The Maxwell Family

I sincerely hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas this past weekend!!  I know I did!

Amid all the comings and goings from family gatherings and church services this weekend, I was asked to photograph the Maxwell family on the day after Christmas.  Bruce and Kathy's three sons are all grown with wives and children of their own, and everyone knows how difficult it is to line up everyone's schedules to spend a day under the same roof at the same time, especially if you don't live close by!  So when everyone was going to be together on the 26th, the family portrait opportunity was not to be missed. 

I also have to tell you, Bruce is a financial adviser, and he has been an encouragement to my husband and me through some tough financial times.  It was actually after a meeting with him that katyC photography was born.  He planted the seed of encouragement in me to use my talents to help support my family.  He convinced me that it was possible and challenged me to make it happen.  It was my pleasure to be able to photograph his family!  

For this occasion, they were looking for a more formal "looking-at-the-camera-and-smiling" type of shoot.  I am really looking forward to another opportunity Bruce hinted at for having me come and do more casual photos this spring (because, from what I experienced working with these guys for a formal shoot, a casual shoot is going to be a lot of fun)!

Baby James

I don't care what anyone says, a nine pound baby is still a tiny little thing!  Tiny and squishy and WAY easier to haul around than a toddler!
Anyway...
I'm so glad to have gotten to photograph 10 day old James!  What an adorable little bundle (you can check out his mom's maternity shoot here.  And, in case you were wondering, when I do maternity photographs, you get a newborn session at a discounted rate.  Just a little FYI). 
I had planned on him probably passing out cold (as only a newborn can) and being able to position him how I pleased for our shoot.  But this little guy was astoundingly alert the majority of our time together!  He was calm and pleasant and just seemed to be taking it all in. 
It was difficult deciding which photos to share because this little one is so stinking adorable!  I have to admit, the main reason I shared the second one (the one with the blue blanket) is because it cracks me up every time I look at it.  I'm pretty sure it's one of my favorites!
Enjoy :)

 

Kathy Ann and Gage

I have a photo somewhere, probably in one of my grade school scrapbooks, of me and Kathy Ann (as well as half a dozen other girls) blowing bubbles in my parent's driveway at my tenth birthday party. 
Fast forward about 18 years and I'm driving down winding country roads to photograph Kathy Ann and her grade school aged son at their house!  It had been such a long time since I'd seen her, it was really cool to have our paths cross again!
Her house was way out in the country, so she had lot's of outdoor space to play with.  One thing I didn't notice till I was leaving was the really cool bridge on her road- I actually crossed it to get to her place, but didn't pay much attention to it since I didn't know where I was going and I was busy trying to find the house!  Anyway, Kathy Ann, if you ever need me to come take your photo again, we are totally going to that bridge!
So here are some of my favorites from our shoot (and I just had to share a photo of the super enthusiastic 8-month-old giant puppy... she really wanted her picture taken, too!)

 

The Combs Family

I have gotten behind on my blog!!  Must try to make up for lost time!!

The week before Thanksgiving, my family and I took a trip down to Atlanta, GA to stay with my husband's family and spend time together for the holiday.  During our time together I had the privilege of capturing a family portrait as well as some photos of "the kids".  The weather was gorgeous, the fall colors couldn't have been more vibrant (and though I've been told it is no longer hip to refer to the city as "Hot-lanta", it was really quite warm for November!).  We couldn't have asked for a better opportunity for portraits.  The only struggle was trying to decide where, out of all the unique and beautiful locations in the area, to do our shoot!   We went downtown, we went to an historic landmark, but some of the best shots were just hanging out around the backyard.

 

Little Anna Turns One

I have had the pleasure to photograph little Anna as a newborn, when she was 8 months old, and again today for her one-year photos.  She is such a little sweetie!  She has this way of laughing- it's sort of a snicker, really- that totally cracks me up!  We went to Mt Airy Forest and typically I like to shoot around the Arboretum area of the park.  For some reason, though, the road was blocked off and we couldn't go back there!  After a moment of "Okay, now what?" I remembered the really cool building at the beginning of the Frisbee golf course, and we headed that way.  And the change of routine really paid off- it turned out to be a really great place to shoot and I definitely plan to go back there for future sessions! 

The Smith Family

Crisp, cool, and sunny.  That's my favorite type of fall day.  And that is exactly the type of day it was Monday when I got together with the Smith family at Devou Park.  Really nice weather for photos- especially with that great view of the city.  I had a really good time getting to know this fun, laid back family.  I swear, those children were so great- so natural and confident in front of the camera.  They made my job very easy!  Here's a few shots from our morning together:

Last Bites Bakery

It was certainly a sweet photo shoot on Saturday afternoon.  I was working with Last Bites Bakery to update the photographs of their delicious vegan baked goods and sweets for their website.  Everything I photographed was literally fresh from the oven.  I had to make sure not to get chocolate on my camera each time I set up a shot (which basically meant I was licking my fingers a lot)!  Find Last Bites on Facebook and consider buying some homemade local goodness next time you need to bring breakfast in for the coworkers or cupcakes for a birthday party!

Jess, the lovely proprietor, baker, and mastermind behind Last Bites

The Easton Family

Still working on the photos from my second shoot of Sunday evening with the adorable Easton family, but I thought I'd share a few of the ones I like so far.
My favorite thing about photographing families with toddlers and young children is that you really can't "pose" them... the kids are going to do what they do and they are completely, 100% their honest selves and have pretty much no regard for the camera.  Consequently, the rest of the family just responds to the little one and things can be a lot more authentic.
Here's some of the Easton's shoot:

 

The Fette Family

I had the pleasure to photograph the growing Fette family on Sunday.  There is something about maternity photos and pictures of toddlers that is difficult to bring together.  The intimacy and calm of maternity photos doesn't always jive well with the whirlwind that is a toddler!  You just have to keep taking pictures and hope for the best because things will never go exactly as planned!  The important thing was that we all had a good time, and came up with some good photos.  Congrats Fette family- can't wait to meet little brother!

9.18.10 Shawn and Melissa's Wedding

It was a beautiful day for a wedding, and I was honored to be a part of this one!

I don't know how photographers who are strictly wedding photographers do it... There is a lot of responsibility on the shoulders of the one taking the photos.  They are creating the images that will be hanging on the wall and cherished in albums, helping to recreate the memories of this special day for years- even generations- to come.  The thought of it can be a bit overwhelming, which is why I don't choose to shoot too many of them!  I learned a lot, and really had a great time capturing these moments for Melissa and Shawn.  Congrats to you two, and to your future together :)