It’s that time of year again, time to look back over tens of thousands of images to choose the ones that for one reason or another had the greatest impact on me. So yes, the criteria is very subjective… and not even something I can quantify. Sometimes it is color and light, sometimes it is the emotions captured, but sometimes it is something completely indescribable that just speaks to me. Obviously when narrowing down possibly 100,000 photos to 150 I can’t include every client, and I strive to make every client’s images the best because I truly love what I do and count it an honor every time someone steps in front of my camera. Some of these images were taken by my talented daughter Celeste who works with me, and we want to send out special love to our wedding couples who put so much faith in us… and the families we work with year after year… we are so happy to have been able to become a part of your history. We hope you enjoy looking back over 2016 and we look forward to many more photographic adventures together in 2017! xoxo
ADRIENNE AND COLE AND BABY MAKES THREE
Adrienne and Cole are so wonderful together… so easy and loving and full of life. I had such a great time photographing this expectant couple and I am pretty crazy about these images. These two proud parents-to-be will be welcoming baby Jack in June… and It was the perfect time to document this joyful season in their lives with some photos. I have to say that I have rarely seen such a gorgeous and radiant mommy-to-be… and even the wind we fought with for most of the session only served to make her more beautiful.
Cole and Adrienne met on a blind date, set up by mutual friends… and it seems to me that things took off from there and are going pretty great wouldn’t you say? Adrienne says she remembers Cole wearing a jacket with his jeans and how she thought he was such a “grown up.” I just love that… since I remember what I wore to almost every past occasion even if I can’t remember anything else. Here they were telling me their story, mid-session of course… me with my pesky questions.
Cole was so attentive to Adrienne as we were navigating some hills and rocks, and it is always helpful to have a strong man around when getting into difficult spots… also when encountering unwelcome visitors outdoors like snakes! Yes that was a first for me… but Cole handled it and all was well. It makes sense that he is so gallant… gorgeous wives like Adrienne tend to bring it out in a man.
We went from this location near their home to an open green field… one of my favorite places to shoot… and it was a perfect setting for these two lovebirds. I mean have you ever seen a more gorgeous mommy-to-be? So stunning!
Cole is from Michigan and is a big Detroit Lions fan… so of course Baby Jack is already outfitted with appropriate fan gear… and their beautiful dog is just as excited about the arrival as everyone else… at least Cole and Adrienne hope so. 🙂
I just loved spending the afternoon with you two and I for one can’t wait to meet Baby Jack!
ELIZABETH & RAY AND LACEY AND SETH… STYLISH COUPLES SHOOT
Recently I had such a fun day with two wonderful couples… they are friends and needed some photos taken, so we made an afternoon of it down in the beautiful Turtle Creek area… and they both brought along important family members of the canine species… so much fun! You will absolutely love these images as these four look like they stepped out of a J Crew catalogue add. But even better than that, they radiate love for their spouses and they laugh readily, they are such genuine people. Elizabeth and Lacey have been friends for years having gone to school together. And I think it is such a fun idea to do this kind of combined couples shoot. I brought an inspiration board and we brainstormed together on each shot and they were so encouraging to one another. We had a ball! Elizabeth is the dark haired beauty and Lacey is the lovely blonde… and I think Ray and Seth are pretty lucky guys… don’t you?
One of the best things about this shoot was the great time we had with the inspiration board and the experience of good friends having fun together… I think these images, besides being stylish and full of fall gorgeousness, are also full of laughter, fun and good humored silliness…
The next series of images are some of my favorites… I just love the ones laying on the blankets as these four are such beautiful people… I think they are romantic and I’m pretty crazy about them.
I just loved working with these couples and I think their images make the perfect Christmas Eve post!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to Elizabeth and Ray and Lacey and Seth and to all of you! xoxo
KAREN AND SHEA AND BABY ON THE WAY
Karen and Shea are such a wonderful couple. I want to call them adorable… but I don’t know how men feel about being called adorable by anyone other than their significant other, so I will try to choose other words. They are funny, witty, joyful, stylish and so easy and in tune with one another. Their precious dog Nellie is lovable as well and makes quite a splash in these photos. This session was so easy to shoot. We talked and laughed and started shooting and everything just flowed from there. We started in their lovely home and ended at one of my favorite little spots with flowing grass and beautiful light… perfect for parents to be. I daresay that baby William enjoyed it as well… we were all having so much fun.
It was obvious that Shea thinks his wife is beautiful, but he had an opinion about her dress and wanted her to wear her brighter aqua dress for some of the photos. Karen, who knows a thing or two about compromise, agreed to change for some shots (even though she preferred her black dress) and lo and behold Shea had a point. She looks radiant and the dress is perfect for this area of their home! Oh and by the way, Shea and Karen got engaged in Paris… so when you see them holding a framed photograph it is one of their engagement photos taken in Paris… and so the story continues… from two in Paris to a family of three. Make that four, I can’t forget Nellie!
These next images are some of my favorites because they show the joy that these two exhibit in each other’s presence. The baby is due very near Thanksgiving, so Karen’s family got her this little hat with turkey legs in honor of the baby. I thought it was so cute sitting on the table and thought it belonged on Karen’s stomach. Nellie was not so sure…
I think Nellie is going to be great with the baby… she is so sweet and patient. We became fast friends.
I am a sucker for outdoor photos as you all know, and the light on this late September day was exquisite. Shea and Karen were great sports about taking a short drive and it was well worth it. It had cooled down by 6:30 and it couldn’t have been more perfect.
These two are just such a beautiful couple!
I think these two are pretty darn romantic… even if Shea did scoff at some of my posing ideas. They pulled them all off because they love each other and it shows!
Karen is the epitome of the radiant mom-to be… and she was so willing to roll with my ideas. I think the results are stunning. Baby William can look at these one day and be proud of his beautiful mom.
This last photo is a departure from my usual style, but I love the way Karen and Shea look here… on the threshold of a new and beautiful part of their lives. I wish you all every joy and I cannot wait to photograph the baby!