Family time!

I spent some time recently with some really great kids.  I expected to be working with the entire family, but mom changed her mind and decided this shoot would just be for the kids.  This family was way flexible which I really appreciated.   We planned on a different location that was a bit of a drive.  I got there and found the area to be overgrown and filled with mosquitoes.  I had deep woods spray in the car and still managed to get 6 bites.  I texted the family and told them not to come.  I quickly picked a back up location, and it turned out to be just perfect and so beautiful!

Mom asked if it would be ok if she and dad took a walk while I worked with just the kids.  Let me just tell you...if your kids are old enough, that's a great tactic.  The kids were fun and so well behaved.  I really had a blast with them!

I met with another family on this same day.  We had the same issue...planned on a different location and had to wing it!  I SO appreciate my flexible and fun clients.  This family was my first official booking when I opened my business 3 years ago.  They were special to me long before that...for lots of reasons...but being my first booking is something I will always hold in my heart.  I love them!!  I love watching these kids grow and working with them year after year.

This boy is in kindergarten!

Goodbye preschool...hello kindergarten!

I have to grab shots like the one above quickly before this guy gets sweaty outside and looks like this...

He plays so hard!  Jake likes all the signs of summer...including the poppers at Target. 

If you are looking for Jake, you might want to just try looking up.

There is a nest in our front  yard tree, and Jake has been watching it carefully.

He was able to take my phone up in the tree to get this shot when the mama robin was away.

We've been very careful about leaving the mama and her babies alone.  Jake is allowed to check once a day to see if she's gone. Then I let him climb up for a very quick look.

I've enjoyed my spring shoots so much.  I get so excited about capturing these special moments for families.

Little Luke was a champ in the studio.  He was full of smiles!

Colin is getting so big!  It seems like we were just doing his newborn shoot and now he's such a big boy!

Family time...

It was so great to see Erin, Jared, and family again.  I was Erin and Jared's wedding photographer last year. They moved out of town, so I wasn't sure when I would get to see them again.  I was so excited when Erin called asking me to do a family shoot when they were in town.  It was a bit tricky with the rainy weather, but we were able to move in and out of the house and dodge the raindrops.

A beautiful day for a wedding...

Gina and Bobby's gorgeous day is yet another example of why I don't stress about weather forecasts!  We heard all week about how this day could be a washout, and in the city we got lucky!  We had a tiny bit of drizzle at Forest Park when we first arrived, and that was it.  We had the perfect cloud cover for spectacular shots.  The girls had to brave chilly temps, but no one seemed to care.  It was the perfect day for this wonderful couple.  I was so excited to be part of it.

Their wedding Mass was the most special I have ever attended.  Father Chris was fantastic!!  I told him so afterwards, and he even remembered my name from when we had been introduced earlier.

When Father did the vows, he had Gina and Bobby face the congregation, and he stood among us.  I thought that was so cool...and it sure helped me get some great images!  I've never had this perspective at a Catholic wedding Mass, and I've been to lots of them...I'm Catholic! ;)

I think the shot above is a treasure!  That's Gina's mom watching them and getting her shot.  I guess it's because I'm the mother of an adult daughter, but this one just gets to me!

I love finding new locations like the one above.  I just hope this old, deserted building sticks around for awhile! 

Gina and Bobby...I wish you the best always!  Thank you for choosing me to be part of this day.

Check out Gina and Bobby's wedding video.  It's longer than my usual.  My video site is finally letting me use multiple songs!

Gina and Bobby - Married!