These two little misses came to their session ready to explore and play, with a mom and dad who doted on their girls throughout our time together. I loved seeing the two at play, making each other laugh while exchanging genuine hugs. The warmth in the air matched the tone of interactions, and the end result is simple and lovely.
"To live would be an awfully big adventure." -J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan A friendship forged during twenty-something globetrotting fueled by passion and marked by adventure started with a whole lot of wandrelust. It's fitting, then, that these days my friendship with Carla looks like everyday explorations with three inquisitive minds. We may not be collecting passport stamps these days, but our conversations remain rich. The time we get together these days, fleeting because of the many miles between DFW and the PNW, is something of a sacred space for me.
I learn a lot from Carla. She's wise in her relationships. Her marriage is full of grace and kindness. Her intentionality with her children- genuine consideration for each little personality and heart- is something I hope to emulate in motherhood some day. The places she takes her brood on any given day invites imagination, wonder and an appreciation for what is beautiful on this good earth. While we didn't manage a single family photo during my last trip, what we did capture tells a whole lot of story about what really matters in the life of my dear friend. Revisiting these photographs inspires and delights me.
It's their bond that she loves seeing, Kristy, Luigi and Lucia's mama, told me. "I love the way Luigi loves his little sister. And she absolutely adores him, stares at him in complete wonder." I caught glimpses of their mutual affection all throughout our time taking Lucia's one-year photos. They giggled at each other, and Lucia's pure joy every time Luigi walked into the room put smiles on everyone's faces. I loved that I captured each child's spark as well. Luigi has a mischievous grin, and he was delighted when we went outside to explore for a few minutes, just the two of us. From the front porch of the Italian-style villa, a visual tribute to his dad's homeland, Luigi called out, "watch me!" as he posed. Five is such a fun age for the camera. Little Lucia is in that stage where she crawls so fast she can't be bothered to walk, and her curls and cheeks pulled me right in. She's a bubbly girl, eyes ever exploring to take in the great big world. This session was all goodness, and I'm delighted to share it.
How did a whole year pass between John's newborn and one-year session? I am always amazed at how a tiny newborn turns into a precocious baby. John showed up to his photo shoot wide-eyed and curious. He remains one part baby but is also somehow one part toddler, and at a year old he seems pretty certain he is well loved and pretty content in his parents' arms. I'm already excited to see how he continues to grow and change in the coming year.
Few captures rival photographs from the first day's of a baby's life. I've been working with Shelly and Justin since before they were married, so getting to document the arrival of their second born was so special. I got to show up not only as a photographer but also as a friend. Seeing the first time Dad held his daughter and Cooper realized he was a big brother made my eyes water, and watching the natural way Shelly transitioned from mom of one to mom of two inspired me. The love in this family multiplied right in front of my camera lens. I don't have a lot of words to describe this type of session; the photos tell the whole story. I'll just say if you're interested in having these types of photos made when your baby arrives, I'd love to hear from you. A first 24 or 48 session allows you the opportunity to have permanent visual reminders of one of the most incredible times in your life.
When life and light intersect, therein lies the making of a great photo session. Four beautiful souls woven together to make family were my subjects for this shoot, hangry-just-woke-up-from-nap start and all. It's not that all of life looks perfect and that every day the sun gives light to reflect that; it's that our eyes can find what is good and true about the love of any given family if we train them to look for it. That is my life's work and my passion. I'm now offering sessions in both Dallas and Denton, as my husband's grad school endeavors made a season in Denton key if I want to see his handsome face in time for dinner. As fall approaches I want to ask you, dear readers, to help spread the word that I'm available in both locations as well as throughout the Metroplex. I've found a few great spots in my new little neck of the woods and can't wait to photograph that same intersection of life and light a bit farther north on 35 than most of my Dallas-area work to date.
My husband's family centers their summers around their lake house; it's been that way since before Ty was born. Last summer I met his extended family for the first time as his girlfriend; this summer I returned as family. A lot can change in a year. I love that I married into a family that has this place that is constant as life ebbs and flows. We are both fortunate to do work we enjoy and that suits us, but I think as long as we live in Texas we'll be purposeful to do summer the way we've done this one. We've headed to the lake every weekend that allows us, sometimes cutting out for an extra day when time permits. Days are full and rich yet slow. The rains in May and June created quite a few projects, so it's not all play. That said, the work is tangible, measurable. We wake and drink coffee on the porch. We run miles and see very few cars. We read a lot. We swim. Some nights every bed is full; some nights few bodies slumber. One weekend we hosted my super-sized family. I watched three of the kids learn to ski, the youngest of whom at 5 was timid about being pulled behind the boat in a tube at the beginning of the summer. It was such a proud moment to see her determined face announce she wanted to ski.
I pulled photos from July, and this is a long post. It captures so many moments, so many memories, so much of the goodness we've experienced over the summer. I share partly so you can see and partly to remind myself that the comings and goings to the lake during the summer are so worth it. Our lives are made better by a rhythm that makes time and space for these days. I am grateful. I hope the time spent there serves to refresh and refocus me as work picks up to a busy clip with fall portraits and weddings.
And we still have August.
If the great joy of family photos is witnessing what love looks like in any given season of life, then seeing that a year later only grows the goodness. Like etchings on the wall to mark that a little one has grown an inch or three, a year's passing seems to extend the beauty and the fullness of who a family is. This was my second time to photograph Teddy and his family. Last year's session took place at the nature center, so this year's session we headed downtown for a more urban feel. Teddy talks a lot now, and he's emerged from toddler shyness to preschool confidence. He makes his parents laugh, keeping them on their toes with lots of running and jumping. When I asked him if he saw a dinosaur in my lens, his three-year-old wit came quick. "No," he said, "I see Spiderman."
Spiderman it is, little guy. I'm grateful that my job has allowed me to cross paths with this family, and I look forward to continuing to document the ways they grow and change through the years. I'd love to do the same for you and your family too, and I'm now booking into October and November. Shoot me a message for session and scheduling details, and we can get the ball rolling.
Eisley belongs to my beautiful friend Sarah, and I love that my work allowed me to celebrate the arrival of her gorgeous girl. She preferred her mama's company to any option involving laying her down, so we went with that until she eventually settled. I love her sweet face and the way she makes Sarah smile. She is tiny and lovely, wanted and loved. Newborn sessions are always favorites, but when the stars align so I can bear witness to my friends as they transition into motherhood... it is the best thing. Eisley, little miracle, adds beauty and wonder to the world. I can't wait to see who she becomes.
The approach of their ten-year anniversary caused Elisa to reach out regarding photos. They'd never had professional family photos done, and Sal, their three-year-old was at a great age for capturing some real life moments she thought. When I met Sal, I knew I agreed with his mom's assessment. He was busy and exuberant, ready to take our photo session by storm. He is a light with a killer smile. As is best, I mostly stood back and let Elisa, Sal and dad Alex do their thing. I love what love looks like ten years in, the way a couple becomes a family and adds a little one... it is timeless and beautiful every time I get to see through my lens. I've already decided that this crew ought not wait ten more years until next time. ;)
Just before bluebonnet season ended, I met up with these littles for a session planned at the last minute before the flowers disappeared. I'm so glad we scheduled on the quick, because I love the ages and stages of these beautiful boys. I've been photographing this crew since Nick (3) was a newborn, and getting to watch him grow into a doting big brother to Evan (1) has been so rewarding. The contagious smiles and endless energy of these two guarantees their parents are on their toes pretty much always. I see these guys a couple of times a year, and I'm amazed at how fast the boys are growing. Seeing their little lives documented as they grow makes me hope they look back and remember that they were buddies from the start. I hope it makes them remember their mom and dad's patience and calm even as they chased after one boundary testing big brother while his little brother watched, learning. He just kept running away, and they kept chasing him down and bringing him back. I hope they know their parents seemed to have in mind that this is what little ones do, how they explore... I hope they can see how loved they were from the get go.
Their twins arrived at the end of May, and we spent a few minutes before sunset documenting Marie's pregnancy before the endless rain came. The location we used would be under water by the time the babies arrived, but this was an evening of a quiet calm. When a photo session serves the purpose of recording the kind of day that is all the good stuff of a family lived out authentically as I shoot, I get excited about sharing these images.
My brother Josh graduated from high school in May, and in the tradition of the shoemaker's children, we did a few senior photos at the last minute. At the end of the session we took this series, and they continue to make me smile. Josh is one of those great kids who can both make you laugh and speak with respect. He loves baseball and our siblings' kids. He works hard. He is considerate. I still picture a curly-headed tot when I think about Josh. I can't imagine that he's entered the stage of life where it's time to start college and chase dreams and find his feet as an adult. But I know it's true. With his kindness and steady pace, I am sure he will go far in life. I'm glad I get to be a part of the journey. If you have a superhero graduating from high school in 2016, I'd love to get a session on the books. It is so fun to capture a bit of personality while documenting the excitement of a season of beginnings and endings.
Jonny didn't love the sun in his eyes at the beginning of this session, so we found some shade under a tree in a patch of dandelions. I asked Jonny if he'd ever made a wish on a dandelion. He hadn't. I showed him how to blow the seeds, and that turned out to be a game changer. The rest of the session allowed me to capture some sweet nuances of a three-year-old boy without that pesky sun. Jonny laughed and played with me for the rest of the shoot. Jonny's mom emailed me later in the day to say that her little guy had had a great time. As they were leaving the session he asked his mom why I was married and then told her that he wanted to marry me too. That's the cutest endorsement ever and not a bad way to end a photo shoot. A few favorites...
When Tricia reached out regarding a photo session, she said this would be the first collection of family photos with eight-month-old Ethan. I looked forward to documenting such a fantastic age- and in their home- where babies tend to be the most at ease with new faces. Ethan had big grins and belly laughs from the get go, and I witnessed lots of the pride, joy and delight that brightens the faces of parents watching their little one shine. New parenthood may bring challenges that requires adaptation and change, but the overarching theme I see when I meet a family for the first time is the unique beauty that their expression of love displays. This was a laid-back, simple session with that produced photographs that captures a family as they are, perfect for first family photos. I've been excited to share a sneak peek; it makes me anticipate watching little Ethan grow. It makes me anticipate the new families I've yet to meet. Lots of goodness to behold here.
The first time I took Lucie's photos, she was 11. She demonstrated her dance skills with grace and poise while retaining a bit of childlike wonder about the world. I've done her photos several times through the years, and this time we celebrated her 16th birthday. At the session we chatted easily about music and school and boys and life, and afterwards she told her mom she liked doing photos with me because she gets to be herself. I loved hearing that, because when I took the photos my hope was to capture photographs that illustrate who Lucie is, not just what she looks like. She still has that grace and poise and even a bit of that childlike wonder, and she also has maturity and depth, a quick laugh and an easy smile. The next time I see her will likely be for senior portraits, and I am so excited to watch her continue to become exactly who she was made to be. She's beautiful and fun, intelligent and calm.
Over Easter we loaded our newlywed selves and the dog into my little Honda Fit and made the drive to El Paso to visit Ty's sister and her family. We didn't tell the girls we were coming; we showed up and knocked on the door. Emory (5) was in Ty's arms as soon as the door opened wide enough for her to see us. She'd had a birthday the weekend before, and we'd missed it on account of my sister's wedding. Our newly joined lives multiplied the size of our families, and I am so grateful that we not only love but quite like both sides. We spent the weekend exploring and with very little scheduling, two of my favorite ways to do life. I think Ty is at his best around his family; they fit just so. I fit right in the mix too, and these photographs are rich with memories for me. Life isn't all low-key days of ice cream and sunsets and egg dyeing and sandy desert. On the days it is, it is so very easy to remember that life is good. I love that Ty's family is now my family, and these are my people. I spend work days documenting stories for others, and I want to be intentional about doing the same for us. Sharing these makes me anticipate being together over the summer.
Hanley slept her way through pretty much her entire newborn session, minus the last few minutes when she snuggled with her big brother and gave me a few peeks. I loved getting to hear her brothers dote and play in the background while we did her individual portraits. Trying to get the cooperation of her middle brother, though, proved to be a(n adorable) challenge when the time came for sibling shots. New baby sisters bring a bit of processing for newly promoted big brothers, so we let Payne do his thing. I love this sweet collection of photographs, and it makes me excited for my upcoming newborns as well as updating some whole family photos when Hanley's mom and dad are ready. I enjoy few things as much as capturing photos of new babies and the ways they transform a family. Hanley fits right in with her brothers, loved and lovely, the sweetest little miss.
This was of those days when I showed up with my camera, and I literally could not take enough photos of the beautiful interactions that happened. I photographed Lexi all through her first year, from when she was a bun in the oven, so I already knew we'd have good rapport. These family photos though?!? Are you kidding me? I love them so much. It has little to do with the backdrop and clothing selected. Though who doesn't love a green park in the spring and a baby girl with great accessories? It has everything to do with parents who showed up ready to engage their daughter and each other coupled with a baby who is bright-eyed, curious and adorable. I have been dying to blog these since I shot them. These are the kinds of photographs I love to create. It's kinda icing on the cake- pun intended- that the planned, staged smash cake shots decidedly did not interest Miss Lexi. She's also an independent little miss, and she didn't want cake, thank you very much. Want photographs like this of your favorite little(s) and family? Shoot me an email, and let's make a date! In addition to DFW sessions, I'm booking in Lexington and Louisville, Kentucky (June), Raleigh, North Carolina (August) and Boston, Massachusetts and Hartford, Conneticut (September). Don't see your city listed? Reach out, and we can make it happen!
Rylee plans to attend Tech in the fall, but not before she attends not one but four proms and graduates. This girl exudes confidence and style, and she was both gracious and fun to work with on creating a fun and unique senior session. We used North Oak Cliff as a backdrop, and while we hoped for a bit of golden hour sunset light, the overcast day was perfect for some moodier photos. They suited Rylee's style, so I'm glad that's how the day went. I am sure she'll do well no matter where she goes or what she pursues, and I'm excited to see how life takes shape for her.
