Black & white personality portraits for adorable siblings

I was so happy when Nora and Benjamin’s mom reached out to me about capturing personality portraits for them here in my Saratoga Springs studio! These sessions are always a lot of fun. They’re simple and to the point, focusing on your little ones so we can truly capture what makes them unique. During personality sessions, all portraits are done in black and white. Your kids have the chance to show off their expressions and milestones, no matter what age they’re at!

For Nora and Benjamin, we photographed each of them individually in the studio before making sure to take some portraits of them together. I hope that they’ll treasure these portraits forever because you can just see how silly and fun both of these kids are! That’s truly my goal when it comes to personality sessions!! And these are great for kids of all ages once they pass their first birthday and you may not be in the studio regularly for portraits.

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Summer Lovin' - Adorable brother & sister photo session at the Hall of Springs in Saratoga Springs

The Hall of Springs is less than two miles from the studio, and it is one of my favorite spots for quick family portrait sessions! The landscaping is always gorgeous, and the marble floors bounce so much light back up onto the subjects. Plus, there are lots of different areas to enjoy for great variety in the session!

I had so much fun with Austin & Avery during their sibling session at the Hall of Springs in SPAC this summer. They were all smiles and giggles, and we captured so many adorable portraits of this duo!

This one is my favorite! Such a cute little hug!

I love those two little teeth peeking through!

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Inspired by this sweet sibling session? Pin this image or any from the post above!

Simple Studio Portraits with Sisters | Saratoga Springs NY Family Photographer

Camille & Lydia joined me in the Attleboro studio for a milestone session, and these two sisters brought all of the cuteness and cuddly hugs with them!  I had so much fun capturing them together, and I can't believe how much they've grown since Camille's newborn session last summer.  It was wonderful to see them again, and I love that we used this same chair in their newborn session and again now that they've grown!

Our milestone sessions are simple & classic with set-ups that showcase your little ones without too much "fluff" in the background.  A cream wall and rug, or a soft white bed are all that you need!  Add the babies and kids, and they bring the cuteness!

Doesn't she look like she's getting ready to conduct an orchestra here?  Camille has SO MUCH PERSONALITY, and she was an absolute blast to photograph!

2017 Best of Siblings - You've Got a Friend in Me | Saratoga Springs NY Family Photographer

We’re continuing with our BEST OF 2017 blog post series, and today we’re sharing a peek into some of our favorite sibling images from last year. 
 

Brothers & sisters share a special relationship that is part friend, part soulmate.  They know how to make each other laugh and how to cheer each other up.  They know how to tattle on each other to mom & dad, and how to push each other’s buttons and annoy them the most. 

But at the end of the day, they love curling up together and just enjoying each other’s company.

2017 was filled with family sessions, newborn sessions, and cake smashes where the siblings truly stole the show and made for some memorable moments captured on camera.  Digging into their baby brother or sister’s birthday cake, the sweetest newborn cuddles, and tickle fights on the beach were just a few of the top sibling moments of the year!  

Enjoy a peek at a few of our most memorable sibling moments from 2017, and be sure to check out our other “BEST OF 2017” blog posts!

Enjoy a peek at a few of our most memorable family sessions from 2017, and be sure to check out our other “BEST OF 2017” blog posts!

Best of 2017 Cake Smash Sessions
Best of 2017 Lifestyle Sessions
Best of 2017 Studio Newborn Sessions
Best of 2017 Maternity Sessions
Best of 2017 Fresh 48 Sessions
Best of 2017 Beach Sessions on Cape Cod
Best of 2017 Family Sessions

Using Rainey's Closet Dress Rentals for my Portrait Studio Wardrobe

Can I let you in on a little secret?  It's the way that every little girl can feel like a princess for her portrait session.  It's called Rainey's Closet.  

Every photographer (and mom!) wants to find the perfect outfit for their portrait sessions.  You want something unique, fun, and just a little bit whimsical.  Something a little bit fancier than your everyday clothing, because photo sessions are a time to have a little fun and experiment with something new!

But that can get a little expensive, especially if you're just going to wear it once, and even more so if your little girl will outgrow it in no time at all.

The solution?  Rent the perfect dress for your session!

Rainey's Closet is a boutique rental company, similar to Rent the Runway, but with couture dresses and adorable little outfits for babies, little girls, and even some items for little boys!  Their website is filled with the most popular brands that photograph so beautifully -- Tutu Du Monde, Dollcake, Nellystella, Well Dressed Wolf, Joyfolie...  The list goes on and on!

I adore this service because for about $35, you can rent the most perfect dress that will truly make your session that much more magical.  A dress that is perfect for twirling, with little hints of sparkle and lots of movement that looks amazing on camera.  

I have discovered so many gorgeous brands and gowns through this website, and it's definitely a favorite resource of mine that I recommend to all of the families I work with.  Planning a beach session this summer?  Rather than spending $30-40 on a dress at the store that you may or may not love, and one that may or may not photograph nicely, rent one from Rainey's Closet that will look STUNNING for your session and that will make your little girl feel like a princess.

I would love it if you'd use my unique referral code
when you rent from Rainey's Closet!  

It's 141372.

Many moms like to send me pictures of the outfits they are thinking of before the session, and then it's so easy to pick one of the dresses from Rainey's Closet to coordinate.  Their colors are soft with lots of neutral tones that will go well with every combination you could possibly dream up.  I have marked dozens of their dresses as favorites, and pinned even more on our wardrobe inspiration boards on Pinterest.  Stuck on outfits?  Start with Rainey's Closet and the rest will come together beautifully!  

For more wardrobe inspiration, check out these helpful links!

Pinterest: Spring Wardrobe Inspiration for Family Portrait Sessions

Pinterest: Beach Wardrobe Inspiration for Family Portrait Sessions

Blog: What to Wear for your Family Portrait Session

A Whimsical Pink & Teal Birthday

Look who's turning one! I had such a fabulous time planning Anna's cake smash with her mom.  Some families come to me and say, "I'm not the creative type.  I trust you.  I'm sure you'll come up with an amazing set."  Other families come to me in the planning stages and tell me a few ideas, we share inspiration photos, bounce ideas off of each other, and then I finish the final details in planning their session!

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Anna's mom knew that she wanted to do a cake smash birthday session outdoors, which I was very excited about.  She wanted something girly, soft, and whimsical for her daughter.  She loved inspiration photos that I sent her with pinks and teals, and fell in love with these tissue paper balls upon first glance.  That plus the perfect location (Larz Anderson Park in Brookline) with the most incredible light sparkling through the trees in the distance meant that we had the set up for a STUNNING cake smash!

I love seeing the cute little outfits that parents find on Etsy for the children's sessions.  This ruffled and lacy teal diaper cover was no exception, and it was just perfect with those pearl beads!

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Anna was so full of personality and I loved capturing her at this age.  The first birthday is such a milestone, and your little baby is growing into quite the little person!  Those rolls on the legs, her excited new clapping skills, and those teeth poking through are just a few of the things you'll want to remember about this age.

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While a little dainty at first, Anna quickly got all into her cake and was loving every single frosting-covered bite!  Her big brother Mikey wasn't one to just sit on the sidelines and watch his sister enjoy that whole cake to herself, so he jumped in.  These next photos weave together perfectly to tell such a comical story of Anna realizing that Mikey loved her birthday cake...

And just like that, Anna is all done!

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See the rest of this family's beautiful session at Larz Anderson Park by clicking here.

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Did you love this cake smash?

Check out another sparkly cake smash session here.

Is your baby turning 1 soon?  Let's chat and plan their birthday session!  

Email me by clicking on the >>CONTACT<< tab above.

The B Family {A fun and playful backyard family session}

We started planning this session back in the middle of a snowy, New England winter.  Dreaming of sunnier days while staring out the window at the 8-foot high snow banks, we knew that warmer days meant fun family time outside.  While planning our session, I usually recommend a number of locations to the families that I photograph, and I am always open to their suggestions, as well. The B family requested that we do their session in their backyard since it held so much meaning for them being the spot where they gathered, played, laughed, and celebrated together.  It turned out to be the PERFECT location with so many little areas that made for the best photo spots -- rustic sheds, a textured wooden wall, a little gate, winding paths, the perfect tree branches, and more!

Max told me he wanted to show me his favorite spot in the yard, so we climbed through the forsythia bushes to this quiet little space.  

Rebecca LOVED being in front of the camera, and she gave me so many natural smiles!  

Yianni {Blue and Teal Newborn Session}

John Eugene

March 15, 2015   |   12:16am

6 pounds, 8 ounces   |   20.5 inches

Little Yianni's family was in for a treat when they came for their newborn session in the studio.  With two big sisters at home eager to welcome home their baby brother, the K family was in for some BLUE.

We had an absolutely wonderful session together with this sweet little boy.  He slept the whole time and didn't even fuss!  I loved wrapping him up in our new springtime wraps, and using our brand new pageboy hat from Sleepy Baby Crafts.   Be sure to check out the Sleepy Baby Crafts page for unique, handmade hats, bonnets, and other cute little accessories for your next photo shoot!

Look at that little furrowed brow, and those teeny-tiny toes peeking out in the basket!  Love this shot of baby Yianni!

Congratulations to the K family!  I hope to see you again soon as your little one grows for a milestone session!

Camilo Jose {Boston Newborn Portraits}

He's here!  He's here! I've been friends with Isabel since our grad school days of analyzing Spanish literature in the basement offices of Boston University.  When she and Dallas were pregnant with their first child, she found her way into my kitchen at 7:30 on a snowy Saturday morning to share the news with me.  That first baby came along, grew up into a little boy, did a fun little photo shoot with me when I was first starting out, and before we knew it she and Dallas were back for a maternity shoot in the Arnold Arboretum last fall.

And now, I'm so excited to share photos my friends' newest bundle of happiness right here with you.  His arrival was marked with lots of loving, sweet little baby kisses, domestic and international flights, M&Ms, and mustaches.  (Read on, you'll see...)

Camilo Jose

11.12.13

7 lbs, 3 oz

18 inches

Oh!  Those soft little back wrinkles!

The dark hair and eyelashes on this little guy just have me mesmerized! What a cutie.  And this new soft gray background is admittedly one of my new favorites for newborn shoots.  Absolutely loving it here!

It was so much fun watching Camilo's big brother Nicolas learn how to be a big brother -- wanting to be involved, trying to give him kisses, seeking the attention of all the adults in the room, wanting to show off his baby, wondering why his baby brother was taking over his play room.  Such a fun time with these two!

(And yes, we may have resorted to carefully positioned M&M candies for a few of these kissy shots!  ;o)

Isa excitedly told me weeks before the baby was due about this adorable elephant hat and bottoms that a friend had hand-made for her and that her mom had brought over on the plane from Ecuador.  Such an adorable outfit!  Love this sweet and peaceful shot.

The boys were lucky to have their aunt visiting from Tennessee for the weekend.  We got a few beautiful backlit shots of them all together.  And a few more of that lucky baby boy in his family's loving arms...

(Yes, there was a mustache joke going on  ;o)     )

And finally, 'Tis the Season!

Wishing this family the most wonderful of Christmases with their two boys.....  And a Happy New Year to all of you!

Bienvenido al mundo, Camilo Jose.

Lowell Stanton {Newborn Portraits}

Lowell Stanton

7 lbs, 11 oz

21 inches

November 8, 2013

I was waiting on two November babies this month, and Lowell Stanton was the first to make his grand entrance into the world on November 8th.  He came a few days early, right in time for the weekend and for his mama to finish a full work week.  :o)  We got together 8 days later for his session, and he was such an angel.  What a calm little baby!

Honestly, photographing Lowell was such an amazing full-circle moment for me.  His big sister Genevieve was the first newborn that I ever photographed, and I was over the moon excited to be able to capture his first days on camera as well.    (Check out Genevieve's other sessions here and here.)

Those itty bitty toes just make me melt!

Lowell's mom Amy is known for her gorgeous hand-made quilts, and they have found their way into her babies' newborn shoots.  Love this robot one!

Big Sister Genevieve is figuring out what to do with this little baby that appeared magically one day, and capturing that curiosity on camera was so much fun.  (Shhhhhh, a little bit of ipad technology just might have been involved to get these shots.  You've gotta do what you've gotta do!)

Congratulations on your beautiful growing family!

Welcome to the world, Lowell!

Spunk & Sass {A Family Session}

I was so excited to get to meet up with this beautiful family again.  We first met two summers ago for our session at a gorgeous beach down in Eastham during low tide.  It was one of my favorite summer sessions to date, and after working with them again I realized that they are just such a darling family to photograph no matter what the location.  The four kids -- Jack, Ella, Charlie, and Lulu -- are so full of spunk and personality, and both sessions have just been filled with real laughter and truly beautiful beaming smiles. And now, without further adieu, the beautiful G family at home for a stunning fall session...

Charlie is a little clown and I love that I got a toothy second-grade grin and a bubbly laugh out of him in just about every frame.  His big brother Jack is a little more reserved, but I love the moment I got him to crack up just as I was hitting the shutter and caught his true smile peeking through.

Lulu is like a little elf running around her family spreading cheer and happiness.  I love all the different expressions I was able to capture on this little doll!

And big sister Ella was such a joy with her piercing eyes and her beautiful smile.

The moment I saw the color of Ella and Lulu's dresses, I knew I wanted this exact picture.  And right after clicking the shutter and stopping to look at my camera?  I just about died -- LOVE the colors here, love how they complement each other and just pop!, love that beautiful bond captured between sisters.

These kids love the "hold hands and run" pics, just like the last time when we were on the beach together.

And finally, one last family pic on the porch.  The first one up above was what we were aiming for, but this is what we got when the youngest little one insisted on doing a "gangster" pose... why not get the whole family do cross their arms for a silly pose!  :o)

G family -- you are wonderful and I absolutely adore capturing the six of you on camera!  Thanks for ANOTHER stellar afternoon together.

Nicolas & Luca

I absolutely adore Sunday mornings.  Out of all the moments in the week, Sunday morning is the time that I just relish it's calmness, happiness, and anticipation.  There's something about those mornings that are just hugged on both sides by a day off from work, off from routine, and off from the go-go-go of the weekdays.  I'll wrap my fingers around a warm mug, find a spot of sunshine on my porch, and soak up the beginning of another great day. A little while back I got to soak up the love and the joy of a Sunday morning with this sweet family.

In typical Sunday morning fashion, when they welcomed me into their home one brother was playing in a puddle of dappled light on the carpet while the other was finishing his breakfast, the grandparents were visiting and enjoying a leisurely cup of coffee, and the mom and dad were moving around trying to get everything done because the one thing about Sunday mornings is that the clock always moves much too quickly and they fly right past you, unaware.

It was a lifestyle session, an on-the-go capture of the boys at play.  During our pre-session planning, we decided that we wanted to show Nicolas and Luca in their home, playing with their toys, exploring, and just being curious and playful little boys and brothers.

Have I mentioned yet how amazing this rug is?  Chevron stripes, soft backlit windows...  As a stripe-lover, ooooooh, this was the perfect setting for these photographs!!  Love how the rug photographs as simple, classic, and fun.

Check out the thick eyelashes on these two boys.  Their mom and I lamented over how the boys will never grow up to appreciate those eyelashes like a girl would.  But still, that sweet little fringe is absolutely beautiful to capture!  Love this angle.  :o)

Thanks for sharing your beautiful Sunday morning with me!  It was so much fun meeting your family and capturing your little boys together.  I hope these photos really do convey the joy, calmness, anticipation, and sheer magic that is nestled into each and every Sunday morning.

Jack, Adam & Evan {3 Merry Brothers}

Talk about a kick-start to your Sunday morning!  A few weeks ago I knocked on the front door and had it open to these three merry little boys inside.

It was a whirlwind of activity and we went from one thing to another -- homework, toys, drum sets, trophies, snow boots, beyblades, M&Ms...  There was so much LIFE in that home on a sleepy Sunday morning and it was a great way to start the day.  The boys were so much fun and clearly very comfortable in front of the lens of my camera.

I loved catching them in between... in between all of that activity, in between the moments when they were looking right at the camera, in between the "cheese" smiles.  I loved capturing the giggles, the hugs, the silly and confused and amazed expressions, the wonder...

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A few of my faves...

Adam, in amazement, telling me that he can see my "eye" in the lens of my camera.  It was really the shutter, but then he watched it until it "blinked".  And he got his brothers to do the same!  That's quite a simple way to stop three excited brothers in their tracks.  Pure focus, attention, and wonder.  And their bright blue eyes just make you melt!

Jack and his grandmother.

Adam & Evan.

And this little mouth here?  How adorable!

And here is one of my absolute favorites from the day.  I was lying on the floor, clicking away, and when I came home and started processing the photos I just about died laughing when I saw Jack's expression in this one.  Everyone knows the feeling that he's showing here when looking at his little brother.  Too funny!

And here, boys will be boys:

Aliya, Adlani & Norah

The leaves may all be gone now after the hurricane and the snowstorm that we just had, but going through this session brought back all those fun colors and crunchy leaves that come to New England each fall.  For such a beautiful season, it is much too short-lived.  This was such a fun shoot -- we scheduled it right in the last week of the full-color season and decided to meet on the quaint town common in Framingham with all of the interesting buildings to lend texture to the photos. The Common was in full color, every inch of space filled with orange and yellow leaves... Amazing color and instant props -- a photographer's dream!  I was greeted coming out of my car by Adlani, Aliya, and Norah.  They were full of energy and excited for our shoot with promises of leaf fights, tree climbing, races, and handstands.  At one point I found my hair being decorated with leaves by the youngest, Norah.  You never know what you're in for with this job!

I really like the next two images... look closely and you'll see the "before" and "after", telling you exactly what it is they're laughing about!

These next two images of Aliya and Norah are a few of my favorites, too.  Love this angle with the leaves and the grass surrounding their smiling faces!

And finally, what would a shoot of mine be without a couple of images that just begged to be in black and white?  :o)  Love Adlani's laughter in this one, and the serious expression on Norah!

Happy Fall, everyone!

Laughter & Leaf Fights

  While I loved the summer for all it's warm ocean breezes and hazy light, the fall is also quite the dream season for a photographer!  There's just something about that crisp air, the warm and cozy sweaters, and those bright harvest colors that beg to be photographed.  A few weeks ago I was able to bundle all of fall's goodness into a deliciously fun session with this family.  Can you believe how beautiful these two kids are?

Katie was a student of mine my first year in the classroom, and I was lucky to get to photograph her now as she's turning into quite the young lady with her little brother Gordon.  (Look at his little toothless smile, above!)  We had such a great time during our session and they were both so eager to be my assistants and scout out the next amazing location for each of our shots.

I love Katie's fiery red hair in these shots.  It really pops in these fall photos!  She was great for the whole session, just going around her backyard exploring and coming up with creative places for our photos.  She's quite the scientist and I really enjoyed watching her in action!

Gordon is a little firecracker. He was full of energy and had so many things to say.  He took his "assistant" job very seriously and even found himself climbing a couple of trees to show me his ideas for photo locations.  Such a great kid!

My favorite was when he ran up to their porch and called out, "How about we do one like this?" and just popped this cute little pose out of nowhere!

(Above: Gordon's melting face!)

The best way to work with kids through a photo session?  Promise them a leaf fight at the end!  :o)  Actually, looking back on the photos, I'm pretty sure their mom was the first one to throw the leaves and the rest was history!  So much fun -- love the whirling colors and the look of pure exhilaration and wonder on their faces in these ones...

Before...............................................................................................................   And after!!!

Happy fall!!!  Next year I'm making sure to book lots of fall sessions in advance while we still have all of these gorgeous leaves to work with.  I can't wait!

Colin & Alexa

Legos, radio flyer wagons, jumping on the bed, and parents' promises of homemade chocolate chip cookies after the shoot... life for a kid doesn't get much better than that, does it?  ;o)

Colin and Alexa's photo session was a blast and I had so much fun with these two little firecrackers.  They were on the go for the entire session and their parents and I did all we could to keep up with them.  Colin was so excited to show me all his favorite toys and he'd crack himself up with this full-faced grin and a bubbly laugh.  His little sister Alexa just turned one and wanted to do everything her big brother did.  Her favorite activity seemed to be jumping on the bed, and she'd just bounce up and down and fall over laughing.  Such a fun morning!!

We got some great shots in their classic Radio Flyer wagon.

And Alexa was a gorgeous little model with those sparkling eyes of hers.  Love the blurred background and bokeh in this one!

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A few of my fave black & whites from our session...  Truly, some photos just beg to be in black & white!!

This was the family's first time doing a photo shoot outside of the portrait studio at the mall, and they really loved the freedom and flexibility of it.  For all those moms who are thinking about their holiday photos this year - why confine your kids to a 6x10 space where they're out of their element, tired, fussy, and uncomfortable?  And why rush yourself working around someone else's fast-paced schedule?  Portrait sessions at home are so much calmer, usually last 60-90 minutes, and really let the kids be themselves and their personalities shine through.  The photos are much more personal -- they show their real smiles and expressions, their favorite toys and pastimes, and those candid moments of playtime and interaction between siblings that you often cannot capture at an in-and-out chain store. In the end you're not just printing out photographs but creating memories that you'll look back on with a smile many years from now.  After all, isn't that the sign of a true photograph?  One that brings you back to that moment and lets you relive everything about that time?

Contact me to set up a holiday session for your family today!

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Low Tide & Laughter

"If you once get the sand of the Cape in your shoes, you shall return."

Last week I packed my gear bag with some flip flops and an extra towel and I headed to the tip of the Cape to one of the most beautiful Cape Cod beaches I have ever been to.  I reached Eastham a few hours before sundown (perfect for that "golden hour" of light!).  It was low tide, and this family of six and I headed down a sandy path and through some sea grass to the wide expanse of sand that was filled with tide pools and crevices left by the receding water.  The setting was perfect, the light was dream-like, and this family was ready for some fun.  Cue the dance party!

Ella, Charlie, Lulu and Jack burst into a spontaneous dance party on the dock!

These siblings were a blast to work with.  Each had a unique personality ranging from bubbly and effervescent to quiet and studious.  The beach was a natural playground for them, a sandy and salty paradise.  Our session was filled with slithering eels, digging through the sand for pebbles, making sketches in the wet sand, relay races, and lots and lots of laughter.

Jack was lost in a book when I arrived, and when we went to the beach I coaxed some details out of him about his chapter book and he decided to teach me about all sorts of new kid tv shows that I didn't know about... I guess I need to brush up on the titles at least so I know if what they're mentioning is a show, a song, a book, or a group!

Charlie wore a grin the entire time -- literally every single picture I have of him, he has this huge smile stretching across his face from ear to ear.  He spent a lot of time getting lost in his own little sandy world, creating tunnels, dams, and pictures in the sand.

Ella loved the camera and was very relaxed and playful with her brothers and sister.  I got some great action shots of her on the beach... she was in her element!

Lulu was the youngest, but not to be outdone by her three older siblings, she fit right in with her sense of humor.  Lulu was a bubbly riot, knocking out one joke after another and a number of one-liners that were just too funny and had us all in stitches.

This family was such a joy to photograph!  Plus, I discovered a gorgeous new beach!  The dog days of summer don't get much better than that!

Shutter Session: Sophia and Violet

Last weekend I got together with two little girls in pink and purple dresses to shoot some photos for a Fathers' Day surprise.

We went to the Grist Mill at the Wayside Inn in Sudbury, and the girls turned the grassy fields into their playground.  The oldest one, Sophia, told me all about how they were taking photos for "Daddy's Day" and that it was a secret.  Amazingly, they kept the secret all week long and didn't let it slip!  So Happy Fathers' Day to all the fathers out there, but especially to the ones of little girls who keep photo secrets to surprise their dads.

Sophia is the oldest, and she came up with all sorts of interesting games for us to play during the session.  I loved catching her staring into my lens (she was searching for unicorns!), and her eyes really sparkled in these pictures.  I used my new 50mm lens, and I absolutely love the results.

I pulled out some more of my new photo props (check out these chairs I bought for $5 and repainted!).  I LOVE LOVE LOVE the chairs and they really made the shots.  I happened to leave the chairs off in a field while we wandered off to take some more photos in a different part of the park, and I came back to find someone setting them up taking a picture of just the chairs.

Plus, the light in these photos is gorgeous and it just worked wonderfully with the girls.  This next photo is my absolute favorite.  Violet put her head down on the chair when she was getting tired, so Sophia stood up and copied her.  Their mother and I were joking, "What are they doing?", but this turned out to be one of my all-time favorite photos.

Violet, at 22 months, was an absolute doll and such a sweetheart.  She spent some time running around chasing after her mom, so when  I finally gave her a chair, down she went.

We came across a beautiful run-down barn, which was a nice backdrop for a few photos of Violet.

And Sophia was game for playing on the fence posts.  Such a cute shot!

After our fun in the fields, we wandered off in search of some ducks.  "Patos, patos!" the girls exclaimed as we drew near them.  I love the story that this next picture tells -- you can see Sophia up ahead on the path to see the ducks, and Violet turning around to make sure we were coming behind them.

Such a fun day, and such adorable little girls to be able to spend the day with!

Happy Fathers' Day, everyone!

Addison Caroline {Boston Newborn Portraits}

A few weeks ago I packed my bags (again!) and hopped into my car.  500 miles later, I let myself in through the back kitchen door and a newborn was placed into my arms.  After a few minutes with that blanketed bundle, I looked up at my dear friend Wendy and told her that, if I had to get back in my car right now and drive home, it would have been worth it just for those few precious minutes with her daughter. Luckily, I didn't have to turn around and drive back to Massachusetts and I had a couple of days to snuggle with that lovely little girl and her big brother, Zack (check out his post, here!).

Going through Addie's photos I have rediscovered the beauty of black and white.  Here, a few of my favorites...

She has the most piercing blue eyes, and such an intense gaze!  Plus, did you see that head of hair?  Her brother was famous for his natural mohawk, a subject of his momma's blog for many months when he was born. Though little Addie may not be going down the mohawk path, her tresses are already noteworthy.

One of my favorite moments that I captured was this little exchange between my best friend, the momma and her daughter.  Such a sweet moment to capture in the perfect photo.

And what would life be without a little color?  A few more of little Addison Caroline, who has already stolen so many hearts...

Below, my newest photo prop addition: a beautiful picture-frame-turned-chalkboard.  Love this!

And lastly, let's not forget about Addie's big brother, Zachary.  That little guy has been amazing his momma and daddy for 22 months.  The day that Addie came home from the hospital, he decided that he wasn't about to let her steal the limelight and he took his first steps... all SIX of them!

The Z-man also stole the show with my newborn props.  I love that when I looked back through these pictures I found that itty bitty droplet of baby drool coming out of his mouth in the photo on the left.  He was concentrating oh-so-hard on erasing that chalkboard, and it shows!!

Little Addie is lucky to have such a wonderful big brother!

Shutter Session: Daniel

A Sunday afternoon beneath the spring trees with a guitar-playing little boy...

Daniel will be going into first grade next year, and he is oh-so-ready for that big step.  He's a little boy filled with curiosity and a playful spirit, and his session was filled with games and playful moments sprinkled with serious moments of calm like the one above.  I loved capturing those moments of him, completely lost in his own world.

Daniel came completely prepared with his own arsenal of props... all of his favorite toys!  His dad is teaching him to play the guitar, so he brought that along with his favorite blocks.

He is such a typical little boy and he spent the afternoon turning over the bark on tree branches to shriek about the insects hiding underneath, running through the shadows in a red-light-green-light game, and constructing tall towers while his sister sat beside him building Snow White's castle.

I love the above shot of him.... such a serious engineer constructing a tower with his blocks!

Later I busted out a secret weapon from my own arsenal of tricks.... soap bubbles!  For some reason, watching those shiny bubbles float through the air and watching them pop is always a fascinating hit!

And finally, a hazy late-afternoon shot of Daniel playing soccer in the dandelion-filled fields with his dad.  I love the sunlight's haziness in this shot.  It really makes the puffs glow, and you can almost see the beams of light shining down...