Meet the Kelly's

Some sessions are just easy and this was one of them. When a family can laugh together and smile as much as the Kelly's you know they've got something good. For me, it's the little things that stand out and make me smile - the kids still getting squeamish when their parents kiss, the entire family going to high school football games together, Mom in the background making faces to get Justin and Jen to smile, Justin and Jen smiling at mom in the background making silly faces, Jen staying with Justin while he had his senior pics done, being goofy together. All of it just says "family" to me.

They say a family that plays together stays together.I agree, but I also think a family who laughs together also stays together.

I know there isn't one perfect family, but I also know love and connection when I see it. They might be riding in separate cars or sitting in different sections for those football games, but the point is they are all there together. They have common ground and some common talking points. As parents, Brian and Traci still have a foot in their kids' world. And more importantly their kids like it that way.

Thanks Kelly family for giving all of us with young ones something to shoot for.

Leaving High School With More Than a Degree

The funny thing is most of you will see these before she does. And when she does see them it will be the first time she's been to my blog. Welcome to blogland, Angela:)

This lovely family is the result of a high school flame that never died. Who knows, maybe it was in English class while trying to figure out which one of their teacher's eyes they should be following, or at a pep assembly while singing I'm an Eagle Born, or in the cafeteria while gnawing on a cheese zombie, somewhere across the halls of Hudson's Bay Brad spotted this blonde beauty and they've been together ever since. And now they've created more blonde beauties to make my camera happy.

Happy soon to be anniversary Brad and Angela. May your love never fade.

The Eyes of a Child

Wiggly, giggly, and full of life, those are my favorite ones to shoot. They wear their personalities like some wear their hearts, right on the edge of their sleeve. And don't think for a minute these wiggly giggly ones have time for a girl and her camera. I don't have enough jokes stockpiled or crazy faces memorized to entertain them for long. One quick glance and then they're gone - onto something more exciting than the same old black rectangle that doesn't even emit a flash.

But often one quick glance is enough. It's enough time to capture their eyes full of sparkle and mischief and wonder. And, oh what the rest of the world could learn from these eyes filled with sparkle and mischief and wonder. To have the eyes of a child is the greatest gift of all.

We've been friends with the Kaluas for quite some time and to say that I enjoy working with their girls is an understatement. Their four year old reminds me so much of my own little spitfire and I love to watch her go. Their oldest is beyond brilliant. Her mind absolutely amazes me and I can't wait to see what disease she ends up curing or what modern day marvel she invents. Love you guys!

To the moon and back

I love the images from this session. Maybe because I love this family so much too. I love that when I look at the pictures of the kids I really see them. I see their gorgeous eyes and their playful smiles. I love that while I was off taking their pictures mom and dad were standing back with their arms wrapped around eachother. I love that Miss M knows how to torture her dad by talking about the cute boy in her kindergarten class. I love that when I look at these images they truly make me smile.

It has been so much fun to create images of so many of our friends and family members and to capture them as I see them. I love walking into their homes and seeing my images on their walls. Really, it just makes me kind of giddy!

Sneak Peak at This Weekend's Family Sessions

I crossed my fingers, said a little prayer for me...and the weather was beautiful. The leaves, however, didn't cooperate so well. They clung tightly to their branches and I knew I was just going to have to get a little creative. I had promised leaf throwing and jumping, so leaf throwing and jumping there had to be. If you noticed some lady all around Vancouver stuffing her garbage bags with fallen leaves whenever she could find it was just crazy me filling my bags so I could bring them with me to the shoots.

The sessions this weekend were a lot of fun. Today's sneak peak is of a family I have practically known since birth. My heart melts when I see their kids- especially the way Miss K loves on her daddy. It's amazing to see my best friends big brother - the guy who used to hide us from the babysitter and make sure we didn't get into too much trouble - now showering his babes with love. And could his wife (who doesn't look like she just had another baby) look more radiant? Thanks for coming to the 'couve. I hope you guys had fun too. Enjoy your little preview!

Stay tuned this week for more peaks into this weekend's sessions.