“It’s our differences that make us better as a whole.”

— Alyson, Head Photographer at Jasper & Fern

After the heartache of finding myself surrounded by negative company too often in the past, I absolutely love and am grateful for now being surrounded by women who honestly want to see each other succeed. There are no ulterior motives, no people talking behind each others' backs - just women stepping in to share their knowledge and skill for the betterment of others.

Branding Portrait for marketing coach, Mallory Schlabach. | Winston-Salem On location Brand Photography | Jasper & Fern

One of my favorite parts about my job is the opportunity to build community and support another small businesses' success. It's about more than creating pretty pictures. It's learning your needs, getting to see where you're going and be involved in your vision. It's stepping into the world you're passionate about and connecting with your heart.

I've always said that each person has been created with unique gifts with which they can use to impact their community. It's our differences that make us better as a whole. It's our choice to use those gifts for the betterment of those around us.

Since sharing her portraits on social media, Kirby has been designated the "Snow Queen" and I whole-heartedly agree! We don't get much snow or winter weather here in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Even being from Colorado, I'm okay with that - I am SO not one for cold. When it does snow, though, especially that soft, fluffy, perfect snow I am always inspired to take snow portraits (despite the frigid temperatures).

When I saw those big white flakes from the coziness of my bedroom window, I knew I had to take advantage. This is the second (pretty) snow of the year - that RARELY happens here in the south - and I didn't want to waste it. 

I quickly rummaged through my wardrobe collection and, although most of my collection is at the studio, I found an outfit that would work splendidly. I immediately reached out to Kirby, the salon owner of Hair By Kirby based out of Jasper & Fern, and asked if she would be my model. We talked vision, styling and then jumped on the session.

Man, I am stoked with how these turned out! I can definitely say these are bucket list photographs for me.  

A big thanks to Kirby for being the biggest reason this session happened!

*shivers* Cold winds are blowing and the temperature is dropping steadily here in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It's a Southerner's worst nightmare (aside from a shortage of flakey, buttery biscuits.) We watch in sadness as our colorful fall foliage is floating down en-mass to the ground beneath the trees and our mornings are greeted with darkness and frost. For some of us, the sadness becomes an actual condition, most commonly know as SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder).

SAD affects us all in different ways - all 10,000,000 (yes, MILLION) of us Americans who suffer from it. We can struggle against our internal will to hibernate, which, without proper sleep and hibernation we can certainly gain similar attributes to a bear - overeating, lethargy, oversleeping, an angry or grumpy demeanor. Likewise, we can lose our appetite, lose our energy, feel physically burdened and weighted down, experienced heightened anxiety and stress and even struggle with suicidal thoughts in some cases.

So, in order to help yourself (and not be a bear and devour your family during the holidays!), you kind of need to know what causes Seasonal Affective Disorder. We researched to try and find the best explanation so that we could, in turn, help you. Psychology.com breaks the "WHY" down the best :

"One theory is that it is related to the amount of melatonin in the body, a hormone secreted by the pineal gland. Darkness increases the body's production of melatonin, which regulates sleep. As the winter days get shorter and darker, melatonin production in the body increases and people tend to feel sleepier and more lethargic. Another theory is that people with SAD may have trouble regulating their levels of serotonin, which is a major neurotransmitter involved in mood. Finally, research has suggested that people with SAD also may produce less Vitamin D, which is believed to play a role in serotonin activity. Vitamin D insufficiency may be associated with clinically significant depression symptoms."

 All in all, SAD is not a good place to exist, nor is it healthy. We know what it's like to feel miserable and we wouldn't wish misery on anyone. As such, we've compiled a "how-to" list of sorts to help you with your SADness.

10 Ways to Keep Those Winter Blues Away

• Bright Light Therapy
• Increasing Circulation through massage or skin brushing
• Mood and Immune boosting essential oils
• Plan enjoyable, mood boosting activities
• Drinking water
• Committing yourself to a simple self-care routine
• Surround yourself with green or vibrant plants
• Talk to someone (even if it's just a short phone call to say "hi")
• Wear warm fun socks
• Plan physical activities