One of my favorite things about photographing children is seeing how they have grown since my last session with them.  See this blog post for a trip down memory lane…  http://simplylifephotography.com/michigan-family-photographer/.  Awwww – right?

Due to the crazy heat this summer, we had to meet bright and early for our little urban adventure… aren’t they cute little troopers?!

I do have a few beautiful vintage cameras and wanted to use one of them – but yours truly is lacking the dark room for that.  So, I remembered another photographer telling me about how you could hook up a digital camera to shoot through a vintage viewfinder camera and I found this article with directions on how to make it.  So I got out my Argus (it looks like this) the cardboard, box cutter and lots and lots of duct tape and I was in business!  It is a clunky contraption and when you look down through it to shoot everything is flipped.  So if you want to shift the frame to the left, you have to move right, if you want to tilt it to the left, you have to tilt right.  I’m pretty sure I looked quite tipsy while attempting to wield this monstrosity, but hey – I was having FUN!  And, thankfully, even though this was one giant experiment – I did end up with some images that I truly love.  I hope you’ll enjoy them as well.

Much thanks to my beautiful little niece for being the most adorable model… love you J!

Next, take a look at the beautiful work of Teri Mason and what she thought of for ’Alternateive Cameras’ - Georgetown and Austin Texas Senior Photographer.

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!

This month’s theme is Framed and I took a more literal approach to it.  One of my wonderful clients let me come into their home and photograph how they have displayed their last couple of sessions.  Not only do I love photographing their family, but their fabulous sense of style is inspiring to me.  I love that they chose images to display that make them smile on a daily basis… the fun, the sweet, the goofy! 

In their front entryway are these…

In a lower-level family room (this is a favorite of mine!)…

The back entry, where they come in daily – wouldn’t this make you smile!?…

and finally, a small arrangement on a bedroom wall…

There are others, placed here and there, mixed with heart-tugging snapshots they took on their own.  They all work together to create this lived-in, family-centered feel in a very artful, inspiring style.  I love that wherever you enter their home you are greeted with images of what is most important to them - images of fun, images of connection, images of love.

Next stop (officially as of 9am EST on Monday, June 6th), the blog of San Luis Obispo California baby and children’s photographer, Lisa Maksoudian.  She is simply AMAZING!  Enjoy!    ~ Mary Beth

The theme for this month is…

mon·o·chrome [mon-uh-krohm] 

–noun

1.  a painting or drawing in different shades of a single color.

2.  the art or technique of producing such a painting or drawing.

3.  the state or condition of being painted, decorated, etc., in shades of a single color.

 

Of course I had an amazing idea for creating a new photograph for this post, but it turns out I was overly ambitious considering this last week was off-the-charts-crazy-busy and the weather was often wet & dreary or super-de-duper windy.  So, deciding to use a past image, one stood out in my head.  It was just a matter of digging through the DVD’s in the fire safe to find it considering this one is almost an antique - vintage 2006 to be exact.  True, it is not as technically perfect as I would expect today, however it still stands out.  Not only is it monochromatic because it is in black and white, but I also love the way the paleness of her hair and clothing combined with her creamy, fair skin creates a soft feel.  Besides, her eyes are just stunning and draw me in every single time I look at this image. 

 

You are in for a treat!  Next stop (officially as of 9am EST on Monday, May 2nd), the blog of central California photographer, Lisa Maksoudian.  Enjoy! 

When we first arrive, we are often jumping into the middle of everyone getting ready and love to capture all the activity.  Meet Rachel… I knew immediately that her beautiful, natural smile was going to make my day very easy!

Mike and Rachel exchanged letters…

… and little gifts.  One of Mike’s gifts cracked me up – but it did smell good.  Well, we certainly know what Rachel thinks of her groom! 

I always love photographing the rings and the rings in the flowers is a classic shot for one reason – it is simply beautiful.

Of course, when I have a bride that has shoes like these – I consider it a license to have a little fun…

The church in Byron Center had these beautiful stained glass windows in the old part of the building.  It would have been a crime not to include them I think.

Time for Rachel & Mike to see each other for the first time!  We had them meet in the sanctuary… love the anticipation in this one!

how cute are they?!

Next we headed off to a beautiful home (belonging to a friend of the bride & groom) for some outdoor photographs.  While I like the energy of the wedding day, having fun with the entire wedding party and all of the events, my favorite time is always when I have the bride and groom to myself.  I think I am inspired by people much more than locations or events and when I get the chance to just connect with them (or capture their connection) – whether it is a child, family or a bride & groom – it doesn’t really get any better than that!

Comment below if you have an opinion on who Rachel looks like here.  I saw this and I though Rachel could pull off being her twin!

While there, we found out they had a vintage car.  Did we want them to bring it out?  YES PLEASE!  (i.e. photographer jumping up and down inside – haha)

and I couldn’t resist a quickie bouquet shot!

The wedding party joined us and we had to have a little contest to see who could get the most “air”.  You may debate the winner in the comments!

Jump #1

Jump #2

the ladies…

and the men… (love the suspenders!)

We went back to the church for family photographs and time for everyone to freshen up before the ceremony.  This table of photographs was set up in the foyer… all the wedding photographs from Mike & Rachel’s  parents and grandparents.  It was so special to see.  I wonder if one of the photographs from today will be on a similar table 25-35 years from now?

Time to get hitched! 

beautiful church!

I told Rachel before the ceremony that if she wanted a good “first kiss” photograph… they’d better kiss like they mean it.  Not that I really needed to tell these two though!

LOVE it when the bride and groom make it down the isle, through the doors and just can’t wait to hug each other in celebration. 

It was almost time for the wedding party to hop on the bus to the reception – but you know that this child photographer will take any moment she can to photograph a little cutie – especially when that cutie is the ring bearer.

bubble practice!

to the bus!

This is Rachel’s little sister – what a stunning smile!

We took the bus through downtown Grand Rapids on the way to the reception and made two super-quick stops for a few photos…

I think I’m lucky to have the rest of the wedding photos as proof that I just didn’t hire these two for a model shoot…

off to a rustic little alley…  this was the very first image I pulled to edit – LOVE it.

Um – yeh – mmhmmm.  What else can I say?

Had to play with the shoes again… I knew I wanted a shot like this in the alley and almost forgot.  Good thing I asked Rachel to remind me earlier!

Coming up next… the party!

OK, if you didn’t audibly say “awwww” after the one above – I think there just may be something wrong with you!

This one is actually from the beginning of the session where she was awake for a few.

Little S gets LOTS of love at home… her two big sisters were so sweet with her!