Yokley twins (#4)

Isabella & Addelyn; the final session from their baby’s 1st year plan. As often happens (and this is ok), it’s past a year now… but we’re fine with that. 🙂

This one of those sessions where I laid in the grass/weeds at least 5 times, and endangered my camera by holding it inches from the water down in the creek… and am not sorry for any of it.

You have to be willing to get a little crazy if you want pictures of toddlers that give any essence of who they are. That’s what we’re all about!

this tractor was played with by Doug (the twins’ dad) when HE was a kid. This was the first time the twins had played with it… so fun!

we ended the session down by the creek. They loved the water, and had certainly earned the right to get a little wet/dirty.

Couldn’t end this post without a little tribute to Doug… thanks for matching my goofiness, Doug. I know. it’s not fair. No-one ever points the camera at me when I’M being that goofy. But you also know what you’re getting yourself into when you do these things around a photographer… heh heh…

Kids are the REAL rock stars (Hunter, session 3)

Sometimes, I look at the style that has evolved out of my work, and it feels odd that I take pictures of…babies. I mean, I also take pictures of a lot of other very different things. Weddings, food, downtown scenery, bands & 1940s detectives…but it seems like babies would be the last subject on my list when it comes simply to analyzing the sometimes over-the-top epic shooting style that I tend to take on.

But why not? Babies & other children in general are much cooler than we are. They’re as honest as honest gets, pure, funny, and of course adorable… so why can’t I take pictures of them in the same way I’d take pictures of a band or a superhero or some other more seemingly ‘epic’ subject?

That being said, I start with the simple shots… the ones that focus on the expressions & chubby cheeks, quiet moments that are captured in a more classic and timeless way. Sometimes, if you add too much ‘style’ to a picture, it takes away from the subject.

But after that… I like to break out the off-camera-flash, the wide angle lens, and lay on the ground or climb a tree for dramatic angles, to capture kids in a stylized and quirky way. It’s fun feeling to see my work take on a unique look. And even more fun plugging that into a genre of family photography that isn’t always approached in a very fresh light.

If that came across as egotistical… shoot me.

(And not with a camera).

Enough rambling. Here’s more of the real stars of the show… baby Hunter & big brother Parker. these are some ridiculously cute children. And my camera has NOTHING to do with that fact.

Caegan: SESSION 3

Another baby turned toddler; I’ve seen mr. Caegan go from newborn to very expressive, bouncy little man. take in the CUTENESS!

This is actually the note we started on. Caegan had just woken up and I was a little too close a little too fast…

he warmed up fast.

this is the expression of an unimpressed toddler. take that, perfect family picture. (he had many such expressions).

sometimes I have to turn around to snap a picture of what the parent is doing to get the kiddo to smile…

It’s a good thing nobody is there to turn the camera on ME, bc I’m generally doing some pretty ridiculous things when I’m taking pictures of toddlers.

baby Jillian, session 2

Baby Jillian is back! Really enjoyed this in-home shoot with Jillian (now 6 months) & parents Casey & Amber. What a cutie!

Owen’s superawesome 1st birthday party

Owen is the adorable son of some long standing clients of mine. I shot Nikki & Ryan’s wedding 3 years ago, their brand new baby last december, and now that baby is 1 year old!

Getting to photograph this incredibly well planned visual feast of a party was SO much fun. Already planning out the book that we’ve planned to make, to truly be able to remember the event the way it should be remembered!

More pictures to be posted soon from a full shoot with this awesome little family.

Now, PARTY time! this post may be a bit longer than usual, but we’ve got to see this party through from beginning to end.

beginning I end

skipping to the end.

wait! back up! let’s go back to the beginning and take a look at the decor…

enter the little man!

exit the little man! Then retrieve a shoe and enter again….

Ryan got up at 3am the night before to put this pork in the smoker. Best pulled pork I’ve ever had. No exaggeration.

nobody knows how to enjoy a party like THIS dude.

bring on the CAKE!

baby Maeve

The Lanyons- Beth, Heath, & little Mave- have become photo booth regulars this year, and I’ve been excitedly awaiting them to ask me to do a photo session with their adorable little family. They are people with an awesome vintage style and big ol’ hearts, and their daughters’ huge blue eyes are just made for taking pictures of.

This shoot was short and sweet… no need for fancy lighting setups or multiple locations, I just took advantage of the beautiful light and time of day, and the fall colors that were blazing so brightly that day.

Enjoy!

the Greers

the Greers are among a larger family that holds a soft place in my heart. A soft place because back over a year-and-a-half-ago, after I lost my home, belongings, and yes, my camera in a tornado- Aanna Greer participated in a blog effort on my behalf.

Doesn’t sound powerful? Well it was. Aanna, Lance, Colby, Ellie, Jason, and a few others worked hard to raise money for me to replace my livelihood, my income, my passion- my camera.

That being said, it’s so awesome now that Aanna, her super-cool husband Logan, and their beautiful daughter Valentine ( I LOVE this name) are in front of the lens of the very camera that they helped me buy.

These people are also just really sweet and really fun. This session- set in the forest that this family frequents on long walks- is just gorgeous. Enjoy!

Caroline, session 3 (+ olivia)

If you’ve followed my work or this blog for any length of time, you’ll recognize these two…a couple of my favorite little muses from springfield missouri, Olivia & Caroline. Olivia wrapped up her baby’s 1st year plan last year and Caroline began hers this year. Can’t believe we’re already on our third session…

As always, a million thanks to Sarah (the mama) for putting so much thought into outfits, props, & location- her planning always makes it worth the drive to springfield- and for just being awesome and having such outrageously cute children. My goodness.

almost just seems like this one has never had her portrait taken, you know? 😉

the set up. sometimes that’s my favorite picture of all.

baby Caegan, session 2

I don’t often split a section into multiple parts, but sometimes, the elements are against you. Such was the case in working with mr. Caegan during his 2nd baby’s first year shoot… it was an evening that was supposed to be pleasant, turning out instead to be gloomy with a very chilly wind that wasn’t exactly baby-friendly. Didn’t stop us from getting a couple of great shots in the 20 minutes we had to work before his little nose just got too red for us to keep going in good conscience…

Re-convened with mom Lisa & dad Corban a couple of weeks later for shoot 2, which was an absolutely PERFECT day. And what an awesome and increasingly expressive little fella he is! 🙂

his expression kills me in this one.

baby Keagan: this kid is ONE YEAR OLD!

This is the fourth and final session for baby Keagan’s 1st year. I always have mixed emotions when another baby’s first year comes to a close… awesomeness that they’ve been in this world a whole year already/excitement that now we get to make them their awesome 1 year book… and then, of course a little sad that it happened so fast.

Really, I should stop being so dramatic… it’s not the end of the WORLD and it’s not like I’ll stop taking pictures of this little guy or anything…

Keagan’s parents Kim & Nathan are good friends of mine & my own kids love mr. Keagan too, especially my little girl who screams ‘KEAAAAAGAN!’ every time she sees the business card I have w/ this boy on it. Makes me laugh.

Enough talk: pictures!