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.

“Absence makes thy heart grow fonder.”
-Anonymous

Though they both attended Penn State, Teela + Scott’s first close encounter was a couple years ago while visiting Avalon, New Jersey, for some sun and fun. And something told them then that it was love. Their only problem was geography — she was living in Philly, he was in Manhattan. If time was to keep them apart, distance would not, and the two cities became the setting for their storybook courtship. For more than a year they took turns traveling back and forth every weekend until Scott could call Pennsylvania home once again and be with his gal for good.

In June the couple returned to New York City to visit Scott’s friends. Little did Teela know this trip would be the start of their next chapter. Scott planned a romantic evening, which began at the Highline, an elevated park in the Meatpacking District and the scene of their first NYC date. It was there he proposed, and where she’ll always remember the feeling of pure happiness.

They ended this summer with a trip to St. Augustine. Their hope was that I would capture their affectionate and fun personalities in an artistic manner. No problem. Scott made his love for Teela look like an art form and she was his inspiration, like a painter and his muse. And the beauty of St. Augustine didn’t hurt!

Cheers to Teela + Scott — may your love always look like the work of art I witnessed that day.

“I was never alive
‘Til the day I was blessed with you.
When I hold you late at night,
I know what I was put here to do.”
—”Angel’s Lullaby”

A few weeks ago, I met the Angels for a sunset maternity session on the beach, a gift from an excited soon-to-be aunt. From the moment I arrived, it was clear that raindrops would fall before the sun would set, and my sunset money-shot was gone with the wind. The sky was already rumbling, and the periodic raindrop on my arm kept me on my toes. Not exactly my idea of optimal shooting conditions. And yet, the weather provided two totally different backdrops — to the north there was nothing but light, and to the south the sky provided amazing shades of blue and gray.

The couple had recently finished decorating Baby Boy Angel’s nautically-inspired nursery and were patiently awaiting his arrival. Pregnancy did not slow this couple down. They were even more productive than normal, which is saying something. They shared and celebrated their joy with family and friends all along the way, and she easily worked up until her leave at 39 weeks. By then her petite frame was all baby, and the yet unnamed Angel was weighing in at more than eight pounds.

As I drove home that evening, I wondered who Baby Angel would look more like. Mom’s family is Colombian, Dad’s is German and Hungarian. No doubt he’ll be a cutie. Then the music geek in me kicked in, and I remembered that song “Angel’s Lullaby” (the Richard Marx version). The song is too fitting!

Ethan Parker made his debut yesterday, all 9 pounds and 21 inches of him. He has a full head of dark hair, like his mother. But when I saw his very first photo, what struck me most was the Angel in him.

Congratulations to Carolina + Robby!

And for those of you who can’t get enough of the classic maternity shots, by request here are my latest interpretations…

Congratulations again to the new parents and their family! I look forward to watching Baby Ethan grow!

One Sunday afternoon in May, I visited Gary + Leslie to shoot their daughter’s three-month portraits. Gary and I attended the same high school — Go ‘Noles! — but it was my first time meeting the rest of the family. Their daughter, Miss Rylee Ann, is the couple’s first child, though you wouldn’t know it after hanging out with them for a few hours. Leslie is a fantastic mother. She has a way with her daughter that was impressive to watch — Gary called it “the magic touch.” I have to agree.