Lovin' Those Baby Blues

Let me just say.... this session has been a long time coming. It was originally planned for last winter. The perfect outfits had long been selected, and my weekend with Mom was greatly anticipated. But them some nasty weather decided to come through, preventing these precious little ones from making their way over the mountain to see me. So we postponed. And they went back home. All the way across the country.

Finally, this summer, we nailed the date. Ironically, they were visiting from South Carolina the week before I was headed their direction. Mom is now pregnant with number 3, and dad is in the Marine Corp (oops! I originally said he was Air Force!), so I had the pleasure of spending some time with the little ones alone.

Evan gave me a run for my money. Literally. He JUST figured out how to walk, and there was no stopping him. He was determined. Head down, feet stomping, get outta my way determined. If I would jump ahead of him, he would turn the other way. If he was momentarily stopped from his new found adventure, frustration would ensue. It took me a little bit, but I finally outsmarted him. And I got some good shots of his adorable little face, including those hard-to-resist cheeks I just want to kiss over and over.

And Ellie... that tutu... those pink converse... and her striking eyes. Wow. Quite possibly my favorite children's session so far.

There are so many shots from the afternoon that I love. And I haven't even finished editing the whole thing yet, I just wanted to get a quick peek up for Mom before I drew it on any longer. So be warned... a few more shots will most likely find there way on here in the new future. I hope you don't mind. But I just won't be able to help myself.

Beautiful North Carolina

I have a somewhat romanticized view of the south. Maybe it's because Sweet Home Alabama is hands down my all-time favorite movie. I don't care who you are, if you speak with a southern accent, you will charm me. And spending a week on Bald Head Island in North Carolina only made me love the south more. (Watching Nights in Rodanthe today doesn't help things either...)

I am still trying to wrap my hurting, overloaded brain on the experience I am coming off of. Spending two solid days with 60 photographers from the United States (and Canada!), in four intensive, 4-hour classes with instructors I have fallen in love with was pretty close to heaven on earth. I say pretty close because there wasn't one espresso stand on that whole island! If we were in the Pacific Northwest, there would have been 10!

I'm having trouble finding words to sum it all up. But I came back from this trip with an entirely new perspective, and a new found love for what I do. I don't remember the last time I took an afternoon to shoot just for myself. But that's exactly what we did on Sunday afternoon, hopping in our golf cart, cameras in hand, tackling the island.

The workshop began Tuesday morning, and for two solid days, we listened to amazing instructors who put everything they had into their presentations. We talked, exchanged ideas, encouraged each other, and exhausted all aspects of running a photography business. I am now officially in love with Tamara, Laura, Lena and Audrey! The lovely Jen Thompson and I were banking on having Thursday afternoon to see the rest of the island we hadn't yet seen, but conveniently a would-be tropical storm decided to roll through. While 95% of the Learnfest attendees got off the island early to avoid the storm, we hunkered down in our house and enjoyed a full day to ourselves. The rain pounded relentlessly on the windows, and the wind shook the house all day, but we survived it. And the long, exhausting trip home.

I will let some photos from the week tell you the rest of story. After all, they have so many more words than I ever could.

This little guy is also at the top of my "love list." He was our adorable model during our session with Audrey, and his baby blues, and long blonde hair won me over from the start. You would never know from these shots that he had about 15 photographers with cameras in his face. And would you believe his mom has never had professional portraits taken of him? Now she's drowning in photos!

This brother and sister were the models during our time with Tamara. The little guy wouldn't stop giggling (and it was contagious!)

And the rest are shots of the island. Everything I imagined North Carolina to be.

Ok one shot of Jen and me. Might I add that Jen has Nikon running through her blood. I personally think she looks beautiful with a Canon in her hand! (She threatened my life for taking that shot...)

This poor little butterfly had a large chunk missing out of its wing. I was amazed to see that it flew just fine, even with that piece missing. I think you can see the analogy writing itself here.

These last few shots are my favorite because of the story involved. On Monday afternoon as Jen and Sue-Leigh (our other housemate) were wrapping up last minute Learnfest details, I snuck out with the golf cart to enjoy some quiet on the island. As I walked down this boardwalk, I heard Nat King Cole's Unforgettable playing very clearly from one of the houses. The song couldn't have been more perfect for that particular moment. But as I turned and looked to see where the music was coming from, I saw the house in the very last photo. There on the second story porch was a couple dancing. I felt like I was in a movie. And at the moment, I was so very thankful for the incredible opportunity I had to have the whole experience. God is so good, and so faithful. And I walked down the beach in awe of His artistry, and humbled by His provision.

Five Little Monkeys

I spent some time with these little monkeys as a surprise for their Grandmother's birthday present. Josh and I have worked for weeks to win over the two oldest girls. They are like fish tucked away in their coral. If you look carefully you might see an eyeball looking at you before it looks away. But once you get to know them, they are out of their hiding place and swimming all around you in their bright, vibrant colors.....

*insert scratching music stopping sound here*

(not the best description, but you know what I'm talking about, don't you?)

What? Did any of that even make any sense? Well... it made sense in my head. Yes, Megan, in one post I called your girls monkeys and fish. I'm also going on day four of 16 hour work days, working my tail off to get the August issue of True North completed on time, and trying to edit photos in between building articles. My brain is mush at best. And I almost deleted this whole thing altogether and started over, but what is this all worth if I'm not being real?

I think I'll just stop talking and let the photos speak for themselves. Enjoy the weekend!

Celebrating Adoption: Darius

There's something special about doing these Celebrating Adoption sessions. For some reason, knowing the background story and the journey involved causes the photos to sort of come alive in a way that they wouldn't normally. I love these in particular, because there is so much love and such a connection between Darius and his mom. Darius was adopted from Ethiopia, and these were taken on his 2nd birthday. He was the cutest ever and had endless expressions. I had to include an example of one of them--you'll know it when you see it! He was a pirate and the trunk was his treasure chest. We asked him what a pirate says, and the expression is priceless!

Mother's Day Gift Certificates

Mother's Day is still 12 weeks away, but it's never too soon to plan for that special gift! Send your wife out for a few hours with a friend, and book a session to have portraits taken with your children. Every mother loves that shot of her baby sleeping on her husband's chest! Planning ahead will allow for plenty of time to turn your secret session into a custom-designed coffee table book she will treasure for years to come! Or, if you're a relative or a friend, purchase a gift certificate for a mother in your life, and receive a $50 coupon towards a portrait session of your own! With the 25% donation from every session fee to missions, the gift is two-fold!

Sessions are limited, so book early!

History Lesson

One of my favorite things is to take a photograph of something involving a story that has to be told! A friend wanted a photo taken of one of her sons, and she has an amazing old trunk in the entry of her house. I suggested we use it as a prop, and as soon as I heard the story behind the trunk, there was no question! Sharon resurrected the trunk from being stored in her parent's garage. The best part is that Zach is the latest addition to his family, sitting in a trunk that was brought here in a wagon on the Oregon Trail by his great-great-grandparents! Pair that with Zach's signature open-mouthed, toothless grin, and you have the makings for a great portrait. Also, I have to give a plug to Megan Caston. She's the creator of the amazing bandana blanket in a few of the photos. Check out her website: www.weebuckaroo.com. She makes bandana bibs too! Adorable.

A Little Bit of Pop

Here's another photo of adorable Ila. I originally saved this particular image as black and white and wasn't really all that happy with it. I removed the blanket in the editing, and the overall final composition just lacked luster. So I decided to go back tonight and re-work the photo with a texture file my friend, Bethany, was kind enough to send my way! I love the color version so much more than the black and white! It's amazing what some color punch and a little bit of texture can add! And wow the difference when you put the two side by side! By the way, check out Bethany's blog--she just did a fantastic newborn shoot. Let's just say the little guy is in a guitar case that belongs to his dad, and is used to hold a guitar played by his great-grandfather. I love the creativity!