The kitchen is one of my favorite places in the home. It's where people tend to gather at parties, is where good food is made, it's where dance parties are held and it's where families get to be together (maybe even for the first part of their busy day.) These tradition start from when children are babes and hopefully, they will feel the warmth and love from the memories made in this very space.
Six months is just one of my favorite ages for little babes and this little guys was a bundle of fun for our short story session. He was so talkative and wanting to munch on everything! He is sitting amazing and has the best little personality.
I am grateful to this family for inviting me back time after time to watch their little ones grow. It's truly the best compliment <3
Women are amazing beings. Being able to do all of this amazing work inside your body and to be able to get your self up and ready and looking stunning is no east feat. Kylee showed up ready to rock this session with the cutest little bump and a do or die mentality about this session. See, they are in town for her shower this weekend, so these pictures were happening come rain or shine. And come rain it did, except for the 40 minutes we shot in the cold and wet. These two were ready to brave the rain just to have maternity pictures and their priorities make them amazing people to work with!
Let's give a high five to all the families that make time for family photos. Especially around this time of year when there is so much going on. Family pictures don't need to be posed and fancy, in fact, we ALMOST took some awkward family photos at this session! There is so much stress in your life, but photos don't have to be one of them. Let me worry about the kids, all you need to do is to love and snuggle and play!
What can you do in 20 minutes? It doesn't sound like a lot of time, but we created this magic and more in that amount of time!
Seriously, if you don't have a lot of time to spare this holiday season, but want updated family pictures, 20 minutes is all you need!
You may recognize this handsome fella from a senior session I posted a little while ago in downtown Detroit. Well, that was just part one! We had the amazing opportunity (thanks to his mom) to take pictures at the Detroit Opera House. And let me tell you, what an experience.
To be able to experience the Opera House when there is almost no one there was unreal. To be able to be on stage looking out into the seats was unreal, and for Jacob, to be able to sing on a stage like that was probably a mini dream come true. I say "mini" because this kid has some BIG dreams and BIG plans for his future and I can't wait to follow along on his journey.
UGH!
I mean just keep giving me all of these moody fall photoshoots! I will just live here forever. Seriously, the color has been so beautiful lately and I am getting the perfect families to match that beauty!
Can you believe that this is their property? I mean... yes please!
Beautiful family and beautiful location!
In true Michigan fall fashion, we pretended that it was a beautiful fall day, but we were sweating by the end of it because it decided to be a heatwave for our session. In the end it was worth it for these shots and these beautiful colors!
Have you ever left your family photography session feeling defeated and like the photographer couldn't have got anything good?
Think again. We, as photographers, try to make the session as fun and relaxed as possible, but sometimes the kids have their own plan in mind. When that happens, the whole thing can feel like chaos and you can walk away feeling like there is no way there is anything good. My promise as a photographer is that there will always be pictures to love from your session. Because even when we are setting up a shot that might not turn out well, I'm still shooting the in between moments that are always some of my favorites from the session.
What happens when you bring two creatives together? Magic, that's what.
Jake had a very clear idea of what he wanted and didn't want. And he did NOT want standard senior photos. We were both spitballing ideas and making things come to life. It was a beautiful night in the city, and this might be one of my favorite sessions of all time.
Excuse the overshare...I can't help myself.
How beautiful it is to be able to live on a property that also can host as a beautiful backdrop for your family photos! From the indoor kids room shoots to the beautiful fields and oasis of a backyard; this place had it all.
It means so much to me, as a photographer, when families want the special moments to be captured. Hillary came to me and wanted each kid photographed in their own space, which I though was so special! We, also, got a beautiful mix of Christmas card worthy photos and beautiful candids for their memories. At one point, their youngest told me that family pictures were so much "fun" and my day was made.
Let the connection of this beautiful family speak for itself <3
Okay, let's take a moment and pause to remember how bad senior pictures used to be....remember? Now let's appreciate how far the style of senior pictures have come. They are light hearted, comfortable, casual and most of all, they show personality. None of this laying on the ground with rose petals surrounding you...like what?
Seriously though, how beautiful is she? All of the poses and prompts sent her way, she tackled with grace and beauty. I forget how much I truly love taking senior portraits.
I am not sure which is more fun, having family return year after year or getting to meet new faces.
Shooting at the DIA was new for me, (I hadn't shot there before and I have another one there this month) but I loved shooting with all of that beautiful texture. There was so much room to run around and chase these busy kiddos. On the outside this place feels so fancy, but I loved how we made it be so casual and the perfect backdrop for this beautiful family.
Seeing this family getting bigger just makes my heart so full!
Families, be sure to make extended family photos a thing at least every 2 years. It's a big undertaking, but families grow so fast! Trust me, you will want pictures of your parents with your littles while they are still little. It's a beautiful way to coordinate for a gallery wall and a perfect gift for the grandparents <3 It's a hassle, but it's always worth it.
I love love love when I get families that tell me they are up for trying anything that I've been wanting to try. And this creek is one that I have been itching to get at. It didn't disappoint and I love that it had so many areas to explore!
Honestly, the amount of images I can take in about 20 minutes floors me. I truly think these short story sessions are the most bang for your buck and they produce the sweetest images!
These new short story sessions are becoming a favorite to document! I feel like it gets the most bang for your buck if you're looking to keep the cost low or to try out documentary/lifestyle photography for the first time.
They are so quick and easy and the kids (and husbands) don't hate them!
I was so excited to set this one up with Laura! I have taken photos of her family in the past and she wanted one of these as a mommy and me session and I was so on board! We had so much fun working together and I can't wait to share these images with you!
I was so excited that this family came back to me for updated pictures. Since our last shoot, there have been 4 babies and a fiance added to the mix and I could not wait to get them in front of my camera again!
The styling is always on point as well as the location. Luckily the rain stopped just in time for us to be able to follow through with this shoot and I am so glad it did.
Yesterday, the sun was shining, the temperature was a perfect 73 degrees and a beautiful couple got to tie the knot in front of all of their family and friends. It truly couldn't have been a more perfect day.
It seemed like yesterday when we took Megan and Dillon's engagement pictures and I was able to witness how truly perfect of a couple that they were together. Being able to photograph their wedding was an amazing honor and I truly wish them the best of luck moving forward!
I live for these moments right here. It's true, my heart and soul will advocate for in home real life photos all day long, but you know what? Sometimes you just want to feel pretty. So let's get those kid running and playing and capture the interactions rather than the whole story. Because the interactions are a beautiful part of that story and they are worth highlighting while wearing a pretty dress. Wouldn't you agree?
Whether you're looking to book a photoshoot or take some images on your own, I can't stress getting in the frame enough this Mother's Day. I have said this a million times and will continue to say it as one of my mantras; I know (from experience) that we, as mamas, are not in enough pictures with our littles.
Here are some pictures to spark creativity and if you would like to book one of these sessions with me, I can't wait to create those memories for you!
last image photo credit to @amandapearchphotography
don't get me wrong, I LOVE LOVE photographing families and babies and I would do it all day long if I could, but sometimes (especially as a creative) it's so exciting getting to expand my horizon and challenge myself with different sessions.
I was approached about doing a branding session and updated headshots for this company and we had so much fun! Everyone did the updated headshots, and some of the therapists decided to do their own mini shoot for marketing purposes. It was so much fun spending time with this group and the fact that their boss offered this perk says a lot about her and her love of the company and those who work with her <3
Welcoming a new little love into your family is such an amazing blessing that every bit of it deserves to be documented- all of the love and little details of such a sweet and squishy new love. But welcoming a new babe with a big sibling in the mix is still very much about the details of the little babe, but it's also about making big brother or sister feel just as important during the shoot.
This little lady was such a ham during this shoot. She loved little brother, would sing to him and count his toes, but she was also very ready to be in the frame and wanted to wear her best jewelry (which might be my favorite thing about all of the pictures with her in it.)
For the families that are amazing enough to invite me back time and again, I want to thank you.
Thank you for allowing me to see growth in your family. Thank you for allowing me into your children's lives and trusting me enough to capture such amazing details from your daily life. Thank you for letting me be your family historian.
I can't tell you how much it fills my soul seeing your kiddos grow and catching up year after year.
Home
Everything about it is special to you. Every picture on the fridge, every crayon mark on the wall, every dirty dish in the sink holds something special to you and you alone.
That's the thing I love about these sessions. From the way each room is decorated to being in the middle of projects, it's a house that could be created by your family alone. Love it for the beauty that it is and capture it just the way it is. These are the homes your kids grew up in so make sure to capture them here, being a child and loving their beautify ordinary.
To be welcomed into your home, your most comfortable and vulnerable space, is the greatest gift I could be given as a photographer. This is where your love and magic happens. This is where you sadness and crazy happen. This is your most personal space and to be able to capture you in this space is so special.
Using your home for a session spot helps everyone be more at ease. Kids show their personalities easier, husbands don't hate being in the shots as much when they just get to play, and mom's just get to be without having to wrangle everyone around and get them to smile. We get to capture their favorite toys and favorite activities all in one space.
This family has such a beautiful dynamic and to be able to capture it in their most comfortable space is going to be such a treasure. I loved seeing the twins favorite dolls and accessories (which were handed down to them) and I loved seeing big brother be super into LEGO and letting his personality shine in front of the camera.
If you ever gift yourself anything, let it be an in home session. I promise you won't regret it.
Mommy and me sessions always turn out to be some of my favorites. I'm not sure if it's because moms getting in the frame are so important, or if it's watching mom and kid connections but it all ranks really high on my list.
This session did not disappoint. And it was double the fun! I loved watching the similarities of these boys and how much they love mom, but are also becoming more independent from her and each other. Have you ever asked a mom of multiples "how is it having twins/triplets/etc?" Watching Paige with her boys I can give you an answer right now. All the feelings of a mom, multiply it by two- including exhaustion.
This is truly the most beautiful time of your life. The toys, the messes, the memories. This beautiful, ordinary life is everything you're going to want back when your kids are grown. These sessions are my favorite because you will be able to look back on these images and remember all of the beautiful, little things.
Also, peek at this brave little dude who decided today was the day to pull that front tooth out in the most epic way possible <3
If I could choose one session to do the rest of my career, it would be this one right here. The beautiful soft colors and little miss love give me all of the things I am missing with having two boys. She was the sweetest with her little noises as she ate and slept and gave me some beautiful awake and sleep time.
If you need me, I will just be over here staring at this gallery :)
This was one of those sessions where I may reconsider advertising for senior sessions. It was a dream.
The weather and lighting were perfect, the senior was extremely photogenic, the locations were amazing and I wasn't chasing around a toddler the whole session. It turned into a family affair which made the whole hour so much fun!
To say that this family was in it whole heartedly is an understatement. We had a session scheduled that ultimately was rained out so we found another day and hoped for the best. Well this session couldn't have been more beautiful. It was an absolute gorgeous night and this family was made to be in front of the camera. They were all play and all snuggles right from the start and it made my job so easy! You can feel the fun and the love in these images <3
If I could recommend one type of session, it would be a family tradition session. This family has made it a priority to take a family vacation every year. I was able to hear about vacations from Alaska to Georgia and everywhere in between. This family vacation was on lake Erie and I was able to be a part of it and capture them as a growing family. The best part? They told me that they had fun in our session together, which was so important to me.
It's so rare to find large family like this anymore, but let me tell you what...it makes these sessions so much fun! This amazing family was so willing to participate in whatever silly thing I asked them to do. They fueled each other in the best way and I hope they remain close together, always.
Meet Sarah. The most loved and adored women I have ever met. She's an incredible human being with so much love to give. I could feel the love for her radiating from every person in this space. She gives freely, she expects nothing and she loves with her whole heart. I am truly blessed that I get to be a part of her story and I got to witness how fiercely she is loved.
I've always heard it say that three kids is a huge change and I only have two so I can't add any personal credit to that statement, but I have had the opportunity to photograph this family and watch them grow into this beautiful family of 5. Here are the things Mom and I were chatting about that were different with this third babe; there was no fresh 48 images (stupid covid) and she didn't have maternity images with him either. But I am pretty sure when she told us she was pregnant, she had baby A the next day.
We wanted to make sure he had gorgeous pictures to hang on the wall next to his brother and sister when they were babies and we sure got them. I love that you can clearly see the love and connection this family shares. Enjoy being transported into this gorgeous newborn session with this sneak peek!
Look how gorgeous this family is! I could photograph them all day and never get tired of these images <3
Images with little kids can be tough, but let me assure you, there will be lots of dancing, lots of playing and lots of tickling! And yes, we were absolutely dancing to "We don't talk about Bruno." Now guess what song will be in my head the rest of the day?
Let's sit down and chat about the most memorable (and most fun) engagement session I've ever had.
First, I had been trying to call this brewery all week about shooting here and no one ever called me back. So we said "just chance it" and I asked as soon as we got there. The hostess had this whole downstairs room closed off for an event (or at least that is what I heard her say) and the other hostess told me I can use it at my "own risk." Confused by the statement, I went in while the couple went to grab some beer. I was setting the table up and moving chairs around while they were getting drinks. I asked when the event was starting and she mention, "no there is an event upstairs, this room is closed for the day." Okay perfect! We have the whole room to ourselves; that worked out nicely.
We start our shoot and about half way through, the couple mentions there is a bird in the room; "a really fat bird." Well nope, it was a bat that came in with a crowd a night before and they had closed off that room until they could catch it. Now understanding the "own risk" phrase, Megan and I are dodging low while this bat is just flying in circles. The hostess keep screaming every time it flies towards the doors where she is standing and Dylan is stepping up and trying to get the bat out of the room.
The hostess calls on the walkie for someone to come down because "the bat is flying around again." Clearly, they had been trying to catch this bat all day and this guy who came down to take care of it had been the same one trying to catch it all day. Finally, it flew into a hallway with a door on it. The worker closed the door behind himself and all we can hear is a book slamming against something, walls, floors, I don't know. We half expected the bat to come out of the door with the worker lying on the ground, but alas, he came out of the hallway, squeaking bat wrapped in a towel, and threw it outside. After all of the excitement, we finished our shoot and I had one of the most memorable shoots of my career.
I love life as a lifestyle photographer for family and children. It brings me great joy to work with these families and get a peek into their lives. With that being said, I love when I get to offshoot and do something totally different. When Rita's brother, Dennis, came to me about photographing this event, I had to idea the amount of fun I was in store for.
Welp, another weekend down and another family that graciously invited me into their home to photograph some of their dearest family traditions. I must say that cookies definitely rank pretty high on one of my favorite holiday traditions.
Ooookay, I know I have been saying this about a lot of my sessions lately, but THIS might be my new favorite session. This is such an important day for this Christmas tree and for this family as well! This was their first real Christmas tree in their first real home. It's kind of a big deal.
Putting the ornaments on the tree is one of my favorite parts about getting ready for Christmas. I love reliving memories from the ornaments and having the kiddos ask me what each ornament was from.
I was so excited when this family came to me to take advantage of the Holiday sale and they wanted to decorate their tree. The littlest kept showing me every ornament and the oldest wanted to read the backs of all of them. I love that I was able to catch a glimpse of this family through their tree decorations and I hope these memories will be cherished forever.
Have you ever come across a company that feels like home? You love everything that they stand for, their products fill your soul and you're genuinely drawn to the brand? That is how I felt the first time I shopped with Dcreated boutique. I ran across this shop while at a market in my hometown and immediately fell in love with Brianna's products and her beautiful personality.
I jumped on the opportunity when she was looking for a branding shoot. I couldn't wait to put my name in the running and when she picked me, excited is an underwhelming statement for how I felt.
The shoot today was a dream and I love seeing the hard work done by the person behind the brand. Brianna is a lady of many hats but wears them all beautifully! I can't wait for you to dive in to the beauty that is this brand and this wonderful, powerful woman!
These are my favorite types of sessions. The ones where the kids can be kids without posing or smiling, because let's face it, if you want a child under 5 to smile on command, there needs to be some HEAVY bribery involved, and most likely, all parties involved with be some sort of frustrated. So why not capture their personalities and the parts that you love most about them? Why not capture real smiles and images that you can still hear the laughter?
And what is better than capturing your kiddos being themselves? Capturing your parents being grandparents. If I could stress any session, it would be grandparent sessions and mommy and me sessions. I believe, with my whole being, that these are the most important things.
This is a session I look forward to every year. They are always up for fun and always willing to try new places and prompts. The sibling relationship is just my favorite and I can't wait to deliver this whole session!
I had the honor to photograph this amazing couple yesterday. There were happy and sad tears, lots of laughter and a whole bunch of love. I loved being a part of the day and being able to capture the most important moments.
There are sometimes when everything in an image just clicks. The outfits, the location, the weather and so on. This session was one of those times. This gorgeous vintage dress and hat, the amazing sunflowers and the gorgeous overcast sky we were hoping for.
Dream session right here <3
You're family is beautiful in the ordinary and I am here to show that to you.
Launching storytelling sessions! These might just be my favorite sessions that I offer. We get to hang out for 3 hours and I get to photograph your family doing whatever they do.
I visited this beautiful family and we documented some of their favorite things to do. Dad and little babe mowed the grass, the kiddos played with the playset dad made for them, everyone was swinging in the hammock and we spent time on the front porch.
Sessions don't have to be fancy, or at golden hour, or with poses. Sometimes everyone just feels more comfortable at home; where we all love to be.
If you've ever wondered what it's like to be a part of a really large family, this is the perfect family to witness and ask all of the questions to. They have a beautiful dynamic and the love and closeness shines through. In a family of 11 kids and all of their spouses, I am sure it's easy to feel invisible, but not with this amazing family. I loved watching how they interacted with each other, and the prompts I used for them mostly involved talking. They shared embarrassing stories, and favorite memories and their favorite traditions. When I was asking them some of their favorite family traditions, almost all of them revolved around the special things they do at Christmastime.
I've saved the smiley ones for the family because I really wanted to show off the love and ease of this beautiful big family.
In the middle of the month, we rented an air bnb in Higgins Lake, MI for our family trip with my in laws and my brother in law. As the photographer I am, I found so much inspiration in a new setting and took way too many images.
Our time was filled with fishing, renting a pontoon for a day, s'mores, campfires, ice cream and lots and lots of swimming.
There are people in your life that come and go and others that hold special meaning. I lived with Kylee as my neighbor until I married and moved away, but her family has always been such a special part of my life. She is one of the kindest people I've known and meeting Zac, let's just say they are people I will keep in my life for years to come.
I loved the way the seem so perfect for each other. Love and life seemed like it came easy to them, and the comfort and ease they have around each other only comes with people who have been together for a long time. Going into a marriage with someone you feel like you've been with for a lifetime is going to make their marriage last. I can feel it in my bones.
Honored is not a strong enough word for how I felt when Kylee told me she only wanted me to take her photos. It's a whole new feeling, as a photographer, when someone comes to you with that much determination to get you to photograph their special day.
Good things come to those who wait and man, did we wait a while for these! We were in talks when mama was pregnant about getting newborn images done. However, we kept having to reschedule and here we are, 3 months later, at our, now, family session. And BOY did these not disappoint! Give me good lighting, a go with the flow family and a happy baby and I am in Heaven!
All swaddles are from The Swaddle Company (www.theswaddlecompany.com / @theswaddleco)
This amazing family drove all the way to see me today. It was beautiful and sunny (albeit chilly) day and it was such a fun and unique place to shoot. I love finding new places around town that give a fresh setting to images. They are so much fun to work with and always willing to go with the flow. I have the best clients.
Mommy + me sessions are one of those sessions people don't think to book. When they are booking sessions, it's usually to get their yearly images in and we will get a couple of shots with parents and kids together, but there is something magical when it's a session with just mom and kid (s). This little boy was so dang sweet and you could tell he sure did love his mama. I mean, they had a secret handshake. This is the best duo around <3
If I had to pick right now, my favorite editing style would be cool and moody- it's plastered all over my personal work. But here's the thing, I always pine after the warm images as well. I love the totally different feel they give to an image.
Here is the cool thing though, when you are game to do a early morning or an evening golden hour shoot, we get this amazing warm light, and I get to edit warmer and get it out of my system <3
These locations, these families and these amazing warm fall nights have my heart.
I love shooting with prompts during my sessions. It lightens the mood and it makes it more fun. Especially with a 4 year old running around. I, also, love looking back at the images and knowing which prompts caused these emotions. I always think the goofiness makes it all worth it for images like these.
There have been so many weddings that have been shaken up because of this pandemic. Venue's cancelling, not being able to invite everyone they wanted to, some not even being able to go on their honeymoon. But, I think it's a blessing in disguise. I think some of the best parties are the ones that are smaller with your friends and family who are the most near and dear to your hearts (sorry, great Aunt Bertha, but your invite was a formality). The guests and guests of honor actually get to converse and chat with each other, which wouldn't normally happen at a larger wedding.
From an outsider's view, this seemed to be the case for Alecia and Scott. My hearts go out to them on needing to rethink such an important day of their lives, but I think everything came together beautifully and they were truly surrounded by those who loved them most. You could absolutely feel it in the air <3
When you ask me what my ideal shoot would be, I would show you this exact session right here. I put out a model call for The Swaddle Company, and this family did not disappoint. Their house was STUNNING and their little family, and pup included, were just perfect!
You know how it feels when you can click with people so well that the things that should feel like work come easy? That is how I felt working with this beautiful family. Everyone was so willing to do my crazy prompts, friendly, outgoing- just an amazing family to work with. It makes it so much easier on the photographer <3 I couldn't wait to edit these, and I had a heck of a time picking some to share with you all.
Well, they did it. These beautiful people brought another beautiful baby into this world. She's so chunky, yet so small- how does that work? I loved getting to love on her, and see the new beginnings of this family of four take shape. I can't wait to photograph her as she grows and watch all of her personality quirks take shape.
This sweet little one is 6 whole months! I arrived today excited to see this family and Claire and she did not disapoint! I got some beautiful smiles, but these were, hands down, my favorite images <3
These are my people, you guys <3 This year was a HUGE improvement from last year when their little lady wanted nothing to do with daddy. This year, all smiles and cuddles for everyone!
I love when a baby is so good during our milestone sessions that we have enough time for some family pictures and sissy shots <3
One of my favorite things and biggest compliments is having a family come back to me year after year. I love being able to capture new aspects of an ever-growing personality in toddlers and babies and this family brought a lot of growth since I photographed them last. Much bigger personalities from these boys made our session equal parts fun and exhausting! And I wouldn't have it any other way <3
I was fortunate enough to meet up with this little lady again for her newborn session. I love doing these about a
month out, especially if I've already done the fresh 48 because I can focus on the connection and flow of a brand new family member and the people who love them.
Sweet baby alert!!!
It's been a while since I have done a fresh 48 and let me tell you, there is just something so special about that time in the hospital. I don't know if I can really pinpoint what it is, but there was so much love in this room.
I can't wait to see this little lady grow!
I've had the pleasure of hearing about Matt and Natalie from my husband who met them through work. He would come home sometimes and talk about these two people he worked with that he was sure would end up together.
Then I get an inquiry from the same people asking me to do their wedding photos! I couldn't wait to meet the infamous couple as well as capture a love that bloomed right in front of my...ears?
I hope you enjoy married life and find it as fulfilling as your time getting to this point. I know you were nervous, but when you're around each other, love and ease just flows from the two of you <3
This family made my heart so full today. We got to spend our session on the matriarch, Nana Jo's, beautiful family farm. This farm has been around for almost 100 years and it's not going anywhere. So many generations growing up and bring their kids to play outside here and it's filled with so much love. You can feel it radiating from this property <3
I love stories like this, and families like this.
I am so blessed and grateful to not only be able to photograph this family year after year, but to also call them very close friends. I love watching Charlotte grow up and I love being there for all of your wonderful family milestones.
I love how sometimes, things are just meant to be. Do you know what I mean? When the weather clears up for something you have going on outside, or when plans work themselves out, or when two people just feel so right together that you can't imagine them being with anyone else?
Chris and Becca were a prime example of that phrase "just meant to be." They both told me that they weren't very photogenic, but all I see when I look at these photos are two people in love and so comfortable with each other that it makes an engagement session fly by because they were so easy to work with.
I am so happy I get to be a part of your journey to forever. I can't wait to photograph your wedding in August!
Things that I appreciate among most are beautiful scenery, gorgeous light, clients who are so easy to work with and stylish outfits. This mommy and me session was just packed full of everything I love. And the cherry on the top was this sweet pup. It really was the best way that I could have spent my morning.
Another year in the books with this crew. They have stayed with me through editing styles, beginnings and babies. So happy to have them back in the mitten so I can keep documenting their lovely little family <3
I had this amazing family the other night for their annual family (and birthday for the boys) pictures. Do you want to know a fun fact about this session? It was RAINING! You can't even tell can you? That's because there is this magical wooded area behind her mother's house that the trees block all of the rain. It was truly magic, I tell ya! Which worked out well because rescheduling would have been more difficult than shooting in the rain. So we just went for it, and I'm so glad we did!
I had this adorable family last night. Laura and I went to high school together and it's so nice to be able to be trusted with her family and her photos. We had to be flexible with our time because Logan is away for long periods of time for work so, between being busy with being home we had to try and squeeze pictures in when we could before he leaves again. I think they turned out so great and is a perfect example of how loving and fun this family is!
There are certain situations that make me feel like my work as a photographer is valued and appreciated. When people recommend me, or when people tell me how much they enjoyed their photos are some of the best ones. But, there is one with this wedding, that stands out the most to me.
I met Savannah when I was building up my portfolio when I first got into photography. Her and her mom traveled to me and were so incredibly nice and easy to work with! Savanna's senior pictures were some of my favorites for a long time.
Fast forward 4 years and I get a message from Savannah saying that she's engaged and wants me to photograph her wedding!! I met with her and Andrew and she was just as nice as I remembered and Andrew was no different than her.
On their wedding day, even though things are always crazy, they both made me feel extremely welcomed and appreciated. I think I got about 3 high fives from Andrew with a thank you, and Savannah's mom mentioned to me that they thought of me to photograph as soon as she got engaged. Her mom said they knew they could trust me!
I mean, this was Savannah and Andrew's special day, but they somehow made me feel special too.
Their wedding was as beautiful as the people they are and the special quiet moments in between the big ones. I wish you two happily ever after!
So, I had an old college friend reach out to me because she is heading down the path to become an author and she needed some headshots. Headshots can sometimes feel like an old school photo with the 80's backdrop and they make your head turn a very unnatural way, but we wanted these headshots to be more casual and inviting. The coffee house was a perfect setting to get the style we were looking for, and I think (I'm biased) that they turned out so great! I would totally buy a book from her!
So I have been trying to take daily pictures of my children doing what they do at home, in their natural element. Sometimes, I get Jack playing or I get Henry being a baby. But then sometimes, I lack inspiration. That's what happened today. I felt as if I had taken pictures of every room in my house with my kids doing everything that they do. Nothing in my house gave me that sense of "I really want a picture of this." Sometimes, you have to go out of your natural element to regain focus and get new inspiration.
I adore sink bath pictures. Our kitchen isn't even close to being on our priority (because if it still works, why change it, right?) so my sink is the ugly, standard silver basin sink that always seems to look dirty. The spot that the window is in is absolutely stunning, and I can't wait to utilize it for photos, but until then, I have to outsource.
That is where my mom comes in. She (recently enough) just did her kitchen and painted her cupboards white, replaced her countertops, put in a NEUTRAL backsplash and GOT A BRAND NEW SINK. Did I mention she only lives a block from my house AND she has everything I would ever need to take care of either of my boys? Have I mentioned lately that I am glad she works from home, and I am able to take advantage of the hard work that she has put in to making her house look great.
So sink pictures are what I set out to do, and sink pictures are what I accomplished that day. Please enjoy these, and I hope that my love for this session really pours out in these final images I chose to share with you all.
First, this little boy LOVES smoothies, so let's go to the store, get some fruit, and let him put in a little work for his treats :)
He was so into it, so he was a little apprehensive when I asked him to stop and told him that we were going to get the bubbles and take a bath in the sink. He looked at me like "you know I am going to be 3 and I am large for my size...so you want me to fit in there?!"
You know what kid, if you fit, you sit.
He ended up having an absolute BLAST and it was so hard to talk him into getting his out. His toes were pruned!
It's hard enough having one of my best friends live so far away, but now that she has a little one so close to my little's age, I extra miss them all of the time! I want them to get in trouble together, so I keep putting my best foot forward in trying to get her home :) Until then, we can just catch up like crazy every time she comes into town. This time, catching up meant meeting Aiden and getting to take some quick shots for them to always cherish <3
THIS BABY IS SO TINY! Guys, I don't think I can express that you enough. Babies always look larger than they really are in pictures, but he is only 6 pounds. That is SMALL---especially since I have like 9 pound babies! I didn't even know how to hold a baby this tiny! But with how little he is, he is going to have one BIG personality <3
We just got back from a much needed family trip. I say trip, not vacation, because as we all know, getaways aren't really vacations with little kids because it's everyday life just with a couple more fun things thrown in.
We had a surprise birthday to go to for my husband's grandpa. He was turning 90! So we decided to rent a place and went all out! Beach and everything!
Jack is at an age where his little memory lets him remember extra fun things, so this beach trip (although not his first) should be one that he remembers for a while.
WARNING!! I am WAY oversharing this session, but with pretty pictures, who cares? Am I right?
We have been friends since high school.
Our oldest kids (her daughter and my son) are the best of friends.
Now, it's only right that this little boy on the way is going to be only 3 months younger than my youngest little boy.
I can wait to meet you Muskateer and I can wait for you to join this friendship clan!
As a photographer, I appreciate and respect other's work as an artist, but also have my own style and taste for pictures in my own home. Ultimately, it would just be easier to do it myself, but I was lucky enough to find another fellow photographer with the same mindset as me. She was also kind enough to edit my photos in my own style, even though it wasn't the editing style of her choosing. She always made the look I had in my head come out into photo form.
This fellow photographer was also the photographer that I reached out to when I was looking to get into the business. She showed me the ropes in lifestyle photography and taught me a lot about the business and photo editing.
Now she's moving and leaving her photography behind. She was kind enough to do one last shoot for me and asked me to do the same for her. How could I not? I tried my hand at a new editing style that was out of my comfort zone to make the pictures more to her taste, just like she has done for me so many times in the past.
I am sad to see you go and I am sad to start over with another photographer, but here's to hoping they are as go with the flow as you! Please, please overshare pictures of Colorado- I know I will always be wanting the mountains as my backdrop rather than trees. Enjoy my take on your beautiful mommy+me session.
Flowers, Magnolia trees and spring babies...could life get any better?
I love this little girl and being able to see her grow over the past year has been a blessing. Happy birthday Charlotte!
This little Lu-siana lady is a whole year old!
Even though she lives so far away, I was lucky enough to grab some shots while she's in town for her birthday party!
Time sure does fly when you're having fun! How is this sweet little girl already almost a year?
It's so exciting bringing a new bundle home and adding them to your family. Baby M is a perfect addition to this very loving family!
I just adore this little family <3
We had some bumps in the road to finally get to today, but the weather was beautiful and so worth it!
When you have a baby this cute, you have to take pictures and you HAVE to overshare. It's just what you have to do- so overshare I will.
What can be better than getting your one-year old's pictures taken? When you can wrap up a family session in with it! It was cold and windy, but luckily we got some great outside shots, and went back to get some more shots of just the birthday boy!
Funny how things tend to work themselves out, huh? We had to cancel our session because of weather once, and we almost did for this session, but we decided to make it work and it turned out to be a beautiful day! This is such an adorable family, and I love being able to see them for the past 2 years!
Can you believe that I have been photographing this little boy for ONE WHOLE YEAR? Man, time sure does fly! This little guy is one of the easiest and happiest little boys I have had the pleasure of working with. Happy Birthday, little man!
You guys!
I had the amazing honor of working with a high school friend and her adorable kiddos. They moved back to the mitten, and she was so sweet to ask me to take pictures of her daughter and son. I couldn't have been more honored, and nervous! I can't help but get nervous when I take pictures for people I know- but I had a blast and they are probably some of the EASIEST and most ADORABLE children ever! Enjoy these pictures from Mr. B's first birthday shoot! And of course we had to add sissy in the pictures- after all, she is his world <3
Stephanie and Todd got married on Saturday!
When I met Stephanie and Todd, I knew, immediately, that I could not wait to capture their wedding. From their adorable little boy to their very laid back demeanor, I knew that we would be a good fit together.
And, as I expected, their day was beautiful, casual, and so full of love. Never have I met a more calm bride! This girl had her head about her that day and wasn't going to let anything get in her way of having the best day! Every detail was thought out, and if anything went wrong- no one knew :) The day couldn't have been more perfect!
Congratulations Mr and Mrs Davidson! Enjoy the rest of your honeymoon, love birds <3
Have you ever been so in sync with someone, it's almost like you share the same brain? I'm pretty sure it's some sort of magic!
This little lady's momma and I were on the same wave length for what to do for her pictures, and I think they turned out to be just as beautiful as the girl in the pictures <3
How is this little lady already ONE? She grew up right before my eyes! So happy I was able to see her personality grow through this last year.
You know what happens when you have the coolest grandmother around? She let's you take pictures of her <3
Here's the story:
My grandpa came to me and wanted pictures of my grandma in her garden (couple goals?). I showed up and she found the cutest and most perfect dress for these pictures, she brought out her gardening hat, and made up a flower arrangement in her basket. We had the most fun and dare I say it, I think she had fun and actually liked the pictures!
Today was a gorgeous day for a little rub-a-dub-dub outside with some bubbles. What better way to spend the day?
I have always had a love for pictures and the memories that they portray. I love to be able to look back on a photo and it spark all of the feelings that I felt during that shot.
Since becoming a professional photographer, I have felt the need to only portray the best pictures (especially of my own kid) because it shows my work. However, with this post, I wanted to portray a few rougher images.
We were outside today, and brought out the sprinkler for the first time. He was being way too cute, so I HAD to run inside and grab my camera. Well, with a mix of toddler and water, I didn't get the best images. I either hated the color in camera, or didn't love how the photo edited, or it was blurry. But I always wanted to share these images. I learned a lesson in life today; share the image (especially to the clients) because you may have caught one of their favorites images of something their child does. I would much rather have a blurry image that shows him having a blast in the sprinkler, than no image at all. When I'm old and he's grown, I will look at his face and not care about the blurry-ness of the photo.
Of course, the best thing to do is set the camera down, but let's be honest, I could never do that.
These amazing young girls made it through the program! And I am pretty sure they came out stronger, more confident, and full of empowerment to do whatever they want to do in life.
Congrats girls!
I got to spend part of this beautiful day with this sweet little girl and her momma <3 Between her wanting to eat all of the time, to her fighting every bit of getting swaddled, it made me miss my own kid being this age and starting to develop his own personality. Her's was shining thru and thru today!
I hope all of you mother's had the best day- especially since we only get it once a year! I hope your day was full of love and family, and some overdue appreciation from your kids and your significant other :)
I am not one to have people dote upon me, but I am not going to lie, I could get used to this! This is my second mother's day with Jack and my husband keeps finding ways to make the day even more special. He pretty much covered every basis from a card from the dog, to not even lifting a finger for anything. I am not really sure how he could make Mother's Day any better!
The only thing I ask for on Mother's day is to get some pictures with my kiddo. Which is harder than you might think. Because I want the nice pictures, I have to re-teach my husband how to use my camera, all while I have a screaming and wiggly toddler trying to do anything but take pictures with me. Normally, I would just forget it, but I also try to make Jack match with me once a year- and this year we got little and big dipper shirts, so I have to document that right? We took about (what seemed like) a million pictures, and I actually had some turn out! Mother's Day success!
I truly wish you day was as amazing as mine! Happy Mother's Day! <3
Isn't she lovely? I have been waiting this little lady's arrival since the day her momma told me she was pregnant! With her teeny hands and feet and her head full of hair, how can you not be in love!
"In a field of roses, she is a wildflower"
Another day of photographing these young ladies and their staff and mentors! This time around, they chatted with some female doctors and nurses in the workplace.
I am in awe of this opportunities these girls have at such a young age!
"Goonies never say die"
It saddens me to think that if we don't carry the tradition and take it upon ourselves to teach our kids about this movie, the legend of "The Goonies" could die.
My mom and I went shopping for summer clothes for me, and as usual, we not only didn't get anything for me, but we spent our money on this kiddo right here. Anyone else have a hard time NOT buying for their kid? I know I do! I got this roper on etsy from The Wild Bambino and I am absolutely in love with it! I know that he is far too young to even think about watching the movie, because let's face it, it was actually kind of scary at times. But, he will watch it when the time comes. And I will be there right along with him :)
You know how sometimes when you are faced with a challenge and you either choose to let it bother you, and not do anything about it, or every time you face that challenge you can't wait to conquer it because that means it shows growth in you?
That is what my sessions are like with this little spunky lady!! Since the first day I photographed her, I have been trying to get her to look at me and my camera with anything but a completely stoic face. Seriously! Whenever I would pull out my camera, every bit of a smile that was once there was totally wiped away.
Luckily, mom is a rockstar and just laughed about it with me, because she enjoys those looks just as much as I do. But as a photographer, there is always some pressure (usually from me and my internal battles) to get at least one picture with the kiddo(s) smiling.
So I would show up every session, and take those adorably cute, confused, and stoic faces and pull out all of my tricks to make her laugh or smile. And usually get no smiles.....
BUT THIS TIME.....I got to see her personality shine so bright! She couldn't stop laughing and smiling and moving all around! It made all of those times that I went and I tried to conquer those challenges head on so worth it! And let me tell you, she has a super infectious laugh...like the kind that makes you laugh even harder every time! I loved it, and I just love her!
I am attending this online creative course, and one of our creative challenges was to take a subject and take pictures of it. However, you aren't allowed to change your camera settings, move your model or change the lighting. You were only allowed to move in and out and around your model to see how many different creative shots you could get from one pose.
Well, normally, I probably would have used my kiddo (which wouldn't have worked very well with a toddler) but he was fast asleep in naptime dreamland, so I chose a friend who keeps me company at my desk. Elliot.
This was probably a blessing in disguise anyway, because I don't think I have ever met a toddler who could fulfill the qualifications of the creativity challenge I needed to embark on. Pete's dragon is one of my all-time favorite Disney movies (yes, the remake too) so this little friend did a mighty fine job helping me out :) Look how many shots! And I could have kept going, but I figured I had enough for the challenge.
This post is a favorite for a couple of reasons.
Number 1, Sarah is one of my dearest friends who entrusted me to take pictures of one of the greatest times in her life- how could I not be honored? Number 2, her house had the most amazing lighting! We joked that I would have all future clientele come out to her house just to I could use it for lighting! Except there was one issue with that (all joking aside), she lives in Jackson, which has way more downsides than you would expect; like hardly being able to see her.
However, we always make the most out of our time together! This shoot, for example, was not only time that I got to photograph her (and her adorable puppy) but time that we were able to catch up with each other. What would normally have just been an hour long shoot turned into a whole day adventure! Needless to say, I can't wait for her little lady to come along! Get togethers are always more fun with babies <3