Unlocked Boudoir | Nashville Boudoir Photographer

Today is a special day. One, because it’s Valentine’s Day - a day solely dedicated to love. Chocolate candy and roses aside, I think it’s important to take some time and celebrate the thing that makes the world go ‘round. But secondly, it’s because I’ve finally put the finishing touches on my new boudoir website and I’m so excited to share it with you. If you’re a guy, feel free to share this post and the website link with your wife or fiancé. However, please respect the fact that the website was designed for women’s eyes only.

I talk a lot throughout the website about not only why I think a boudoir shoot is something every woman should consider doing, but also why I love shooting it. So I’ll let you read it for yourself here and here. Just know that for me, I shoot boudoir for two reasons:  I love what boudoir does for women. I also love what it does for their marriages. I just started reading the book Fight Like a Girl: The Power of Being a Woman by Lisa Bevere. I’m barely two chapters in, but one thing that Lisa said really resonated with me; I felt like it summed up exactly what my heart’s been saying throughout this whole process.

“I long for the day when [women] will begin to…restore the unique splendor, love and beauty that only the expression of the feminine brings…I want to help women capture the beauty and strength of their life seasons. No matter what our present season or perspective, this cannot happen until we first learn to love one another and who we are as women.”

Wow. I feel like you just had a quick peek into the depths of my soul. Makes me feel a little…um, exposed. :)

So, without making you wait any longer, I give you Unlocked Boudoir. Take a look around and let me know what you think. When you’re ready, let’s chat about what you’d like your boudoir session to look like. And just in case you’re having trouble deciding, the first five ladies that book their boudoir sessions with me will receive an album credit for a Little Black Book (a $300 value!). I know these spots will go fast, so don’t wait too long to give me a call. I promise you’ll be so happy you did.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Because of my desire to preserve the integrity of what Unlocked Boudoir is all about, I plan on limiting its presence here on this blog to special announcements. I will be posting updates and information periodically on Facebook and Twitter, but for the most part, I will be keeping Unlocked Boudoir its own separate, private beast.

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Coming Soon... | Nashville Boudoir Photographer

I've tried to be patient. Really, I have. The fact that I'm about to share something with you that I've been working on for almost a year is a testament to that. Isn't it? I think that's pretty good considering that I'm the kind of girl that skips to the end of a murder mystery novel just to see who really did it and then goes back to reading the book. Just can't help myself. Anyone close to me knows just how important this project has been and is to me. Once the website is up and running, I'll share a little bit more with you about that and the plans I have for this "sister" business of Kimberly Barnes Photography.  So the bad news is that you'll have to wait just a little bit longer. The good news?  My lack of restraint means that you get a little taste of things to come:

Since several of you have asked, I am currently booking boudoir sessions and it's not too late to book something for Valentine's Day. 


Can't wait to share more with you!

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Five Years Later | Personal

On June 17th, 2006, I put on a sparkly white dress and said goodbye to my single years, pledging my life and my love to my very best friend. Five incredible years later, we've been through one adventure after another, through heartache and loss, through life's blessings and joys - and I couldn't imagine having shared these experiences with anyone else. Happy Anniversary, my sweet husband.  Here's to many, many more years to come!

Photo taken by Brown Street Studios

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Today | Personal

Today is a special day for me. Because every year on this day, I get to celebrate the life of a woman who's taught me to be strong, independent and caring. She's showed me how to serve others unconditionally and what it looks like to live out your marriage vows, faithfully and completely. She's been more than I could ever ask for and all that I could ever hope to be.

Happy birthday, Mom! I love you!

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Merry Christmas! | Nashville Photographer at Opryland Hotel

Christmas has always been my favorite holiday, both because it's the season of giving (and cookies and baking and Santa and snow - sometimes - and Christmas trees and decoration and time with family and...) and because of the significance Christmas has in those of us who share a relationship with Jesus Christ. However this year, I feel all out of sorts since we traveled so much in November. I haven't done much baking and our sole Christmas decoration, a tree, - yes, purchased just this week - stands alone in its four feet of greatness. And most of all, I am just now getting my heart in order for Christmas carols and all their meaning, a candlelight service and celebration tomorrow. It's also why it is Christmas Eve and I'm finally getting some festive photos up here.

The Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville has always been well-known for its contribution to the holiday festivities. A must-see at any time of the year, around Christmas, the four gardens in the hotel are adorned with thousands of sparkling lights, poinsettias and giant decorations hanging from the ceiling. This year is perhaps more poignant that most, considering that Opryland just recently reopened after being heavily renovated after our May 2010 flood. So for those of you who aren't Nashvillians, I bring a little piece of our Christmas to you:

Have a gloriously wonderful Christmas and I'll see you next year!

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Welcoming Change | Personal

I've never been a huge fan of change. Sometimes it seems like just when you get comfortable, change comes along. I like schedules. I like being able to plan. Sure, I like being spontaneous. Especially when it's planned spontaneity.  Besides, it's a fun word to spell. But for the most part, I'm good with consistency.

However, I'm also a big believer in taking full advantage of opportunities that present themselves. Even when it's something that I wasn't necessarily expecting or looking for. 

Yesterday marked the final day in a particular season of my life. Many of you who are close to me already know what I'm talking about, but I've tried to keep the news somewhat under wraps during the past three weeks out of respect for a place that's been very dear to my heart over the last year. Yesterday was my last day at Barefoot.

I've been offered a writing opportunity that allows me to work from home. It was something that popped up when I wasn't expecting or looking for it, but from the moment that first e-mail reached my inbox, I've felt that gentle pull; the whisper to my heart that says, This is for you. Working from home will allow me to spend more time investing in some of the other things that are most important to me. Like my marriage. My home. My faith. And yes, photography.

I can't quite put my finger on it, but I feel it's as if a certain restlessness within my soul has been quieted. I've been feeling unsettled lately as I can see some of the big changes in my life that will happen over the next couple of years, but have been very unsure about how I'm going to get there. And it's as if from one single moment, I'm reassured, once again, that my future lies in His hands. Silly me for ever worrying about it. 

I'm not sure where this road will eventually take me, but I'm looking forward to the next adventure that awaits. And excited that you'll be along for the ride. 

And because every blog post should always have a picture, I thought one from this fall season would be quite fitting:

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Finding Myself | Personal Reflection

Who am I? That's really an age-old question, isn't it? One's self is not easily defined, nor is it readily understood. And to make things even more difficult (as things often are), self-definition and self-discovery must occur not once or twice, but many times throughout one's life.

Take junior high, for example. Yeah, I know...do we really want to go back there?? I don't know about you, but for me, it was one of the most pivotal times in my life. After a satisfying summer vacation, I arrived at the first day of 7th grade thinking I was pretty hot stuff. (Okay, nerdy hot stuff, but who's really into details these days?) After all, elementary school was a cakewalk. But to my surprise, there were hundreds of other kids my age looking for the same thing: searching for love, for acceptance and just wanting to be noticed by somebody. And so began my first sojourn to find myself. My awkward, nerdy self. Sans the glasses, thank goodness.

My personal journey in high school offered a much more positive experience overall. As much as I dislike existing in the past, I often find myself jealous of, well, my past self, really. Outgoing, self-assured and confident in both who I was in Christ and what I wanted out of life. Passionate to the core and not caring much about what other people thought.

College. Marriage. Getting my first job. Leaving my first job. Experiencing loss. Each of these represent moments in my life when I've had to reevaluate priorities and really ask myself (and God) some hard questions to figure out which road to travel. I think I'm just at a point in my life (yes, at the old age of 25) where I'm trying to once again figure out who I'm meant to be and what I'm meant to do. It's not that I'm dissatisfied with my life - quite the contrary, actually - I just can't shake the nagging feeling that I'm missing something. I love my husband and I love my life, but with marriage (sorry, babe), work, managing the household and the other things clamoring for my attention these days, I can't help but feel as if I've lost a bit of myself along the way.

It's one of the reasons I love photography. Photography is one of those things that challenges you to find what makes you unique. It requires you to be confident, yet vulnerable; it asks you to share pieces of yourself as you experience moments in other peoples' lives. Sure, I can take a pretty picture, but I want it to be so much more than that. I want my photography to be reflection of who I am while showing off the beauty that God made in each of His creations. That's why I'm so excited about the For the Love Workshop this fall. I have a feeling that it will be a great opportunity for some deep soul-searching while fellowshipping with my brothers and sisters in Christ and getting poured into by some of the photographers I most admire.

At this moment, I am crossing my fingers and praying there's a spot with my name on it. I'd love to be there.

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Sorting Through the Aftermath | Personal Reflection

For anyone who still hasn't heard (and I'm still amazed at the number of people who haven't or who don't know the whole story), Nashville flooded. Well, actually much of Tennessee was underwater. On May first, it rained. And rained. And it continued to rain for almost two entire days. Even after the rain stopped, the Cumberland River continued to rise, covering downtown Nashville inch by inch as the water crept forward.









By now, over a week later, even those living outside of Tennessee have seen the images of downtown Nashville, the Opry, Opryland Hotel and the Opryland Mall underwater. Lives were lost and homes were destroyed, but I am amazed daily at the number of Tennesseans who have been willing to help out their neighbors. I am also amazed at the humbleness - even to a fault - of those who truly were devastatingly affected by the flood. I can't tell you how many times I've heard someone who lost their home or belongings in the flood decline help because there were others they felt needed it more.

On Friday, I had the opportunity to push up my sleeves and join in the volunteer flood relief effort. It was there that I met Roger, one of the many whose lives have been changed forever from the May flood. Although the budding photographer in me wanted to ask him for a picture, I couldn't bring myself to do it. He was letting us into a vulnerable part of his life, and I just couldn't.

As we went through his home, I could see his shoulders fall a little more each time we asked what he wanted to salvage and what needed to be thrown away. Photos, furniture, electronics, his beloved collectibles - the flood had shown no consideration for what it destroyed. The sadness in his eyes as he held back the tears made me wonder if I would have the same strength if this was my home. It's amazing what only one foot of water will do.





Even more heart-wrenching is the fact that Roger is not alone. Nearly everything that makes up these people's lives will be discarded on the side of the road and they'll have to start from scratch.






But they have their lives. And each other. Do we really need much more than that? I mean, really?

I watched the movie "Leap Year" last night with a few girlfriends. During the movie, Amy Adam's character was asked what she would save from her home if her house was on fire and she had 60 seconds to grab what she could. In a flood, you may have more time, but the question is still the same. What would I grab? Provided that the husband and kitties were already safe, aside from the stacks and albums of photos I have, in order to preserve the memories they hold, I really can't think of anything else I would truly need. Sure, I have a lot that I would want. By most standards, our lives have been incredibly blessed. But when it comes right down to it, it's all just stuff. I feel an undeniable need to purge my life of "stuff". I'll let you know how it goes...

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