Hairy is Scary...Bald is Better

At least that's what "J" tells all of his little brothers. This shoot was for his mom - and its either really late (okay it is) and I'm really tired...or this is the 3rd time in the last hour and a half of editing this session, that my eyes have welled up with tears. We had a great time...busting some homey gangsta' actions (even though we debated if it was gangsta' or more like a grandpa fishin' - but who's judging?) And being around this family (actually being around his mom anytime) brightened MY day. When she looks at you after unhooking his peg-line (feeding tube to stomach) before we start shooting and says, "man...if only I could feed all my kids this way! Here guys...let me hook ya' in...okay you're done...go play! Life would be so much easier".

There I'm smiling again. And despite everything this kid has been through (and his family) they are still able to smile.

Funky...Funky!

I loved this...talk about groovin...man these girls had it goin' on (and their dad too of course). Their mom punishes me weekly with her weights/boot camps/aerobics and now as I'm writing this, I wish I would have thought of ways to secretly give her a workout! (like..."oh let's get a shot waaaayyyy up there on the top of those boulders...do you think you can make it in those shoes? :) man! oh well...I think we all had a good workout by the time we finished..."A's" eyes came straight out of the camera lookin that incredible!

D&M Wedding

So I had been praying for some "cloud coverage" for softer light, and we ended up with cloud coverage, wind coverage and rain coverage!! Despite the funky weather we were able to have the ceremony outdoors and even grab some wonderful shots before heading for cover!

William Tell Overture for Moms

Okay...since I'm on a roll with the youtube videos...this one takes the cake!

Spoiled Bumblebee

Another hit!!! Favorite line: I'm gonna mess up your behind!

Pachelbel Bedtime

I've been meaning to add this for awhile now...I love the song...but more importantly love the trashed play room in the background!

Anne Geddes - eat your heart out!

Okay...first Ralph and now Anne...I just can't help it! My good friend finally got her little baby girl! She and her husband had settled with the information the doctor's had given them "no more babies" and then...along she came! It was so wonderful to see her since we haven't been able to hang out for about a year, but we were there in the beginning together. And we picked up right where we left off, without missing a beat! She had her first little guy on my due date (thanks to some frozen o.j. and castor oil--too much information? :) and I had my first little guy a week later (thanks to an induction and an epidural!) We laughed about all the lame brain things we did as "first mom's". I'm so excited for their now "big" family and hope to be able to continue to watch them bloom and grow. (I can't wait for you to see the rest!)

Indy Notes

So its been a week of notes with Indy. First instead of sleeping he snuck his school box into bed and started drawing...then (I'm sure it wasn't to get out of trouble) he brings me in this note: (translation: you are my best mom i will love you) *I need photographic proof of this and NO I did not make him write it:)
Then he came home from school with a note from his teacher saying "Indy your clean desk is out of this world!" Nothing could make a nerdy, clean desk freak, CPA father happier!!

MacDaddy

Or Big Mac...Macky...McLaren. Everyone wanted to know what his nickname was going to be...well they don't seem to stop coming...there's a new one daily. Anyway, I have a "million dollar question"....WHY when you put a 14 month old in their high chair...they'll eat a little then start playing with their food...and then they start CHUCKING IT! So then mom gets them down and they're all happy and start crawling...and where do they crawl to? Right under the high chair and start eating the food they CHUCKED!!! WHY? why? why?

Ralph Lauren - eat your heart out!

Ok...I can dream right? We hauled the couch out to the beautiful Willow tree and I think it was TOTALLY worth it! In fact maybe I should just send these into Ralph with a message saying "go ahead and use 'em...its ok with me". I think they're absolutely gorgeous. (Isn't the mom and knock-out?!)The kids did a great job - especially since we had one fall right off the back as we were about to begin...glad I got the ones of her and her sister on the couch before we "started"!

PHOENIX PHOTOS!

I'm scheduling Friday, October 12th and Saturday, October 13th for photo sessions in the Phoenix/Mesa area. If you or someone you know might be interested contact me at: m_holdsworth1@yahoo.com
*Only 3 spots left*

*Session Fee Change*

As of TODAY - there will be a change in the session fees/structure. The session fee for 1-5 people is $125.00. Additional person(s) $15/ea. Complimentary viewing/ordering at my home and online ordering included.

Holiday Bookings
Things are getting busy busy around here. I will be booking sessions until DECEMBER 1st, 2007. This will allow me to process and get the last of the christmas card orders in time (cards available with a $200 minimum print order.) So, if you know any family or friends that are waiting to schedule, spread the word - "hurry"! After that I will resume sessions the second week in January, 2008.

Ballerinas, Beethoven, Beds & Banjos (ok-guitars)

So much fun and such sweet faces! We just had ourselves one big playday! Isn't the bedroom straight out of Pottery Barn?! I had to tear the girls away from the tea set to go to our "outside location"...okay so maybe that was the only downside of the session...the 10 minute (seemed like 10 miles!) jungle hike...sorry girls...you were good troopers...next time we'll go to a park!

Tia + Megan = PERFECTION!

So my sister came back down this weekend because the last time she was here she saw my bathroon drawers and about passed out. Okay so I'm not the 'queen of organization' (did I mention that I LOVE making dinner?) Anyway she and my mother are like these little "organizing psychos" and my house just takes their breath away...either from opportunity (I'm hoping) or from the disaster scenes. So my mother attacked my office (thank you...its still organized a week later) and my sister came and attacked both bathrooms. She got a little discouraged (which made me chuckle--just a bit) but in the end she conquered....although she didn't get to the linen closet (no picture necessary...imaginations will work fine) and she didn't get to the laundry room (she cut me some slack because mine is 6x's smaller than hers :)

In the middle of all this craziness she stops to ask me (I was probably on the computer at the time) why I don't feel the need to have baskets and bins in every room to help the clutter (note- my house is usually clean...she's talking about the "beyond clean" the behind the cupboards type clean...no one need fear about having to grab a shovel when you open the door unless I've been doing photos :) and I try to explain to her that its not my forte'...that if my house is picked up then I'm happy. I'd rather spend time on the computer creating masterpieces :) OR at the stove which she despises. So I decided that Tia + Me = perfection....if we were packed into one we would be the ultimate cleaning/organizing/photo taking/cooking/(just a little baking)/salad making MACHINE!

Little "firecrackers"

The little one with her red hair brought to mind - FIRECRACKER!...most of the images below convey a "happy" "serene" "smooth" session. THINK AGAIN! Her older brother's hair should be 10x the shade of red if only to convey the amount of chaos a child can create...but lucky for them, they're absolutely gorgeous, adorable, and photogenic...it was just hard keeping up with them and my camera and I were really put to the test. We did manage to factor in a little 'new york state of mind' as well...and a billboard for an ad campaign...(just don't know what we're advertising....'we sell crazy chaos'?)

TIM-this one's for you :)

"Ugh....GIRLS!! Hurry it up."

'New York baby...'