I know I probably say this about every family I shoot, but I seriously mean it.

I love them. They're so down-to-earth, know how to have a good time & laugh, and are really good dressers. ;) (Look at how perfectly they coordinated their J. Crew-looking selves!) 

Melissa & I first got to know each other when we were planning sweet Charlotte's 1st birthday session last year (remember the adorable pink tutu & balloons?) Well, we clicked & have been friends ever since! 

Charlotte is now two and brakes for nothing (except ice cream.) She is just the cutest. 

 

Sometimes pictures lie.

Sometimes you can see the most beautiful photograph of two people who look so in love, when in reality those people are total strangers. 

These pictures aren't lying. 

I only had the pleasure of getting to hang out with Elysia & Chase for about an hour, but in that short amount of time, it was more than obvious they were crazy about each other. They kept each other laughing (and me- "Y'all! Stop making me laugh, I have to hold the camera still.") and were just naturally drawn to one another. Being a photographer (and people-watcher in general), I've gotten really good at picking up on the slightest body language, and I notice nuances in peoples' behavior that might normally slip by, undetected. I caught Chase's adoring glances he'd sneak at Elysia when she wasn't looking at him. And I noticed the way she seemed more relaxed when in his arms. 

You know when you've found The One- that gravitational pull you feel towards them that has nothing to do with science and everything to do with your heart? They definitely had that thing going on. 

I loved it.

 

 

I've been slacking.

Dragging my feet when it comes to getting back to business. I (foolishly) thought before I had my baby- "Oh, getting back into the game will be no problem! I will have a beautiful little muse and be full of inspiration and just DYING to take on projects!" Wellllllll, I do have a beautiful little muse. But it's hard to be full of ambition when you're surviving on ~5 hours of sleep, caffeine, and pure adrenaline. It's hard to be full of inspiration when the deepest thought you'll have all day is, "Why don't babies like to sleep?" (Oh wait...that's just me & my sleep-hating child?) It's hard to feel like a business owner when you look in the mirror and see a shell-shocked version of yourself with 5-day old hair thrown up in some sort of birds nest on top of your head and suspicious stains all over your shirt. 

Becoming a mother is truly the greatest thing to happen to me- the love I feel for my sweet baby Finn is incredible, unparalleled. He consumes most of my day, most of my thoughts, and most of my energy- leaving me with little at the end of the day. I would not have it any other way, but I am happy to say I think we might be getting into somewhat of a normal routine (hey, it's only taken us 6 months...but he's only recently stopped waking up 3+ a night!) and I am ready to begin booking more regularly. 

Here's what my camera has been focused on since 12:34 PM, January 7th. From the first picture to the last, it blows my mind how quickly littles one change.

What a gift- to watch a life form right before your eyes.

I had never done an all-siblings shoot before, so I was thrilled when the oldest sister Ashley contacted me about it! These girls were so much fun, despite the single digit temperature & falling snow (which looked amazing on their dark hair!) The only problem? They made me really, really jealous I don't have a sister.

Trey + Deanna | Trinity, NC photography

I love love. It's no secret. I am the most hopeless of romantics and some of my very favorite photography is capturing the fire between two people (sometimes I watch proposal videos on Youtube for fun...uh, I promise I have a life. Sort of.) So when I was itching for a steamy couples session, I knew just who to ask. My dear little brother & his beautiful girlfriend. Thanks for being so amazing, Trey & Deanna, and playing along with all of my antics that afternoon. "YA WELCOME."

 

Kubeika | Family - Watertown, NY photography

The Kubeika's are friends of ours, and such a genuinely kind & sweet family. So kind, in fact, that they indulged me in my desire for a snowy, wintry photo-shoot. (Little Eleni & Johnny were also test subjects for my small indoor studio space!) I'm a bit obsessed with how beautiful pictures look with snow, but I suspect it might have a lot to do with my subjects, as well. ;)