little beauties

Two sets of the biggest brown eyes awaited in the window to greet me and introduce me to their new baby sister last Wednesday the day after Christmas. While the blizzard ensued outside, we got to hang out and get to know each other a. I really enjoyed these little faces and the warmth they shared on such a cold snowy day. 

I think the only thing cuter than this......

could be this.........

or maybe this.....yes this for sure.

Love this face

Childhood and the end of summer.  They seem to grow up over the summer don't they?  I can see the story of many little girls in this capture of Ella, including that of my three sister's and mine.  A summer of mud pies, fireflies, bike riding, running back and forth between friends' houses barefooted, collecting new pets, new bruises and bumps, new freckles and a little more independence.

Beach face

This summer the boys all saw the ocean for the first time.  They approved with lots of body surfing, shell collecting and castle building that included huge walls, moats, and roads for the cars. 

McCoy stuck closer to the sand unless Dad carried him out to the waves.  Content to tuck his head on Dad's shoulder and be as brave as a 2 1/2 year old can be.  

Side note: how do we stand a chance with this face. Good thing we are fairly strict and stick to our guns or he would run the house. The little charmer. 

First Grade

We all go through the same conflicting feelings sending our children to school all day......proud, excited, ready, relieved,......sad, reminiscent, scared, lonely. They are moving up and on.  We did it.  We gave it all we had and then some. They will remember this and be strong from it. Independence is a great thing.   Got to let them grow up.  It hurts the heart so.
"You are the best mom I've ever had."  One of my favorites everyday.

 Big world, you be good to him. 

This does mean though more time alone with little britches.  I'll take it. Don't you grow up yet.

Anticipation

They have been waiting quite awhile for this second one to come along.  All are very excited to meet him come September. 

Little Mama

It always amazes me how little girls like two year old Valerie become little moms so quickly.  It is just their instincts. I love little girls with their dolls when they are barely the bigger of the two.  Such a timeless thing. I love how her baby has the same big blue eyes as her.  

double blessing

Twin baby girl session on Sunday at 5 weeks old. I love this full belly as it shows how well they are growing.  I kept thinking, and saying, "Two babies!" It is honestly the best thing that can happen to you and it happens twice.  Seems unbelievable almost.  Two different personalities already that mom and dad are discovering too amidst the still sleepless nights.

Baseball!

We had so much fun this summer watching Roman play his first season of baseball.  Even with the heat and playing in 100 degree temperatures with heat advisories, he stuck it out like a trooper and didn't complain.  Basketball is his number one sport and he wants to play soccer again this spring, so we will see if we get back on the diamond next summer.  Either way we are always proud and excited to see them try new things.

Bentley

A beautiful little girl just like her mama.  So sweet and lovely.

Maxwell

This is love............

Her kids

A sneak peek for a mama who has been waiting.

Sandwiched

I met a beautiful little girl named Nora today.  10 days old and we sandwiched her between Mom and Dad's childhood Teddy Bears.  What a good time for that big smile.  There's a whole lot of love here - old and new. 

low light love

This is a good example of one of the reasons I love indoor sessions as much as, if not more than outdoor sessions.   We are often on the hunt for that perfect soft and flattering, abundant light, no matter where we are. Low light images are something that may not be at the top of our list. I like to move around a lot during a session, getting different angles and lighting and  when things like this happen it just reminds me to step back but be prepared and shoot!  shoot! shoot!   Because little bits of magic can happen when we are not trying to control everything and just letting things be.  I love when I get to the point of a session where we feel like we've done enough and gotten what we wanted and then the pressure can just seem to slip away.  I so often see what I am really looking for during this time. 

I was talking with my friend  Tonya  other night about how it is a funny situation entering a client's home for the first time and seeing the space, the lighting, the energy, meeting the personalities which more often than not includes large friendly dogs and one or more children and how we go to work in your head about how to put things together to create opportunities for great images -- all the while keeping the conversation going, and feeling everyone out for any , hesitations, concerns, etc. 
  Calm and collected seems to work for me.  There are some photographers who will come in and insert their high energy and excitement to create a roller coaster ride of a session  getting the smiles and so on, but that just isn't me.  I am certainly not above being silly (feel free to help me with this as I love to turn around and see mom and dad being crazy to get their little ones  happy) but I don't want to photograph so much my effect on everyone as I want to photograph their effects on each other. 
  Of course there is no way around the fact that we have most likely just met and there is that little fact of the big camera in my face, someone may have missed a nap, the baby needs to eat, the clothes don't fit, it's raining and so on. We will deal with this  and do all the things that we do to direct the situation, but more often than not, our favorite images have nothing to do with me.  

My husband often asks me (or tells me really) that he isn't sure how or why I am doing what I am doing because it can be intimidating and difficult to meet folks and hang out and come away with what they have so kindly paid me to do.   I often end up standing on people's beds or lying in the grass or mud laughing, talking about personal things and really being allowed in this bubble for awhile which is kind of unbelievable.  I've made lots of friends because of the closeness that can be created in these moments.  I've ended session crying happy tears with moms because we "get it" and how important what we just did is.

   I am by no means an extrovert or like to control people or situations. There is just something about this kind of an opportunity to be the one to spend a little time getting to know a family with a new baby, or a three year old girl who is the center of mom and dad's world, or a couple that can't help but show the camera how much love is between them.  That is what I love the most;  the realness of relationships.  You can sit side by side and look at the camera and smile, but when I see you looking at each other the way you would were I not there...THAT is why I do this.  It's life.  It's that little snuggle in the image above of Nash knowing his mama has him; and that is all he needs.  It especially gets me with moms because I know we want the close ups of their happy smiling faces, but we also want to remember how much they loved us and them be able to see down the road how much we loved them and  cared for them and they will see it in these images.  

I could not stress more how great it is when there is a relaxed, go with the flow, and into each other vibe during a session.  There are certain tips and tricks to getting folks to be at ease, but if you go into it knowing that "if you build it, they will come", meaning that if you love on each other and interact be yourselves and be real, I will deliver that to you in your final images.  You are all beautiful so please try your best to forget about the camera and just feel good about yourselves and your lives.  This really is about catching a moment in time.  We are all in so many ways the same.  

Courtney, Nash's mom from above, almost didn't have this session at 18 months as we had the one year session and she was planning on waiting until he turned two to do it again.  I hope she is as glad she did as I am.  Another good reason to just let go and relax.  You will never have this moment again.  I love lifestyle photography.  

An extra special Valentine

This is LOVE................................

Presence

This is of Katie and Lauren.  Sometimes these images get lost in the middle of a gallery of big blue eyes and smiling faces, but they are always the ones that I go back to.  Just a few seconds of checking in with mom for that familiar comfort.  It says so much.

Drew's day off

I got these from my teenager today.  He must have thought it was my birthday because this is such a rarity around here.  He is not a fan of being in front of the camera.  I don't know why, looks like one handsome guy to me. 

Nothing better than a newborn