simplylifephotography.com

Oh my word – it is half-way through the summer already!  I am again participating in the monthly Blog Carousel with a group of super-talented & creative professional photographers from all over the world.  Each month has a theme and we each link to the next photographer in the “circle”.  In each post you can follow the link to the next post and so on until you’ve traveled all the way around the carousel.  The good news for you?  This actually makes me blog during this insanely busy summer!  Otherwise, I might just retreat into the cycle of taxi-cab mom to four kids, running two businesses, chasing two dogs and retreating to my tiny little garden for a little sanity once in a while.  Whew!

On to this month’s theme - laughter.  Getting kids to laugh isn’t as hard as you might think… generally “don’t smile! don’t you dare smile” while I grin at them works like a charm.  Or with boys, anything that has to do with funny sounds, girls or booggers… all good material.  haha  However, more than getting kids to laugh and have fun, I love it when they make me laugh (and in turn make their parents giggle a little when they see their photographs!).  These images might normally be considered out-takes, but I consider them priceless.  I think my love of the quirky stems a bit from when our youngest was a baby… an adorable, very chubby 3-4 month old.  We were sitting at the doctor’s office and my boys decided to use their baby sister for entertainment.  There she was sitting in her little carseat happy as a clam, in these adorable 50′s inspired sunglasses that I just couldn’t leave in the store (story of my life since having a girl after three boys!), not even suspecting that her brothers were plotting to make her a real live Miss Potato Head.  After putting as many face parts on her, they begged me to take a photo and the resulting snapshot spent years on our frig.  It made me laugh outloud when I looked at it every day.  I mourned a little when that photo was lost in the move!  If I ever find it I will let out a squeal that will send the local wildlife running I’m sure!  THIS love of the fun times in life, the quirky little things that make us smile and laugh – that is what I want my clients to discover.  Does it mean I love the beautiful, classic portraits any less.  Not a chance… but these little gems do hold a special place in my heart!

These are from a recent beach session with the sweetest family.  Their youngest, A – is a little heart stealer.  Her sisters are gorgeous and were up for whatever I asked.  What do you do when you’ve already gotten a session’s worth of great photographs and you’re just waiting for the sun to set for some sunset images?  Well, if you are me – you break out the fun lens and PLAY.  Enjoy and I hope you laugh a little too!  I promise to return soon and show off some more from this session as I can’t possibly just share a few and run.

Next you get to travel to Australia!  Aren’t you excited?   Have fun visiting the blog  of Adelaide Australia’s top maternity, baby and childrens photographer, Simone Hanckel!