My baby

OK, I know I am biased, but isn't my baby girl just adorable!  Yes, these are from the 4th of JULY!!  That is how far behind I am with posting and even looking at pictures of her.  Thankfully, I still take lots of photos, I just never have time to look at them.  All photos of Mia Grace are listed under inspiration on my website, and she is just that!  I hope that all you moms out there feel the same way as I do when I see precious photos of my little girl.  That is why I LOVE my job! Enjoy her.

This next one is my absolute fav.  Maybe I can convince Mike that we NEED a canvas of this in our house.  I so need more wall space!  This photo is so anthropologie to me ... oh, so my style~

The Blonde Extraordinaire

Meet Jaime!  Jaime is one of my oldest and dearest friends.  We've known each other since 2nd grade and I probably have more memories with her than all my other friends combined.  We both always say we are probably more alike each other than anyone else we know, yet appear so different sometimes on the outside.  We can look at each other and see how decisions (both good and bad) and just life in general can send two common people along very different roads.  The best part is that it seems we always meet in the middle at some point. She is someone I consider a "soul" friend.  Someone I am just connected to and no matter how far apart we drift from each other, having a conversation is just easy. I'd say I only have a handful of people like this in my life and I am honored to call Jaime one of my best friends.

Jaime just started her own event planning business. "Jaime Lee Event Planning" is in the works, so stay tuned for a link to her awesome new site. If you or anyone you know needs some help planning an event, let me know and I'll get you in contact with her ASAP.  Anyway, this was the reason for the mini "headshot" shoot.  Here are my favs!

Powers Family

Meet the Powers ... and what a fitting name!  I am in love with the unique and fun families I have had lately.  The Powers were no different.  They drove a little way earrrrly in the morning to meet me at a few of my new spots. Despite being hungry and a little sleepy, we had a great time and it was such a pleasure photographing them. Dawson, Abby, and Gracie were sooo good and each had their own very unique personalities.  Hopefully they each came through on camera.

There is a means to my madness, and when you hear me say "snuggle in" for the 100th time, there is good reason :) Photos look so much better when people touch AND when you have 3 busy kiddos, its a way to hold them in place!  This photo makes me laugh because mom and dad have a vice grip on their cuties. Hey, whatever works, right?!

This one makes me laugh out loud.  Even though I don't know the Powers very well, I just have a "feeling" this really captures their life at the moment.  Look at sweet Amy's face.  I love that her eyes are closed and it looks like she's holding her breath.  Oh, and need I make a comment about Dawson just laying on the ground.  Too funny!!!

I think this is my new "top secret" favorite location! There bright colored clothes just went perfectly.  

A big thanks to the Powers family for braving the Texas heat and being troopers!  I hope you love your sneak peek.

Hello Cute Family?!

I'm just lucky I get to hang out with them and even call Rachel my BFF!  For those of you who have never met Rachel, here she is with her cute/beautiful family. While I'm out shooting, Rachel is busy making sweet albums and slideshows and too many other things to mention.  We are partners and I can't imagine doing this business with anyone else.

Anyway, while some of you may think its a perk to call me a best friend as far as pictures are concerned, this is so NOT the case.  We took these photos FOREVER ago (seriously a few months) and I am just now showing them to her.  Miss cutie pie Cora was not in the mood for pics, but we did get a few keepers.  These kids could stick their tongue out at me and it would be cute. Seriously, if you meet this family you would see why I adore them.  Caleb and Cora are some of the sweetest and coolest kids you could meet.  They are studs!  Mia Grace is one lucky chick to get to hang out with these two.  In fact, Rachel and I think we are going to have to keep a close eye on Mia Grace and Caleb!  I don't know whether to be worried or excited :) Love you guys!

If only you knew what it took to even get Cora to be IN this photo!!

As Promised!

I promised Kari I'd post the rest of my favorites, so here they are! I have never had a tougher time deciding what the final products of my images would be.  Honestly, I usually just do crazy stuff with pics of Mia Grace when I have time (never) to play.  Most of the time that is the easy part for me.  The picture either screams black and white, or vibrant color (sometimes both :) ) and then every once in a while the session will have a very vintage feel (such as the recent Huffman session) and I will add some grain or a texture or two.  Besides that, the tough part is narrowing down my favorites.  With Kari and Bay so many of their images were just special and needed very different processing!  So ... I have been at my computer for HOURS playing and it really has been a refreshing change of pace.  I think I could really get into this Engagement (E-session) stuff!  Side note: for those that don't know me, I love a good story and that is why I can't just blog photos.  To me, life is really just a long epic adventure, so I MUST tell you the story behind the session, the image, etc.  My husband calls me (and Rachel I might add) "Over communicators".  Enough said.

Alrighty then ... onto the images.  This first one is my favorite favorite, and honestly, it is my very very favorite picture I have ever taken (so far).  As a mom, all the pictures of Mia Grace are my favorite, but I usually don't include her photos in this category because it is impossible for me to look at them objectively.  As an artist, this image makes me proud.  I'm not trying to toot my own horn or anything, its because it represents how far I have come.  Usually during sessions, I rarely really know what I got until I get home and load my cards. With this photo, I truly had a vision as I was taking it (sun flare and all) and just felt like I got it right after my shutter clicked.  When I loaded all the photos, this one stood out because it was exactly as I pictured it my head and I loved it straight out of the camera. So, here it is!

I processed it three different ways to show you how a picture can feel differently depending on the vision for the final product.

This one is my favorite.  Very vintage washed look. What about you?

Color ...

BW ...

Isn't Kari gorgeous?!

If only you all knew how embarrassed we all were (yes, those that know me, know I was probably as red as an apple!) shhh ... don't tell Kari & Bay. I held it together just like a pro :)

Kari + Bay {E-Session}

No, I am not just a family photographer despite what you may think after viewing my blog!  It has just turned out that I have had tons of really fun, unique and cute families lately.  I also do engagements and I LOVE them!  Meet Kari and Bay.  They are getting married on August 16th, so very very soon.  I was so honored when Kari asked if I'd do her engagements AND her bridals (stay tuned). We really had fun at our session despite how hot it was!  Kari and Bay were up for anything.  It was really fun for me to get to be creative and put my vision on each photo.  I am so used to running around chasing little ones acting like a loon to get them to look at me.  Man, it sure was nice to have someone sit still AND look at me :)  Seriously, each session brings its own uniqueness and that is why I LOVE my job.  Ok, so here are a few teasers for you Kari (I know you are dying!).  I have more from this session to blog, but we are off to a birthday party and I had to at least get a few up.

I told you, you guys would like this one.  Thanks for letting me set it up :)

While I love all the artsy creative stuff, my true style and motivation is capturing these real moments.  I'm sure Bay was saying something really funny!  (Can't you just tell that Kari "oozes" sweetness!)

I love fun new locations!  And, yes, I drive around like a dork scouting them out all the time!  I can't do the same place very often or I get WAY bored.  So, you can count on your session being unique!

Check back Kari as there are about 5 more I want to show you.  One being my favorite photo of ALL time (i think)!  Really, its my new favorite. I just cannot figure out how I want the final product to look :) Are you super curious now?