I spent last night in the woods with the Ochoa family & it was well worth all the itchy mosquito bites I have today!

When Natasha contacted me for updated family photos I was so excited because it’s been just over a year since I photographed her and Dan’s gorgeous wedding. They are such an easy going couple with an adorable & hilarious 3 year old.  While talking about locations Natasha suggested the woods behind their house as a possibility and I fell in love with the idea. For one, this is a special place with meaning for them since she grew up right next door & the trails connect her parents property to their own. It is a place they spend lots of family time, taking walks and rides through the woods.  I also knew the location would be great because the inside Natasha and Dan’s home is a mix of classic yet rustic decor and I’m already envisioning how fabulous these photos will look hanging on their walls 🙂 We spent the evening just walking the trails. It was peaceful and casual and just perfect for the Ochoa’s. At the end of the session Teagan told me I would forever be taking her photos and I hope she’s right!

If your looking to update your family photos I would love to talk more. Let’s plan a location with meaning for your whole family. Reminiscing about your family photos one day will be so much better when you look back at them and it’s in a place that you hold dear to your heart.

Beach sessions. I just LOVE them! It doesn’t matter how many I do, the beauty of our Great Lakes never gets old. Every session is different & every session is unique.

I met the Smith Family early morning Sunday to document their last days as a family of 3. A new little girl is on the way and everyone is so thrilled. Let’s take a look at the Mama to be….could Danielle’s baby bump be any more perfect? And that dress?? I loved it from the moment she stepped out of the car <3 I have been photographing the Smith family since they were expecting their first baby & now Colton is 18 months and hilarious. He was shy and a little slow to warm up but once we got near the water all the smiles came out. It’s hard for that not to happen at any age. The water just brings out a carefree & contagious joy. I can’t wait to meet this new little one. I already have a feeling she will be beautiful like big brother and perhaps a little spoiled in all things girly. Which is so exciting because let’s be honest, girls are just so fun! From the dresses & clothes to bows and accessories. With two of my own, I may be a little biased but I’m just SO excited for the Smith Family & cannot wait to meet their new little girl!!

 

Are you looking for a beach family session? I would love to be your photographer! Message me so I can tell you why it’s one of my favorite locations to shoot at and how much your family will love it 🙂

Monday morning I got to hang out with the Wagner family & meet their new little addition, Riley James.

This is such an exciting time in Hayley & Cody’s life and I couldn’t be more happy for them. They are newlyweds, married in San Diego last October. Just bought a gorgeous new home. The house didn’t need much but I was so happy with the neutral paint pallet with soft grays and blues that complimented their light-filled session. And lastly, less than 2 weeks ago they welcomed their firstborn. Baby Riley was born on June 10th and weighed 6.11oz, he was 19 3/4 inches long and they lovingly refer to him as their little peanut 🙂 He was so relaxed and sleepy the whole session. He woke up towards the end but really only to look around for a few minutes and then fell back asleep. Thank you Wagner family for inviting me into your home. Congratulations on your new little boy!

If you are looking for lifestyle newborn photographer and would like a session done from the comfort of your own home then I would love to talk more!

It seems lately I’ve been telling you all about these long-time clients of mine, that I just love seeing year after year. This post won’t be any different! Let me introduce you to the Maes family. Another one of my favorites! They have been with me since they were expecting their first born & I’ve known them much longer than that. Beth and I played on the tennis team together and Justin and I were in the same graduating class. He had all the best bonfires! Seeing them now as a family of 4 celebrating 8 years of marriage just makes me so ecstatic to be here sharing part of their story.

Mickayla is turning 4 years old this month. She is sweet and silly and loves all things purple, sparkly and pretty. She loves My Little Pony & Rainbow Dash is her favorite. She is a great big sister and knows how to encourage her brother and get him smiling. Alex is 2 now! I can’t believe how fast these last couple years have flown by. I get the feeling that he doesn’t miss anything, he studies the world around him with those beautiful blue eyes. He makes you work a little harder to earn his trust but his smile can light up the room.

We had such a beautiful night for photos & the kid’s personalities have just blossomed and they are so fun. It was so hard to stop catching up and put away my camera. It was a good thing I did though because I just went through their photos and I have almost 150 to show them! Your gallery link will be coming soon guys 😉

If you are looking for a Clyde, Michigan Family Photographer to update your family photos (and make a new friend along the way) I would love to get together and share with you how my sessions are different than most portrait sessions. I can help your family relax and feel comfortable in front of my camera because I prioritize the fun & silly moments. I’m hardly ever serious and I promise we will be laughing the whole time. Send me a message to talk more!

Any time a baby is born it’s a joyous occasion. Even more so when it’s one of my best friends & business partner.

Olive Marie was born May 24th on one of the first warm days of the year. She was a little overdue but well worth the wait! Her chubby cheeks and a head full of beautiful dark hair was enough to keep me smiling ear to ear through the whole session. She weighed in at 9.5 oz and was one of the biggest babies born in the Bessette family. A title once held by her big sister Edith. Kathryn is such a natural mother and having her 4th baby looks great on her. Her husband Blake couldn’t stop staring at his new baby girl and it’s easy to see why. She is very easy to love. It was hard not to squeeze on her the whole visit! My favorite part was when the rest of the Bessette kids showed up to meet their new sibling. I’m not sure if I could tell you who was more excited. Edith was the most definitely the most expressive and had me cracking up with her enthusiasm. Isaac was the first to get to hold his new baby sister and it was so fitting because she is his little twin. Aaron played it cool but you could see how proud he was to have a new baby sister.

I can’t tell you enough how incredible it is to have these first few moments documented at a fresh 48 hospital session. All the emotion and excitement I am able to capture for you can be enjoyed for years to come. As exciting as it is to welcome a new baby my absolute favorite part is seeing your family’s reaction to that new baby. Such genuine moments you’ll only experience once. Are you expecting? First baby or not, I would love to be there to capture those first precious moments of your new baby being welcomed into your family. Message me for more information, I can’t wait to talk more!

We skipped Spring and went straight into Summer & I’m not even mad. Give me ALL the beach sessions!

The DeLano Family is one of my favorites. Yup, I do have favorites. It’s hard for it not to happen when a client has been with me since their oldest was a baby. I’ve seen this family at least once a year since then. I have to tell you, it’s a fantastic feeling when they are ready for more photos. I can’t wait to catch up and see how much the kids have grown! Since we’ve been together so long we like to mix it up. Different seasons and different locations. This was our first beach session and I have to say- I’m in love!

The beach is a perfect location for a family with young kids, or any family for that matter. There is so much to do and see and you forget about the camera. Your silly (or crazy) side can come out in the most natural way. Even the adults catch the beach vibe and relax into each other. Because after all, who doesn’t feel like a carefree kid again when your splashing in the water? If someone ends up fully clothed, swimming underwater then who cares. (Van!) I just go with it and love the result. Memories over poses. That’s where my heart lies.

If that sounds like the kind of family session you would be interested than I would love to be your Fort Gratiot, Michigan Family Photographer! Message me and we can talk more about planning your next beach session.

I’ve said it before and I’m sure I’ll say it again but I love watching babies grow through their first year. There is so much change, not just in looks but in personalities as well.

I loved taking Lucy’s newborn photos and all the months in between, but nothing compares to the first birthday. I was so happy to catch up with the Elliott family on Saturday and hear all about how they were celebrating Lucy’s first birthday. Kellen chose a rainbow & sunshine theme and it fit so perfectly.  Betsy’s Bakes https://www.facebook.com/betsysbakes/ provided the cake & Lucy was a big fan ( big brother too!) We had the perfect morning for a session with gorgeous weather & an empty park. Thank you spring for finally showing up! 🙂

If you are looking for a photographer to document your baby’s next milestone, I would love to talk more! 

My cousin Danielle and her family live in Aiken, SC. Growing up we always spent at least a week of summer together when her family would come visit us in Michigan. It was always one of my favorite weeks and we had such a great time. Besides the southern accent, Dani’s sarcastic personality and quick wit would keep my sisters and I in stitches, my stomach would hurt from all the laughing we did! Now that we are grown with children of our own we want to continue the tradition of summer visits for our kids so they know each other and make the same type of memories as we did growing up. Any time I travel south we try to meet up together too.  I was so excited that they were able to meet us in Myrtle Beach for a long weekend getaway. It was so great catching up in the warmer weather! (Have I mentioned how over this winter-spring I am??) Dani and Jeff are a blended family and photos are very important to them. Especially since Jeff’s oldest daughter just enlisted to join the Navy-YAY Summer! Editing these photos take me right back to vacation mode and I wish I was back on that beach!

If you are interested in family photos, no matter the destination I would love to talk more. My camera and I love to travel! 😉

Y’all! (I feel like I can say that now) Get yourselves to the South. Spring has fully bloomed and it feels like absolute paradise compared to this frozen tundra we call Michigan.

Last week we took our girls on a road trip for their first Spring Break vacation. We drove 14 hours through the night to reach our first destination, Isle of Palms, SC. We had a rental house right on the ocean. It made the long drive completely worth it. The girls took their first swim in the Atlantic, saw a few Jelly Fish and even found a live Sand Dollar. If you ask them what their favorite part was though, they would tell you the giant screened in porch that ran the length of the cottage. It had a hammock big enough to fit our whole family. At night we would lie in it together and reminisce about our day.  The sound of the ocean and the breeze coming off the water was heaven. If you get a chance to visit I highly recommend http://acmelowcountrykitchen.com It had the best seafood I’ve ever had.

As sad as we were to leave our little cottage I was most excited for the next part. Charleston, Sc!! We lived in North Carolina for years but we never made the short drive down. We got into town early in the morning and had breakfast at https://calliesbiscuits.com OMG best biscuits ever. Even Taylor and Kinsley had seconds. After that, we explored the Market and Art Galleries. We went to the Waterfront Park and let the girls play in the fountains. They were soaked so we walked the pier while they dried off, there we saw Dolphins and shorebirds and spent a lot of time just taking in the view. It was the best. Even better was the carriage tour of the historic district. I’m pretty sure I’m southern at heart and was swooning over all the history and architecture. I can’t wait to go back!

The last leg of our journey was Myrtle Beach. We met my cousin Danielle and her family from South Carolina there and got to catch up while the kids played in the pools and made sand castles on the beach. I did a family session for them and those photos will be coming soon! It was the most relaxing couple days. If you are going for a visit we highly recommend http://www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/south-carolina/hilton-myrtle-beach-resort-MYRBHHH/index.html

First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes baby in a baby carriage-and I got to document it all!!! Jon and Kelly have been together for 13 years, high school sweethearts with the happiest of stories. They were married almost 3 years ago and now are blessed with a gorgeous 3-week old daughter.

Meet Claire Marian! She was born March 7th at 12:13pm. She weighed 7lbs 5oz and was 20.5 inches long at birth. She is the prettiest little thing and I couldn’t be happier for the proud parents. Kelly and I talked about how easy it is to become obsessed with just staring in awe at her sweet face. You feel all the emotions in the world and yet there are no words big enough to describe the depth of love after meeting your new little one for the first time. Watching Kelly and Jon’s relationship story progress from two kids young in love to mom and dad has been such an honor. I’m positive this will be their best chapter yet.

If you are looking for a lifestlye newborn photographer I would love to talk more. I travel within St. Clair & Macomb county and am always open to traveling farther!