Some preview images for her mom and dad who were kind enough to drive up to Bronxville from Manhattan.

I love this cradle – it was her mother’s when she was a baby.  I hope it makes this image even more special!  I love the little grin she’s giving in her sleep!

This lace was the wrap her mother wore on her wedding day – I love when parents include heirlooms during the session, it makes it special for me too.  Kudos to Grandma for bringing it out and covering her face like this – I probably wouldn’t have done that and I love the lace on her face – both so delicate!

Some baby bits closeups…  can’t you just cuddle her???

Thank you for bearing the heat Mom and Dad!  It was a hot one and you guys were good sports – as always!

much love, C

I have one and I’m always impressed with the moms who have two.  Then three?  They deserve some sort of peace prize as it’s constant negotiations, I swear…

These three were polite and sweet, but give ‘em a second and they would be acting exactly like they should!  I got such a kick out of their brotherly nature.  Playing beautifully side by side one minute, then tossing wet newspaper boats at each other three seconds later.  LOVE it.

For example – I wanted something sort of beachy/brotherly without getting too cutsie.  I made these newspaper boats and it was really cute for a moment.  Then the boat fight began!  Made the photos even better.

This guy usually wears glasses, but he wanted to show me the bump on his nose.  He’s pretty darn handsome, don’t you think?  I wish he had his glasses on for this picture, as I just LOVE his expression.

Happy guy!  Too cute!

And his older brother told me this was his “Blue Steel” look.  It works.

Thanks for a great evening Shannon and Joe!

Kristen and Tom are one of those natural couples – not the all mushy kind of natural, the fit together like a puzzle piece kind of natural. They laugh at the same time, get the same jokes (although one is supposedly highbrow, and one lowbrow, looked the same to me!), and have all the same sort of interests that you can just see them getting old together. All their friends just mesh together so that at the wedding you can’t tell which side is the groom and which side is the bride – I love that.

So, where to start with all this fabulousness? I think Tom’s first look at his bride.  They wanted to spend as much time with their friends as possible – so they opted to take their formal pictures ahead of the ceremony.  Not traditional, but I think it’s amazing.  You get a special moment between just the two of you and get all those nerves out of the way.  It was so cute!

This is Tom’s reaction to seeing Kristen for the first time and K getting a little misty right after!

Kristen planned the wedding by herself along with friends – I think they did an amazing job!  The theme was hydrangeas and flip flops – can it get more Cape Cod than that?

Tom owns a restaurant/bar called Quahog Republic in Falmouth – notice the clam (a Quahog) on his tie?  We had to make sure that got a little attention shot.  You’ll see a bunch of Quahog references, just want to keep you in the loop! 

I for one think everyone should laugh like this on their wedding day….

I had a little idea while preparing for this wedding.  As you’ll see in my last post, I’m working on trying to give my clients something different during their sessions.  Weddings are a beast on their own, but I wanted to do something fun for Kristen so I talked to her sister (who happens to be my best friend) about doing a photobooth/guest book for her.  I asked her to pick up some chalk board and thought it would be really cute to have the guest write a message to the couple and I’d photograph anyone who wanted to participate.  It was AWESOME!!!  Everyone had a blast and it ended up being like a party game during dinner.  About 99% of the wedding guests participated.  Here’s a few of my favorites!

There are way too many, so I thought it best to include everyone in a little video:

Thank you so much for a great day Kristen and Tom!!! Can’t wait until you see all of them!
Lots of love and luck to you both!
xoxo

I just got back from a workshop in Pittsburgh with the very talented Australian photographer Barb Uil, otherwise known as Jinky Art.  She is AMAZINGLY talented – just oozes with ideas and creativity.  Her work makes my heart sing (her words for something else, but I found it so appropriate when trying to describe how her images make me feel).

These are some of the images I captured while studying with her.  I love that they are concept sessions – props without being too done.  Showing everyday life, but just a little exaggerated.  Isn’t that how children see things?  Life – but more colorful, whimsical and filled with wonder and imagination…  I am bursting with ideas (all written down in my new creative journal) and now I just need places and people.

I was so humbled this week as a photographer.  There are so many talented people out there to inspire you.  Have you been inspired lately in what you do?  If not, I hope that you can find what I did this week.  A nice kick in the bum to get you into action and make your daydreams into reality.  Gosh, I needed that.

This is my favorite image of the workshop.  I found this little caterpillar while we were shooting and gave it to Jinky’s daughter to hold…  normally I might have passed it by, but it was too colorful and with her high socks it looks like Alice in Wonderland to me.

No, this wasn’t a model.  Again, these are clients of the hosting photographer.  Um, hello beautiful people.  Wow, I love these mason jars as lanterns!!  And do you see how mommy and baby’s heads and mom’s arm make a heart on the bottom left???

I loved this little guy.  All he needed was a goat.  Oh wait, there was a goat – he just wasn’t cooperating when I took this image.  Seriously, she brings goats to sessions!

This little two year old was SO happy and beautiful.  I had to put a toes shot in too…  Plus my friends and I were borderline obsessed with the swing so it MUST be included.

Many thanks to Jinky, Deb, Meg, and Kathy for all the hard work.  It was wonderful.

This year’s trip was a bit bitter sweet for Becky’s family as her husband Greg is getting ready to deploy for Afghanistan for a year.  It was their last family vacation for a while, and I was so honored that Becky asked me to capture their family for some photos for Greg to take with him.

First we started on little Ian at my house.  The light in my guest room is AMAZING, and little Ian was happy to play with me while mom needed to do some work.  Yes, this is what I do when I babysit!!

There are about 20 more looking just as cute, but this post is about the family, so I’ll continue there.  Although I would really like to show you all dang 20 because they are so adorable!!

Later that afternoon we headed to the beach – when we got there (literally, like right when we got there) a ton of fog rolled in so I didn’t get to play around with the sun like I wanted to.  That being said, an overcast sky is like a huge lightbox, so it worked out with Becky’s oldest running me all over the beach!  I got her sitting still at one point though!

Shouldn’t every little girl have a picture like this with her dad?  I think so…

I love this one, I hope you guys do too…

I’m always so amazed by the humble nature of these men and women that voluntarily serve for our country.  It’s second nature to them – a calling that only a few hear and answer to.  It’s just what they feel they have to do.  In a strange way, it completes them.  It just impresses the heck out of me and I hope Greg knows how much I think of him and what he’s doing.  Lots of love and luck to you, Greg and God Bless!

Before I left – a new little man arrived for one of my clients.  This family was so handsome, and their house was so perfect to shoot at!

Here are a few previews for Megan (who is getting her gallery tomorrow, so it’s not such a preview, lol!)

After taking some newborn shots, big brother wanted to pose the same way…  so cute!!

the beautiful family all together.  Well, sort of.  He is 18 months!  Little Mr. Go Places. 

Look at this smile!!!

and one of my favorites for the day…

So a few months ago when she asked me to do her maternity pictures I was floored.  Honored.  Thrilled.  Terrified!

Another photographer asking you to photograph them is such a privilege.   Made me feel so validated and happy!  Thank you Melissa for allowing me to photograph such an important time!

Here are a few from the urban session we did.  So much fun and her kiddos are just angels.

I haven’t had a chance to go through them all, but this is my first round of love.

This is my favorite of the day!  Too cute a family, right?

She had this shirt made for our session.  Photogs everywhere are going to be calling Melissa!

I love this!

This big red sculpture was just begging for some love…

I can’t decide if this is too odd (she does look like she’s floating!) but it’s kind of cool to me!

This is so her.  I love ya girl!!!!  Thank you SOOOO much! xoxoxoxo

Had such a great time with this family.  I’ve seriously been so blessed with consistently amazing and cool clients and these guys were no exception!  Especially a margarita after our session was over – I mean, really – what’s better than that???

I loved that they were up for anything.  This was shot in their backyard and it just had perfect light at every turn – I love when that surprises me!

We’ll start with my favorite of the day.  One of the last shots – typical!  I love EVERYTHING about it – the holding hand, the yellow clothes, the sunshine peaking out the trees…  love.

My favorite shot of the day.  Wait, I said that already.  I can have two right?  She was so beautiful and her eyes are just incredible!!

And her little brother’s weren’t too shabby either…  Look at these things!  {swoon}

Ok, I’ll give your some color so you can see what I’m all gaga about…

Love this apple shot!!  Apparently she eats too a day, so it’s pretty appropriate to capture her personality!I had such a lovely time!  Thank you so much for being fun as anything and the yummy margarita!!

I’ve known Mia since she was little – she is my best friend’s cousin so I’ve watched her grow up into a stunning young woman. I have been thinking about getting into High School senior photography and so when Mia’s mom asked me to photograph her I basically jumped up and down like Tom Cruise on Oprah. Seriously, wait til you see her…

I had to trick Mia into doing this… if her mom had told her she wanted me to take her picture she never would have gone along with it… so I sort of told a little fib and said she was doing me a favor. Being the sweet girl she is, she went along with it and was a total trooper. She knows the truth now, and even though she wasn’t thrilled initially, I think she *sort* of ‘fessed up that she had a good time and I am hoping and praying (and kind of sweating) that she will like these!!

So here is Mia Dawn. She gets lots of previews because I had to tell her a fib and I feel bad.

I wanted to try a bunch of different locations, the beach was her favorite…  (oh, and she likes the one on the right because she looked tall.  hee hee)  I’m kind of digging these Jcrew inspired sea glass colors if I do say so myself)

Really, how freaking pretty is she????

I told her these wouldn’t be corny.  Hmm, maybe they are but they make me happy, ok?

Love this blue wall I found!!

Thank you Mia for letting me take your picture.  And no, you’re not awkward silly.  Told ya so.

Custom portrait photography is much different than your average simple studio session.  I love looking for unique locations, helping style your clothes and make you feel like VIP’s for a couple of hours.  It also means I’m yours for a while – completely accessible by email, phone, skype, facebook, you name it!

This session is a good example of what you’ll get from an on location session. I totally understand why people love sessions at their house, but there is something to be said about a different location!  I love that this session was completely organic and this family is a happy one!  Hope you like it!