BRIDGET REED

My Journey - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

2012-02-07T13:14:00.031-05:00

With all of the new photographers coming out, I feel compelled to write about how I got into photography. Every time I hear about a new local photographer, I get a knot in my stomach. I'm sure people that heard about me just starting out thought the same thing! Let's face it, most people do not like competition. In this line of work, it is so easy to try to fake your way through. All it takes is a camera, some sort of editing software, and a handful of people willing to do shoots for next to nothing, which usually ends up being close friends or family. From there, it's easy to get clients in with your low prices and their willingness to help you grow...but usually they are in it for the free or really cheap photos!

A lot of times, when you read a Photographer's bio on their website, it will start with "I was always the person that had a camera in hand during family functions, parties, etc". This wasn't true for me. My mom was always the one to have a camera by her side...and I wasn't allowed to touch it because she didn't want us kids to break it. After having kids of my own, I can't say that I blame her. My story actually started when I was working as a temporary receptionist for an Architecture company in Erie. I remember sitting at the desk, staring at a photo of a dandelion poof, and being amazed that someone could capture such a beautiful image. I asked where they bought it, and it peeked my interested that someone's wife had actually taken it and had it framed. I was blown away, that an average person could take such an extraordinary photo. It was really beautiful. After that, I would notice photos here and there, and then soon started seeing my own photo opportunities. At this point in my life, I was a part time college student, who also worked part time. Barely making ends meet. My first camera was a Kodak Easy Share. I don't remember if it was a gift, or of I purchased it myself, but this baby had a whopping 3 megapixels (what most camera phones have these days!). I spent a lot of time taking photos of my cats, leaves, mud puddles, flowers, myself in the FB profile photo stance...you know the one.

I kind of lost interest for awhile because I was really pretty horrible. I would get excited if I got one of my cat in focus, but usually they were pretty bad. I really wish I had a way to show them to you. But, I think I actually lost all of the files long ago. I graduated from college, receiving my Associates Degree in Business Administration, and then landed a couple of full time jobs between 2002 and 2005. I played with the camera here and there, but nothing major.

Then along came our oldest son. I was laid off from a job that I had been at for almost two years. One that I hated, but I worked with a handful of people that I liked and got along with. This would end up being one of my last jobs where I would work for someone else. I was due to go back to work a week before Christmas, after having eight weeks of maternity leave, but my boss called to tell me that I was no longer needed. Merry Christmas to you too... So with no extra money, I was unable to have Camden's baby photos taken, and I had to compromise. I set up a 'studio' in our living room and just started taking his photo. This 'studio' consisted of our brand new couch that ended up getting peed on by him, a lamp laying on its side and a baby that likely hated every minute of it.

These were taken with my Kodak Easy Share..

Do you see this? Selective coloring...for you new photographers out there, this is a no-no. Just don't do it. It might be the first "cool trick" you learn in Photoshop, but just avoid this and learn something else.

I didn't think these were too bad then. I mean, I couldn't expect much out of my little set up, my crappy camera, and inexperience. Looking back, yes, they are photos of my new baby, but, they are pretty bad. But, I really, really enjoyed doing them. After doing photos for Camden, I was hooked. I never expected to make a penny taking photos. It gave me something to do between job searches, and I had fun with it.

Moving forward a few months. It's our anniversary, and my husband surprised me with a camera. I wanted so badly to get the Canon Rebel, but because of money, I had settled on the Canon PowerShot S2 IS. I was really gaining my self confidence. I wasn't afraid to be seen with my camera and I thought I was bad ass now.

Here are some images I took with that camera, early on.. These scream "mom with a camera".

Then I did a couple of shoots for friends, for either completely free or really cheap. These are pretty bad. Horrible color casting, out of focus, grainy, you name it. I do have to say that even though the quality isn't the greatest (I didn't know how to work with lighting very well, I was shooting in auto and using kit lenses), the composition isn't too terrible on these. And this is one thing I believe with any art - you have to have an eye for it. I think was able to place things well, and needed to really work with technical areas, lighting and editing.

I was in love with this image for the longest time. I thought I had outdone myself, and was really proud of it.

Then...dun dun dunnnnn. My first wedding. Thank goodness they only asked me to do the ceremony and reception. At least they went somewhere else to have their formals done. This is why I get so worked up over people hiring cheap photographers for their wedding. Do you want your images to be like what I'm about to show you, or do you want them to be amazing? I did this for free as a gift for them. I was barely into photography, just doing it for fun. After this, and seeing how inexperienced I really was, I didn't do another wedding until I learned more and got a lot better, which was about two years later, and even then I was hesitant. This is why I feel it is so very important to make hiring a good photographer a priory, when planning your wedding.

Another photo I was super proud of for awhile. What was I thinking?

((love and miss you guys!!))

Here is a link to my second wedding, two years later: http://silentbirdee.blogspot.com/search?q=smith

Even when they had contacted me to do their wedding, I kept telling them that they would be my very first "professional" wedding, and they were ok with it. I was a nervous wreck. I still get butterflies in my stomach before I do weddings. I look at my schedule with 16 scheduled weddings for 2012, and wonder what I got myself into!

Anyway, between out of focus, grainy, and horribly edited portraits, I was taking other photos.

Again, moving forward to 2007. I purchased my first DSLR camera. I finally...finally, got my Canon Rebel XTi. This was a highly sought after camera by me and several other momograpehrs that I knew. I remember being on my American Baby Mom's Flickr Group, which was complied of me and about 60 other Momographers from the American Baby message board. We had all met on that message board and loved torturing our beautiful children with our lack of skill and huge cameras. We moved our little group to Flickr, so we could share our photos, inspire each other and grow together. We kept that group going for a few years. A lot of us actually took off with our businesses and started making money doing what we loved. Some got frustrated and quit, others were just in for the fun of it. Anyway, I remember complaining to my husband that "so and so finally got her Rebel, I can't wait to get mine". It was almost like a right of passage when you got one. You would take a photo of the box (with your now inept camera). Oh the anticipation! Then a photo of the actual unwrapping of the box..then THE CAMERA! This was it. You were a professional photographer now. You owned an DSLR camera and it was time to start charging the big bucks. I upped my prices from $25 for a session, to $55. Of course you had to purchase your own prints, too...

Here are some of my photos with my Canon Rebel XTi (of our middle kiddo, Ben).

And here are links to my first paid shoots.

http://silentbirdee.blogspot.com/2007/11/cold-and-icky-great-day-for-indoor.html

http://silentbirdee.blogspot.com/2007/12/isabel-and-carter.html

http://silentbirdee.blogspot.com/2008/06/baby-nathaniel.html

http://silentbirdee.blogspot.com/2008/06/more-isabel-and-carter.html

http://silentbirdee.blogspot.com/2008/08/davids-senior-shoot.html

and you can go back to my blog and look up more shoots from when I first started. You can see my growth in every session. Looking back at some of the images that I loved, I now wonder what I was thinking. Since then I have upgraded twice. I purchased my Canon 50D in 2009 and my Canon 5D MarkII in 2010. I'm hoping to get a new 5D this year, that way I have a back up camera that is the same as my main camera.

Now that my client base was growing, and I was actually....ehm...getting some photos in focus... it was time to focus on the business portion of things. Taxes! I think it was in 2009 when I consulted an accountant, and got the paperwork in order to start collecting sales tax, and started reporting my income. I was so excited for this part. I was a legit photographer. I had never been so excited to get our taxes done in my life. Three years later and I now loath tax time.

It's easy to forget that we all start somewhere. I still have a long way to go, and am sure that people that are more advanced in their career than I am, are thinking the same about my work. For some reason people think that you can pick up a camera and instantly start charging, and make a boat load of money. You have to work really hard and earn your way there. It took me seven years to get where I am. I am still learning and growing with every shoot, and aspire to be a better photographer and business owner.

Working from home and being a business owner is...interesting and frustrating. I have a 1 year old that wants to crawl under my desk and push me and my chair away from the computer, constantly tell my 4 year old to get out of stuff or to not throw water all over the bathroom, break up fights between the boys, console a teething baby, change poopy diapers between editing batches, maybe take a shower, order in dinner for the 6th time that week, get absolutely nothing done - at all. I feel like I'm constantly running in circles. And, I have to worry about getting everything to my clients in a timely manner, figure out my taxes, insurance, the cost of equipment upgrades, etc. I have had my boys answer the phone while I was in the bathroom, and it was a client that they hung up on. Having a client pick up something is always stressful for me because with three children, my house is not neat and tidy, so I have to frantically run around and do an overhaul on the house before they get here. I'm usually red in the face and winded by the time they get here, if I was given notice that they were stopping by shortly. I don't get sick days and I can't call in sick (or fake sick). It's very, very stressful. My social life is basically non existent outside of the computer, and I'm always tired. I usually stay up until 1 or 2am working. I'm just glad that I have an understanding husband who puts up with me.

There are also things I love about working from home and owning my own business. I can take a break when I want, work in my 3 day old pajamas, drink coffee until I can't stop shaking, have a glass of wine with lunch (yes, I have..), drop everything and pick up my sick kid from school at a moments notice, and I am home with my children. I have also met some truly wonderful people - clients and photographers. I love getting little thank you notes and gifts from clients, and I love being able to refer (and be referred) amongst my trusted photography family. I have several clients that I have become friends with. My heart bursts when I get repeat clients. I am beaming with pride when a client goes out of their way to express how much they loved their session or tell me that they cried when they saw their preview! I, without a doubt, absolutely love what I do!

I often wonder about other photographers and their home life. Is it as crazy for them as it is for me? Do you get upset when you see a new 'photographer' pop up in your area. Do you get sad when you see a former client use someone else, especially if they aren't any good? Do they take things personally, when it isn't personal, like I do. Do they walk around a store thinking "that's cute! I could fit a baby in that", or get excited about yard sales because of the possibility of new props. Do they get camera envy? Do they also want to be seen as this hip, cool and young photographer, but is on the brink of 30 and is already getting gray hair and bags under their eyes, from late nights on the computer. Are they also up at 8am working between making cereal for their kids and trying to grab a shower for the first time in two days. Do they get excited about a shoot because it is one of the only times they get out during the week? Am I making this harder on myself than it has to be? Why didn't I hear back form that client about their preview...are they busy? Have they not seen it? Do they hate it?...Am I actually any good? Did the photo on the screen just blink or is just just time for bed? Just some things I ponder.

I just wanted to share my thoughts and my journey. I have a long way to go. I strive to be better every single day. My taste and style change often. I haven't really found my place in this industry. I might complain sometimes, but I wouldn't trade it for the world. It isn't as glamorous as I thought it would be, but I finally found what I believe that I was meant to do. I am on my 3rd year of doing photography pretty much full time. I am not an organized person, and I find it extremely hard to balance work and home life, but somehow, I manage to squeak by, even if my husband has to wear the same socks to work for a week (kidding...sort of..)...

I would not be doing this if I didn't have a husband that encourages me and understands that this is important to me. He could have said that I was wasting my time, but he didn't. And for that, I'm thankful. I'm also thankful for continued love and support from my friends, clients and family. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

I'm going to leave you with just a few of my favorite photos...

Boll Family

2012-02-05T19:20:00.002-05:00

We braved a chilly morning, to get their session done. They drove quite a ways for me to do their photos (thank you!), and even brought their sweet pup with them!

Thank you for coming all that way for your session! I hope you love your preview!! It was great seeing you all this morning!

Kenzi Turns Two!!

2012-02-04T23:29:00.004-05:00

I can not believe that we just celebrated Kenzi's 2nd birthday! I swear it was just last week that I was photographing her as a newborn - all 9lbs and some odd ounces of her! She had such a cute birthday party theme.

Happy birthday, sweet little girl!

How cute is this cake?

This was a very popular gift!

The Bloom Family

2012-01-30T13:51:00.002-05:00

I had a session with this beautiful family, yesterday! It was a little chilly out, so we did some inside, too.

Thank you for having me over to do your family photos! I hope you love them!

Ryan and Allison - Engaged!

2012-01-29T14:24:00.002-05:00

We had a great session this morning! Ryan and Allison were up for whatever ideas I had, and they had a few of their own. I am loving this session. They even brought their dog, Macy!

Congratulations, you two! I had a great time doing these and I hope you love them!!

This says "Marry Us". There is a story behind the necklace. Basically he put it on Macy (their dog), and Allison saw it. That's how he asked her.

Tim and Charlene - January 28, 2012

2012-01-28T23:13:00.002-05:00

Tim and Charlene have been together for.....like ever! I believe I heard someone say 26 years. I can't say for sure, but either way, they're a beautiful couple.

Char and I have become friends over the last two years. She and I have been going through the same emotional battle - our fathers have both gone through cancer. She was someone I was able to talk to, knowing that she knew exactly what I was going through, and the same with her. I will keep out the sad details of this particular topic, because I want to keep this day a positive one for Tim and Char. But I will say that she called me very last minute, asking me to photograph their day. So I rearranged my schedule this weekend so I could be there for her. I was honored that she asked me to be there with them. And I'm glad that I could help full-fill one of her father's wishes.

Congratulations, Tim and Charlene! I wish you a happy life together as husband and wife...finally!! ;)

Char - you know where to find me if you need anything. Anytime.

Waiting to see Charlene and to walk her down the isle.

Waiting to see her dad..

Giving her away.

I loved their grand-daughter's expression. She's a cutie!

Miss Isabel Grace

2012-01-28T11:02:00.003-05:00

Isabel is such a beautiful little girl, and she was so good for our shoot! We had to postpone our shoot last week because of the weather, then again because my house came down with a stomach bug. But, we finally managed to make it work out for us!

I photographed her mom and dad's wedding in 2010, which was beautiful, too!

Here is your preview - I really hope you love it as much as I do!

Happy Birthday, Baby A!

2012-01-22T22:46:00.002-05:00

You will remember this little one from a couple of months ago! She will be one in just a week!

Anne - thank you for having me back! It was great meeting more of your family, and spending the afternoon with you all. I hope you love the preview!

Baby Dylan

2012-01-08T23:02:00.002-05:00

Dylan was the sweetest, most cooperative newborn I have ever photographed. He barely made a peep the entire shoot, slept when we wanted him to and was just..perfect! Kelly is a glowing, beautiful new mom! I really enjoyed my shoot with them today.

Congratulations on your sweet little boy, Kelly. He's so handsome!

Sullivan Family

2012-01-07T21:51:00.002-05:00

I first met the Sullivan Family when their little boy was about 5 months old. I can not believe he is going to be two in just a couple of months! This is an absolutely adorable and sweet family, and I love doing photos for them!

We had a really nice day for a shoot, especially for January!

It was great seeing you guys again! I hope you love your preview!

I love his little grin in this shot.

The Patt Family

2011-12-27T13:52:00.002-05:00

I was contacted by Erin a few weeks ago, asking if I could get them in over Christmas for family photos. All of the daughters were coming in from out of town, and really wanted to get pictures done before they all had to go their separate ways again.

It was a bit chilly, but overall, a pretty nice day. They were a lot of fun to shoot and I can't wait for Allison and her fiance's engagement photos next month!

I hope you love the preview! It was great meeting you all!

I have no words The looks on their faces were hilarious.

And this was their idea. Awkward Family Photo.. ha!

Four Generations...

2011-12-20T14:02:00.004-05:00

I did another shoot with Erica's family, only this time, we she wanted her mom, grandma and aunts and their kiddos to be there. There were a few shots that she requested after seeing them on Pinterest (a REALLY cool site!).

I had fun with you guys. Yes, we froze our hineys off, but it was fun! Love you guys!

Deven and Chelsie!

2011-12-12T18:06:00.004-05:00

I had a fun session with these two over the weekend. It was really chilly but we made it through!

It was great meeting you and Dally! I hope you love your preview! Happy early anniversary!!

VanDergrift Newborn

2011-12-12T12:22:00.003-05:00

This little boy is the picture perfect baby! Of course all newborns are cute, but this one takes the cake! I did his Christina's maternity photos a few months ago. She had the most beautiful baby belly!

Congratulations on your sweet baby boy! I can't get over how good he was for the shoot! Give him a snuggle for me!

Coolidge Family

2011-12-04T17:41:00.002-05:00

I first met this family when I did their daughter's newborn photos almost two years ago! I can't believe how big their little girl has gotten since then! Now, they are about to welcome another beautiful little girl into their family! I can't wait to meet her and do her newborn photos!

I hope you love your preview! I will be seeing you all in a couple of months!

Family

2011-12-04T17:28:00.002-05:00

I had a really nice session with this family the other day. I can't believe that we have had such nice weather in December! I keep waiting for the extreme cold and snow to take over these beautiful 50 degree and sunny weekends that we have had recently.

It was great seeing/meeting all of you! The kids are especially adorable! I love how this session turned out, and had a really hard time narrowing down photos for the preview!

Carden Family

2011-11-30T23:12:00.002-05:00

The Carden's own a photography business based in Ringtown PA. We were going to do shoots for each other over the summer, but it just didn't work out. I was finally able to do their family photos, and they will be doing ours next summer! I can't wait!

I'm always super nervous when doing work for other Photographers. The Carden's are phenomenal Photographers, and I hope they like their photos!

Tim and Virginia - It was great meeting you and your little girl! She is an absolute doll! So full of energy! I can't wait to see you all again!

I was going to try to edit out the cars in the background, or, at the least, crop them out. But I liked the composition of this photo.

Alyssa

2011-11-22T13:55:00.002-05:00

Alyssa's family had photos done by me earlier this year, but her mom wanted to do an entire session for just her. We had a really nice morning for photos. I think Jean and I could talk for hours!

I enjoyed my visit with you both! I hope you like your preview!

Wheeland Family

2011-11-21T21:34:00.003-05:00

What a gorgeous family! I can not get over how adorable the little boys are, and how good they were for us!

Alice contacted me awhile back to do photos, but I was already booked for the year. So she booked me for a couple of shoots for next year instead. With luck on her side, I ended up with a last minute reschedule, and was able to get them in for their Christmas photos!

Thank you for inviting me into your beautiful home to photograph your family! I had a really nice time getting to know you all, and I can not wait until our next shoot!

Driscoll Family

2011-11-15T13:50:00.002-05:00

By chance, I had a date become available lat minute, and they scheduled right away!

I loved their outfits and as always, had a great shoot with them! I hope you guys love the preview! Thank you again, Erin!

Chaborek Family

2011-11-13T10:05:00.003-05:00

We have been trying to get this session done for a few months! We were rained out, snowed out, I think we even had it scheduled when my camera was in for repair! But finally, the stars aligned and we got it done. AND, it was a beautiful day! Baby girl A was so good and such a sweetheart! They are such a great looking family!

Thank you for being so patient with scheduling our session! I hope you love the preview! It was really great meeting you all!

The Foster Family

2011-11-08T22:49:00.002-05:00

What a fun family! We really had a great shoot! These kids were so full of life and I enjoyed my time with all of them!

It was such a beautiful weekend for photos! I hope for a few more just like it before years end!

Lori - It was great meeting your beautiful family! Thank you again, I hope you love your preview!

Sweet Jordyn

2011-11-08T14:48:00.003-05:00

Saturday morning I met up with this sweet girl and her family. She was so full of energy and a lot of fun to be around!

Amanda - it was great seeing you all again! I can't wait until our next session! I hope you love your preview!

Rachel and Kyle

2011-11-07T22:27:00.002-05:00

What a sweet couple! Our photos happened to be on Rachel and Kyle's two year anniversary (happy anniversary!) We had a really nice shoot, and gorgeous weather!

I hope you guys love the preview! It was great meeting you both!

Sisters

2011-11-06T14:18:00.002-05:00

I did a shoot the other night with one of my friends and her sweet little girls! It was a gorgeous night for the shoot! These girls are about the cutest little things around! Natalie saw that I had a car seat in my van, and was worried that I left my baby in there. It was really funny, she kept wanting to check my van for her.

I always love doing shoots for you guys! We need to have a play date soon! Love you guys!

Big Boy C!

2011-11-06T12:50:00.003-05:00

I can not believe that this little guy will be two in a few months! I did his newborn photos, and it seems like it was only last week!

He was such a ham, and we had a great shoot together!

I hope you like his preview! He sure is a handsome boy!

Baby J - 7 weeks new!

2011-10-30T22:34:00.003-04:00

I did Kassie's maternity pictures a few months ago, and was so excited to do their newborn photos! We had to reschedule a few times, but finally got them done! He was SUCH a good baby. He barely made a peep and was so calm.

Thank you for inviting me into your home, and for having me do his baby pictures! He is a sweetheart. Congratulations again! <3

Shoonover Family

2011-10-25T09:26:00.002-04:00

It was a beautiful evening for a shoot! The boys were so well behaved and are always a lot of fun to hang with!

Jessie and Dan - Thanks for having me do your family shoot! As always, I had a great time with you and your family!

The Potters and The Hokes!

2011-10-24T12:41:00.003-04:00

These are some dear friends of mine. I love doing shoots for them, and I love watching their kids grow up! Erica has done a lot of work for me this summer with weddings, so this was my thank you for being such a huge help!

I hope you guys like your preview! Love you guys!

West Family

2011-10-24T11:09:00.002-04:00

I did a shoot with the gorgeous family on Saturday. I can't believe how big the kids are getting! I did Maddox's newborn pictures just earlier this year.

I hope you guys like your preview! Thank you for a great shoot!

Tyler - 2012 Senior!

2011-10-24T09:47:00.002-04:00

We did Tyler's senior session on Friday, at the Canyon. It was rainy and cold, but we both braved it and got them done!

Tyler - Good luck with the rest of your senior year! Good luck with everything!

Dan - 2012 Senior!!

2011-10-20T19:35:00.002-04:00

Dan was a little hesitant about getting his senior pictures done. But, I went easy on him. I think he might of had a little fun, just maybe... He survived. I got the shots. It was a win in my book!

Here is your preview! I hope you like them!

Kelly and Jesse - Expecting!

2011-10-17T23:06:00.003-04:00

I met with this beautiful couple this evening! I have only done a few maternity sessions, and I get excited when clients book them!

It was a little windy and a lot muddy, but they were so great to work with!

Kelly and Jesse - Good luck with your little boy!!

Bill and Ashley - Married! 10.15.2011

2011-10-17T21:29:00.002-04:00

Bill and Ashley had such a beautiful wedding! I felt bad because I was running ten minutes late thanks to car trouble, but lucky for them, they had hired some videographers that were able to get the photos of her getting into her dress.

They had a really big turn out for their wedding and reception. It was just a gorgeous event!

Congratulations to you both! I wish you a life time of love! Thank you for having me there to photograph your day! I hope you love your preview!

Brown Family

2011-10-16T17:00:00.004-04:00

This is my second shoot with this family! We got rained out on Friday, and opted for a morning shoot today, but still had to contend with the wind! It was pretty chilly out this morning, but at least it wasn't raining!

Parker wanted nothing to do with me. No matter what I did, he would look the other way, or, just run from the camera! ha! He's a sweet boy, and I enjoyed my time with them today! I love repeat clients!

I hope you guys like your preview!!

You can see in this one how much the wind was blowing. Brrr!

Baby Boy W

2011-10-14T18:02:00.002-04:00

This little guy did not want to sleep for me. We eventually got him to sleep for a few minutes, but as soon as we moved him, he was wide awake. But we did get some cute shots. It just took a lot of nursing, rocking, diaper changes, and cuddling. He is such a doll.

Congratulations again to his mommy and daddy! I hope you like your preview!

And a thank you to Amanda for letting us use her home to do the shoot!

Marissa - 2012 Senior!

2011-10-12T07:40:00.001-04:00

Marrissa is such a beautiful girl! We had a lot of fun with her shoot, and had such pretty fall colors to work with.

Marrissa - Good luck with your senior year! I hope you love your photos!!

Balaguer Family

2011-10-11T23:12:00.002-04:00

I think I'm on session #4 with this family. I love watching my clients' kiddos grow up!

Normally, they come to me for their session, but this time I went to them! Michelle had a really neat spot picked out to start out! I loved the wall.

Manny and Michelle - I had a great time with you all yesterday! Thank you again for having me out to do your photos! I hope you love the preview!

Trevor and Joelle - Married! 10.8.2011

2011-10-11T22:19:00.002-04:00

Saturday was such a beautiful day for a wedding. Everything was perfect and beautiful - from the Bride and Groom to the centerpieces! I loved the colors they had picked out for everything! And her bridesmaids dresses were some of my favorite!

Trevor and Joelle - Congratulations!! Thank you for having me be there for your wedding day! I with you many years of happiness together! I hope you love your preview!

Grodis Family - 2011

2011-10-06T23:12:00.002-04:00

I LOVE doing photos for this family! I have been doing their yearly family photos for the last 2 years or so! We always have a really nice time chatting, catching up and hanging out. We had the perfect evening for photos. The lighting was gorgeous! The ground finally dried up a bit from last weekend's rain, and was a little warmer than it has been.

Thank you again for having me do your family photos! Love you guys!!

Tony and Christie - Married - 10.1.2011

2011-10-04T00:34:00.004-04:00

I'm getting around to posting their preview a tad later than I normally would, but, here it is!

I have worked with a lot of really sweet Brides, but Christie is probably the sweetest! I really enjoyed my time with these two. They did not let the rain and cold temperatures ruin their beautiful day. We were unable to get out for many pictures because of the rain, but we improvised!

Tony and Christie - Thank you for asking me to be your wedding photographer! I loved working with you guys! You have such a sweet family! Congratulations!!!

See, we improvised.. I loved this umbrella. Come to find out, it was actually Christie's!

Christina V. - Maternity Session

2011-09-30T13:56:00.004-04:00

What a fun evening I had with Christina! We got a ton of really great pictures last night! Here are a few that I can share!

Thank you for such a fun session! I hope you love these, because I do! I can't wait for his newborn session!

Baby Girl and Big Brother!

2011-09-26T23:55:00.002-04:00

Today I did an afternoon session for a sweet little baby girl and her big brother. I enjoyed my time snuggling on this little girl. I can't even remember Ella being this little! Her big brother was full of energy and questions, which reminded me so much of my two boys! He was such cute little guy!

I hope you guys love your preview, as much as I do! Thank you again!!!

And one of a friend that we saw during our session. I was told that they were good luck!

Sherman Family!

2011-09-26T23:32:00.003-04:00

What an adventure we had, on our session together! We did some hiking, wading, falling, almost falling and lots of laughing!

We started off at some small falls, where we had to work our way down to the river...without breaking anything. Luckily, we all managed to get there relatively unharmed. It was really pretty there, and it was worth the work!

I had a great time with the Sherman Family! Thank you Deanna and Rob for a great session! As I said before, I'm a bit behind on editing right now, so hopefully the preview will hold you over! Enjoy!!

Probably my favorite from the evening!

This was his idea! Love it!

Family Session at Reisinger's Apple Country!

2011-09-25T09:54:00.000-04:00

When Nicole booked me to do a family session for her, I was honored! She is a great local newborn photographer and such a sweetheart! You should check out her work - YAFEH Photography!

She warned me that they were going to have a lot of people in their shoot, and there were! We had a lot of fun. The kids were over me in about 5 minutes, but we gave them breaks, let them run around, bribed them etc. The usual!

The Orchard is so pretty. I asked her if they would be interested in doing an Orchard shoot, because I had been wanting to do one for awhile now. I'm glad they were all for it! I'm pretty sure we will be having Nicole do our family session in the spring, when the blooms are on the trees there. Reisinger's Apple Country is located in Watkins Glen, Ny. I want to send out a huge thank you to them for allowing us to go in and do the session! We even went apple picking after!

It was great seeing you, Nicole, and meeting your family! I hope you love your photos!

Thomas, Julie and Lily

2011-09-19T09:14:00.002-04:00

I can't believe that I didn't post this already! I guess I thought that I did, and didn't get to it. I even had the photos edited for the preview! Yikes!

This is my cousin Julie, and her gorgeous family! They live in Texas, and only get to come up to Pennsylvania every once in awhile. Julie and I haven't seen each other in probably 10 years. I was excited to see her, and have our families meet for the first time! I just wish I would have gotten my camera out sooner, to get a photo of Lily with our Grandma.

I hope you guys like your preview. Unfortunately, this was about the time my camera decided to start acting up on me. I hope you guys like them! Love you!

Julie and my Ella.

Lily next to an apple tree in our grandma's side yard.

Logan Leeann - Born 9.13.2011

2011-09-18T11:28:00.004-04:00

I have done a lot of photos for this beautiful family in the last year. I did their rehearsal, wedding, maternity and now - the birth of their baby girl, Logan. And I couldn't have been more excited to be a part of it.

I received a call around 9pm on the 11th. Rob wanted to let me know that Becky was in labor and that they would let me know how things progressed. The next afternoon they told me to come over because they thought it would be soon. So I packed up, called my mother-in-law to watch my kids, and away I went. They were having a home birth, so I knew this was going to be a pretty laid back day. I don't want to give away too many details, because Becky and Rob haven't written about their home birth experience. But everything was just amazing. Becky did wonderfully! Rob was such an attentive father and husband. I made a new friend (Hi Emily!), and got to snuggle on a sweet baby boy (Hi Titus!). I was with them for a total of 20 hours. I knew the moment I left, Logan would make her appearance. And with a 30 minute drive, I didn't want to chance missing it if I went home. I did end up going home around 2:30 and falling asleep shortly after 3am, and got called to come back at 3:58! I knew it! ha! Logan was born, in her home, at 8:18am.

I put together a video of the highlights of Logan's birth. It is nothing short of beautiful! It is work friendly!

Rob and Becky - thank you for being such amazing people. I really enjoyed my time with you guys, and was so happy to be with you during your journey. You have a beautiful family! Congratulations on your newest baby girl! I'm glad you were able to experience Logan's birth the way that you wanted. Love you guys!

Here is the link to their video!

Samantha and Bucky - Married 9.10.2011

2011-09-14T14:49:00.002-04:00

I'm a little behind on getting their preview up, and for good reason. You will see why in my next blog in a day or two!

But, what a beautiful day. It was supposed to rain most of the day, and we only ended up with a few sprinkles here and there. Their reception venue was so pretty (The Coudersport PA Consistory).

Sammy and Bucky - Congratulations! May you have many, many years of happiness together!

MadaLynn May-Louise and Alex

2011-09-07T12:00:00.003-04:00

MadaLynn May-Louise and Alex are my cousin Brandie's little ones. MadaLynn is just two weeks old, and I went over to do their photos, as a new baby gift for them.

Congratulations Brandie and the rest of your little family! She's beautiful, and Alex seems to be a very proud big brother!

Alex and his lovey bear. Awe!

Carl and Bobbie - Married! 9.3.2011

2011-09-05T12:58:00.002-04:00

Carl and Bobbie were married on Saturday, at the Best Western Grand Victorian Inn. It was so pretty there. It was also very hot and humid. I think it was summer's last heat wave before fall crept in! Their ceremony was very short and sweet. It was perfect.

Carl and Bobbie - Congratulations! I wish you a lifetime of love and happiness! Have a great time on your honeymoon!!

Andy, Cassy and Tyler

2011-09-03T10:20:00.002-04:00

This is my brother and his cute little family. We have been meaning to get a session in for them, and because Andy and I work so much, it was hard to find a time that worked well for all of us. But finally, we were able to get it done.

I can't believe that Ty is already a year old! I'm not sure where the time has gone, but he sure is a handsome little boy!

Love you guys!

Toni - 2012 Senior!!

2011-09-01T21:26:00.003-04:00

Last night, I did Toni's senior session. What a beautiful girl! She and her mom already had spots picked out, which outfit to wear for what shot and everything went smoothly! They were both very sweet, and I enjoyed working with them!

Toni- It was great meeting you! Have fun your senior year, and good luck with college!

Alex - 2012 Senior!!

2011-08-30T23:35:00.002-04:00

We braved vultures, geese, mosquitoes, and whatever was making the noise in the woods, for his shoot. haha! It was a lot of fun!

Thank you to his Mom, Larinda, for booking with me! It was great doing photos for long time friends of the family!

Alex - thank you for a great shoot! Good luck with your senior year!!

Matt - 2012 Senior!

2011-08-30T14:13:00.004-04:00

I photographed yet another senior last night! We had a lot of laughs during our session, and I enjoyed working with Matt and his mom!

And from this session, came another favorite shot!

I love the colors, the lighting, pose - everything!

Matt and Christy - It was great meeting you guys! Matt, have a fantastic senior year! Good luck!

The Cameron and Romaneo Family

2011-08-28T14:46:00.002-04:00

This session was a gift from Jean's son. And I happen to think that photos are a wonderful gift! I would, right?

We had a great session. I talked with Jean about photography, and she asked if I was possibly interested in doing a class for their home-school group. Which of course, I jumped at. It will be a neat experience for me.

I hope you guys like your preview! I had a time time with your family, at your beautiful home. Thank you again!

I loved this dog. A senior from a session last year had a black Labradoodle, and I loved him, too! If we ever get another dog, this will be the breed!

Danielle - 2012 Senior!!

2011-08-28T12:52:00.003-04:00

I had a fabulous session with Danielle on Friday! I was excited when she told me she wanted pictures with a horse! We had some beautiful fields and lighting to work with - not to mention how beautiful Danielle is!

Here is your preview! I hope you love them! Good luck with everything! And don't forget me when you're making up some yummy meals in culinary school! ;)

McKayla - 2012 Senior!!

2011-08-28T11:47:00.003-04:00

We love our McKayla, and can't believe that she is a senior this year! She started watching our kids about 3 years ago. My oldest was very shy and wanted nothing to do with her at first, and Benny was just over a year old and still in diapers. Now my oldest is going to kindergarten next week and we have a new baby girl, and they all adore her! McKayla and I were actually reminiscing over this yesterday. Things are going by way too fast.

For our shoot, we went up on the hill behind her house. I have done a couple of other senior shoots on their property for family friends of theirs, and was happy to have a change of scenery for her photos, to make hers special. It was beautiful up there! We finished up her shoot around her house and I love how they turned out.

McKayla - We love you and your family more than you know! We're proud of you and wish you nothing but the best in life! You are hard working, intelligent, and gorgeous! Good luck with your senior year and college! We know you will do amazing things in your life!

Ben with McKayla. I had to take Ella and Ben with me to the last part of her shoot, and he wanted to take a picture with her.

Michaleia - 2012 Senior!

2011-08-24T08:34:00.003-04:00

I was so excited when I pulled up to the location where I was going to be doing a senior session. Old red barn, fences, woods, tall grass, etc. Hello!?! Was this a dream? Someone pinch me quick!

We had a great session last night. Michaleia and her family were full of ideas, and already had some spots picked out, which I love when coming into a session!

Thank you all for a great shoot! Michaleia - good luck with your senior year, and with college!!

These clouds are 100% for real and not added in. We had some amazing lighting and some storm clouds that passed through. Absolutely perfect!

These clouds, however, were added from one of the other photos. The truck was sitting behind the house they are building, and I wanted to remove the roof in the background.

Baby C - 7 months old

2011-08-18T23:39:00.003-04:00

How cute is this little boy?

I have a special place in my heart for a baby that sucks their thumb! Our Camden was a thumb-sucker. It is so cute.

We had a really nice shoot tonight. Everything went smooth and we got a lot of really great shots! Baby C was adorable and his parents and grandma were so nice. And we have some really nice images, that I can't wait to show them (even ones that I'm not posting tonight are awesome!)

Thank you for having me over this evening! I really hope to work with you guys again!

Nick - 2012 Senior!

2011-08-15T23:23:00.002-04:00

I wasn't sure if we were going to be able to shoot tonight. Mother Nature was teasing us with some rain, but it cleared up in time for our session.

We started out at the VFW for some shots, and worked our way around to a few other spots, ending up at one overlooking Knoxville. It was beautiful!

Nick - I hope you have a great senior year! Good luck with everything! it was nice meeting you guys!

Josh and Tara - Married 8.13.2011

2011-08-14T23:34:00.003-04:00

What a beautiful, wonderful, fun day! I had the honor of shooting a wedding in Liberty on Saturday. The weather was perfect for pictures. The bride and groom were gorgeous. They were married overlooking a pond, and the reception was just up the road, at a beautiful location, which happened to be the family vacation cabin. We really loved it up there.

I really don't have too much to say. It was just - perfect! I was really excited to get home to start editing these pictures. I knew they were going to be great!

Josh and Tara - I really had fun with you guys! Thank you for choosing me to be there to photograph your day. I'm excited for you to see these! Congratulations once again!

Nikki - 2012 Senior!

2011-08-13T11:50:00.003-04:00

We had a great shoot last night! We went to a few different locations, and she was a lot of fun to work with. She brought her nephew along for a few shots, and he was such a ham.

Good luck with your senior year, Nikki! It goes by fast, so enjoy it!

I really liked the color version of this one, too!

Eric and Naomi - August 6, 2011

2011-08-08T23:18:00.003-04:00

What a sweet, beautiful and happy couple. It was such a pleasure working with Naomi, Eric and their family and friends. We were able to dodge the rain for some outdoor pictures, which always makes me happy! I just have to say that Naomi has such a contagious smile! She is so bubbly and happy. I loved working with these two!

Eric and Naomi - Congratulations! I know that you two are destined for a great life together. You both seem genuinely happy. Thank you again!

She said she had to have this picture!

Beautiful Kids!

2011-08-06T00:17:00.002-04:00

I had a nice session this evening, with a sweet little boy and his beautiful 4-month old baby sister. He was my buddy all evening., even telling me to drive careful on the way home. He's a sweet little boy. Little miss made us work for some smiles, but we won ;)

We had a great shoot. Nice weather, beautiful lighting and scenery to work with, and one gorgeous family!

Thank you again! It was great working with you guys this evening! Enjoy!

Seth and Valery - Married! July 30, 2011.

2011-08-01T10:43:00.004-04:00

I honest to goodness LOVED working this Seth and Valery. They were a riot! Saturday was beautiful all around. Perfect weather, a gorgeous bride and groom, a fun wedding party, and a great family. That combination makes my job that much easier, and, a lot of fun! I wish we could do it all over again! Plus, the food was probably the best wedding food - ever.

Congratulations you two! Have fun on your honeymoon!!

Alright....here's your preview!

Now, if I remember correctly, Val wanted some old western type photos... I'm not sold on this edit.. I'll have to mess around with this coloring a little more.

Val and Seth - Engaged!

2011-07-18T22:41:00.002-04:00

I'm sure 99.9% of the valley knows this already, especially since their wedding is next weekend! We did a just for fun e-session tonight, and we had a blast! I can not wait to shoot their wedding!

Val and Seth are a really sweet and funny couple. See you guys in two weeks!! I can't wait!!

Jacob - 2012 Senior!

2011-07-18T11:20:00.002-04:00

Jacob and his family drove about an hour to have me take his senior pictures. Senior boys are a tough customer, but I think he managed to get through his session relatively unscathed. ha!

Thank you, Sharon, for having me do his senior photos, and driving all that way for them! It was great meeting you all. Good luck with your senior year, Jacob!

Here's your preview!

I will do an edit where I remove the barn in the background...But, I thought his mom would like this one, considering it is her dad's barn! Jacob will too, someday!

Sisters!

2011-07-16T08:52:00.002-04:00

These beautiful girls were so sweet! We had SO much fun with our shoot last night. They are also the daughters to one of my best friends! So of course it was going to be a lot of fun and relaxed.

Also, Grace is turning one in just a few weeks! So, we did a cake smash. She was...not in to it! This had to of been the neatest cake smash ever! But she still looked cute in her tutu and party hat!

Enjoy the preview! Love you guys!

Becky and Rob + Baby Belly!

2011-07-12T17:45:00.006-04:00

I absolutely LOVE this family. They are one of my many clients turned friends! I captured their rehearsal and wedding a few months ago, their baby belly, and, I will be capturing their birth next month (or this month!!). Danielle Barden will be second shooting the birth of Baby Templar along side me! I could not be any more excited!

Becky, Rob, Liam, Renny and Lola - I am thrilled that we have had the opportunities to become friends! You are such a sweet family. Thank you for including me in your life and your big moments!

Beautiful!

Kassie and Jason - Expecting A Baby Boy!

2011-07-11T23:38:00.003-04:00

Jason and Kassie are expecting a sweet baby boy! Word has it that I will be doing newborn photos for them, too!! I can not wait! This was my first maternity session (well, I did one a long time ago, before I was any good, so it doesn't count....).

They were such a sweet couple! I hope the remainder of your pregnancy is smooth sailing, and that Jason gives good foot massages! (hint hint, Jason! lol). I can't wait to meet this little boy. You guys are going to be such great parents! Congratulations once again!

Lawrenson Vow Renewal

2011-07-11T20:51:00.003-04:00

Holly contacted me months ago, and was originally planning on surprising Fred with a vow renewal. After months of keeping it secret from him, he found out. I can't remember how she said he learned about it (I think she may have told him), but I thought it was very sweet!

They have a very small and intimate ceremony with close friend and family. Everything was very sweet and simple. She carried a bouquet similar to that of the one she carried on her wedding day, almost 32 years ago.

These two are definitely in very much in love with each other. I enjoyed being a part of their day.

Congratulations on almost 32 years of marriage!

Carl Newborn

2011-07-06T23:26:00.003-04:00

I had a fun session tonight with some great people, and one sweet baby girl. Their sister got them a session with me for their baby shower, and I was happy to do them!

She didn't want to sleep (although I was able to get two that look like she is asleep), but she was such a good girl during the entire shoot. We also did some pictures of her grandparents and her "siblings".

Thank you again! I hope you guys enjoy your preview!

Chet and Pam - Married! July 1, 2011

2011-07-04T01:23:00.002-04:00

Pam and Chet were married on Friday! They had a very small and intimate ceremony, and it was beautiful. Once the ceremony was complete, we did some informal family photos.

Thank you for asking me to capture your special day! Congratulations!!!

He gave himself bunny ears because he was eating carrots - straight out of the bag!

They kept their ceremony secret - and shortly after the ceremony, people found out! Word DOES spread like wild fire in this area.

I absolutely LOVE this photo

Now, I was asked by her, to not post any "ugly" photos of her. I think she is beautiful, and I doubt there could ever be an "ugly" picture taken of her! But, I hope these are ok, because I love them both. :)

Carter - 3 Week old cutie!

2011-07-02T15:41:00.002-04:00

I did Carter's older brother's newborn photos last year (they are 13 months a part I believe), and was honored that his mom drove 1 1 /2 hours to me, so I could do Carter's newborn pictures.

He really gave us a hard time at first. He was not having his picture taken, and that was that....so he though. I was able get him to sleep, and once we did, he was out.

Amy - Thank you so much for having me do Carter's newborn session. It was really great seeing you, and meeting (and snuggling!!), him. Congratulations to you and your family!!

The Hager Family

2011-06-30T23:59:00.002-04:00

I first met Tiff and Seth when I met with them about photographing their wedding. I was so excited when Tiff contacted me several months ago, letting me know that they were expecting, and that they wanted me to do their newborn photography!

This little boy was such a great sleeper! I mean, he was probably the best newborn to pose to date! This is why I love doing newborn photography before they are ten days old. They tend to pose well, and they like their sleep.

Tiff and Seth - thank you for having me over to photograph your beautiful family, and for allowing me to bring my fellow photographer friend, Nicole. Congratulations, once again! He is so handsome!

The bed is Nicole's. I absolutely fell in love with it! Thank you for taking time from your busy schedule to come hang with me this evening! I really enjoyed working with you.

I bet you weren't expecting such a photo in a newborn preview! ha!! This is his very proud big brother. He was more into giving us silly faces, than smiles. Gotta love boys!

The beautiful, happy family.

Eli - 7 weeks old!

2011-06-27T20:05:00.002-04:00

I met one of the most adorable little boys today! He was not sleepy - at - all. We tried and tried to get him to sleep, and he just wasn't having it.

See how cute he is?

Thank you, Jessie, for having me over to do a session for him! I hope you love them!

Joleen and Kevin - June 25, 2011

2011-06-26T17:37:00.005-04:00

Joleen and Kevin were married yesterday, in a small, but absolutely adorable church in Nelson. We were able to beat the rain and got some great shots! Their day was beautiful, and I was happy to be able to capture it for them.

Congratulations Kevin and Joleen!! I really enjoyed my time with you guys. I hope you love your preview!

Referral Winner!

2011-06-21T01:07:00.002-04:00

Last year I ran a referral contest on Facebook, and Bryce won. She finally set up her appointment for her session. She brought along her boyfriend and her two cousins. I went to school with the girls' mom, and they will be going to school with my boys! How crazy is that?

Here's your preview! I hope you like them!

Summertime!

2011-06-18T22:19:00.002-04:00

What a hot, muggy, beautiful day. I was able to spend the evening with some great people, photographing their adorable kids! I actually lived next door to them for a few years when we were younger! It's hard to believe that we were once the age of our children; maybe a little older when we lived next door to each other, and now, we're parents to some pretty amazing kids ourselves!

Julie, Jessica and Erma - it was great seeing you guys, and, meeting some sweet kids today! Thank you again!

Adam, Dana and Boys

2011-06-15T10:13:00.002-04:00

I spent Monday evening photographing this adorable family! They have a really beautiful area to work with. Their boys were such hams, and so fun to be around! Adam and Dana are getting married this year, and also wanted to incorporate engagement photos during their family session.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to meet and photograph your family! I'm sorry about the slight delay with your preview (busy busy here!), but I hope that you love them! Have a great summer and good luck with your wedding planning!!

They requested that we incorporate his Grandma's apple orchard in their shoot. I love this!

- Family -

2011-06-12T23:34:00.002-04:00

I had a great shoot this evening with an absolutely beautiful family! I have been loving this location for shoots lately! And I think it fit them perfectly, too!

Thank you all for a wonderful session! I hope you love your preview!

Josh and Megan - Married! June 11, 2011

2011-06-12T01:01:00.003-04:00

Megan and Josh hired me to do their wedding photography almost a year in advance! Probably the furthest in advance that anyone has booked me before. Megan mentioned several times how important their wedding photos were to them, and I promised that I could deliver! And I have to say, I love how they turned out!

I met with Megan and her girls and family a couple of hours prior to the wedding to do their photos, and then with Josh, his guys and his family at the reception site. We managed to get the photos and ceremony in before it started pouring. The kids were loving the rain!

Everything was gorgeous! I loved all of the decorations, favors, the SHOES! Oh her shoes! The bride and groom looked absolutely breathtaking! And I really enjoyed spending the day with them.

Josh and Megan - Thank you so much for having me capture your beautiful day! I was so happy to be a part of it. Now go relax and enjoy your honeymoon!

Perry Family

2011-06-10T23:41:00.003-04:00

This is once again, the beautiful and sweet Perry Family! I love doing shoots with them! We have been trying to get this shoot done since February! Something always came up, or, the weather was crazy. Finally, after months of planning and messing with two very hectic schedules, we were able to get them in! And we had a fantastic night for them.

Shelly and Cody - Thank you again for a great shoot! I love, love, love working with you guys! I hope you like your preview! Give that beautiful baby girl a squeeze for me.

Her face in this cracks me up. She is so funny!

The Coleman Family

2011-05-29T10:29:00.003-04:00

Yesterday, for the first time ever, I photographed twins - Two year old twin boys! They were SO stinking adorable!! They gave me a run for my money, but in the end, I won! We got some pretty cute shots!

Niki and Joel, it was great meeting your little family. Thank you for having me take your family photos! Enjoy the rest of your trip!

Siblings

2011-05-25T13:50:00.004-04:00

I had a nice little shoot with these beautiful kids on Sunday. They were the most well behaved kiddos, especially for their ages!

Robin, you have some beautiful grand-babies!! Thank you for a wonderful shoot!

Becky and Rob - May 21, 2011

2011-05-25T01:08:00.003-04:00

The nicest couple to ever walk to the face of the earth. They also had the most laid-back wedding party, which I LOVE! I love feeling like I'm part of the wedding party.

My time with Becky and Rob started when Matt and I were invited to their rehearsal and dinner the evening before their wedding. I did photos during that, and really just got to know them and their family and friends. The next afternoon, I joined Becky and her girls while they were getting ready. I couldn't believe how relaxed Becky was! I love Brides like this! ((Girls- Don't stress! Enjoy your day!!)). We then went to the church where they were married during a very simple and beautiful ceremony. We then took a school bus (yes, school bus!) to Coudersport for their group photos. We went right on Main St. There were a lot of people driving by honking, yelling, congratulating, etc. It was a lot of fun. We finished photos and went off to the reception!

Rob and Becky - Congratulations once more!! Thank you for a great wedding to photograph and be a part of! I will be seeing you all very soon!! I can't wait!

Dane and Kelly - May 14, 2011

2011-05-16T12:14:00.003-04:00

I was contacted by Kelly when she was referred to me by the wonderful Danielle Barden. Danielle was originally booked to to Kelly and Dane's wedding, but found out that she was expecting and due only a week before the wedding! I'm glad it worked out like it did! Danielle got her sweet baby, and I got to photograph a truly happy and beautiful couple!

Kelly and I didn't have a chance to meet prior to her wedding, but I think we hit it off pretty well once we did meet. They are the sweetest couple. We had fantastic weather. The church and the reception are the couple were GORGEOUS! Perfect, perfect, perfect day! It was also my first wedding of the year, so I was a little nervous. But things went really well. I was honored to be a part of such a special day for two great people!

Kelly and Dane - Congratulations on your marriage! I hope you have a lifetime filled with everything you have ever hoped and dreamed for! Enjoy your honeymoon!!

Snyder Family

2011-05-08T23:36:00.003-04:00

Over the weekend, I had the pleasure of working with the Snyder family. We had a beautiful day for our session. I had a great time with them!

Mike and Missy - thank you for having me do your family session! It was great seeing you all. I hope you like your preview!

Happy Mother's Day to all of the moms!!! I hope you had a wonderful day!

Fitzy - Four Days New

2011-05-04T00:30:00.003-04:00

What a better way to top off doing birth photos, than to also do a newborn session for the same baby! So much fun!! There will be a lot of other local photographers doing photos of baby Fitzy. I'm excited for Danielle and Jared to see not only what other photographers are able to come up with for Baby Fitzy, but to see what his Mama, Danielle, ends up doing!!

Here's your preview!! Enjoy!!

The Potter Family!

2011-05-03T22:17:00.002-04:00

This family is that of one of my closest friends. Recently, they added another cute little Potter to their bunch! Sullivan was born on April 22nd. Let me tell you, this baby boy is adorable!! Of course, I'm biased, because he is going to be my future son in law. ;)

I hope you guys like your preview! Thank you for letting me come in an reek havoc on your home, in the name of photography! I can't wait to finish Sully's newborn photos next week! Love you guys!

The Johnson Family

2011-05-03T00:13:00.002-04:00

I had a great shoot with another fellow photographer over the weekend! Her kids are so adorable, and she's full of ideas!

Sabra, thanks for another great shoot with your family! I hope you like your preview!

Baby Barden - April 28, 2011

2011-05-02T12:06:00.007-04:00

When a fellow photographer, Danielle Barden, announced that she was expecting, I was over the moon happy for her and her husband. They had been trying to get pregnant for quite some time. And, finally, after a couple of years of trying, and, and, a heartbreaking miscarriage, their dream of having a baby of their own was finally coming true!

I jokingly emailed her about doing birth photography for her. I wanted to do something nice for her, since she sent a lot of wedding business my way last year. When she instantly jumped on the idea of me capturing their birth for them, I was so excited!! I had always wanted to do birth photography, and was finally getting my chance. And, she had always wanted to be a mom, and was getting her chance! It was meant to be!

I read her almost daily facebook updates about how she was feeling, new things she was experiences as an expecting mother, how doctor's appointments had gone, finding out the sex, and finally, I got the call! 3am on Thursday morning she called me. I was in a dead sleep. Matt woke me up and said "your phone is ringing". I instantly knew what is was about. Danielle was only due a week later. I ran out of the bedroom and called her back. She said "I think my water broke! I feel like I'm peeing my pants" I could tell she was both excited and nervous. Understandably so! I told her to call when she found out for sure and to let me know how far along she was. I didn't want to go right in and then have me awkwardly sitting in her room with her for hours on end. She was only 1cm, so I went back to bed....only after getting a shower and getting my camera gear ready to go! 8am came and I sent her a text letting her know that I was getting around, and would be there around 11 or so.

When I did get to the hospital, she was 3-4cm and 75% I believe it was. So things were moving along really well! Only an hour or so later, she was 7-8cm! Holy smokes! I took photos of things around the room, of her holding hands with her best friend, her husband comforting her, and nurses coming and going. Her sister made her way in shortly after I got there and took over for her best friend that was there. We chatted a little, but she was already in active labor, with contractions not too far apart. She still managed to crack a few jokes and smiles during it all. Finally, the time came for her to push. I was honestly worried that when it came down to this, she would change her mind about me being in the room for the actual delivery, and I was ok with that. I was more worried about her being comfortable and focusing on delivery and that baby boy, rather than me being there and her being worried about the camera, making her self conscience. When they checked her, I left the room, and that's when they wanted to try a few practice pushes. I heard what was going on in the room as I nervously paced outside the door. I then hear Danielle say "Where's Bridget?!" I then went back in the room, knowing that yes, she still wanted me in there! lol The doctor came in and it was baby time! Talk about super woman! She only pushed for 45 minutes! And about half way through the pushing stage, she STILL gave me a smug little smile for the camera.

I really can't write in words the emotion that filled that room. But, I put together a slide show of their photos. There are no graphic photos, as I was by her head the entire time for the delivery. So no need to be wary.

Jared and Danielle - Congratulations on your absolutely sweet little boy. I am so happy for you, and I know that you will be nothing short of amazing parents. Thank you for giving me such an amazing opportunity. I was honored that you would allow me to do this for you, and that you were comfortable enough to share that with me. I'm looking forward to doing his newborn shoot this evening!!

Baby Barden's Birth Video!

If you don't have time to watch the video right away (it is a little long), here are a few photos from it.

Handsome Guys - April 27, 2011

2011-04-27T22:50:00.002-04:00

I had a fantastic session with two sweet boys and their mom this evening. We managed to beat some pretty crazy weather. Just as we were finishing up, I got a call from my husband to wrap it up, because there were threats of tornadoes. So we hurried off to our vehicles and managed to get home before the weather got too bad.

We all got a little muddy, but it was well worth it! These little guys are so full of energy and are so much fun.

Thank you, again, for having me do photos of your little ones! I can't believe how much they have grown in less than a year! I'm looking forward to our shoot in the fall!!

Ashley - April 17, 2011

2011-04-17T23:36:00.002-04:00

We had so much fun with our shoot today. We started off with a princess tea party, danced to Bieber , and ended with playing in the rain at the playground with some friends! I don't think there is a better way to spend the day! Ashley was such a ham for the camera, and, is very photogenic!

A huge thank you to her mom for having me over to do her photos. I really enjoyed my time with you guys today. Enjoy your preview! xo

Natalie and Riley - April 16. 2011

2011-04-16T23:33:00.002-04:00

I got to photograph to very beautiful little girls today. My friend Alayna and her girls have been in town for a few weeks, which has been nice. We've been able to get our kiddos together. My boys love her girls (uh oh!).

Here are a few from my session with them today!

Thanks for letting me come over and do photos of your girls, Layna (and Barb for putting up with us tearing the living room apart). :) I can't wait to get the kids together again!

The Preston Family

2011-03-19T20:17:00.003-04:00

I had the privilege of photographing some of the cutest kids today! I had such a ball with them, and we got some super cute shots.

Thank you for allowing me to come over and do this session for you. I'm glad that I was able to meet your new little guy and hang out with your beautiful family for awhile.

Enjoy your preview! <3

Maddox

2011-03-19T10:03:00.002-04:00

I went over to meet my friends newest addition. We had a nice visit, and got to snuggle each others babies for the first time. He is such a little cutie!

Shannon, you should be one proud Mama! He's adorable (as is Emerson!). Thanks for having us over yesterday. <3

Lee - Growing up!

2011-03-13T19:34:00.003-04:00

I first met Lee about a year ago when he was around 6 months old! He is now 18 months old, and as cute as ever. I love this little boy.

Today, we did photos of not only Lee, but one of his older brothers and his Mimi. We all froze our hineys off, but it was definitely worth it.

Clara - you have such a sweet baby boy. I always love doing shoots for you guys. Enjoy your preview! xo

Tyler - 6 months

2011-03-08T01:09:00.003-05:00

Where has the time gone? A few months ago, I was in the waiting room with family, awaiting the arrival of Tyler, my nephew. Now he's a babbling, drooling, teething, cute as a button 6 month old.

See? I told you so.

And yes, this is his real hair. Crazy, I know.

We did some shots of him with his Daddy's fire gear.

And, with Grandpa Adams' Aruba do rag

My Ella Belle was feeling left out, so we got one of them together.

Thanks for looking!

Happy Birthday...

2011-02-24T22:55:00.002-05:00

Today was my dad's birthday. Our family got together as we normally would and had dinner, and we did a balloon release for him.

Happy Birthday, Dad.