Crystal's Blog

Some Family Pics

2008-07-07T18:50:00.004-05:00

My brother-in-law asked me to take some pictures of his daughter while she was visiting last week. I did that same thing last year and we had lots of fun - but this year was a little more difficult. Ahhhh, the moods of an eight-almost-nine-year old. I planned to start out with some family pics - but she wasn't havin it. So, I got her alone and she loosened up a bit. The funny part is - she's a total ham (as you can see from the previous video of her dancing). So, here's a few pictures of my niece - she really is growing into a gorgeous young lady. And if you want to see the comparison from last year click HERE.

with daddy...

with my kylie-bear....

the family....

And a fun couple shot....

If you need dance lessons....

2008-07-02T21:20:00.003-05:00

then you need to watch this video! Or, just watch it for some laughs. Kylie LOVES her cousin Amanda. She follows her around, copies her every move and looks at her with adoring eyes. This was the other day, as we all sat around the living room enjoying some live entertainment.....

Sweet 8 month old.....

2008-06-26T20:40:00.005-05:00

I got together with a good friend of mine today so I could take pictures of her second child - a sweet baby girl. We thought it would be nice to let our children play together while I take pictures of the baby - not such a great plan. My daughter is 2 1/2 and her son is almost three and it was pretty, how shall I say it, exciting??? So, she tried to keep the kids entertained (and unharmed) while I followed the littlest one around snapping photos. Miss "L" just began to sit up a few weeks ago and she's already crawling and pulling up on furniture - unbelievable!

Take a look at this little angel - so happy and content - even through costume changes and screaming toddlers all around her (literally).

This was the view I got the most.....

What is going through her head right now??? That perplexing gaze....

At this point I gave up on trying to keep her in any one spot and just started following her all around my house while she explored.

Like the hat??? Old Navy bargain - so cute!

By the end - this was the only look she was giving me - as if to say: Are you done YET???

Click HERE to see a few of her baby pics from November

Some new stuff!!!

2008-06-23T14:05:00.004-05:00

I know I have been a terrible blogger as of late. Just catching up on galleries, doing picture orders and finding NEW stuff to offer my clients.

Check these out! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them! They will make gorgeous canvas prints - especially if you group them together on the wall. I have lots more color/styles too. They're just so unique and fun!

I have also been working on a custom framing product to offer - more on that if things work out. :)

Enjoy....

Father's Day - a personal note....

2008-06-15T21:04:00.004-05:00

A great day for a great man (and many other great men out there!). We had a wonderful family weekend, complete with a trip to Ikea, homemade waffles and two trips to the pool! I feel so lucky to have such a wonderful man in my life - husband, friend, partner, father - and so much more. Since my father did not play a role in my life growing up I really treasure these times and I'm in awe of the amazing father/daughter relationship between Kylie & Daddy. Her eyes light up when he comes in the room - she's such a daddy's girl - tools and all!!! He was fixing a toy for her today and he said he needed a screwdriver - so she promptly went to her "tool puzzle" and came back with a screwdriver for him. It was just the sweetest thing ever!

So, here are a few of my favorite pics to celebrate Daddy and Daughter today (don't expect anything fancy - they're just snapshots). Happy Father's Day to all the Daddy's out there - and to all the Mommys that are doing the job of both. You are appreciated!

Proud papa - when Kylie was just a couple months old.

This has to be one of my FAVORITE pictures. This was the first time she ever laughed - for Daddy of course. It was that deep gut laugh that just makes you laugh out loud with her.

Father's Day last year...

And today - these are the big cheesy grins I usually get. Don't you love the pink bikini???

And here's the GREAT group of guys we hung out with today at the pool. I thought to myself - "this is the life". Great friends, great food - and so many great memories.

A beautiful family

2008-06-10T13:38:00.004-05:00

It was a scorcher on Sunday - but we pressed on with our photo session anyway! We had a fun time despite the heat. These lovely people live right across the street from me. Mom is a fabulous seamstress, oldest sister just graduated from Oglethorpe University, middle brother is going to be an architect and the "baby" of the family is very into drama and the arts.

This family has been through a tragedy that no family should have to endure - the loss of a husband and father. These are their first family photos since he passed, and I only hope that I was able to capture the love, strength and courage that I see in each of them. They are my neighbors, but I consider them my friends.

That being said - first up - a collage that I made. You can click on it to see it bigger.

Beautiful mom!

Mom requested this picture and the "kids" obliged! :)

I had to include this one, since she just graduated from the very place we were taking the pictures. Click on it to see it bigger.

And finally, one of my favorites. The sun was going down and they were relaxing under the trees.

Thanks for letting me be a part of this special day!

On a personal note....

2008-06-07T21:38:00.004-05:00

Last Sunday afternoon we were at Centennial Olympic Park for the CCFA Take Steps walk for a cure to Crohn's & Colitis. Many of you have already heard about this (from my previous posts) so I wanted to share a few pictures. We exceeded our goal of $5,000 and raised a total of $5,500 so far - and the donations keep coming in. Here's our web page if you want to check it out: CURE CROHNS

I really can't put into words how appreciative we are to the many people that have supported us in this effort. The generosity of our friends, family and even strangers, has been unbelievable. THANK YOU to each and every person who participated in our event. Together we made a difference!

So, here are some pictures of the "James Gang" on our special day.

First up - the K-Bear playing in the fountains. She has absolutely no fear of water which is great and scary at the same time!

The youngest "walkers" in our clan.

The whole group - wearing the silly T-shirts I had made. What great sports they are! :)

And the family - even Grampa flew in to celebrate the day with us.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!

Another slideshow to share

2008-06-05T21:06:00.003-05:00

Here is another sample slideshow that I just finished for my client today. I love this song - it always makes me smile. And it helps when I'm looking at such a cute kiddo! :)

Meet Miss Madison

2008-06-03T12:50:00.007-05:00

Yes, you get to know her name! Her mom is a good friend of mine and I know she doesn't mind. I was so excited to finally take some pictures of this little sweety. She is adopted, as is her older brother, from an orphanage in Kazakhstan. I couldn't imagine a better family for these two kids. Their parents are so energetic, happy, and full of life. Nicolas came home a couple years ago, and Madison just got here this year. It's amazing to see how fast these kids grow and thrive with the nurture and support of a family. Love is a wonderful thing - with so much power to heal.

Well - enough said. I'm sure you will see - Madison is beautiful and Nicolas is so handsome - and they were meant to be together as a family! :)

Look at that grin!

Yes, I'm addicted to the tu-tu - I can't help it!

Here they are together - such a sweet moment.

Isn't he a cutie! All the neighbor girls are already after him!

It's hard for me to believe this is the same little boy they brought home just a couple short years ago. He' so BIG!

Oh - I forgot to mention that these pictures are a surprise for Father's Day so ssshhhhhhh!

With patience comes GREAT images!

2008-06-03T08:51:00.004-05:00

This was my third time photographing this beautiful young lady. The last two times, she just went with the flow and did whatever we wanted but now she is 18 months old and has a mind of her own. It's amazing for me to watch these children grow and become unique individuals.

We spent about 15 minutes in the backyard and I think Mom was ready to throw in the towel. Little miss "A" was frowning and crying and showing us her temper. I suggested we go inside and relax and just let her have a break. Even the youngest of children know when something is "expected" of them. Well, after a little milk break the smiles started flowing and she was so happy to show us her "fun side" on her own terms.

So, what started out with these faces.........

Ended up with lots of these faces!

I LOVE this picture! I just knew when I snapped the shutter that it was gorgeous. I'm thinking huge CANVAS! :) She's holding her "night-night" blanky. Click on it to get a better view of her eyes.

And sometimes pictures just go together and tell their own story. I thought I would share these two collages I did. This was her baby that she set up for a picture (click on it to see it bigger)

And this was the jumping part of the session!

Thanks miss "A" for coming out of your shell and letting me get some fabulous images for mom! Next up (later this year) the whole family including her older twin brothers!

Oh, the rolls!

2008-05-31T12:33:00.004-05:00

When I finish a session I always want to run straight to my computer and download the images so I can see what I got. It's like Christmas for me - or maybe it's just an obsession. Anyway, this session was no different and I'm so excited about these images. This first one literally made me laugh out loud - his face is so cute!

Meet baby "C". He is 6 months old and so full of chubby rolls he could hardly fit into the bumbo seat. He was SOOOOO adorable! I LOVE IT! He was a great sport and mom and dad were too. All I can say is GOOD LUCK picking your favorites! :)

Enjoy!

The happy family.... click on it to see it bigger.

Just look at those rolls - it's like ART! He was such a happy baby.

Dad really wanted a picture on my old fashioned scale but baby "C" was a little too big for it so we had to hold him up - I still think it's cute though.

And finally, a little "special effect" picture. So sweet!

A wonderful evening!

2008-05-30T20:23:00.002-05:00

Our Shop, Sip & Savor fundraiser was FANTASTIC last night! I have to admit - I was having so much fun I only took about 4 pictures - sorry! We had a great turnout and everyone RAVED about the Shoppe of Vinings. They took such good care of us, and based on our sales, they donated $300 to CCFA - plus a GORGEOUS Vera Bradley gift basket for our drawing (congratulations Lynn!). Jenny Jones was the winner of the photo session from CCJames Photography (aka ME) so CONGRATS to Jenny too!

I can't say thank you enough to the Shoppe of Vinings and Taverna Fiorentina for hosting our event. They were so gracious and willing to help with anything. The food was magnificent, the wine was delicious, and the atmosphere was simply delightful. And, to all the ladies (and even a couple brave men) who took the time to come by and shop for a great cause - THANK YOU - THANK YOU - THANK YOU!

Jeff and I have posted another matching donation today, so we are currently OVER our goal of $5,000! Our website says $4876 but there are a few donations missing, including the $300 check that we will turn in at the walk on Sunday. We are so amazed, thankful and appreciative of all the generosity and support we have been given.

What else can I say - but thank you AGAIN!

Here is the Chef setting up the fabulous food - doesn't he look proud? :)

Here are the ladies that stuck around for the grand prize drawing at 9pm. And that's my husband in the back - he came for the food I think! :)

More Photo Tips - a better point & shoot picture

2008-05-28T13:44:00.005-05:00

Okay - the subject matter is quite amusing but it was the best way to get the K-Bear to pose for a picture. Her tongue was green from the freezer pop I gave her so I said "stick out your tongue for a picture" - and it worked!

I hope these tips are helpful for somebody out there. I just like to share because I thought the information was valuable when I learned it so maybe it will help someone else. And, it's good to know that you can take really cute pictures with a simple point & shoot camera - if you know a few tricks.

So, for this episode of "photo tips" you get to look at my daughter's enormous green tongue. These two pictures are straight out of the camera. I took them with my Canon SD870IS (point & shoot camera). We are right next to the window and the first picture is with the flash and the second picture is without. I thought it would be cool to illustrate how different a picture can look with/without a flash. The camera is still in AUTO mode so you don't have to be an expert or anything - just turn your flash off. Notice the one on the left is much sharper (because the flash "freezes" any motion) but it's harsh and un-natural looking - and there is a shadow around the right side of her head. In the second picture you can see some blur around her legs (because the shutter speed is slower without the flash) but I think it's worth it to capture a more natural color and feel for the picture.

Another thing I like to recommend is GET CLOSER! Most point & shoot cameras have a very wide angled lens - which means they push your subject further away than they already are. So move in - fill the frame - and get a great picture!

Lastly - don't be afraid to tilt your camera a little to get a different angle. Play with it - your pictures will be more unique and interesting.

As always, you can click on it to see it better. Enjoy the GREEN MONSTER!

They grow TOO fast!

2008-05-27T11:04:00.003-05:00

I just can't believe she's 9 months already! This is one of my First Year Planners and she is just growing up so fast! She was so excited about pictures that she wouldn't even take a nap before I came over (poor mom) - but you would never know it. She loves the camera and was such a good sport about all of our antics! The chair, the tu-tu, the hats, the scale.... poor baby!

You can see some of her previous pictures by clicking HERE and HERE.

Isn't she precious!

Sweet angel

She was too big for my scale - her feet were just about touching the ground! We had to improvise. :)

Her mom really loved the hats, but baby "M" wasn't having it! She was so quick to take them off. It looks like she's posing here - but really - she's going for the hat!

Our Little Carnivore

2008-05-24T09:25:00.004-05:00

Yes - it's true - even I take "snapshots" sometimes! I know these aren't super-duper-fancy-schmancy pictures - but I still thought they were worth sharing!

Our daughter loves meat - she'll eat just about anything you give her. So, we weren't surprised last night when she reached up and grabbed a gourmet lamb chop off the table and started gobbling it up - medium rare none the less!

I'm sure she really appreciated the FLASH in her face while she was trying to enjoy her snack.....

Happy Memorial Day!! :)

Shop, Sip & Savor

2008-05-22T19:36:00.005-05:00

I think the flyer below says it all! I'm so excited to be working with the ladies at the Shoppe of Vinings. I was there today taking all of the pictures to design this invitation and I can't wait to go SHOPPING next week! I have to say it's very different taking pictures of "stuff" rather than people but it was kind of therapeutic. I had fun being creative and playing with the angles, etc.

The crew at Taverna Fiorentina are wonderful too - the food and wine are going to be DELICIOUS! Check out their website: www.tavernafiorentina.com

I hope you can stop by the party........ click on the picture to get a GOOD view!

Such a sweety pie!

2008-05-17T11:59:00.005-05:00

I had a really nice session yesterday - luckily the rain moved out but it was still pretty wet at the park. This sweet girl was such a good talker - at only 22 months. I am so amazed at how different each and every child is.

Mom planned this session to get pictures as a surprise for Father's Day (so shhhhh) and I asked her if she wanted anything "in particular" or just a variety. She said something very insightful to me - that she really liked how my pictures looked so "natural" and that she just wanted a variety of different pictures. I was very flattered because that statement is the very essence of what I try to do with my photography - capture the natural moment as it happens - the "real" person and not so much the posed images.

So, here are a few of my favorites. I never know if my favorites will be anyone else's favorites because I am always drawn to the images that speak to me - rather than the perfect smile or pose. As always - you can CLICK on the image to get a better view.

This was a game of peek-a-boo....

This was a frolick in the park... (click on it)

Just look at these eyes...

This was so cute to me - she's giving me the eye as she drinks her "coco" - code word for milk!

This one just speaks for itself don't you think?

And a sweet moment between mother and daughter - truly timeless.

Slideshow

2008-05-17T07:21:00.002-05:00

With the new "look" of my blog, I can now post some sample slideshows. Most of you have already seen one, but some have not. So, this is a sample of what I do for each client.

This one is cool because my client picked her own song - isn't it beautiful? :)

Whadda ya think?????

2008-05-16T21:13:00.001-05:00

For those of you that frequently check my blog, you'll notice some changes....any thoughts? Do you like the new look?

Don't be afraid..... tell me..... I'm waiting.....

Couldn't help it....one last post for the day...

2008-05-11T22:28:00.003-05:00

I'm awake, it's late, and my husband is out like a light...... so here I am looking at pictures....

I just LOVE my new point & shoot camera! It really takes wonderful pictures with very little effort. This pic is courtesy of my husband - of me and the K-bear at the park today. I'm incognito - unshowered - sporting a hat - but I still thought it was cute.

Happy Mother's Day to all and to all a GOOD NIGHT! :)

A little photo tip: In the photo above, we are in the shade and the sun is behind us. I picked this spot because it was a very bright and sunny day. Using this technique will keep your subjects from squinting and it gives your picture a nice "glow" around the subjects. Depending on how bright it is, you may also need to turn the flash to "on" instead of "auto" to add some fill light.

Happy Mother's Day

2008-05-11T08:59:00.005-05:00

What a wonderful Mother's Day Weekend! Some friends of ours invited us to Brunch on Saturday morning (the husbands planned it) and we had a really nice time. I was sad to leave and go play tennis (we were in the ALTA play-offs) but it was great anyway! I took most of the pictures in this post with my NEW Point and Shoot Digital Camera - the Canon SD870 IS. It took me a while to figure out which one I wanted (I'm kind of a camera snob of course) and then my husband got it for me for Mother's Day!!! My old one was from 2003 - so you can imagine how awful it was..... This one can take video too - so be expecting some funny stuff in the future.

Here's the three munchkins....

Look at these two - they were born on the same day - just a few hours apart. We are neighbors and friends and just happened to name them Kyle and Kylie........ the stars are aligned.....

Is this the cutest thing EVER!!!!!

Then, I got an email last night from one of my dearest friends. Her husband gave her the canvas that we ordered for her as a Mother's Day gift back in March. I've been keeping it here in my house and I was just as excited to give it to her as he was! So, she got her gift at 12:02am and she sent me a wonderful email to say how much she loved it. I took this picture at her daughter's third birthday party - the PRINCESS party. This moment was so special between mother and daughter. So, now I can show you all AND I can share the rest of her birthday pictures with everyone.

The secret is FINALLY out! Here's the image:

And this is the gorgeous canvas - 16x24

And finally - this morning my husband let me sleep in - which is very difficult for me to do. But, he snuck out of bed to get Kylie before I woke up and then he made me BREAKFAST IN BED! Yes, it's true, he really did. Pancakes with peanut butter and syrup (my favorite) on a tray with a beautiful rose and Mother's Day cards from him, Kylie and even the CAT! It was DELICIOUS! And now he's cleaning the kitchen and playing with Kylie while I do this blog post. He's the best husband EVER!

I took this picture this morning with my P&S camera - Kylie put on her boots and her jacket all by herself and then posed for a picture - which is RARE!

Happy Mother's Day to all!

Interesting Tidbits....

2008-05-07T22:04:00.005-05:00

I've been meaning to do this for a while - so here goes.....

Some cool stuff for my clients:

People are always asking about cool stuff (clothes/props/etc) for pictures so I thought I would share:

The cool hat / beanie in a couple of my recent pictures is from the Portland Beanie Company. I bought the 3-6 month size "Flapper" style brown beanie with the pink flower. I TOTALLY plan to buy more in different styles and colors because they are sooooo cute and well made.

I also just got a really cute tu-tu that I haven't used yet - but it will be perfect for the 6 month to one-year-old crowd. I found it at a local festival and the company is called All Sweet Bowtique. They also sell really cute hair bows (although I'm not a big fan of large hair bows for pictures).

If you are in the market for some frames - for all those pictures you got from me (wink-wink) - some of my favorites are:

The Red Envelope Gallery Frame Sets

The Modular Photo Wall Frame Collection - from Exposures Online

The Double Matted Frames - from Picture This Framed. I like these because you can mix larger photos in one frame (ie: an 8x10 with (2) 5x7)

For my photographer friends out there (or those interested in photography)......

Here's what's "in my bag":

First - this is MY BAG and I love it!

The Beast (as I fondly call it) Canon 30D SLR
Lenses:
Current Favorite: 24-70mm 2.8L
Second Favorite: 50mm 1.4
Third Favorite: 28-135mm 3.5-5.6 IS
I also have a GREAT flash that I never use since I use all natural light. Maybe someday.....

I took some GREAT classes at the Showcase School of Photography. Digital 101 (in the one-day format and the 6 week format), Digital 102, People Photography, Photoshop CS2.

Some great Photoshop Actions that I use A LOT can be found here:
Kevin Kubota Image Tools - I have the production tools and the Artistic Tools Volume 2
Totally Rad Action Set - Boutwell Studios

Actions are a great way to do a simple boost to your images (brighten color and sharpen a digital image) as well as lots of other fun stuff if you have the time.....

And finally - a photographer blog that I LOVE to read - and I can't wait to take one of their classes: The Image Is Found Photo Blog. It's a husband/wife team and they shoot mainly with wide angled lenses. Their style is completely different from mine - but it's so fun!

I think that's enough to keep everyone busy for now....... so I'll end with a picture......

Bath Time.....

For the photographers out there - this was shot in the bathroom (no windows) at 24mm focal length, f-stop 2.8 and ISO 1600. I used one of my cool black and white actions to convert it from color and wah-lah!

If anyone out there has questions or thoughts about anything, feel free to leave a comment..... :) Is there anyone out there???????

Such a trooper!

2008-05-04T20:30:00.004-05:00

What a great session I had today. This little sweety is 6 months old and she was sooooo good for us this morning. She hardly made a peep no matter where we put her (and we put her lots of places). I know Mom & Dad were a little disappointed that we didn't get any smiles (she was very serious) but she is so beautiful and you can really see her personality in those big blue eyes. It reminded me of my daughter's 6 month pictures - she was very serious too - not a single smile. But now I look back at the pictures and it makes me laugh - because she is so NOT serious anymore - but that was just her, that day, being herself.

And, I hope Mom & Dad don't mind that I share a little bit of their story. Little miss "J" is having surgery in two weeks to repair a small hole in her heart. I know it must be terifying for them, but they are so positive and happy to have reached this moment after so much waiting. Mom and Dad are such a great team and I just know everything is going to work out for them.

Send good thoughts and prayers to this family in the coming days and weeks.

And without further delay...... some previews for Mom! You can click on any of these to see them a little bigger.

This is close to a smile - right?

This is one of my FAVORITE images!!

Okay - I had to include this because her bummy is TOO cute - but she definitely weighs more than 11 pounds. She was trying to escape.....

The whole family....

Mom had seen some other nursery pictures that I have done and really wanted to get one with her name - so, I guess it's not a secret anymore.... :)

Busy Saturday....

2008-04-27T12:54:00.003-05:00

I didn't book any sessions this weekend because we had lots going on and I was supposed to play tennis today - but we got rained out. So, here I am - blogging away! :)

These were all from Saturday. We started at the Jonquil Festival at Smyrna Village. It was really nice (at least while we were there - before the pouring rain) and I bought the CUTEST tu-tu that I can use for some of my upcoming sessions - can't wait!!!!

Here's the K-Bear when we arrived.

and watching the puppet show with daddy....

then we went to the MAIN STAGE to watch Kylie's friend Clare in her very first ballet recital. Kylie has some yummy lemon flavored Italian Ice!!!!

This is the lovely Clare before the show - doesn't she look excited?!!!

And Clare's little bro - also watching the show with his Italian Ice. From the look on his face - do you think he likes me??? :)

The show.....

the bow...... uh, I mean curtsy - right? You have to click on this one to see her beaming smile.

Then we went home for a nap - which Kylie would have liked to be longer - but we had a very special Birthday Party waiting for us. One of Kylie's best friends was turning THREE - I'm sure you all recognize her. The party was at the Little Gym of Smyrna and it was so much fun.

This was when we were "wrapping" Ainslee up like a present. She looks a little nervous....

The cake! All the lights were off so I did the best I could with no flash - but I think it's sweet.

And, of course, eating the cake...... YUMMY! Happy Birthday Ainslee!!!

The James Family ended the day with a trip to the Old Spaghetti Factory (MY personal favorite) and I have some funny pictures of Kylie eating Spaghetti - but I'll save those for another time.

Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America

2008-04-23T14:19:00.002-05:00

I wanted to share a personal post with all of you - my blog friends. We are walking in the CCFA Walk for a Cure on June 1st at Centennial Olympic Park. My husband has Crohn's and has lived with the disease for over 12 years now. We had some very difficult times during our first year of marriage, when I was pregnant and he had to undergo an operation to remove a blockage in his colon. What we thought would only be a few days in the hospital turned into more than two weeks and two operations. Jeff lost more than 40 pounds and struggled with a long and challenging recovery. But - he made it back to his "fighting weight" and with medication has been able to keep the disease stable since then. Unfortunately, there is no cure and we know there will be more challenges in the future - but we're ready! Two years ago, we did the CCFA walk and raised $2,500 and matched it with our own donation of $2,500 for a total of $5,000.

I am so grateful for our lives together and for our daughter. We have been very lucky. The money we raise will go to valuable research, legislation and the amazing "Camp Oasis" that CCFA does every year for children suffering with the disease.

If you would like to find out more about Crohn's or Colitis visit the CCFA website at www.ccfa.org

If you would like to visit our fundraising page or join the walk please click HERE

And since I have to include pictures with my post.....

This is Jeff and I celebrating our first Wedding Anniversary one month after his hospital stay. I was three months pregnant and we were both very tired. But, we were so happy just to be together. (Don't worry - I only had a sip of the champagne.)

And this is a couple weeks ago - oh what a difference a couple years will make..... :)

Two beautiful girls....

2008-04-22T21:29:00.004-05:00

Two Blog posts in one day - woo-hoo! :)

This was my second session this weekend. I got to meet these two lovely girls, the oldest almost 4 and the youngest 19 months. The one thing mom wanted most was a picture of the two of them together. Let me tell you, these two girls were masterminds at NOT letting me take pictures of them together. It was really funny actually - each of them knew just when to look away or turn around right when the other one was smiling.

When I look at the images, it takes me back to that day. I can really see their personalities in the images and it makes me smile. I hope mom and dad enjoy them as well.

This is baby sister laying on Daddy's shoulder. I was astounded by how much she was talking at 19 months old. Full, clear sentences and thoughts. WOW!!!

Big hugs!

Are these two so cute or what???? I love the matching haircuts!

Pucker up!!

One of my lollipops was broken - but it worked out great because they like to share......

Actually, I think miss "L" was much happier when her little sister got tired of the lollipop and let her have it all to herself. :) Can't you just hear it...... " MINE "

I love this image - it's one of those timeless moments. A postcard, a canvas on the wall, it speaks volumes.

Neighbors, friends and poker competitor....

2008-04-22T13:13:00.006-05:00

Here is a sneak peak from one of my sessions this weekend. They are friends and neighbors of mine and this was the first time I did "official" photographs for them. They are ahead of most of our neighborhood with the second child addition - but everyone else is catching up!

We had a great time and both kids did GREAT!

Here is little miss "E" in all her glory. You can click on any of these pictures to see them a little bigger.

Look at those gorgeous EYES! :)

I thought this was so cute - big brother giving me the EYE!

The whole family admiring their sweet baby girl....

A little mother-son time...

And DAD - doesn't he look so handsome and sweet! It's hard for me to believe this is the same guy I sit across the poker table from sometimes. Yes, I play Texas Hold 'Em Poker - I can't help it - it's SOO FUN!

And last, but DEFINITELY not least, MOM! Doesn't she look fabulous?

My Friend

2008-04-18T20:23:00.006-05:00

My heart is heavy and I thought it might help to write about it and share some pictures of a beautiful person. One of my oldest and dearest friends from high school just got news yesterday that her husband has a brain tumor. They are parents to four children, she is a school teacher and he works for his father. She asked him to walk with her for our high school graduation and they have been together ever since. The love they share has carried them through all the challenges of life so far - and it will carry them through this challenge that lies ahead. In the coming days we will find out more - and we are hoping and praying for the very best of news.

These are some pictures I took when I was just learning how to use my "fancy" camera. I felt so honored that she would brave a trip across the country with her 4 month old baby and her first daughter. At the time, I couldn't even imagine going to the grocery store alone with my baby - let alone a THREE HOUR car ride followed by a FOUR HOUR plane ride! I was struggling with the whole "baby thing" and she made it all seem so easy.

Here she is, a beautiful person, mother and friend. Whatever you believe in, please send good thoughts, prayers, luck, wishes and everything else her way.

Blog Stalkers....

2008-04-18T00:15:00.004-05:00

I do have a few blog stalkers that like to give me a hard time for not posting often enough. AND, I also have some friends that have started blogging - almost EVERY DAY - so they are putting me to shame.

So, I'm up WAY TOO LATE and I just finished two galleries (woo-hoo) and I thought I better post something...... but what???

Are shoes worthy of a blog post??? Well, I think these are. I bought these for Kylie at Target (couldn't resist) and she can barely walk in them. I told her "it's all about the fashion" and she repeats the mantra as she prances around the house in her first pair of heels. Is this how all girls get started on the shoe fetish?? :)

But - just in case the shoes aren't TRULY worthy of their very own blog post - here is such an adorable picture (or two) of Kylie with her Nana. She was off work for a week and came down to visit. You can click on it to see it bigger. So sweet. And, notice the shoes....... :)

GOODNIGHT!!!

M.I.A.

2008-04-16T12:28:00.003-05:00

For those of you that check in often - I'm terribly sorry to have gone missing for so long. As you know from my last post, we went to Aruba and it was FANTASTIC!!!! I highly recommend planning a nice "get-away" trip for any parents that have never done so - and not just a weekend! We went with three other couples that also have a child and I think everyone will agree - IT'S WORTH IT!

Then we came back and had a busy week catching up before family arrived. Then I got this weird 48 hour flu bug that had me in bed all day Saturday with fever and chills. THEN, we went out on Monday night for an early birthday celebration (mine) before my husband left town for several days. Now my husband is gone, family is still here and I'm finally taking a moment to post something sentimental and funny.

Here's the sentimental part:

Friends have always been a HUGE part of my life. It was just my mother and I while I was growing up, so my friends were often just like siblings to me (but we didn't fight as much). I spent family vacations with my friends and their families and endless "overnights". There have been friends that have come and gone and many friends who are still, to me, like the siblings I never had. I treasure the friendships that I have had for many, many, many years but have come to realize, there is always space for more friends. And that is what I have found in the past few years. We live in a neighborhood where many people are about the same age, starting families, with so much in common. There are many ladies who have been so much more to me than neighbors - they have been my life-line - when the "stay at home" mom world is just too much to bear or I just need someone to talk to about life in general. So, I want to express my gratitude for all of my dear friends - old and new - for these relationships mean the world to me and I never dreamt I could be so lucky to have them all.

And I will end with funny part.....

I am way too old to be hanging out at bars - but that's exactly what we did on Monday night. We went to "Metalsome Monday" at the Dark Horse Tavern in the Highlands. You get to do Karaoke with a LIVE BAND! One of my nearest (she lives across the street) and dearest friends and her husband came with us - and we had a BLAST! If you want more details you can go to her blog at The Dekel Daily. Needless to say - I drank too much, stayed out too late and slept all day on Tuesday (thanks to my wonderful husband). :)

I mean seriously - I can't even remember the last time I had a stamp on my hand unless it had to do with my child!

Aruba......

2008-03-31T14:16:00.003-05:00

Well - don't expect any posts from me for about a week. Tomorrow I will be packing and Wednesday morning we will be leaving for ARUBA!!!!! Kylie is staying here - courtesy of our friends and family - and we are SO EXCITED to have some time away.

We are going with three other couples, so it should be tons of fun. It will be nostalgic as well since we spent our honeymoon in Aruba just a few years ago.

I thought it would be fun to include some photos of us on our honeymoon - don't we look young? It wasn't that long ago - but it seems like forever.....

These were taken with my trusty point & shoot camera - long before I became a "professional" photographer.

My husband should have known he was in trouble when he saw me setting up the camera on the tree-trunk / cocktail table on the beach. I made him pose for so many pictures - until I had one that I liked...... what a good sport he was!

Hopefully we'll see lots more of these while we are there....

So behind.....

2008-03-31T13:27:00.002-05:00

Okay - it's taken me a week to get these up - I'm so behind. SORRY!!!

This was another one of my baby planners - and she is already one year old! I really can't believe it! If you want to see some of the previous pictures click HERE and HERE.

We had fun at the park, then we had a lollipop - and of course a birthday cupcake. She used to just sit and stare at me the whole time while I would take pictures - but now she's WAY more interested in doing her own thing. We had to hold her down to get some cute family shots. :)

Look at her big blue eyes....

Look at that tongue!!

And of course, enjoying her cupcake.

Happy Birthday!!

The Party

2008-03-30T21:17:00.004-05:00

Hmmmm, is this cake really for ME???

It was truly an amazing day. We had a birthday party at Kangazoom for our Kylie Bear. I just can't believe she is two years old. It became so real to me when she woke up in the morning talking about "Kylie's Birthday Party" and "Kylie's Birthday Cake". Could she really understand what we were talking about????? This picture is priceless to me. She was clapping her hands with glee after everyone sang her the birthday song. She was so proud and happy. And we were so proud and happy. Is she really our little girl? I ask myself that sometimes. How did we get so lucky?

Happy Second Birthday (again)..... :)

Blog Stalker.....

2008-03-27T19:40:00.004-05:00

My client and dear friend has been waiting so patiently for me to post some preview pics from our session last weekend - but I know she's checking my blog all the time - so HERE THEY ARE! Woo-hoo! I feel so bad that it took me 5 days to get them up - but with Kylie's B-day, Easter, my new I-phone, blah, blah, blah.... :)

This was our final session for this one year old sweetheart. The first pictures I took were almost exactly one year before these (when he was about 4 weeks old). You can see the previous sessions by clicking HERE.

The time goes by so fast - I know that sounds cliche - but it's so true.

Happy Birthday little man!

This was the view I got of him for most of our session - there's a ton of pictures from this angle - the BEHIND angle! He is on the move and with his own agenda.

And then, this is the second most popular look - the serious face. I'm not sure if he was annoyed with me, bored with me - or maybe both....

But, with patience, you get these faces. The sweet, angel faces that just make your heart melt.

And these faces - with the big belly laugh - or scream!

I'm not ashamed to admit that the next two pictures were taken in the car. Me in the front seat and Mr. "J" in his car seat. Sometimes it's just nice to have a subject strapped down!!!! Especially a one-year-old! Plus - he was flirting with me the whole time.

And the birthday cupcake - YUMMY!!!

Of course, the post wouldn't be complete without big sister. She just turned three and is so much older than her years. Such a sweety pie.

Second Post of the Day

2008-03-24T13:01:00.004-05:00

Happy Birthday to our Kylie Bear! I thought she deserved a post all her own in my blog since the world revolves around her - at least that's what most two-year-olds think right?

So, from the words of our little lady.....

It started out like a pretty normal day with a bowl of Kix - but I'm not sure why these goofy rabbits are on my head....

After I played for a while, I went to brunch with the family and ran around outside like a crazy woman. But, I did pause to grace these lucky people with my presence for a picture. Aren't they cute? Dad, Auntie, Uncle and Grampa!

This is my friend "Mr. Froggie" and his brother "Mr. Froggie". I kissed him - but he didn't turn into a prince. What a dirty trick!

After a MUCH NEEDED nap, I went for an Easter Egg Hunt with all my friends. I'm not really sure why everyone spent so much time looking for eggs when the real treasure is the candy inside. I ate a lot of Jelly Beans!

Fueled by my Jelly Beans, Chocolate and who knows what else - I joined the fun in the jumpy house. The best part was mashing my face against the side while my static hair stood straight up! If you want a better look at my face, just click on the picture.

My parents didn't think I had enough to eat, so after dinner they brought out a BIRTHDAY CAKE! Mommy's favorite - chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. My official party is next week, so I'll get another cake then! Woo-hoo!

Oh, I LOVE cake - but especially the frosting...

And the ice cream was soooooo yummy too!

After I finished my delicious treat, I put on my best innocent face so my mommy would get me out of the chair and I could really go crazy from the sugar....... What a GREAT day!

AND THE WINNER IS.......

2008-03-24T06:48:00.005-05:00

Lollipop picture #1 with 50% of the votes!! I'll be sending Mom the digital image this week. And the winner of the drawing is (drum roll please)........ Amy Bergstrom! She wins a free session or a free 16x20 portrait. Congratulations to BOTH winners! In case you didn't see the contest - here's the link to the old blog post: CONTEST

And, in celebration I am posting two quick preview pics from my other two sessions this weekend. These are two of my baby planners and they both celebrated their 1st birthdays with a few cute (and messy) cupcake pictures. I promise to post more as soon as I can.

LOVED this one with big sister enjoying her cupcake in the background. He's giving me the look - "hey lady, haven't you taken enough pictures yet???"

And this one was so funny - she licked all the frosting off first and then went for the cupcake. Just like mom I guess! :)

Today is my baby girl's 2nd birthday so I'm hoping to get a few Easter & Birthday Cake pictures of her up today as well. Happy Monday!!

See the previous post...

2008-03-21T14:58:00.004-05:00

Here's a few pictures of the two love birds during our snow day in January....

(you can click on it to see them a little bigger)

He looks a little scared doesn't he??

My Daughter's Boyfriend...

2008-03-21T14:12:00.005-05:00

Well, I hope Mom & Dad don't mind that this little guy's name is on my blog. It's in one of the pictures so it's hard to keep it a secret. But, there's more to the story. These are good friends of ours - and they live just down the street from us. Most of you know that my daughter's name is Kylie but you might not know that we kept her name a secret until she was born. Well, our friends did the same thing and guess what - we now have Kylie and Kyle - born on the SAME DAY only two hours apart. So, does that mean they are destined to be together???

Kyle and Kylie are both going to be TWO next week - and I just can't believe how fast the time has gone. We did this session just a couple hours ago - but I know how excited Mom gets about her pictures - she gives me a hard time when I don't post new pictures to my blog often enough.

So - SURPRISE - here's a few previews for you. There's so many cute pics and I haven't even gotten through them all yet. But, here's some favorites that jumped out at me.

And, of course, a lollipop shot...

Don't you just LOVE the messy lollipop face??

Mom & Dad want some cute pictures with the other member of their family - Miller. But, it's pretty hard to get a dog and a two-year-old to cooperate for the perfect portrait. This one made me laugh though. I think Kyle is trying to choke him.... :)

And this one made me kind of sad - in a good way. He looks so big and grown up - just walking away on his own little adventure - just like my baby girl....

Love...

2008-03-20T12:59:00.005-05:00

I know I have said it before, but it's very refreshing for me to do some sessions with adult subjects. These two were so fun and good sports with me wanting to take pictures all over their house. It's gorgeous - she has a passion for interior design and it shows! Another perk - they live right next door to me - so I didn't even have to drive anywhere! :)

Originally we were just doing a couple head shots of mrs "L" for work - but decided to do a full session with both of them. FUN!

We called this the "Beyonce" shot. The wind was blowing - so it was just like the set of a music video. It helps that she is so photogenic too!

Only 2 Weeks Old....

2008-03-12T13:15:00.004-05:00

He's so young, but so awake and soooo sweet. This is a wonderful family and I felt honored that they asked me to do their newborn pictures. We met back in June of last year when they were just a family of three. You can click HERE to see a few of those pics. I feel so lucky to meet all of these wonderful people and to be able to do something so special for them. Documenting life's most precious moments.

We didn't have much luck getting this little guy to sleep, but he was such a good sport anyway. He hardly fussed at all. I know mom is waiting to see a few of these previews - so I hope you enjoy!!

His biggest fans! :)

Aren't her eyes gorgeous? This is one of about three photos I got of her this time. She really wasn't interested in taking pictures. But she did say that I could buy her princess crown since they take 20 hours to make - or I could just borrow it and bring it back on Thursday. So FUNNY! The way their little minds work....

And a sweet moment with mother and son. She looks FABULOUS by the way! I hope I can look that great 2 weeks after my next baby (whenever that may be)! :)

I had to include this one - I just love the silhouette of his feet!

Okay - back to the pictures....

2008-03-10T12:54:00.008-05:00

I've had some requests for new posts and pictures. I was letting the contest go for a while - but it's time to get back to some fun pictures! Contest winners will be announced next week.

This session was so fun. They were as sweet as could be and we took lots of pictures. They are excited about baby brother coming soon. I LOVED Mom's decorating style. The house was so light and colorful - it made for some fun pictures.

Just look at these curtains - so pretty! But, not as cute as Mom & Dad! :)

You can click on any of the pictures to see them a little bigger.

This was the hallway - it had such a nice glow with the blue walls and soft white pattern. Mom looked so pretty - I thought the mirror was great!

The whole family....

And this little darling is six years old and such a beauty. She gave me lots of big cheesy smiles, but I really liked this tender moment.

And this one too.....

And, I love the little smirk! She has one blue eye and one hazel/green eye - just gorgeous! Thanks miss "K" for taking pictures with me!

Look at that mouth!

2008-02-28T14:57:00.002-05:00

I was trying not to post since I wanted people to see the blog contest and get their votes in - but I couldn't resist this hilarious picture of our little Kylie bear in the snow. She LOVED it! Daddy pulled her around in the sled and she was screaming MORE, MORE!! So cute! This was our first trip to Buffalo in well over a year - so we thought it was time to make the trip up to see Nana and Dzia Dzia (gramma & grampa). We had a wonderful time - and now it's back to work! :)

First Blog Contest

2008-02-17T17:19:00.003-05:00

The battle of the LOLLIPOPS!! :)

This is the first of several contests I plan to do this year. I have chosen some cute Lollipop pictures and it's up to YOU to pick your favorite by posting a comment below with the image number you like best. Everyone that votes (if you leave an email) will be entered into a drawing for your choice of a FREE session or a FREE 16x20 print ($100 value). One vote per person please.

The image that gets the most votes will be given to the family in digital format so they can reprint it as many times as they want! :)

Good luck!

(You can click on the image to see it a little bigger).

IMAGE #1

IMAGE #2

IMAGE #3

IMAGE #4

IMAGE #5

Don't read this....

2008-02-15T12:47:00.006-05:00

....unless you like cheesy stuff (that's what my husband calls it). He says I write "cheesy stuff" in my blog - but hey - who doesn't love CHEESE????

Yesterday was Valentine's Day. This is such a unique holiday because it means something different to everyone and, even for myself, it's meaning has changed over the years.

When I was a child it was about giving and receiving little valentine cards at school and hoping I would get something "extra special" from the cute boy in my third grade class. When I was single it was a holiday that made me jealous of those who had someone special to celebrate with. When I was dating, Valentine's Day was so full of expectations - the right gift, the right card, the right restaurant, the right words......

This year, I told my husband that we should do a max of $20 for a gift and just have fun. That was it - no expectations. A couple days ago we decided we would just stay home and he said he was going to cook dinner for me - I was sooooo excited! He made a delicious dinner of Southwestern Baked Tilapia and green beans with this FABULOUS topping made of goat cheese, dried cranberries, bacon and bread crumbs. I was amazed. Not just at the dinner (cuz he really doesn't cook often - but he's a master at the grill) but at the thought and effort he put into making a dinner for me.

This was my best Valentine's Day yet. It was just about us, our love for our family and our appreciation for the life we have. It's amazing what happens when you really don't expect it.

So, a big cheers to my husband and best friend! Thank you!!!

And, since he wouldn't let me take a picture of my dinner plate, I took a picture of my gift! It's a really soft fuzzy throw blanket. So cool!

Had to include this. I was laying on the floor trying to take a picture of my blanket and my daughter thought it was picture time, so she layed right in front of me and said "CHEESE!" Howz that for my CHEESY blog!! :)

What a morning!

2008-02-13T10:02:00.004-05:00

We played, we crawled in the dirt, we threw leaves, we had costume changes.... so much fun. This is a dear friend of mine and her lovely daughter and wonderful husband. This was my first time doing "official" pictures with them so I took WAY too many!! AND, this is the most pictures I have ever posted in my blog from one session - but it's so hard to choose!

The first one is my very favorite - it's just one of those moments. Don't you wonder what she's thinking?

Enjoy!!

The ballerina...

YEE-HAW!!

Love, sweet love!

This is just so sweet! I love the smiles! :)

Another post wedding session

2008-02-10T21:21:00.000-05:00

I had a wonderful session today with these two newlyweds. I must say, it's so much fun to take wedding pictures without the pressure of the actual wedding! They were really sweet and such troopers because it was a bit windy and chilly. We had a great time!

Here's a few previews....

( Click on this to see it bigger )

Isn't she gorgeous???

And, for fun - AUBURN HATS! :)

It's a small world

2008-02-09T14:39:00.000-05:00

Several years ago, Gina helped my friend and I find our first house! She's a realtor and you can visit her website if you like: www.ginabridges.com

It's amazing how the world connects, and you just never know what will bring you together again. She asked me to help her with new pictures for her website and marketing materials - and I haven't seen her forever. So, I'm glad that my new career can bring me back in touch with old friends!

Now, don't you just want to buy (or sell) your house with her? :)

And one with her husband - aren't they sweet?! :)

Just for fun

2008-02-04T13:42:00.000-05:00

Sometimes life gets going so fast, you forget to just have fun. I was getting Kylie out of bed this morning and she was in a great mood and she pointed to her little angel/butterfly wings in the closet. So, instead of distracting her so we could get dressed and go, I put them on her - along with her little tu-tu skirt. She was so proud! The mittens were her idea - but I think they match the outfit great! I asked her if she wanted tme to take her picture and she said yes (which is a rare word in our house these days) so I took a few pics while the moment lasted. And now, I have it forever....... my little angel! :)

You can click on it to see it better.

Another one growing up!

2008-01-27T12:13:00.000-05:00

Isn't she so sweet??? This is another one of my First Year Planners. This was my second session with her - she's 4 months old now and already has such a personality. She didn't cry once the entire time I was there - and she talked, talked, talked to me (in baby language of course). I can't wait for her next session when she can sit up - so fun!

Enjoy the preview pics and you can click HERE if you want to see a couple of her newborn pics.

Baby "J" is here!

2008-01-24T19:36:00.003-05:00

Oh, what a beautiful family! Baby "J" made it into the world just before Christmas but he's still so tiny. He was a little camera shy at first, but once he fell asleep we got to take lots of fun pictures.

You would not believe what these three have been through..... They were building an addition to their home, planning to be back in before the baby - but you know how that goes. They were in a small apartment with their new baby until just last week when they moved back in. So, they are dealing with moving and boxes and organizing - all with a new baby. But, you would never know it - they were so relaxed and fun. And the addition to their home is fabulous - worth the wait!

Here's a few previews. AND, if you didn't see the maternity session, click HERE to see a couple of those pics too. :)

Post #101 - WOW!!

2008-01-20T19:51:00.001-05:00

I just signed in to my blog and realized I have logged over 100 posts so far!! Whew - I can't believe it! Hopefully someone is out there reading all of this..... hee-hee.

Just thought I would share a picture from our SNOW DAY here in Atlanta yesterday. There was enough snow to build a snowman - and he is STILL standing today! My husband is from Buffalo, so he's a pretty good snowman builder (if there is such a thing). We had fun playing outside, although, poor Kylie was probably freezing in her sneakers and knit mittens - we don't really have any snow attire for her.

And this is definitely one of those moments you just hope you can catch with the camera. We came upstairs to get her from her nap and she had taken off her socks and put them on her hands as mittens. They do kinda look like her mittens - so maybe her hands were cold. :) And yes, we still let her have her passy's for sleeping - but only in the crib. We haven't been brave enough to take them away yet...... uggghhh. I think we are more attached to them than she is.

Another Baby in the Neighborhood!

2008-01-15T19:54:00.000-05:00

We all make jokes that here in our little neighborhood we are populating the world - there are soooo many babies and toddlers. This little sweety is just about a month old and she LOVED having her picture taken. She didn't cry AT ALL - and we did all kinds of fun stuff with her. Mom and Dad seem to be handling everything so well - they were both so relaxed. These pictures made me think of my baby girl when she was so small - she's not a baby anymore! :(

Here's a few preview pics for mom & dad (and Grandma B too). Enjoy!

Ahhh, the sweet details of the tiny babies....

You should click on this one to see it a little bigger - so cute!

And a fun one! Mom let me put her in this cool red chair!

First Session of the Year

2008-01-14T14:19:00.000-05:00

Well - my break is over. I officially had my first session of the year this past weekend - and it was nice to get back in the groove! I feel so lucky to meet so many wonderful people - including these three. We had a great time inside and out and little miss "B" was so much fun!

Here are a few previews for Mom & Dad. :)

Love the tongues sticking out! Click on it to see it bigger.

Aren't they a beautiful couple! :)

ART!!!

2008-01-04T14:59:00.000-05:00

Well - I know it's been a while since my last post. I have really been enjoying some "time-off" from sessions and pictures. Although, I have been working very hard behind the scenes on my new pricing, welcome packet and even a NEW WEBSITE! More about that later though.

Anyone who is a parent can probably relate to this dilemma.......

What do you do with the Gingerbread House after Christmas??? My husband was appalled that I would consider throwing it away - but - won't it attract ants or something? I'm not going to let my daughter eat it because she gets CRAZY when she eats lots of sugar. So, this was the best I could come up with. I took a whole bunch of pictures to forever preserve Kylie's beautiful piece of art. :) Our friend and neighbor made these special houses and invited the kids over to decorate them. Keep in mind that every piece of candy was in my daughter's mouth before it made it to the house - otherwise I would probably eat it myself! Yummy!!! :)

You'll need to click on this to see the big version.

Happy New Year everyone!!!

Merry Christmas

2007-12-24T23:49:00.000-05:00

Just thought I'd post a couple pictures of the James Family - courtesy of my sister in law! :) I hope everyone is enjoying the holidays!!!

Best Friends

2007-12-12T15:27:00.000-05:00

Well, I have two more sessions to process and then I'm done!!! Well, almost. I just took some pictures for my good friend "V" today - I'm sure you'll recognize this little sweety since she's all over my website. I brought my daughter and we did some pictures together too - I think they are going to be the bestest of friends. :)

Don't you LOVE the shoes?? I need a pair!!

Soooooo sweet!!!

And, of course, my little ham. She didn't give me any smiles until I changed her out of the xmas dress I made her wear. I think she's going to be a Tom Boy!

My little ham...

2007-12-06T21:45:00.000-05:00

So, I just got home from a charity Texas Hold 'em Poker Tournament that my husband's work put on - it was a lot of fun. For those of you who might not know - I really enjoy playing Texas Hold 'Em Poker. I don't play online or anything - but I enjoy a monthly game with friends. If you've never played - you should try it - it's fun!

Anyway, I don't have time to actually get something constructive done between now and when my husband get's here (he's on his way) and I realized that I hadn't posted any pics of my cutie-pie lately sooooooo........

She did this herself - I asked her if she was ready to go bye-bye and this was how I found her by the door. I wonder if this is how I look to her when it's time to go???? And, credit goes to my Nikon Cool-Pix point and shoot camera for these first two pictures. My "big" camera wasn't ready.

She thinks her underwear is a hat???

And, mommy's favorite, hot pink cowboy boots! :) You can click on this one to see it bigger.

Gotta go.... he's home!! :)

It's all about the LEAVES!

2007-12-04T15:12:00.000-05:00

As you can see below, baby "J" was really into the leaves during our session. It was sooo cute! Hey, at least he wasn't crying right? I've done many sessions with this family and they are also really good friends of mine. It's amazing to watch the kids grow up - right before my eyes (and my camera). You can see some past images by clicking here and here.

I always have fun with them..... :) Hopefully mom won't mind that I'm posting some really funny AND CUTE pictures of these two munchkins.

The fascinating leaves...

Big sister.....

PLEASE TAKE THIS HAT OFF!!!!!

I didn't even know you could do this with a santa hat!!! :)

And lastly - the sweetest picture. Big sister wanted to say a prayer with Daddy. Doesn't it melt your heart??? I added an old fashioned special effect - I think this would make a really nice canvas......

Three months old and soooo happy!

2007-12-02T22:22:00.000-05:00

I just did pictures for another friend of mine that had her second child - another girl. I didn't even realize how much she was smiling until I browsed through the images when I got home. Such a happy baby! We had a great session - and even Maximus the dog joined us!

Here's some previews:

And, of course, big sister. It's amazing to see how much of a "big girl" she is becoming. I remember when she first started WALKING! It seems like just last month to me....

And let us not forget the love that started it all.....

TWINS plus one!

2007-11-29T14:05:00.001-05:00

This was my second time photographing little miss "A" but my first time with all three kids. They were SO cute together. The brothers are just all "boy", horsing around and making faces and little sister just wants to do her own thing - or anything they are doing.

Mom and Dad are so relaxed and patient with them. The session went quick and we got some really cute shots - and funny ones too. The last picture below looks like big brothers are torturing little sister - but they are really just trying to keep her in the picture - which she wanted NO part of ! :)

You can click on this one to see it bigger...

Isn't he sweet?????

So funny!

Sweet Baby

2007-11-27T14:24:00.000-05:00

One of my dear friends just had her second child - a baby girl. I felt so honored to photograph her at just over two weeks. Being able to capture these moments for the special people in my life is such a joy to me. I have to say, mom seemed VERY well adjusted and relaxed. But, then again, she always seems to have it together. She even made ME lunch while I was there - and than goodness because my dentist appointment afterwards rendered my mouth USELESS for the rest of the day!

Big brother has been very sweet with her but it was really funny to watch how creatively he tried to get mommy to use "BOTH" hands to play with him while she was holding the baby. Aaaahhh, the sibling rivalry begins.... :)

I hope you enjoy these preview pics - can't wait to see her again!

You can click on this to see it a little bigger.

a little smile....

and of course, big brother, with his serious face and big blue eyes. Isn't he a doll?

A gift full circle....

2007-11-25T21:40:00.000-05:00

This session brings my business completely full circle since I started last November. I did a couple sessions for a WONDERFUL family around Christmas time. They were so good to me and fun to work with - since I was VERY new at the whole photographer thing. Anyway, the mother bought a gift certificate for her daughter-in-law and this is her family! It has taken us a year to get the session done - for lots of reasons - but it was worth the wait! Sorry for the long story.... :)

These kids are 7 and 9 - which is the oldest siblings I've ever worked with. They were so much fun - we laughed, jumped, made faces, rolled in the leaves. They were totally "into" it with me. I hope mom enjoys these images until I can get the rest ready for her! Thanks for having me in your new home - it's beautiful.

This picture pose/location was chosen by little sis - and it came out so cute!

Oh - the love! This just melts my heart!!

Soooooo behind!

2007-11-22T23:41:00.000-05:00

Oh my goodness - I feel so overwhelmed. I have had some wonderful sessions over the past couple weeks and I'm working very hard to get everyone their pictures for the holidays.

This session was a friend of mine that I used to work with - long before either of us were married. Now, she has three BEAUTIFUL children and it was so much fun to see her. Time goes by so quickly - and I hadn't even met any of her kids until now. She's one of those people that just makes it all look so easy!

These kids gave me a run for the money - each with their own agenda. This was my first family of five where ALL of the kids were mobile! We had a great time - and hopefully mom will be happy with the images.

Here's a few previews....

What a cutie

2007-11-16T12:04:00.000-05:00

This little guy was so patient with us - no crying, fussing or anything. But, look at this face -- what do you think he was thinking in this first picture? So full of character these littles ones are!

Here's just a couple preview pics for mom. And for all of you waiting for pictures - I'm working as fast as I can! Thanks for your patience! :)

A wonderful family

2007-11-13T22:08:00.000-05:00

Lots of previews for Mom. This is my second time meeting up with this family for pictures. Dad thought he was DONE taking pictures for the year - but mom wanted some new ones for Christmas! Yeah Mom! :)

I am posting lots of previews because I really enjoyed this session. We got fun, creative and unique pictures - because they were up for anything. I would love to take ALL the credit for good pictures - but so much of it depends on what you (the client) puts into it.

So, for an extra special session here are some tips (not requirements of course)....

Be willing to walk down a dark corridor to stand in front of a cool wall....

Be willing to sit in the window sill and play simon says (or crystal says)....

Be able to pick your own backdrop - Dad picked this spot and it's one of the BEST!

Be willing to sit on the cold cement in your dress.....

Be willing to lay on your belly in the grass when you're all dressed up!

Be able to set yourself up in a cool group pose....

And finally, be willing to wear Santa Hats and be soooo CUTE!!!

Thanks for a fun morning!

Another morning in the park

2007-11-10T15:24:00.000-05:00

My favorite "photo-park" seems to be a favorite location of other photographers as well. There were two other familes getting their photos done today. 'Tis the season!!

These are friends (and neighbors) of mine and we had a lovely time this morning. Both kids did GREAT and we got lots of cute pics. I'm still working on a couple other galleries so I browsed quickly through these images to pick a few favorites to post.

Okay - back to work for me....

Enjoy!!

My lovely friend let me take some pictures of just her - I think her eyes are so gorgeous. It's always nice for me to take pictures of someone that isn't running away! She should be a model - don't you think? :)

Just one more

2007-11-07T14:35:00.000-05:00

Still working on this gallery but I just had to post this picture. It's such a sweet moment. Big brother looking out the window and little sister waiting anxiously for him to come back and play. You can click on it to see it bigger.

:)

Oh the EYES!!!

2007-11-07T13:39:00.000-05:00

Here's a couple more from yesterday's session. This sweet baby has the BIGGEST BLUE EYES ever! She was pretty serious most of the time, but we caught a few smiles. It's so fun to see her grow up (I did her newborn pictures too). Mom and dad were very relaxed and we had a great time.

Look - it's SANTA!! :)

Party of Five

2007-11-06T13:09:00.000-05:00

The group photo - always a challenge - but I thought this one came out pretty darn cute! We had a nice session in the park with Mom, Dad, Gramma & Grampa - and baby of course. She got tired of me REALLY fast this time - but we still got some good shots. She is only a little younger than my daughter and we are all neighbors. It's so fun to watch all the kids grow up together.

Enjoy...

What is going on??

2007-11-06T12:43:00.000-05:00

Is it me? This is the second "bird" I have gotten in a WEEK!! The funniest part of all is that this little one is the COUSIN of the other little one that was giving me the bird! Maybe baby "M" told baby "L" that I was coming.....

I'll post more later - but this was hysterical!

The joy of love!

2007-11-05T14:13:00.000-05:00

I usually don't put this many pictures in one blog post BUT, my husband and I just got back from an amazing weekened in California where one of my dearest friends got married. We have known each other for 16 years now - and the time has just FLOWN by. Seeing her so happy, with an amazing guy, just melts my heart. She asked me to take some pictures for her and even though "I don't do weddings" - I would do anything for my friend Noel. :) So, here are a bunch of my favorites - of course there's lots more but it's going to take me some time to get through them all. I feel so lucky to have a friend like here in my life.

Congratulations Noel & Chris - may your future bring many, many, many happy moments just like these....

PS - You can click on any of the pictures to see them bigger.

Getting ready... that's Deb in the background - we all worked together many years ago and have stayed the best of friends over distance and time.

The BEAUTIFUL bride...

The flowers....

The rings.... the reception was at this really cool wine bar called "wine crush" so I thought this was a perfect "platform" for their rings... :)

The groom and his guys... they were so much fun

The happy couple...

I just love this picture. They are so happy together.

He snuck into my bridal portrait...

This is me and the girls with the happy couple. That's Vicki (second from right) - we were lucky to get a shot where she wasn't sticking out her tongue! She cracks me up! Picture courtesy of my husband - he should be a photographer!

Of course, I had to include MY MAN! :)

And this is Vicki with her man. It was great meeting you John! Come visit us in HOT-lanta!

Brother and Sister - and a laugh

2007-11-02T08:39:00.000-05:00

I just did this session a couple days ago and while browsing through the images, I laughed out loud! You'll see why when you see the 3rd and 4th pictures. I usually don't share the "funny" pictures that I get during the process - but I couldn't help it. I hope mom doesn't mind. These two were so sweet - we had a great time.

Baby Sister....

Big Brother....

Baby sister's thoughts on me and my camera (hee-hee)

Big brother looking for Dinosaurs in my camera lens - he got so close that my wide angle couldn't even get his whole face. But the look in his eyes - priceless!

YEE-HAW!!

2007-11-01T15:13:00.000-05:00

Our Little Cowgirl!! I just love it - and she kept the hat on the whole time! We had a parade in our neighborhood and then a party. Once she got the hang of the candy thing she was stealing everyone else's. She's partial to the suckers though. :)

We're off to California tomorrow for a wedding - and Kylie is staying with her Aunt ALL WEEKEND! Oh how I will miss her (while I'm sleeping in.....)

Happy Halloween (belated).

Just to show how far she's come.... last year's tootsie roll costume.

All about the family!

2007-10-30T11:31:00.000-05:00

So, it was a CRAZY weekend with family in town and my sister-in-law's wedding. I took a few pictures while she was getting ready - but the wedding stuff is much more stressful than what I do most the time. It's the ONE SPECIAL DAY - so much pressure to get it right! Good thing I wasn't the "official" photographer for the day. Plus, I had to chase my little munchkin around between shots. So, I thought I'd share a few of my pics - and the beautiful bride. :)

First..... the dress - isn't is gorgeous??

And... the shoes and flowers.....

And, the bride IN the dress.....

A close up of her big blue eyes....

And the post wouldn't be complete without my little sweety....

And, my other sweety! :)

Another new baby

2007-10-24T20:42:00.000-05:00

Today's session was a little tough. The light was scarce and this new little sweety loved me soooo much that he REFUSED to sleep for almost the entire time! But, what a cutie he is - and so much hair on his head!!! I'm posting a couple collages that I made - it's so fun to see the before and after.

I think this might be my last post for a while - the whole family is coming to town tomorrow for my sister-in-law's wedding. It's going to be an action-packed weekend!

Enjoy your preview pics mom.....

You can click on this one to see it bigger...

Three months old

2007-10-23T13:37:00.000-05:00

How the time flies! I did this session today and it reminded me of how small my little one used to be - now she can reach the counter and pull stuff off - unbelievable!

This family was so sweet - we had to take pictures all over the house - looking for any available light since it's cloudy and rainy today. But, we still got some sweet shots of their little girl.

I really like this one - with the dimple! :)

Some more of miss Caden

2007-10-23T13:21:00.000-05:00

I guess her name isn't a secret since it's in one of the pictures... :) It's always so hard for me to pick my favorites for the blog, especially when I'm not done processing all the pictures yet. BUT, here's some cute ones - and I had to include one of her and dad since this was his first official photo shoot with baby!

Enjoy!! :)

Cagle's Dairy Farm

2007-10-22T13:46:00.000-05:00

We did a family outing on Saturday to Cagle's Dairy Farm in Canton - and it was so much fun! We got there too late for the Dairy tour and petting zoo - but we still enjoyed the other stuff. Here's some pics....

First up..... the SUNGLASSES! :)

Kylie and Dad - oh so sweet!

The perfect pose with the pumpkins.....

The sun setting behind the corn field

And - her first s'mores by the bonfire - which she LOVED!

We decided we are going to make this trip a family tradition - with a jacket and blanket for the bonfire next time. If you decide to go - get there early to beat the traffic and the LINE!! :)

LOVE the pumpkin hat!!!

2007-10-21T22:26:00.000-05:00

My second victim with the cute little pumpkin hat I found. Don't you just love the naked baby with all the adorable chubbiness and the little hat???? You can click on the picture to see it a little bigger. This is one of my baby planners - so this was my third session with her and she is such a great little model - never cries. Although by the end, she wouldn't even so much as LOOK in my direction. She has the most adorable big blue eyes! I'll post a few more pics later (or tomorrow) but just had to share this one..... g'night!

Busy, busy, busy!!!

2007-10-20T09:01:00.000-05:00

Well, I must say a big thank you to all of my clients that have helped me launch my business this year. It's official - I'm booked through the end of the year. Almost all of my business has been referrals from happy customers - which is the best kind of referral. :) I really appreciate all of the support and hope to continue the relationships well into the future! If you would like to be on a waiting list for a session before January, send me an email: crystalcjames@yahoo.com

Among other things, I am currently working on my 2008 pricing and new products. I would love to have any feedback or suggestions on new products or things you'd like to see from me in the future. Shoot me an email or leave me a comment. :)

For now - some fun pictures from our neighborhood barbeque a couple weeks ago. My neighbor took these pictures - all I did was put them together on one board. We were all talking about how cool it will be for our kids to grow up together and enjoy many, many more neighborhood events in the years to come. And, who doesn't LOVE ice cream??

Even MORE Christmas Cards!!

2007-10-15T14:19:00.000-05:00

Here are some more Christmas templates. If you want to see the previous ones I posted, you can click HERE and HERE - I hope you enjoy!! :)

A six year old....

2007-10-14T08:33:00.000-05:00

Well, I'm still working on getting galleries done for people, but had to post a couple previews from my session yesterday. This family was such a delight to work with - we had a great time finding picture spots in the park. For me, it was nice to not have to CHASE little miss "H" around - since she's six she will sit where you ask her to. The real challenge lies in trying to get the "true" smile instead of the "camera" smile. Here are a few "true" smiles that really shine. She was a sweety pie!

The whole family....

And, of course, a lollipop shot!

And one last session for the weekend....

2007-10-07T21:23:00.001-05:00

It was a busy weekend with three sessions - this was today's session in the park. These two adorable kids were sooooo good. And big brother was so sweet to his little sister - it just melted my heart! Here's a few pics to enjoy.

And, I just had to include this picture because I know everyone can relate. Parents, professional photographers, amateur photographers, anyone that wants a good family picture. There's always one person in the group doing something silly. This one made me laugh out loud - but there are plenty more just like it! I think she's saying "PICKLES" - since that was our word of the day! :)

Family of three (soon to be four!)

2007-10-07T20:02:00.001-05:00

This was a fun session in the park. Little Mr. "N" was such a good sport - and hardly avoided my camera at all. I laughed so hard listening to him sing Old McDonald had a farm - with all the animals and sounds effects. He just turned two - but he's so grown up! :) Mom is 5 months pregnant - but you would never know it - she looks fabulous.

Here's a few pics - and don't worry mom, we got lots of big smiles too - but I thought these were sweet. :) You can click on the pictures to see them a little bigger.

Lovely Mother (and Father) to Be

2007-10-07T19:53:00.000-05:00

I had a wonderful session with this future mom & dad. The whole time I was taking pictures, I was thinking about how their lives will change - and how mine changed - in ways you can never foresee. Here's a couple pics - just the tip of the iceberg. :)

Our Little Pumpkin

2007-10-05T18:54:00.000-05:00

Oh man - does she love her daddy! I took a BUNCH of pictures after her bath - and some were cute - but this sparkly face is when Daddy walked in. She just lights up. He's like a celebrity around here.

Have a GREAT WEEKEND!!

PS - check back for some preview pics from my upcoming sessions this weekend (and the maternity session I did today).

Orange You Cute??

2007-10-04T12:03:00.000-05:00

That's what her shirt says - I know it's small to see it in this picture. She was being a total ham so I grabbed my camera as fast as I could (and then put a memory card in) and then snapped a picture. She doesn't pose for me too often - so this was as good as I could get since we were on our way out the door!

MORE CHRISTMAS CARDS

2007-09-30T22:03:00.000-05:00

Well, here are some more xmas templates for you to browse. I can't take credit for these - I bought them because I really liked the style and I just don't have enough time to create all of my own templates. For more information on Christmas cards and to see more templates, go to my previous post from August by clicking here.

Currently I am booked completely for weekends through mid-December. If you are interested in getting pictures done before then, I have some Tuesdays and Fridays available. Please contact me for more information.

Another baby on the way....

2007-09-24T09:39:00.001-05:00

This was the second maternity session I did for this family. The first one was just mom, but this time we included Dad and big sister. Mom looks FABULOUS - she says it's because she's having a boy this time. I can't wait to photograph little "BJ" when he gets here!

I love this image because of the innocence in her eyes - she is so excited about "baby brother" but has no idea what it really means.

The family of three - soon to be four!

Newborn Baby

2007-09-19T10:08:00.000-05:00

Just being with a newborn and her parents brings back all the memories of my little one - but it's hard to believe she was ever that small. We had a long session yesterday - this little sweety didn't really want her picture taken. Hopefully that will change as she gets older - since I get to photograph her entire first year! :) This family has a gorgeous home - almost 100 years old! The detail and character in every room was just so fascinating to me. I can't wait to take tons of pictures of little miss "M" in all the nooks and crannys of her home as she grows up.

Here are a few preview pictures.....

(click on it to see it a little bigger)

A Beautiful Girl

2007-09-18T19:42:00.000-05:00

This is one of my friends from JUNIOR HIGH and her lovely daughter. They came to visit for a modeling job and you'll see why when you look at these pictures. The funny part of the story is that her mom was such a "tom-boy" when we were growing up - and look at her daughter - the girliest of girls!

These are only a few of the hundreds of pictures I took. It's going to take me forever to get through them all - but it's great to take pictures of a willing participant - so I took full advantage of the time.

My favorite one is at the end - at the church with the big red doors.

It's been a while....

2007-09-18T19:17:00.000-05:00

After a much needed vacation, I'm back and SWAMPED!!! So, if you are waiting for a preview, or an email, or a phone call - I promise I will get to you as soon as I can!!

Here are a few pics from a recent session. This little guy was born on the same day (2 hours apart) as my little Kylie - and we are neighbors! He wasn't feeling too well during our session but you would never know it from all the smiles we got. :) He's such a happy kid!

VACATION -- Yipeeee!

2007-09-07T21:30:00.001-05:00

We actually get to go on our planned beach vacation -- and we are SOOO excited! After 3 days in the hospital Kylie is feeling much better since we brought her home! She is almost completely back to normal (although a little tired) and she is full of smiles. It's amazing how the little ones can bounce back and I'm reminded of how precious our lives are. We won't be back until September 15th - not sure if I will post any pics while we are away.

So, I will leave you with these two random pictures that I picked out.

This one because I think it is so sweet. Kylie LOVES her Aunt Laurie and we are so lucky to have her living here in Atlanta. She loves to spend time with Kylie and they are best buds.

And this one just because I am so in love with the eyes of children - especially my own! They stare at you so intensely, innocently curious, hungry to learn everything about the world. For those of you that I've met, you know that my daughter looks nothing like me. Oh, how I'm jealous of her blue eyes!

Piedmont Park

2007-09-02T16:01:00.001-05:00

I took a class recently at the Showcase School of Photography. We did a field trip to Piedmont Park and everyone brought "models" for us to practice on. So, here are a few shots of mine - a big thank you to the willing volunteers - especially my friend Betsy!! It was REALLY HOT that day! :)

This is Betsy! :)

A random dog with a HUGE tongue!

A Terrible Day

2007-09-01T20:57:00.001-05:00

Well, I'm writing to share with everyone my poor little sick baby. We spent the afternoon in urgent care after she had a fever for the last 24 hours - as high as 104.6. There were no other symptoms, so they had to do a blood test - and for anyone who has not seen them try to get blood from an infant you are SO lucky. They tried on the first arm and it didn't work, so they had to do the other arm - it was awful. In order to rule out a urinary tract infection they also had to do a urine catheter - which sounds really bad - but was much quicker and less traumatizing than the blood test. And, after all that, she's normal. So we came back home to wait it out, trying to keep the fever down with Tylenol and lukewarm baths. The doctor suspects she might have Roseola. Which is common for children under two. As some of you know, she started daycare a few weeks ago - just two days a week - but it seems she's been sick a lot since then. Before now, we've really been lucky - no emergency visits, no serious illnesses. And, after today, I still consider myself so lucky to have a happy, healthy child. It makes me think of all the people out there with chronically or even terminally ill children and the pain those parents must feel watching their children go through any kind of suffering.

Of course, I couldn't help but take a couple photos of the sad, sad face my baby had on today - because I know she will be better soon. And we can't wait to have her bright smile back!

Another Set of Twins

2007-08-29T10:36:00.000-05:00

What a morning! These twins are just over a year old and they are ON THE MOVE!! Their parents are amazing, so patient and fun. These are a few preview pictures from the gallery I'm working on. I hope you enjoy!

We couldn't even contain them on the chair! :)

Oh the lollipops! Brother shed some tears over this, but, in the end we still got some really cute pictures. They immediately broke both of the lollipops - so there were little pieces of candy all over the floor - but Mom and Dad didn't mind - they were up for the challenge.

A Family Engagement

2007-08-26T09:50:00.000-05:00

I just did an engagement session for my sister-in-law. She's getting married in October and we had lots of fun taking pictures (and sweating to death) in the park! I'm not finished going through the pictures, but I picked a couple of my favorites to post... you can click on the picture for a better view.

I love the light, and the moment....

And of course, a fun one!

And lastly, the traditional portrait.... so sweet!

CHRISTMAS CARDS

2007-08-22T13:58:00.000-05:00

Well, I decided to go ahead and post a few of the Holiday Card Templates that I have created. There will be more - and I'm open to ideas! :) I'm trying to make sure that there is a variety of styles and colors - something for everyone! I know it seems early, but the fall is filling up quickly, so please contact me soon if you want to do pictures and holiday cards with me. I will need to have sessions done by the first week of December so I can create and order the cards and have them to you for sending.

These are all 5x7 templates that can be used as a photo card (one sided) or a folded greeting card. Prices start at $35.00 per 25 cards if you use an available template. If you would like a custom design, pricing may be more. I will also be offering "volume" pricing for those of you that want to make your own cards and insert a picture. Pricing will start at $35.00 for 25 prints (4x6 or smaller / one image choice). For anyone out there that has done a recent session and would like to order holiday cards with a picture from your session - let me know!

Family Weekend

2007-08-22T13:04:00.000-05:00

Well, I'm finally caught up on my galleries for clients - soooo I had to work on family pictures! :) The fun never ends! This is my niece - she was visiting with Nana for the weekend and it was her 8th birthday. The last one is my favorite - my daughter LOVES her cousin. They were glued together most of the time.

Adorable 9 month old

2007-08-14T11:44:00.000-05:00

Just got back from a fun session with this little one. Ahhh, the innocent eyes of a child - don't they just say it all! This little sweety is 9 months old and she has TWIN big brothers that are almost 4. Can't wait to photograph them all together!

I did a QUICK scan of the pictures and picked a few favorites. Enjoy!