Lav & Lime | Safety First!

Quarantine life has been full of living in my purple velour robe, eating homemade chocolate chip cookies for breakfast, measuring time by how long it was since we last ate, and binge watching Community on Netflix from the boys’ bedtime until we realize we should have gone to bed hours ago. Unlike some other households, our 18 month old, 4 year old, and 6 year old have been homeschooling us and in charge most days. I’ve learned more than I have in any other season of life.

I’ve learned that my middle child has a similar sense of humor to Pierce (from Community) and that waking up at 4:45 am to work is actually very productive with an awesome accountability partner. I’ve learned the art of compartmentalizing and the beauty of relationships. I’ve learned that my children now talk about “before Coronavirus” and “after Coronavirus” as a descriptor in their experiences and that my husband is a rockstar quarantine partner. I’ve learned that the ordinary isn’t actually very mundane and we have an excess of “things.” I’ve learned to let go, to hold on, to be more intentionally present and that time for myself is a necessity. I’ve learned that an imagination surpasses all of the most expensive toys and that our boys are blessed with an overflow of creativity when pushed beyond boredom. This goes for the adults of our household, too.

Now we’re moving to the next phase of our lives by reopening the studio on June 1st and I cannot WAIT to see your beautiful faces in the studio again. I’ve so missed your company, the beautiful moments I’ve been waiting to capture and doing what I love most. With that in mind, here are some safety precautions that will be in place moving forward.

Every client will still be receiving one on one session planning and designing expertise, as well as a custom session and finished portrait experience. Providing the gift of storytelling to you once again fills me with joy! June is entirely booked and July has two sessions openings - book your session as soon as possible to guarantee availability. E-mail me at anj@lavandlime.com, comment on this post with your e-mail or call me at 816.332.3440 to learn more information about a session with Lav & Lime!

Master of Photography

Photography is as much part of my soul as being a wife and mama. As wonderful as it was to have a long winter of baby-snuggles I’m ready to be inspired and creative in a new way. It’s a beautiful Spring day, and it feels SO GOOD to have the studio up and running!

Check out this newest babe of mine — isn’t he a cutie?

During my maternity leave, I took a brief trip to Atlanta, Georgia — home of the Falcons (I had to ask Google) —  and headquarters of the Professional Photographers of America (PPA) association. My husband, Caspian, and I went there for one of the biggest professional photographer events in the nation, Imaging USA. It was 4 days of top-notch education from industry leaders, late nights with good friends, and a trade show with the latest in professional photography product offerings.

Additionally, through PPA I was honored, proud, and excited to be receiving my Master of Photography (M.Photog) degree! This degree is awarded for “superior photographic skills demonstrated through the Photographic Open category of PPA’s International Photographic Competition, advanced education, and service to the industry.” To become a Master Photographer, you must have at least 13 portraits accepted into the International Print Competition which is no small feat (in 2018, there were 5077 images entered)! This was years of hard work, dedication and help from mentors. My photography has improved tremendously from this experience, and I’m so thankful to all the clients and friends that have made it possible for me to achieve this huge goal!

Here are the portraits I entered that make it totally appropriate for you to call me Master Anj :-)

Grab a cup of coffee and click on the images below to view!

I also entered two albums, both near and dear to my heart. This first one is of my babies, and it filled me with joy to have personal work recognized at the competition level. It was aptly named, “The Adventures of Mal & Ephy.”

This second album was entitled “Class of 2035” and was the first time I’ve really pushed myself and entered a body of work that truly felt like a passion project versus client work. I was honored to have this album be in the top 10 albums in the Non-Event Album Category and up for a Grand Imaging award!

Meet the family behind Lav & Lime Photo Studio

The Olson Five - Martin, Anjana, Malachi, Ephraim, & Caspian

Where do I begin?

I love coffee, Indian food, whiskey, and deeply authentic conversation with kindred spirits (Anne of Green Gables, anyone?). I am a wife to a wonderful man, a mama to three amazing, adorable boys and a soulful photographer and business owner. As I write this the sun is streaming through the windows, The Mountain Goats is playing softly in the background and my third child, Caspian, is cooing in his swing. My life can be chaotic, messy, perfectly imperfect but full of love.

Stories are a passion of mine — reading them, writing them, dreaming them and photographing them. My love for stories comes from my Mama, who was a librarian for 29 years. I love to get lost in others’ unique narrative and see myself in their light. My favorite books echo my love for the old world and serve as an inspiration for my photography sessions — if you look closely you’ll find Jane Eyre, Atlas Shrugged, The Chronicles of Narnia, and Gone with the Wind.

After having three children, Marty and I have learned to let go a little and be more intentional with our time. As a family, every day we yearn to be kind, empathetic and generous with our love — to raise little men who know how to lead with their heart. Follow our personal journey on Instagram at @mrsanjolson!