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Nicole Rogers Photography bio picture

Welcome to my blog! Here you will find my most recent sessions, information on specials and contests, and a little bit of everything. Go to www.nicolerogersphotography.blogspot.com for my old blog.

My heart, as your photographer, is to establish a lasting relationship with you, become your friend, and to document what is real and precious in your life. What inspires me most is the way you interact together as a family. I am also inspired by:

Light, eyelashes, pensive looks, sunlight in a child's hair, laughter, connections, hands, feet, tall grass, trees, old/worn walls, cuddling, window light, the unexpected beauty in the simple things. A little about me:

First and foremost, I am a follower of Christ. I identify so much with this quote:

"You, O Lord, have created us for yourself, and our heart finds no rest, until it rests in You." St. Augustine

I am a wife of 6 years. We are currently expecting! My husband is a hero. He serves our country and the city of Charlotte. At the end of the day, all I want to be is curled up on our couch with him. We had the wonderful opportunity to spend our 5 year anniversary in Italy.

I am a daughter to two amazing parents, a sister to 4 others, an aunt to 3 nephews and 3 neices. My family motivates, strengthens, and revives my soul.

I love popcorn and ice cream.

I have spent time in Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Panama, so I have fallen in love with Spanish culture.

I love everything vintage and feminine (I may be a little obsessed with Antro and Ruche).

I could spend hours shopping around in thrift, consignment, and antique stores.

There are pictures of the people I love all around my house because it's extremely important to me to be surrounded by memories.

Header and logo design by Jessica Mullen. (inquire for her information) Profile photo courtesy of Lime Green Photography.

{Perfection}…Charlotte, NC newborn photographer

This beautiful couple experienced a little of what my husband and I experienced in the arrival of our new son…a son that decided to come early.  This little guy decided to come 3 weeks early, but nonetheless, he is here and is just as precious as can be.   I guess our little guys were in a hurry to make their debut. :)   I have a whole new perspective on a newborn session now.  When I walked into the “M” family’s home, the new mommy and I embraced as I told her, “I feel like we have been through some sort of bootcamp.”  We shared our birth stories and all we are going through right now.  I am so glad I got to witness these two brand new parents in love with their first born son.  He is perfection.  Congratulations you guys!  Enjoy your slideshow here!

{9 months}…Charlotte, NC baby photographer

I don’t have much time to do a longer blog post, but wanted to debut baby “K” for her 9 month session.  First of all, how adorable is she?  Secondly, I can’t believe she is 9 months already!  They say the first year flies by, and I can attest to that just by watching my little clients grow from tiny newborns to wild one year olds. :)

Baby “K” truly is a beauty and she is the first of my clients I have photographed since giving birth.  It feels good to slowly get back into doing what I absolutely love.  Here are a couple of my favorites…

{Redefined…}

Redefined.  I will never again be the same person.  Out of the many titles I hold, such as, wife, daughter, friend, sister, photographer…the one title I am now has never before made me so terrified and anxious in all my life…mother.  My husband and I are solely responsible for this tiny being, to bring him up, to teach him, to love him unconditionally.

Transitioning into this new role, has been one of the most painful and challenging adjustments of my life.  The dying of my old self, being thrown into a role that is completely sacrificial, the dying of my husband and I as we knew it.  Nobody told me that shedding my old self would be one of the hardest things I would do.  I knew life was going to be different, I just didn’t know how I would handle and react to everything.

My mom reminded me of a scripture I would quote when I was a child to help me get through the obstacles I faced then.  “I can do all things through Him who gives me strength (Phil. 4:13).”  It is such a simple verse, but very powerful.  I can’t help but think of becoming a Christian as relation to this new motherhood process.  Christ calls us to deny ourselves daily and give our lives to Him.  This process can be painful, but when we let go, and let God be God in our lives…we are new in Him, free, and complete.

As I shed who I once was, although challenging, I know I will come out a better person.  At 2 am, when the dark is all around me and I am cradling God’s greatest creation, I am being redefined.  When I gaze into his little face, I am reminded of God’s love for me and He is holding my hand through this transition.  I can honestly say, I don’t want to be the person I was before Christ came into my life.  I know being a mother will make me a better person as I am being redefined.

Here are a couple of images of our new family from the lovely Corrie Owens.

 

February 3, 2012 - 7:45 am Candice {The Beautiful Mess} - what a great way to describe becoming a parent...i can totally identify. congrats on your beautiful family!

February 3, 2012 - 5:41 pm Stacey Cloyd - Oh my, Nicole! He is amazing! Wow, this blog brought tears to my eyes! Congrats!

{Pre-Jax}

We had these done around 32 weeks and I am so glad we got them done.  Our son came on January 6th (4 weeks early)!  It  definitely has rocked our world.  We are in love with this little guy, but this little blessing did not come without challenges and huge life adjustments.  It is very scary to be solely responsible for this tiny little being.  Is he getting enough to eat?  Will I be able to handle being a mommy?  Will my husband and I ever have any alone time?  I know these moments are fleeting and don’t want to wish them away.  He has the sweetest face and I see my husband everytime I look at him.  I want to embrace this phase, growing pains and challenges and all.

I want to thank Jenna of Red, White, and Green Photography for our maternity images.  She is truly gifted and couldn’t be more pleased with them.  To view the whole post, click here!

January 17, 2012 - 11:46 pm Leslie - These are beautiful, Nicole. Congratulations on that adorable boy!

January 18, 2012 - 10:21 am Kasey - I love these pictures of you...stunning.

January 24, 2012 - 9:08 am admin - thank you so much, Leslie! hope you are well!

{7 Things I wish I’d Known about men before I married}…

My mom sent me this and thought it was great, so I wanted to share…

 

Seven Things I Wish I’d Known  About Men Before I Married

by Tricia Goyer

1. Men can’t read your mind. If you “hint” at wanting help, men will not get it. “I wish I was taller so I could reach that  canister” sounds like a simple statement. Asking sweetly works much better. Say  something like, “Honey, when you have a minute can you reach that canister for  me?”

2. Men don’t like to be rushed with new problems as soon as  they walk in the front door. Providing time to unwind works much  better. Let the worries of your husband’s workday dissipate before you tell him  about new ones.

3. Men often feel like they’re failing as a  spiritual leader. Ever wonder why your spouse doesn’t take the  initiative on spiritual ventures more often? Sometimes it’s easier for him not  to try than to see disappointment in your gaze. Instead of “hinting” at ways he  can lead or nagging when another day goes by without quiet time, pray for your  husband to step up, and support any effort he makes.

4. Men are  visual. Very visual. Even when we women feel unattractive or  overweight, our husbands do like to look at us minus the clothing. They don’t  mind nearly as much as we do about the extra rolls around the middle, I  promise. Remember this: You are the only naked woman your husband is  allowed to look at!

5. Men like someone to listen to their  dreams. It doesn’t mean they’re going to go out and quit their jobs  tomorrow and set off on a sailboat around the world, but a listening ear  matters. Take time to ask, “If you could do anything, what would you do?” Give  him space to dream.

6. Men are born with a desire to protect the  weak and fight for honor, but those instincts rarely have a chance to exhibit  themselves in the real world. We don’t have to hide our faults or be  perfect wives. Instead we can turn to our men for help and advice. We can give  our husbands a chance to save the day.

7. A good meal and a warm  wife can wash away every other care in the world. I don’t think there’s  much more I need to say about that. Try it, I bet your husband will  agree!

 

Stay tuned for my 2011 favorite image contest coming soon!

{Happy 2012!}

Well, it’s that time of year again.  A time of looking ahead, saying goodbye to the previous year, and starting anew.  I tend to reflect on what I could have done better and the things that I didn’t get around to doing.  This year I want to reflect on the blessings, the trials the Lord helped me through, and accomplishments (no matter how small they were).  I started 2011 off with going back to my first love by attending the Gift of Memoir class taught by Maureen Griffin.  I loved the first class and started going to it every month.  I learned so much and was inspired to keep pursuing my goals as a writer.

My husband and I had the wonderful opportunity of spending some time in Rome and Florence, Italy.  It was an amazing trip and am so glad I got to see Europe before I have this little one.  Here are a few images from our trip:

After I got back from Italy, I had the opportunity to go to Justin and Mary Marantz Spread the Love Tour again.  If they are ever in Charlotte again, whether you are a photographer, graphic designer, or some other small business owner, I highly recommend their seminar.  It is so inspiring and will challenge you to do what you do even better.

In April I got to participate in Central Church of God‘s High Heels in Action 5K (my 2nd 5K and I beat my time from 2010 by 2 minutes :) .  The proceeds go to help stamp out human trafficking.  I plan on participating in this year’s race as well.

In the beginning of June we found out we are expecting!  It definitely came as a surprise, especially considering what we were going through, but we are really excited.

I also had the opportunity to go to another David Jay seminar in Charlotte.  It was another inspiring and stimulating seminar that I would highly recommend to photographers.

Another thing I wanted to do before I had children was go on another international mission’s trip.  In July, I had the amazing opportunity to go to Ambato, Ecuador with a team (including my parents) from Central Church of God.  We were able to see the beautiful country of Ecuador, share the love of Christ, and work with the most gorgeous and precious children in the world.

In August, Tracy and I celebrated our 6th anniversary.  We had the lovely and talented Megan of Lime Green Photography document these images for us.

In September we found out we are having a baby…boy!!

I had a very busy Fall season and we were able to get away in the midst to visit Tracy’s family in the Charleston area…a well needed break. :)

I also had two very special baby showers and I turned the BIG 3-0.

We had another lovely and talented photographer (Jenna of Red, White & Green Photography) document us for our maternity pictures.  Baby Jax Alan is due in just around a month (which is SO hard to believe).  I know my life is about to change drastically and I do not know what to expect by becoming a mother, but I do hope I will become a better person and photographer.  I just want to THANK YOU to all the families that allowed me into your homes and lives to document what is near and dear to you.  I can’t wait to see what 2012 holds!

January 12, 2012 - 11:52 am Candice {The Beautiful Mess} - You are such a lovely mother-to-be! So excited for you guys!!!

January 16, 2012 - 10:14 am admin - thank you, Candice! love your work!

{Last…but not least} Belmont, NC family photographer

That’s a wrap…for 2011 anyway (that is so hard to believe!)

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas weekend.  I am trying to get things back to normal after a break from work while visiting my husband’s family in Alabama.  It was nice to get away for a few days.  Now, I have only 5 more weeks to prepare for a baby!  So crazy to think!  Onto this lovely family…

they are one of my favorite families, as I have been photographing little Clayton since he was just a few days old.  It has been such a pleasure watching them grow.  I am so glad we were able to do a session before the New Year.  We had an awesome evening to do them as well.  Thank you so much, “C” family.  I hope you enjoy your enjoy your slideshow here!

 

{Merry Christmas from our house to yours!}

As 2011 is nearing an end, I have so much to be thankful for (I will be doing a look back at 2011 in another blog post soon).  I have absolutely loved photographing each and every one of your babies, children, and families this year.  I know the year 2012 will be an exciting year for me as I welcome my first child, but I am also excited to see what will be going on at Nicole Rogers Photography.  Thank you for supporting me, and entrusting me with your memories of what is near and dear in your lives.  I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas!

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given…And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).

December 23, 2011 - 9:55 pm Jenna Sorrentino - Beautiful!!!

Charlotte, NC newborn photographer

I found this quote on Pinterest and it captivated my heart.  I can’t imagine (well, in about 6 weeks) what it actually will be like to hold a baby that was once inside….and immediately falling in love.

{A Birthday Giveaway!}….Charlotte, NC photographer

 

In honor of me turning the BIG 3-0 tomorrow (gasp!), I thought it would be fun to have a giveaway here on the blog and on my Facebook fan page.  Here’s how to participate….

* Write a comment here on the blog or on my Facebook what your favorite holiday tradition is.

*Anyone can participate, both current and past clients, friends, people I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting, and family.

*I will announce the winner at the end of the day Friday, December 16.

*The giveaway is a Starbucks giftcard (who wouldn’t want that?!).

 One of my favorite holiday traditions is that my mom, my sisters and I have an ALL day cooking baking day and then we go caroling that night.  :) Happy commenting!