Laura Michele Photography

Sweet Miss "A"

2012-01-19T20:03:00.000-06:00

This gorgeous little girl came to visit me yesterday to get her pictures done. She brought along her parents, one big sister and her grandma. We started out getting a few shots with her daddy!

It took a little bit for us to convince her to get these. Seems Miss "A" likes to stretch out! Being curled up was not what she wanted to do but she did eventually let us get a few.

We dressed her up in this adorable dress for part of the session. This thrilled her big sis, who kept asking when we would let her wear the beautiful dress they brought.

Naked again and napping! Who wouldn't be tired? Being so cute can wear a girl out!

She was such a sweet little girl throughout the session! She put up with all the crazy things we wanted her to do.
I can't wait to get through the rest of her images!

Laughing Out Loud

2011-12-30T22:38:00.000-06:00

I am very fortunate to have clients that I really truly enjoy! I love getting to know each family better during their sessions. This family...well, this family is one of those families that makes me laugh out loud!

From the moment they walked in the door, there were hugs and jokes and silliness! It was almost hard to concentrate on my job cause I was to busy laughing!

The "F" family enjoys each other and enjoys life. It is plain to see how much they love each other and the family is a delight!

The two daughters are sweet, and stunningly beautiful. They were full of smiles for each other and for the camera!

I love the shot below! The moment I took it I just knew it would be this wonderful!

We wanted to take advantage of the great December weather by trying a some shots outside. Due to some frigid wind, we didn't get as many as we hoped but we managed to laugh our way through a few.

Thank you so much "F" family for including me in this wonderful day! I enjoyed spending time with you all and helping you capture images of your family!

Daddy's Mini Me

2011-12-28T21:30:00.000-06:00

It doesn't seem like that long ago I was taking maternity pictures for this great family. I was so thrilled when they let me know that sweet little "L" was born.

He was the perfect little subject. He let us pose him and dress him and use different props with hardly a peep at all.

I love that even though he was a big baby of nearly ten pounds he was still quite bendable.

This sweet baby boy looks just like his daddy! It is shocking to me how much they look the same. I have known "A" nearly his whole life and I am thrilled that he and his beautiful wife "J" are now parents to this wonderful son! While I enjoyed watching this fun couple as they were expecting the birth of "L" , it is really fabulous to see them as parents. "J" and "A" just beamed with pride over their wonderful blessing!

Thank you for letting me spend some time today to capture the tiny details of "L" and your life as a family of three.

Time Flies

2011-12-21T17:24:00.000-06:00

"N" was three months old the first time I took his pictures. Chubby, and blue eyed and tiny. This is the sixth session I have had with him and it always amazes how much he changes. I love looking back through the old sessions!

His blue eyes have changed to brown, the chub has been replaced with the lankiness of a young boy, but the smile still looks the same!

Now when "N" and his mom come to see me they bring his beautiful sister "H" with them! She is an incredibly happy baby. I adore her chubby cheeks and the gorgeous red hair!

At six months, she is barely starting to sit up but she was delighted to hold that position for as long as she could. The two of them together are just about as cute as can be!

"N" is smart as a whip and loves to be silly. I so enjoyed his company during our session.

He looked so GQ in his little outfit. Of coarse, "N" can go from sober to a silly smile in a few short seconds.

I love the fact that "N" is such a sweet big brother to little "H". He giggles through the drool and the clothes pulling and even the near strangling that took place during one shot!

And "H", though she is to young right now to really know, will adore her older brother! Through the teasing, the brotherly torture, and the over-protectiveness that comes with brothers, she will adore him!

I can't wait to keep watching them grow. Thanks "A" for bringing them to play with me!

Living History

2011-12-01T11:46:00.000-06:00

I got to spend a day a while back with my daughter's class at Living History Farms. I had not been in years and really looked forward to getting a chance to take my camera and see how it all looked through my lens.

The print shop was full of interesting patterns, textures and shapes. While I really enjoyed listening to the lady explaining all about the process I was happy to be able to listen and explore at the same time.

It was great to not only see the farms from the perspective of the kids but through the one lens I allowed my self to bring.

It was a beautiful day out and the windmill was screaming for a few photos.

I would love to go back to visit someday when I have with more time. I look forward to seeing what else I can find as I wander through the farm.

Beauty in the Breaking

2011-11-30T20:10:00.001-06:00

This is the house that was down the road from where I lived the first 15 years of my life. The house of my uncle, aunt, and eight cousins. I have fabulous memories of my time spent in this house and on the farm it sits on.

The banister was perfect for sliding down when Aunt "M" wasn't looking, the porch was great for playing games, the yard had the best hill that made playing "crack the whip" not only fun, but a little dangerous.

I had my first taste of eggnog in this house ( and hated it). I tried my best to ignore the finer points of chicken butchering when it took place on the front yard. I baled hay...lots of hay in the fields around it.

Our house sat on the hill opposite of this one and my mom and my aunt would routinely yell from the porches when it was time for us to come home. Both farm yards were full of places to explore and adventures to be had. The six of my siblings and the eight cousins meant there was never a lack of people to have the adventures with.

It had been years since I have been down the road that leads to the two houses that were the backdrop for so much of my youth. I hadn't even thought about them for awhile. My old house is a home again but the brick home that my uncles family lived in has been vacant for many, many years. Then I got a call saying that arsonists had set this house on fire. There was a pit in my stomach, a sinking feeling.

A couple days after the fire I went to see what was left. The grass was still smoldering in some areas. It was sobering to see only a shell left of the house that had been the source of so many fun times and good memories for me.
As I looked around I began to notice that there were things of beauty in what was a home at one time. There was a pattern to the double brick walls. The color of the crushed glass against the soot covered bricks. The simple beauty of the old square nails that had held the now charred wood together.

I can not change the fact that the house which was the source of so many memories for me is now just a burned out shell. I can choose how I see what is left of it. In all of life there can be a beauty in the breaking, in the refining, in the changing.

Pure Joy!

2011-10-24T16:21:00.000-05:00

I love what I do! No matter how many sessions I get to shoot they are never the same! If you throw in families like this one and it is easy to see why I think I have the best job in the world.

I have known "A" the gorgeous mama to this group for several years. She and her husband "T" are such wonderful, giving, happy people.

They are such a fun couple and watching them in action with their four beautiful kiddos is a neat experience. I know what it is to have many littles this close in age and let me tell you they keep you on your toes!

These are four great kids! I love the different personalities. It was a little like a field trip for me. There were leaves and sticks to check out, flowers to find and pick, caterpillars to capture, and all of it was done with the joy of children!

With all these little, energy-filled, wiggly bodies and inquisitive minds we had our fair share of chuckles, and readjusting of positions but we did manage to get some sweet shots of this great family!

I love the hazy, faded end of summer color on the above picture.

And just because silhouettes are so much fun to do...

The Bump

2011-10-08T23:14:00.000-05:00

I had the wonderful privilege of doing a maternity session with "A" and "J" to celebrate the upcoming birth of their first blessing! I enjoyed every minute of my time with them.

I am thrilled for them to be expecting a baby and can't wait to see them as parents!

We fought the wind for most of the session but there were times it was to our advantage. I love the slightly tousled look in the above shot!

We hit several different locations looking for different textures and colors. The trees are just starting to show off for us!

One of the best parts of the whole evening was watching these two with each other. It is so evident that they are in love. "J" clearly adores "A" and it is obvious that "A" cherishes his wife!

Had to catch a little flare to go with the fall colors.

What is a session without adding some humor in the mix!

I had so much fun with this couple. They are about as kind, caring and fun as any couple you will ever meet!

We did a few shots at the end that took advantage of the wind and did a great job of showing off this precious bump!

Thanks for the fun evening... for not laughing at me and my weird shooting positions when I am trying to get the angle I want... and for being willing to trek through dirt, weeds, and fields to get to these wonderful locations!

A Day of Great Shots

2011-10-08T20:53:00.000-05:00

"T" and I met up in Pella to get started on his senior session! First up were some shots on the football field. He is a very talented young man, with a huge variety of interests and I had been looking forward to this session for weeks.

It is a joy to work with such a happy, talented, fun loving young man!
"T" never really balked at any of my ideas and had some things he wanted to try.

When he showed up with his guitars I knew we had to try for some sun flare in this great location!

I have so many terrific images to sort through from this session. Thanks for hanging out with me "T"! I will post your gallery soon!

Capturing the Essence

2011-09-25T22:53:00.000-05:00

One of the things I try to do with a senior session is capture the essence of the person I am shooting. What do they like, what are their talents, what special things make them...them. I loved doing the session with "A"! She is confident in who she is and what she wants and her session was her, all the way!

We had a rather cool morning to start our session. We could actually see our breath a little and everything was covered in dew, but that didn't stop us from having a really fun morning!

I enjoyed laughing my way through the morning with "A" and her mom.

"A" loves horses! This is a horse she has trained and worked with for quite a long time. She is great with him and you can sure see that he loves her. Animals can be a bit of a wild card during a session but he gave us some good stuff including some funny outtakes!

If you look closely you can clearly see that Regal is sticking his tongue out at me. Apparently, he was done posing for the day!

We found some great locations to shoot in and I can't wait to go through the rest of the images.

Couldn't decide whether I like this one better in color or black and white so I am posting them both.

Hope you have enjoyed your sneak peek "A"! I will have your gallery up soon.

Pretty Baby!

2011-09-25T19:22:00.000-05:00

I had the joy of spending time with this gorgeous three month old girl, her mom and older brother. "H" is a darling little baby with the most stunning red hair!

She is a smiling, happy, chubby baby! Did I mention chubby?

She has the sweetest cheeks you have ever seen. I love chubby little baby rolls!

This outfit, hat, sweater and booties were a set that was made for her grandmother by her great-great grandmother. What a wonderful cherished outfit to share.

This little blanket was given to her by her grandma. It was made for her baptism.

This fabulous dress was her baptism outfit from her other grandmother. She looked so beautiful on her special day and I am glad we could capture the special pieces from that day!

I had such a fun morning getting to know this sweet little girl! She had a sparkling personality and I can't wait to watch her grow!

Thanks for bringing this sweetie to play with me!!

Having Fun With Boys

2011-08-29T10:47:00.001-05:00

After rescheduling this session once due to weather, we were finally able to get the schedules and the weather to cooperate. We had beautiful light for the session with this great family but the greatest thing was not the weather or the light. The greatest thing was hanging out with a fun family for the evening!

These two handsome young men are fun to be around and they have a great sense of humor. It was so neat to see them goofing around together. They are full of energy and hysterical one liners! I got the giggles more than once during the session thanks to these wonderful boys! When I asked "A" if they laugh all the time at their house her response was..."Yep, pretty much!"

Cars are big in this family so we had to get a picture that included this gorgeous car!

I love the fact that they had so many great locations on their acreage that we could do the session right at their home.

We had a fun evening with lots of laughs and silliness. I have so many other images to go through yet but I wanted to end with one last shot!

Thanks so much "R" family for the terrific evening!

25 Years Ago

2011-08-07T22:45:00.000-05:00

That is when it started...25 years ago this month. This wonderful, very fun couple got married! Nearly 25 years later to the day, we took this picture in the same spot as some of their wedding pictures were taken.

Now I thought it was a great idea to recreate this shot for them but the really great part is that all these years later it is not just the two of them. They have added four terrific children to their family!

I had so much fun during this session! We spent most of the time laughing! I love being asked to do family sessions for people who truly enjoy each other's company. What a treat to listen to them joke and tease and laugh with each other!

One quick wardrobe change for the kids so we could get something a little more casual. We had some really fun outtakes during this session that I am not going to share. I have heard rumors they may be used for the family Christmas card!

So Many Sweet Faces

2011-08-07T18:14:00.000-05:00

I have been so busy the last few weeks spending time with my grandkids! It is hard to balance playing games, and hanging out with all the pictures I want to take of these beautiful grands of mine. I did drag them outside on the last day here to try and get a few updated pics for the wall in my home.

So happy to get some new shots of this beautiful, young woman!

My littlest ones have changed so much! I can't believe the difference since the last time I took pictures!

We did both indoor and outdoor shots. As much as I would have loved spending a lot more time in the two new locations I have found, the heat drove us back inside.

Even with sweaty hair, "J" is still amazingly beautiful.

And I loved the fact that the youngest "J" was still small enough to let me try out some new props on her.

The Great Outdoors

2011-08-07T17:14:00.000-05:00

We live in the country and everywhere I look these days it seems there are wildflowers. As I was out getting some shots for another session I spent a few moments capturing these.

I am not a big bug fan but am thrilled with how these turned out! I love playing with a bit of macro! I am thinking about printing a couple of these to use in the house.

If you look closely, you can see the spider webs in both the photo above and the one below. It is amazing to see all the tiny details like this in God's creation!

Run! Explore! Follow!

2011-07-17T08:02:00.001-05:00

Those are the first words that come to mind when I think of "C". This little guy and his mom met me at the park to start the session. He is sixteen months old and full of energy! You could see his mind working the entire time we were together! "C" was pretty serious during our session. He didn't have time to stop and smile. There were things to explore, rocks and sticks to check out, things to climb.

He has the most amazing blue eyes and white blond hair!

He was so cute to follow around! It was truly a session of keeping up with him and his ideas. He is really such a curious little boy.

And in case I forgot to mention, he has the most incredible dimples when he flashes that grin!

But when he is done doing things your way and wants to be turned loose?

This is the look you get!

Thanks so much "E" for bringing your little man to hang out with me. I had so much fun seeing the world through his eyes for a bit

Fun Comes in Small Packages

2011-06-16T20:03:00.000-05:00

Today I had the wonderful opportunity to take pictures of some sweet little boys and their family. Mr "L" is nearly four, very smart, and loves to chatter non stop!

His little brother, "J" is full of energy! He didn't care what we had in mind for the session, he was awake and wiggly and gave us several smiles! There was no getting him to change his plans. "J" wanted to stretch out, and kick and show us how strong he was!

He is the cutest little guy and has gorgeous eyes!

I love it when the parents join in the fun! We took full advantage of the chance to get some shots of "J" with his daddy and mommy.

"K" is so proud of "J" and very much the doting daddy!

"J" does love his mommy! It is not hard to see where the boys get their gorgeous eyes from!

Some of my favorite shots with babies involve the differences between their flawless newness and the calloused, hard working hands of the dads who love them and protect them.

"E" and "K" thanks for sharing the boys with me today. I can't wait to show you the rest of the session!

Outdoor Beauty

2011-05-04T23:20:00.000-05:00

We got to take the indoor of "C" a while back. The weather was rainy for days though and we finally got the chance for some outdoor shots. The day started out with bright sunny skies but the clouds rolled in right before we started. With the clouds came chilly temps.

We met at a nearby farm to snag these shots before we froze!

In spite of the cool temps and the wind that began picking up near the end of our session we again got some beautiful shots!

Thanks so much "C" for coming out in the cold to play for a while!

The Birth of Baby "C"

2011-05-04T20:03:00.000-05:00

I love photographing births! There is something so miraculous and breathtaking about witnessing the entrance of a new little person into the world!

I thought I would share a few moments from that night. "H" and "L", thanks so much for allowing me to come share this special time with you!

Miss "C" was so alert right after birth!

Beautiful mama and daughter meeting for the first time!

Holding her daddy's hand.

Sharing a moment with Grandma.
This adorable little girl was born into a family full of love. There is no doubt she is very cherished!!

Senior Session with "B"

2011-05-01T00:51:00.003-05:00

I love doing sessions outdoors. There are so many cool textures and colors to use for backgrounds. One thing I don't always enjoy about shooting outdoors is you never know what the weather will throw at you! We had good temps and nice skies for this session. We also had gale force winds! I am not kidding when I say the wind was no small challenge. "B" and his mom had some great spots around the farm to shoot but

trying to hold back the wind was impossible! What do you do when the weather hands you a challenge? We laughed and got some great shots anyway!

"B" is a farm boy at heart and I think we captured that during this session.

I had so much fun working with "B". He has a ready smile, some great ideas of his own he wanted to try out and never batted an eye as I asked him to move equipment, or climb on things or trek through the timber.

I can't wait to work through the rest of our session and see all the great shots we got.

Thanks so much for the fun afternoon and the laughs! Can't wait to show you the rest of your session!

Rainy Day Fun

2011-04-24T00:48:00.000-05:00

Friday rolled around and I was looking forward to a senior session that we scheduled for the afternoon. Problem was it was rainy, and dreary and rainy and cold and...rainy. Yep, the weather outside was yuck! So we rolled out some pretty pink paper and played inside for a while!

"C" is getting ready to graduate this spring and I was thrilled to help capture this step forward in her life.

I loved working with "C" ! She is stunning both inside and out! If you spend any time with her at all, it is apparent that she is a delightful, caring young woman.

Yes, she really is this beautiful and it made my job of editing very easy. Bad thing is that it made my job of selecting the best shots so much more challenging as there are so many to choose from!

We are keeping an eye on the weather so we can schedule time for some outdoor photos and I can't wait! Thanks so much "C" and "S" for coming over on Friday to brighten my day!

Pretty Girl!

2011-02-26T18:36:00.000-06:00

I had a great time last Friday with this young lady! I have been privileged to take pics of "M" before and it is always a blast! She has a cool sense of style and an even cooler sense of humor. We are never short of laughter when she and her mom stop by for a session!

This is a young lady who loves her Converse shoes but looks stunning all dressed up!

One of the great things about getting a chance to play with Miss "M" is she is game to try new things for me. I hope you had a great time at the dance! I can't wait for the next time you come to hang out!

Boys Just Want to Have Fun

2011-01-18T20:54:00.000-06:00

Meet "T". He is one of the sessions I did while hanging out in Georgia! I have been hoping and hoping to get a chance to grab some shots of this ball of energy! We went on a walk down a path to a stream and found some gorgeous white sand and graffiti covered pillars to use for our session.

We had a great time hanging out and taking pictures! "T" really got into the whole posing thing and came up with several ideas and things he wanted to try.

I had such a fun time treking through the woods with this young man during his session! He is certainly a go-getter and a chatterbox which made the time seem to fly. I hope to get more time to capture even more wonderful shots the next time I am down that way.

Thanks for the fun afternoon "T"!

Fifteen and Gorgeous

2011-01-18T19:35:00.000-06:00

When I traveled south I had several photo sessions planned. We had several chilly days and that made it less than comfortable to be standing around in the cold and wind with a heavy camera and other supplies and props! Once I got a chance to check out the photos on my laptop I would have done it all again.

Would you believe this gorgeous young woman is only fifteen!

We went down to an alley in the evening to get these last several shots. It was so great to find lots of cool spots in about a 2 block area!

Laying on the cold brick in an alley doesn't sound like a fun thing until you get shots like this!

Everywhere we went we found interesting spots to shoot. If it weren't for the 30 degree temps and the winds we may still be there!

"J" and her Daddy

2011-01-18T18:59:00.000-06:00

I know I mentioned how I was not sure if my grands thought they were fortunate to have a Nana who was a photographer or not. I should mention that I am not sure if my son-in-law finds it to be a blessing or a curse either! I will say this...he never tells me no when I ask him to let me take pictures of him with the baby! He just smiles and goes along with what ever wild idea I have. He is willing and encouraging and that makes it so fun to try new things. No matter how crazy he may think some of the suggestions are we get stunning results!!

Like I said, stunning results! I love getting these kinds of shots with a tiny, newborn baby and the daddy. Such a striking contrast!

The First of Many

2011-01-03T17:34:00.000-06:00

Miss "J" will have to decide whether being the grandchild of a photographer is a blessing or a curse! I have quite a few days down here to play with some newborn sessions and fortunately she is a willing subject.

Being a tiny little girl, who came home at just over 6 pounds, we are having fun trying some things that are a little more challenging with a larger newborn. We put her Uncle Sam's really long hands to good use as a prop.

We did one set up and worked with different poses and props until she decided that she would surely starve to death if she didn't eat that moment! We were of coarse thrilled that she gave us a big chunk of time to play before lunch.

She was a super sleepy baby who didn't mind us positioning and moving her around.

I love the fun things that you can try with a bendy little newborn!

Can't wait to get in alot more sessions while I am visiting. Just can't enough of a sleepy little baby!

Hope Miss"J" likes photo sessions...cause this is just one of many!

The Birth of Baby "J"

2011-01-03T16:51:00.002-06:00

I made a rushing trip down south early last week for the birth of my newest grandbaby. Thankfully, I traveled with my son, Sam so we could drive straight through. After much praying (that the baby would wait for me) and many text messages detailing the progress, I arrived in the room about 45 minutes before this beautiful baby made her entrance!

Little Miss "J" came into the world with a cry much louder than I could have imagined given her size. Mama and baby did perfectly!

I loved being able to get those precious shots of her first moments of life outside the womb! What special memories!

I truly wish I'd had someone to get these shots of my newborns. There are so many things that you forget during the emotional and chaotic time following a delivery.

Meeting Daddy for the first time!

Tiny little baby parts! It amazing how fast they change in just a couple of days. I am so thankful that I was able to be a part of this miraculous time. Welcome to the world, baby "J"!

Turning Two

2010-12-20T21:56:00.000-06:00

I have had the joy of taking photos of this handsome guy for the last 2 years. He is as smart as he is handsome! I love seeing "my babies" grow up! He is quite the talker now as well.

"N" is such a little man! Happy, helpful, and funny as can be. He was a little unsure for about 5 minutes but then warmed right up.

He very happily chose each prop we used and posed just perfectly. When he was done with that prop he would very sweetly say, "I done". With that simple phrase, we would move on to the next thing.

We got some of the best smiles when my daughter would stand behind me and pat my head while saying,"Nice kitty". I didn't mind at all... if meant he showed me his dimples!

Finally, after singing, counting, and playing with bubbles, he was done. Yep, this is the face he gave me when I asked if we could try one more thing! I sent this sweet thing on his way with bubbles to share with his daddy when he got home.
"A" and "N" thank you so much for coming to have fun with me this last weekend! I can't wait to get the rest of your images up on the gallery!

West Coast Beauty

2010-11-29T14:48:00.000-06:00

Let me introduce you to Miss "R". She traveled from the west coast to visit family for the holiday and I was privileged to get these images of her.

We woke her up from her nap and put her in all kinds of props and positions and this sweetheart still gave us plenty of smiles! Talk about a great natured little girl!

Not only is she sweet but she is gorgeous. Can you tell where her beauty comes from?

This precious girl is headed back to the coast to see her daddy. I am sure her family here is already missing her. I am so happy we took the time to capture this stage of her life. Next time I see her she will be a whirlwind of motion and her smiles will probably include teeth! I can't wait!! Till then, enjoy the images of her at three months. They change so fast!

Thanksgiving Fun!

2010-11-29T14:33:00.000-06:00

I love the holidays! Especially when it brings together family members that live states away from each other!

An outdoor session was out of the question due to the temps in the 20s, so we headed inside for the session.

Getting the basic family groups went very smoothly. Then came the time to try and get a shot of the two sweet boys. "G" is the older of the two and I have taken his portraits before. The other little man is "C".
Let me tell you that these two were a hoot! Once we set them down, "G" would look my direction and pay attention to the family members behind me doing silly things."C" wasn't having any of that. He was fast! About half a second after his bottom touched the floor he was off!! He had a mission in mind and would not be deterred!

We got about 2 shots with both of them looking in the general direction of the camera and many fun outtakes! I will say this...These two handsome guys sure made it fun. We all laughed, and hooted, and clapped, and some even did very realistic animal impressions (you know who you are)! We had such a great time! Glad it worked to get a family session in while you were all together!!

Mr. Baseball

2010-11-29T14:06:00.000-06:00

This post has been a long time coming. I have hit some snags with technical issues lately and that has really hampered my blog time. So without further delay you will get three posts in one day!!

Mr "G"...what can I say about Mr "G"? I started laughing about the time he got out of the car and still get a chuckle (two weeks later) when I think about this session. He had an idea in mind that he wanted to try and we needed the sunset for that.

He is a baseball player, a catcher, and an extremely talented one. This is one of the shots we were waiting for! Before we could get this though, we took advantage of the light to get a lot of other great images!

This photo reminds me so much of a deal he and I made for warmer weather. There is a particular tree I would love to have a shot in but it will take someone brave and not afraid to get wet (just in case)! "G" has graciously offered to be that someone!

I leave you with one other image from our sunset part of the session.

Thanks for all the fun and laughter...and the new song that occasionally gets stuck in my head!!!

Beautiful Trees and Freezing Temps

2010-11-25T22:28:00.000-06:00

I just wanted to pop in and share a few from a mini session that I did a while back. It was a spur of the moment session tha had great results! I got a call from "H" telling me there were actually a few trees with colorful leaves on them. After a quick scouting drive, we braved the very chilly temps in search of a great family image for the Christmas card.

The kids were great inspite of the chill and they were so sweet to help carry my stuff for me when we walked to a new location for some shots. Such wonderful children to be around and enjoy!

These two adorable young ladies sure do love to pose! They were on the ball everytime. Had the weather been warmer, I would have taken pics of these two sweeties for a long time! I know who to call when I am looking for models to try something new!

"D" family, I am so glad it worked out for us to capture these images! Thanks for sharing part of the morning with me!

Enjoying the Fall

2010-10-30T22:42:00.000-05:00

The beautiful weather continues and that brings out the many families who are looking for that perfect image to put on the yearly Christmas card.

The "S" family is no exception. They took time out of their busy schedule to capture this moment in their family life.

The trees have not been the most colorful this fall but we did manage to find this gorgeous tree to use as a backdrop.

Miss "M" is the oldest of the kids, I will be getting together with her and her sister, the other Miss "M", to grab some more pictures next week.

We had a great time doing pictures with the kids! After the family shots were done we sent mom and dad on their way so we could have time to catch their interests.

Young "C" loves to hunt! He brought his bow along with one goal in mind...to get as many different pictures as we could with him and his bow. He knew just what he wanted and I have plenty to choose from. This next one is from the end of the night and I needed to include it for dad. He was very excited to see how it turned out!

"S" family thank you so much for all the fun and fellowship we shared tonight! I can't wait to go through the rest of the images!

Feel the Love

2010-10-17T22:15:00.000-05:00

One of my many families to request pictures during this stretch of gorgeous weather is the "P" family. We had a small window of opportunity because the oldest son and his wife live out of state. I am so glad the weather continued to cooperate for us.

One of the things I really enjoyed while doing this session, was the sense of humor that the whole family has.

I had a smile on my face just listening to the playful banter that flowed between the family members. Jokes about the boys youth, funny memories...it felt like being part of the family for a little while.

"J" and "V" are the parents of this fun crew.

We started our time at the Nelson Pioneer Farm and then headed out to another location to take in some fall color.

We couldn't have asked for a better day to have this session. We could have asked for fewer bugs though!

Thanks so much for the allowing me to capture your great family with my lens! I hope you enjoy your peek at your session and I hope you had a wonderful weekend enjoying each other's company!

Making my job hard!

2010-10-17T19:10:00.000-05:00

I got to spend the evening with this beautiful young woman and her mom a couple of days ago. We drove around to some really cool locations and found some fun shots to take. Gotta love a girl who is up for anything!!

We started out near her high school and found a creek near the stadium. Both of those locations gave us a good start.

Miss "S" was unbelievable the whole time. The perfect smiles, great wardrobe choices, and the ability to roll with whatever I threw her way, made this an easy session to shoot.

I had so much fun with "S" and her mom. We laughed and joked and just generally had a great time!

We were driving to another location and went past this house. We swung around the block and took advantage of the beautiful setting!

Yes, she really is that stunning! Wonder why I said my job was hard? I have so many incredible images to sort through! I guess their job is even harder though. They have to choose!!

Thanks so much "S". I truly had a wonderful time with you and your mom. Hope you enjoy your sneak peek! I will post your gallery soon!

To Much Fun

2010-10-10T21:34:00.000-05:00

I got to spend some time with "M" and his mom on Friday and Saturday taking his senior pictures. We went to several different locations and he was more than game for everything his mom and I threw his way. I will say that we did our best to challenge him!

We found a bean field with several big round corn stalk bales in the next field over.

The farmstead where we started the session had some amazing barns and sheds to shoot in.

We ended the night in a beautiful field with the sun setting behind us. "M" had brought his trombone along and we used it to get this stunning image!

Since we used our afternoon hours to get the outdoor photos we wanted, we decided to do some indoor portraits the next morning when we actually had light to work in . "M" is part of a very musical family. They sing and play instruments and write music. This young man has some major musical talent when it comes to the trombone. We wanted to make sure to include this in his pictures and I think we found some fun ways to do that!

And one more with a little touch of vintage.

Thank you so much for the fun sessions and the many, many laughs during our time together!

Enjoy your sneak peek!

The Perfect Day

2010-10-09T23:19:00.001-05:00

We could have not asked for better weather than the weather we have had the last couple of weeks. Mild temps and gorgeous blue skies. The wonderful weather has been keeping me on my toes with families wanting to take advantage of the stellar days to get pictures taken. The "S" family is no exception.

We started off getting a few pictures of "R". He will be heading off in a couple of weeks to join the military and we wanted to grab some current photos before he left.

His mom sure is proud of him!

"D" and "H" are the parents of this beautiful bunch.

"K" and "K" are their gorgeous daughters!

Here is the whole handsome crew! I enjoyed so much spending time with your family "D" and "H". I think we got some really great pictures! Can't wait to finish processing the rest of our session. Thanks for the laughs and the wonderful afternoon.

Fall in the Country

2010-09-29T00:08:00.000-05:00

Many of you may remember "G" from his nine month session I did a few months ago. He still has the same stunning eyes and white blond hair but boy oh boy has he grown!

He was a walking, chatty, dancing ball of fun! We started off with a few photos of him with mom and dad. It took a bit but he gave me some precious smiles!

Sweet little "G" has gotten quite good in the walking department and loves to explore. This was a blessing cause we put him in a bean field...

...and an old barn...

and lots of other fun places so we could take advantage of the great smiles and many other cute expressions he was sharing with us!

Last but not least, we ended our session in this field. The sun was setting, the sky and clouds were perfect, and the subjects were gorgeous! Who could ask for more?

The Fiddler and her Brothers

2010-09-28T22:12:00.000-05:00

I went to a session a couple of days ago and had the best time! I love working with kids who are up for anything.

"H" plays the violin and was game for getting the silhouette I had visioned in my head. With some help from her dad and a setting sun we got this shot!

These three sure did keep the smiles coming! Of coarse getting little "I" to sit still was a bit of a challenge. He is full of energy and giggles and silliness!

"C" loves two things. He loves his dog and he loves this old motorcycle!

He has spend alot of time fixing on this motorcycle he got from his grandpa. He can tell you anything you need to know about it.

A little fun with lowering the exposure and going black and white and look at the beauty you find!

Newborn Sweetness

2010-07-28T23:42:00.001-05:00

I recently had the chance to take a family picture and a couple of maternity shots for this great family. I had an opportunity today to work with them again. The huge difference between then and now was that this little sweetheart had been born!

Little "Z" was wide awake for the first bit of our session. We got a new family picture and then focused on getting some of his wrinkly, newborn sweetness!

He sure loves his mama! She would whisper to him and caress his head when he was fussing and he would calm down. Nothing better than snuggling with an adorable baby.

After staying awake for the first part of our session, he settled into a deep sleep and allowed us to position him and get some really beautiful shots!

We were happy to have dad available for some shots with his newest son!

Thank you, "O" family for sharing your beautiful family with me today! I will post your gallery soon!

The Eyes Have It

2010-07-21T22:54:00.000-05:00

This morning brought me a whole lot of fun and giggles. It came in the form of two stunning little sweeties from south of here. The eyes on "A" and his little sister "K" were unbelievable! Dark brown eyes, ready for fun, with just a hint of ornery thrown in!

This delightful little girl was a hoot! Our first try at getting a few pictures resulted in her scooting backwards until she ran out of room. We moved her forward and she was scooting back again. Her method for moving away from the camera was one of the funniest I have seen!

This little prince took a bit to warm up to idea of a session. After a bit though, he was all charm! He did a great job of following directions and if you wanted a smile all you had to do was ask him not to! LOL!

Young Mr. "A" was really sweet to his sister and had no trouble letting himself be used as a prop when needed. He was concentrating hard on getting great shots for his daddy to see!

Little Miss "K" was not to be out done in the smile department. The difference with her was how quick she was! She kept us all on the move but the smile...the smile was certainly worth it!

When I said that these two little blessings had gorgeous eyes there was no exaggeration! "A" would frequently hear my shutter click and ask me, "Was that a good one?" LOL!

"B" I had such a blast with your family today! What wonderful, sweet children you are raising! I hope you enjoy your sneak peek!

I want to leave you with one little outtake from our session!

I will post your gallery soon!

My Brown Eyed Girls

2010-07-20T16:33:00.000-05:00

We managed, between the hot and the wet weather, to find a beautiful day to do a mini session in this great field near our house. I have wanted to shoot in this field for weeks and was thrilled to have two lovely and willing models.

The light is so beautiful in the evenings!

I have several other great spots that I am hoping to get some sessions done at if the weather will cooperate with me. Thankfully I have so many beautiful little models at my house. These are just a couple of my brown eyed girls!

Peaches and Cream

2010-07-11T08:52:00.000-05:00

I had a great chance to travel to a small town in Kansas and take pictures for a great little family! The weather was really warm while we were there and we stepped out of the air conditioning long enough to get these great shots of the "A" family. Dad, Mom and this adorable baby that I promptly nicknamed "Peaches" cause she is so sweet and happy!

The weather was very humid and this session was done midday but we found some shade in a lovely little park near downtown.

This little doll is 8 months old and full of smiles!

Miss "A" has such bright blue eyes and the sweetest little dimple in her cheek!

I had so many laughs working with this family and enjoying their company. "A" family, I am looking forward to meeting with you again and capturing your little princess as she grows!

Three Men and a Lady

2010-06-26T23:12:00.002-05:00

Today we went to a wedding, my husband and I, and between the wedding and the reception I got the opportunity to take pictures of the gorgeous "O" family. We walked a short distance to shoot at the Molengrat in Pella. Even though our time was limited and there was a wedding reception using a large section of the area we were hoping to shoot in I was very happy with the beautiful images I found when I got home.

Yep, this great couple have two sweet little guys and a baby on the way in about 5 weeks!

After getting some initial shots of the family, we broke it down a little to showcase gorgeous "B" with each of her men!

Is it any wonder why their children are so adorable!

This is big brother "E". He is quite a talker, good at taking directions for someone so young, and he loves his mama!

Little brother "E" was a bit more unsure of the whole picture taking deal but we got this sweet one of him and his mom. Having just turned one, I gave him high marks for putting up with a wedding and a photo shoot on such a hot day!

And of coarse I couldn't resist getting a shot of this stunning mom!!! I could not decide whether I preferred the color or the black and white so I am posting both.

"O" family, I can't thank you enough for allowing me to catch these moments for you! You are blessed with a beautiful family and it was a privilege to do this session. I can't wait to meet this newest blessing!

I will let you know when your gallery is up!

Baby Blues

2010-06-10T15:23:00.002-05:00

I got a real treat yesterday when the "K" family stopped over for some pictures.
This sweet blue eyed angel is "G". He came back with his parents to visit family and I got to have a little fun with him! I could not get over the incredible blue eyes on this little man!

What you should know about this charmer with the blue eyes is that at nine months old he is quick...really quick!

He did his best to make sure we were on our toes during this session. The other thing he did was provide lots of laughter! Little Mr. G is quite the comic! Funny faces, cute reactions, silly noises...he had it all!

The foot you see him holding up in the above shot? That is one of his signature moves! Yep, we got quite a few pictures of him with his foot in the air. One of the reasons pictures are so special is that they help us remember the cute things that were a part of our child's personality at different stages of their life.

After having some fun inside we headed out to play with him in the beautiful evening light! I had such a wonderful time capturing these shots of baby "G" for your family! I will let you know when the gallery is up for you to enjoy. Hope you had a safe trip back home "K" family!

Sweet Newborn

2010-02-26T09:54:00.000-06:00

A couple of days ago I got to play with this sweet little guy!

Baby "A" came to visit me at just 12 days old.

I love those adorable little smiles they give while they are sleeping! Makes you wonder what they are dreaming about? "A" was a trooper for me and we got some beautiful shots to remember this very fleeting stage of babyhood!

He didn't particularly care for being naked! Thankfully we had this cute and soft blanket that his grandma made for him. He loved being snuggled under it and I loved the colors!

Tiny little baby faces are just so sweet when they are relaxed in deep sleep!

Of coarse we had to use mom for a prop!

I had such a fun time getting these pictures of your little guy! I am looking forward to getting back home so I can finish up your gallery for you! Thanks for sharing him with me for a few hours!

The day would not have gone as smoothly if it were not for my friend Makayla. She was my go to kid wrangler, extra set of hands, and prop helper! Thanks for all your assistance!

Beautiful Girls

2010-02-20T23:41:00.000-06:00

I got a chance to have some fun today! I had two gorgeous young ladies come over for a photo session in honor of their school dance. I figured they would look really great but boy was that an understatement!
M & M couldn't have looked more stunning!

They were funny and sweet and knew how to pose!

I loved the dresses and the shoes, the hair was perfection and I am sure there was a fun night ahead. The dance was the best place to show off their beauty!

I should point out that M & M weren't the only ones havin' fun tonight! I may not be at the dance but I am having a blast sorting through all these knockout images of yours!

Thanks so much for letting me share in your special day! I can't wait to get your gallery up to show the rest of your pictures!

Braving the Cold and Snow

2010-02-14T19:38:00.001-06:00

I had the fun opportunity to do a senior session with Yeongjin on Saturday morning. We had a good time and got some really great stuff!

Yeongjin is a soccer player so we made sure to get some shots that included his love for that sport.

I have to say that he had the coolest socks on! I have never seen anything quite like them!

Yeongjin was such a neat guy to get to know!

Of coarse the cold and the snow didn't deter us from heading outside and taking advantage of the beautiful scenery. He trudged through the snow in the ditches and by the creek without a coat and without complaint and it paid off!

Thanks so much for the fun morning! I can't wait to finish your gallery!

Sunshine on a Cloudy Day

2010-02-09T11:55:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was cloudy and snowing and cold and...yuck. Schools were closing early and the roads weren't very good and you wouldn't expect anything great out of the day.

My day had a ray of brightness though. Actually, it had three rays!

I got the chance to do a session for a fun group of three kiddos who ranged in age from 8 months to 3 years! These little ones were full of energy, giggles and smiles.

Little one "L" is 8 months and a quick crawler!

Such beautiful blue eyes on this family of sweeties!

This little man is "T" he is all boy and so funny!

This was one of those pictures that just happened. "T" struck this pose all on his own and I love it!

This little beauty just turned 3 a couple of months ago. Miss "A" was a natural in front of the camera and was so excited when it was her turn!

She was willing to let us play around a little and try some fun things with her!

What did I tell you? She is a natural!

I enjoyed this session so much! A huge thank you to Makayla who agreed to be my extra set of hands for the day!

D.B. family I am so happy I got the privilege to capture your sweet family. Thank you! I will let you know when your gallery is up!

Turning one!

2009-12-14T22:33:00.000-06:00

I had the wonderful privledge of doing a family session and a one year old session for some of my favorite people today. Little Mr. "N" is growing so fast. Everytime I see him he has changed and is doing all kinds of new tricks.

Last time I took his pictures, he was one of the fastest crawlers I have ever seen! This time he is starting to walk!

One thing that hasn't changed are the wide range of expressions that he shows on his face! Animation of the highest order!

Mom and Dad and I had such a blast doing this session. "N" kept us on our toes and laughing the entire time.

Here are a couple of one year old "N"!

From huge smiles and laughter to completely sober and back again! A wild ride of expressions and so totally worth it!!!

Thanks "J", "A", and little "N" for spending part of the day with me and providing me with some great memories and a lot of laughter!

Watch for your gallery and be prepared...it won't be easy to choose!

A Wedding for Ashley and Tom

2009-12-08T20:45:00.003-06:00

I had the wonderful opportunity on Saturday to help Kelly from Forever Photography capture this great couple on their special day.

I love winter weddings! There is something about the chill in the air and the vibrant colors that show up during this season. Ashley and Tom had amazing decor at their wedding.The ceremony took place at Central Reformed Church. Everything was so beautiful and the details were wonderful.
Not to be outdone in beauty was the bride herself! Ashley had an amazing dress and looked absolutely stunning on her special day!

Tom not only looked handsome in his tux but let me tell you...the guy can sing!! They started the ceremony with him singing such a touching song to his bride.

I had so much fun capturing ring shots!

More rings!

Last one!

The reception was held at Bradbury Hall! It was truely a blast!

This was a couple who are so obviously in love!

Congratulations Tom and Ashley!!!

Way to Much Fun

2009-11-14T05:27:00.000-06:00

I scheduled a senior session with Nathaniel a little while back and am finally getting a chance to blog it. There is so much good stuff to go through it is hard to know where to start. When we scheduled the first time we decided to reschedule do to high winds and wet conditions. The second time we tried, we got some great stuff before the dark gray clouds came rolling in and sucked all the light out of the sky! We did get some cool stuff on the new playing field at the high school before that happened though.

Nathaniel plays goalie for the varsity soccer team.

He also plays football!

We barely got finished on the field when the light was gone and there was no way we could move to our other locations. We decided to move the rest of the session to later in the week. Boy, was I glad we did!

Nathaniel and his mom had a killer location picked out for the rest of his senior shoot. Even though the leaves were off the trees it was beautiful out in the timber.

We braved pricker weeds, uncooperative trees,and a bit of a walk to get these but I am so glad we did!

I had a wonderful time taking these, laughed alot, and can't wait to get your gallery up so you can see more!

Oh, I should mention an apology to the deer hunter who gave up, climbed down from his deer stand and went home, after we bounded through the woods with all our laughter (and the family dog). Really sorry about that, Doug.

A Fun Family

2009-11-08T23:05:00.001-06:00

I had the fun opportunity to do a family session for a fellow photog and friend of mine. T and K are loyal Hawkeye fans and so are their kids so we tried our best to get the session done before the kick-off this past Saturday.

Not only did I get to hang out with their three kids but they brought along the very loved family dogs for the session as well. The dogs didn't do to bad unless they were distracted by the flocks of geese landing on the lake. Let me tell you, I have never heard so much honking in my life as I heard from the masses of geese that day!

I was super impressed by "A" and the care he showed for his younger siblings. He was very sweet with his little sister during our time together.

Somebody is a Daddy's girl!

Thanks for the great morning guys and sorry that the Hawks didn't have the miracle finish we were all hoping for. I'll let you know when the gallery is up!

Chris and Stephanie

2009-11-02T20:53:00.000-06:00

I had the wonderful opportunity to second shoot/assist Kelly of Forever Photography with Chris and Stephanie's wedding on Saturday. The ceremony was held in St. Mary's beautiful new church in Pella. Talk about a photographers dream! Open and full of windows, you couldn't have asked for more! We moved on into downtown Pella for some fun shots after the ceremony.

Ring shots are so cool!

Chris and Stephanie are a beautiful couple. They both had such ready smiles (even though the weather was very windy and quite cool!

One more picture to show off how truely in love this great couple is!

Thanks so much Chris and Stephanie for allowing me to help capture your special day!

"K's" Senior Session

2009-10-17T23:07:00.002-05:00

I had a blast taking senior pictures for this gorgeous young lady! With an amazing wardrobe and a smile that didn't stop, she was up for anything! Standing barefoot in a creek? No problem!

Sitting on the train tracks?

What about standing in the middle of the street?

"K" was truely fabulous to work with. Her mom and I came up with ideas and locations and she rocked them all! You can clearly see from her wardrobe that she has a great sense of style and fashion...and then there are the overalls. Let me tell you a little about the overalls. They belong to her grandpa. He has worked many long days on the farm in them. They are his signature piece of clothing when he is working. "K" loves her grandpa and he loves her so it only seemed fitting that she honor him a little in her senior session. Now that is a young lady with a beautiful heart!

She went from an old pair of overalls to this amazing dress and she was stunning in both!

We had the best time getting her session done but I have to admit that one thing went wrong ...

we lost the light and had to stop before I was ready to call it a day!

Thanks "K" for what was the most fun I have had in a while!

Little MIss L

2009-10-17T22:26:00.000-05:00

I did a little mini-session earlier this week for a sweet four month old.

This pretty girl is Miss "L". I traveled to her house with a specific purpose in mind. Her mom wanted to recreate a photo that she had taken of both her older children. Now "L" was full of smiles and gurgles until the camera was pointed in her direction. She would turn her head like a shy 12 year old who didn't want her picture taken only to turn back towards me and flash that smile again.

Miss "L" has the most amazing blue eyes! Even in the black and white pictures you can see how gorgeous and shiny they are.

I had a wonderful time trying to recreate that special image! Of coarse it makes it even better when taking the pictures goes hand in hand with spending a little time with a great family.

For now, here's one more image of this beautiful little girl!

Catherine and Pat

2009-10-03T20:46:00.000-05:00

I assisted/second shot for Kelly of Forever Photography at this amazing wedding last Saturday. The ceremony was held at the St. Mary's Church in Oskaloosa with the reception following at the Legion.

We had such a good time with this couple! They are so much in love and you don't have to be around them for more than a couple of minutes for that to be clear. Here are a few photos from their special day.

Ring shot!

The beautiful bride!

A little football between the ceremony and the reception!

The Mr. and Mrs. during their first dance together as a married couple!

Thanks so much Catherine and Pat for letting me share your day with you! Wishing you all the best in your new life together!

A Fun Family Session

2009-09-25T22:51:00.001-05:00

We waited three weeks to see rain. Spent days with dust blowing everywhere. Wouldn't you know it, the day of this family session we finally got rain!

We were not to be deterred though. I set out to the family's house in the country loaded with garbage bags to put down under the blankets on the ground. The rain held off till the session was over and in spite of ending up a little damp we were none the worse for wear and ended up with some great shots.

The kids did great with some help from a friendly and patient farm kitten.

This little princess was more than happy to stop and pose for me!

M & S, I had a great time with your family! Hope you enjoy you sneak peek! I'll let you know when your gallery is up!

Bridal Session with Sarah

2009-09-25T21:09:00.000-05:00

Several of us had the very cool experience of shooting a bridal session with Sarah. She is a bride from a wedding that I assisted/second shot earlier this summer with Kelly from Forever Photography. Kelly, Dana (another photographer) and I got together with Sarah for some fun shots of her in her wedding gown.

Sarah had professional makeup done by Racheal Ebelsheiser. Her hair was professionally done by Abby Bowker. Both Racheal and Abby are with Expressions Hair Studio and their work was stunning and flawless!! Sarah's beautiful flowers were done by Hy-Vee Floral. All of these things came together on a sunny day to make for some amazing photos!

Sarah was willing to try anything we asked of her and has a natural way in front of the camera and below are several shots showing the fun we had.

A huge thanks to Sarah, Racheal, Abby, Dana, and Hy-Vee Floral. A special thanks to Kelly from Forever Photography who made this day come together. It was truely the combination of everyone's efforts that made this day so fun and amazing!

Tricia and Garrett

2009-09-24T20:16:00.002-05:00

I had the wonderful opportunity to second shoot/assist Kelly of Forever Photography with Tricia and Garrett's wedding at the First Presbyterian Church. Tricia and Garrett are such a fun couple! Everyone had a wonderful time and we got some unbelievable pictures.

Here are some of the shots from the day!

Ring shots!!!

more rings

Who would have thought an alley could look this cool?!

The reception was held at the Legion and we spent time rocking out with great food, music and wonderful people!

Congrats Tricia and Garrett!!

Cute as can be!!

2009-09-22T17:41:00.002-05:00

I had a session with nine month old baby "N". He was a hoot! He was not sure how much he cared for my camera but we still managed to get some great stuff!

A couple of things you should know about this little guy. He is animated! He truly never gave me the same look twice. I have never seen a baby with so many different expressions...absolutely hysterical. "N" has personality to spare!

Oh, and the tongue...how cute is that? This is one of my favorites cause it reminds me of my own son at that age. He doesn't do it anymore but it is a sweet memory for me of his babyhood.

I get the joy of taking his one year old pics in a few months and I can't wait. Little ones change so fast and I am excited to see him change and grow! Thanks for the fun, "N"!