Photo of the Day

Today one of my images received the Photo of the Day award in the category of people at shutterbugs.biz. This one is especially meaningful for me because the subject is my son. What I love about this image is the rich color of the background and pillows, and I love that his favorite stuffed animal is with him under his cheek.

Much needed vacation

Just wanted to let you all know that I'll be going on vacation in late May. We're off to Hawaii! And thanks to very supportive grandparents, we'll be leaving the kids at home!

So, if you're thinking of scheduling a session in May, the studio will be closed from May 20th to June 3rd. I do still have openings in May, so call now if you want to reserve a date!

"S" family sneak peek

Here's a sneak peek at a recent session. This was a really fun session because this little boy was so cute and such a great baby. I have to hand it to the parents, who have three under the age of three. Wow! I know I couldn't do that. But, they are so at ease and make it look easy.

Breakfast of Champions

I awoke this morning to the sounds of slamming cabinet and refrigerator doors. That meant that my two year old son was up and hungry. I groggily visualized his usual self-serve snacks: yogurt, gogurt, a slice of cheese, candy. CANDY! That got me out of bed quickly. As I peeked down the stairs, I saw him sitting on the floor with a big chocolate egg in one hand, and a tootsie pop in the other. Apparently, one piece of candy at a time isn't enough. We've got a multi-tasker here.

This is a moment when, as a parent, a flurry of reactions go through your mind. Do I laugh because I'm cracking up inside? No. Do I take a picture because it's funny? No. But it's funny! Still, a photo isn't the best way to reinforce that this isn't appropriate behavior. But it's really funny! And, I know that later today I'll tell the story and someone will ask if I took a photo. And I'll wish that I had. So, I hurried down and grabbed my camera. Click. And then I promptly gave instructions to put the candy in the garbage. He did. Thank goodness. And that's how I started my day.

Get Framed

A new service I've just added to my list is framing. I'm totally jumping up and down with these new frames. Each is hand painted and comes in any combination of 44 colors. So, let your imagination run WILD! I ordered two for display - one is on the traditional side, the other is the crowning jewel of my daughter's room. Talk about a totally fun way to showcase your art. The frames come in 3 widths: 2", 4", and 6". You pick the frame color, the trim style and color. You can even add polkadots!

The photos simply don't do the frames justice, so please call me if you'd like to see them in person and create your own personal color combinations.

Vibrant Spring

It's finally here! After five long months of bone-chilling cold, heavy grey skies, and winter coats, boots, hats, mittens, and gloves, it's spring. This weekend marks the first weekend in Chicago with highs in the 60s since October. Oh yeah, baby!

After a morning session, we took the family outside to try on the bike helmets and tricycles. My favorite thing is a nature tour of the yard. Delight filled my eyes as I took the walk around the yard looking to see what new growth was pushing its way through the soft, moist soil. Daylilies! Hydrangea! Daisies! It's official. Winter is over! Sing praises to my favorite time of year.

Spring also marks the beginning of outdoor photography! Hurray!!!!! I grabbed my camera as we hit the park. What fun! My daughter said "no pictures, mom". But we compromised that I would take photos of her playing. No posing today. Good enough. I'm not sure which is more vibrant: the gleaming red slide or their joyful expressions.

Happy Birthday all around!

Well, it's a day of birthdays. First off, it's my brother-in-law's 30th. Happy Birthday to you Kwame!!!! Welcome to middle-age, my friend. :)

I've officially been in business for one year. Wow - how the year has flown!!!! And, I've been so fortunate to meet so many really nice and fun kids (and parents). So, thank you for making this first year so great. I couldn't have done it without all your positive feedback and your word-of-mouth buzz. I've got lots of plans to make things even better this second year!

And, in the birthday spirit, I want to share a storyboard of a recent first birthday cutie. She literally dove into her cake face first. I've never seen a child do that. Isn't this fun?