Tickle Time.

I was hired to shoot a series of "tickle" images for a book by its author. I immediately thought of my friend Ade who is completely at home in front of my camera (its not an easy thing to be in front of the camera...believe me, I've tried and its just not!) Anyway I knew she would be able to give me the shots we were looking for, and she didn't disappoint...
The theme was taking off shoes and tickling the feet...with growing laughter until we reached full-on belly laughs. We did this over and over and over...like 10 times. (Keep in mind we had 2 little boys here...not an easy task either....but promises of ice cream seemed to really help).
By the end we really were all laughing because to make yourself burst into giggles for no reason is really a funny thing...I kinda feel bad for actors...probably not too fun doing a funny scene like 100x's.

See what I mean...she's beautiful and relaxed and very comfortable in her laughing...oh! and the kids are cute too! :) (but c'mon we all know its about the mom)

Orange you glad...

A friend gave me some oranges last week. She told me about how she had been juicing and juicing and juicing -- all week long. After she told me this I thought back to a fond childhood memory of my own...one that I'd like documented. I remember my father taking us over to a friends house (hint: they had 2 dalmations ;) we must have had my cousins with us (it would be highly unusual if my dad had not recruited workers for the task at hand). We started picking oranges and grapefruits. He had a red F-150 and we filled the entire bed of it with citrus. Then we drove home, the truck was heavy-laden with much fruit. Then he set up the "juicing stations". We had brought back a huge steel-stand juicer from Guadalajara (we had visited my grandparents there) and it was the heavy-duty kind, with the gigantic handle that you pushed down and out came the juice. He had to have gathered other juicers because there is no way we could have made it through on just one. I have no idea how long we were there, or how many hundreds of oranges and grapefruits we juiced....or what he even did with all that juice, but it was certainly memorable enough for both myself and my cousin to remember...and laugh about NOW (I don't think we were laughing then...probably crying from citrus stinging wounds).

So, I cut up some of these oranges my friend had given me, and left them on the counter with a juicer. My unsuspecting children wandered in and actually fought over who got to use the juicer and squeeze my oranges for me! Tricky...perhaps, but man it sure was good juice!

I chose to document it this as proof of happiness in their working...in case they happen to have "misguided" memories...

Newborn Photography - "Bree"

I've been holding off family members for a week and a half...I decided to sacrifice some much needed sleep in order to get this baby posted ;) She is, after all, my middle "name"sake...I love saying that. We worked our buns off, as usual, during a newborn session. (Well her grandmother and I did.) I shot all of these with natural light in her parents bedroom. We used pillows and blankets and bowls...oh my! (Although we did the bowl while her grandmother was gone...don't worry there was someone standing close by to catch her). We were going for a "lighter" theme and so instead of burning on the black...I dodged the white pillowcases and blankets (for anyone who was wondering ;) I used my 5d and 50mm 1.4 lens for just about everything. I played around with the processing in adobe camera raw and then popped a few of them.

This is my only girl session for the near future (I have 3 boys coming in the next month!) and of course her parents bedroom had to be blue...go figure.




My cousin told me that her "hunter" husband made the comment, after seeing this next one..."Now wouldn't that be so cool if it was on a zebra rug that her FATHER had killed?" (yes..he's done the africa thing once already) Just let me know when you have the rug...AND the baby to go on it!



I had to post these at the end...didn't want our little "RED" stealing the show...
Her mother has been giving her a hard time about how "naughty" she's been with the new baby...I don't believe one bit of it....


After seeing this face....would you????

AND just one little out-take...I had to show off my homemade "binky-bling". I had a friend help me "bling" out some binks for her...I'm so proud of myself!

If her mother is nice enough...she might post the link/password to her gallery on her blog ....that is, if you haven't already seen enough :)

{Classic} Maternity Photography

Words can not describe the "enchanted" garden I encountered on this shoot...I will have to do some serious begging :) to be able to shoot there when everything is green. This couple was beyond adorable...everything she put on was killer and her husband would just say "that looks so good"..."isn't she beautiful"? All I could think about was how beautiful she was going to look in these images...she didn't disappoint...and neither did her perfect little belly.

I'm nominating this as my all-time fave...(I like the color pop version better, but figured this would work also :)

Of course I had to throw in some funky shots to our classic session - I couldn't help myself...I mean a yellow shirt!!! I was in heaven :)

I told them they had to show their children that they were once young and fun and....even maybe a little bit funky.

What's in a "name"

I have been waiting to write about this for ummmm...probably 5 years. That would be really how long it has been that this issue has been lurking in the far recesses of my mind. 5 years - as old as my daughter is. That was when it began. 5 years ago - almost to the day. The "name game". The ONLY issue that has EVER had me question my marriage vows. (okay not really...but kinda...)



5 years ago we found out we would be having a girl. 5 years ago my husband began (after the awkward one week silence that I needed to regain my composure - not knowing what I would do with a girl) to offer up "names". It started with Opal, then Josephine and then I think I blacked out. I apologize in advance to anyone who has these names. This is by no means being written to offend...only to document for my beloved childrens' sake. I remember clearly the afternoon he called up and suggested the name Ginger - I hung up. It was about this time that I began to think "how could two people who love eachother so much...be sooooo very very different?" I mean sure opposites attract - but "Opal"? Really? The "name game" was called off until about 2 hours before Laina decided to come. He simply asked what her name was going to be, and I suggested "laina" and that he could supply a middle name. The third child was much easier knowing when I suggested McLaren (after the formula one team/car that he couldn't resist). Then came this fourth child.



The names of the fourth were known before it was even conceived. It was going to go sooo smoothely. No issues. No questioning of marriage vows. Easton for a boy.



Then one day, he came home with HANK. (Once again - I mean no offense :) Hank just didn't flow with the other names. "Hank's got money in the bank" was all he could say...and all I could say was "Hank the cow dog?". We of course tried to get our children to take sides. Each of us offering rewards if they would come into our camp...Indy was torn. That was when I started telling the kids what he had wanted to name them (I'd wait for him to go to work before I started throwing the propaganda their way). I just about had them safely on my side...and then we went in for the ultrasound.



Its a girl.



The first words out of Indy's mouth (okay - after he asked "mom are you crying???") were...well it's not going to be HANK.



The end.



And since I can't post without an image ;) Here's my namesake and her older siblings. They were perfect for these shots (their mother was smart enough to leave the room while we did them so she has no idea :) I promise more of just her by the end of the week.

Can't help myself...

Sorry. I know. 2 posts in one day??? But when Abby came in to tell me (as I was posting the last one) that the little boys were "outside, without clothes on"...I grabbed a camera - knowing she wasn't lying - and headed to document. We have been streaked by these 2 more times than I can count.

I frequently get harassed by "mature" members of my family for showing so much skin. I feel confident that at least it is tasteful. THIS, however is not :) Turn back now if you do not do "unclothed" well - except for Marsha...it is YOUR grandchild this time :)

One more thing...this is how a I babysit...nice huh? Please drop your children off at my house - there's no telling what my Rascal will expose them to!

And on that note...I better go start cleaning my house!

Sunday "DINNER"

We had a nice, relaxing "DINNER" yesterday.

Taylor and I had a "cook off" going...well not really...he just brought his stuff and I had mine. And I'd just like to say....

"Oh yes I did"...

Don't even try to sit there and tell me that you were not tempted when "BOB or BILLY" started selling his mini-burger maker! That man can sell water to a drowning person. I couldn't help myself--and yesterday gave me the perfect outlet and excuse to get the slider maker. For those interested, you can purchase anything "seen on TV" at Walgreens (aqua globes.. .sham-wows...etc...anything that your kids have been begging for :)
Of course they don't sell "mini-buns" so I had to make my own focaccia to go along with the mini-burgers...they were very yummy. However I probably won't use it for another year...so anyone near me is welcome to borrow it.

Taylor opted for classic "men" dishes. Wings (honey mustard and hot...they totally took down the Crossings wings from so long ago) and his spinach/artichoke dip...very very delicious.

I asked Indy what his favorite food on the table was and he said "the mini-pigs-in-a-blanket" (from costco...nice. why do we even try?)