Everyone needs a [family]!

This family is one of my most loyal customers!  See their previous yearly photo shoots here and here...They are such a pleasure to photograph!  There is something about capturing a happy family that loves one another and enjoys being together - you can just sense it, and even though a photograph is a still, the goal is to make each viewer who looks at the picture feel it too!

Here are some of the favorites from this session!  (LOVE the grey-on-grey color theme too!)

 How cute is this face?

I love this shot:)

Custom prints like this are available....

 The bare trees in this black and white are so striking!

 Absolute cuteness!!

Ending the shoot with some leaf-throwing fun!

"[rejoice] with your family in the beautiful land of life..."

This is why I love taking photos of families so much....celebrating the real life, the real smiles, the real connections.  This family is no stranger to difficulties, but their strength of character shines through.  They're also dear friends of ours - woven into the fabric of our lives in sweet and rich ways.  

Too many favorites to choose from so here are a BUNCH!

quote credit: Albert Einstein

....you're my [favorite]

I always tell my boys that they're my favorite - these days, it's "you're my favorite 10 year old" to my responsible and hard-working son, T.  A whisper of "you're my favorite 8 year old" to G, my sensitive and big-hearted middle son, and a "you're my favorite 6 year old" along with a tickle and a squeeze, to my rowdy and energetic youngest.

The last photos taken of the boys was July 2014...and they've grown up so much since then - it was time for an update and this go-round, I thought instead of Walmart, instead of hiring another photographer or purchasing the overpriced school photo, I would take the photos of them myself, in our own back yard...

When I look at the results of our one hour "session", my heart is full of gratitude - for how well they cooperated with this photographer mama, for the huge and awesome responsibility it is to parent them, for everything about them that makes "him" my favorite.

oops!  An overexposed shot ends up being one of my favorites!

melt your heart!

There's the mischievous smile I know and love!

(and the reward for all that smiling and sitting nice!)

Being a mom to these three isn't always easy, or quiet, or simple.  But, no matter what, I have three favorites!  I feel like the luckiest mom in the world!

i [love] my life and the ones in it!

It is a little bit tricky to be both the photographer and one of the subjects, but it can be done, with the right amount of cooperation, a generous helping of beautiful weather, and the promise of a turkey dinner afterwards!  Add a really great location and a well-planned wardrobe theme, and it goes even better than anticipated!!

I have a wonderful family on BOTH sides, but on this occasion, Thanksgiving Monday, I had the privilege of capturing my AMAZING in-law family - all 24 of us!  Whew! It took a bit of running back and forth to the camera, but the full family shots turned out so well!

except for maybe this shot?...

(It is always a treat to see the result of the "give me your silliest face" pose!)

And a few of the individual family/couple shots!  I think we have the makings of a really great photo wall collage here!

I love sharing my life with these precious folks...and I love taking photos of happy families!  Best of both worlds in this case!

From this day [forward]...

May 29, 2015 was a very special day for this couple, and I had the privilege and opportunity to be a part of the celebration!  Both D. and J. love to laugh and have fun and it is infectious to everyone around them!  From the special moment they first laid eyes on each other to the surprise flash dance at the reception, it was a wonderful day celebrating a wonderful couple!

Here are a few of my favorite shots:

Do YOU have a special day coming up?  If you'd like more information about wedding photography, please check out the price list and the wedding package terms and conditions.  For other examples of my wedding photography, be sure to like the Facebook page and click on the WEDDING album.