Parker & Jude! {photography}

I got to have a photo session with this sister-brother duo last week. Parker is 4 (i think!) & Jude was just days shy of the big TWO. :)

Their mom, Janee, started reading my blog years ago but she is from my same city & we have tons of mutual friends! Ha! Small world! :) It was nice to finally meet in person & to meet her adorable kids!!

My friend Rachel came along for the shoot, so she could get in some photography practice. I think she is pretty awesome! :)

Meet Parker & Jude!

Notice Parker's shoes are on the wrong feet. ;) 

After the above pics, they changed clothes & then we went to a little playground. Um, pretty much every shot I got of Jude at the playground was by chance! He was having way too much fun! :) 

 I love this fabulous outtake! Haha! 

Parker is one cool chic! :)

Around Baton Rouge {photography}

I have been having so much fun doing photo shoots!

This is the first night in weeks that I haven't had either a photo shoot or a photo shoot to edit! Haha! I am not sure what to do!

I do have 2 photo shoots I can blog. :) But first i wanted to show you some pics from around town. I snapped most of these during photo shoots with people - when something caught my eye that i needed to capture really quick! :)

These first three were taken at the LSU Hilltop Arboretum, where I did Camdyn's session. 

 A type of hydrangea that I'd never seen before! Well, i did a little research, and apparently these are "hydrangea paniculata", while the blue ones most people think of when they hear the word hydrangea, are "hydrangea macrophylla". Oh, the things you learn! 

This next photo is from Magnolia Square, which is actually a new neighborhood in Central (the suburb of Baton Rouge where I am from). And i guess it may be boring to some... but i am finding myself obsessed with trees. (I think this may be a sign of old age...maybe.)

Last weekend I did a shoot at LSU's city park. I took this one at the fountain. I kind of love it!

And these last ones are from downtown Baton Rouge. My favorites. I was there to do Beth's headshots, which was SO much fun, but I need to go back just to take random pics!! 

 

The Old State Capitol 

 And the levee! Nice place for fireworks on the 4th of July! That is the Mississippi River Bridge, in case you were wondering. :)

Hope you enjoyed these!!

Weekend & Family

What a great weekend it has been!

Saturday morning, we met our friends Derek & Jenn at LSU's city park, so i could do a photo session with them and their 18 month old daughter. Pics of that coming soon! Afterwards we went to breakfast at Another Broken Egg...one of my very favorite places! Yum! Derek was a groomsman in our wedding and we have been meaning to catch up with them for awhile now!! We had a great time with them.

Today, my sister & brother-in-law came in town for lunch & dessert with the fam. Brad's family joined us, as we like to celebrate father's day (for my dad & my father-in-law), my husband's birthday, and my sister's birthday all at once (Michelle & Brad are born 1 day apart - their birthdays are next weekend but we normally celebrate them altogether on Father's Day, since she lives out of town!). We had a great time!! They ordered Sonny's BBQ and mom made two delicious cakes from scratch. YUM!

Michelle & Brad ALWAYS take a photo like this at their birthday shindig... or something else equally ridiculous. Ha! It's become a tradition! I also love mom's face in the background!

Michael never resists an opportunity for a silly face either. The shot i took right before this one would have been SO GOOD... no silly faces... just a nice normal pic... but it was completely out of focus. BOO! (Oh-well.)

Since they came in last night, they also came to church with us this morning. Yay! :) It has become a tradition at Covenant Church - for the last several years apparently - to have ice cream cones after church on Father's Day. Pastor Jeff asked if i could bring my camera & of course i said YES! So you get to see some pics of my church family now, too. :)

 Our pastor, Jeff, & his wife, Mary Ann. (love them)

 Ashley & Victoria 

 Our youth directors, Andy & Ashley :) 

 Zach (pastor's kid #1) & Jonathan

Alex (pastor's kid #2), John, & David (our drummer... and a darn good one too!)

 Chuck! He's a pretty awesome guy. 

And i LOVE these two of my dad! :) 

(I love my dad!)

Happy Father's Day!!

Camdyn, age 1 {photography}

Last weekend, I took photos of my friend's son Camdyn. He was just days shy of his first birthday, so it was a good time for pics! I have to tell you... I am so glad she asked me to do this again. Camdyn was also my subject for one of my very first photo shoots, and those photos are pretty terrible. She said she loved them, of course, but I knew they weren't great! Haha. I'm glad I got another shot! I have improved a lot since then, and I am sure she's much happier with these!

He was so sweet, so cute, so easy to take photos of, too. We took them at the LSU Hilltop Arboretum, a place I had never been but wanted to check out. It was really nice!

Happy birthday, Camdyn! :)

 I might be heartless, but this one CRACKS ME UP. It's just so pitiful, it's cute! Haha! (Cayla laughs too...don't worry. She says it's his fake cry. Notice there are no tears!)

At one point, mama realized daddy had put him in his camo diapers... um... yes. Picture needed! :) 

What a sweetheart! :)

Brooklyne & Cheyenne {photography}

So. There was this one time that I saw some beautiful kids on Facebook, and I messaged their mother & asked if i could do a photo shoot.

Yeah. But don't worry! I actually know their mom. And she actually knew already that I am into photography. So it wasn't really creepy or stalkery or anything.

But, I mean, seriously. Can you blame me?!?! 

O. M. G.

BEAUTIFUL!

Golden blonde curly hair.
Bright blue eyes.
Naturally tanned skin.

GORGEOUS!

Meet Brooklyne, age 4.

And Cheyenne, age 3.

We had fun. And they were so sweet & silly! It was also fun catching up with their mom. She was my neighborhood buddy until I turned 9 & we moved to a different area of town. But we used to ride bikes together or jump on the trampoline (at my house or hers!). It was fun to see her again!

 {Lighting like this is not my fave, but i cannot resist a pic of two sisters holding hands.}

 

 

 Haha... I told them to kiss their mom for a picture, and this is what we got! They pretty much attacked her. :)

Beth's headshots {photography}

Last week I was lucky enough to get to do headshots for one very special lady. Her name is Beth.

Beth is one of my most favorite people. I realize that i say a lot of people are my favorite people... but that i no way takes away from the truth of the matter... she is so funny & smart & sweet. She has a great personality... always willing to give you a hug or make you laugh or lend a hand.

She is a music teacher...has been for many years at a local catholic school. She also often music directs the children's musicals at the theater i am involved with. She teaches private voice lessons, too. And she has acted on stage & worked backstage as my Assistant Stage Manager a few times.

Anyway, she wanted some headshots, and i really hoped I would be able to show off her personality - where someone who didn't know her would be able to see what a fun-loving person she is, just by the pictures. I feel like i accomplished that. I hope so, at least!

Here are my favorites.

These pictures were all taken in downtown Baton Rouge. It was my first downtown shoot & I can't wait to do another one! :)

 Shots like this always end up being my favorite. It brings out the eyes! 

Lots of colorful walls downtown, which are great for photographers! :)

 

 Water fountains downtown that I didn't know existed. Those were fun!

 

 Haha...she wanted a pic by her favorite building in Baton Rouge, so i obliged. :)

This is the old state capitol.

 Beth is just beautiful, inside & out. Had so much fun taking her headshots!