The Preston Family

     I had the best time with The Preston Family. Marcia and Emily are absolutely stunning. Joe and Joey had us cracking up the entire time. It was a great way to spend a summer evening. As we were getting everything in order and just as I was about to snap the first image, I saw everyone scatter through my camera’s lens… and a few screams too. Apparently what we didn’t realize was that we were standing next to a HUGE hornets nest that was hidden on the side of the bridge nearby. The next thing I hear is Marcia saying (with a smile and a laugh I might add), “Well, I just got stung so we better hurry just in case my face swells up”. YIKES! Thankfully, no swelling occurred and we were sure to stay clear of that section of the bridge. Everything from there on out was easy and we had a mellow session.

     It seems like there is never enough time in the day anymore. Families are so busy and always on the go and for the Preston’s it is no different. You could tell they loved just being around each other, hanging out and taking full advantage of their time together. It was very evident that they all adore each other. They were always on board with whatever instructions I gave them. They didn’t let a little thing like 90-degree August heat get them down. They were all smiles and laughs the entire time. At the end of their session Marcia informed me that it had been … let’s just say, many years since the last time they had a family photography session. This is something they’ve had on their agenda for some time now. It was truly an honor that they chose me to photograph them and tell their story through my camera.

     I have so many favorites from their session. With a family this beautiful and photogenic it’s hard not to. I wanted to share just a few with you all. Without further adieu, I present to you The Preston Family! Enjoy and Happy Thursday! 

Cash

     Cash is hands down the coolest seven year old that I know. Granted, being his Aunt I realize I may be a wee bit biased. There are a few things that everyone who knows Cash can agree on and it’s that he is a sweet, kind and considerate young man. I have loved being able to watch Cash grow up and to photograph him year after year. It is so nice to look back through all of his images and see how much he has changed. He loves to tease me, acting as if he doesn’t enjoy being photographed, but he always does such a good job with each and every session.

     It takes him just a little bit to relax, but once he remembers that there are no rules to my photo sessions the fun can really begin. I know when I hear the words, “Hey Steph watch this” that he is in ‘photo session mode’ and the images to follow are going to be my favorite. The genuine smiles and giggles come out!

     Those who know us well can tell you how much Cash ADORES my husband Justan. Uncle Justan can do no wrong in his eyes. When he comes over they will play video games for hours, watch movies, and Justan always sets up a tent in our living room when he spends the night. I may or may not have (I totally did) promised Cash the entire time I was photographing him that Justan would meet us for ice cream when we were done. This always puts a huge smile on his face. I know that anytime I mention Justan’s name I will get that reaction. 

     My favorite moment of his session was at the very end when we were finishing up. I turned to him and said,

          “We are done. You did good Cash, I’m so proud of you. Thank you very much”. 

     I just assumed his response would be something to do with meeting Justan or where we were going to get ice cream (with Justan), etc. He looked at me and said,

          “Thanks Steph. You are the BEST photographer in the world and the best Aunt in the world too!”

     Oooooh my goodness. Melt. My. Heart. Seriously, this little guy is so sweet and kindhearted.  These moments are why Justan and I love being an Aunt and Uncle! Here are just a few of my favorite images from Cash’s session. Enjoy and Happy Thursday! 

Judson | Three Months

     It’s hard to believe that I am blogging Baby Judson’s 3 Month Session. This little guy is growing so fast. It was so great to see him again, along with his mom and dad. I’ve enjoyed getting to know this family very much. Lindsay and Justin are very “go-with-the-flow” type people. A prime example of this can be illustrated by what happened the day of this last session. We had planned to meet up at a local park. We moved their session, from that evening, to the first thing that morning because of a huge rainstorm that was on the way. I arrive at the park that morning and there are so many people, tents, and vendors that you couldn’t even see the park itself. It was very obvious that this park was in use for another major event. Immediately the wheels in my head begin to turn thinking, “where can we go from here?” When Lindsay and Justin arrived and could see that a location change was in order, they just smiled and said “Okay, where should go now?” Thankfully I happened to spot a unique walking trail right off the road that I passed on the way into the park. It had lots of shade (which kept the bright sun away and the temperature a lot cooler) and was just around the corner.

     We arrived and everything just fell into place. They did very well throughout the entire session. The last item of the agenda was to have Judson photographed with his great grandfather’s cowboy hat and crate. We had previously incorporated these items in his newborn session as well. We found the perfect spot for the first few pictures and Judson was out cold. He slept through the last little bit of his session. He lay there so quietly as I ran around him. There was a nice breeze that was coming through, so I think he found the perfect nap setting. He is so sweet and is a dream to photograph.

     The next time we see Judson it will be fall and he will be six months old.  Already counting down the days until that session! Here are just a few of my favorites from our time together. Enjoy and Happy Tuesday! 

The Whitney Family

     The Whitney Family is nothing less than “picture perfect.” I love each and every time that we are able to get together. The last time we saw them, baby Elise was just a few weeks old. It’s hard to believe, but she is now nine months. She has grown so much, but two things that haven’t changed are those beautiful blue eyes and those adorable chubby checks. Her two reactions that are most infectious and will instantly brighten anyone’s day are her adorable smile and cute little giggle.

     This was a beautiful summer evening. I don’t think I could have asked for better conditions. Everyone did an amazing job throughout the entire session. Stacey is a huge fan of photography and I know how much these sessions mean to her. I realize all the work that goes in to getting a family ready for a session and I think it’s safe to say that all the planning and coordinating paid off.  I have so many favorites images of them that I had a very hard time narrowing it down to the ones that I wanted to post. Some of my favorite images are the ones of Elise with Mom and Dad. You can feel the love in each and every one of these images. It truly warms my heart.  Elise loves her big brother Jacob so much already.  She would say “Bub-Ba Bub-Ba” and Jacob would get the biggest grin on his face and say, ”She’s talking to me”!  It’s so sweet to see the bond and love they already share. 

     Before I sign off and you begin to view all of their beautiful images, I must warn you of the cuteness overload that you are about to experience.  Those who know me know how much I love and adore my Boston Terrier, Peanut. Mikey and Stacey also share a love for those beautiful big-eyed beauties. They have a Boston named Boo. She is so sweet and their kids just adore her. Once I knew that Mikey and Stacey were having a girl, I immediately went online looking for Boston Terrier accessories to help fill her closet. The last few images of Elise … put a smile of my face like nothing else. She looks even more adorable in that little tee than I could have even imagined. I think incorporating Boston accessories in all their sessions will be a must from now on! Ha! 

     Without further adieu I present you with The Whitney Family! Enjoy and Happy Wednesday! 

Kameron & Kaleb

     The Dotson Brothers, seriously, are too cute for words. I’ve had the privilege of watching these little guys grow. When I first met big brother Kameron he was just a year and half old and he turned four years old last week. Little brother Kaleb came into the picture only six months ago. I always (always) have the best time with these two and their amazing parents. I love each and every session that I get to do with this family.  Kaleb is at that age where his personality is really starting to show. He laughed and giggled the whole time we were together. I kept a smile on my face the entire time just watching him interact with his mom and dad. Kameron is so funny and doesn’t even know it. I love how animated he was when talking about the dinosaurs and “other monsters” that he thought were in the pond nearby.  Kam has such a vivid imagination. It was so fun to hear all the stories that he wanted to share with me that day. He is the sweetest little guy. My heart just melted when he would say “Hey Mrs. Steph…can we please go over here for pictures”. Awe! So sweet! Needless to say I look forward to anytime I get to spend with this family and I am already counting down the days until their next session. Here are just a few of my favorites of The Dotson Brothers. Enjoy and Happy Saturday! 

The Owen Family

     The Owen Family is like many others I know, not every one of them lives in the same area. In this case, not even the same country. Angie and Greg have two beautiful daughters, one lives in the Caribbean (YES! the islands) and the other currently lives in Nicaragua.

     The plan for their family session began a few months ago. Angie approached me excitedly, telling me that her two daughters would both be back in Missouri, but only for a few days.  The one item on her “to do” list while they were here … A Family Session. I like the way her mind works. Ha! We only had two dates to work with for their session.

     After all the recent rain, I watched the weather forecast like a hawk the week prior to their session. In Missouri we are all aware, that if you don’t like the weather, wait ten minutes and it will change. Thankfully, it only rained the morning prior to their session. Other than that, the conditions were perfect for a summer photo session.

     I enjoyed my time with them so much. It is always so much fun to see the dynamic of families and how they interact with one another. Everyone did such a great job at keeping each other smiling and laughing. It may have been a tiny bit warm (and humid), but you would have never guessed it by all the smiles in their photos.

     The candid moments between them are some of my favorites. I love the way that Angie and Greg laugh with their girls, the way Maggie and Gabbie tease each other, and especially the way that Angie and Greg exchange looks. There is so much love between them. I was able to get some great shots between Maggie and her husband John as well. John did a fantastic job joking around and keeping everyone giggling. He was on board with whatever ideas I threw his way. You can tell with just a quick glance at a few images of them, Maggie and John adore one another. Enough chit chat, I will get on to what you want to see… their AMAZING images. Here are just a few of my favorites of The Owen Family! Enjoy and Happy Thursday!       

The Gamel Family

     The Gamel Family. Oh my goodness the ADORABLE Gamel Family. I have known this family way before they had Gwendolyn and Estelle. It was just Jeff and Steph back then. Two crazy kids in love and even then they were adorable. Not only have I had the privilege of watching their family grow over the years, but I have been able to photograph them on a number of occasions too. Gwen was three and Estelle was a little over a week old at their first session. It has been so much fun to watch them grow and change. This session was like every session I have with them, full of laughs. You can tell that the girls LOVE their daddy, and he feels the same way about his girls. I love when I am able to capture those “little looks and expressions” that they would give each other from time to time. It may seem like a simple look, but there is so much love expressed within a few seconds. Awe! I love those moments! Those images are some of my favorite for sure. So without further adieu I present you with some of my favorite moments with The Gamel Family! Enjoy and Happy Friday! 

Harper & Peyton

     Harper and Peyton will always have a special place in my heart. I have known these two since they were born. I can remember Harper’s baby shower like it was yesterday. It’s hard to believe that she will be eight years old next month. That just doesn’t seem possible. Time is going way too fast. Especially when you have little ones. I’ve had the privilege of photographing these two on several different occasions. With every session that passes, I am amazed at how much they grow and change. Peyton was so shy at her last session. She ran away and giggled every time I got in front of her. This time, she was still all smiles, but loved to be in front of the camera. This particular session was about a year in a half in the making. It never failed, every time we scheduled to get together, someone became ill and we had to reschedule. No worries though. I always say, “Good things (photography sessions) come to those who wait”.  A GREAT photography session is what we had. It was a beautiful spring evening in Tennessee. Their mother Julie had planned the most adorable outfits for the girls to wear. She wanted to incorporate a blanket that her grandmother had made many years ago. How perfect was it that the blanket and outfits matched perfectly? It’s those small, personalized details that make my heart so very happy! Julie jumped in for a few shots with the girls. The candid images I was able to get of all three of the girls are definitely some of my favorites, for sure. They were so giggly and you can tell they adore each other so much. Here are just a few of my favorite images from their session. Enjoy and Happy Wednesday!