lucky ladybug photography

Head on over to my NEW blog!

2009-08-02T00:10:00.001-04:00

I have recently upgraded blogs and will no longer be updating this one so please change your bookmarks now.

My new blog (along with a brand new post) can be found here:

www.luckyladybugphotography.com/blog

Thank you!!

Beautiful Happy Family

2009-07-27T23:43:00.012-04:00

I must have said it at least 5 times during the session, this baby never so much as even made a grimacing face let alone a cry... he was so happy and such a pleasant baby... WOW... so different from my own child at 4 months, ha ha! I left in amazement!

And seriously folks, I'm willing to put money on the fact that this family has never taken a bad picture in their lives.

I love how baby is looking at the dog here!

Gorgeous blue-eyed baby!

Happy Belated Birthday!

2009-07-27T00:14:00.011-04:00

I had been really looking forward to photograping this little guy because I knew ahead of time just how adorable he was going to be! I went to school with his mommy and it was a pleasure to get to photograph him in honor of his first birthday. I love how this job has given me the opportunity to reconnect with people and see how beautiful their families have grown to be.

This shot here is my favorite for several reasons: okay, he looks adorable number 1, number 2 he's throwing a ball and his mom was (probably still is!) a really good softball player, and number 3, he's playing in the birthday gift that his incredibly wonderful godmother gave him, who also happened to gift him with this session with me. Yep, it's my favorite.
This one is a close second!
>

Oh wait, this one might be my favorite?

Of course no first birthday is complete without cake!

Update

2009-07-26T19:07:00.003-04:00

Just a little message to let everyone know I've been a little behind lately with a family emergency ontop of my little girl being sick. I will be working this week to get caught up as much as I can and hope to have all of my proofing completed by this weekend. If I haven't responded to emails quite as fast, I assure you it's been nothing personal!

Thank you so much for your patience and understanding.

In Loving Memory of my Grandma who died July 26th 2009 and left behind a loving family who will forever cherish the time they had with her.

The most laughter I've ever heard...

2009-07-23T01:33:00.004-04:00

... was at this session today. Here's a little secret about me: I am totally energized by other people's energy. I left this session feeling like I wanted to go climb a mountain! The goal was to capture this beautiful mom and her children as the loving yet fun family that they are. If I didn't do my job today with these photos, then I'm probably in the wrong business because it was so easy to see, then even my 2-year old may have even been able to snap a few good ones!

It was such a pleasure meeting you today guys, I hope you enjoy just a few of my favorites!

Ummmm, wow.

2009-07-19T23:29:00.005-04:00

That's what I said when they stepped out of the car looking so gorgeous. They get the prize for driving the longest distance for a photo session with me, two hours... but I am so overly confident that the results were well worth it.

You just can't beat shots like these anywhere else but Gettysburg.

As the sun was just about to go completely down, the sky had a pink tint to it, which of course perfectly matched her shirt. Why wouldn't anything else have gone so perfectly?!!

I wanted to do a cartwheel when I saw her yellow dress that matched the Black-Eyed Susans I found today.

Why do I like this photo so much? Because mom and dad are ripped... and I get to do newborn photos with those muscles, yippie!!!

Oh yes folks, I do have an indoor area in my home for photographs, it's small and I never use it since I do like to go to people's homes but it but it is available!

Thank you so much for driving out here to my home today, having to witnessing my daughter's meltown, and for such beautiful people inside and out. I am so excited to meet baby P very soon!

Fun Family!

2009-07-19T20:51:00.004-04:00

As much as I loooove photographing babies, I really find these ages a blast because they're so full of energy! This family has three gorgeous blue-eyed children and so beautiful family that loves each other + willing to go along with my crazy ideas + evening sunset at the golden hour + awesome clouds in the sky = beautiful photographs.

Brand New Baby Girl

2009-07-19T01:49:00.005-04:00

I did this beautiful mom's maternity session so I was really looking forward to meeting this baby... little did I know how truly gorgeous she would be with the most incredible hair! Thank you so much R family for the honor of meeting miss S and I can hardly wait to see her again in 6 months!

I love, love, love this shot... this tattoo is very special to this dad and I love that we got to incporporate it into a shot with his new baby girl.

She has acquired the "little monkey" nickname so I'm so glad I brought this hat along with me!

Very cool storyboard :)

Christmas in July

2009-07-16T17:34:00.004-04:00

It's crazy how fast the year has already flown by and before you know it, the holidays will be here... and believe it or not, many people have already started planning for holiday photos! I'm so glad because my calendar books up very quickly and I only have two dates left for September and one for October. That gives me November to hurry up and get holiday photos in!

Just a head's up that I am planning on offering a special holiday mini-session at a local Christmas Tree Farm on the first Saturday of December... this will be a digital package only since it's so close to the holidays. Just imagine colorful scarves and gloves, red noses and chopping down the family Christmas tree, all caught on camera! More to come on that at a later date!

I am pleased to show you my 2009 Holiday Card Collection! I offer stunning custom holiday cards that are sure to give your lucky recipients a momento of your beautiful family. You know everyone looks forward to seeing photos of your beautiful family around the holidays and not some cheesey $.99 card! This year's collection is a stunning assortment of double-sided and folded 5x7 cards printed on luxurious linen paper. Text and photos are completely customizable.

To view the 2009 Holiday Card Collection, visit the "clients" tab on my main website and enter the password:

Happy Holidays

Please let me know if you'd like to hear more about the holiday mini-session or would like to book for this Fall!

Rocker Baby!

2009-07-16T01:06:00.004-04:00

This awesome family drove from Columbia to meet me at Baker Park for photographs... and I hope the look of excitement on my face wasn't too over the top when mom asked if it'd be okay if they brought out the guitar and showed me dad and baby's matching band shirts. YES! Love it when families suggest things that reflect their personalities because afterall, photographs are a snapshot of the moment we're living in and what better way to remember that than including the things you love.

Thank you so much M family for a really fun and laid back evening! I had so much fun I totally lost track of time and could've hung out for hours. Here are a few of my favorites!

Little J started walking not too long ago so trying to sit him still was not in the cards since there is so much to see at the park... but I think this shot was about .0002 seconds of sitting still!

This shot is always a lot of fun for this age!

He was a trooper and lasted a lot longer than he probably should have for an evening session but when he decided he was done, I think he wanted to tell me he was DONE... hahaha! I LOVE this photograph!

Someone very sweet is about to turn one!

2009-07-13T23:19:00.007-04:00

I'm on a roll lately with adorable kids, awesome and fun parents and today was icing on the cake. This little one was full of sweet smiles for me and was sooooo good this morning. I betcha he never gets fussy!

Thank you C family for allowing me to help celebrate your son's first birthday. I hope you enjoy a few of my favorites!

I love being able to capture photographs in a baby's nursery. It's such a special place and it's only a nursery for such a short time... before they grow up so fast.

A boy and his "castle"!

He definitely adores his mom and dad... maybe as much as they adore him!

Happy birthday to you sweet baby!

Beautiful New Family

2009-07-12T23:25:00.009-04:00

This happy couple recently welcomed a beautiful baby boy and it should be NO surprise where he gets his good looks from... mom and dad were not only gorgeous but also so nice and easy-going... and baby K was perfect with a little whimper that melted my heart. Could my morning have gone any better? I don't think so!

When mom showed me the beautiful nursery, I knew I had to set-up shop there!

Safe in dad's arms!

All-American Adorable

2009-07-06T00:30:00.004-04:00

If all one-year olds were as easy and fun as this cute guy, then I just might only prefer to photograph this age! This photo session was a birthday gift from little R's aunt and uncle and I am the lucky girl who got to help him celebrate the occasion today with some beautiful photographs.

What a picturesque all-American family! Thanks so much E family a really fun morning and espcially to R who made me laugh just by being so cute!

Celebrate Gettysburg Magazine July August Issue

2009-06-29T23:23:00.005-04:00

The latest issue of Celebrate Gettysburg magazine is out and my work can be seen in the dinosaur hunter story. I spent one fine morning learning about Adams County's fascinating dinosaur history with our very own resident amateur archaeologist... for more information about the mag, visit www.celebrategettysburg.com. Thanks for reading!

Sweet Baby Boy

2009-06-29T00:37:00.007-04:00

Today I met this super wonderful couple who just welcomed their first child... and they are smitten! They were both so easy-going and the baby was as adorable as they come... days like today make me realize how thankful I am to be able to photograph precious newborn babies.

This one is a little different but I really love this shot. I seem to be on a dog kick lately! I just love how this sweet dog looks like he's already the protector of this sweet baby.

I wanted to do this scale shot with a bare bum sticking in the air but sometimes babies have other plans that makes taking off the diaper not such a great idea! He was a toughie to get to sleep so I didn't want to risk it! That's what I mean when I tell parents that I am totally at the mercy of the baby and sometimes all of my ideas go right out the window!

I've been humming, "He's got the whole world... in his hands... he's got the whole wide world, in his hands..." since I edited this one.

This is why I love living in the area that I do. It's not uncommon for me to luck out and have this beautiful landscape right in their own back yard!

Inspiration

2009-06-22T13:45:00.004-04:00

One of my favorite photographers is Tara Whitney from Orange County California. Her style is real, fresh and I am always amazed by her creative eye. Her philosphy is "perfectly imperfect" and I just adore it. I posted last year about her personal family portrait wall but I thought it was worth posting again http://tarawhitney.com/justbeblogged/2008/06/opam-may-08-photo-wall-in-living-room-after/, because it's that awesome.

The prints she has here are 20x20 and the frames are from Ikea and can be found here.

I hope it inspires you to GO BIGGER and create an impact on your walls. I can think of no better way to replace that floral art print you bought at Target than with beautiful photos of your family!

This project is next on my own personal to-do list! Now I wonder if I could convince Rodney to fly out to CA for photos... oh but wait... her session fee is $525 and collections start at $1,200!

Birthday Girl!

2009-06-21T22:52:00.007-04:00

Beautiful Miss K is turning two and when her mom contacted me to take some photos of her... I knew I really wanted to include some girly props because this little girl has FOUR big brothers! But boy oh boy do they adore her and look after her! She was so, so sweet for me and so much fun!!! These were taken at the most beautiful Catoctin Mountain Orchard. I try to always suggest this location to each client that requests outdoor photos because it's my absolute favorite place to photograph. It also doesn't hurt that I have wonderful family who own it and take fabulous care of the grounds!

Thank you so much especially to mom for being okay with the messy ice cream cone idea. I really had a blast!

Welcome Beautiful Baby

2009-06-21T01:22:00.006-04:00

This beautiful little girl is welcomed by her adoring parents and proud big brother... and I was happy to be able to witness that. I graduated high school with this beautiful mom so I was thrilled when she called me to photograph her newest addition!

I hope you enjoy the sneak peek H family, there are many more to come!

This one made me chuckle because he looks like he's saying, "These are MY cars lady." I love it!

I love how the soft colors here match her perfect skin. So sweet!

It's Fathers Day and this one is what it's all about!

Picture Perfect

2009-06-15T00:07:00.009-04:00

I love it when I get to a house and everything is picture perfect. The baby, the family, the dogs, the awesome backyard and even a shiny red Corvette in the garage!

As much as I'd like to, I can't take credit for the idea for this shot below. This beautiful mom sent me a photo ahead of time that she found with something like this in mind with her gentle giant. I love animal lovers and I love having pets complete a family portrait!

Thank you so much G family for having me over. Congrats to you both, your son is absolutely perfect!

Mom called the car dad's "other baby" so I knew I had to use it in a photograph. Sweet baby for a sweet ride!

Told ya he was picture perfect!

What to wear this summer!

2009-06-07T21:53:00.009-04:00

Greetings! I spent this weekend recovering from a work trip to Kansas City, MO so I purposely didn't book any sessions. Just a word of advice, always fly direct whenever possible. What was supposed to be a layover going to and from turned into a nightmare both times. KC is a beautiful city but I am so glad to be home!

Some of my fellow photographers very generously put together some gorgeous summer wardrobe ensembles for family sessions and since they allowed it, I thought I'd share few here. "What should we wear?" is usually the first question I am usually asked and I thought these photos were a great illustration of what coordinated but not matching means. I am a firm believer that clothes are an important decision in a family portrait, sometimes even more so than the location because clothes can add that interest and color that a location sometimes can't. I love accessories, layers and hats in a photo. These are pretty "safe" below but just imagine what these photos would look like with mom's favorite necklace and a summer scarf or a coordinated hat for the little girl. I could actually go back through several of my most recent family sessions and show you exactly what I think works well so please use my portfolio for your own inspiration too!

These clothes are actually available right now in stores. Makes me want to go shopping!

When I get caught up in editing this week, I'd like to create some of my own "What to Wear" groupings here as well... hmmm... maybe this could be a regular blog posting? That might be asking for too much!

Geniune

2009-06-02T23:41:00.009-04:00

You know those people you meet sometimes that just seem so geniune about the way they care for one another, the way they treat other people and just their outlook on life itself? That's how I felt about meeting the B family. I felt like I was just there in the background with my camera peaking in on their every day real lives. I must say that I was totally honored that they from Alexandria, VA to meet me in Frederick for photographs. I am humbled but really happy that I was able to capture some incredible moments between the three of them .

Thank you so much C & A for trusting me to capture your beautiful new family. It was truly my pleasure meeting you and I wish the three of you much happiness, luck and good health where your upcoming travels take you.

Anyone who is familiar with my work knows that I am a total sucker for shots like these but only when I can tell they are "real". And although I take some "traditional" family photos, they're never my favs :)

Even Prince Charming needs his rest.

Happy Father's Day to this lucky dad!! What a special gift he has received this year! :)

Lucky Baby

2009-05-31T23:31:00.007-04:00

...and lucky parents! I am thrilled to present the first official portraits of this perfect baby who was highly anticipated by his parents and his mom's co-workers! He was definitely worth the (long) wait!

Thank you M & T for allowing me to come back and document this beautiful time in your life. He is absolutely a beautiful baby. Here are a sampling of some of my favorites.

It is definitely a blessing catching smiles on camera, but even more special when they are with mom.

I have done this newborn pose a few times but this hat that his mom had gives this pose a whole new meaning!

Pretty sure this pouty lip is one of the cutest newborn expressions I've been able to capture.

Because I was already at their home for maternity photographs, I knew that he had already amounted quite the Dr. Seuss book collection so I couldn't wait to do this shot.

I love it when I'm fortunate enough to be able to do "Before and After" shots!

Schedule Update

2009-05-27T22:47:00.002-04:00

First, I must say what an incredible first half of the year I've had already! It's been beyond my wildest imagination and I'm so thankful for the opportunities to meet and photograph so many wonderful children and families.

I've recently taken some time to reevaluate my business model. From the beginning, I promised myself I would go into this business venture while putting my daughter and family first. My daughter has a genetic condition of the brain that labels her as special needs, although I like to think she's just special :) She has made huge miraculous accomplishments but still requires therapy 4 times a week. Because of that, sometimes I feel guilty taking on too much work and having to spend time away from her on the weekends when I could be helping her with speech, etc...I love portrait photography, it is my passion, but she is absolutely my inspiration and reason for doing this from the very beginning.

I've been really busy these last few months to say the least and I'm so, so very thankful to be able to do what I love. The paycheck is an added bonus! Because I am a little OCD at times about the way my photos look, I spend an enormous amount of time perfecting them, editing, etc... which of course, makes a 2 hour photo session, easily turn into 7 hours of actual work before a client even sees the photographs. That's not including all of my other business responsiblities of course. So when I squeeze in an extra session here and there each week, that's easily an extra 15 hours worth of work. I've been told several times to just "raise prices" and that will solve everything, but I don't believe in that philosophy.

Anyway, my ramblings are concluded with this: I am only taking up to 4 sessions per month for the rest of the year. I am currently now booking into July with two spots left.

Because of the nature of newborn photography, which should be done within the first two weeks of life, I ask that if you are expecting, please contact me so that I can pencil in your due date. That due date will count as a session reservation and actual date can be adjusted as needed.

I believe that by taking on a more reduced number of sessions per month, I will be able to provide even better service to my families, but most importantly, spend the time with my daughter that she so much deserves.

Thanks so much for all of your support and kind words! I am looking forward to the rest of this fabulous year!

Storyboards

2009-05-25T21:05:00.004-04:00

It's been a while since I shared a storyboard layout and I really liked how this one turned out so I thought today would be a good day for a product share. Storyboards and collages are the perfect way to combine a group of your favorite photos, without taking up a lot of wall space. This is an example of a 16x20 and of course, wording and layouts can all be customized. Sometimes I'll add a special quote, a definition, or no words at all but here, just one words sums everything up quite nicely. My favorite way to mount these is to have them gallery-mounted. Ask me to see my sample!

Happy Memorial Day to those who have served and to those who are currently serving...and a special shout out to my ex-fellow Army Reserve soldiers from the 356th BPAD at Fort Meade!

Beautiful Sweet Family

2009-05-22T00:22:00.006-04:00

I always feel honored when people ask me to photograph their children/family. It's like they've invited me into their world (sometimes their homes) for a little bit to witness how much they truly care about one another, and value the time they have with each other. That's really how I felt today with this family.

I've had a lot of laid back dads lately and I'm really starting to like it! He was as about as eas-going as they come. Sometimes I can tell that dads just don't want to be there and are probably thinking about mowing the grass, or catching a game on television (ahemm... my husband??!!) but this one seemed to really enjoy the time with his family... who could blame him?

A Weekend Off!

2009-05-17T23:57:00.004-04:00

Around here, a weekend off is a rarity but I took this weekend off so that I could have a yard sale and spend some time with Madeline. I must say, despite lugging around, tagging, folding, and hanging a ton of the oodles of things we've managed to hoard in our basement, I had a great time spending two beautiful days outside with Madeline. We even both took a nap outside on Saturday. Ahhh, Spring how I love thee...

Two days and some junk free later, it's Sunday and I'm ready to start this week! I have a busy weekend coming up with some sessions and I'm looking forward to it.

And because I don't like to end without a photo, here's another beautiful shot of the lovely maternity session I had earlier in the week.

Radiant

2009-05-13T23:43:00.005-04:00

So when I walked up to this house, right away I saw a large incredible photograph that was turned into a painting, a candid, natural photograph... and was thrilled that they had incredible taste. And then, this gorgeous and very sweet mom to be introduces herself and shows me all of the beautiful clothing she had picked out for her maternity session... and I was even more thrilled that she put so much thought into how her photographs would look. The nursery was adorable and I can not wait to come back and photograph her beautiful little girl in it. I love doing before and after shots. Needless-to-say, this session was beautiful for many reasons and the weather cooperated after having to reschedule twice@

Hands down, this is my favorite photograph of the session. If it were a photo of me, I think I'd be bragging (with every right to do so!) all over town about how beautiful I look in it!

The Perfect Pear

2009-05-10T23:03:00.004-04:00

I had the fabulous opportunity to photograph these perfect babies on Saturday AND not only were they absolutely a dream to work with, but I also brought a long a second shooter/assistant/aspiring awesome photographer (she's going to be stiff competition for me one day!)...a girl could get used to sessions like these!

These sweet boys were just 10 days old and I was quite impressed with how well their mom and dad were adjusting to their new roles. They did it with such ease and the happiness on their faces was so easy to see. Perhaps that had something to do with how well the session went!

Thanks so much D & B... we had an amazing time with your new family and we hope you adore the photographs as much as we do!

Happy Birthday Sweet Boy!

2009-05-03T23:21:00.008-04:00

I have been lucky enough to photograph this happy boy at 3 months...

then at 6 months...

...and now again celebrating his first birthday soon. Notice how incredibly easy he makes my job?!!! He's one of the happiest babies I've ever photographed and I'm so thankful to have been able to watch him keep getting cuter, and cuter and cuter, if that's even possible.

Happy birthday sweet boy and thank you so much D family for the privelege! You two have much to celebrate!

And a first birthday is not complete without cake. Love his unsure face here!

But that didn't last very long!

The evidence and the guilty face! "What do you expect from me, I'm gonna be 1 not 21!"

Love this family

2009-05-02T23:34:00.013-04:00

Do you know how I booked this session? I just emailed my dear friend here and said, "You have an appointment at this time and location. Will not take any excuses, except maybe if you're on your deathbed, but only then, just maybe." Amber is the kindest and most warm-hearted person, so much so that she would never think to schedule photos with HER in them!

Sometimes life gets in the way and we think we're too busy for photos and we think, "Ah well, I take photos all the time with my good old Kodak camera, that's good enough." But, how many of them are really timeless? And how often are us moms in the photos? And those photos that we have of us as children with our parents, how many do we have that we cherish? I know I only have a handful with my parents and I old onto them tightly. I think photos are just as much for our kids one day as they are for us. Anyway, I loved doing these and I love this family. Maybe one day we can convince dad to join!

Happy Mother's Day to a wonderful mom and beautiful friend!

This photo makes my heart sing! The matilda jane clothes, the flowers, but especially the look of geniune happiness.

Love everything about this photo too. The fishing lure in his hands, his stance with his feet together and his John Wayne hat.

She didn't want to hold the parasol so he held it for her over her head!

I actually have quite a few of her smiling into the camera but I really love this.

Beautiful everything

2009-05-02T22:55:00.003-04:00

Somehow I've fallen a behind in my editing process so this share will be a little brief for now but.... worth it! I recently found *THE CHAIR* I've been looking for now for over a year. I love it and these beautiful girls helped me model it last weekend at the most gorgeous place on Earth, Catoctin Mountain Orchard!
No, the middle one is not the older sister!

A few more to come from this session later this week!

Latest issue of Celebrate Gettysburg magazine is out

2009-04-29T14:20:00.002-04:00

I did a screen capture of the website sneak peek because I haven't gotten my hands on an actual copy of the magazine yet but... I love the story on Adams County's Everyday Hereos... and the photography too, :)

They were both a pleasure to photograph and truly deserving of such a title. Check it out!

5 Week Old Surprise

2009-04-27T22:08:00.004-04:00

This beautiful baby boy was an angel on Sunday which I know made his mom very happy. He was a little older than I like to photograph newborns (under 2 weeks is ideal) but surprise, surprise, I was wrong. He was wonderful and let me position him with just a leeeeetle fight on his part.

He joins a loving family who are so obviously smitten with him!

I think he looks just his gorgeous mom!
I really thought mom was an interior designer but turns out she is a very talented decorater and especially talented at finding very unique pieces of furniture and accessories. This is a changing table (underneath the top board) and is definitely the most gorgeous changing table I've ever seen.

Love the bright eyes and tiny smirk!
So peaceful and so happy here.

Peachy

2009-04-25T23:52:00.005-04:00

I could hardly wait to get home to edit this first shot. I've been wanting to do this for a long time and well, these gorgeous sisters were perfect. I've had the pleasure of photographing miss T. before but today, I also got to photograph her brand new beautiful baby sister! This peach hat matched the color of her peachy skin!
I recently bought several pieces of fabric to do shots like these. I just asked mom which she liked best and I think she made a beautiful choice!

It was hot outside today so dad was wearing a tank shirt and I noticed his awesome tattoo and asked if he wouldn't mind me taking this shot. Lucky for me, he's a pretty nice guy and I love how it turned out!

You might recognize this little girl from the photo on my splash page!

Sweet Pea... Maryland Newborn Photographer

2009-04-22T22:21:00.006-04:00

I have a lot of newborn babies coming up within the next few weeks (and two this weekend!) and I'm very excited about that! I'm editing the rest of this session this evening and thought I'd share just one more from this sweetheart last weekend.

Schedule update

2009-04-22T11:42:00.004-04:00

Just a quick note to say that May is completely (over) booked and I only have 2 spots left for June; HOWEVER, this does not apply to newborn sessions if they are done within the first 2 weeks of life. I always make time for newborns since they are so time sensitive and it is critical to get them in before 2 weeks for those curled up sleepy shots that are so gorgeous.

Here's some photos of my muse from last weekend. A tea party fit for a princess...a sassy princess!

10 Days New

2009-04-19T01:37:00.008-04:00

I had to postpone this session twice because this little guy wanted to stay with his mommy for as long as he could! But boy was he worth the wait. Just absolutely a perfect baby.

Thanks so much H & D for inviting me to photograph your "sweet pea"! Here are just a few of my favorites from our session!

His expression kills me this one!

A smile for mom and dad!

Absolutely amazing eyes and I could've stared at them forever.

Beautiful Family...

2009-04-18T22:45:00.005-04:00

... both inside and out. I've had the pleasure of knowing these two lovely people for a very long time. I was thrilled to be able to photograph their family mainly because I know how much they love each other and that makes my job so much easier. Dad is getting ready to deploy to Iraq for the second time for a whole year. Being with them makes me really appreciate how much soldiers sacrifice because this one sure does love his family.

The train car says Walkersville which is where they both grew up and met of course. I love the symbolism here with the train car heading towards Walkersville.

V.I.F. = Very Important Family

2009-04-13T23:48:00.014-04:00

This beautiful mom booked a session with me all the way from New Jersey so they definitely get the V.I.F. status. Okay, so they didn't really come from New Jersey to have photographs taken with me, but since they were in town visiting family for the Easter holiday, she wanted to do something extra special for her in-laws with a large family portrait. The rain on Saturday put a damper on things (ahem... literally...) but when families are happy and enjoying their time together, it doesn't matter if it's raining.

I went back again today to get some smaller family shots. This little girl wow'd me with her vocabularly and smarts and as far as babies go (you photographers know what I'm talking about here) this little guy could steal any heart with his big blue eyes and chubbiness!

This photo is my favorite of the day and the next one is a close second.. Funny how I usually go for the mom and child photographs. There is just something about how a mom adores her child.

And here's all of the wonderful S family! I realize I might be in the minority by picking this one as my favorite. Most people like the everyone straight facing the camera shots but this one says "real family" to me!

Beautiful

2009-04-08T11:36:00.002-04:00

Is the word that comes to mind when I look at this photo. Just wanted to share.

Happy hump day!

Daddy's Girl

2009-04-06T23:37:00.002-04:00

It's hard trying to convince my husband to let me take some photos of him but I pulled out all the stops yesterday when I told him that he should do it for Madeline. Well, he'll do ANYTHING for her and so here we have it.... the results of my quickest session ever, all 8 minutes of it.

The truth is, I know she'll cherish these forever when we're long gone and that's why it's so important to me to take photos.

Coming Soon

2009-04-05T00:35:00.007-04:00

Anyone who knows this mom-to-be can vouch for me when I say that her laughter and smile are contagious. It was a lot fun to be around these parents-to-be today!

It's never really easy for me to pick a favorite out of a "series" of photos in the same setting and this time, it was especially hard. I really like this serious side of her but I adore the last two as well ( and the crazy wind died down just in time for these beautiful photographs!).

And how great is he? Some husbands just "get it" and others don't (like....ahemm...mine! ha ha!)

New Product

2009-03-29T23:38:00.003-04:00

I'm happy to offer gallery-mounted prints and storyboards now with every session. Any size can be gallery-mounted with your choice of a white or black beveled edge and they come with a protective matte finish and are ready to hang.

I have a 12x12 print example shown here along with a 10x20 storyboard. The storyboard is actually now displayed on an easel in front of my fireplace and the print is resting against the mirror on my mantle, but either could be hung on the wall as you can see in the last paragraph. I love the high-quality look and feel they provide!

Weekend Update

2009-03-29T00:17:00.003-04:00

I thought it was supposed to be Spring already? I'm still anxiously awaiting Spring weather over here... a rain-out today but I had a great time hosting a Matilda Jane Trunk Show. Didn't get an invite? Well then maybe it's because you're not a Facebook fan! Or maybe it's because you don't have a little girl :) I cannot tell you how excited I am to photograph Madeline and the little girls that were here today in their Matilda Jane attire! Spring better get here very quickly because I have big plans...

I have an exciting update for you. One of my photos can be seen on Frederick Co. Government's new Sustainability webpage of the beautiful Miss B.

And in other published news, last month, my Brag Books were featured on Design Aglow at http://www.designaglow.com/ and since then, I've been innundated with photographers all over the country wanting to know how I made those Brag Books. Pretty cool.

I have a new product to show you tomorrow, some exciting shoots coming up but for now, I leave you with another photo of that cutie pie from last weekend.

The First Day of Spring...

2009-03-21T22:23:00.009-04:00

...I spent with these two handsome boys and what a way to welcome the season!

Coffee Table Books

2009-03-18T23:26:00.005-04:00

Tomorrow I will be helping to judge a local high school photo contest.... how fun is that?!!! Because they've asked me to come during the morning when I have Madeline, I'll be bringing my very reliable "assistant" to help me with the judging process! I believe her criteria is, "ba-ba? Elmo? ball?" Those usually get a "WOW!" from her... hope someone photographed Elmo...

Okay, so here's what I really wanted to post about...my new coffee table books! I have it shown here with a custom photo cover but I also sell them in solid leather covers. The pages are super thick and the spine is hinged so that it lays flat on the table. This is a baby girl example where I combined the baby session and the maternity session (LOVE that!) but could easily work for any girl or even an engagement album since the color is customizable.

Because I love these books so much, I also purchased a custom template for an adorable baby boy template and a bright vibrant colored family one... working on a sample layout for those.

Oh Lucky Days

2009-03-16T22:04:00.003-04:00

You'd better be wearing green today or else... Madeline packs a mean set of muscles ya know! Happy St. Patrick's Day

P.S. Yes, I think it's pretty cool how her shirt matches my new logo!

Happy weekend again! Fairfield Child Photographer

2009-03-15T01:01:00.004-04:00

I shot a private session today, which was awesome, but I am unable to post a sneak peek from the session... and I have a magazine session tomorrow, which I am unable to post pictures from until the issue hits the stands... so what in the world am I supposed to post on my photography blog?!!! How about another favorite from last weekend and a promise to post a St. Patty's Day photo of my girl by Tuesday?

I particularly like this photo because when this mom contacted me for this session, she said her son doesn't do very well in the "chain studios" and she just wanted some professional photos of her boys where he's not crying... so yay for me for not making him cry :)

If you look closely at the photo below, you'll see my new logo watermarked on it. Isn't it pretty???!! I adore it and it's just the look I've been after. It'll take me some time to have all of my materials reprinted and site switched over, so I'm gonna start with baby steps here... my favorite kind of steps anyway!

Breath of Fresh Air. Frederick County Child Photographer

2009-03-08T23:11:00.010-04:00

This weekend was absolutely a breath of fresh air. Not only did I enjoy the wonderful temps but I finally got to go outside for a photo session, without winter jackets! I met these sweet boys on Saturday and I could not have been happier with how adorable they were dressed, their gorgeous bedrooms which made for some great (and personal) backdrops (much more so than just a plain old studio backdrop) and just how easy-going their mom was. All of those things are a sure recipie for a great session.

Here are just a few of my favorites!

Feature in this Month's Celebrate Gettysburg

2009-02-27T14:18:00.003-05:00

A bit of a word search for you... if you can tell me how many times my name appears in this month's magazine, I'll give you a $25 gift certificate towards prints and products... email me with your entries!

This one is obvious in the "Photography by" line so I'll give this one to you!

Got Pottery Barn?

2009-02-24T00:55:00.005-05:00

I'm happy to be able to start offering these Inspire Guides after each session. If you flip through Pottery Barn catalog like I do and are in awe of the beautiful photographic wall galleries they put together, but overwhelmed at the thought of attempting one yourself, then this Inspire Guide will hopefully inspire you too.

I believe that a custom photographer should offer unique products and if you're truly after a unique look, then nothing more than combining the two with a beautiful wall display that's all your own really says what's important to you. A single 8x10 really is tiny on a huge wall! But... 6-12x12 canvases, for example, is finer than the finest art you can buy. And more personal too.

Here are just a few examples from the guide:

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Happy Sunday!

2009-02-22T22:28:00.002-05:00

I am finishing this gallery from last weekend and about to start proofing a session I did with a really fun family on Saturday. Just wanted to share one last one of this sweet baby...betcha can't guess which one he is?

Art for My Kitchen...

2009-02-17T23:27:00.007-05:00

...compliments of my lovely cook whose cooking skills with plastic grapes and plastic carrots will amaze you.

I was totally inspired to do this by a wonderful photographer Lyndsay Stradner of Life in Motion Photography, Austin, TX (thank you Lyndsay for the nice words about my version!). My dining room and kitchen walls are bland and I like my artwork to be personal. Maddy has the most adorable kitchen already so I moved it from the basement up to the dining room because I liked the red walls against her kitchen (I hit the wall in the process coming up the steps but we won't tell the hubby, mmm kay?!!).

Then she turned around and did this when I asked her to give me a model pose.

... "come here and kiss the cook, why don't cha!" This might be one of my most favorite shots of her ever. I love how she makes each one of my photos so much more personal to me.

Sweet, Sweet Baby

2009-02-15T23:58:00.004-05:00

Life is always suddenly so much sweeter when I have the opportunity to photograph a newborn baby and their family. Makes me appreciate those little things all over again. You might remember this beautiful couple from their earlier maternity session. Now, they go by "mom and dad" to their beautiful baby boy.

Can you tell they are smitten??!!

Love this shot so very much!

Babies know their moms. It's an amazing thing to watch. It's no surprise that he grinned here for her... so content.

And his spikey hairdo just kills me!!!

I have a hat obession, oh yes I do.

Modern Brag Books Now Available

2009-02-13T16:43:00.003-05:00

How incredible are these? These are already a HUGE hit and I just finished up my sample today!

If you're looking for a sleek, classy way to display photos, whether you keep them in your purse or on your desk at work, or purchase some for relatives, this brag book is great way to showcase your favorite photographs from your session.

These are packaged in a sleek white organza drawstring bag to keep them clean. The Brag Book includes 10 photographs plus a cover, mounted to a plastic substrate and protected with a lustre finish coating. Please ask me to see my example or email me for more information!

Storyboards

2009-02-13T10:35:00.006-05:00

I have been on a new product kick lately and excited to show you some of my new offerings.

For now,I'll start out with some photos I've been meaning to put up of the storyboards I offer mounted to styrene. There are two examples here of how I display them. The first is in my daughter's room above her bed. I just punched a hole through the styrene and hung with a ribbon and the second is simple enough, just lean them up against a shelf. What I like about these most is that you don't have to frame them this way if you don't want to but... since they are protected with a lustre finish, you could just frame them with a wooden frame, no glass and be done with it.

Simple enough. Just the way I like it.

Check back this weekend for more product photos I am excited to introduce... and a newborn baby session coming up on Sunday!

The Other Side of the Camera

2009-02-11T21:34:00.002-05:00

I always do these types of shots during sessions and am always secretly jealous that I don't have any of my own. I have a million photographs of Madeline but none really of me in them.... so I asked if I set up the shot, if someone (other than Rodney who doesn't have the patience to put up with my pickiness!) could take some for me with my camera. Good thing for me that Erica responded and now, I have some awesome photographs to keep forever.

I totally get the excitement now that moms must feel when they get to see their proofs. I absolutely love these photographs and will cherish them forever.

Gorgeous Day

2009-02-08T00:34:00.004-05:00

... and gorgeous kids. I had this whole idea in mind for scarves and winter hats in an urban setting but as luck would have it, it was almost spring-like today. Almost. Ah well, I had a really good time today and I think I smiled the entire time at these two!

Cup 'O Valentine

2009-01-27T23:09:00.004-05:00

I had so much fun with this ADOR.A.BLE baby and his fun mommy on Sunday! If I got this Valentine in my mailbox, I think I would squeal out loud when I opened it!

If you look closely, the X photograph says "Mommy" and the O photograph says Daddy, thanks to his super creative mom for the cute attire!

If these do not make you smile, then I'm pretty sure you need to have yourself checked out ;)

And finally, I do like these kinds of photographs when kids are just as adorable with a pouty face as they are with a smile! He did not appreciate being a Cup 'O Valentine as you can see!!

A Bundle of Perfect

2009-01-26T23:40:00.009-05:00

When this new mom called me to come and photograph their newest addition, I was over the moon because I had such a good time with them taking their maternity photos. The sonogram one I have in my blog header is world famous now! Anyway, my hunch was right when I saw this sweet baby girl, totally adorable!

Thanks for letting me play with all of my hats and poses K family! Here are only a fraction of my favorites... I hope you love them as much as I do!

P.S. To all of my blog stalkers... if you like these kind of squishy newborn poses, they are best achieved before the baby turns 2 weeks old :)

One of my all-time fav family photos. I love it when mom said these were her two red-headed babies!

And I like to call this last photo, "Life is good."

Beautiful Perspective

2009-01-24T22:55:00.009-05:00

One of the best things about this job is getting to see people I haven't seen in forever from a totally different view. Today I met with this beautiful girl that I went to high school with who also goes by the name "mommy" now too. Her daughter just stole my heart with her gorgeous eyes, sweet smile and the sweetest disposition. This job has turned me in to a total sap. I can't help it!

Sometimes the hardest thing for me is picking a few favs to preview here on my blog because I tend to pick different ones that speak to me for whatever reason, but... hands down, this one is my favorite shot of the day:

From one Steelers fan to another, this one makes me grin from ear to ear because she's doing "Touchdown Steelers!" which also happend to be one of my own daughter's very first signs. Love the hair :)

I also love these kinds of shots. I took this one in the beginning when she was still skeptical of me and my camera. I love how she's holding onto her mommy for security, a classic mommy-daughter pose.

K--I know this was supposed to be a Valentine's Day mini-session but I have sooooooo many favs to send you! Thank you so much for inviting me over today!

MIA?

2009-01-22T16:47:00.004-05:00

I'm here, I'm here!

I wrapped up an assignment this past weekend for Celebrate Gettysburg Magazine (awesome time!) and had a scheduled session postpone until this weekend... speaking of this weekend, I somehow booked 5 shoots this weekend. Crazy, you ask? Nope! I just NEVER turn down newborns! They're so time sensitive and should be done within the first two weeks. I'm so excited to meet this little girl anyway:)

I have 3 Valentine's Day session this weekend and another portrait assignment. Busy times so please stay tuned!

I have thought long and hard about the possiblity of posting more about my lucky ladybug this year. Afterall, she is my creative insipration and my breath of fresh air. I would like to introduce you more to her as she grows and continually amazes us, and share a little bit of what it's like to have a special (needs) toddler... I just hope it's not too terribly boring reading material for my readers!

Sugary Sweet!

2009-01-09T22:52:00.007-05:00

Thank you S family for helping me start off 2009 with sweetness and beauty!

Love is in the Air!

2009-01-05T23:02:00.004-05:00

It's never too early to start thinking about love! I'm booking for Valentine's Day mini-sessions and running a special to go along with it.

Lucky Valentine Special $50

When and where?

Mini-sessions at my home studio on Saturday, January 24th beginning at 9:00am. Sessions are first come first serve.
Mini-sessions at your home on Sunday, January 25th or Saturday, January 31st in the mornings.

What is a mini-session?

It is a shortened version of my normal 2-hour long session and will last around 30-45 minutes. Long enough to get at least 10 really sweet proofs to show you!
I will come prepared with a few Valentine props but sometimes the best photograph is just an adorable child with a sweet smile.

What do you get?

2-5x7s
10-4x6s to use as Valentine's Day cards or 10-4x6 Valentine's Day photo cards with a simple design (see below for an example!)
Option to purchase additional photos too, of course!

What do I do?

Send me an email at photographybysandy@hotmail.com or give me a call! 717.642.5128.

P.S. My lucky Valentine does not stay still these days indoors for photos unless I confine her to a chair!

Happy Almost New Year!

2008-12-30T13:59:00.006-05:00

I hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday! It's hard to believe that in just two days, it will be 2009. I'm super excited about the coming year!

In just a few short weeks, I'm going to be announcing my Valentine's Day special so stay tuned! Because I love photographing babies, 2009 also marks the unveiling of the Lucky Baby Plan, a special way to capture baby's first year.

I'm also adding some additions to my HUGELY popular photo jewelry line and will be making some changes to the boutique page on my website.

Lastly, if you subscribe to Frederick Magazine, check out page 20. My photo with my photo credit can be seen in the January edition. I'm also getting ready to shoot a feature for Celebrate Gettsyburg Magazine... busy times!

And because I'm in looooove with my new camera (and my little girl too), I'll leave you with my new favorite photograph of her doing what she loves to do best now, walk by herself.

Hope your 2009 is off to a great start!

From My Family to Yours

2008-12-16T00:18:00.003-05:00

Thank you to my clients, family and friends for helping to make this year more amazing for me than I ever thought possible! I've witnessed true happiness, true love and real beauty all year long... and I've had a fantastic time doing it.

I'm taking a much needed break for the rest of the month but will, of course, be finishing proofing, taking orders and checking emails. I'm also going to be taking this time to learn how to use my new camera (helloooo Canon 50D, I'm sorry to leave you sitting in a box for past last month but I have been too busy to learn how to use you properly!) so I may pop in here with a few photos of my lovely Madeline if she's a willing model.

I hope all of the families I've gotten to know realize how truely lucky they are this holiday season!!!

The Beautiful C Family

2008-12-15T23:38:00.009-05:00

Yesterday I photographed my last session for 2008 and what a great way to end the year. The C family welcomed twins 3 months ago and they are those kind of babies that you can't help but to comment at least every 5 minutes about how cute they are. Their big sister was so much fun to pretend play with and I really enjoyed her giggles all morning!

She has the most beautiful mural painted in her bedroom. Totally fitting for a princess!

Amazing eyelashes!

This photo happens to make me chuckle. I hope it's not symbolic of the next 18 years with these two. :)

Santa's Gift

2008-12-13T22:20:00.010-05:00

Christmas is pretty special to me. My daughter was born Christmas Eve and I joke with my husband that he has to find a way to top that gift at some point! But I know and he knows that there will never be a better gift than a baby. I think this couple knows it too.

Meeting this little guy was a treat. His smiles were adorable and he is about as sweet as they come. Santa did very well :) Thank you so much R & J for allowing me to photograph your beautiful family! These are just a few of my favorites because I have to get back to proofing before the round guy in the red suit comes down the chimney!

Wrapped around Santa's finger! Love this family photo!

Radiant

2008-12-12T23:02:00.011-05:00

I really enjoy maternity photography. I love being a part of something exciting to come, especially when it's for the first child for a happy couple. This beautiful new mom-to-be is just radiant... literally! I have it captured here to prove it! :) I think her husband is beaming with excitement and happiness as well! I just love this moment here.

Thank you K&R for being up for anything (even in the 13 degree weather!), for bringing a smile to my face when I look at these photos and for allowing me to photograph this special time for you!

Mr. Dimples

2008-12-07T21:31:00.007-05:00

This little handsome guy is about 2 months old and the word "sleep" apparently doesn't exist for him much during the day. Instead, he'd rather be soaking it all in and who can blame him really, there's so much to see and learn! His mommy was extra nice and super patient while we waited to for him to *try* to sleep. She broke out the blow dryer which worked like magic... until it was time to change his outfit, of course! Thank you so much K and little B! I really enjoyed meeting you both and hope to be able to do part 2 soon!

...as visions of sugar plums danced in his head! My favorite shot of the day.
I love the clarity of how gorgeous his eyes are here. Almost as much as I love how he has his lips puckered here!
Moms always get the best smiles from their babies!

A long day out on the ball field can make a little guy tired!

Soon to hit the newstands... Lucky Ladybug Photography

2008-12-03T22:56:00.002-05:00

I just received my first offer for an assignment for Celebrate Gettysburg magazine. This story will appear in the March/April issue and rest assured, I will notify everyone when it hits the stands! But why wait til then really, go pick up a copy today and start Celebrating Gettysburg!

The Lucky M Family

2008-12-01T00:40:00.006-05:00

Not only does this really nice couple have an adorable and happy 2-year old, but they also were recently blessed with twin baby girls and oh how they made my heart sing!!! I couldn't wait to get home to edit this one... take a look at this moment captured!!

This one is one of my all-time favorite toddler shots. Love it because she loves her ducky and I love the way she has positioned herself right down to ducky's level for a big smooch!

I'll take one of these please.

2008-11-24T22:21:00.017-05:00

This little bundle of pure sweetness was absolutely wonderful to photograph. He was about a week old here and that two week mark makes a difference. After two weeks, they usually don't let me move them around too much without putting up a good fight! He would just whimper a little (which melted my heart) but slept like an angel. Don't get me wrong, newborn photography is not as easy as it seems. Getting them to sleep doesn't necessarily make it easier, this took a good 2 hours to get! But there's only a very short time frame to be able to capture those curled up newborn poses before they grow up so fast... and boy do they grow up so fast...

I love waiting to catch their little facial expressions. I love how he scrunched his brows together here!

These hats are very popular right now in newborn photography and I was too excited when his Nona brought out this specially handmade hat and booties to match! I'll be ordering a few of these from the talented person who made them!
A lot of people have asked me lately how I get them to "smile." I don't of course... I just wait for facial movements and while it was probably a gas pain, it looks like he was having sweet dreams here!

Glasses Needed

2008-11-20T14:51:00.002-05:00

If you look very closely, you can see my credit.
http://www.discoverfrederickmd.com/news/news/newsitem.cfm?item=1405.

It was a fun event to photograph! Congrats again to all of the winners!

Another early Christmas gift

2008-11-16T23:10:00.009-05:00

I have had such a fun time this weekend with all of these great families! Today I photographed the B family who welcomed a beautiful little girl recently. I predict that she'll be sitting and crawling within no time. This tiny baby was so strong and full of determination! I love how amazing newborns are.

It was a little tough getting in newborn, individual and family shots all in one session but these happy and well-behaved kids made my job so much easier.

Is she not a little model already?!!

I am wondering if I can count this as a smirk?!! If not, it sure is a cute face!

She can already hold her head up at 2-1/2 weeks!So normally I much prefer to do large family shots outside because I love a natural backdrop and nothing beats natural sunlight; however, my last two family session have included newborns and it's super cold outside! But you know what, I really like them inside too after this weekend!

An early Christmas gift

2008-11-16T00:18:00.010-05:00

Today I had the pleasure of photographing my brand new 5-day old 2nd cousin and his super cool family. This little guy was a dream to photograph and his brother was a total pro in front of the camera. I hope the rest of my holiday session go this well!

Love this holiday family portrait and I love how the baby is the ONLY one looking at the camera here! How often does THAT ever happen?!!

I used my macro lens to capture his perfect little details. I love this lens for newborn photos!

And finally, I was boring him so I left him be :)

That glow

2008-11-15T23:26:00.009-05:00

You know that just positively happy and radiant glow that some pregnant women get? Well this one definitely had it. I just love it when nice, beautiful people have babies, it makes me feel like there's a whole lot of good coming to the world very soon!

Thank you so much S&N for letting me capture this special time in your lives! Your little girl is already so blessed to have such wonderful parents!

This photo makes me wish I had done maternity images of myself. *sigh* Isn't she absoutely gorgeous?

Pickle cravings are very common among pregnant so I understand!

Celebrate Gettysburg with me!

2008-11-12T12:38:00.003-05:00

So here's my exciting news! I emailed the beautiful publication, Celebrate Gettysburg magazine, about ad rates for next year. I am thinking about developing a real marketing plan as a way to reach more folks in that area after a few recent photography inquiries from Montgomery County, MD. So far, I've been doing really well by word-of-mouth only but only a small portion of my clients have been from Adams County. I picked that magazine as a likely possibility because it's a fresh publication, similar to what Frederick Magazine offers Frederick County residents, and they reach my target audience.

To my surprise, the publisher emailed me back with some nice words after viewing my website and asked if I'd like to become a freelance photographer! I recently met with her and I'm so excited to be involved with such an up-and-coming and very needed publication.

So be assured that I will give you plenty of advanced notice when my photos appear so that you can buy them up with me... ha ha! In the meantime, check it out!

www.celebrategettysburg.com

Someone get this kid an agent--QUICK!

2008-11-04T21:10:00.011-05:00

I've had a lot of great sessions lately, lots of them at Baker Park and how can I argue with that... it's gorgeous this time of year there. This little girl and her mommy just made my life easy on this day. I think I could've just sat down on the bench and still have gotten a ton of great photographs. She was so happy, so giggly, and so darn CUTE!!!! Can you believe she's only 3? Here's to hoping that mine is this easy when she's 3... .ha ha, wishful thinking!

Love, love, LOVE this one... this one should be on the cover of the Fall edition of a Child magazine :) Speaking of magazines, more to come on that subject later!

Love the realness of this one. Not posed, they just naturally adore one another!

Even her mean face is cute!

Speaking of Happy...

2008-11-03T01:20:00.010-05:00

This gorgeous mom happens to be one of the sweetest people I've ever worked with. She's always got a smile on her face, always thinking of others and like I said before, happy parents = happy kids! J is not so shabby himself either ;)

We did a last minute, shortened version of a photo session but I'm confident that we got some keepers! Here are a few of my favorites.

Happy parents = happy baby

2008-11-02T22:30:00.014-05:00

Saturday morning I began the first of 4 weekend photo sessions (was I crazy??!! no, it was just gorgeous weather outside!) with a some of my favorite customers. Why are they some of my favorites? Because I got photograph this adorable baby over the summer and they invited me back for his 6 month photos... and now he's as happy as ever!

This was my first time shooting at Catoctin Mountain Orchard since the summer and I must say, it doesn't disappoint me either in the Fall.

Two of my most favorite photos ever: awesome silouette with the sun directly above...

... and this awesome colorful background and the sweetest mommy-baby bond.

All I see here are BLUE eyes!

There are about 8 of these photos of him cracking up. I really don't know how I'm supposed to pick the best one of the bunch to post??!! I hope he thought I was just funny and not funny looking... :)

Burning Midnight Oil to Finish Proofing

2008-11-01T01:56:00.005-04:00

But wait, are these real models that I photographed last weekend? Could've fooled me.

In my own backyard

2008-10-30T14:46:00.003-04:00

I always get asked for ideas for locations of photo sessions. That's a tough one for me to answer most times because not everyone's idea of the perfect portrait is the same. I do like to incorporate a lot of the environment into photographs but I can do that creatively even in someone's backyard!

I did want to mention though that I have overlooked a really cool spot that looks promising for many different styles and tastes. The Strawberry Hill Nature Preserve Center right in Fairfield is stunning this time of year! Three ponds, two mountain streams, and wildlife galore... a little paradise right in my own back yard.

'Tis the Season. Almost.

2008-10-27T22:33:00.005-04:00

I thought that this past rainy and very gloomy Saturday would be a great day to try to get some photos of Madeline in my home studio for the annual Wagerman Christmas card. My plan is to go simple this year, nothing too Christmasy because I have a pretty simple card template that I love and want the photos to reflect the theme and colors of the card. I plan to have them print them double-sided and print them on gorgeous watercolor paper. The layout calls for a series of 3 photos so here's what I tried:

First idea... Fur hooded-coat with red backdrop.
As soon as I put the hood over her head, this is what she did. She acted like she couldn't move in it. She just froze. Hey Happy Holidays folks, doesn't she look like the epitomy of "happy"?

Second idea... Pettskirt on a white chair.

I have used this skirt before during photo sessions but have never gotten a photo of her in it. It was $70 so I'm trying to get my money's worth! ha! Nothing screams "Merry Christmas" like this photo here:

Third attempt... Crocheted hat and cute boots.

Not too shabby here but she's covering her mouth and doing what she's does, putting her fingers in her mouth.

In the end, I got some really great photos that I'm really happy with! And of course, I can't share them here because that would spoil the card!

Fun, FUN!

2008-10-27T00:46:00.015-04:00

I'll say it again because it's worth saying three times, I had a lot of FUN photographing this brother and two sisters! So polite and so gorgeous... I felt so lucky to photograph them!

Here are just a few of my favorites! Of course, this one is just tops for me because I so love the cool way it reflects their very unique personalities!

Love, love these fur hooded coats and I love the way they frame a face! My daughter has one and I thought it would be a great Christmas card photo but she did not cooperate with it on like these two girls did!

Courage and the Beauty of Photographs

2008-10-24T14:45:00.005-04:00

I don't talk a lot here about my Madeline but today, not unlike many days, she is my inspiration for this photography venture and inspiration for everything I do.

I took her outside this morning to take her photograph in her cute hat. I just figured on getting one or two so I leaned her against the bench and asked her to smile. I had to lean her, because at 22 months, Madeline is not walking. Her condition that affects her brain and balance/motor skills has delayed her physcial abilities.

Now there was no doubt in our minds that she could walk and we knew that she had the physical ability but not the courage to do so. I kept wondering how I could convince her that she could walk? Without warning, she just walked towards my camera today and I of course, got to photograph it and now am able to relive this moment forever!

Jewelry!

2008-10-23T21:49:00.006-04:00

I recently had two necklaces ordered at the around the same time and when they came in, I really had a hard time letting them go because they're gorgeous! I would've worn them in a heartbeat... even though they are someone else's kids ;) I can picture it now:

Stranger: "Excuse me mam, the photo of your child on that necklace is adorable!! And where on Earth did you get that necklace?!!"

Me: "Thanks! Oh that's not my kid, my kid is right here. It is just a photo of someone's child that I know but I wear this necklace beause I love it so much."

Here are the two cutie pie twins from the Cunningham Falls session on a double lariat pendant with a black leather rope necklace:

Here's baby A from a summer session, who is by the way, practically all grown up now! This is a Forest Couture gemstone necklace with a 30x20 pendant with double-sided images:

Yep, I'd definitely wear 'em!

New Policy Changes

2008-10-22T00:30:00.003-04:00

These changes have been reflected on my website but I wanted to post them here as well. Due to the limited number of sessions I offer, it becomes necessary from time-to-time to have to turn away people who have requested specific dates and times that have already been booked. Many times, I have book dates and times well in advance.

I fully understand that life is unexpected, kids get sick, and unfortunately things happen that are beyond our control. Sometimes I feel like the queen of unforseen and unexpected life events!

I just ask that when you book a session, you are commiting to a date and time with me. For this commitment, I am now requiring that the session fee be paid upfront to reserve a date/time. The session fee is non-refundable but is transferable in the event that something unforseen happens.

I hope you understand. It pains me to have booked dates and times for people months ago who decided they could no longer commit to that time because I guarantee that I had to turn someone else away from the date due to already having booked it for someone else. I also reserve space for you on my website calendar which is public.

Thanks so much!!!

A Brand New Smiling Baby!

2008-10-17T15:38:00.012-04:00

This little guy was only 7 days old here. I have never, never seen a newborn smile as much as he did in such a short amount of time. Actually, I tried so hard to capture those shots of my own daughter (gassy smiles or not, I would've taken them!) but never could at this age. Everytime his mom spoke, he would smile. It was amazing as is he!

Welcome to the world little J... the world is already a much brighter place!

B Family: Part 2!

2008-10-16T23:12:00.010-04:00

So I sort of teased this nice mom (unintentionally!) with only 3 photos and then left her hanging so I thought I'd post a few more of my favorites before I finished proofing the rest!

Every once in a while, I get to capture something special. And I know this when I'm editing because when that happens, I have a smile on my face the entire time. That's what happened with this very much in love couple!

I really like this one because you can see how incredibly blue all of their eyes are!

I think the background here looks a painting!

And I will leave you with a very fun and "real" family photo!

Welcome Fall!

2008-10-13T23:17:00.004-04:00

For about 10 minutes, Photoshop was acting normal again so here's what I managed to proof from this session with the B family. Can the kids be any cuter? I don't think so. This mom is really and truely a "super mom" and her wonderful kids are a reflection of all of her hard work.

I just love the Fall colors she chose to go so beautifully with Lake Linganore.

See that opening right there at the lake? We got some gorgeous shots there with 2 white swans who decided to join us. I'm crossing my fingers that I get to edit those next!

I feel like I have to forewarn you...

2008-10-09T22:22:00.004-04:00

...it's cuteness overload in these photos. From the moment I met this big sister, she was full of giggles, happiness and curiosity. And from the moment I met this little baby, my heart melted.

We went to the Gettysburg sunflower field for what was my last time there until next year. I will miss you sunflower field... thanks for the memories... ha ha!

Okay, now that you've been warned, I am not responsible if your heart melts too! :)

Perfection

2008-10-06T22:01:00.010-04:00

Is how I would describe this photo session with this beautiful girl. I love how all of these turned out!!! Miss L and her awesome parents (and Rascal the dog too!) were up for anything I suggested and I really had a lot of fun photographing her in downtown Frederick. Sessions always go really well when everyone is happy!

This is one of many all-time favs of mine:

But the rest are definitely close 2nds!

This really nice store owner at One of a Kind on N. Market St. let us come in and take photos. He even asked for some photographs of her to use for his advertising!!! I'll let her mom handle that one.. :)

I really couldn't decide on which one I liked better here, the color version or the B&W.

Being a mom

2008-10-06T12:57:00.002-04:00

I had two very fun sessions this weekend and the weather was divine!!! On Saturday, I photographed a 16th birthday party which was a blast to do and on Sunday, I had a great session with a gorgeous teenager and her little dog in downtown Frederick. We even got to go into a store and tried on hats and accessories!

My plan was to have some favorites blogged last night from both of these but... my little girl was terribly sick last night. She somehow caught a violent stomach bug that kept her (and me!) up all night long.

I have often said that the only bad thing about being a mom is the helpless feeling you have when your child is sick. During Madeline's 21 months here on this Earth, she has experienced more than her fair share of illness and I, have just always wished for a magic wand to be able to take it all away. Yes, it is the worst part about being a mom but I'm always so thankful in the end to see her happy face when she's all better!

The quest for the perfect sunflower photo

2008-09-28T23:59:00.003-04:00

...unfortunately did not end today!

My sweet, sweet girl is a squinter. So on a rainy, overcast day like today, I thought it'd be a great chance to get one of her. Nope. No sun out and still, no beautiful blue eyes! I'm going to have to take her there at midnight or something... ha!

Anyway, trekked through the mud and ruined my sneaks for this keeper. Not the one I had in mind, but I'm holdin' out for next weekend!

Rain. AGAIN.

2008-09-27T23:03:00.003-04:00

If this rain doesn't stop and allow me to take photos outside this weekend, I'm gonna have to give Mother Nature a phone call (if I could just find her #).

This field is calling my daughter's name...

New jewelry addition

2008-09-26T12:28:00.004-04:00

How gorgeous is this Tiffany-inspired bracelet? It's 23 grams of solid .925 sterling silver with a 16mm photo charm in your choice of lengths at 7.5 inches or 8 inches. It's selling at an introductory price of $125 through the end of the year.

I just sold a piece of jewelry that I can't WAIT for to come in! The customer has excellent taste and chose the forest couture necklace with a 30x20mm pendant. I know it's going to be gorgeous!

To see a complete Jewelry Guide with all of the product selections, email me if you're curious!

Double the adorableness!

2008-09-20T22:35:00.017-04:00

Today I had the awesome opportunity to photograph twins! This pair was about as cute as they get and at this age, they're also discovering their new found independence (I know this from my own Miss wannabe independent Madeline!) and their adoring parents were oh so great with them. They totally made me appreciate the team work that truely is parenting!

Here are a few of my favorites!

An evening at the park

2008-09-19T22:32:00.017-04:00

This little girl needs to be in some sort of magazine or something. Everything I asked her to do, she did. Without hesitation. Just knew exactly what to do, where to stand and how to smile.

It was truely my pleasure taking her photographs today at the gorgeous Renfrew Park in Waynesboro.

And how do you like my new car prop and tea set? She definitely approved of them!

Part of the fun I have is getting kids to show me all of their expressions, not just their smiles! This pout was totally fake... I told her mom that I bet she never actually does this face on purpose.

She liked the tea party so much that she changed and had another one!
A secret tea party!

A Rainout

2008-09-14T10:55:00.002-04:00

I had to cancel my Friday evening session due to the rain so this weekend was another break for me. Today is my husband's birthday and we were supposed to take Madeline to the Fair but... it's 95 degrees out and humid as ever. So with her in a hot cast, we have to postpone that too.

Oh well, it gives me time to rest up for next week's sessions!

Stay tuned for a photo of my newest {awesome} prop that I'm sure is going to be a huge hit with the toddler ages!