Each member of this family was a TROOPER! We shot in 90-something degree heat and no one wanted to reschedule, everyone was like, “LET’S DO THIS!” and they showed up with changes of clothes and bottles of water and ROCKED IT.

That blue-eyed dad, Scott Stevens, is an awesome country musician and I KNOW you’ll be hearing him all over country radio soon, especially with the awesome team he has behind him! It was a blast to be able to photograph him, his beautiful wife and their equally-as-blue-eyed son.

Their baby boy had just turned one, so this was kind of a family/first birthday combo session, which is totally fine with me! Half family session, half kid-only session! We started out in a creek - because who doesn’t love creek photos?! - but had to move locations when baby Henry wanted to try swimming and wouldn’t stop trying to launch himself creekside, we had to go! And that’s how we roll with kiddos!

Outside is a wonderful place to have a family lifestyle session because there’s plenty of places for kids to explore and play. I don’t ever force kiddos to sit still and smile because, if they’re not in the mood, then they cry and get angry and mom gets frustrated and it’s no fun! Genuine interactions are the memories we all treasure most.

Evie and her house were a magical delight!  Her mom had mentioned she had a few vintage items that she wanted to use for the shoot - a dress, a hat box - but, whoa, was I in for an awesome surprise when I got there!  I've written about the treasures I find in other people's homes, and this house was no exception.  EVERYTHING had a vintage look and I wanted all of it in the photos!  She even had an old typewriter that I am kicking myself for not using in a single shot. Her whole house was a nod to the vintage feel, and I immediately knew what kind of post-process look I wanted to give both the color and b&w.  That's one of the main reasons I love shooting in people's homes.  I get a vibe of who they are and their tastes and I can tailor my editing to that - and know that whatever they choose to display on their walls and shelves will go perfectly.

The first look we did was sweet Evie in - get this - her grandmother's Christening gown.  Isn't that so precious?  And once I saw her vintage-looking crib, I knew we needed to start in front of it.  As we were shooting, I noticed one of the ties on the crib was untied, but I didn't want to tie it up just yet.  I mentioned it after we took a few more.  Her mom told me that the older brother comes in all time and unties it!  I loved that!  Now there's just a little hint of her brother in the photos with her. :)

Next we took a little break from all the lace and bows and diaper-covered it out in her oh-so-sweet crib.  These are two of my most favorite shots.  I find them so endearing - and her blue eyes are to die for.

And, yes, I did mention "hat box" up above, and here it is!  Again, her grandmother's hat box and her grandmother's fancy patent leather shoes.  She found them yummy - I don't know a single 6 month old that wouldn't at least try a bite!  Oh, I was so in love with all the little treasures Evie's mommy had for me!

Although this shoot was about Evie turning the big half-year, her mommy wanted some photos of just the two of them.  And, really, what mom doesn't want some nice shots of her and her kids? We're never in photos because, generally, we ARE the memory keepers of our families. Because of that, I never mind when a mommy wants to jump in for a few.  I wanted to capture the special bond between these two - a mommy and her youngest, only daughter.

Ah, and then this sweetness happened.  Perfect ending to a lovely shoot.  Happy 6 Months, Baby Evie!

It's so fun to be able to shoot in a client's home.  I mean, you never know what you're walking into - lighting, rearranging furniture, room sizes - but even though some things can be a challenge, I LOVE getting to know a client that way.  You see a little of how they live, how they like to decorate, what they surround themselves with.  I use all of that information when I edit their galleries.  

And Anna's shoot was no different.  There were tons of photos of the kids all around the house, so I knew this was a family that wanted to get the images off the disk and onto the walls!  I also got to see their color scheme and know exactly what I wanted to do with the images so that, when they ended up on display, they'd look perfect.

This shot is one of my favorites, and it's the last setup we did.  It's not unique to me - I'm sure you've seen it before, likely on Pinterest.  Her mom did a shot just like this of her older one back when she was 9 months and I KNEW we had to re-create it!  I feel like it's becoming a standard shot for the 9-month rage, and I'm so okay with that!

We actually started off using a little crib that was given to the family by Anna's grandfather.  It was important to her mom to get some shots in there.  Anna wasn't too keen on being in it for long, but we got some good stuff before she got upset!

Every client with kids gets concerned that they won't get "perfect" photos.  I loved Anna's mom for saying, "Listen, if she cries, I'm okay with those kinds of photos, too!"  I love it because it's part of the memory of the day.  And, really, isn't this just adorable?  Oh, and it's not like you can't just grab some detail shots real quick before they need mommy!  Love the little hand and foot.

Another reason I love shooting in a client's home is the little treasures I find.  Many times a client won't realize what a treasure they have, but I do!  And in this case, it was this darling rug in Anna's sister's room.  Isn't it the sweetest thing for a background?!

Happy 9 Months, Anna!  I loved being a part of your special day and giving you and your family some memories to keep forever!