“What if they think I’m a dork?” (which, clearly, I am)
“But I reeeeeeally hate my speaking voice. I sound like a man….but a man on speed. Cause, you know, I talk way too fast.”
“What if I don’t have anything to say?”
“What if I’ve lost my touch to connect with an audience?”
“What if I am held accountable to every one of my words?”

and lastly….

“What if this actually goes somewhere…?”

Paralyzed by all that “what ifs”, I have done nothing to start up this series that has been rolling around in my head for over a year. I am always pushing others to get out of their comfort zone and take risks, encouraging them with stories of how I have done exactly that and succeeded when taking the risk. But it’s much easier to revel in the risks and successes of the past than to risk again and chance failing. So I stayed comfortable at my desk, blogging only with written word.

About a month ago I decided that I’d had enough and was ready to put an end to all this fear crap. Seriously, since when did I become a person who gave in to fear and insecurity?

Therefore, I introduce to you “Refocus.” Refocus is a new series I will be doing every week with short inspirational, motivational, and encouraging stories from my life and lessons I’ve learned. There is no rhyme or rhythm to how it will all pan out, but instead of trying to work out the kinks ahead of time, I decided to just dive in head first and work out the nitty-gritty as I go.

This is Refocus.

Make sure to check back next Wednesday at noon for another edition of Refocus video!

And now the EXCITING part!! Karen Stott and Pursuit 31 have recently announced that there will be a Pursuit 31 CONFERENCE this october for all P31 members!! The conference will be held in Rome, Georgia at a delightfully cozy retreat center…away from all the hustle and bustle of life as you know it. It will be a place to relax, to breathe, to rest, and to let your heart and soul be awakened. And with a top-notch lineup of speakers including Mary Marantz, Dawn Davis, Jody Gray, Katelyn James, and more…this retreat is NOT to be missed! If you are a Christian photographer and feel like you just need a break, and space to dream all over again, this retreta is for you!

Does this feel like You? from Karen Stott on Vimeo.

I hope to see you there!

Meet my new friend, Tiffany.

We did Tiffany’s head shots in New Haven at the home of another photographer. Tiffany’s new brand is a combination of both old and new, so she wanted to use the backdrop of an old home while keeping her outfits classy and modern. Tiffany has some of the most gorgeous eyes I’ve ever seen and with the help of Erin Infantino of Simply Gorgeous by Erin, Tiffany looked like a total rock star!That shot on the left? One of my all-time favorite portraits. Tiffany brought every shade of fierceness to her headshots. You know, if fierceness had colors. You, my dear, are stunning. Tiffany is nothing if not a Starbucks addict so it was only fitting to have her Starbucks cup from that day make an appearance in the shoot…and it matched her green shirt perfectly!

If you, or anyone you know, in the New Haven or Hartford area is looking to update their professional profile by needing some headshots, feel free to send them our way!

But that’s is during wedding season.

Right now, however, it’s off season. Now does this mean that I have all the time in the world? No. I have a “winter to do list”. But I have all winter to complete those things. And they aren’t really small tasks, they are kinda huge projects that can’t wait jut a few more days to start. So when I get up on these cold January mornings I usually stumble over to my kitchen, make myself a protein shake to go with my Cheerios, hop on facebook and then…all of a sudden…realize that it’s 1PM. As in I spent way too many hours on Facebook, Pinterest, or Style Me Pretty. But that’s the beauty of these winter days because they give me time to rest and relax and gear up for the crazy months that are wedding season. The downside is that I have way to much time to think freely. And my mind wanders. Oh boy, does it wander. To the most random things you could ever imagine. So, in the name of being authentic on this blog, I’m gonna give you a glimpse into this little head of mine and the things that ran through it today. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

#1. I spent the last four days with my 11 month old nephew. And I was convinced, once and for all that he is a genius. To prove it, I put him in a navy striped sweater and khakis, combed his hair over to the side, and gave him a book. At 11 months old he is SO ready for Yale.
#2. If I spent half the amount of time working out as I do pinning workout-related things on Pinterest, I’d look like a supermodel. I am just now realizing that pinning stuff really isn’t changing the condition of my rear end. If only…
#3. Adam takes every flight of stairs, without exception, two steps at a time. This never ceases to amuse me.
#4. Next week my family will go on our annual Poconos trip where we cram 17 of us under one roof. And somehow we all make it out alive every year.
#5. My 10 year old sister asked me the other day if I’m ever going to get a job instead of “sitting on the computer all day”. The answer, obviously, is a resounding “no”.
#6. I posted on Sunday that I will be leading a team of 10 people to Ecuador for a relief trip. I was so scared to post it for fear that nobody would sign up. Thank God my dreams were bigger than my fears because within 24 hours three people turned in applications and 7 people inquired about the trip. My heart is very, very full of excitement and gratefulness.
#7. I started off my year my year by deciding to really focus on health and working out this year. And as soon as that decision was made I went and pinned a bunch of new stuff to my Pinterest dessert board. Not at all ironic.
#8. My favorite Pandora station is “Glee cast”. Rachel Berry and Kurt Hummel rock my face off. And I can’t decide if I have a bigger crush on Blaine or Mr. Schue.
#9. I am Italian and, by nature, pretty loud. Adam has zero Latin blood in him and knows how to do that thing….what’s it called?…oh, WHISPERING. He is constantly Shhhhh-ing me which drives me insane. I told him once that it frustrates me that I’ve always been able to talk loudly but that when I sing I can’t manage to be louder than a mouse. Now when he wants me to quiet down he tells me to use my singing voice. #notamused
#10. I eat broiled tilapia and steamed broccoli or green beans almost every day for lunch. No lie.
#11. I posted a Christmas wish list right before Christmas. One of the things on there was a new ski jacket, most of which are in the ballpark of $250. Last week I found a $300 ski jacket for $32 and it matches my snowboard perfectly. I’ve been so excited about it that this morning I sat at my desk with it on and the window next to me wide open. I’m way cool like that.
#12. I am making a pot roast for dinner and it smells amazing.
#13. Not a huge Gaga fan, but her song “You and I” has been on repeat for, like, 2 weeks. Current favorite sing-a-long song.
#14. I wonder if I’ll take my Christmas decorations down before Valentine’s Day?
#15. I’ve had a ton of new wedding inquiries this week, most of which are because of YOU. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for referring me to your friends who just got engaged!

And since every post is better with a picture, or four….

Does it get cuter than this? think not.<

Jason and Eileen’s wedding at the Fullerton Hotel in Singapore was a ton of fun for Adam and I because it was so different from what we are used to. For starters, we began at 5:30AM at the home of Eileen’s parents where she prepped herself for Jason’s arrival. After that there were two traditional tea ceremonies, followed by an afternoon nap, and then everyone reuniting in the evening for dinner. Pretty sure a nap on your wedding day was the best tradition ever invented.

Meet Jason and Eileen…

Eileen wore Jason’s grandmothers wedding shoes as a tribute to their Chinese heritage. Eileen’s dress was custom designed for her by a local seamstress.It is tradition in Singapore for the mother and father of the bride to veil their daughter. The veil must then remain untouched until Jason lifts it. When Jason arrived at the home of Eileen’s parents, he had to go through the steps of “storming the gate”. Often time this includes some fun games, but they decided to keep it simple…As part of “storming the gate”, Jason had to hand over an “ang pao” to Eileen’s maid of honor. She opens the ang pao to see how much money was in it and if she didn’t feel it was enough, she asked him for another. Only until she decided he offered up enough money was he able to come through the gate. Unveiling the bride and helping her put her shoes on.After the unveiling, Jason took Eileen to his parent sot begin the first Chinese Tea Ceremony.. Upon driving away it is tradition for the bride to throw her fan out the window, symbolizing that she is leaving her bad temper behind her. Paying honor to their ancestorsPreparing the tea and the ang pao’s that will be given to Jason and Eileen.Jason and Eileen started by serving tea to his parents, followed by the grandparents and all other friends and family present. After they were finished at the home of Jason’s parents, Jason and Eileen went back to her home.Eileen uncles Pat and Jim who are…ready for this…from Connecticut!!Eileen had two dresses for her wedding day, both of which were custom designed for her.We began their portrait session inside the Fullerton hotel, atop the indoor garden terrace that overlooks the lobby area.The pool at the Fullerton hotel provided a beautiful backdrop for their wedding photos.Despite being really sick from the food we ate in Malaysia, Adam was totally on his A-game for these portraits! The gardens at the Fullerton Hotel were really beautiful and gave us a spectacular view of Marina Bay Sands and other parts of Singapore.Eileen wanted to get a few night shots outside of the Fullerton Hotel but the only place to go and get the hotel in the shot was right in the middle of the road, so we kept running back and forth in between red and green lights.The ballroom at the Fullerton hotel was decorated beautifully.

Eileen and Jason, thanks SO MUCH for allowing us to capture your special day! We can’t wait to come back and visit you both!

No Eye Has Seen Photography is going to Ecuador, and we want you to come with us!

Yes, you read that right! You have all followed my travels for a couple years but this time I want to take you with me! I’ve led quite a few teams to third world countries before and every time it has been a life changing experience for each team member. I decided a few months ago that it was time for the clients and vendors we have worked with to experience first hand what it is like to help out the less fortunate and see, up close and personal, what goes into building a water well. So from March 24-31 we will be taking a team of 10 people to Ecuador where we will work with an orphanage, build a well that provides clean water, and have a little bit of fun adventurous as well.

Some more details:

There are a ton more details that I want to share about weather, language, what to pack, what to expect, etc., but it’s too much for one blog post. If you are interested in going on the trip at all, please email me. If finances are a concern, still send me and email because I have a packet of easy and fun fundraising ideas that other teams I’ve led have used. If you are scared and not sure if you are up for this, still email me. I promise to help you every step of the way to make this the trip of your life. Trust me, you aren’t going to want to miss it!!

I can’t wait to hear from you and especially can’t wait for you to join me on this trip!

To see pictures from my last trip of this type, click here.

1. Eby’s processional
There wasn’t a dry eye to be found as Eby gracefully made her way down that long garden aisle to her groom as Ella Fitzjeralds “at last” played over the sound system. It was a moment that a lot of people had been waiting for and it was one of the ost beautiful in all my days of photographing weddings. I was so, so honored ot capture this wedding of my dear friends and watching Eby walk towards Jacques was one of my high points. It was a moment I’ll never forget.

2. Be our guest
Never have I seen so many people enchanted all at once except for when I was at Disneyworld itself. Dawn Events pulled off a spectacular event with Rebekka and Mikkel’s Disney themed wedding and as numerous actors and actresses led guests through an enormous castle to the Grand Dining Hall, all while singing “Be our guest”, I swear you could feel a kind of magic that Mr. Walt himself would have been proud of.

3. Abby walking down the aisle
Every bride I’ve ever known is both nervous and excited to walk down the aisle. Sometimes this results in a few sweet tears, sometimes in a huge smile. But for my dear bride, Abby, she just couldn’t keep it all to herself. She walked down the aisle at the gorgeous Crane Estate proclaiming “Ahhh!!! I’m getting married right now!”, “Hi Mom! Mom, I’m getting married!!”, and more. Beyond excited to be wed to her handsome groom in one of the most beautiful wedding venues outside of Boston, Abby was hilarious as she made her way towards him. After realizing how she was reacting, many of her guests switched their cameras from the picture function to video. She brought a smile to everyone’s face because her excitement was undeniable.

4. Jason flying in
I have very little to say here except….why wouldn’t a groom flying into his ceremony on a helicopter NOT make the top 10 moments of 2011? Epic.

5. Kimberly’s dad
There are few things as sweet on a wedding day as observing how a dad responds to giving his little girl away to another man. This family was no exception and helped me remind me, once again, why I do what I do. As Kimberly made her way down the stairs of her childhood home to see her dad for he first time, he couldn’t hold back to tears. The first of four daughters to get married, he was so proud to be handing her over to a man that he both loved and respected. This was such a sweet, sweet moment.

6. Michael and Leah’s first touch
There are absolutely no words to describe how powerful this moment was when, after 4 months of dating, Michael and Leah touched for the very first time as he slipped that wedding ring on her finger. Such a powerful, powerful moment!

7. Michele dancing with her brother
Michele had her brother both walk her down the aisle and dance with her, as her father passed away a couple years ago. This was an extremely emotional moment for their entire family, but such a special moment when her brother took her hand and led her to the floor as they swayed together to “Dance with my father again”.

8. Keith’s brothers speech
Coming from a large Italian family, I can appreciate when siblings have a really close bond. Keith’s brother was his best man and gave a very sentimental toast to him during their wedding. It was both sweet and emotional but, more importantly, very genuine and heartfelt.

9. Harrison waiting at the end of the aisle
There are no words for how much I adore Jocelyn and Harrison. If I had favorites they would definitely be in the top few clients of all time because they are just so special and amazing. Their wedding day started rather chaotically but time stood still as Jocelyn made with way down the aisle towards her best friend and the love of her life. The look on Harrison’s face proves that every chaotic moment that they ever have or will go through is totally worth it, as long as his best friend is by his side.

10. Derek and Christine dedicating Sophia
Derek and Christine were such an awesome couple to work with, for many reasons, but one of the things I loved most about them was that their sweet daughter Sophia was a huge part of their wedding. During the ceremony they dedicated Sophia and spent some time focusing on the beauty of life and the happiness she brought them. It was definitely a special moment.

Kelley and Jesse met at Norwich Free Academy where they were both teaching, so Kelley thought it was appropriate to bring along a vintage Norwich postcard from her postcard collection.

One of the most important plans that was very carefully thought through was to be married by 20 and start having kids by 23. I wanted 3-6 kids, preferably with a set of twins thrown into the mix. And I was determined, at all costs, to make than plan happen.

Little did I know that my life would not go according to plan. At all. In any way, shape, or form. I never planned on not finishing college. I never planned on moving overseas, for five years nonetheless. I never planned on being a photographer.

Around the same time I started planning what my life would look like, I also planned how I wanted my family to be. I envisioned myself as the super cool mom, the one whose kids didn’t make her drop them off for school 2 blocks away. I fully intended on throwing a football around with my boys and having tea parties with my girls. Because I also planned on being done with the whole pregnancy and birth thing by 27 years old. 28 if I were to give myself buffer time. And being a mom at that age, I would obviously still have all the same energy I had when I made these plans…at age 7-15.

Except that things didn’t go according to plan.

I am almost 28, not yet married and no where near being ready to have kids. But somehow, I think all along God knew that this is exactly where I would be at this point in my life.

Today I layed on my sleeper sofa with some of my favorite people in the world. Three kids who have rocked my world and have captivated my heart. I didn’t conceive them or give birth to them. I’m not even biologically related to them. But laying there with 30 other toes spread across my sofa bed, I thought about all the plans I had for my life that never happened. And how every time, without exception, God has far exceeded the plans I had for my life with his own plans. We watched Christmas movie after Christmas movie. We giggled. There may have been some tickling (of which I was, of course, the victim). We made a gingerbread nativity. And we loved life, together.

I’m not sure what life would have looked like had things gone according to my plans, but what I do know is that right now…being ‘just’ a big sister to these three amazing kids is so much more fulfilling than I ever thought mothering would be. I know my time to be a wife and mom will come eventually, and I’m sure that at that point the love I feel now will pale in comparison. But for right now, in this sweet moment on Christmas eve morning, I have all the love I need with these 30 toes beside me.

Ok, so maybe asking for a yacht is a bit much, especially considering that I live in Connecticut, but I know for a fact that Santa (aka, My parents and Adam) still have some shopping to do. They insist that I am extremely difficult to buy for, and I insist that they are crazy. Jewelry, shoes, cooking gadgets…and BAM, just like that I’m happy. But in case they get a brain fart and forget I’ve told them that…eh…a million and two times, I compiled a board of some of the things I’d love to unwrap this year. You know, since photographers make boards instead of lists…

1. Ticket to Ride – Nordic countries. Last year when we were in Montana visiting friends, they introduced us to TTR and we have since become addicted. I’d love the Nordic countries version, though, because…well, one of the stops is Copenhagen.
2. A new ski jacket. Last year I used Adam’s shell, which was great, but I think this year I want a sick looking jacket to match my sick skills on the slopes. Ok, ok, so the truth is that my skills need just a bit of improvement so I figure that if I’m wipe out a ton, i might as well look cute while doing so.
3. Chocolate fountain. Must have for any entertaining enthusiast, of which I consider myself. You could be a boring as heck hostess but if you have a chocolate fountain, your guests will always come back. Truth.
4. These boots from Anthopologie. ‘Nuf said.
5. When we were in Singapore we were appalled that there was literally a Rolex store on every corner. They were more common than 7-eleven. Along with every other high end watch brand out there. While my taste isn’t so high end as Rolex, I did fall in love with this watch from Skagen. Major bonus points that it is Danish design.
6. I’m totally guilty of talking on the phone while driving, so I think having a bluetooth would help rid me of my drivers guilt.
7. Compatibility. My parents had this game when we were younger and I remember it being so much fun. I’m a bit of a board game fanatic and would love to add this one to my collection.
8. Kitchen aid accessory set. Again, any cooking or baking gadgets are A-ok in my book. Would love to get this dough hook and whisk.