Thanks to my wonderful clients that have become friends through the years I have had a busy year season. This year has had so many repeats and a blessed many more new families that have I had the pleasure of working with. To close out the year I had two sisters that gave birth to two girls and I was able to both of their newborn sessions. Meet beautiful Isabelle
Today I married my best friend.
Read MoreI have been bad about posting images from all of my sessions, I'm going to try and be better and post them more often. It's def something I have to work on.
This maternity shoot was so special for me, I have known mom for a very long time and to see her progression from teenager to married and pregnant. So happy for this young new family and the future they will have. I'm also blessed that Claudia chose me to document her session and also wanted to wait for the perfect time of day to get beautiful soft light. Makes a huge difference in the final images. I wish I had taken maternity photos when I was pregnant. What's great is I get to indulge my vision with all the glowing pregnant moms to be.
Happy New Year!!! I've been busy with numerous other projects and family so I have not been very consistent on the blog space or updating photos but my new year's promise is to put myself first. Which however you want to put it means I will focus on myself, my health, my photography and my business. I have a lot of photos to share with you all which brings me to where I last left off on our travels.
The Philippines, what can you say about the country of 7000 islands and many more smiles. The people are inviting, welcoming and warm. They may have one lumpiang shanghai but they'll share it with you.
As with anyone who comes to the Philippines for the first time you are overwhelmed with the traffic, noise, congestion, poverty, and hustle of any big city. But drive out of Manila and you will find paradise.
My husbands family is from Baler, which is north through a mountain range but oh so worth the drive. Oh, that is one thing you need to def get used to when traveling in the Philippines, the really loooong drives. No seriously, really. long. drives. To get anywhere.
Surf lessons by local pros
the flora...
...and fauna
Getting around
Local traffic
All types of beaches here.
Fishing traps
The Kamias tree which bears the green fruit, super tart and oh soooo delicious.
Coconut Grove
Found a mermaid on a rock
Lone Ranger
What can you say about a shower that is chic, stylish and swarming with beautiful ladies dressed in their finest, a gorgeous, modern location and food that is magazine drool worthy. Well, it's what can be expected when the shower is in honor of Ela. Soon to walk down the aisle to her love Daniel, they celebrated with their closest and dearest friends and family for an intimate lunch and I was asked to document the event. How could I resist?
Limelight venue space
Take our picture please.
Bride and her bridesmaids
Cin cin!
Mini creme brûlée and pastries
How well does Daniel know the bride?
Bubbly anyone?
Let the games begin!
Cousins having a blast
Oh oh...
Congrats to you both on your new journey and a lifetime of happiness. Can't wait to see how gorgeous you look at the wedding.
This was a first for me in a long while to photograph a baby that was older than 2 weeks old. Usually they are very alert and can't get into some of those scrunched poses that a fresh newborn can. Although he was a bit older he was still very cuddly and pliable and was super comfortable in that swaddled newborn pose. Look at this luscious beautiful baby boy with his silky curly hair and those lips. And if you spot his siblings they are gorgeous beauties as well, love the love they have for baby boy.
I just can't...
Yeah only one night and it was not enough. Every time we come through Tokyo we want more!!! Our next trip out this way has to be dedicated to Japan in all its glory. Last summer we flew about 20hrs to the Philippines and had a layover in Japan, although we had done this trip before our 7 year old was doing it for the first time. I have to say she's a total trooper handled it like a boss and is ready for her next international adventure. Some photos to share from our whirlwind in Tokyo.
First thing I have to say about Japan is the cabs, they're pretty expensive like ridiculously expensive but we were in a time crunch so?! The other thing I have to say about cabs in Japan are they are super clean, I mean polished cars inside and out and the drivers all wear suits and they are constantly dusting and wiping their cars. As well as the super technology that comes in a cab -FREE WIFI and Free Charging in the headrests for your iPhone or Android. Yes please!
So many restaurants, it was hard to choose WHAT we wanted to eat, much less where.
Ramen, my ultimate favorite food of all time. Rich savory goodness in the land of the rising sun.
Sitting in the back of the restaurant, the waiter couldn't speak english and we could only say thank you and please in Japanese so we communicated with pointing at the menu. Just a bunch of regulars and locals hanging out and slurping some noodles and broth.
And if I tell you its common to sleep anywhere, I mean ANYWHERE. nothing here just taking a nap.
Tokyo tower.
Not many you will see, attempt to jay walk here, lol.
The preferred mode of transport, although we took a cab to this district and it was suuuper fast and amazing clean, although REALLY expensive.
Travel buddy not sure if ramen is for him. Always up for adventure.
A stroll to the next izakaya.
My 7 yr old is adventurous and loved experiencing Tokyo even after 15 hrs on a plane.
And we out, next stop Manila.
Wow, what a busy few weeks it has been for photo shoots. Between my new constant gig of hospital newborn photography, family shoots have kept me very busy. Don't get me wrong I love photography but add shooting, editing a new job and the holidays?!? Yeah kind of crazy.
Let me include a couple of my faves from the last few weeks, new clients, returning clients and my own family too.
Ooooh this picture is so deceiving, he looks like such and angel but he was all over the place and I just happened to get a minute of calm lol. Love him to pieces.
Yeah these boys are brothers, not very much alike in looks or personality. They made me work for these pics.
Mile long lashes.
2 dogs, 2 birds and 3 awesome kids, yeah bring it on!! This was a fun shoot. Great family and such cool laid back parents.
The whole extended family.
Mom and her girls.
I really do, it makes my heart happy when I see the smiles from the shoot and hear the laughter from the out takes - I have to include those- they are real moments.
I started a new venture, photographing babies in hospital setting, although I can't show any here it makes my heart sing when I show a mom and dad the pics from their newborn lifestyle shoot and I make them cry. I know it sounds like I am a sadist but it really makes my heart happy to give someone that strong of an emotion. Thank you for making me a part of that.
It's been a very busy fall and winter here are a few from the most recent shoots that I am able to share. Although I may be busy, I'm never too busy to take on new clients or photograph returning ones.
An event at the Radisson Blu downtown Chicago
I was eaten alive at this shoot, by every living thing in the woods. Maybe if I had as much energy as this little ninja turtle did I would have been able to evade those blood suckers. Michael was teaching me his ninja moves, all the while I was trying to catch those piercing blue eyes of his. But if you know little boys, they just have more energy than they know what to do with. I caught a few looks my way but for the most part he was way too interested in all the bugs and spiders that we could come across. Next time I know what to entice him with, lol.
Stop stealing my eyes - he says, killing me!
A different approach to the traditional communion pic, give me a call lets throw around ideas for your non traditional sitting.
Fall is upon us and things have been pretty hectic in the family/newborn photo shoots! I can't wait to post the shoots of the little munchkins.
There is still room to book your holiday photo shoot and with this gorgeous weather that we have been having it would be a shame not to do a shoot outside. Give me a call or text or drop me an email and we can talk specifics!.
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