The Annual Uncle Erin Session

When I first did photos for my original Kentucky clients, then-two-year-old Leslie called me Uncle Erin. She already had an Aunt Erin, her dad's sister, and I was a family friend who came with my-sister-who-is-her-mom's-best-friend-and-therefore-aunt. Calling me uncle just made good toddler sense. The name and the family photos stuck. This is a family I've known and become close to through good times and bad. I've seen their big love, heard their kind words, witnessed so many moments of hugs and kisses and dance parties and late night movies... They know what it means to be family. I am honored to get to document a few memories each year to time capsule the moments of a given day. I love the feel of these photos, but more than that, I love my dear friends. The girls cheer-led me from the sidelines of the marathon I ran in May. We FaceTime occasionally, and Kara and I have processed the stuff of life on many a long phone conversation. I love to eat at their table and to sleep in their guest room. I hope these photographs give you a sneak peek of the beauty and wonder of the love that is uniquely theirs.

Reconnecting is Rich

This was another rainy-day-Kentucky-reuion-with-a-high-school-friend session. Bridget was one of the first friends I made when my family moved to Kentucky midway through my high school career. We took a lot of classes together, car-pooled (in her miles-long Cadillac), giggled about crushes and graduated. We started college at the same university, but I transferred to Texas. We lost touch. We reconnected on Facebook, and she booked me to photograph her littles last month. I loved getting to meet them. Avery sized me up the entire session; she's precocious and smart and sweet. Grant is a chatterbox and busy, and I loved hearing his big thoughts and dreams. Our time passed quickly, and I love the Kentucky-ness of the old barn and the horses. Really, though, I love that my work opened a door for me to have a good visit with an old friend and her family. It had been 14 years. We surely won't wait that long to get together, whether for more photos or for lunch (which followed our session, of course). The time was too rich.

Joy is Waterproof

Kimberly and I went to high school together, and she reached out to me this year and asked if she could book a session when I was in Kentucky. We'd reconnected on social media after being out of touch since the late 90s. Typing that makes me feel old. Kentucky has great locations for outdoor sessions, so that's what we planned. As soon as it became clear that rain was going to be a theme of the day I learned something key about this family: they know how to make the best of a less-than-ideal situation. They'd come for family photos, and family photos they would get. They opted to choose joy and laughter to set the tone of the session, and we all had a blast, even the not-keen-on-photos 13-year-old. That choice worked in their favor; this is a fun, happy, beautiful collection of photographs. I'm excited to share the sneak peek.

Pacific Northwest: Goodness

Few places feed my soul the way the Pacific Northwest does. Most of the past ten years or so have included a trip to Seattle and Bellingham or Vancouver and Whistler. I had a combined work/vacation/running trip that spanned more than a week in June. (Translated: enough time to really catch my often over-committed breath). I try to leave my camera home for the better part of most days when I'm not working. As much as I love to be behind the camera, I am learning to be intentional about being fully present. I want to be an active participant in life. I think in the long run this yields better photographs when I pull out my camera, but it certainly helps me stay engaged with the people and places I love on a different level. That said, the photographs I do take in the places that are sacred to me become relics that help me retrace the stories and steps that inform who I am, as a photographer but more importantly as a human. I love the natural beauty of Washington, the exuberance on the faces of my best friend's children as they explore the seaside, the way the Emerald City is easily and best (?...so many hills!) discovered by foot and that I got to share pieces of this trip with my fella. I love little kid adventures and backyard beauty. I love the food. I love the wonder.

I have a good bit of work to catch up on and blog, and I'm excited to share all of that. Last night, though, I paused and went through some photographs to help me remember. These photographs remind me, in individual frames and as a whole, that I have much to be thankful for. Such goodness to behold.

Brothers. Buddies. Best.

I spent a week in Lexington in June for a Honey and Salt wedding and got to photograph several families as well. The bad news is it rained the entire trip. The good news is this family did not mind one little bit. The boys' interactions illustrated that having a brother as a buddy is the best thing ever. It mattered not that midway through the session the aforementioned rain came down, in spite of sunny skies, and when it rained, it poured. Everyone brought their best selves: big smiles and willingness to play and plenty of interaction. We continued on, and I am so excited to share this sneak peek. I am loving these photographs!

Introducing Holden

Here are some things about Holden's newborn session that make me smile as I blog these photos: first of all, baby Holden himself seemed to think a photo session meant extra time to snuggle with his family and to stare and sleep and be all around precious. Then there was his mom whose gentleness and tenderness with her tiny son demonstrated the amazing way a heart instantly expands to love new life. And his dad was similar but as he followed his toddler daughter around (you can't leave a two-year-old untended!) turned to me and said, "I just love my little girl." We wondered at the maternity session how Lauren would adjust to a newborn in the mix. She's precocious and busy and, well, two. The answer (and this is what I loved seeing the most): she adores him. Here's a sneak peek of Holden's session so that you can see for yourself.

The Raleigh Extension

Most of the Blinns live in Texas, and those who don't give me excuses to explore other parts of the country in work-play mixes. I love that my job has given me the ability to work where the people I love are. A wedding and some photo sessions meant I got to spend a few days with my sister and her crew. This trip allowed me to capture each of the kids exactly as they are, personality-wise, so these photographs make me smile.

Introducing Ruby

Ruby preferred snuggling in the arms of her parents, who absolutely adore their firstborn baby girl, to being photographed. We moved slowly, passing her back and forth, waiting for that lull that frequents newly arrived baby life. When she settled, I took her photograph, using some of the many beautiful gifts Ruby had received to capture the sweetness of a newborn. It's said time and again of this stage- they change so quickly- so I'm always delighted when a family invests in photos to remember the early days when she won the hearts of all who met her. Witnessing that never ceases to mesmerize me through my camera lens, time and again. So pleased to share these.

All Boy Boys!

Prior to our session, Francie posted on her Facebook page that on a recent morning they found their boys, 5 and 7, perched on the front porch of the house for sale across the street from their house, bags packed and ready to move in. Their concern was not that they hadn't told their parents where they were going. Rather, they were concerned they didn't have any dollars in their wallet with which to buy the house. Independent much? I knew then that I'd like little adventurers who want to go, go, go. And go, go, go they did. We explored the park in fast motion, with photo bombs any time I tried to get a photograph of either boy solo. And they laughed and wrestled, hugged and threw *friendly* punches and reminded me of what it was like to grow up in a house with all boy boys. I think we captured just what family looks like for a family with boys, 5 and 7. And it looks like the loud kind of love that makes me smile.

Room For One More

This California crew headed to North Carolina for a family wedding (which will be blogged on Honey and Salt soon, and I got to connect with them to do a family session the day before. We let the boys play and set the pace, and that was just right for these two busy little guys (who will be joined by a third brother in the fall). I love their expressiveness and the fun interactions we were able to capture. This is a beautiful family, and I can't wait to see what a third little adds to their mix.

Birthday Buddy and a New Baby Brother

On our shared birthday, Nicholas' 2nd and my perpetual 25th, I took photographs of big Nick and his (8-days-new) little brother Evan. It is such a treat for me to work with families on an ongoing basis to update the stories of their family as tiny babies turn into precocious boys and especially when a new addition arrives. Nick wasn't sure he wanted to actually be in photographs with Evan, but he was happy enough to play and engage as long as we didn't push him. And Evan was so precious, cuddly and content. He had a lot of smiles and smirks for such a brand new guy. I love that we got to use the "life is beauty full" hanging, a tradition we started with Nick's six-month session. Seeing the beauty fullness of new life alongside a growing boy is as good as it gets.

Sweet T

Don't you just want to kiss this sweet baby's cheeks? And her eyes? So beautiful! Teagan's parents opted to have her session on the grounds of their church. They met and married there. They'd never had photos done, so we took our time, chatting and passing the baby around. Tegan is as loved as a baby girl can be, and her calm, laid back little self took to photos wonderfully. I'm excited to share this set, the first of my North Carolina sessions from the end of May.

A Castle and Books and a Field and...

These two sweet girls belong to dear friends of mine, and I've had the privilege of watching them grow up through my lens. For this session, I stood back and mostly just let them be. Everyone had had a long day, and that was just the right thing to capture the spirits of two vibrant, beautiful, happy girls. Jenna and Rob love their girls so much, and it shows... and I don't just mean in photographs. It showed in the giggles the girls shared and the way they ran and danced and played their way through the session. I have been doing photos with them since Francie was born, and these are my favorite photographs to date.

While They Are Very Young

One of the things I enjoy about families who work with me on an ongoing basis to tell their story visually is having a general feel for a family's dynamic prior to the session. With these guys, I know I'll have relaxed parents and chatty boys. I know I need to have a plan to both keep the boys busy and get their attention. I know we will laugh. I know we will move fast. And I know the end result will be updated portraits that reflect love and joy and contentment. The boys grow taller and have more words, and while I already know what love looks like on the faces of this family from prior years, I'm always excited to see the evolving expressions of that love that shows with new photographs. While these boys are very young, their parents are giving the the gift of a firm foundation rooted in the good stuff of life. And that photographs beautifully.

Introducing John

This tiny guy has filled his family's home with love and warmth. His daddy is so, so attentive, and his mama is so, so proud. His grandma was visiting to help out, and she too is quite taken with her newborn grandson. John was eight-days-old at his newborn session, and we started out with a wide-eyed little wonder who stared and stared at me. Then his eyes got heavy, and he settled into dreamland. I love this entire set of images. When the weather allows for a few outdoor photos of a newborn, I get excited, and John didn't seem to notice the shift from inside to out. In mid-April, John's parents celebrated their five-year anniversary with a maternity session, and by the middle of May, their arms and hearts overflowed with their firstborn son. I can't wait to watch him grow!

Bandit Steals the Show

A Saturday night spent celebrating this couple and their sweet dog. Bandit was the most enthusiastic and well-behaved canine subject I've ever had at a photo shoot. I loved the casual interactions and abundant laughter shared as we captured photographs. It's clear that Terry and Patti belong together. I'm glad I got to see who they are through my camera lens. Love photographs beautifully.

Happy!

A two-year-old photo session on a beach with a little guy who I met on his birthday last year? What could be more perfect? Well, Bowen is going to be a big brother in a few months, and his grandparents were along for the ride. He thought the beach was delightful. I know this because he laughed every time his grandpa poured bucket after bucket of sand into a castle. He stomped his feet in the water and threw stones to watch them ripple (so long as mama's hand was reachable). I love the intensity in this toddler's eyes. Seeing the way he reached for hugs and kisses made everyone smile, repeatedly. When he noticed balloons nearby being strung for a birthday party, Bowen started to shout, "happy, happy." And that's the word to summarize these photographs: happy indeed.

Love Looks Like

When we started planning this session, the main idea was space for a busy two-year-old to do his thing. I've spent a good bit of time lately considering what I want the end goal of my family sessions to be. I want to capture photographs that communicate, "see, this is what you look like when you love each other." When I photograph a child, I want his parents to see those looks he makes in this stage in life when he sings that song or, in this case, roars like a tiger and march-march-marches away. The passing of time means expressions evolve, change and fade, and a photograph allows a permanent pause. These photos, I hope, show this both what love looks like on this family and who little Teddy is right now. I see joy, intensity and exuberance in his big blue eyes. Speaking of eyes, aren't his striking? I had a hard time narrowing photos to blog and am happy to share this set. I love that the day of this session was a bright spring day. It so complimented the feel of these interactions.

One Fella & Three Little Ladies

Becoming a parent means signing up for the biggest adventure of your life, for the rest of your life. When these guys decided to have a second baby, they found out second baby also meant third and fourth too... Triplet girls arrived four months ago. That's a whole lot of adventure all at once. I have a few other triplet families, and my friend and wedding business partner Christina is a triplet mom, so I've been fortunate to know multiple multiples families. That said, it takes mega-doses of courage, grace and determination to welcome three babies all at once, and Amanda and Tigh live those attributes. Their girls are beautiful, and their little man is busy and kind. Their hands are full, and their cup runneth over. When the aforementioned Christina asked me if I wanted to join her when she photographed this session, I had no idea I'd get to meet such an incredibly inspiring couple. I won't say they make raising four little ones two and under look super easy, but they do make it look super full of love. Just a few photos from a perfect spring morning in the Woodlands...

April Bumps Bring May...

...babies? Isn't that how the saying goes? No? In all seriousness, few things bring me greater joy than getting to follow a family from pregnancy to new addition to babyhood and as childhood takes off. I did a bump session before this little Lauren's arrival. Now Lauren is about to become a big sister, and she has lots of personality and a vibrancy about her that is sure to equip her for the task. She turned two this week, and in a few short weeks, her little brother will arrive. I love how expressive she was in this session. It didn't take long for her to warm up to Miss Erin, and then it was a full throttle, good-stuff-of-life running, laughing, dancing, hugging, playing and go, go, going session. All that, and we managed a few great bump shots of her mama too. Cannot wait to meet the new addition in a few weeks.