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j.ro photography {sweetness + light}

Hey there! You've made it to the online home of j.ro photography. Besides my photography journal (also known as a blog ... scroll down), it's also my website. My guess is you'll find much of the information you're looking for under the about section above. Check out my galleries for a look at photographs from the past, and look through the different genres to narrow your search on my favorites from recent sessions and projects posted in the journal. And always feel free to contact me with any questions or thoughts. If you ever want to get back to this page, just click journal. Okay, with all that said, grab youself a Dr. Pepper, take a moment to relax and enjoy the view! I look forward to hearing from you!


.sister sweetly. | muncie photography

(an homage to big head todd)

Today my sister-in-law showed up at my house and right away I thought, she looks amazing! I have to get take her pictures! But I’m also lazy, and since I filled up all my cards last night during a family photo session, I didn’t want to hassel with deleting them. So I didn’t. But then she said as we were talking facebook how she’d love a new profile pic. And well, I just couldn’t resist. I felt it was fate. I MUST take her pictures. If at the very least for a new profile pic. And then began the little mini-session. I hope Mom-in-law and sister-in-law won’t mind that I’ve holed myself away in the office all evening editing these! She leaves tomorrow, I HAD to get them burned to a CD for her!

Okay, enough. Here’s my hot-t (and surprisingly single) sister-in-law.

She has a beautiful laugh
{I mean beeeeautiful laugh!}

And I made her strike poses:

And then she gave me sass:
{and i have to say i like the sass … a lot}

And she’s tall and skinny, though her jeans and my lens make her extra long:

And fun. Because she is tons of fun.

But she may have learned a little of that from her older brother

They’re cute. I’m glad she’s my sister. I wish she lived closer. Like next door. That could happen some day when we crush the house down next door and build her a new one. Yeah, that might work.

Then we can all have a big family snuggle out on our shared lawn

I think Grandma Ro would like that too!

BTW, Speaking of facebook. I got a new username for my fan page: www.facebook.com/jrophotos

Be my friend. Be my fan. Smile.

© j.ro photography | muncie, in lifestyle photographer

July 3, 2009 - 11:33 pm Becky Merkel - I loooooove Louie's expression! Priceless!

July 3, 2009 - 11:38 pm Theresa - Your sister-in-law looks like a movie star! Gorgeous!

.pure smiles. | pendleton children photographer

Once again, I’m not even close to finishing up their gallery, and I already have way too many I want to post. So once again, I had to limit myself. But I wanted to make sure I posted before Joe sent Theresa’s family after me. Though supposedly after my last post, I’m in good with da family. No horse heads will be sent my way … I have Joe’s word.

Unfortunately this post will be a bit biased. There are 6 family members and I’m highlighting the two youngest because they were my first edits ;o) Just know right off the bat that there are two pretty awesome older siblings that rocked out their photos as well. See, they’re all pretty stinkin’ cute aren’t they?

But as I said, such is life when you choose to get your photos taken first (or last) and I’m editing in order ;o)

So here we go. Be prepared for unbelievable cuteness coming your way.

See what I mean? This is Miss Helen. She has the sweetest curls, and seriously she’d been practicing for me. That was the very first look she gave me. I think her practicing paid off!

Yeah, I like those curls:

And let’s hear it for the youngest (though not for long), Miss Mara.

She still has cute pudgy fingers:

and lots of laughter:

I told you.

And lots of personality.

Oh and here’s what Helen did when I was taking a picture of her and her siblings toes:

{um yeah, cute}

© j.ro photography | pendleton, in family and children’s photographer

June 28, 2009 - 12:09 pm Theresa - Stop, stop!!! My heart is about to explode! (am I allowed to admit that, being their mom and all?). Jayne...I never doubted that these would be amazing, but nothing could have prepared me for this! You truly are gifted and today, you made this tired pregnant momma smile so hard that my cheeks hurt! You are the best!!!

June 28, 2009 - 3:09 pm dana - wow! I may be biased since their Daddy is my cousin but these are some of the cutest pictures I have ever seen! adorable!

June 28, 2009 - 3:29 pm carolyn - i love the one of the parents swinging the youngest because the sun frames her so perfectly! and you always have a way with making everyone's eyes POP. these really are so beautiful!

June 28, 2009 - 4:47 pm Kelly - The eyes are always killer Jayne! I like the one with Helen peeking in behind Mara.

June 28, 2009 - 10:09 pm SB - I'm not biased at all and I thought these were so beautiful! Great job as always, and great models too!

June 30, 2009 - 7:33 am Gail - THe second and fourth shots down kill me with those eyes! Nice job!!

July 1, 2009 - 3:14 pm Karen Karki - These are AWESOME, Jayne!! Great job!!

.friends. | muncie family photographer

Just like I said about Theresa’s family, I am thankful for the opportunity for past friends to become clients. It gives me the chance to spend time with their beautiful families and witness how grown up everyone has become. Becky is one of these people too. Her girls are so beautiful with so much personality! I’m thankful for the time I got to spend with them, and look forward to seeing those beautiful eyes all summer long at the pool ;o)

One last pic before I send off their gallery. A 20×20 Storyboard of some of my favorite family shots!

© j.ro photography | muncie, in family photographer

June 26, 2009 - 6:14 pm beth. - I love it! I really like the little tags with their names on it!

.love on the rocks. | pendleton family photographer

(i love me a little neil diamond!)

Remember when my neighbor threatened to t.p. me if I didn’t post some images? Well, now my latest client wrote this while attempting to befriend me on facebook:

“Jayne, please for the love of all things…be my friend. Theresa is sure if you and I are friends we will get to see our pics sooner. no pressure, but she does have family in the business in vegas.”

Seriously, I may need to get into another line of work!

But apparently the threats work because within minutes I am posting images! That’s not really how you’re supposed to deal with terrorists is it.

Okay, all jokes aside (because you were joking right Joe?)! I am so thankful when long time friends who I don’t see as often as I’d like (like in this case 7 years) become my clients too! Theresa and I shared many a laugh in college. She really is one of the funniest (not to mention beautiful) people I know. And now meeting her husband … well, they’re quite the duo together.

Right before I was about to leave I noticed that both Theresa and Joe had tattooed rings on their fingers. Thankfully I asked about it, because I heard a great engagement story that involved no diamonds but a tattoo parlor. They can most definitely tell it better than me (you should post a comment about the story!) Anyhow, being one to never be finished taking pictures, even when the kids are all buckled up in the car and ready to leave, I hurried Theresa and Joe across the street to showcase Joe’s art and rings. I mean if I didn’t I wouldn’t have this hot photo to show for it!

And the rings:

And why do people find it so uncomfortable to makeout with a camera in their face? Well, actually I don’t think Joe had a problem with it.

By the way, more photos to come in the following days (no threats needed) of this pregnant mama, her man and her 4 other children! (And she does have an actual diamond on her other hand!)

© j.ro photography | pendleton, in family photographer

June 25, 2009 - 9:34 pm Mark - gurl, you so funny!!! those pics are awesome! Teresa, great smile, and dang Joe you go for it bro!!!

June 27, 2009 - 9:51 am Theresa - Thanks for making it clear that I have a diamond...the funny thing about that is, my grandma didn't really approve of the tattoo as our only ring, so she gave me my engagement ring. It belonged to my great-great grandmother and it has three diamonds in it, the oldest coming from my great-great-great grandma!! Speaking of great...thats I feel about you, Ms. Jayne...and if you say great a whole lot of times in a row it begins to sound funny!

June 26, 2009 - 2:13 pm .friends. | muncie family photographer » j.ro photography {sweetness + light} - [...] like I said about Theresa’s family, I am thankful for the opportunity for past friends to become clients. It gives me the chance to [...]

June 28, 2009 - 11:31 am .pure smiles. | pendleton children photographer » j.ro photography {sweetness + light} - [...] to make sure I posted before Joe sent Theresa’s family after me. Though supposedly after my last post, I’m in good with da family. No horse heads will be sent my way … I have Joe’s [...]

.three’s company. | muncie family photographer

I am completely surrounded by boys at my house. There is no playing “house” or “tea party” or “barbie”. There’s no cute pink dresses or polka-dotted earings laying around. No princess dresses (I really wish I had one of those when I was a kid!) Every once in awhile Louie says he wants to wear pig tails like me, but you know I don’t let him out in public like that. So you can imagine what fun it is for me to get to do a family session where the man is actually outnumbered. Three daughters, plus a wife. I heard he got kicked out of both bathrooms beforehand! And you can imagine how excited I am when the girls come in cute dresses and skirts and the colors look so totally wonderful together!

It’s just an added bonus that these girls are so.much.fun!

I am having a real hard time narrowing down this gallery. I could have posted a million on the web, but it is bedtime, so I had to just post a few of my faves!

{seriously could this jump have gotten any cooler?!}

Becky had Scott run home to grab his mom’s special quilt. It’s beautiful and sentimental, and I’m so thankful we got to use it for their family photos! Plus the color was just perfect!

It’s likely more of their photos will show up on my blog as I go through to edit the whole gallery. Until then, run free ;o)

© j.ro photography | muncie, in children, teen and family photographer

June 19, 2009 - 9:36 pm Mark - love ya hun, you're amazing!!! these are great!

June 20, 2009 - 7:30 am beth. - I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE! the one of their feet standing on the wall!!

June 28, 2009 - 3:47 pm Andrea - Great work Jayno. I amazed you have been getting so much beautiful work done and still chillin' enjoying the summer! Way to go girl.

.a lovely day. | muncie photography

Today was a day of loves

The fact that I was fretting over the 75% chance of rain that was supposed to happen this morning (which I later realized I read the humidity number, not the precipitation number), and I woke up to beautiful sunshine, was, well … just lovely.

I rented a lens. What I dearly hoped would be my newest dream lens after the last one let me down (or my lack of strength did).

I took this wonderfully light lens to the place of my morning photo session and, well … wow!

This was the first thing I saw when I looked through my viewfinder, and I fell in love.

One time I was coming back from Indy just enjoying the peace and quiet of a car all to myself. The sun was setting, the fields were greening after the winter thaw (sometimes I get poetic), and I thought about photography and the types of images that stir my heart. Then I looked into my car’s side mirror (you know the one that says objects in mirror are closer than they appear) and holy cow, my heart skipped as I saw those same fields stretching out behind me under the sunset from the wide, wide angle of the mirror. That’s when I knew, I had to get myself a good (or grand) quality wide-angle lens because those images speak to me. And now after much saving and researching and spending and returning and researching and renting … the lens is found. Right after the session this morning, I went back to Jack’s and talked my way into a stellar price for a used 16-35 L series lens. I spent less money than I had on ‘the heavy’ lens and got my rental fee credited back! It’s safe to say, I’m in love. And skipping on Cloud 9 because this lens is so light! And, yes, I’m in love.

But the love doesn’t stop there. My photo session was at one of my favorite places. In college, I spent many accumulated early morning hours out on the tennis courts by my dorm walking in circles, praying, reading pslams, trying to stay awake, crying, whispering … well, you get it. But I always left those times closer to God. I called it my prayer court. And I really, really loved it. Then I graduated and got married and moved more than just a few feet away from my prayer court. It seemed lame to drive there. Then, they tore it down and put up a new dorm. Then … well I’ve had a lot of excuses since then. However, when my excuses stay out the way, I end up at Hazelwood and walk around in circles in their ‘ditch’ as Gabby called it today. And just now I almost made an inappropriate pun about life and it being a … see I probably already went to far aleady. Okay, it’s late. I have to cut to the point. Bottomline, I’m so thankful that Becky (the mom and star of the session today who also happened to be Tommy’s teacher’s aid when he went to preschool at Hazelwood) chose a place that’s special to her … and it was just an added bonus on this lovefest day that it’s special to me too ;o)

And then after all that beautiful pre session searching and finding (basically my own little photo session with Hazelwood), I got to love on these three girls (and their mom and dad). Don’t worry Becky, there will be more sneak peeks to come!

Happy Love Saturday! Let’s hope Sunday is just as Lovely!

© j.ro photography | muncie, in children and family photographer

June 14, 2009 - 8:41 am carolyn - beautiful colors! i'm so glad you found your true love lens!

June 17, 2009 - 8:32 am Becky Merkel - That first shot you took with your news lens is what I was talking about. I love looking out on those trees. It reminded me of when I first moved to Indiana and missed (among many things) the pine trees that are more abundant in upstate New York. We had soooo much fun at our session, I'm so glad you enjoyed it too! :)

.my boys (and happy dad’s day). | muncie photographer

Yes, father’s day is a few weeks off still. I really just needed an excuse to post some pictures of my boys. So here they are. Happy Father’s Day!

On a completely random note, I’ve been saving and saving for what I thought was going to be my go-to-session dream lens. Canon’s L series 24-70 mm. I bought it. I was happy. I put it on my camera for a week and noticed that my wrist was crackly and achy and I never wanted to pick up my camera when it was on. Thus, a lack of photos lately. Turns out I’m a bit too wimpy for my dream lens, so back it went. This is not the first time I’d saved for a dream lens (the 70-200 mm) only to have to return it because I’m too wimpy. Guess I’ll have to stick with my light primes ;o) The good news is I have some cash back in the bank … for the moment anyway!

I’m looking forward to some upcoming sessions (wink, wink … you know who you are!) and enjoying the beautiful sunshine and summer vacation!

© j.ro photography | muncie, in children and family photographer

June 25, 2009 - 9:44 am Karen Karki - So sweet, Jayne! I like the reflection of the BSU bell tower on the glass.

.it’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood. | muncie photographer

Sorry, I hear Mr. Rogers every morning as Tommy eats his breakfast before school.

Please note how prompt I am at posting my sneak peek after yesterday’s teaser. Turns out Herb has threatened to TP me. Here is his comment from my last post:

“Just to let you know, my mom tought me how to TP. In highschool, I had a lot of practice. Don’t worry though, I will use the biodegradable, and recycled kind.”

These are the type of people that surround me in my neighborhood. A bunch of environmental tp-ing wackos ;o) **

Well, at least they’re cute!

I already mentioned how sweet big brother gavin was to me. But seriously, he did everything I wanted him to do and was excited to be my little helper. “okay, jayne, okay”

gavin was more than excited to play trains with his little brother!

here’s a small taste of some of lisa’s mad gardening skills. she continues to give me gardening 101 lessons, and somehow i continue to kill my plants.

Looking foward to meeting baby Max!

**i kid, of course! we’re all wackos together in this friendly neighborhood. besides, I was part of a rap group dedicated to the earth. how much more crazy could i get ;o)

© j.ro photography | muncie, in family and maternity photographer

June 28, 2009 - 11:31 am .love on the rocks. | pendleton family photographer » j.ro photography {sweetness + light} - [...] when my neighbor threatened to t.p. me if I didn’t post some images? Well, now my latest client wrote this while attempting to [...]

.pretty. | muncie children’s photographer

because i’m getting pestered by email and she could t.p. my house since she lives down the street (i kid lisa, i kid!), here is just one before I get to posting the rest from my latest maternity session.

while taking his mama’s photos, i said to my little neighbor (that giggling red head boy in the photo), “doesn’t your mommy look so pretty?” he said right back, “you’re pretty too, jayne”

well, gavin you made my day … yes, for saying i’m pretty without a second thought but also for just loving to say my name ;o) thanks little buddy!

***

and on a side note, I am booked up until August, so if you’re interested in a photo session for August or September, now’s a good time to contact me!

***

© j.ro photography | muncie, in photography

May 21, 2009 - 6:03 am Lisa Halley - Jayne you totally rock!!! This picture just goes to show you why Herb and I are SO excited to see the rest of them!!!

.sweet authority. | muncie photography

Meet Cheri. You will find throughout this post that she has the capacity to show sweetness, laughter and authority. Let’s get started.

I will go on record as saying that Cheri must be the prettiest police officer ever. Now, granted I’ve never met another female police officer so if there are prettier ones out there, especially in Muncie, please don’t hunt me down and ticket me! Well, anyway, I’m pretty sure Cheri will have my back ;o)

And don’t let her sweet smile and sparkly eyes fool you. She’s tough.


{the flag was Cheri’s idea … love it!}

But when she’s not in uniform look out!


{at least she thinks i’m funny ;o)}

I am so thankful that Cheri took time to have photos taken of just her. She’s inspired me to do the same. I read this post from my new favorite blog the other day, and it reminded me how important doing just that is! Check it out here.

© j.ro photography | muncie, in photography

May 15, 2009 - 10:14 pm Andrea - Cheri looks so beautiful. I love it. Good encouragement from the Pioneer woman too. I always hate getting in the picture but it is so sweet to look back at how my family is so sweet on me. I am so thankful. It makes it all the better when you take the pitures, you make us all look beautiful. Thanks Jayno.