That moment when you didn’t hire models, but this family shows up for portraits.  Yes, that moment.  When I met Edna, I was not only taken away by how stunningly gorgeous she was, but how warm and vibrant she is as a person.  She, her husband, and their two sons arrived perfectly coordinated on a windy fall day at the beach, ready for some fun family portraits.

Her oldest son was energetic and eager to explore!  Her youngest was much milder, watching, playing, and studying everything.  And hubby was agreeable to every suggestion.  I always find family dynamics fascinating.

I love lifestyle portraits… those images that feel natural, unposed, and emotive.  Whether in home, at a park, or at the beach, I believe movement and naturalness conveys so much about the people in the portraits.  And as I presented Edna her finished images, she was captivated by the emotion in the images, too.

​Imagine being a child and looking up to see a gorgeous image of you and your family, all together, happy and relaxed.  What contentment that brings to a child!  What assurance!  It whispers, “You are loved.  We are a family.  We are all here together and it’s wonderful…”

I really do find some amazing clients - or maybe they find me!  But I love hearing their stories and creating images that capture who they are together.  

Erica contacted me for a family portrait session and listened as I explained the process.  She was excited about the session and about updating their family pictures.  You see, she truly values portraits - she has them all throughout her home and gets excited about new ones.  

After the session, she shared with me that as much as she loves her kids, she knows her family is not complete.  She was on bedrest with her daughter and can't take a chance with another pregnancy.  But that's okay... she has always had it in her heart to adopt.  Yes, she is creating a home filled with love and children and all around her home you see how much she cherishes her family.  

But what impressed me the most was her desire to be a part of a foster to adopt program.  She wants to bring home another child - not a baby (babies are in high demand), but a child.  A child who may not otherwise find a home.  

I was very touched by this.  The thing is, I connect with the people whose images I capture.  I am a storyteller, but I'm also a listener.  I love learning about the people behind the smiles.  And I'm fascinated by the fact that some of the most amazing people seek me out for their portraits.  

I look forward to creating more gorgeous heirloom images for this family when they have brought a new member into their family.  And I look forward to sharing that story...

If you are ready to have YOUR story told, please contact me to book your session.

This couple is a playful personality match and it shows in every one of their interactions.  When Sheena found out she was pregnant, she wanted to wait to tell their families.  She scheduled a portrait session and had very specific ideas about what she wanted.  I love it when a client trusts me to create images that align with their personal vision!

Sheena explained that she wanted a portrait of her and Martin standing together... that she wasn't showing much yet, but wanted the shadow to be very pregnant.  She asked if I could make that happen... Well, of course I can!  I was so excited to bring her vision to life!

We decided on downtown at the Watergardens for our location.  I went a few days before and scouted good areas for creating the shadow image.  We were ready!

The morning of the portrait session, the sky was covered in clouds.  While that can create some dynamic portraits, it isn't exactly ideal for shadows. We continued with the session, constantly surveying the sky. When the sun would peek out, we would race for our "shadow location," only to have the sun disappear as we got there.  Martin and Sheena were such good sports the whole time!  No one got frustrated or upset.

We realized that it might not happen that morning, but just as we were getting ready to pack it in, the sun came out!  We literally had about two minutes of sunshine, but it was enough!

Sheena and Martin made their announcement over Thanksgiving week and gave me the go ahead to share their story on my blog.  This week they will do their gender reveal... I'll put it here now: I think it's a girl!  

Congratulations to both of you!

Dear reader, your life is your story.  Call me when you are ready to share your story with a customized portrait session!