Sarah's Senior Portraits

Well, let's start by saying that Sarah was one of my favorite little silly redheaded cousins when we were growing up. She was a junior bridesmaid in my wedding, and she's grown into a gorgeous young lady who will be graduating from Katy High School this year! I'm so proud of her and just love her to pieces-- she's always been a pretty special kid.

I've done a few senior sessions in the past, but I'd love to do more because we had SO much fun the afternoon we set out for Sarah's (Mom joined us)... we found a lovely railroad since she wanted to incorporate a train/railroad into her pics somehow, then headed over to one of my favorite sunny-day spots (the Sabine Street Bridge) for outfit #2 and some great in-her-boots-in-the-grass shots. Here are some of my favorites from her shoot!

Senior Portrait sessions start at $350. For more information, please visit www.monkey-tree.com or contact Kasey via e-mail at kasey@monkey-tree.com.

Family Portraits!

Jacob & Sarah's family was my first in the new studio. We had a nasty rainy day so shooting outdoors was not ideal, and for the first time, I had an alternative! It was great to have a place for everyone to change clothes : )

We did a few family portraits, until we were sure we had a few with everyone looking happy, then it was on to the kiddos! After a quick clothing change (Sarah into her beautiful red Christmas dress, Jacob into a dashing sweater) the fun began. I was able to capture some really sweet moments as the kids played with one another, hugged, and showed off their little personalities.

Jacob likes to "show you his muscles" by flexing his arms and making this hilarious squinty-smiley face... I think I've included one of those shots in the blog. One of my favorites is the two kids hugging one another, but a close second is the one where Sarah looks like she's ready to attack Jacob-- she was just "shownig her muscles" but his little clueless face really makes it funny.

This family was an absolute joy to work with : )

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.

Sarah, one year

I had the privilege to work with sweet little Sarah when she was just a newborn-- so I was very happy to hear that her parents wanted one-year portraits. She was just as cooperative as can be, in a beautiful pale yellow dress that was a gift from her late grandfather, smiling and giggling and doing her very best to be little Miss Independent. We shot on a sunny morning at Mercer Arboretum in Spring; if you haven't been out to Mercer, I'd highly recommend a visit! It's always full of beautiful butterflies, birds, and dragonflies, and the groundskeepers there do an amazing job of keeping the florals looking fantastic.

Shortly after our shoot, Sarah became a big sister to her brand new little brother Jacob! Congratulations to Mom & Dad : )

The March of Dimes

If you have a little time, or a few spare buckaroos, you might think about helping out the March of Dimes. It's a not-for-profit organization that is widely known for its efforts to prevent premature birth, birth defects, and infant mortality.

One of my sweet little baby portrait subjects, Sarah, was born very early (at 33 weeks!), and her mom's hoping to reach a $500 goal. We have a neighbor down the street whose son was born very early this past year (at 32 weeks), and an acquaintance who recently lost her son well into her second trimester.

I have worked and volunteered in Neonatal Infant Care Units and seen the preemies, the babies born with birth defects, and the families affected by the circumstances. Please give, if you can. By clicking below, you can give directly on Sarah's behalf!