful then, and now at 6 months she is a ray of sunshine and I could’ve photographed her all darn day! Can you believe those eyes and that smile? Yum!!!! Here are some faves…there are too many…thanks to Monica and John for allowing me to document their baby girl as she grows!

Just a snap of my Landrie, ’cause I haven’t posted any of him in so long. Sigh. Growing up too quickly. I’m treasuring every moment with him before new baby arrives.

Well, life just likes to throw curve balls…

We had closed the studio and carted everything to storage, and the move to the new house was underway.  The next step was to decide on the new studio location…and then BAM…a big surprise, we found out we are expecting another baby.  So…this means the studio location will be on hold until…well, we don’t know when!  Until I am able to effectively juggle family life and running a studio again.  Until then, I will continue to work on location, and am in the process of re-working my business model, pricing, and the types of sessions I offer.  (That is, when I’m not unpacking the endless supply of BOXES that have consumed my life for the past weeks!) 

I’ve gotten lots of phone calls and emails from worried clients/friends wondering why my studio is closed.  Thanks to everyone for caring!  Tell your friends to call and make an appointment for the summer, we’re still alive!

Was feeling a bit nostalgic as I walked out of my little studio for the last time tonight.  I know there are only better things yet to come, but it was hard not to be a little sad.  Either I’ll LOVE not having a studio or I’ll HATE it, not sure which.  But my feeling right now is that I definitely want another space as soon as we get moved in and settled into the new house and I get my business and my life re-organized.  I am taking a break from looking for now, because if the perfect space came along tomorrow I wouldn’t be ready for it yet.  I need a little time.  So I’ll get everything on track and then start the search for that perfect BIG studio!  Until then, please spread the word that I am NOT out of business!!!!!!!

We just finished up four days at our state photography convention.  The highlight of the convention, besides getting to hang out with and visit with all our wonderful photog friends, was that we did well in the Salon (Print) Competition.  Keith and I got a first place for a wedding album we shot and designed together, and then I got a first place for my “Carnivale di Venezia” and a third place for my “Winter Life.”  We also earned the title of one of Montana’s Top Ten Photographers (along with fellow Helena photogs Eric Wordal and Roger Mathis-congrats, guys!).  We are excited!

On a side note, the studio is almost empty, we hope to be out by the end of the day Thursday.  We’ll be closing on our  new house on May 18, so the next few weeks we’ll be furiously packing (haven’t started yet!).   Then once we’re settled it’ll be back to work full force with seniors, weddings, and families.  Looking forward to a busy WARM summer!

So don’t freak out when you drive by my studio after the end of April and we’re not there!  I’m NOT quitting.  The economic crisis didn’t get the best of me.  We’ve just outgrown our current space, and haven’t been able to find a suitable space yet.  Been looking for awhile, and have been completely stressed about it.  So we’ve decided to just close our current location until the perfect space comes along.  I’ll still be working.  Much of my work in the warmer months is outside anyway, so it’s actually a good time to be homeless (or studioless!).  Plus, to be honest, I think I’m not going to mind the opportunity to take things easy for a little while.  Although I have so many ideas and things I’ve wanted to try with my business, I doubt I’ll be able to slow down too much.

We are also moving to a new house, so it’s going to be hectic enough as we try to get our house sold and move as we move into the busy summer season.  Plus it would be nice to spend some time with Landrie this summer.  We’re actually on a mini-break right now and he’s decided he LOVES to swim, so I can see already how my summer days will be filled!  Hey, I might actually get a tan for the first time in oh, I dunno, 15 years!!!!

For my baby planners and portrait club members, please don’t worry, we’ll still have your sessions, they will just take place on location, either outdoors when it warms up, or at your home (I’ll bring the studio to you!) or another location we decide on. 

Please spread the word that we are alive and well and that soon we’ll have another studio space, hopefully MUCH bigger so we can do all the amazing things we want to do.

Still accepting Senior Reps, too, so if you know of any Juniors looking for a way to earn a free session and free portraits, have them check out the Senior Rep post below.