Little Miss Maggie, 2 weeks old

I shot Samantha & Chad's wedding last July, and when they stopped by my open house in October and let me know they were expecting a baby, I was thrilled to hear the news! These two are so sweet, so very honest, and so very in love. It's enchanting to be around them... but even moreso when they're both staring at their newborn daughter.

Chad contacted me to arrange for a surprise session for Sam-- I gave her a call when I was in Galveston (to give her the news of her gift) and told her I could come that day or the next. No big surprise, although she was overjoyed she opted for the next day... so she could be ready. I had offered to come back one evening when Chad could be there so we could get some family shots, but he was able to be there when I arrived for the shoot. LUCKY ME! I got all three of them : )

Like most newborns, Maggie was wholly uncooperative for the first 30 minutes or so. She was awake, crying, hungry, squawky, and all-around not into it... unless she was being held near her Mommy or Daddy's face. We took advantage of this and got some absolutely breathtaking candids. There's one where Sam is holding Maggie up to her face, eyes closed, and it just looks like she's breathing her in. You can almost feel that swelling of pride in Sam's chest, knowing she's holding her perfect little angel right there in her arms. It's a true portrait of a mother's beautiful, happy, miraculous place in the world.

After about 30 minutes, Maggie fell asleep, became much more pliable, and let us put hats on her. Chad evidently bought the little guitar hat, and when they found out they were having a girl, Sam's mom sewed a little pink bow on for her (Chad's a guitarist). We took a pic in the cute little owl hat, since the family's last name is Hooten.

There was just so much emotion flying around this room. I had an absolute blast shooting this session! Thinking back to our first meeting at a coffee shop when they were engaged (when I knew I'd like them because they hired me, wrote a check right there, and said they totally trusted me to do a great job and had no worries... can we say IDEAL clients?), to Sam's bridal portrait session where she showed off her flashy purple shoes... to all of the beautiful moments at the wedding and the utter happiness that flowed through their fingertips as they touched one another during the first dance... to the smiles when they told me they were having a baby...

...and there I was, looking at them both having become parents to this beautiful little girl.

I absolutely, undoubtedly love my job. More than that, I love the people I am blessed to have come in contact with, and built friendships with.

Welcome, dear sweet Maggie! I'm so excited to be a part of your life already. Your parents are really special people, you are one lucky little girl : )

Not your Momma's Maternity Portraits!

Donna is a colleague of mine, the creative mind behind Paper Dolls Photography. I was flattered when she asked if I'd be interested in shooting her maternity portraits!

She really went all out and had hair and makeup done-- snazzy wardrobe as well (heels! oh my, GREAT heels), but I suppose that's to be expected of someone who shoots boudoir on a regular basis... she knows what's fabulous. I think it's an incredibly meaningful gift to give your daughter... a little something for her to cherish years down the line if she should be blessed with a child of her own-- to know that Molly will perhaps see herself in her mother's eyes, and feel that same beauty and spirit within.

We shot in Donna's neighborhood park, on a wooded lot near her home, and in/around the house. The picturesque, gorgeous house. WOO HOO! Molly even has her own little Christmas tree at the foot of the stairs.

The resulting images are... well... not your mother's maternity portraits. Unless of course your mom climbed on playground equipment in espadrilles and a hot little lacy dress. I LOVE them. I'm even willing to attempt to block out the 5 seconds when I feared for my life and sanity as a giant wood spider landed on my arm (in the wooded lot) *shudder*. I'd do it all over again, even with the threat of giant friendly spiders.

Donna was beaming, confident, no-holds-barred adorable. Enjoy! Best wishes to you, Donna, through the remainder of the pregnancy... and thanks a million for the great bottle of wine : )

A Day at the Beach

I first met mom Sarah when she called me a few years back to shoot Lindsay's portraits, as they had recently moved to Houston and needed a local photographer. It's been a while, and I've been privileged to shoot their family portraits, Baby Lauren's portraits, and most recently this beach session.

It's a treat to see these guys each and every time I'm invited! I can't believe what a beautiful girl Lindsay has become (I remember when she met me for the first time-- super-shy, we watched Clifford and had some goldfish crackers to break the ice). Lauren is growing like a weed, looking more like a little girl and less like a baby.

It wasn't the most fabulous weather at the beach (cloudy, sticky, and of course windy) but we definitely made the best of it and came away with some great family shots. One of my favorites is Lindsay walking into the surf with her dad, you can see their reflection on the wet shore. It reminds me of a picture of my father with my niece and daughter walking along the beach... one of those images she will treasure as she gets older.

Mia, Ava, and Andrew: Triplets turning one

Mia, Ava, and Andrew turned one recently, and I traveled to their home in Cypress for a special birthday session!

Initially, no one was really in the mood. Mom, Dad, and Grandma worked hard to get these little monkeys to buck up and get happy! We had dad running circles around the yard, Grandma chirping a little toy bird, and everyone making noises and being silly. Multiples can certainly be a challenge, but teamwork pays off.

Nature even lent a hand, as the kids were totally in awe of a flock of birds flying overhead.

Surprisingly enough, we were able to get everyone looking one direction and not crying for a full family session!

After a quick snack, the babies had a wardrobe change into their birthday outfits-- three peas in a pod was the theme-- the ladies had lovely green tutus and Andrew's matching shirt was paired with jeans.