The wonder of a child

I look at this girl and she melts me.  Her songs, her hugs, her ten toes, her belly button.  I think it's the age.  I remember these feelings with each of my children at this age.  She has me wrapped around her little finger, me and everyone else in this family.  We adore her!  This little image is from yesterday while the older kids played with the water guns.  More to come soon. 

Am I the right photographer for you?

Am I the right photographer for you? Well, I don't know.  Let me tell you a little about my past clients and then you can decide if you think we would make a good fit.

*My clients LOVE details.  And so do I.  In my world there are two different types of details - the cute additions people add to their family shoots or weddings that show personality and provide specialness like the handwritten name cards or the unique party favors.  Is that a word - 'specialness'?  And the other type of details is the eyelashes, the freckles, wrinkles, the birds, the dew on the wine glasses, the sneaky hugs, the tired feet, the crying baby.  Which "details" do I capture?  BOTH.  I want it all!  To me, that is what photography is.  Looking beyond the obvious and catching the memory!  So if you like those types of details, I might be your photographer.

*Movement.  I love images where you can see motion; I love seeing LIFE in my images.  I don't want you to just stand there and smile!  I want you to laugh, hug, spin, dance, forget that I am there and just be! Kiss her, dance with her, throw your head back and laugh.  Do it!

*Everyone of my shoots is carefully planned and designed in one form or another.  We spend a lot of time talking about what the client and I want to portray, what feelings they are looking to capture.  After I have tried to get their same vision through my mind, we talk about locations that might provide the vibe they want.  We then talk about clothing.  Clothing is a VERY important part of a shoot.  VERY important.  Got it people?  I am not saying we need to go out and buy a new wardrobe, but I am just saying:  "Think about it."  Let me help you to create the vision you want.

*My clients appreciate art.  They like colors and patterns and food and music. They don't just want a picture; they want something unique, special and artistic.

*The wonderful people I work with are willing to invest, travel, wakeup early, get out of their comfort zone, be spontaneous.  They are not only willing to, but they WANT to.  They want to be and are active participants in this creative process.

*My clients are happy,  kind and thoughtful.  My wedding clients ADORE each other and my families rain love on their babies.  My clients are good people.


So am I the photographer for you?  You tell me?

Drinking Coca Cola with a lime

This month has made me so happy! I am loving the sunshine.  I am loving Stella's age.  I love that she has an opinion.  I love that she can blow kisses and dance and talk on the phone.  I love that she is strong-willed and smart.  She is using words and sign language to communicate and that has been fun to be apart of.  The big kids are almost done with school and I am so excited for summer with them.  I am looking forward to swimming EVERYDAY,  hikes and picnics.  I am excited to sleep on the trampoline and turn the sprinklers on while they dream…… my mother did that to us a time or two.  Maybe when they are older.  I feel that they are gone alllll the time now, and we only have time for the basics - dinner, homework and maybe a little cuddling if we are lucky.  So I am looking forward to being able to craft, dance, and bike ride.  Sawyer is a doll by the way.  When I think of sending him off to school next year, it breaks my heart.  Really - breaks it!!!  Then I will only have one kid at home.  Crazy thoughts!!!  Well cheers to summer and lakes and sunburns and coca colas with lime - or as Logan calls them - Dirty Penguins.

Marc and Katie's wedding | Manakiki Ballroom

We have had the most awful weather this winter.  Ask my husband he hears about it almost daily. That is why I was so excited to share these images with you.  This day was amazing!  The sun was out, the sky was blue and there was a little breeze to keep us cool.  When I got to the Manakiki ball room it was set to perfection!  The wedding planner, Allison from Kirkbrides was there to help keep things going smoothly and everything went perfectly!  It was such an honor to be apart of this special day.  Sometimes I feel like I get to be a fly on a wall and see all these wonderful moments of love and kindness.  The affection this family shared made my heart happy.  Did I mention they had Hey Mavis there to play at the reception?  They were awesome! Thank you Marc and Katie for sharing your day with me!  

Ceremony- Lyndhurst Community Presbyterian Church
Reception - Manakiki Ballroom
Flowers - The Budding Tree
Coordination - Kirkbrides
Linens and plate - Event Source
music - Hey Mavis

Cape Cod | Niagara Falls

Cape Cod was a wonderful adventure for our family!   We played in the ocean and picked up crab legs. We ate a lobster and tried clams.  We even saw dolphins and whales in the ocean.  Niagara falls was not too impressive for the little ones.  I guess they expected it to blow up or break out in song and dance, I thought it was pretty grand myself.  If you ask the children what their  favorite part of the trip was they will respond - swimming at the hotel pools.  Little turds!  It was a long venture with four small kids but we survived and no one got left at a gas station so that was good.