Toneka Cooper Photography

Children's Consignment Sale

Don't forget to check out the Childrens Consignment Sale September 19 & 20 see website for more details!

www.ringaroundtherosy.net

Making a Comeback

So It's been a little while now since I've done photography, I needed to take a break and spend some time with my girls.  It seems like people are requesting that I do more photography now then they did when I was doing it full-time, so I've decided to continue with photography on a very part-time basis right now by request only.  If you would like to have photos taken please email me at Tonekacooperphotography@yahoo.com

Here are some of my newest photos taken a few weeks ago.  I was super excited at how they turned out so well,

**Taking a Break**

Hello everyone, as of last month I've decided that I need to take a break from photography for a little while.  There is just so much time involved in editing and getting the photos finished that I was starting to feel very convicted about not spending that time with my little one's.  I still love photography, and hope to start up again in a few years, but my children are only small once and I really need to enjoy every moment of it and invest my time into them right now.  These are the most important years of their lives.  So at the end of February I'm shutting down my website, so if you havent ordered photos from your photo album, make sure you get that done before February 28th.  Feel free to contact me with any questions you might have.  Thank you so much for all the business and I've enjoyed meeting and getting to know all of you.  God Bless!

Xander "Defender of Mankind"

Isaiah 19:20  "It will be a sign and witness to the Lord Almighty in the land of Egypt. When they cry out to the Lord because of their oppressors, he will send them a savior and defender, and he will rescue them. " This past weekend I also was able to photograph baby Xander who has also just turned one year old!  He was SO full of joy, and personality!  We had a short, but great photo session!  I was very interested in his name seeing as how it was a little unique to me so I decided to look up the meaning.  Xander "Defender of Mankind".  How perfect is that!  This little guy, was so curious about the world, not fearing anything, and had a very strong personality.  Isn't it amazing how sometimes the meaning of a name really describes the personality of that person? Like the name Jesus, have you ever wondered why God told Joseph to name him "Jesus"?  Have you ever just stopped and looked up the meaning of that name?  Jesus "Jehovah is Salvation".  For those of you who do not know "Jehovah" is another name for "God" and "God" and "Jesus" are one person! What amazing truth to His name!  So here are a few photos from the photo session this past weekend!

Happy 1st Birthday Reis!!!

Jeremiah 1:5  "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart..."

Luke 12:7  "Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows"

I had the pleasure of photographing Baby Reis last weekend for his 1 year portraits!  He was AMAZING!  He was just all smiles almost the entire time!!  I really enjoyed getting to meet him and his family, and hope to get to know them better in the future. 

Isn't it funny that when your pregnant we dream about what our baby is going to look like, what they will become in the future.  We envision the birthday parties, the prom's, the graduations, the weddings.  And before you know it that child is already one year old, then 10, then 20!  Even though we envision what we would like the future to be like for our children, it never quite turns out the way we want it to; but isn't it comforting to know that God has their lives all planned out!  That God, knows what is ahead of them and is guiding them along the right path, and that God, like the scripture says knows our children so well, he knows how many hairs are on their heads!  What a comfort to know that when the time comes and our children are all grown up and ready to head down their path without us, that God is holding their hand the rest of the way! 

My prayer for Reis on his 1 year old birthday is that God will always hold his heart in his hands, and that God will always comfort him in times of trouble and in times of hardship.  And that his path will be made clear as to what direction in life God wants him to go.  God bless you Reis, and Happy Birthday!

   

"Come Just as you are"

John 6:37  "All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away"

Psalm 51:17 "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

This photo session was of my beautiful older sister and her new soon-to-be family.   I had the best time spending the day with them and getting the chance to capture their first memories together.  As I took these photos I began to see how well they had adapted to each other, they treat her like a their mom, they treat him like their dad, and they treat each other like they have been siblings forever.  It really just amazed me as to how they all just came together and were so accepting of each other.  No one had to change anything about themselves for this family to become a family.  Of course there might be some compromises here and there but nothing drastic about themselves.  They accept each others past, present and future. 

This is exactly how Christ feels about us.  Most people don't understand that God doesn't expect us to change ANYTHING about ourselves.  He only wants us to come to him just as we are.  He accepts what we've done in the past, who we are in the present, and who we will become in the future.  Whatever we bring to him, weather it be hurt, bitterness, anger, resentment, or just a broken heart...he will accept with open loving arms.

Joshua "God is my Salvation"

Isaiah 12:2  "Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; For the Lord God is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation

After 2 months of bed-rest, Joshua Bayly was born on April 3, 2007 weighing only 1lb 14oz.  They were told "you should abort the pregnancy", "he will never survive, he is just too little!", "You will not ever hear him cry, his lungs are not fully developed", and "If he does survive, he will have serious developmental issues".    15 weeks early, Joshua suffered through heart surgery, Retinopathy of Prematurity (blinding eye disorder in premature babies), three life threatening infections,and blood transfusions almost weekly.

During his stay in the NICU, Joshua was being held in the arms of God the entire time.  Family members were fervently praying for God's favor upon him, over 20 different churches were in prayer for Joshua weekly.  And after 88 days in the NICU, Joshua went home!

Today Joshua is a healthy, 5 month old baby weighing a little over 6lbs now, he is perfect!  I think Joshua's mom said it best when she said, "If you doubt that miracles happen, let our baby be proof that they happen every day."  What amazing things God has done in him already and he is only 5 months old!  It amazes me that God is so powerful that he can give someone so small that much strength! 

So in honor of Joshua recovering, and making it home to live a normal healthy life, here are some photos I took of him this past weekend. 

Jacob

Isaiah 66:13 "As a mother comforts her child so will I comfort you..."

I had the honor of photographing Jacob a few weeks ago.  He was an amazing little guy!  The Lord has given him quite the personality, and has created him perfectly!  During our photo session there was a point where he started to run towards me on a well paved path.  He started to stumble and fell down, but his mommy was quick to comfort him and he quickly got right back up and kept going on!  I couldn't help but think about how many times in life we as humans will stumble and fall, and will run to Christ to be our comfort and to pick us up and help us continue on down his perfectly paved path.  For this I am so grateful!  I pray that as Jacob grows older and later in life he looks back at these photos, he is reminded that no matter how many times he falls that God's comfort will always be there to pick him back up again!

Keep a Song in Your Heart

Psalms 13:6  I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me. Before every photo session, I pray and ask God to let me see the family the way that He sees them, even if it's only a glimpse.  Because everything is beautiful in God's eyes, I pray that he will allow me to see the beauty not only in the photo I'm about to take, but the beauty in the hearts of the people in the photos.  I truly believe that it's the hearts of the people who make the photos beautiful.  Praise God for an answer to prayer! I had the privilege of having a photo session with the Boarman Family. They were such a talented, loving and amazing family!   I got to witness a little music playing, but a lot of love.  God has completely blessed this family with amazing talent, and great hearts! God illuminated their hearts, their love for each other and their love for music, so that it could be captured in their photos. If God only gave me a GLIMPSE of how he sees this family, and how beautiful they are not only on the outside but also on the inside.  I cannot even imagine the brilliance of beauty that God actually sees in them.

2008 Seniors "The Beginning of a New Journey"

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."  Matthew 28:19-20

""Do not be afraid of them for I am with you to deliver you." Declares the Lord."  Jeremiah 1:8

I was a Senior almost 7 years ago, but it seems like just yesterday I was walking the line in my cap and gown.  Time flies by so fast after high school, before you know it you're married with two babies and the days seem to go faster and faster. 

It's a scary time as well as exciting time because it's your first real step into the "Real World."  Everything changes and you might be stuck somewhere between wanting to be an adult and staying a child and feel like you don't quite fit in anywhere yet.  Just know that God has a plan for your life and that the plan he has set before you was made especially for you!  There may be times when you fall, or get off track from where God wants you, or even times where the road seems a bit scary and too big for you.  Just know that during these times the Lord is with you.  He has set your path before you it might be a little bumpy along the way but when God sends you out on a journey or quest he will be by your side the entire way! 

So in order to remember this special time in your life, I have put together a "Senior Special." 

-All Sessions will take place at the location of your choice.

-Session fee's are $50.00 and normally last 1-2 hours.

-You may have up to 4 changes of clothes and as many props as you want to include.

-Refer a friend and get 1/2 off your prints and 10% off your Session Fee. 

- Refer 2 or more friends to receive some free prints!

Please click the "Email Me" link to your right to contact me for more information.