Awww…it feels soooo nice to be able to photograph some couples after a great maternity leave break!  I just love to photograph love.  It really is beautiful…

I met Ruby and Jeff at her mom’s house in the Northend.  What a beautiful home!  With original moulding and beautiful hardwood flooring, the home is a timeless beauty!  How much more timeless it became as soon as I found out that it is the only home Ruby has ever lived.  That makes me want to make our next home permanent for our children…

We began our journey with the coolest bike that Jeff had restored for Ruby as a gift.  Then we headed to Hyde Park and then downtown.  While we were in one of my favorite alley ways, I found the coolest thing.  You are NOT going to believe it.  I happen to see a black piece of furniture in one of the dumpsters.  I went over to see what it was and it was a GORGEOUS cane chair!!!  It’s only fault was a break in the back – an easy fix!  It even still had a plastic tag-thingy on it!!!  WAHOO!!!  You better believe I snatched that baby up.  Well – Jeff actually hauled it out for me .  Thanks, Jeff!

Anywho – you are a beautiful couple and I canNOT wait to photograph your wedding at the BAM this summer.  Thank you for letting me photograph you during this wonderful time!  Enjoy your feature and Consider Yourselves Loved…

*Sigh*.  These kiddos make me wish that my sis and I had kids around the same time.  I love LOVE the relationship amongst these cousins.  Nothing but pure love.  Well – I can tell that they fight every once in awhile, but for the most part, pure love .  What a fun time with these six.

Thank you very much for letting me help in your Mom’s (and Auntie’s) Christmas Gift.  This is something they will cherish F.O.R.E.V.E.R. .  Enjoy Your Feature, “L” Family, and Consider Yourselves Loved…

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First things first – Happy Birthday Jesus – it’s not really His birthday, but it’s when we celebrate His birthday, so Happy Birthday it is!  Merry Christmas to you all as well.  What a fun FUN year to have  Christmas.  Julius is finally old enough to “get” some of it.  He had so much fun waiting for Christmas to come.  Santa came this morning and his reindeer ate the oatmeal we set out for them on the lawn last night.  I caught myself getting quite teary-eyed a few times this evening as I became entranced by our children.  What blessings they are.  *sigh*  My cup overfloweth.

So – on to my favorite of favorites.

I have yet to learn iTunes.  I know – I’m silly.  I was just informed by a good friend that when you upload to iTunes, it actually saves your music to their website.  How cool is that?  I know I am totally behind the times, but since my hubby got me a business iPhone for Christmas, I have a feeling I’ll be workin’ the iTunes store a little more.

Merry Christmas to all of you and to listen to one of my very FAVORITE A’capella groups from one of my favorite Christmas Albums EVAH, click HERE.

You have GOT to see this movie.  My hubby and I went out on a special date night (we NEVER spend the big bucks on Edwards, but after a VERY difficult semester, I decided to treat him) on Friday to see Invictus w/Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon.  HOLY COW.  For those of you who don’t know, my hubby is from Kenya.  His country is one of the most civilized countries in Africa, so they were extremely engaged with the politics of South Africa in the early 90′s.  Lumuli remembers reading a 700-page biography on Nelson Madela in days (now – what 7th grader nowadays would spend their time doing that???).  So when this movie came out, he desperately wanted to see it.

Worth every penny.  Mandela is really an amazing man with an amazing story.  Placed in prison for 27 years because of standing up for basic human rights, soon after his release, he was elected president of South Africa.  The whites feared his authority, for they thought it meant revenge for sure.  Mandela (Mandiba – as the local blacks called him) surprised everyone with his amazing spirit of forgiveness and his beautiful interpretation of change.

I bawled.  I bawled my head off.  These kind of racially charged movies really get to me, because I realize without all these many people before us, it’s likely that Lumuli and I would have never married.  That would have been the end of me. I am thankful for those ahead of me who have paved a way for Lumuli and I to live a relatively uneventful life as a happily married couple.  What a blessing indeed.

Go see the movie.  Let it change you.  Oh – and – when  you hear of the release of the soundtrack, let me know, will ya?

http://www.traileraddict.com/trailer/invictus/trailer

Today’s tip (or rather yesterday’s tip) is geared toward the mom who is trying to take a photograph of their little sweetie with their Nikon Coolpix, or Canon Powershot.  The thing I hate the most about these little cameras is the delay in the shutter.  It almost always results in a lost expression or funny incident.  By the time the shutter clicks, the moment is gone!  Well – anticipate this moment next time.  Press the shutter halfway down.  This will “prep” the camera to take the shot.  When your little one looks oh-so-sweet, click it all the way and it will immediately trigger the shutter.  Leave a comment if this helps you out!  Thanks for checking out my blog and Consider Yourselves Loved…

This little guy was just so sweet and so compliant .  Not one wimper of discontent.  Only the yumminess of a sleepy newborn.  Can you believe he was 23 inches when he was born???  You’ve got a tall boy on your hands Mom and Dad. Brother is so excited to have this little one join their family.  Congratulations, “W” Family – Enjoy your feature and Consider Yourselves Loved…

I love it when my clients come to pick up their photographs.  It’s so rewarding to see their reaction to their photographs printed large and their albums completed.  Noel and Andrew’s wedding was in June, but they took off to Mexico to teach and travel for awhile, so they were only able to pick up their order today.  These are just some snaps of what they ordered.  Thanks, Noel and Andrew, for letting me be a part of your wedding!!!  Enjoy your stuff and Consider Yourselves Loved…

Here’s a photograph of their large framed prints: 20×24, 2 10x20s and 16×20

The framed 20×24

The 16×20 Canvas – The actual photograph isn’t blurry – it just looks this way because of the canvas texture

The Wedding Album

The Bridal Album

The Slideshow and Files Case

These guys have been great friends of ours for quite awhile now.  Their little boy is just about Julius’ age and their new little girl is just a few months older than Cece.  So fun to have friends to share this amazing time in our lives.  They used this photograph for their Christmas Cards.  The other images were for their little girl’s 7 month photographs.  She is just a smiling sweetie!

Thanks, Jodi and Tom, for being such amazing friends.  We love you!

Okay – so I am starting a new series of blog posts called … wait for it … “Tip Day Tuesday”.  Ha!  I’m so clever.

Tuesdays will be a day where I can give a little tip here and there for not only the Mom with a new camera, but professional photographers alike.  Todays tip will be one that you’ve likely heard before – but it’s vital to taking great photographs of your kids.

GET CLOSE!  No…closer.  Closer still.

Here’s an example of a photograph of my son, Julius.  The first is the initial crop.  Wayyyy too far away.  There is too much clutter in the background (no Mama, I’m not calling you clutter ).  It takes away from what I am really wanting to capture here.

Here is a closer crop, which works for my own snapshot album, but I would want it closer if I was trying to get something for the wall.  I love that you can see his whole costume here, but there is still way too much clutter in the background.

Now, do you see what a little bit of nearness can do for a photograph?  Especially when the subject you want to capture is as stinkin’ cute as this one .   I know it can be difficult to get an in-focus shot with a point and shoot camera.  So – just pay attention to how close you can get without getting blur and crop it in a photo-editing program. ***Disclaimer on this last shot*** – it kind of looks wonky because it was originally soooo far away, so pay no attention to all the noise and oversharpened mess .

Any ideas of a good one that’s under $150?  We’d like one that would also blow, vacuum on hardwood, and reach under tight surfaces.  Any suggestions?