Choo-Choo!!

As I was driving down Newport Rd. to meet up with my friend and her two beautiful kiddos, I got nervous. My stomach began to twist and turn and I could feel the anxiety begin to creep up on me like I was about to take the SAT's again.

You see four months prior, I had photographed these two and my friend's youngest boy didn't like to have some stranger with her camera pointing at him, making silly sounds and jumping around like a crazy lady. Which- I don't blame him. I mean if I had someone singing- correction, I have a horrible voice- if I had someone screetching row, row row your boat at me while shoving some big yellow feather duster in my face as some odd attempt to tickle me, I would be scared too. That sort of thing just doesn't usually happen in a less than one year old baby's life.

Unfortunetly, that session was part of a charity event that I did for my church so, with back to back 20 minute sessions I didn't have the time to just sit and play with him like I would have on a normal session. We did get some really cute artsy type portraits on that session that my friend loved but we didn't get any smiles out of him. To me it was like taking a test that you studied for, knew all the answers for and just ran out time and couldn't finish. Pencils down...

So, my friend asked me to try again on his first birthday and see what we could do. This was my make up test. This was my chance to really connect with him. And I pulled out all the stops. I brought chocolate chips, lollipops, my "tickle" stick, horrible singing voice, and the most valuable thing of all...time.



I love his little face in this shot. He has the cutest scrunchy nose, I'm not sure about this expression that I have ever seen!!




And there it was, the smile that I had been waiting for. The smile that I passed me by the first time around that I wasn't going to let get away again.





Thank you guys so much for letting me be apart of your lives and capture these milestones with you. Words can't even express how precious your kids' smiles are to me and how they warm up my heart.

SMILEstones...

This photo session was SO special to me. After we got done shooting portraits, the family here expressed to me how they do not have not ONE picture of their youngest son smiling. Not ONE! I couldn't believe it. He is the happiest little boy in person but for some reason he isn't into having his portrait taken.

So when I started sorting through their session and I saw this....

And this...


And this...

I just couldn't contain myself. I couldn't wait to get these portraits back to this family and shout, "WE did it!!" We hit a SMILEstone! You see, to me being a photographer is SO much more than f/stops and shutter speeds. It's an opportuinty to touch someone's heart with this talent that the LORD has blessed me with. To make a small difference in someone's life.

Thank you for allowing me to be a part of this moment with you! Words cannot express how this session has forever touched my heart!!