Paint the (Cow)town

Because Dallas is where I live, my clients tend to be on the Dallas side of the DFW area. The Redding crew hails from Fort Worth, so their annual session typically takes me west. This year we opted to use the newly updated Sundance Square, exploring in and around downtown as we went. I loved the change of pace. We had plenty of friendly banter illustrative of love and fondness and kids-who-are-mostly-friends whose parents still flirt with each other. I love this collection. We worried that we'd get rained out that day, and I'm so glad we weren't, because this session makes me smile. I'm grateful that I've gotten to know this family through the years, because they are engaging and warm. It's always a blast to work with them.

Happy Birthday, Evangeline!

On Friday, October 24, I messaged Evangeline's mama and said I hoped she was doing well as she neared her due date. Not an hour later her daddy texted to say they thought the baby was coming that day. As the day progressed labor slowed, so I didn't hear back until evening when I received a "it's time" text. Two years ago on Christmas Day I photographed the arrival of Evie's big sister, and she arrived so fast that I hurried to the birth center. Evie decided on a slower pace, though, so it wasn't until the wee hours of October 25 that her mama delivered her into her daddy's hands. Beautiful and healthy and with lungs ready to go, Evie captured her parents' hearts immediately, and I am so grateful I got to witness the miracle of new life. She is a perfect fit in her family, and these photos don't do justice to the warmth and love that filled the room.

Just So Them

When families show up the day after Halloween with wide-eyed wonder still left in the eyes of the elder child, I know we're going to have fun. Jack chirped away about trick-or-treating while he chomped on the endless supply of treats that he'd collected the night before. We explored the outdoor space we'd selected while watching him show off then calm and play with his sister. Claire, meanwhile, grinned and babbled and let me see her teeth peeking through (a favorite to see... why are baby teeth so cute?). I got to witness love and laughter and a few "Jack!! Stop! No!" moments when a precocious Jack took off in one direction or another. I love when sessions go this way. It's not that everything is perfect and posed and planned. It's that it's bright and beautiful and real. The photographs that resulted from this session are my favorite of this family, and we've been working together since Jack was born. Other sessions have produced some lovely images, but these photographs, I think, show love and tenderness and are just so them. I don't have the right words for that, but I know when I've seen it through my camera lens. I'm excited to blog these and look forward to seeing these littles as they continue to grow down the road.

Meghan and Jay

These days my wedding work is being shared and blogged on the Honey and Salt site, but when my sister got engaged, of course I had to take some photos. It's Meghan's birthday today, so I wanted to share these as an excuse to say how blessed I am to have a sister who doubles as one of my best friends. Meghan is generous and kind, more of a baby whisperer than I (if you can believe such a thing is possible), a lover of people, a great hostess and one of the most articulate people I know. Jay is truly her compliment, and I've loved becoming his friend through the course of their relationship. It's been so incredible to be a part of their story. I'm guessing 29 (and holding) is going to be Meghan's best year yet. I can't wait for their wedding and all that is to come. The future is looking very bright for these two.

Happy birthday, Meghan! I love you to the sky and back.

Little Guy, Big Enthusiasm

Two can be a challenging age, so I try to approach sessions involving a two-year-old with humor and patience and lots of ideas for what to do. This little guy required no such planning. From the moment I arrived at the house he was ready to show me around and eager to make friends with Miss Erin. Don't you love his curls? And that little hand in his pocket? It kills me. I love meeting a family and seeing how their dynamic works, and these guys love well and allowed me to catch the best of them: parents loving their darling boy and said darling boy made us all smile. I can't wait til next time!

Big Brother Love

Even before we met for this session, I knew we would capture some happy interactions, because these guys do life on the happy-beautiful-joyful side. I loved, though, that Mr. Charlie was so eager to help with "Sisters". We've been friends for a long time, Charlie and I, so I've witnessed his transition from only child to big brother, and he's so very sweet with them. His sisters are little wonders too, all wide-eyed and curious about the world. It's hard to believe this session was in October. The girls' first birthday was this week, so it seemed timely to post this blog to celebrate a beautiful family.

Windy White Rock Lake

Fall at White Rock Lake means wind and sometimes lots of it, but that didn't mean this session wasn't fun and tons of it. I've had the privilege of watching this little miss grow for the last year. This session she was more enthusiastic and vocal than a few months ago. Her parents are a good team, making her laugh and winning lots of smiles. They're such a sweet family that it hardly feels like work to be with them. I am excited to share a few photos and hope they illustrate just how good it is to be this trio.

Cousins!

When Carrie reached out to me about an extended family session for her husband's family, trying to schedule two busy young ladies proved to be quite a challenge. The weekend of our session presented a rainy day and illness. Rather than rescheduling we opted to do a session with those who were well the next day. The end result were these photographs. I love seeing the way the boys obviously adore their cousins, and each individual family looked so alive and happy. It was the kind of morning that was fun, fast-paced and sweet, with lots of laughs and warm smiles. It is beautiful to get to see. As I worked my way through the session, I found myself looking forward to the extended family session we will do in the spring, because if this partial group so obviously fits, then I cannot wait to see what happens when we have everyone all together. I would love to have photos with my sisters like the photos of these lovely girls, and if I ever have sons, I would love to have photos like these of the boys as well. So. Much. Love.

Little Girlies and Joy

This was our first meeting, and new families mean I get to hear and see their unique expression of what love looks like. These bright-eyed, beautiful little girls both gave me lots of smiles and laughs, and I got to watch their parents do that tag team thing that happens when a couple has a pair of busy girls. They did so with affection and ease, and while I'm sure there are days that aren't so quiet and simple, what stands out to me about this session is how peaceful it was. I am continually humbled by the goodness that occurs when I get to show up for a photo session and bear witness to a family who decides to fully show up for a session, bringing their best. That's what happened here, and while I love how wardrobe choices and warm light played into how these photographs look and feel, what stands out is the interactions illustrative of how a family goes together just so. So much joy to behold here...

Three, at Three

This beautiful family and I met up for the third time this fall, and the triplets are now three, talkative and full of ideas. I let the kids take the lead, and the end result was a collection of photographs that are pure joy. Any time I work with a sibling group, I want to capture both their relationships and the individual personalities of each child, and I think this session allowed me to do just that. Family photos that are illustrative of real life preserve the story of children growing up that I like to think they will one day show their children and grandchildren. When I get to photograph families who relax and enjoy the process, what is beautiful about that family naturally emerges. These guys shine, and the way they love looks good on them. I can't wait to see how they grow and change when they turn four.

Super G is 4!

Not sure how it happened that my little friend Super G turned 4. When I was growing my business, Grant was my nanny charge during his first year. One incredible part about being a photographer is that a lot of the littles I nannied through the years have an annual appointment for photos, so even if I don't see a whole lot of them in-between, we minimally cross paths then. These guys are so low-key and fun, so shooting around Denton was a great fit. I loved hearing an update of the past year and hearing Grant's stories from the State Fair (he'd been there the day before). This little man is learning to live big. I think everyone's favorite part of the session was hitting up Hypnotic Donuts, where Grant managed to put away his doughnut in about thirty seconds flat. I love how Grant's parents are committed to each other and to loving Grant well, and I think it shows in these photos. They're an amazing family.

The Baby Next Door...

My next door neighbors have the cutest little guy, and on mornings when they happen to be letting their dogs out when I'm coming back from a run, I get to see his sweet little grin. Getting to capture that grin for his one-year session made my day. Beckham loves my dog and wanted to grab everything in reach, and he took to family photos like a pro model. I love this whole collection, but my favorite photos might be the ones at the end of his mom and dad who told me they were engaged right in the middle of our session. I loved getting to capture a few photos of their beautiful selves and am so excited for their future.

One Family: Mom, Dad, Two Boys, a Girl and a Horse Named Al Capony

This session makes me smile for several reasons. First of all, I see personalities shining through on each child's face. Secondly, it was our second meeting, and it's remarkable how much the kids have changed in that year. Meaghan was more poised, more confident and easily conversed with me throughout the session. Max's communication and awareness grew in leaps and bounds in the last twelve months. And little Monty? He remains busy and a bit of a firecracker, but this year he had more to say and more to do. The third thing I enjoyed about this session was meeting Meaghan's horse Al Capony. His name wins, for one thing, but getting to observe a family supporting a child's passion and watching how that plays out meant I learned that love in this context looks showing up at the barn and watching her do her thing. It looks Dad going in one direction so that Mom can go in the other. I don't doubt that the increase in Meaghan's poise and confidence over the past year is directly correlated to her parents' involvement and interest in her life. And that's one way love expresses itself in this particular family.

Triple Threat, OC Style

It's been just over three years since this crew became a part of my life and over those three years, Christina and I have become friends and launched our wedding photography business together. Christina does (stunning) portrait work as well, so we planned the session primarily with family interactions in mind. Moms tend to be holding the camera when it's time to capture candid memories, and when Mom is also a photographer, that reality seems to increase. Alongside becoming friends, Christina and I have talked a lot about the value of family portraits. We believe kids having photos with their parents matters. We believe photography can allow families to see what is beautiful and true about their lives. We want to create tangible memories of what a family being who they are looks like at any given season of life. I think great photographs provide parents with reminders of all that is good on those tough days when nobody's minding and everybody's crying and nothing seems to be working. Those days happen. But they do not define a family.

What defines a family are walks to the nearby park, running up and down the hill, collapsing into tickle fights and all the things that add up to "I love you, I love you, I love you." I am so happy with how these photographs turned out, but I'm happier to call the Childress family friends. I'm honored to be a part of their story.

State Fair, Take Three

The color and energy in these photographs perfectly match the way this family shines. And shine they do. It's not just that they're beautiful, though they are. It's not just that they have great style, though they do (side note: mom Somer made the kids' t-shirts... love that). It's that they show up fully alive. They show up wearing their love for each other. They show up with a willingness to be themselves in front of my camera. That creates a warmth in the way we connect that photographs well regardless of backdrop, activity and interaction. Everything I love about my work shows up in these photos, and I'm already excited for next year. It's such an honor to witness this family in all their amazingness. This is the finale of my State Fair of Texas mini-sessions and third blogs in two days. I'm trying to share some of the incredible sessions I've had the privilege of photographing this fall. More to come next week!

State Fair, Take Two

If any story can be redeemed, which I believe to be possible, then the car accident that led to the premature arrival of baby Claire (the youngest of this foursome) had an element of redemption in the way friends rallied around the family during that time. I was more of a friend-of-a-friend back then, with mutual relationships connecting us. I'd done their photos before, but Claire and her mama needed a little help, and I had a little time. So help I did. And now we are friends, a sliver of redemption perhaps. Maybe it's presumption to make this speculation, as I did not suffer through the pain and challenges caused by the accident. But I can't help but think that the way friendships form and thrive in the midst of hard things puts a stout solidity in their foundation. For this I am grateful. I'm also grateful for a beautiful day at the fair with my friends. We rode rides and weathered crowds. We ate funnel cake and fed animals. We made plans and re-planned based on better, more thrilling activities. And I think (I hope) I captured the blend of relationships that is siblings who are oftentimes also friends on a super fun day for a kid or four. The State Fair of Texas is an institution, and that we got to do this year's portraits there gives a little more fun to the photo session punch. I always love sharing photographs from a session, but when those photos are of friends, the sharing is that much richer. Just love these beautiful kids!

State Fair, Take One

This was the first year I offered mini-sessions at the State Fair, and between the midway, Big Tex and yummy treats, we had plenty to explore. I love the bright color and warm light in this session, but more than that I love how low-key and fun our interactions were. The littles were excited to be at the fair, and their parents were happy to let the kids run the show. We explored and ate and played a bit and then they were on their way to do their own thing. I love that we caught a few minutes of their memory of the fair. We had such fun. This was our second year of photos, and I love the continuity of watching a family grow. It never gets old. So excited to share this collection. My other State Fair minis are coming right up.

Boys Club

On the rainiest Thursday, the proudest big brother of them all introduced me to his twin baby brothers with eager hands wanting to help. The twins, two-months-old at our shoot, kicked their feet and stared at my lens. They were not a hundred percent sure they thought photos were a great idea, but I am a hundred percent sure I love this session. Such love and sweetness to behold in this busy family-turned-boys club.

And She's Off...

Lexi is the busiest six-month-old I've photographed to date. She was sitting... and crawling... and pulling up... all while grinning and shrieking and showing off her bright-eyed wonder at the world. Seeing how she approaches life, with enthusiasm and curiosity, makes me smile. She may be little, but she is fierce. And sweet. And darling. And so, so loved.

Introducing Anya

She was just shy of two-weeks-old when I met her, and Anya's grandparents had gathered in her parent's home to help welcome their granddaughter and care for big brother Bowen. In the space of time between his two-year photos and the arrival of baby Anya, Bowen grew in confidence and words, and he showed off his sister and beamed as he nuzzled her forehead and counted her toes. Anya, meanwhile slept, primarily, as she was passed among pairs of arms. Her contentment made the session interactive and warm. It was as if she knew she was safe and loved. Even with a busy two-year-old's clunky affection she seemed at ease. It's beautiful to see the way a newborn fits into a family just so, every time. It doesn't get old to witness the fullness of love that surrounds a brand new baby, and in Anya's world the fullness spilled over into a gorgeous collection of photographs. Anya's grandma brought bright fabrics and stuffed tigers, protectors in Chinese culture, with her from their homeland. These items brought elements of Anya's cultural inheritance to the session. This will go down as a favorite newborn session to date.