February 24, 2010 by terri

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I have had the hardest time getting back into the swing of things since I was in Haiti. I have been doing things like getting in the shower with my socks still on. It was good for me to finish up this session though, reminds me of all that is right in the world. I have to say, this little Caroline is absolutely lovely and has a beautiful personality to boot. Her parents are a joy as well, and nothing if not patient with me. Thanks guys, it was a pleasure working with you, all of you.
More of beautiful baby girl HERE
February 16, 2010 by terri

I am taking advantage of an opportunity to help raise funds for Haiti. There is an amazing group of people running PechaKucha (click link) and I have agreed to be a presenter in Detroit this Saturday!!! I am excited but also at a complete loss. Please understand- I have never been a public speaker, I hardly know what to say. The thing is, in this I am speaking for the people who do not have the voice to speak for themselves right now, and this is my calling. Of that I am sure. It was no mistake that I was there when the Earthquake happened, I have never doubted the trip- not even when we wondered if we would make it home. Haiti is on my mind daily and it is up to me to help spread the word of how to help. It is also up to you. My dear friend Theo said this to me when I returned from Africa, and was voicing my frustration with not being able to help enough. “Terri- Africa is a crisis, and you do what you would do in any crisis~ you do what you can“ My friends, Haiti is a crisis. Do what you can.
My Haiti photo gallery link HERE
“there but for the grace of God, go absolutely ANY of us Terri”~ A gentleman I sat next to on the plane back to the states…
January 19, 2010 by terri

So you will not believe where I’ve been. I got on board with a team from
Mission Possible, out of Findley Ohio, to document their work near Sainte Marc, Haiti. View more of my photos
HERE. I had already accomplished 3 days of photographing their schools and church and I was alone in the girls dorm room sitting on my bed editing photos on my laptop when the Earthquake struck. It was perfectly quiet outside and all of the sudden it sounded like a train was coming through. The whole building started shaking quite violently and at first I could not make sense of what was happening. I jumped up to leave the second story room but the quake threw me back on the bed. I tried again and made it downstairs and outside where half of the team on the compound had gathered in the shagoon. All around us in the neighborhood people were just screaming. We were able to get online with the satellite internet and soon after realized the quake was severe. We were around 40 miles North of the epicenter. That night we unloaded the Mission’s medical storage room for drop off at the hospital north of us in Sainte Marc. The hospital was very grateful for the supplies and the head Dr. was purported to have only accepted the job a week prior! We experienced aftershocks for the next 24 hours, one of which I felt in the night and was quite strong. I didn’t sleep much.
Wednesday morning we headed south to one of the Mission’s schools to check on their condition and I photographed several children and families as well as crumbled buildings along National Highway One, which leads from Port Au Prince through Sainte Marc. By Thursday the Mission had determined they needed to evacuate us. That was a tough call all the way around and we were sad to leave but did not have the proper training, supplies, or back-up to be of help after that and we did not wish to become liabilities for the rescue efforts. We drove West of Port Au Prince, about 4 miles from the capital, and were greeted with people walking with their belongings as well as truckloads of others, all fleeing the city. There were some gruesome sights along the way, only some of which I could bring myself to document. It took us most of the day to get to the Dominican Republic and we found a hotel in Barahona. We spent
Friday morning at another school run by the mission and then went to the hospital where many Earthquake victims were arriving. The hospital system there is different and if you want supplies such as and IV or sheets, you have to supply that yourself. As many of the victims were alone or without cash for supplies we sent a team to purchase what supplies were currently needed. I documented that hospital as well.
Friday afternoon a wonderful lunch was prepared for us by our Dominican hosts and afterward I burst into tears, I was so overwhelmed by the fact that I was getting to eat. Our flights were secured out of Santo Domingo
on Saturday morning but it was not without great guilt that I left. I do have to say this- the people of Haiti were already the neediest people I have seen prior to the Earthquake. Now, they are desperate. Please do what you can and keep Haiti in your thoughts and prayers. They are good people, and people matter.
January 8, 2010 by terri
I am excited to be able to say I am out of the country on a photography assignment until late January! I have been looking forward to the trip and the work and am praying for a smooth time of it. Happy New Year to all of you, and hold your family and friends close, as people ARE what matters. Enjoy the photos of my toothless 6 year old, they pretty much sum us all up.


January 7, 2010 by terri

Twice now these guys have let me spend part of their anniversary with them! We got some great couple shots this year in addition to some great shots of baby girl MayBelle, who is growing up on us f.a.s.t. Check out some of them HERE.
Thank you for another great day Bill and Emily, you are the best.
December 22, 2009 by terri
It has been a couple years since I photographed these guys and if anything- they have grown closer in their relationships. You can just see the love can’t you. I always have a wonderful time with them and I feel blessed that they call me back to document their growth. I am SO glad we squeezed this session in before the weather turned to Michigan winter- I love the fall colors in these shots. If you have a little one interested in dance you should definitely give Maddie, Ellie, and Drew’s Mom a call at Hearts In Step. They have a wonderful thing going on over there.

You can see the rest of the photos HERE!
December 3, 2009 by terri
December 1, 2009 by terri
It’s our anniversary today and Todd must have made a little adjustment to the label on my coffee, which was waiting for me when I woke up. It was a very nice way to start the day! (also- we highly reccommend that you not get married in December. Just sayin’)

November 24, 2009 by terri

This session quickly became one of my favorites from this Fall. I had never met Mary & Rod and I was a little nervous as they came from out of town. I was also doing a fair amount of praying for good weather. I was blessed on all counts as I enjoyed all of them and our conversations as much as the photos. I fell for little Maya right off the bat, and there’s no doubt she stole the show. I currently have a 16×20 of Maya hanging in my own office. I have a feeling it may be worth something some day
View gallery HERE . Mary & Rod- *love* your family, hope to see you again soon!
November 19, 2009 by terri

These guys are about as *happy* as any new parents could be, and with good reason. It was wonderful to photograph Bella at only a couple weeks old, and boy is she loved! Her parents had her nursery hand painted by local artist Holly Goulet and it suits this beautiful baby girl. During their session I also discovered a wedding bowl designed for them by local potter Betsy Ratzsch which you will see in some of her photos. For a sneak peek at Bella’s session look HERE. Thanks for the opportunity Steve and Nichole, you are all very blessed.