Emily Mulkey Photography Blog

New Year, New Blog

2009-01-08T14:13:00.001-08:00

It may appear I have been slacking here on this blog, but that is not entirely true! I have been blogging, albeit at a different blog. I've decided to move the Emily Mulkey Photography Blog to a new site. This was always the plan, it just happened a little sooner than expected. I wasn't 100% happy with blogger and the look of everything, and there are blogging templates out there designed specifically for photographers so I jumped ship. Some come visit me over there:

http://www.emilymulkeyphotography.com/blog

There are a ton of great things about this move. You don't have to sign in to leave comments! The layout is better! I can do more with the pictures! Sadly, it will not update itself, but what are you gonna do?

So come on over to the new blog and leave a comment! Tell me what you think! I love feedback!

I will continue to keep this blog active though as I'm not sure if I will transport all the posts to the new blog or not, so this will still be here. And to all of you who have linked to me on your blog, THANK YOU SO MUCH! And if it's not too much trouble, I'd love for you to update that link to the new blog.

Happy New Year to you all!

Family Session: The P Family

2008-12-31T07:19:00.000-08:00

We had a great time taking some Christmas pictures for the P Family. Miss Natalia is just too cute, especially in those leggings with the red tips! I've known that little nugget since she was in her Momma's belly and I was taking pictures of said belly. And how could we not get some shots involving Salem, Natalia's older, canine brother! Despite not having a gallery devoted entirely to Salem, which some might want us to have (hint: the adults in these photos), we really do enjoy him!

Children Session: Lukas, Catherine and Cassidy

2008-12-30T11:10:00.000-08:00

These kiddos are so polite and personable. Their Mom alternates each year as to if her and Dad are in the picture. This year was a kid year. I'm glad this session worked out because these kids lead a busy schedule. Catherine had just played in her first basketball game of the season and Lukas had a busy lacrosse schedule that weekend. And sweet little Cassidy told us all about what she had been doing in school. Husband/Assistant got a big kick out of discussing the BCS system and its faults with Lukas.

Children Session: Ellie and Camille

2008-12-29T15:11:00.000-08:00

You know that scene in "White Christmas" where the two sisters do their 'Sisters' routine? I can't stop singing that song after pulling photos from this particular session. They were too cute in their matching dresses and leggings. I had to pull Mom and Dad in for a few shots too. They had all just come from the Adolphus Children's parade and were full of Christmas spirit!

Children Session: Jacob and Hannah

2008-12-29T14:18:00.000-08:00

Love taking pictures of these two. Love their blonde, BLONDE hair and their blue, BLUE eyes! Please know that no ornaments were harmed during this photo session! :)

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-24T14:16:00.000-08:00

To all of my clients, friends and family that check this blog, Merry Christmas to you and your families. I hope that the spirit of the season is alive and well in your homes and hearts. You have all been a blessing in my life this year and I appreciate each and every one of you.

Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace and goodwill towards men!

Catch Up, v. 2

2008-12-23T09:21:00.000-08:00

As before, click on the link for the full post.

Family Session: The H Family

Family Session: The G Family

Family Session: The C Family

Family Session: The C Family

2008-12-23T09:15:00.000-08:00

While my SIL and BIL and adorable nephew were in town over Thanksgiving, we managed to squeeze in a Christmas session admist all the other holiday craziness. I still cannot get over how cute little Finn is. We can't wait to see him at Christmas!

I love this one because it looks like he could be selling fake designer watches on the streets of New York or something.

And this last one was a throw-away shot at the end, but Finn's Yaya ended up liking it the most for some reason. Husband/Assistant calls it "He Sees You When You're Sleeping."

Family Session: The G Family

2008-12-23T09:09:00.000-08:00

Gosh, I've been taking photos of this family for awhile now...since John was just a little boy. I love watching families grow, especially this one. It's a wonderful thing when clients start to become friends as well. John and RoryCate were just too cute in their sweaters. Their Mom said that these shoots always give her a good reason to visit her old friend Nordstroms! I think that is a perfectly reasonable!

Family Session: The H Family

2008-12-23T09:03:00.000-08:00

The H's showed up in their Christmas reds for their Christmas shoot. All three of them had been under the weather, but they were troopers and did a fantastic job. Little Lacey is just too cute in her dress and was the perfect poser!

Catch Up, v. 1

2008-12-22T10:38:00.000-08:00

So I've resorted to this to get all of my Christmas themed sessions on the blog before Thursday. I hope they help bring some Christmas spirit! Click on each link for the full post. Expect the same treatment the next few days. Enjoy!

Family Session: The P Family

Family Session: The M Family

Family Session: The W Family

Family Session: The W Family

2008-12-22T10:33:00.001-08:00

I was very lucky to be asked by Ali to take some pictures for their Christmas cards. Ali is one of my closest friends from childhood and is a photographer herself. And Nelson and Husband/Assistant were actually friends at A&M long before they found and married such wonderful women. :) Both of them were part of our wedding and we love spending time with them, even more so now that they have Miss Kennedy! She is a doll and loves to ham it up for the camera. She makes the funniest faces and just cracks us up. I took some newborn shots of her about a year ago, and it's been a pleasure to watch her grow up into such a cute little junebug. We added Uncle Max to the mix as well to get some shots for Ali's mom's card as well!

Family Session: The M Family

2008-12-22T10:29:00.000-08:00

We started out the M's session with the kiddos wearing their Christmas pj's. Such a cute idea and it made for a very cute Christmas card. I've taken pictures of this family ever since Miss Molly was a baby girl, and now we have Mr. Gabe added to the mix. They are such a fun and laidback family and I always enjoy our shoots. Miss Molly was a little sick this day, but we managed to get some shots of her smiling. She has such a energetic personality, so it's hard NOT to capture that on film. And Gabe's big grin with those giant blue eyes just kills me!

Family Session: The P Family

2008-12-22T10:19:00.000-08:00

A good friend of mine gave her sister-in-law a session with me as a gift, which I thought was a wonderful idea. I may be biased though. Ha! So we met up with Mom, Dad and little Presley for a Holiday photo shoot. It was great to meet them and get to know them. Miss P's smile is too cute and you can tell she has a great personality. Sorry for the cold weather guys! You did great!

Family Sessions: The S Family

2008-12-18T14:41:00.000-08:00

Every time we take pictures of Leslie and Miss Harper, it is always very stylized and dramatic....in a good way. This time was no exception. The theme of this shoot was "A Sweet Christmas." We had a wonderful time roaming the Arboretum and asking Harper to pose for us. We would say, tell us you're cute Harper and would hear "I'm cute." Who's the bomb Harper? "I'm the bomb." Too fun!

Family Session: The H Family

2008-12-18T07:31:00.001-08:00

Loved meeting this nice and fun family! And I LOVED all the sweater action, the colors, and the hats for little Reese and big brother Quay. Mom and Dad kept telling Quay to show us that big smile he has, and he finally did and it was too cute. And Reese was just a dream infant to work with. Good job guys!

Family Session: The M Family

2008-12-17T10:40:00.000-08:00

We had a great time shooting the M Family and little Miss EC. I've taken her pictures a few times now and it is so great to watch her grow up. It took her a little bit to warm up, but once she did that personality started pouring out!

Family Session: The H Family

2008-12-17T07:29:00.001-08:00

Earlier this month we went up to the H's house to get some family Christmas shots and some shots of their girls in their pretty red dresses. I think it should be a requirement that every girl have a pretty red dress to twirl around in around Christmas time! And despite the girls being very leery of the two strangers in their house at first, they soon opened up and we had a great time!

Family Session: The B Family

2008-12-16T15:24:00.000-08:00

Alright, Husband/Assistant and I aren't sure how we got so far behind, but we did. So this is how we're going to handle this. We're harkening back to the old high school athletic tradition of two-a-days. We're going to try to post twice daily and get some of these sessions up here on the blog. So be sure to check the post below! We're going to Austin for a family wedding this weekend, so that will take away from the posting. I'm focusing on getting more of the "Christmas-y" sessions I've done recently on here and then saving some other ones for after the Holidays. This way it will be spread out more and I will not get harrasing emails about why I haven't posted in over a week (Thanks, Mom!).

This here is the B Family and they are a blast. We drove out to the country to their house for a family session and had the best time. I'm really loving finding natural spots around people's houses that make for good pictures, and there were an abundance of places at the B's house. The kids were so lively and fun and I got a little obsessed over their big, beautiful eyes. Such a great family!

Infant Session: Adeline

2008-12-16T15:18:00.000-08:00

Sweet Adeline had the best attitude about her photo session. She was so easy, especially for all the propping and changing that we did to her. Her Mom wanted to get some Christmas shots for card purposes, but also wanted to get some shots in Adeline's cute nursery. Her Mom put so much thought into her nursery and it showed. Until next time Miss Addy!

Family Session: The W Family

2008-12-11T10:56:00.000-08:00

And wow. Things got crazy over here with all of the Christmas sessions and card ordering, etc. I'm blessed to be so busy this time of year, but the blog had to go by the wayside for a week or so. I give much credit to all of you out there who are able to continuously update when life gets a little chaotic. I might have to do 2-a-days starting next week to make sure everyone gets their moment to shine on this little blog.

I can't think of a cuter family to start posting again than the W Family. Mom, Dad and little Travis were perfect subjects. Travis even got the whole "model" part down by spitting up a few times too! We had such a good time with them. The weather was perfect and that little T never fails to crack us up! Can't wait until the BIG W Family sessions later this month guys!

Family Session: The Z Family

2008-12-01T05:33:00.000-08:00

Can I tell you all how much I am enjoying twins these days! Well, I guess I did just tell you all that. So for the record: I am enjoying twins these days!

I recently got an email from Mrs. Z asking if I would like to take some 1 year-old shots of their twins, as well as some family shots. It is so fun shooting multiples because it's amazing to watch how their personalities are so different, even at 1 year old! We had a terrific time shooting picture after picture of little Owen and James. And their parents didn't seem to mind that we kept calling them Owen and Luke at the beginning! I think those two brother names are ingrained in our Dallas-ite heads. This family was so fun and lively and were very interesting to talk to as the Mom is an actress and the Dad is a trauma doctor. And the boys...well, they are just as cute as can be!

Maternity Session: Carrie

2008-11-26T11:16:00.000-08:00

I recently got an email from Carrie asking if I could take some maternity pictures of her, her husband and their cute little toddler Ronnie. I actually went to high school with Carrie, but lost contact with her aside from seeing each other randomly at weddings and the like. I was thrilled when she emailed and was so happy to take these pictures in their house. Their family is so fun and sweet, and that Ronnie is just too funny. He has an obsession with the movie Cars, so he always had at least 4 or 5 cars in his hands at all times. I had a great time with these guys and can't wait to meet little Ethan when he makes his debut!

Family Session: The R Family

2008-11-25T09:04:00.001-08:00

We recently did another big family shoot, complete with an infant, toddler and 4 BIG dogs! This family was a referral, so I was not sure who we were meeting at the Botanical Garden in Grapevine. When we drove up we noticed all of these very stylish people in different variations of purple and grey. Luckily, these were our clients! I'm not sure if they all went shopping together, but the wardrobe choices for this shoot were great. And this family is such a fun and vibrant family. Let me tell you, there is not one shy one in the group. We had a great time with them!

As we were wrapping up, one of the couples asked if it was okay to run to the SUV to get their 4 dogs for a picture. We were expecting them to walk back with chihuahuas or something, but instead they came back with these big dogs! And they were the most well-behaved dogs as well. They sat on command and all looked at the camera!

Family Session: The C Family

2008-11-20T15:18:00.000-08:00

Took some Christmas pics of the C Family recently. Em and Jason are great friends of ours, so we enjoyed catching up with them. I actually was extremely fortunate to photograph their beautiful wedding in Playa Del Carmen last November. Em says that she is just going to keep me on retainer for all the big events and I couldn't be more thrilled. These two make me laugh so hard and I'm thankful to be able to keep taking pictures of them and their expanding canine family.

Funny story about these dogs. In short, they are crazy. Norah, the blonde one, is afraid of cameras. And when I say that, I mean that I have to stand far away and hide behind a tree with my long-range lense. Then Em and Jason have to situate the dogs and pretend like everything is normal. And the other two are just hyper as all get out. It's always comical to get these shots. For example, 95% of the shots with the dogs look more like this. And I think the is the precise moment that Norah saw me in the distance and realized what was happening.

Family Session: The M Family

2008-11-20T15:09:00.000-08:00

We recently took some Christmas pics for the M Family. Cinda was my internship supervisor many moons ago, so it was great to catch up with her and her husband. She has been a very important figure in my other career, so I was so grateful that she asked me to take these pictures. Her and Steve are so fun to chat with as well. Cinda is a ghost hunter and has traveled all over the country visiting haunted places, so she always has good stories about their latest trips. Husband/Assistant told her he could edit in a spectral being in post-production, but luckily she said no thanks!

Infant Session: Lorelei

2008-11-20T09:41:00.000-08:00

Took pictures of precious little Lorelei recently. Mom, Dad and Big Brother Ryland got in on the action too. Whenever I do an infant shoot I will tell the Mom to include any fun outfits that she thinks might make for good pictures. Well, Lorelei's Mom did not disappoint. She brought a whole bag of outfit changes for Miss Lorelei and they were all so cute.

Family Session: The G Family

2008-11-14T10:18:00.000-08:00

We recently took some family shots of the G Family, as well as some newborn shots of their new son Blake. I took pictures of Big Brother Kaden before when I took product pictures for Progeny, Inc. I was thrilled when I got an email from Blake and Kaden's mom asking me to take their family shots. I remembered Kaden being such a cute kid with these amazing blue eyes, and I was certain little Blake would be just as cute. We had a good time taking shots all over the Arboretum.

Kaden was really into using his Dad's blackberry as a toy. When we gave him a play break he took the phone behind this tree. I guess he had some deals to work out in private.

Infant Session: Tristan

2008-11-12T08:50:00.000-08:00

I took some pictures of Baby Tristan recently. His mom and I were in the same sorority at Baylor (Sic 'Em!) but hadn't really been in touch since the good 'ole college days. So I was very excited to get an email from her asking if I would take some infant shots of their soon-to-be son! And I guess Baby Tristan got excited about his photo shoot as well because he ended up arriving about 4 weeks before his due date! We had such a good time during this session and I enjoyed getting to catch up with Tristan's Mom and Dad.

This is why I think he got so excited about his upcoming photo shoot. Look at those baby model skills! Thoughtful pose, intense eyes....male model in the making!

Family Session: The C Family

2008-11-11T07:38:00.000-08:00

The same day we did the big, extended family blogged about earlier, we also did a session for the C Family. Granddad and Grandmom, 2 daughters, 1 son, 2 son-in-laws, 1 daugther-in-law and 5 grandchildren! They all warned me that they had no expectations about the session as their previous attempts never went smoothly. Well, I'm not sure if they were pulling my leg or what because this session could not have gone any better. All of the little kids did great and the whole family made the session fun and very enjoyable. It was such a pleasure to get to spend this little moment with this great family. And I greatly appreciated all of the extra sets of hands when it came time for distraction or make-you-smile gestures!

Family Session: The K Family

2008-11-06T11:36:00.000-08:00

I just had the opportunity to take pictures of the K Family, and the K Family, and the C Family, and the other C Family. You see, I did a big extended family shoot and we had the best time. Yes, it can be more of a challenge to wrangle more than 4 or 5 people, but the reward is worth it. These families were easy-going and relaxed, and the kids were just too cute. We had both sides on this shoot, so we did two sets of extended families, as well as smaller family shots, and then the always-fun kid's shots. It was a blast.

Family Session: The W Family

2008-11-05T09:56:00.000-08:00

We recently traveled up to Denton to take pictures of the W Family at the TWU Gardens, home of the Little Chapel in the Woods. Sadly, I don't think we saw the little chapel. But we did get to try out a new location! It had been awhile since I last saw the W Family, so it was great to catch up and see little Tyler and Garrett again. We had a great time shooting this family and attempting to convince the boys that there were "squirrels" hiding right behind the camera at all times. Oh the trickery involved in this business.

Thriller, Thrill-er Night!

2008-10-31T07:13:00.000-07:00

Gotta love some old school MJ. Alright, so I've been setting aside all of these cute costume pictures that I have taken so I could do a special Halloween post. So here it is!

Our first costume pic was taken way back in the beginning of October. We tried to take these at the Arboretum, but the costume was a little too much for poor Finn, so we had to wait a few days and make do in his grandparent's flower beds. He still wasn't sure about the costume though. So without further adieu,

Finn the Monkey

After that we took some photos of a little guy who was all about his costume. I really think he could be a costume model. Say hello to

Kaden the Lobster

Then just last week we wrapped up costume pics with two of the cutest little babies. Both sets of parents are already planning for this pair's wedding and these pictures will HAVE to be in their rehearsal dinner slideshow. Pleae welcome

Travis the Frog
and Natalia the Bumblebee

Happy Halloween everyone!

Family Session: The P Family

2008-10-30T13:56:00.000-07:00

So I think one of the themes for the first photo day was multiples, because we started the day with twins and we ended the day with twins. I've taken pictures of Case and his Mom and Dad before, but as you can see, they added to the bunch with Garrett and Ainsley. We had a great time propping the little twins up against any surface we could find. And Big Brother Case did a great job of trying to coax some smiles out of the little ones.

This picture cracks me up. Case was actually very good with his little brother and sister, but I'm sure it can be overwhelming at times to become a Big Brother to two at the same time. Heck, that is something that I, an only child, could not even begin to fathom.

Family Session: The J Family

2008-10-29T07:11:00.000-07:00

Christmas Photo Day #1 continued on a good note when The J Family showed up. We had such a good time with this cute family. Little Miss Rebecca Jane has the sweetest personality. And Will and Grady were the perfect subjects and were up for posing and standing wherever I asked. Well, I take that back. The first shot we did was in the middle of all this ivy. I asked Grady if he would like to go stand in a certain spot and he looked up at Mrs. J and said, "But you always tell us not to walk in the garden." To which she replied, "I think it's okay today." I only hope my kids will be that well-behaved one day.

And I have to add one more shot because of the story behind it. Lately it seems like we've been using a lot of reverse psychology to get kids to smile. Like we'll say things like "Don't you smile" or "I better not see a smile from you". We said this a few times when we took Will's pictures. Then it was Grady's turn. Well, what you don't see in this shot is husband/assistant standing over Grady holding the sun shade. And this is where Grady looked up at husband/assistant and asked, in the cutest voice, "Is this where I don't smile?" That had everyone rolling.

Family Session: The B Family

2008-10-28T09:27:00.000-07:00

My first Christmas Photo Day started out exceptionally well as I started out taking pictures of the B Family, including twins Sydney and Molly! I took their Christmas pictures last year and I can't believe how much they have grown. They are little girls now! I had so much fun doing this session because Mrs. B never fails to crack me up. The lady is hilarious! Multiples are so fun and cute to shoot, especially when they are matching.

I also got to take some really fun, non-holiday photos of Miss Molly and Miss Sydney that are too cute. I'm saving them for a separate post and can't wait to show them to you all.

Family Session: The M Family

2008-10-25T07:32:00.000-07:00

We recently met up with the M Family at the Arboretum to take some Holiday pictures. Mrs. M was a referral, so it was great to meet her and her husband and their precious little girl Maleah. As much as I love shooting past clients over and over and seeing their families grow, I equally enjoy getting to know new clients. It seems the theme for most sessions involving todlers these days is independence, and Miss Maleah was no exception. So we let her run around plenty and do her own thing at times. We just always made sure she had a smile on her face! I had a great time with this family and can't wait to watch Miss Maleah grow up as well!

Family Session: The B Family

2008-10-23T08:21:00.000-07:00

A few years ago Mrs. B called to see if I would mind coming to their house to take pictures because they had this big field behind their house with two ponds. Ummm, hello, you had me at big field with two ponds. So about twice a year we get to go out and run through the fields behind their house and take great outdoor photos of this fun family! Even better, in the Spring the whole field is filled with beautiful bluebonnets. I should really see about renting their field for a photo day!

Well, this shoot was no different. Great family, great background, great weather, great shots. And as an added bonus, husband/assistant learned a new "make-you-smile" trick that he's dying to try out on other kids. Thanks Mrs. B for teaching us all about the fake sneeze!

Aint to Proud to Brag

2008-10-22T12:00:00.000-07:00

Y'all, can I brag on my mom for a second?

Some of you might know, some of you might not, but my mom sews most of the custom baby bedding for Be-Dazzled in Plano. She's always been an excellent seamstress and she started doing this on a whim a few years ago. And people? The woman is good. GOOD! And her floor models typically fly off the shelf, or crib as the case may be. Anyway, I recently stopped by the shop and was amazed at the Halloween display in the window right now. Deb and the other Be-Dazzled girls did a phenomenal job, and my mom's bedding is just awesome. Luckily, I had the trusty purse camera with me, so now you too can see this great display.Someone recently told me and husband/assistant that we should not find out the gender of our future children. To which I replied, "Do you know what my mom does? Do you think she's going to let me NOT know?"

Teen Session: Taylor

2008-10-22T08:09:00.000-07:00

I was so excited when Taylor's mom scheduled a session with me to take Taylor's senior pictures. I don't get to photograph teens as much as I'd like, so I jumped at the opportunity. Now, as much as I love photographing babies and children, I must say that these teens and their willingness to follow directions make it a little easier. Stand there, look this way, smile, look pensive, laugh, get me a bottled-water! Okay, maybe not that last one. Anyway, we had a great session and I loved getting to pretend to be back in high school life. There was a football game the night before and homecoming was just around the corner. So exciting!

Family Session: The J Family

2008-10-20T18:03:00.000-07:00

I've taken the J Family's pictures a few times now and I always have such a good time with them. Mom got wind of the great fall displays at the Arboretum and wanted to get some shots of the kids playing in the pumkins. We got there as soon as the Arboretum opened, and for a good ten or so minutes we had the whole pumpkin patch to ourselves. Little Jacob loved to climb on top of all of the hay stacks, while Miss Hannah tried to lift and roll some of the biggest pumpkins in the place. It's always so fun to watch all these kiddos attempting to lift and roll these pumpkins that are as nearly big as them.

Maintenance

2008-10-20T12:45:00.000-07:00

Hello all, husband/assistant here.

Please bear with us if the blog is all wonky and weird today. I'm in the middle of trying to customize this thing and make it a little bit more visually appealing. And turns out I did not graduate with a degree in CSS or computer programming! What good does that law degree do me if I don't know how to make the corners on this thing round?!?

Anywho, please don't mind the maintenance. We'll be back to normal posting by tomorrow at the latest.

Children Session: Avery

2008-10-16T10:47:00.000-07:00

I don't think words give Miss Avery justice. This little girl has spent more time in hospitals than any three year old should. In fact, she was in the hospital for most of the week before this shoot. I was so sad that we might not be able to take her pictures, but luckily everything worked out and I got to spend an incredible hour shooting this unbelievable girl.

Her Mom and Dad are equally incredible. I'm not sure that I've ever met two people who so faithfully believe in God's plan and God's grace. Her Mom has even started giving lectures and speeches on this very topic and I am dying to hear her speak. Her speaking company is called byGrace, and if any of you need speakers for organizations such as MOPS, women's retreats, marriage retreats, church functions, etc., then I cannot recommend her enough! Her faith is inspiring!

Now, Miss Avery has a personality on her! And she is so independent! I would keep telling her to follow me so I could show her another fun spot for pictures and she would continually reply, "No, I'll show you. You follow me!"

And the girl knows how to work it. If she ever wasn't sure about standing in certain spots she would say, in the sweetest and meekest voice she could muster, "But I'm sooooo scared." Now Miss Avery, I know that is NOT true. You're the bravest little girl we know!

Family Session: The M Family

2008-10-15T07:34:00.000-07:00

The M Family just made things so easy, especially their cute little boy Kaden. His Mom is the daughter of the owner of Bedazzled, which is just about the cutest baby and kid's store EVER!
Every place we went they would stand in place, smile pretty, and then 5 shots later we would be done with that locale. Let me tell you, sometimes little kids and older babies are on and sometimes they aren't. When they are off, it usually takes a little coaxing and some trickery to get the smiles to come. But when they are on, then you don't even have to work at it. And little Kaden here, well, the boy was ON!
This surprised his Mom and Dad because apparently the car ride before this was not as ideal as this shoot. Thanks for saving all those smiles for me, K! Also, I have some GREAT photos of little K in his Halloween costume, but I'm saving all of the costume pics I've been taking for a special Halloween post, so stay tuned!

Family Session: The B Family

2008-10-14T11:47:00.000-07:00

Took pictures of the B family recently. They wanted to get some shots to use for Christmas cards, as well as some recent shots of their cute little boy, Hunter. I've taken Hunter's pics a few time, so it's neat to watch him grow and start to assert his independence. Even more special, Carole was the one who introduced me to husband/assistant. And she sang at our wedding! We had a really good time running around the Arboretum and letting little Hunter play and climb stairs after stairs after stairs.

Love this face the best!

Fun with Finn

2008-10-14T09:59:00.000-07:00

Here's a confession: I, like so many people, always say I will never be the type of parent that tells everyone just how perfect and adorable my child is.

And here's another confession: I take all of that back. Because folks, my little nephew is the most perfect, adorable baby in the whole world. And if I feel that way about my sister-in-law's child, then surely it will get worse when it is my own child. Except maybe the reason why I think he is so perfect is because as his aunt I get to hand him off when he gets hungry or fussy? Hmm. Regardless, if in the future I start to talk only about how wonderful my child is, you all are allowed to ignore me completely.

With all that said, look how adorable my nephew is!!

While his Mama was getting her hair done, we stole him and hurried out the Arboretum to take some pictures of him in the pumpkins. His mom also wanted pics of him in this sweater, so we shoved it on over his clothes. Poor thing looked so bulky and hot. He's used to the Denver climate, not the Dallas humidity. The sweater did not last long.

Then later on to some family fun. Here, getting burped by his Big Dale.

Staring down the other baby of the family.

Enjoying some time with Great-grandparents and aunts and uncles.

Come back soon, Finn-tastic!

Infant Session: Camille

2008-10-08T16:24:00.001-07:00

A month or so ago I took maternity pics for my friend Jen about a week before sweet Camille made her debut into this world. Jen wasted no time in asking me to come over and get some infant pics of Camille, Big Sister Ellie, and the rest of the family. I could take pictures of this family ALL day, much to the chagrin on Camille's Dad. Thankfully, he obliges my indulgence.

Big Sister Ellie never fails to crack us up. She has definitely got the system down too. Every time she sees us she thinks it is time for a lolly-pop because that is her reward during photo sessions. Five pictures, two licks on the lolly-pop. And repeat.

Infant Session: Benjamin

2008-10-07T14:42:00.000-07:00

We had such a fun time at little Ben's newborn shoot. His mom works with me and I was so honored when she asked me to take Ben's newborn pictures. I also had the privilege of taking Mom's maternity pics as well, so I've been with Ben throughout this whole pregnancy process. I was so happy to meet him and snap some pictures of him.

Ben's nursery is very funky and retro-cool. All oranges and browns, owls and giraffes. I couldn't resist putting him on his orange rocker because I suspected it would make for good background. Little Ben couldn't resist taking a small bathroom break on the orange glider! Oh well, such is life during an infant shoot!

Hanging out with Mom and Dad in their bed.

I think we know where that cute head of red came from!

Cutest little diaper cover ever!

Can't wait to watch you grow up, Ben!

Infant Session: Rory

2008-09-30T13:53:00.000-07:00

Met up with a great client of mine last week to take some newborn pics of her little girl. Normally, I take newborn pics at the client's home, but this particular Mom wanted to get outside and take advantage of all that great natural light! So one quick trip to the Arboretum later and we have some really great newborn pics!

Of course, we had to get Big Brother John in on the fun. He is already such a sweet and caring Big Brother. I can remember taking his infant pics when he was just a little older than his little sister. How time flys!

We thought we were done for the day, however, while we were leaving we passed another row of the gorgeous pumpkins on display at the Arboretum right now. We hadn't intended on this being a "fall" shoot, but we just couldn't resist having some fun with these fall wonders.

Happy Fall everyone!

2008 Christmas Special

2008-09-25T22:54:00.000-07:00

{click to enlarge}

Yes, I know it's September. But have you been to Hobby Lobby lately? Christmas is here folks, and you can never take these pics too early. So here is a little flyer explaining my 2008 Christmas Special. Sessions are booking fast, so reserve yours ASAP!! I love this time of year!

Infant Session: Jacob

2008-09-17T10:52:00.000-07:00

Took photos of little baby Jacob last week. His mom was a referral, so it was great getting to meet her and take pictures of her precious newborn. I took husband/assistant along and he was happy to see all of the stuffed monkey's that adorned little J's bookshelves. Evidently Jacob's dad bought him a stuffed monkey when they found out they were pregnant, and the monkeys just kept coming!

The session started out like so many infant sessions do. A few moments of tranquility...

...followed by some fusiness. Modeling is hard y'all!

Then after a quick feed and some soothing...sweet sleep.

Maternity Session: Jen

2008-09-16T10:50:00.000-07:00

Recently took some maternity pics of a good friend. And as I write this, little baby Camille has already made her way into this world! Matt and I swung by the hospital to pay a visit, and let me assure you, she will fit into this beautiful family quite nicely! I've been taking pictures of Big Sister Ellie ever since she was a little baby, so it's a pleasure to watch her grow up into such a beautiful, silly little girl. Congratulations you guys!

Things to Do in Fort Smith, AR

2008-09-10T15:13:00.000-07:00

Eat dry-rub ribs at The Rib Room. Unfortunately, the Rib Room was closed for renovations on our last visit, but don't think we won't be there again whenever the renovations are complete!

Ride the ferris wheel overlooking the Arkansas River.

Order a brandy ice at the country club. Just like a milkshake!

Visit with good friends.

Take pictures of said friends and their gorgeous, blue-eyed children!

Things To Do in San Diego

2008-09-08T11:23:00.000-07:00

Go to Coronado Island and visit the Hotel Del Coronado.
Go to La Jolla and look out at the beautiful view, complete with seals and caves.
Go to George's in La Jolla and eat fish tacos on the rooftop cafe.
Go to Old Town for some Mexican food at Old Town Mexican Cafe. Possibly ruin your appetite on the amazing tortillas. Possibly regain your appetite when you see homemade churros. No picture of this. Too busy eating.

Go to the beach.
Take a family photo on the beach.
Walk around downtown San Diego and eat lunch and Anthony's overlooking the bay.
Take picture after picture of your adorable, 2 month old nephew!