Archive for November, 2012

I feel like I’m a member of this family.  And I like it.

I remember when I delivered the portraits from  Abbey‘s newborn session

mom hugged me and said, “We’ve found our photographer for life.”

She really meant it and I couldn’t be happier.

I’m lucky enough to photograph Abbey 2x a year at her daycare

and anytime I’m having a mini-session special

mom is one of the first ones to book.

A photographer changes a lot in 3 years – I know I have.

Always, photography for me has been more about the connections between family members

and I love seeing it in this session.

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 Without telling mom that I was doing it

I tried out a little fusion during our session.

Fusion is the combination of video and portraits during the same session.

I’ve played around with it some during other sessions

and I really love it.  More and more.

I love it so much, I might have to just start including it in all newborn sessions!

So, Cameron, sit back and grab a tissue.  Everyone else, sigh and smile

at this beautiful family I’m so happy to be part of.

Contact me for your next newborn or family session.

And don’t forget to leave congratulations messages to the family!

Several years ago, I met MB for the first time.  We met at Ft. Fisher for her Sweet 16 portrait session.

I love that mom continued the tradition for her son, several years later.

But, you can’t really call it a Sweet 16 for a boy, can you?

So, how about a Super 16?

We met again at the same location.  Mom had her hopes on

another canvas to compliment MB’s.

The only thing we were missing was MB herself.  Hopefully we’ll get a few of her

when she comes home from college.

He really is an awesome kid (can you call a 16yr old a kid?)

And such a trooper to do this for his mom.

He was so easy to work with and so handsome!

He’s a Junior this year, so look for his senior portraits some time next year!

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If you’d like to celebrate a special birthday or occasion – portraits are the perfect opportunity.  Contact me for your next session.

I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason.

This session is one of those instances where I was meant to be their photographer.

No one else.

It started with a phone call coming in into my landline.  I don’t answer the landline anymore.

It’s actually hooked to a fax machine and the main ringer turned off so I rarely even hear it anymore.

When I do hear it – I ignore it – except this time.  It was meant to be.

The call was from this mom – saying Cori had sent her to me (thanks, Cori).  That she had already had another photographer picked out

for the job – but was calling me just because.  It was meant to be.

She told me that she was almost 40 and her only child, a son, is 9 (instant chills – my exact story in 2 years).  It was meant to be.

She wanted me to capture her and her son – their friendship, their laughter, their love – as her

40th birthday present to herself.   I’m almost in tears.  It was meant to be.

I assured her she came to the right place.  I WAS the photographer for her.  I wanted this for her

as much as I would want this for myself.

It was awesome.  Everything I could want it to be.

The weather was perfect.  The tide was perfect.  The North End was gorgeous.

Their relationship…………….much like mine and my sons.  I’m doing this for me one day, soon.

It was meant to be.

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Moms, please take time to celebrate yourself.  Please take time to have portraits done WITH your children.

Contact me so I can make it happen for you.  It would be the perfect gift to yourself.

This is a picture heavy post – get a cup of coffee – and enjoy!

Mini-sessions are the best way for families to get quick updated portraits.

While not quite as in depth and not nearly as many connections as I get with a full session,

I’m always pleased at the end of the day.

These are crazy fun sessions.

The other thing I love about these sessions are the history I have with these families.

Each one of my families that I’m sharing today has been photographed by me before.

I love, love, love seeing them again.  I love watching their children grow up behind my lens.

I met this family last year when Hampton wasn’t even standing well on his own.

Mom had missed one of my breastfeeding sessions so hired me for a family mini-session followed by a breastfeeding session, too.

I just love how animated Hampton is.

I don’t think I blogged his last session:(

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This family is one of my most loyal customers.  She first hired me when I was JUST starting out – 5 years ago.

Our first session Julian was only about 6 months old.  It was a VERY cold beach session.

Over the years I’ve really gotten to watch them grow up.  It’s the highlight of my year!

Here’s an old post from when she was pregnant with Elsa

This year I was able to squeeze in some of mom and her kids – Ulrica – you are just radiant!

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I photographed the boys for the first time last year.  I met mom through my very awesome dentists, Karen and Brent of Bush Family Dentistry.

The office staff bought a gift certificate from me for them for a gift 3 Christmas’ ago (how cool is that?)

And I’ve been with the family ever since!

I was so happy that mom and dad jumped in on this session.  I LOVE seeing families together.

I don’t know if I ever blogged their session last year (I was getting slack then)

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Cori and I have known each other for a long time.  We were pregnant with our boys at the same time.

In fact they are exactly 1 month apart in age.

I photographed the family just before Cori and Dan got married (one of my favorite sessions ever – check it out HERE)

and just the boys last year.  It’s great seeing them all together!

Oh, and if you’re looking to buy/sell a house – check out Cori – soon you’ll even see a new headshot from this session:)

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I was in contact with this mom while she was pregnant with her twins.  They just celebrated their 3rd birthday

and I love photographing them each year.  We’ve done full sessions and minis over the years.

Our last full session we did using Grandma’s field in Southport – such an awesome location.

The year prior to that – they weren’t even sitting up on their own – we met just before Orton Plantation closed.

We’re already in the planning phases of a “Day-in-the-Life” session – can’t wait for that!

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And folks – please leave comments!  Not only do the families love it – but it actually helps me

reach out to new families.  It makes me more searchable

and google likes it:)  So, thanks in advance for comments.

Businesses are harder to keep track of on Facebook – so if you want to make sure you don’t miss updates – subscribe to the right!

I’ve been fielding a lot of e-mails and phone calls from parents wanting last minute sibling portraits

and family portraits for Christmas cards and gifts.  I have something up my sleeve Nov 27-Dec 2.

Contact me.

How is it that my only son is almost 8?

Almost 8?!?  I can’t believe that.

I’ve been a professional photographer for over 5 years now, and like the cobbler’s children that have no shoes,

my house is barren of pictures.  Barren of the evidence of the life I celebrate every day.

I always vow to get better, but somehow life gets in the way.

I have had this great vision for the wall in my dining room to be covered in our everyday portraits.

But, yet, the same big chili poster is there.  Lame.  I’m lame sometimes.  I admit it.

Luckily, I’ve been inspired by my colleagues and friends to participate in a blog circle of our everyday life.

7 amazing photographers taking time to enjoy their family.  Taking time to reflect on it once a month. Taking time to share it with the world.

Taking time to remember.

I don’t know how I might evolve in this – but I’m looking forward to watching.

I’m bad about leaving my “good” camera home unless I’m working, so these won’t be stellar portraits.

Nope.  Not from me.  From me it will most likely be phone snaps – and I don’t even have any cool apps that make my pics look better.

And a whole lot of babbling.  It’s ok if you skip all the text and go right to pictures.

I’m babbling for me.  Because one day, when my baby is going to high school, or GULP, college, I’ll want to

Remember This.

If you’re friends with me on FB – then you might have read this story already.  But it’s so good, I have to write it here.

Eddie or I are usually able to walk Silas to school.  One morning I didn’t have time to walk and let him know we would have to drive.

He asked if we could park nearby – and I thought it was a great idea because then I wouldn’t get stuck in the traffic line.

Silas’ response: Park close and we can walk from there.  So I can hold your hand for at least 1 block.

Melt my heart.

(one day I’ll have a better image than this.  But for now, I remember)

October is the month for costumes and Halloween traditions.  I always regret I don’t take more pictures.

Carving pumpkins is one of mine and Eddie’s favorite things to do.  I ventured to try roasting my own pumpkin seeds.

Why did I wait this long?  We all LOVED them.  It even inspired Silas to dig in and get seeds (he never does this)

And you can’t have Halloween without costumes.  Silas gets scarier every year.  Last year was a vampire and this year was the Grim Reaper.

We continued our tradition of meeting with his best buds, Chan and Oscar, and hit the neighborhood – old school style.  We had a blast.

I hope I never forget this, but Eddie and I won a costume contest!!!  We really couldn’t believe it.

We never win anything and definitely not a costume contest.

We went to a murder mystery dinner theater with some good friends at a local winery.

The them was Death By Disco.  We didn’t don disco clothes – but went with the 70s theme (and already had the costume so it was easy).

Velma and Shaggy took home a win!

  

Speaking of Chan – I found a gem this month.

Chan really was Silas’ first friend.  They didn’t really have a choice since his parents are our best friends, too.

I hope they are always this close.  One day, one day, I hope to chronicle their friendship.

Then and now.  Sigh.  Melt my heart.  I love these boys.

   

I don’t get in front of the camera enough.  I want to change that.  So, I’m going to try to end each post with a snap of us together.

I only thought of this just now.  As I was going through my iphone pics to see what I wanted to share here.  This wasn’t this month.

It was right before school started.  This is us.  This is how we are most of the time.

Silly, laughing, having fun.  I want to remember this.  I want this on my dining room wall. It makes my heart happy.

So, yea, kind of lame, I know.  It will get better, I promise.

But I need to start somewhere.  I could already feel myself getting ready to bail out of this project because

I knew I would look real lame compared to my talented friends.

But this is for me.  And anyone else that wants to read.

Check out my friend Heather – and see what she wants to remember.