Kelly Chandler

It is rare that my family gets a weekend away all together.  With both kids extremly active in sports….my husband and I often have to divide and conquer.  Thanks to the support of both sets of grandparents, even when I have a wedding, my kids have someone at every single event to cheer them on from our family.  I feel so lucky to have that support.  This weekend was unique.  No conflicts…just baseball….all together.  My entire family went to Pasco for a  baseball tournament.  The Chandler grandparents even drove over to cheer on the team.  I couldn’t have been more fun.  My son plays for a wonderful team with good-natured and talented kids.  Not to mention the parents are super fun too which is always a bonus.  

I took my camera to the event and photographed every game to share with the team.  There was lots of action to capture and I’ve edited down the photos to the top 459 images….yikes.  I had to share a special series of photos….my son hit his first “Out of the Park Home Run”. 

My husband happened to be leaning on the fence at center-field directly where the ball went over his head.  You can see Grandpa Chandler with his back turned looking to see where in the parking lot the ball landed.  Even my dog is watching the ball. 

His face says it all.

The team was so excited for him…they all ran out of the dugout to hug and high five him.

What a great weekend.  I couldn’t have been happier to have been there with my family to see his first one hit out of the park. 

This week was an amazing week.  I had the extreme honor of photographing the delivery at Evergreen Hospital of  this sweet little bundle of  joy.  Being invited to be present in such an intimate moment was truly so special.  Erin and Chris (mom & dad) were relaxed and down right funny during the pre-labor.   Once the time arrived to actually get to work on getting the baby out, the mood became a calm focus by Erin and total support and adoration by Chris.  Within moments, the baby was laying on Erin’s chest as both parents were clearly elated to see their perfect baby.   

Later in the week, baby Austin came to visit me in my studio.  Look as his eyelashes….are you kidding me?  Why to boys always get the long eye lashes?

 Doesn’t he look like a peanut in the shell?

 Welcome little man Austin and congratulations to Erin and Chris.

Yesterday, I visited Children’s Hospital to photograph for Soulumination.   As I entered Children’s, I felt this enormous rush of emotion.  Watching little children being rolled by in wagons without the strength to sit up on their own, I started to tear up.  I knew I had to pull it together because on the 4th floor in the infant ICU awaited a family with a tiny baby clinging to life. 

I made my way up the elevator and managed to regain my composure as I checked in with the nurses.  I put on a gown, gloves, and a face mask before entering the hospital room to join this precious baby and his family.  The mother was remarkably composed, most likely still in shock over what the coming hours would bring.  I photographed the baby as he lay in the bed wrapping his tiny hand around his mama’s finger. 

His mom asked to have him dressed in a special outfit for some of the photos.  It took a team of 4 nurses and breathing specialists to get him into the outfit, working quickly to disconnect and reconnect the tubes.  Once he was dressed the doctors carefully placed the baby in the arms of his mother in a rocking chair right next to the bed.  Knowing it would be the last time this mother held her baby was so surreal to witness.  Tears streamed down the mother’s cheeks as she caressed the baby’s cheek talking quietly.   I captured photos of his tiny feet, hands, and beautiful face cradled in mama’s hands.

As I finished up and began packing up my gear, the mother looked up at me and managed a smile and a “thank you”.  My eyes overflowed with tears and all I could do was shake my head to acknowledge her appreciation. 

This is the time of year that everyone (including myself) runs around trying to find the perfect gift for everyone on their list.  Pause for a moment and be thankful for the most important gifts of all, what really matters….life, health, and family. 

  Christiana and I jumped in the photo-booth for some silly photos at the end of Lyndsey and Jason’s gorgeous wedding last weekend.   

Photos from their wedding will be posted in the near future.

Sure, you can buy advertising space in magazines….but it is always a special honor to be selected and published in industry magazines for editorial content.  This Fall/Winter some of my photos are featured in an editorial piece on “Bride Ideas” in Seattle Bride magazine.  The article is about Lyndsey Deluca-Heinle’s beautiful up-do.  You might remember her from my blog as the stunningly sexy petite blond with her handsome husband Matt Heinle.  They were married in August at The Woodmark in an elegant affair.  I remember the day of their wedding thinking her hair was spectacular. 

Click on the photo below to read the entire article from their online magazine.

I was reminded yet again of how precious life is…and how the little things just don’t matter.

I just had a photo-shoot for Soulumination for a beautiful family with a 7 month old baby who has been in Children’s Hospital since January.  Mom and Dad have endured so much watching their little one go through test after test to determine a yet-to-be-diagnosed neurological disorder.  My prayers go out to their family and the little siblings who were so patient as we photographed their brother. 

As I tuck my kids in bed I will sit a little longer each night watching them sleep and praying for their continued health and happiness.  I will also pray that they can find a diagnosis and cure for the little one who I had the honor of capturing beautiful photos of today. 

Dalton had the great fortune of being called up to play for the Eastlake Little League Coast Championship Cubs team.  They competed in a tournament against 15 Little League Coast Championship teams on the Eastside.   The final game went into an extra inning and the Cubs pulled out a victory by 2 runs.  Congrats to the Cubs!

My son has waited for 3 years to be able to have a paint ball birthday party…you have to be 10 to play.  He didn’t even want a kid-birthday party for the past 3 years just so he could have a blow out party when he turned 10.   We decided to have the party this past Sunday (which was also Father’s Day).  He invited a bunch of his 10 year old friends and their fathers to play paint ball.   You have never heard as much smack talking as the week leading up to the event.  “Your goin’ DOWN”,  “Better watch your back side”,  and “I’m going to light you up” were some of the choice smacks going back and forth between fathers and sons.  When the day arrived all of a sudden the Dad’s got all worried about hitting the kids with the paint balls….that lasted about 10 seconds before their own inner child took over and the guns started blazing.  The boys had bigger targets to hit and clearly this Dad got nailed. 

The constant rain that has been flooding Washington since March played nicely into the whole Rambo theme.  My son didn’t care how dirty he got laying in the mud while sniping the dads.  It was hilarious to hear them yelling “cover me” as one kid shot wildly and another ran to advance on the dads.  

Notice the photo below in which this unsuspecting dad is about to be nailed in the leg by the paint ball.

I told the parents to dress the boys in something they didn’t care about getting dirty and full of paint…and to stop at Value Village if need be.  This kid picked up a pair of overalls and looked like a hill-billy.  I cracked up each time I looked at him.  You know he’d never be caught dead in those near home….but at KC Crusaders Paintball Field, he fit right in.

My son taking aim at a dad.

Happy Birthday Buddy!  And Happy Father’s Day to some awesome fathers.  Hopefully the bruises from the paint-balls heal quickly.

Oh, and in case you are wondering….despite me wearing a bright yellow helmet and a vest to alert the teams that I was the photographer and not a target…..I got NAILED 5 times.  And I can honestly say, it brought tears to my eyes.  But I’d do it again just to see the joy in my son’s eyes and the big bright smile on his face as he had “The BEST birthday ever, Mom.”

Beginning in early March, my daughter’s Crossfire Soccer Team began competing in the Challenge Cup Division 1 Gold State Championship.  Over the next 5 weeks they competed in 7 games that took us as far as Yakima.  This weekend they advanced to the Semi-Final game which took place on Saturday at Starfire Complex.  Crossfire defeated FC Crush 4-1 in the Semi-Final game.  Congratulations to Crossfire GU11-A for defeating Washington Premiere 3-1 in today’s Championship Game.  Click the photo above to see a slide-show of photos from today’s game.

I had another shoot for Soulumination on Sunday…it was at Seattle Children’s Hospital.   I’ve photographed families for Soulumination throughout the fall, but each was a child with Leukemia and the sessions were on location. This was my first shoot inside Seattle Children’s Hospital.  I wasn’t sure how I’d respond, but I knew there was no better way to honor my son Grant (who ironically would have been 12 years old that same day).  I also knew I would be giving the Mother and siblings of this 9 year old child a gift that would last forever.  

Unable to speak, open his eyes or move much at all, this little boy has endured more than many of us will in a lifetime.  From a photography perspective the session couldn’t have gone better.  It took a little negotiation to get the younger siblings to do exactly what I’d like.  Visualize me giving them a “wagon” ride - (the carts to transport items back and forth in the hospital) around the hallways after they cooperated for photos.  In the end I captured touching moments between each child and their brother.  I know they will cherish these when they are older and can grasp what an amazing 9 years this little boy has battled.  My favorite shots are of mother and son snuggled up together in his bed.  You can feel so many of her emotions just looking at the images. 

I left the session feeling emotionally exhausted.  I felt anger at the disease, sadness for the siblings, a full heart from witnessing the unconditional love of a grief filled mother, and gratefulness for the health of my own children.  

I knew when I joined Soulumination that I was giving the gift of my photography talents to families who might not otherwise think to document the final moments in little lives.  But what I didn’t realize was the gifts I’d be receiving from these families.  I am constantly reminded that the little things in life really don’t matter.  My prayers go out to this little boy and his family as they search to find peace in this unbelievable struggle.