Six Months Old!

This has always been one of my favorite stages to document in a little ones life.  At six months babies are so expressive and most aren't running away yet.  I photographed this couple's wedding a few years back and was so excited to meet their newest addition. And let me tell you, what a happy little guy!  He was so much fun and definitely and outdoor kid, he didn't even mind the grass, which should bode well for his parents who like to camp and fish.  Although he is inching closer to his one year b-day, I just had to share our session from last fall.  Oh and I almost forgot to mention their sweet "first born" boxer, Penny, such a good big sis.  Enjoy!

Allie 1 Year Session and 2018 Reflection

It's January in the Midwest.  I am a seasonal person, I don't love winter, but I need it for my year to feel complete.  I feel like the cold and snow is a great cleansing for the earth. A good cold winter also makes me appreciate the warmth and new growth of spring much more than if it were warm all the time.  It's also the time of year when I look back at all of the great moments from last year both with my own family and the other families who let me into their life for a day.  I almost always look back at a photo session or even photos of my own family and tear the images apart technically and think about what I could have done differently.  With almost 20 years of photography under my belt, 12 of those doing family lifestyle portraits, I still always have something new to learn and room for growth and I don't think that will ever stop.  My goal in every session and with my own family is to capture natural looking images that aren't forced and that have a documentary or journalistic feel to them.  Most people still enjoy some images with everyone looking at the camera, although not my strong point, I always have a few semi-posed moments in every session.  Looking back on 2018, I had a great time with my photography and I think that shows in a lot of the images.

I always end up with great images from this family that I'm sharing today.  With three young kids there is never a dull moment and they never disappoint.  This session was from way back on a beautiful warm sunny day in September, seems so long ago now with almost a foot of snow on the ground.

One last thought before the photos, It's getting harder and harder, with billions of images shared everyday, it's a true challenge to make images that don't look like everyone else's.  But, every family is unique and I always strive for my images to be as well.  So, a quote to end the post and to start off the new year;  

“Be yourself. I much prefer seeing something, even it is clumsy, that doesn’t look like somebody else’s work.”
– William Klein

Wishing you all a wonderful 2019!