Anna Barker Photography

Wedding Photography & Personal Brand Photography | Fort Wayne, IN and Destination Photographer

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May 6, 2017anorathewriter

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We’re getting ready to say “see you later” to my last living Grandparent. Grampy’s not a man of many words, but there’s no question that he loves his family. I’ve always been in awe of how my mom talks about him with so much respect and affection-the type of respect that many dads would aspire to their children having for them. He was a big player in the integrity, character, and love for God that my mom has. There’s no way to truly know how deeply anyone impacts someone else, but I know Grampy has deeply touched my mom & her siblings lives, mine, Simon’s, and a lot of others-and I’m grateful for that. I’ll always cherish and remember him telling us about him putting cottage cheese in his ears at a restaurant to continue a joke with some of his friends that “he loves cottage cheese so much, it’s coming out his ears”. And then laughing so hard about his own story that his dentures would come loose and almost fall out. 😂 He taught me that the most important thing to remember in pool is to sink the ball in front of you, but then to set up your next shot (and I think it’s pretty good life advice too). He knew how to sit back and enjoy a good episode of Wheel of Fortune or the Lawrence Welk Show, and he modeled what hard work looks like. He even started and ran his own electrician business (Im proud that entrepreneurship runs in our family!) and then volunteered for years after his retirement, repairing furniture for a local catholic thrift store. Grampy has a way of lighting Simon right up with his “Abababa” sounds as soon as Simon and I would walk into the room. Even yesterday, although you can tell he’s really tired and worn out, he turned toward Simon and said “abababa” really quietly, and then lifted his arm to put it around him. They spark joy for each other in a special way, and it hurts me to be seeing Simon lose one of his great grandparents, and friends. I know he’s got some awareness of what’s going on and that makes me proud and sad all at once. This is just a random collection of my feelings and thoughts right now, but the things that rise to the top for me are that I love my Grampy, and I’m so grateful that we’ll get to see him again someday. 💛

The snow, the twinkle lights on the trees, the deep joy on the faces of this bride and groom- all elements that made this wedding day an absolutely perfect one! - But even if the snow had been slush or the lights hadn’t been on, or a bunch of other things hadn’t been as perfect as they were, I know that look of joy on Noel & Alicia’s faces still would’ve been just as great and their wedding day still would’ve been just as much of a smashing success as it was, because when you get to marry the person you love, it’s a successful day in my book. 💛 . . . . . . #fortwayneweddingphotographers #fortwayneweddingphotographer #fortwayne #fortwaynewedding #fortwayneweddingphotography #indianawedding #fortwayneindiana photographer

Fellow photogs, you know that goooood good feeling of sending off a gallery and waiting in eager anticipation for your clients to get their photos, and love them! I sent off this gorgeous couple’s engagement session yesterday and although lately, I’ve done quite a few sessions at the Botanical Gardens in Downtown Fort Wayne, somehow, every different family or couple or wedding party I’m there with, brings a different feel into the photos and into our time there. I have my favorite angles and spots for lighting and color schemes and all the other technical, photographer things, but the people in the photos? They’re the ones who bring the life and the magic and the unique beauty into the images. Whether it’s my 1st or 100th time shooting at a certain location, there’s a different presence that each human’s personality brings and fills up the room, and I’m honored to get to be the one who’s job it is to pay attention to it, and document it! #lovemyjob #photographerforlife . . . . . #fortwayneengagementphotographer #fortwayneweddingphotographer #fortwayneindiana #weddingphotographer #botanicalconservatory #botanicalgardens #fortwayneindiana #personalbrandphotography #personalbrand #indianawedding

COCOA BEAN APPRECIATION POST (fun fact: that was the name she came from the @allencountyspca with, and we thought it was a little froo froo, but somehow it just fit her too well to change it.) She jumped, barked, and peed on the floor in front of us in the “interview” room, and yet for some reason, we didn’t want to leave without her, so we didn’t. The volunteers there even joked that they called her “Coo coo for Cocoa Puffs” because she could be so crazy (and she for sure can be at times). But she’s also one of the sweetest most loving dogs I’ve ever met (everyone says that about their own dogs but it’s true about Cocoa 😊). She’s always down to to snooze, cuddle, play and love people, and she‘s SO good with Simon. She teaches me a lot too. Like how special it feels to have someone go crazy over seeing you after being apart for even 3 or 4 hours. Or that there’s nothing wrong with just giving yourself a break and taking a nap when you need one. 😴 And that when you don’t have any sort of agenda (except to get treats and pets) you really can give your love freely and enjoy life. I know she’s just a dog, but I love finding little lessons anywhere I can in life, and I’m grateful for my main fur baby and that I get to be her mom. 😊 P.S. my parents have dogs that I grew up with who I love just as much, I just don’t happen to have a photo with them on hand at the moment. I love you too Dolly & Missy! ✌🏻❤️ #dogappreciationpost #pupperlove #adoptdontshop #acspca #allencountyspca #lovemypupper #fortwaynepersonalbrandphotography #fortwaynepersonalbrandphotographer #indianapersonalbrandphotographer #indianapersonalbrandphotography #midwestpersonalbrandphotography #midwestpersonalbrandphotographer #personalbrandphotography #personalbrandphotographer #personalbrandphotographerindiana

Im thinking about love today (of course), but something specifically that’s been on my mind is that sometimes, love doesn’t look the way we expect it to. Sometimes, it’s sacrifice and sometimes, it’s the easiest thing you could do. Sometimes, it’s giving someone space, and sometimes it’s not running away when you really want to. Sometimes, it’s giving us chocolate and cards. Sometimes, it gives us the truth we need to hear, even though we don’t want to hear it. Sometimes it’s deep conversations, and sometimes it’s a sentence said while passing each other on the way into the kitchen, or the bathroom, or out the door. Sometimes, it’s incredibly fun. Sometimes, it’s a sleepover with your best friend. Sometimes, it’s finding out they ate the last of your leftovers (and not blowing up at them 😂). Sometimes, it’s biting your tongue. Sometimes, it’s speaking up. Sometimes, it’s whispering a prayer you feel like you can barely get out. Sometimes, it’s exactly what you’d expect, and sometimes, it’s the furthest thing from it. Sometimes, it’s being a team when no one else seems to be on yours. Sometimes, it’s having each other’s backs, someone to lean on, and a partner in crime. Sometimes, it’s them believing in you when you don’t believe in yourself. Sometimes, it’s not staring deeply into each others eyes, but walking side by side. Sometimes, it’s total joy. Sometimes, it’s meeting each other halfway. Sometimes, it’s doing more than your fair share. Sometimes, it’s more than you you deserve, but it keeps showing up for you anyway. 💛

This was one of my FAVE lifestyle headshots from Amanda’s session this past summer to help kick off her realty business! Working with business owners and entrepreneurs is always such an inspiration and makes me so grateful that there are people in the world who are making a business of chasing their dreams, being their own bosses and living life to the full!

All the time, we get a choice to listen to our BRAINS or our MINDS. I know it sounds dumb, but hear me out. We can let our brain be our guide, OR lead our lives from the freedom that comes from consciously thinking & believing truth. When it comes down to it, a lot of the time, there’s a disconnect between the life we’re actually living and the lives we *say* we want to live, and I believe the first step of the journey from one to the other is in our minds. The natural instinct of our brains is to keep us alive and safe from danger, but that attempt of our brain to protect us (bless it’s little heart) can backfire. The strategy that most of our brains use-and what is deeply ingrained in many of us- is to retreat & stay small. At one time, this strategy might’ve worked. For example, back in caveman times, you wanted (and needed) to fit into the group for protection, so you didn’t want to rock the boat or make anyone hate you, so you probably didn’t speak your mind much, especially if you had a creative or out-of-the-box idea. Or if you didn’t believe you were the alpha person in the bunch, you probably walked around hunched over or hidden in some way so that you didn’t come across like you were trying to compete with the leader of your pack. And on and on. But some of those protection strategies that we adopted to keep us safe from threats (that usually aren’t even *actually* valid), are still allowed to make our life decisions for us. Many of these strategies for safety only end up causing us to make choices and stay in patterns and habits that actually keep us small & stunted. The truth is, we may never fully get our brains to stop trying to protect us with it’s bad advice and pulling the fear alarm, but the thing I believe will take us from here to the life we’ve always wanted, is to do what we know is good ANYWAY. Anyone who’s accomplished a lot will probably tell you that getting to where they are didn’t come from being unafraid, but from being afraid, and going for it ANYWAY. Don’t fight it. Let your brain do what it wants. But then decide that even though you’re scared, you’re going to step out and do what you know you’re meant to do ANYWAY. 👊🏻

I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: my clients are t h e c o o l e s t. - #fortwayne #ftw #indianaphotographer #fortwaynephotographer #fortwayneweddingphotographer #fortwayneindiana #indiana #indianaphotographer #botanicalgardens #fortwaynebotanicalconservatory #fortwaynebotanicalgardens

Little bit of bling to brighten your snowy Sunday! Stay safe!

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