A very Mackiewicz vacation – Brigantine NJ lifestyle photographer

Ah, two weeks after vacation and I am just finally settling back in to life. Or, actually, settling in to my new life as a full time photographer. I left my day job right before leaving for vacation after having worked part-time for a few months. And honestly, it couldn’t have come at a better time.

Since Frances has been born I’ve been playing a never-ending game of catch up, and no matter how much traction I got I was still only barely scraping by. I hadn’t blogged in months, I was always at the end (and sometimes over) of a promised turn around time for clients, my house hadn’t been cleaned in forever, and the moments when I did have a little bit of time I just wanted to do nothing. Sit on the couch, catch up on trash tv. Never mind that I hadn’t spent any quality time with my husband or my daughter. Working is tough. Being a mom is tough. Trying to work, be a mom and run a business just doesn’t work. At least it didn’t for me.

This years vacation was more than just a reward for clocking in each day for the past 7 months. It was a refresh. A restart. And I’m so excited for what the future holds for me, my career and my little family.

 

 

 

Last Christmas I started a tradition of bringing my big girl camera and getting couples shots/family shots of whoever wanted them. I’ve made it a point to try to bring my camera to other family events as well. And then, of course, I also feel no shame in asking for a portrait of my little family.  So it’s a win-win.

 

 

 

Many years ago my uncle started a tradition of Ribs and Corn. Basically it was a BBQ that stripped away all the other BBQ crap. Menu: Ribs & Corn. Some of those rules have gone a bit by the wayside (hello chicken nuggets and baked beans!), but if you’re a true Mackiewicz you stick to the basics. Plus beer. Always plus beer.

 

 

 

My Uncle Tommy is going to be a grandfather for the first time. TWICE. Both of his girls are having girls. And he had been obsessing about a photo between their bellies.

 

 

 

I couldn’t be at Ribs and Corn last year as I was up in NY photographing a wedding. I was sad that I missed it, but what really got to me is that they had a DANCE PARTY. First Ribs and Corn dance party and I wasn’t there. I love dancing. I love my family. And I love DANCING WITH MY FAMILY. So I pretty much told them they had to do it again.

 

 

 

We usually get a big group shot early in the day (before everyone is bombed and before the sun goes down), but we forgot (probably because everyone was bombed). I had my flash, but no real way to bounce it. So I had a big white chair on top of a table behind me and bounced that sucker in to the tent. Worked out well!

 

 

 

I took my camera to the beach a few days (mostly while Brandon was still there because it is impossible to keep up with a toddler and worry about your expensive camera).

 

 

 

I also did some beach photo sessions for my family…

 

 

 

And then ran around with the girls at the house…

 

 

Bear (my cousin Jenny’s bf) missed Ribs & Corn, so we had to give them an honorary photo shoot. Bear had just bought a new car. The EXACT SAME CAR as Jenny. So clearly that needed to be documented.

 

 

 

And then vacation ended, as it usually does, with my cousin Jessica’s birthday. Having my family gather in one place, singing Sto Lat and eating cake? Well, nothing could be better.