preview, review

Next week an Announcement will be made. Although I'm not yet openly talking about WHAT/WHO, lets just say that IT will be twice as good as it is now. I'm super excited.
This announcement has me working on new branding (including logos), newborn postcard, a new pet photography piece, and new pricing sheets. So one of my tasks is to identify my 100 or so favorite photographs. While going through thousands of 2011's photos, I picked these images taken in OHIO. Thought I would post, just as a review.

I adore this engagement shoot from Ohio. These guys were SO young and in love. AND hip. And it made me seriously reconsider wearing crocs. I mean, crocs are so NOT cool. 

I may add some photographs from Oregon tomorrow. Just for fun.

lots of love, nose crinkles

(updated post)

I finally am allowed to post my most favorite family photo from this fall (photographed inside Tanglewood). My eye goes right to Johnny's expression (the dad) and the little girl looking at the camera (me). Nicole (the mom) had just smooched her cheek! I love that HUGE brown hair bow.
I love this one too, the interaction between the parents and children, the super smile on the baby's face, the color of Nicole's sweater, the orange in the tree on the right, the fence. I just love it.
Here is one of the Christmas cards I designed for my clients - this yellow/green is my new favorite color.And every kid needs a photo of themselves in a little red wagon. And this little man was so smoochy and giggly and delicious, he fit perfectly.
(Here is the original post)
She loves her baby brother so much, she nearly squeezed the snot out of him. Look how crinkled up her little nose is!!! And look at this photo of her mom and Dad who still have serious love and affection for each other. (mom's nose crinkles too!)

Kidzu Children's Museum, Great Shoot out, part 2

I love repeat customers!

This is the second year that I have photographed this lovely family of 3 for the Kidzu Children's Museum Great Shoot Out. It's so flattering when people hire me more than once. Especially when they kiss on command, laugh out loud, and are willing to get dirty and have fun with me.
It is so obvious when parents REALLY adore their children. As these two do. Mr. S is a VERY lucky boy.
I giggle at these photos so much. These two kissed FOREVER. and EVER. and EVER.

Kidzu Great Shoot Out, part 1

For the past two years, I have donated my photography/time for the Great Shoot Out which supports the Kidzu Children's Museum in Chapel Hill, NC. It's easy for me, as all I do is capture some happiness with my camera at the UNC Botanical Gardens, and the proceeds fund the interactively cool and educational museum. Here is one of my favorite family photographs.And of course, I love doing individual shots of the kids (who were crazy about UNC).

Puppies!

My friend Lili has a new puppy. An adorable, yummy breath, squishy, english bulldog named Bacon who I think I need to steal. seriously. I insisted on photographing little Bacon after first laying eyes on him at the farmer's market last weekend, so yesterday I forced myself and my camera on Lili's family and we spent a few minutes together (in the very warm sun). Bacon, was delicious.Lili has another puppy, who's the size of a mountain, 10 month old Zeek. He likes treats ALOT and will do nearly anything to get one. Like smooch Lili on the face.Zeek looks quite pensive with that arched eyebrow!
And this is Shelby. She is Lili's favorite. The sweetest dog and quite a show off! She minded her manners the entire time I visited.
Thanks Lili for letting me get my puppy breath fix. Little Bacon makes me swoon. I wish my baby boy was already born and I would photograph the two of them asleep together in the studio. How precious would THAT be???

you can have a book like this

Check out my newest printed baby book - that I love so much. THICK pages, gorgeously printed and whimsically designed. I am already planning what kinds of photographs I need so that I can make one of our boy after he arrives!Look at Dan, my handsome hand model! He was busy cooking dinner and stopped to hold up the book for me.
I love these illustrations - they are just gorgeous. I bought the design/illustrations for the book from another photographer/designer, but all of the photographs are mine. This is a typical family portrait session, featuring a 5 month old little girl - and I just adore it.
Notice how thick the pages are. This is only a ten page book but the custom cover and thickness make it feel SUPER substantial. Since this was a promotional book for my business, my website url and company tagline are featured under the sun, on the back cover. Very cute.

More Gymnastics Buddies

I have alot to say about my most recent family portrait session with my friend Melissa. Melissa, was one of my most fierce gymnastics competitors (when we were 12). She was known for being tiny and cute and having perfect form in floor and beam. AND she was crazy flexible. Her splits were flawless. Her shoulder flexibility was FAR more than ANYONE else's in our gym. One of my memories is her laying on her stomach and bending her back over her head so far that her bottom touched her hair. NUTS. And this of course, made me crazy jealous.And, she was nice. I mean, NICE to the core: friendly and positive and kind.

And this is the type of mom and wife she is. I am so proud of people that I knew as pre-teens, who turn out to be professional, good to the earth, kind hearted and loving. Not to be all sappy, but she is still amazing. I admire the type of mom she is. I hope she doesn't mind if I call and ask parenting questions once my little boy gets here!

And this is her awesome son, who was so cute and active and elusive. He wasn't super duper into me taking his photo, but I did manage to get some photographs of his sweet smile.And here is the dad. He is an avid gardener. Their yard was so amazing and I wanted to actually steal some of their yard statues.

book design

soooooo excited to show this sneak peak of my newest press-printed baby book. This is Miss Kysa. And because she and her parents are awesome, I picked a whimsical, hip design for her one-of-a-kind memory book from our fall 2010 family portrait session.

LOVE

LOVE

LOVE.

more Ohio snow portraits!

Can you imagine having FIVE girls under one roof? The really good news is that there is probably always plenty of hairspray, cute sweaters and gossip. Remembering when I was the precious age of 10/11, I would have LOVED to have had an older sister, for advice, someone with knowledge (and coolness). Photographing sisters is always so MUCH fun, because girls this age LOVE having their picture taken. Or maybe it is just me... maybe I am suddenly super cool.