behind the scenes 2017

There's a sweet waitress friend I have who is 87 and at the end of her shifts you can most likely hear her say "What a night!"

Well, what a year! 2017 was the busiest year I've had yet...

JUST SUCH A GOOD YEAR. <3

(Huge huge thank you to my friends Laura McDonald, Rachel Waters, and my sistas Angie & Rosie for capturing me in my element. Y'all rock.)

Let me introduce myself. I'm Mei Lin Kate, a portrait and lifestyle photographer...

who loves to pull double duty in a wedding...

(I mean, just let me know if one of your bridesmaids gets sick!)

Current record of holding things includes a suit jacket, bouquet, shoes, my camera, and the train of my sister's wedding dress while balancing on two rocks in a stream. Let me know if you want me to carry your things on your wedding day!! I will try to look this humble and grateful and totally not cynical each time.

You can often find me making this face. It's most likely because you're just so beautiful...

(or is it because I smelled the chicken wings the caterers just brought?)

​But don't worry, you won't be seeing it all the time. The "Focus Face" is equally as important and equally as seen on a special day.

Oh! And a few other things you can know about me is that I can always pretend to be a makeup artist for your wedding party...

...andI also like to try to stay behind the scenes. Subtlety truly is my strong point as you can tell...

I mean, can you even see me?

and even though I'm known to vacillate between my iPod 5 and Canon 6D (I used to bring them both!)...

I guess I haven't really changed.

Other talents/skills include:

Wobbling precariously backwards...

or trying to find an even more precarious balance on a stool while hunching...

​ or teaching a barre workout class on the shores of Lake MI during your shoot for free! (no additional charge ;)

Step one: squats.

Also, proper posture. That's key!

And I like to mix things up and do some ballet as well. POSITION FOUR.

I'm also good at directing traffic. Or the Hallellujah Chorus (badly)....

Ah yes. And hair fixing. As Caroline Logan says...10% a photographer, 90% a hair stylist.

I'm also super good at inhaling my own hair. A very important skill to have...

And have I even mentioned my hunching? Clearly need to add this to my resume.

But I couldn't write a behind the scenes post without talking about my behind the scenes gal, Angie. She does very important things like hold my reflector...

Photobomb...

She also is a fantastic pack mule, especially with expensive things like watches and computers...

Angie also is a GREAT chauffeur. She's so classy she even matches you...THANKS ANGIE!!! She took so many of my behind the scenes pictures and I'm so glad we can hang out together.

And while we're at it...

Word of appreciation for this boss mama who brought a dining room chair for her son and then helped me lug that and his cello. Debbie, we love you!

But I'm really truly thankful for my wonderful clients...

like my pastors, who braved the cold windy November weather...

(what you don't know is that the photoshoot for headshots was actually the Christian remake of "Karate Kid." ;)

or this sweet gal, who braved branches and trees just for a shot of nature...

and Ben, who wasn't afraid to play in Lake MI and get drenched...

and Emily. Oh my goodness, SO thankful Emily was an MLKP senior!!!

and a random behind the scenes photo from another family who just adopted a lil girl and who I was so blessed to work with. <3

But in all seriousness...

How much does Mei Lin love her job?

THIS MUCH!

(where that tiny amount of muscle went, we can only guess...)

WHAT A YEAR. 2018, I'm so ready for ya!

#BehindTheScenes

17 moments...

17 has been a year for the books. And in true form, as the memory-catching, forever-in-love-with-this-life kind of person that I am, I'm stealing inspiration from Elise Joy who has documented two things on her blog, things & moments that have made her year before her birthday.

So without further ado, 17 moments that rocked my world...

...staying home from a Christmas choir concert to get the call from Rush Limbaugh's staff letting me know that Rush & Kathryn loved my music.

...when Christ saved my soul and the peace and joy I felt for the first time.

...seeing people that I loved walk into my senior recital.

...so many of the moments when I had my earbuds in and the new song I was listening to was it, the one I'd been waiting to hear forever and knew I'd want to play.

...the freedom of NO MORE SCHOOL FOR A LONG TIME IF NOT FOREVER.

...when the lovely young couple I waited on just kept making my night after a real busy ringer and then tipped me 40%.

...all the times I heard the words, "I love you" or "thank you".

...when one of my photo clients said to me, "you legitimately just made my wife's year."

...all the trips to old navy with my sister.

...when I sat down to play for choir and as Anne of Green Gables says, "her sense of humor was developing, and the speeches that would have hurt her at fourteen were becoming merely food for amusement now." (Anne of the Island, page 10) and just realizing that mistakes are inevitably gonna happen.

...getting my photos back from Rachel and just realizing how amazingly she had captured this season of life. SO MUCH JOY.

...when I saw Naleigh Moon for the first time and just. couldn't. stop. smiling. Adoption is the neatest.

...the wedding. every single moment of that day was just pure magic.

...every single talk I've had with my parents about Jesus.

...the moment when the light comes on and you leave the presence of God rejoicing in His goodness.

...the moment when I realized that life changes alot, and that's okay.

...the moment when I realized performing is so much better when you give the glory to God.

WHAT A YEAR. 18, bring it on.....

17 things...

Something I love about photos is the concept of them being a time capsule of memories! I think the same thing can be said about writing. One of my favorite things is reading old blog posts and looking through pictures that I treasured at different seasons in life.

Seventeen has brought alot of joy and new things and new beginnings, and I thought it'd be super fun to share 17 things that have made my year. (This idea originally came from Elise Joy who shares things & moments...17 moments are comin' soon!) :)

-this bar necklace / lately I've been absolutely obsessed with jewelry having a meaning and the reason I wear and love this necklace is because it was a gift from my sister and her then fiancee. I remember having a few talks with him afterwards and her, and it's a reminder that they pray for me daily and that is such a beautiful thought to carry with me everyday! I cannot find the original because I lost the packaging about two minutes after I got the necklace but Made By Mary has some beautiful similar ones! It made me so sad that I broke it a few days ago at work...so I'll be fixing it super soon!

-journaling Bible / I cannot get over what a game-changer having a notebook of sorts in my daily devotions. Instead of cramping my handwriting in the teensy margins, last year I invested in a NASB journaling Bible. I use She Reads Truth (more on that in just a bit!) and they often share thoughts that I love to keep in my Bible when I look over texts. I also love to connect passages and the margins are just great for writing notes from the sermons or what I've been learning. Couldn't more highly recommend!

-old navy / my closet is slowly and surely filling up with their pieces, and I'm not mad.

-uninvited / one of my favorite books in the whole wide world after my Bible. life changing, for sure! Lysa TerKeurst is a gem.

-my Canon 6D / Sav is my buddy forever, unless I ever choose to invest again. But right now, I'm so happy with her!

-She Reads Truth / this past year, I've made a real effort (that the Lord has blessed!!!) to read the Word more. I think I saw either Hilary Johnson or Mary Kate Robertson using She Reads Truth and I've been hooked ever since. Their theology is sound and their free plans are some of my favorite and truly make me want to read the Bible more! Right now I'm doing a 365 plan that is teaching me so much because I don't have any devotional to go with it, and as much as I miss having one, it's good to just settle in and read.

-free sheet music / as I transition from studying piano privately to studying by myself, IMSLP is my favorite for legally free classical music. whoop whoop!

-aidell's chicken meatballs / healthy chicken meatballs? in Italian, Buffalo, and Carmelized Onion? Enough said.

-simple makeup / if I told my freshman self I like to look pretty natural (with my fair share of "ooh let's look glam!!!" days) she woulda laughed in my face. I've been trying to invest in nicer makeup (laugh with me 'cause I still buy E.L.F.!) but I find what works for me and just stick with it. (You can find all the deets for my makeup at the bottom. If you're not into that, that's okay. :)

-orange shoes / after what, 17 years? I'm finally figuring out my style. I've been loving these orange Nikes since I saw Mary Kate Robertson wear them and I found them at Goodwill for $5. They're my favorite...so light and comfy! I love the minimalist feel, however, when I injured my foot it supported it enough to where it felt so good. I have the Nike Free RN Flyknits!

-raspberry fig bars / I've been obsessed. enough said.

-my water bottle collection / has grown and continues to.

-lipsticks / I have an Estee Lauder berry colored gloss and a rose colored one that I'm equally obsessed with.

-essential oils / forever and always a fan. I love my peppermint, lavender, and lemon!

-jumpsuit / this old navy cami jumpsuit is the best for working at Russ' since I can just throw it on with a sweater and be comfy all day! I'm 5' and I wear a size S for reference.

-Adam Young film scores&soundtracks / just put these on while you work and smile. thank me later. the story behind them is super super cool. you can read it here.

-barre and yoga and weights and being healthy / 17 has been a game changer in the health world for me, and for that I continue to be so thankful!

LINKS:

maybelline mascara, (I've tried a few for my short teensy lashes and my sister uses this and I'm fully convinced.) covergirl mascara, (light and pretty) elf blush & bronzer duo in st. lucia (great for my warmer asian skin tone), elf eyeliners (1, 2)