VOTE: August's favorite image

Another month has flown by and it's time to vote for your next favorite image!  This month's winner will receive a free 10x10 standout mounted print.  I love standout mounts and have my staircase lined with them! 

That's an awkward angle for the camera, but the standout mounts are perfect for that area.  My favorite part about them is that they're so easy to hang!  They come with holes on the back and all you need is a simple push pin to hang it on!  Then you don't even need a hammer!  How cool is that?  You can see more information about them, including prices, by clicking here.

And now for the voting!  Here are the rules:

• You may vote for one image.
• To vote, simply leave a comment on this blog with the name or number of your choice.
• Anonymous votes will not count!  You must at a minimum enter your name and email address.  Your email address will not be visible (even to me) and won't be spammed.  Promise!
• Voting ends at midnight on Saturday, September 4th.

1.  Will


2.  Kori


3.  Austin


4.  Amy

I am a photographer!

I just saw someone on a photography group I belong to say they "have" to shoot a soccer game tonight and it made my brain hurt.  And my heart.  Because photography should never be something you "have" to do.  Yes, I have gotten to a point that I make money taking pictures, but I still delight in the fact that I GET to take those pictures!  I am so very grateful to my clients for giving me the opportunity to share in their lives, capture their moments, and get to know them through my lens.

Truth be told I'm so painfully shy without my camera I would probably never get to meet half the people I have through photography.  Nor would I have ventured to some of the places I've gone or taken the time to really see some of the things I have seen.  I know I have grown as a person as my photography has grown, and I can't say thank you enough to all of the people who have made that possible. 

So if you're thinking about starting your own photography business but you look at taking pictures as something you have to do...  please stop.  Because I firmly believe that passion is the driving force of a great photographer.  I'm not saying I think that I'm all that great...  I know I still have things to learn (and equipment to buy...  sorry, David! LOL).  But I have no doubt that my passion and enjoyment of photography will make those things I have yet to learn a pleasure instead of a chore.  And I also know that all the skill, expensive equipment, and editing tricks in the world don't make up for knowing a moment when you see it and being able to capture the feeling held within that moment.

Until today I hadn't really thought of myself as "a photographer."  There was still this little bit of hesitation in my brain that told me I don't make my primary income with photography and I don't work full time as a photographer so I can't really be a photographer.  But I just changed my mind about that.

I AM A PHOTOGRAPHER (who will always have room to learn).

[Amy Grace] Newborn - Whittle Steps

Amy Grace is here!  And she was born on my sister's birthday, which makes her even more awesome, in my opinion.  I was so excited to meet her when she was only seven days old.



I was also really excited to use my newest headband.  It came in the mail a couple of days after my last newborn session and I've been faithfully hiding it from the cats since then.  If they got even a glimpse of this tiny stringy contraption it would vanish forever, I'm sure!



Not only did Amy sleep for us most of the time (she was SO easy to soothe back to sleep when we'd move her!) but she also gave us a couple of SMILES!  How precious is that?

Is it wrong of me to hope that Amy gets her mom's freckles?  I think they would be so adorable on her!  I'm really looking forward to watching Amy grow up over the next two years as a Whittle Steps participant!  

Austin is 3 months old!

I had the pleasure of doing Austin's three month old pictures last Sunday.  I know his whole family has been anxiously awaiting his sneak peek.  And this lucky little guy has quite an awesome family, too!  I set up for his pictures in the dining room and was surrounded by not only his mommy and daddy but also grandparents and aunts all ready to help bring out his best smiles!





Do you see how he's grabbing the fabric in this next one?  He absolutely loved this soft, fluffy fabric!  I think he would have been happy if we had let him sit there with it all day long.


One of his aunts bought him this giraffe the day before.  At first we were using it to try to grab his attention behind the camera, and then it became a cute prop.  :)










Austin's grandma also arranged for an extended family session after his three month old session.  They have an amazing weeping willow tree in their back yard that I absolutely loved!  It was so much fun spending the afternoon with these guys and gals.

[Kori Lynn] Newborn - Whittle Steps

You may remember Kori Lynn's (whose middle name I happen to be partial to since it's mine, as well) parents.  They had a super cute maternity session last month.  I've been looking forward to Kori's newborn session ever since because they were just the cutest and nicest people!  They also had some great ideas for their newborn session, incorporating Brandon's military uniform.

Unfortunately, Kori had ideas other than sleeping and modeling for us.  They included crying, stretching, and a little more crying.  ;)  She was awake and wide-eyed for much of the session (which was actually broken into two parts in hopes of getting a little more cooperation the next day).  I've heard that as soon as I left she went to sleep.  Of course!  LOL

This one was from the first day when she slept for a little while for us.  This is my new fluffy background that I was dying to try!  I'm going to have to get my mom to hem the edges, though, because I left little fuzzies all over Brandon and Jessica's dining room floor.  Sorry about that again, guys!

Jessica actually painted several paintings to hang in Kori's nursery and I thought they were ADORABLE so I had to include them somehow.  We also attempted to use the tire swing for a shot but that's a little tricky with a non-sleeping newborn!  Maybe when she gets a little bigger.  I'm totally looking forward to utilizing more of their back yard for pictures.

Thanks again Jessica and Brandon for letting me into your home to capture your precious little girl.  I feel like you two are old friends and I'm looking forward to Kori's next Whittle Steps session!

VOTE: July's Favorite Image

July has been an amazing month here on the blog!  At least I think so and I hope you all do, too.  To celebrate I'm continuing the monthly contest.  The prize for the winner with the most votes this month is ................ a $15 print credit to be used in your gallery!  So spread the word and ask your family and friends to come and VOTE for your image this month.  Anyone can vote, but only once.


To vote, simply leave a comment on this blog post with the number or name of the image you're voting for.You don't need a special account to vote, but anonymous votes will NOT count! You must enter your name at a minimum. This will require you to enter your email address, as well, but it will not be published.  Emailed votes or votes on the facebook fan page will not be counted. Voting ends Saturday at midnight CST. 


Good luck!


1.  Jessica & Brandon



2.  Khloe



3.  Laura Bryce



4.  Della



5.  Heather & Tim

Will's Family

I had the pleasure of photographing 13-month-old Will and his parents on Sunday evening.  Navarre Beach was just about perfect in every way for our session.  The only thing I would have changed was the wind.  But the sunset gave us some wonderful light, and it's all about the light!

Will was such an awesome and happy kid!  He was interested in the waves and the sand but I didn't have any trouble coaxing a look from him or even a smile!  He just seemed like a genuinely happy little guy.

Of course even the happy ones don't always stay put!  He might have kept crawling all the way out to the gulf if we had let him!

I'm in love with this next set of images.  I love the black and white, and I love them in this new blogging template I just bought last night.  If this were my family I would have to order these on standout mounts in this configuration!  Just sayin'.

Thank you so much Will and family for sharing your afternoon at the beach with me!  Stay sweet, little guy!