I honestly can’t think of a more beautiful day in the life of portrait session. Danielle asked if I could do some portraits of her and her baby girl, skin to skin. She wanted to capture this fleeting time between her and her 5 month old daughter, breastfeeding, bathing, snuggling… It was so precious. So natural. So perfect. I absolutely love these images and was honored to be able to snap a few shots of these intimate rituals between Danielle and baby Ava.
I have to say I loved everything about this shoot—the harsh morning light, the chaotic shadows, the amazing “dream home” in boulder on a little brook, the laid back nature of mama who watched on as her boys played, and the yummy authentic personality of these boys. To me, this shoot was the perfect “day in the life of ” portrait of the Schnitzer boys and their modern, Huckleberry Finn morning in Boulder, CO.
Man, oh man, do I love the Holt’s–they are one of my favorite “regulars”. I love their mid-century, ranch style home, their laid back way of life, their incredible sense of style, and of course I love these kiddos! And there is a new addition to the Holt’s since I worked with them last. Meet Amalia–or “Molly” as they call her. Oh my goodness, I could just eat her up. She’s just as bubbly and full of life as her big brother, Merrick, and she’s only 4.5 months old–I can’t wait to see her little spirit in a year… What a treat it is to have such amazing clients.
I got to spend some time with the Daley’s and their sweet little baby, Levi last Saturday morning. It was rainy and cold and the perfect day for two new parents to settle in with their newborn, cup of coffee and good music. Because I’m pregnant with my first, I’m starting to really enjoy these shoots and empathize with families in a new way. I dream about how I want Jesse and I photographed with the little one when she arrives and I think a documentary approach is so sweet at this stage–especially since there is no real control over the babies emotions or reactions to me being there. I loved how quite and intimate this shoot felt. Amy and Matt are adjusting incredibly and are so in love with little Levi that they hardly noticed I was there, which is exactly the way I like to shoot.
If it comes to me starting my blog all over, with a fresh start and fresh content, then I can’t think of better faces to launch with. Meet the Goodberry’s. Cynthia is a colleague in the wedding industry here in Denver and is the best makeup artist EVER. Check her out at www.denvermakeupguru.com. Not only would I pay her everyday to do my makeup if I could, she has become one of my very best friends, and I am absolutely in love with her family! She and her amazingly chill husband, Jim are bringing up three beautiful children and doing a damn fine job–I only hope Jess and I can come close to their incredible parenting skills and love for one another.
Nadine is a precocious 7 year old with perfect trendles and a smile to die for. We went camping together and she brought a birdwatching book. Not a kids birdwatching book, mind you–but a real encyclopedia of birds and their habitats. She is a determined sweetie pie who will go far.
Natalie is my little firecracker friend. Just three, she talks about viruses and collects baby reptiles. When she holds them in her hands, her voice changes into a high pitched baby voice saying “Awww—look at this cute little baby garter snake”, as if she even needs to use a baby voice! She’s going to be trouble! But in the best way possible.
Baby Jimmy is hilarious! He doesn’t talk much, but he is a huge flirt and his natural athletic ability astounds me. He climbs up on the slide and os down it in 2 seconds flat. And he struts. Cynthia thinks he’s going to be a little Matthew McConaughey when he grows up—and I agree. He’s going to knock em’ down–maybe literally.
I love this family so much. And I couldn’t think of a better way to spend my morning than to sift through these photos and post about 5 of my favorite people.
Normally I would say, “Absolutely no matching outfits”, but in this situation it really worked! Sabina and Leela were adorable in their beautiful purple sundresses! I love that they match–there is something nostalgic about it. My mom used to dress me and my sister in matching Easter dresses and we felt so cool. We wanted people to think we were twins…
This shoot was sheer pleasure for me. It was a perfect distraction from life, simply playing in the Petty’s backyard. Soccer, hopscotch, the swing set–things couldn’t have been more organic and natural. And how beautiful is this family?!
What a beautiful addition to a beautiful family. The Dillmans welcomed Levi into the world on February 11th and are enjoying life with a new baby boy! It has been so fun to follow this family grow over the last 3 years and I’m looking forward to seeing them again when Levi is a little bit older.
I love the Sanders! They are so fun, so laid back, and so great at just “being” in front of the camera. Last year we had a great shoot out in the snow, but alas no snow this year. Christmas cookies and sweaters without coats will have to do for the 2010 holiday card! Can you believe this weather?!
Gavington just turned one! And what a wonderful time to have a one year old in the home–there’s more magic, romance, and of course laughter in the air. Gavington is like a mini Santa Claus with his belly, his rosy cheeks and his jolly laugh. Ho Ho Ho
Today was the first day I actually met little Tucker… and boy is he a riot! He’s cute as a button and pretty much brilliant. I loved working with this little tyke—equally as much as I have loved working with Tiana and Alex whose wedding I shot back in 2007. And Tiana is pregnant! So I’m looking forward to many more sessions with this adorable family in the future….
Just two weeks old, Cecilia had her first photo shoot. My goal with these images was to really depict the newness and awe of having a newborn baby in the home. Parenthood seems to come quite naturally to Amy and Matt –they are completely smitten–as they should be. Cecilia is simply perfect. Congratulations Matt and Amy and welcome, baby Cecila.
Alice and her mother are visiting from NYC, and because Alice gets her photo taken every year, Katherine thought it would be fun to do her 5 year old portrait in Colorado. This little free spirit was a delight to work with—she didn’t pose a lot, unless it was to make a goofy face, and while she is a city girl through and through, Alice toughed it out for some barefoot pictures out in the open space. What a marvelous age 5 is. I remember my first day of kindergarden, playing freely out in our street with the neighbors until the street light came on. and well—just being a kiddo…. ahhhh. Nostalgia. Thanks for the memories, Alice! You’re an urban princess….
This shoot reminded me of of a mama dog with her pups… Natasha, even at 9 months pregnant was crawled on, wrestled with, and then slept on. It was beautiful to see these two little boys, totally comfortable with their mother, and excited about the new baby brother that is on the way. Wow–Natasha will certainly have her hands full. Sasha and Sebastian are little warrior wild children. I loved photographing their free spirits and can’t wait to come back after the baby is a little older for another family session.
Amy and John have been busy! You might remember them from their wedding post back in March…
We planned on doing some maternity photos in June, but little Grayden decided to come a month early! So life goes. I love this shoot. I love that Amy and John don’t need a tub of cheerios or a pair of wings to show off their beautiful baby boy. They appreciate pure family photojournalism and that is exactly what I gave them. Grayden was a little fussy and didn’t want to be woken up from his nap, or interupted from his snack to do photos, so I just stood back and made images of the three of them. John and Amy coddled Grayden and watched eachother love on him, and this to me, was so much more emotionally evoking than photos of Grayden’s feet… I love photojournalism when it comes to families because an image truly stops time. Grayden will have these images to look at in 20 years and realize how loved he was. And Amy and John will look back on these and see how beautiful life was, learning how to be parents, and falling in love with a tiny baby boy.
When kids hit 1 year old, it’s like hanging out with a miniature drunk. You have to hold onto them. They bump into things. They laugh and cry. They urinate. They vomit.” Johnny Depp
Obviously they are so much more—-but I thought this quote was so funny! 1 year olds certainly waddle like a drunk… But really, 1 year olds are great as they have started to develop strong personalities. They can’t always articulate what they want, but it’s easier to guess what they want, and they express themselves in the funniest of ways–tearing at diapers, throwing temper tantrums, running away from the camera… etc, etc. And I love that they are still too young to fake it. I adore 1 year olds! If only they could stay this age for 3 or 4 years…
I had a couple of 1 year-old shoots last week and thought I’d combine them to drive this 1 year-old thing home! I’m not normally gender specific, but wow—Sienna is such a little girl with her tutu and her dolly, and Owen is a boy on a mission with his dog. From completely different families, these little ones were both waddling darlings with only a few teeth, both 1, and both complete crack ups! More please…
Oh my goodness, where do I begin!? Is this not one of the most beautiful families you have ever seen? And so much personality! I’ve been waiting to get my camera on this fivesome since I met Cynthia when she was pregnant with baby Jimmy. Cynthia is the incredible “Denver Make-up Guru“, and I have been so lucky to get to work with her at many weddings and boudoir shoots. She’s a phenomenal artist, and wonderful mother, and she has become a great friend. She is one of those people who I call when I need to “vent”, or just need an ear. So, needless to say I wasn’t surprised at the caliber of her family… Nadine is brilliant and witty (with amazing hair), Natalie a total firecracker who has a crush on Buzz Lightyear, and little Jimmy is just as mellow and sweet as he can be. As for Big Jim, he’s as patient and kind of a father as I’ve seen. The five of them make a wonderful family full of fun and lots and lots of love. I hope to continue to”watch them grow” over the years.
Meet Nadine
Jenn and Rian certainly have their hands full with little Cameron–What a whipper snapper! This little guy had us running all over the park, chasing dogs, looking for ants and touching and smelling basically anything that nature and life could throw our way. He is seized by every moment and is in a constant state of absorption. I love his intensity and his strong personality. In Cameron’s mind, he was at the park to play and to learn, not to take photos–even after an hour of shooting, he would still look at me blankly like, “who are you?” and “why is that camera in my face?”. And if you know me, and my style of work, you know that this is exactly what I love about a 2 year-old. Happy 2 year birthday, Cameron!
It was so fun for me to go to the Rhodes house to catch up and formally meet their 17 month old, Jack. I shot Alison and Trevor’s wedding back in 2005 and I couldn’t wait to get my camera on this threesome. This shoot was all about Jack… he wouldn’t dare sit still for the camera, but insisted on running, jumping and going the opposite direction of where we would. I loved it!! This kiddo is quite precocious and certainly marches to the beat of his own drummer. He’s got Alison and Trevor running all over the place. But they are in love and having the time of their life with this little guy. Wouldn’t you be?!
I was laughing out loud last night as I edited these images—this little man had me in stitches with his expressions! He looks just like a little man… and have you ever seen better eye brows on a baby? This one is going to grow up sharp witted and handsome. Watch out, ladies!
Jack with his mom, Becky.
This is a candid image of Jack with his cousin, Brayden. I love that it looks like they are having a serious conversation…
I know little Jack because he is my friend, Anne’s nephew. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting all of Anne’s sisters at one point or another but never all at the same time, and with their babies! I had to snag a family pic! Aren’t they gorgeous?
From left to right: Anne, Becky, Jack, Sarah, Brayden, and Melissa!
It’s been awhile since I’ve had a first birthday shoot! I love these sessions…. there is nothing easier in my opinion, than photographing young children who are still not “conscious” of having their portrait taken. They don’t pose, and they have so many cute little expressions. As long as Mom and Dad are cool with the photos being more of a “day in the life of” portrait, then the shoot is a sure thing. Today I had the opportunity to document Adrienne’s first year photos along with her big sister, Ryan. Ryan was a riot, as you can see by the images below and was also great to document, but in a completely different manner. These little girls are sweet, sweet sisters who clearly love each other. I hope I get to document these little ladies for years to come!
I think Adrienne is going to be a little scholar and care-taker… I love this series of images of her playing by herself with her books and her stuffed animals. Adrienne may be an introvert, like me!
Another fun and exhilarating family photo shoot! Meet the Giarratanos…
You can probably tell by the Christmas tree in the last two photos, that once again, I am way behind in the blogging department. I loved these images so much, however that I had to post them no matter how dated they are. The Sanders were great! They won my “watch me grow” package in a silent auction for a cancer benefit so I wasn’t sure if they were familiar with my style. I was a little nervous that they would want a bunch of stiff posed family shots for a Christmas card, but they wanted just the opposite and proved to be my ideal clients! We played and laughed and had a great time in the snow and then decorating the Christmas tree! Good times with the Sanders!
Sleep deprived, maybe. Smitten, absolutely! Erica and Tim have been some of my favorite clients–super chill, and creative themselves, they let me photograph their lives however I choose. I get to be a photojournalist—no posing involved. And Marek—well, there’s not much to say here that’s not conveyed through these images. He is beyond adorable. And he already has a strong little personality. He’s a perfect addition to the Holt family….
My parents live to help single mothers out. In fact, our family actually did foster “cradle care” when I was growing up. It seemed we always had a baby in the house. Over the years, I think we had something like 33 babies come through—something that I didn’t always love when I was a teenager. However looking back, I am so proud that I have such amazing, caring parents who give, give, give and never take. Shante, a single teenage mother, and her daughter Bella are currently living with my parents in Boulder My mom called and asked if she could pay me to shoot Shante’s senior pictures. I of couse said yes and wouldn’t accept a dime from her, but these are Shante’s senior portraits with her beautiful baby, Bella!
On a completely different note, I wanted to touch and go on the technical aspects of my work. I was a die hard film shooter until the last three years, so I shoot and edit my digital photography to look like film. I am overwhelmed and amused by the “tack-sharp obsession” that a lot of new digital photographers are striving for. I do love that with digital technology we can get tack sharp images, and there certainly is a time for this, but sometimes I think it’s become an obsession that has taken away from the true art of photography. Film was different. I personally prefer creamy, softer, shallow depth of fields. I almost always open my aperature all the way up–even if I know the image will be soft and out of focus in places. I actually think there is something impacting about an image that isn’t “perfect”. Humanity isn’t perfect. Art is imperfect. But both humanity and art are perfect is their imperfection. This approach to wedding and portrait photography isn’t very conventional, but it has always worked for me. I shot this series of images below, completely open with a 50mm 1.4. Some of you might love this, some of you might be uncomfortable with the “softeness” of some of these images. But this is one of the “tricks” to my work and a snit bit about the way that I shoot…
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