I was eager to shoot portraits of Matt + Jenn and their adorable brood for the family’s Christmas card. It was Baby Hannah’s first Christmas, which made the portrait even more special. All dolled up in holiday red with the tots buckled in to their Radio Flyer, the family & I walked from their home to a nearby bridge for the session. It lasted exactly 45 minutes from first click to last. And the family walked away with 70 different photos. Rather good-looking photos, if I do say so myself. Was it the morning light? The camera I was using? I’d like to think it was my creative direction & efficient skills. But I may have to chalk this one up to the picture-perfect subjects :)  Happy holidays!

“She give me love, love, love, love, crazy love.” —Van Morrison

Last month my husband and I traveled to Atlanta, Ga. — affectionately known to many as HOT-lanta! — but it was surprisingly cold & windy from what I remember of my time there reporting for a local newspaper. And the crazy weather was just the beginning of this crazy weekend.

For some crazy reason, my husband and I decided to drive to Atlanta. OK, I admit it was my crazy idea. But my loving husband went along with it. So we drove through the night and arrived in the wee hours of the morning, grabbed a few hours of sleep, then prepared for a full location scout.

Just before the rehearsal, I was approached by one of the Bride’s crazy fun bridesmaids; she had the crazy idea of me shooting the rehearsal dinner later that evening as her gift to the Bride + Groom. How could I say no?! A chance to better acquaint myself with the wedding VIPs, practice my moves — “Research,” I told my husband. “I mean, why else are we here?” My loving husband then reminded me that I can be a little crazy when lacking sleep. No problem, I’ll just get some coffee.

The crazy laughter from the rehearsal dinner permeated the air for blocks, as family and friends toasted the couple with undeniably funny memories and heart-warming wishes. My man patiently waited in the bar below the restaurant & watched the game, making the occasional crazy run upstairs when I called for assistance — not a bad deal.

The next day, all 20 of the couple’s crazy bridesmaids and groomsmen, along with four ushers, their large families and a whole lot of friends gathered around the Bride + Groom as they committed their lives to one another. The ceremony was breathtaking and original, with touches of the Groom’s bold personality and the Bride’s bashful beauty. When the couple took the dance floor for the first time as Mr. + Mrs., Van Morrison’s lyrics were on the lips of the Groom. A lovely moment. But behind the scenes, the surprising weather kept the wedding planners, myself and my sweet husband running around like crazy.

Cheers to Amy + Andy — may the spark that kept you warm that day keep the crazy love alive in your marriage always.

And to my husband who, after much deliberation, agreed to step-up his assistant status and try second shooting with me during this crazy busy wedding weekend — I always knew you were crazy good under pressure. Thanks for loving this crazy gal.

And here’s a sneak peak at the custom wedding website that I created for the couple:

CREDITS:

Venue: Summerour Studio

Catering & Event Planning: Soiree Catering & Events

Bride’s Dress: Priscilla of Boston Vineyard Collection

Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew

Florist: Darryl Wiseman Flowers

Cake: Sugarplum Visions

Wedding Website: Caron Cooper Media & Design

I love shooting family portraits! I often suggest an activity for the family, particularly when there are young children. I want to capture action and emotion from each individual, as well as the interaction among family members — my sports photography roots can often be seen in my style.

I recently met up with Kelly + Jason and their two children, ages 5 and 18 months. They chose Lewis Park, an adorable park in Bradenton that holds lots of memories for their family. This session was particularly fun for me because I got to hang out with my good friends at the same time. I hadn’t seen the kids since Julian was a baby. And now he’s keeping up with his big sis! I’ve said it before but…time flies (*sigh*). Afterward Kelly said that in hindsight, she was worried the kids were “all over the place.” They were, and I encouraged it. It makes for fun photos and a fun day!

A note: When shooting children on the go, I tend to think about my shutter speed first and stay on my toes. As many times as I have literally run after a photo, sometimes I still miss the mark. The photo below (right) came out a little soft. When I first downloaded it, I could have kicked myself (can you imagine me literally trying to kick myself?)! I am, after all, a complete perfectionist.

But (and here is the point) photography is not always about perfection — the perfect exposure, the perfect focus, the perfect pose. For me it’s often about capturing that one moment in time that will never authentically happen again. And the moment that he somehow flopped his hat right on top of his head was unforgettable, for me and for his mother. Don’t let your perfectionist keep you from embracing the imperfection…in photography and in life. Deep, I know.

I’ve been so busy with holiday portraits, weddings and my design business that I am sorry to admit I have let my blogging get behind. Here’s to catching up before the holiday madness begins!

I had the pleasure of shooting Baby Hannah’s six-month portraits in October. What a beauty! This little gal has the most amazing blue eyes, almost violet…like Elizabeth Taylor (*moment of silence*).

There aren’t many things that are more fun for a new mother than playing dress-up with her baby girl, especially when there’s tulle involved! The tiny outfits are too cute for words. And I don’t mind living vicariously through them at all! Here are my favorites from the afternoon, as well as a couple shots of her big brother, a little GQ already. These two will be unstoppable.

“Let’s go surfin’ now
Everybody’s learning how
Come on and safari with me.”
—The Beach Boys

I am knee-deep in wedding photos and preparing for holiday portraits, so I thought I would share a commercial shoot I did earlier this year for Villon Surf — a super cool line of surf attire and gear. It was actually a pretty chilly day in February. During downtime and costume changes, the models took cover in the tent and some of the guys pulled out their puff jackets — Florida style! Gotta love it!

Many thanks to Mark for the opportunity and to all of the beautiful people for making my job easy.

Villon Surf — Clothing. Surf. Culture. Or check out Villon Clothing on facebook.