Tuesday, May 31, 2011

~Jillian - First Communion~

Jillian is a beautiful little girl who recently celebrated her First Communion.  I had the honor of shooting some portraits of Jillian and her family beforehand.  Jillian wasn't quite ready when I arrived, so I even got to take some fun "getting ready" shots.  There was so much excitement in the air that something special was about to take place.  I just love getting to witness that and having the opportunity to capture it with my camera.  Below are a few of my favorites!

beautiful Jillian

getting ready.

the veil!!




her dress was simply adorable.


Jillian's super adorable little sister, Lily...

...and her super handsome brothers, Nicholas & PJ.

Jillian with her proud parents and the entire family!

Jillian has the most amazing brown eyes.



favorite image, hands down.  so pretty!!


A huge thanks to Jillian and her entire family for inviting me into your home to capture these images on such a special day!!

Thursday, May 26, 2011

New Product ~ Photo Jewelry!

I am excited to announce that I am now offering custom photo jewelry to my clients!

I was excited when I found this line of products by Kotori.  Not only am I really pleased with the quality and style of their pieces, but I really love the story behind the brand. Here is a quote from Kotori’s founder…

“I started Kotori because I was always being asked for pictures – photos of my kids. And in the mass confusion of just making it out the door, I never seemed to have one. So I designed one that I could take with me no matter where I went. Soon others began asking for jewelry of their own, and Kotori was born. Kotori, by the way, means “baby birds” in Japanese. My two kids are my own baby birds, so it made sense to name my company after them. After all, everything I do, I do for them.”

photo necklace with hand stamped charm

The Kotori line features a variety of pieces, from necklaces to cufflinks.  All jewelry pieces are made from solid sterling silver.  Each photograph is printed at a lab on metallic Kodak Professional Endura paper, and then sealed with an industrial strength coating (which is waterproof and UV resistant).

heirloom necklace

Each piece is handmade and totally customizable, so you can mix and match items to create a truly personalized piece.  Choose a necklace with one photo pendant to make a simple, elegant statement.  Or, choose multiple pendants to reflect a more modern, eclectic style.  You can even add hand-stamped charms with names or other text.  Once you own a Kotori piece, you can add to it or modify it over time by ordering individual pendants.

This is a beautiful and unique way to carry your treasured photos.  These also make wonderful gifts for grandparents and other family members beyond the traditional framed print.  What an excellent gift idea for that hard-to-buy-for person in your life!


delicate photo bracelet

This line of photo jewelry is only sold through professional photographers, so I am very proud to start offering this to my clients.  If you are interested in purchasing a Kotori piece of your own, you are welcome to use a photo from a previous session.  Or, book an upcoming session with me, and you will receive a 10% discount on your first photo jewelry order!  Please contact me for more information!

photo charm bracelet

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

~Avery & Emerson~

You may remember these lovely little girls from a few months ago.  Avery (3 years) and Emerson (9 months) are sisters, and we met up recently to do some photos.  It was an absolutely gorgeous day... in fact, it was Mother's Day!  The sun was shining and the temperature was perfect.  (Quite a difference from our first shoot, back in chilly November!!)

Below are a few of my favorites!

first up : miss avery!

she was such a good little model for me

little sister : emerson

little cutie!

love those eyes!  and, if you look close, you can see a tooth!

so pretty

beautiful family


sisters :)

love!!!


Thanks to Don & Shawn for spending your Mother's Day morning with me.  Avery & Emerson keep getting cuter and cuter!!

Friday, May 20, 2011

~Annette Elizabeth~

I feel so lucky that I've had the opportunity to meet and photograph so many newborns lately!   And here is another...meet Annette!  Also known as Annie.  She is the daughter of my friend and former co-worker, Emily, and she is absolutely adorable!!  Annie sent Mom & Dad to the hospital on Easter Sunday, and was born in the wee hours that night.  She knows how to make an entrance.  :)

I, along with my friend Emily (of Emily Hutson Photography) couldn't wait to meet this little beauty.  Of course, we had to snap a few pictures!

hello annie!

perfect little toes


her favorite spot...snuggling with mommy  :)


Congrats to Emily, Matt and big brother Eddie on the newest addition to your family!!    

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

~Gianna Maria~

I am so, so happy to introduce Gianna Maria! She is the daughter of my good friend Christina. Also known as Gia or Gigi, she was just 9 days old when we met for pictures.

I always love photographing a newborn, but it is even more special when that newborn belongs to a good friend. It is simply amazing to see a friend become a mom. Not to mention, Gia is a beautiful little angel!!

Below are a few of my favorite images of Baby Gia!

introducing : Gianna Maria!!


a beautiful blanket made especially for Gia by her Nana.


sooo sleepy

and we're awake!

love

Gia has a beautiful nursery.

my absolute favorite...just look at those kissable lips!!

Congratulations again, Christina and Emanuel!!  Thank you so much for giving me the honor of photographing your little miracle, Gia.  Enjoy this special time with her!!


Tuesday, May 10, 2011

~Ella~

Spring… I think it’s FINALLY safe to say it’s here. And, FINALLY…I was able to get outside, camera-in-hand, for my first outdoor shoot of the year!

It was a beautiful morning…Easter Sunday, actually…and I met up with Ella and her parents, Jen & Dan, for some fun and photos at the park.

You might remember Ella (aka the other “Tiny”) from a previous blog post. She turned 2 years old the week of our shoot. It’s so amazing to see what a big girl she is now…climbing on playscapes and sliding down slides all by herself. So independent, but still so Tiny.  :)

Below are a few of my favorite images from our morning together. Enjoy!

tiny ella!

we were finding lots of acorns!

beautiful family...i just love ella's smile

ella and mommy...and a really cool stick that we found!

ella and daddy


play time!

big girl on the slide


one of my favorites!  pure joy in finding an acorn  :)  

Thanks Jen, Dan & Ella for a fun morning!!