Yep - turns out there are two of them! I met this couple almost two years ago and was delighted to be asked to shoot their family pictures this year. They are a warm, loving and authentic couple and have become good friends. I enjoyed spending the morning in their beautiful home, watching the love they share for each other and for their children. It's not often that one comes across two people who are as humble, as they are successful. Enjoy their lovely photos!
I spent the morning with this family, just shooting the breeze and some family shots. So happy to be in there presence and witness the extreme love they have for each other! If you have to get up on a weekend morning, leave your your family and your warm comfy bed, this is just the type of family that makes it all worthwhile! Bauer Family, thanks for welcoming me into your home! I'll see you in October for holiday shots!
When Bailey tells you that you HAVE to meet someone, consider it golden! That's what she said about her cousin and I thought that sounded great. Time passed and I got an email from another friend, Alison, who says pretty much the same thing about someone she had just met. This time, something told me to reach out and I did. Turns out that person was Ebony! We had a great phone conversation, hit it off well and I quickly knew that this was a special family, full of love! Yep, Bailey was right again! What a pleasure to get to know and photograph Ebony, Corwin and their awesome family!
So excited to get a call that would take me back to Indiana! This shoot was exciting for me for two reasons – I got to photograph a beautiful girl for her senior pictures and also because I finally got to meet her precious mom!
Her mom and I were introduced via Facebook and it feels like I've know her for years! She's definitely one of the smartest, most vocal and tell-it-like-it-is people I know! I'd also learned a lot about her daughter through Facebook and couldn't wait to meet this talented girl! She was pretty humble, so I didn't get to photograph her creating one of her amazing fashion designs or performing in Color Guard, but when you're as beautiful as she is...well, the props don't really matter! Take a look...
I met this sweet lady at a fundraiser that we had at our home last year for Carolina Breast Friends. We had lost a few friends to breast cancer, one had just been diagnosed and just a few days before the fundraiser, my own mom was diagnosed. There we were thinking that we were helping this organization out, but turns out we were the ones who were blessed. Not only was I able to understand enough to help my mom as she was battling the disease, but we we are also introduced to so many giving, warm and kind people. I'm so happy that our mutual friend, Alane, thought enough to invite Esezele out to support our fundraiser.
I so enjoyed photographing Esezele and Richard, their handsome son and precious newborn girl. We were nervous about moving to Charlotte, but Charlotte keeps introducing us to such beautiful people. We are blessed.
You've heard the saying. The cobbler is too busy making shoes for others that he doesn't have time to make them for his own kid. In my case, I'm the photographer who can't seem to get on my daughter's calendar. So, I grab a few shots when I can. It's her senior year and this is the best I've got so far...Stay tuned for the day when she let's me do more! Wish me luck!
I started this business because I love to take pictures and I love to meet new people! I was flying to Indianapolis to photograph a friend's daughter and decided to pick up a few more shoots while there. I'm so glad I did! I met the nicest woman and her well-mannered son. Well, I'm not sure taking pictures was at the top of his to-do list, but he was definitely the kind of young man that would do anything for his mom!:) We spent the afternoon together and I enjoyed getting to know them both.
He isn't a young man of many words, but when I began to talk football, all of that changed. See for yourself!:)
When I saw this kid, I knew I had to photograph him! Every time I see him, he just makes me smile. Sure, there are plenty of cute kids around, but this kid has something special! He's light-hearted, energetic, outgoing and yes, super handsome!
Shooting his photos was a breeze. I didn't have to work much; I only had to follow him around, laugh a little, allow him to be his cool self and snap some pictures. As you will see from these beautiful pictures, this kid is ready to model! It wouldn't surprise me one bit if he landed on tv or on in magazines really soon! Thanks, Mom and Dad, for trusting me with his first photo shoot!
**Be sure to scroll 'til the end to see how this kid responds when asked to sit and talk with a group of strangers--during his photo shoot! And even cooler, see how they respond to him!
Prom brings a lot of excitement! For girls, it involves the Big Ask - how we he ask me?; choosing the dress; finding shoes that are cute, but don't hurt; finding just the right bag, the makeup; the hair; the nails...It can go on and on. somehow, I was luck enough to book Beyonce tickets in Canada efore I knew that my daughter's prom would be the next day.:) This means, that she had to handle nail, hair and makeup appointments on her own. Fortunately, she did her own makeup. She Ubered to have Shassity hook up her hair and did the same for a nail appointment up the road. There was a little drama involved with finding the right dress, but we managed to get it done in Chicago in ONE day!
I made it home just before she started to get dressed. Thank God my flight wasn't delayed! I grabbed my camera and got a couple of shots, which she is NEVER fond of...but does appreciate later. I embarrassed her in front of her friends for about 10 minutes and all went well. If there is any advice that I have for parents of kids who are headed to prom, it's to let them do the planning and just show up in time to fix any problems...and don't forget to hire a photographer or have a good friend capture the moments for you! It was an easy day for me and a stress-free one for her!
When a good friend referred Kennette to me, she said, "You're gonna love her and her family!" And boy, was she right! Our early morning shoot reminded me a lot of my days in Belgium. We shot in a beautiful little neighborhood, took our time, laughed a lot and even found time to stop for a latte! What a pleasure it was to shoot two of her beautiful children, one who just graduated from college and another who just graduated from high school! Seeing the love in this family made my day and I couldn't help but smile and smile and smile, as I made my way through their gorgeous pictures!
It took a lot to get Mom in a few of the pictures, but I just had to grab a few so y'all could see where some of this beauty comes from!:) Congratulations to the graduates! I look forward to meeting the rest of the family soon!
Sometimes you meet a family that just makes you smile! Rarely do I see this husband and wife apart! These two are the definition of a tag team! Their family keeps me smiling and laughing. I was lucky enough to meet this couple at my youngest daughter's school. Their son and my daughter are in the same class and I got the biggest smile from their son when he discovered I was the mom of the little girl in his class who he thinks is super cute!:)
When Lakisha asked me to photograph her family, I was honored and excited, not only because they are a great family, but also because she didn't want a lot of posed shots. She just wanted me to get natural shots and SO I DID! What made this shoot even better is that it happened to be Grandparents Day at school and both Granmdas got to join in for a few shots! So proud to know such a hard-working and awesome family!
How exciting it is for me to shoot clients with style AND great personalities! Donnie contacted me to do a few head shots. I'm not a fan of black and white studio backgrounds, but recognize that for a person like him, who works in finance, a few of those are necessary. But what I LOVED was getting those out of the way, so we could go outdoors, get some natural light and let his debonair personality shine through. I love it when my male clients come with the traditional navy jacket, but are confident enough to bring something a little different along too! I came across a quote a few months ago - "Life is too short to wearing boring clothes!" Well, Donnie obviously agrees. Just wait til' you see his red blazer!
I met Donnie, as he was walking his dog in our neighborhood. He stopped, chatted with my husband and welcomed us to the neighborhood. His wife had just recently had twins and he somehow, was still full of life and good vibes.:) I don't remember being that nice to anyone with a small baby in the house, let alone two babies! Even more impressive was his desire to have his photos taken during the kids' nap time, so he could get back in time to help out with the twins. After a few conversations, I could tell that he and his wife were good people. So, when I asked him for a few interesting facts about himself, it was no surprise to learn that he was voted "most friendly" in high school. I guess most of us don't change too much!
Back to the red jacket! Of course, I had to know the significance of the color red, as even the embroidery in his shirt was red! It turns out that his dad had red hair and freckles so his Dad's nickname was "Red" and Donnie became known as "Little Red." I laughed a little about how nicknames can follow you through life, but the truth is that -- to be able to have a little bit of your father with you through life is one of the greatest gifts a young man can have.
Donnie, thanks for allowing me to post a few shots, for having such an awesome spirit and for being a great neighbor! I'll be looking to shoot Carin and the twins soon!
Thank you, my friends! Thank you for being there for me and Dwight. It's been a long road! We have lived in many places and done many things, all while trying to keep our marriage together, be good parents to our kids; be good to our friends and family and to just be good people. We don't always get it right, but together with your help, we've come a long way!
As many of you know, raising girls isn't the easiest thing in the world. You want them to be smart, but not arrogant or condescending. You want them to be beautiful, yet see beauty in things that others may overlook. You want them to be successful, yet have perspective. You want them to be outgoing, yet humble. You want them to be able to Ballroom Dance in France, yet Whip, Nae-Nae and Step in Chicago. You want them to make mistakes, yet learn from them. You want to give them space to fail, yet have the courage to keep moving.
I never, ever in a million years knew and understood what my mom went through, as a mother of 8 girls and 1 boy. I didn't know how many sleepless nights I would have; how many times I'd check my phone for a message that they were okay; how I'd become the queen at invading my daughters' privacy so that I could stay in touch with their lives; how their homework would sometimes become my homework; how I'd find myself yelling about cleaning their rooms; how I'd have to console them when girls are mean and boys are ...well...you know...boys:); how the slightest comment about what they are wearing could turn into a shouting match; how I'd have to concede to so many battles because they deserve to be heard and to be right every once in a while:); that I'd have to prepare them that social media could ruin their lives; how I'd sigh a sigh of relief every morning when they leave the house intact; how I'd need a village to raise them; how I'd walk into Starbucks with a group of other moms and the tears would just fall for no apparent reason; how they would all just look at me and one would reach out her arms to tell me it's okay; how 15 minutes later, we'd all be laughing because everyone understood that MOMS JUST HAVE THOSE DAYS; and how through it all, my daughters would continue to inspire me to new heights.
They keep me going. They've encouraged me to do so many things and Shutterly Amazing Photography is just one of those things! So, it's only fitting that my very first shoot as owner of Shutterly Amazing is of my girls! Many of you won't believe how they have grown - now in 11th, 7th and pre-k grades. To all of you who make raising these three girls easier, who have given me advice over the years, who love our girls like your own -- thank you so much for your support. Thank you for always supporting us, through ups and downs. And today, I thank you for encouraging me to take my photography business to new limits! There's so much more in store for 2016! Can't wait! we are just getting started!
