Today we welcome a new sponsor to the website, Lisa Mac Photography. We were surfing the Web last month, trying to find a photographer who seemed perfect to sponsor our new snapshot photo gallery. When we saw Lisa’s work, we knew we had clicked on the right one. The following is an interview with Lisa McSpadden, as well as some examples of her work.
Lisa and her husband are pictured at the bottom of this article. (Are they a cute couple or what?) Enjoy.
Photography is such a vast field. Why did you choose to specialize in photographing babies and children?
I’ve always had two passions…photography and children. I have an elementary and special ed. degree and taught school for six years before starting my photography business. It’s just always seemed like a natural fit to specialize in photographing babies and children.
What do you love most about your job?
I love getting to work with all ages of children, from newborns to seniors in high school. At times I have to remind myself to talk to the parents because I can get so caught up in getting to know each child that comes through my door. I love trying to figure out what makes each child tick and how to get the best expressions out of them. The ultimate compliment I can receive is when a parent looks at a picture I’ve taken of their child and says that I’ve truly captured THEM.
What’s the hardest part?
There is so much more to a photography business than just taking pictures. I spend MANY more hours in post-production work than I do actually taking pictures.
Tell us about your work with the “Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep” organization.
NILMDTS is an organization of photographers who are willing to donate their time, services and compassion to families who are experiencing the loss of a baby to create a lifetime of memories with pictures. I joined the 5,000+ photographers from around the United States to give a gift of pictures of little ones whose lives are way too short. It is heart wrenching to photograph the babies, but each time God has definitely given me strength to do it. While I photograph them, it is always at the forefront of my mind that the pictures I’m taking may be the ONLY photos the family ever has of their child. The Today Show recently did a piece on the organization which you can view here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlKhrCORF8w&feature=related (Be sure to have a tissue handy…)
Tell us about the work you did for Mercy Hospital’s NICU.
I was commissioned to create portrait galleries for the Well Baby and NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) at the new Mercy Medical Center in Rogers. We wanted to be sensitive to parents who have a child who is ill by not having images of only healthy babies displayed around the NICU. After receiving input and advice from parents, doctors and nurses, the decision was made to create a gallery of NICU graduates – older children who were once in the NICU but are now older and healthier. I had the privilege of photographing children who ranged from ages 2 1/2 to 9 years and were born anywhere from 25 weeks to 40 weeks gestation. Click HERE to see an article a health care magazine did on the project. (Here’s one of Lisa’s NICU pictures.)
Describe one of your favorite photographs and what makes it special.
It’s extremely hard to narrow it down, but one that definitely gets my heart is little Miles, pictured below. He was born prematurely at 30 weeks to some friends of ours. The husband was out of town on a business trip the night he was born, and another girlfriend and I were at the hospital during that very scary time. Baby Miles spent six weeks in the NICU but is now a strong, healthy one year old. I’ve been around so many people who have lost a child, and so getting to photograph the success story of a little one from birth was very special to me. These three pictures show his progression from the NICU to now. The middle picture of him and his mom laughing was selected for a photo gallery in a birthing center in a new hospital in Maine.
What is it like to run a small business with your husband?
I love it! Thankfully we get along very well and work great together as a team. Glen is amazing with computers and the technical side of my business (he actually designed my website), and I really don’t know what I’d do without him. He is my biggest fan and is a huge source of help and encouragement to me.
What are you looking forward to most right now?
I am most looking forward to meeting our first child in a couple of months. We tried for seven and a half years to get pregnant and are expecting our little miracle boy at the beginning of May. We are BEYOND excited!! I’ve been thankful for nausea, lack of energy, weight gain, difficulty with sleep, etc….all because it means I’m finally pregnant. (Lisa and Glen, first-time parents-to-be, are pictured here.)
To visit Lisa’s website, go to lisamacphotography.com. Or call her at 479-271-8017.
I can say from personal experience that Lisa Mac is an amazing photographer. When you have your children in her studio, she truly makes you feel as if you are family! My kids have the best time getting their pictures taken and it shows in the wonderful portraits that grace our walls!
Thank you Lisa Mac!
I have known Lisa most of her life, and can testify that she is one of the most sensitive people that I have ever known. I was privileged to help Lisa and Glen plan their wedding, and enjoyed every minute of time spent with this fantastic couple. I pray for their little family, and am so thankful to know them. Lisa Mac Photography is a blessing to many people.
Lisa was wonderful with Parker (pictured above.) He was not into sitting still and posing for pictures. Lisa had all the tricks and toys to keep him entertained and really capture his personality to create a fun memory for us. She did a fabulous job – by the way, Lisa, congrats on the soon to be new addition!
Shannon L., Parker’s mom