Jessica Whittle Photography

Laura | 18 Months

2012-01-26T22:04:00.000-06:00

I'm going to start this massive sneak peek with a disclaimer... this was NOT a typical session! A few months ago I saw a blog post about a wedding that was shot at the Lake Yard in Defuniak Springs and I was curious about the area. Knowing Len grew up over there, I asked him about it and we ultimately decided it would be an interesting place for Laura's 18 month session. So we all loaded into the car on Saturday, including David, and drove over for a good part of the day. So it's sort of a lifestyle session with a couple of posed formal shots thrown in. Mostly we just followed Laura around and helped her have a good time, which in turn led to lots of laughing and smiles for the rest of us, as well.

See? Not a normal session. I normally would NOT end up being spun on one of these things.

The weather forecast called for rain, but we decided a few days beforehand that we were going to try our luck no matter what... Val bought these rain boots the day before in the smallest size she could find, but they were still far too large! Laura had a hard time walking in them, but I think she had fun with them anyway.

And then Len caught a baby duckling. Don't worry, no ducks were harmed and the baby waddled right back to its mama as soon as it was released. Laura absolutely LOVED the babies and she was happy to get to pet one. (It is possible, however, that I was more excited about the baby duck than she was.)

I was laying on the porch taking pictures of Laura running around and she decided to come lay down next to me. She's adorable.

My life through Instagram

2012-01-26T10:32:00.000-06:00

My goal this year is to post a personal blog post once a week so you guys can get to know me as the person behind the camera a little better and not just bombard you with a bunch of sneak peeks from client sessions. This is only the fourth week of the year and that's already proving more difficult than I'd like. I think my life is pretty boring most of the time and my photography sessions make up a large part of what I get excited about. Go figure. But here are a few snippets of my life that I shared on Instagram the last couple of weeks. I'm on a black and white kick and actually trying not to post anything that isn't in black and white for the last few weeks. I've made a couple of exceptions, but sometimes you just need the color to convey the image properly.

Reading in the bathtub becomes a little more risky when you do most of your reading on a Kindle or an iPad. I absolutely love my Kindle, but if it drops in the water it's a bit more of an issue than dropping a $7 paperback book! So I sealed it up in a ziplock bag to make sure it stayed safe. Really I don't take baths all that often, but the tiny snippet of cold weather we had made me crave the warm bubbles.

Brett is our handsome senior dog. He's also a bit needy. He prefers to be laying under something, especially if there's bad weather coming. I always try to make sure he has a bed or a place to lay in whatever room we're in, but this particular evening he desperately wanted to lay under my desk in the new office. I disagreed with his plan because I have cords under there he can get tangled up in AND he's not all that careful about not stepping on my bare feet! His guilt trip (he's staring at my desk here even though he has a "bed" to the left of this image) did not work to change my mind. I can be just as stubborn as he is sometimes!

And speaking of the new office... I've got it painted and set up now. I'm just waiting to get the finishing touches on the walls and then it will be a blog post of its own. I've discovered ALF on Hulu and set up the laptop to play some episodes while editing.

Bailey really knows how to pout. I can't even remember what she was upset about this particular night but she was peeking around the corner at me and trying to avoid me. Also in this picture you can see the window I recently covered. This window on the stairs has been an issue for ages. Once upon a time I actually had curtains hanging, but I think a cat tried to climb them. Then I had a cheap roll-up shade there, but the cats chewed on it and it got a tear. It was pretty awful, but this window is literally about ten feet from our neighbor's living room windows so it had to have something to cover it. I found this printed & frosted cling film that I fell in love with (if I told you how much it cost, you'd believe me) and finally made the window look pretty a few weeks ago.

I'm back to taking daily walks whenever I can with a couple of co-workers since my podiatrist (who is AMAZING and I highly recommend if you need one) has adjusted the correction for the pinched nerve in my foot and walking doesn't currently make my toes go numb. One of the benefits of working in the less than stellar building we work in is that the Riverwalk is just across the street. It does make for a nice break in the middle of the day when you think you might snap if the next person looks at you the wrong way.

We shot Laura's 18 month pictures last Saturday (blog coming soon!) and I rode with them to Defuniak Springs. (Not a typical occurrence, but I really wanted to check out the Lake Yard over there so this wasn't a normal session. David also went with us.) On the way back home Laura was out within minutes of getting in the car. She's so adorable!

And this one isn't in black and white, but I didn't think black and white did it justice and it's one of my favorite pictures from the last month. We went to the January 7th Ice Flyers game and they won in overtime. It was a good game, and I loved the excitement in the Hangar when they got that winning goal! And my favorite part of the image might just be the confetti. I'm still a kid at heart and confetti makes me smile.

Sherrin, the before session

2012-01-23T18:47:00.000-06:00

I met my friend Sherrin through Twitter. She has a cat, so I was pretty sure she wasn't a serial killer and we eventually met for coffee one weekend. We hit it off pretty well and spent a few hours chatting about all sorts of stuff there in Starbucks. So when she finally jumped through all of the hoops and had a date set for her weight loss surgery I jumped at the chance to do before and after pictures.

I'm so happy she took me up on my offer, mainly because it means we got to spend a few more hours chatting and I got to take pictures (which is almost always a fun activity in my book). But I'm also glad she let me do before pictures because I hope that some day she will be able to see that even without the surgery she's beautiful. I'm happy for her because I know this is something she wanted and worked very hard to achieve, but I hope she some day comes to see the before pictures as beautiful, as well.

And so I waited until today to post them. She had her surgery this morning, and her sister has tweeted that she's doing well. I didn't want her picking them apart before the surgery while she was stressing about everything else. So here's wishing Sherrin a speedy recovery - and a speedy return to her charming twittery self!

Blackout.

2012-01-18T08:30:00.000-06:00

I'm not going to take my site down entirely today, but I do encourage you to go sign the petition against internet censorship. If you need more information about what all the fuss is about, read this. Your regularly scheduled Wednesday personal post will resume next week.

So long, Kori | Milton Child Photographer

2012-01-15T16:37:00.000-06:00

Jessica and Brandon didn't expect to still be in Milton when Kori turned 18 months, but with the military's timing being what it is we got to do her 18 month session after all! I met them at the L&N Train Depot in downtown Milton and we had a great time despite the really chilly weather. I'm going to miss this sweet little family and I know life has many blessings in store for them.

Kori's "evil eye" is pretty adorable but what's even better is the grin she gets on her face afterward!

A train went by while we were shooting and Brandon hung out of one of the museum cars to watch it go by. I have tried, but I can't decide which of these two images I prefer. So you get both.

And in a totally unfair move on his part, Brandon wanted a picture of me and Kori together at the end... after I had been rolling around on the ground (which I found out was wet - you can see the wet spots on my knees) and my hair was a mess. But I'm kinda glad he made me do it because, well... this.

I'm not going to say good-bye. My Papaw wouldn't tell us good-bye when we were kids. He would always say so long, and that's a phrase that has stuck in my family. I don't say "bye" on the phone with my mom, husband, or sister. We say so long. So until next time, Kori Lynn! (And Brandon, Jessica, and baby Mila!) Hopefully our paths will cross again.

PS: I need some vintage kid-sized suitcases before I shoot here again. I can TOTALLY envision Kori pulling them around the station!

"Once photography enters your bloodstream it's like a disease."

2012-01-11T10:30:00.000-06:00

I saw the quote in the title online and it really struck home with me. It's attributed to Anonymous in several places online, and I can't find any mention of who said it. Well, I think Anonymous was on to something, but I would add that it's an incurable disease.

Back in November I talked about how I planned to leave the dSLR at home when I'm playing with the nephews so I can be more "present" and play with them more. My plan was to use my iPhone to capture those shots I just couldn't pass up, but for the most part to keep it in my pocket. I tried. And I failed. Oh, I managed to leave the camera at home! But the iPhone didn't stay in my pocket much at all this past weekend.

I can't help it.

For this next one I was actually laying on the ground, instructing David to push Landon just a little bit higher so he'd clear the roof to create a full silhouette. My only regret is that the still image doesn't capture all the giggling that was going on... both from Landon, who was enjoying the swing, as well as from my sister, who thought it was hilarious that I was laying down on the ground to get the shot.

Yep, more shots from the ground. And by this point Kelly was seriously making fun of me for my inability to put my phone away and just play. But both boys were being pushed on a swing by the swing-pusher of their choice. What else was there for me to do?

I'm not unhappy with the fact my iPhone wouldn't stay in my pocket. I don't think anyone else that day was upset about it, either. Kelly harassed me for it, but she loves the pictures of the boys playing in the yard and said they're her favorite because they're more natural. I don't think she really expected me to not take any. I don't think the number of pictures I took surprised her, either. My family knows I have the incurable disease, and I'm pretty sure they're okay with that.

Elijah | 9 month Whittle Steps Session

2012-01-09T20:41:00.000-06:00

Well, the holidays are all over (including my birthday, which I celebrated this past weekend) and my new home office is almost entirely put together, so that means it's time to get back to work! I actually shot this nine month session on January 2nd but haven't had a chance to touch them until this evening. It's so wonderful working on Elijah's pictures because I know he and his parents have had some health obstacles along the way and I'm so fortunate to have been able to document his growth and personality since he was three months old. He is one very adored little guy!

And of course his dump truck that we've used in his session so far!

Farewell, 2011.

2012-01-04T11:04:00.000-06:00

I have thought about it for a few days now and I've decided not to do a "best of" post for 2011 because it really was such an awesome year and I had so many sessions and weddings that I just absolutely enjoyed. It would be impossible to pick just a few pictures worthy of sharing again. And I have been intending to start including personal blog entries here (hopefully one per week, but don't hold me to that) so I think this is as good a time to start as any. Instead of recapping the year in pictures, I think I'm going to start out the new year by saying goodbye to something I personally lost in 2011: 51 pounds!

The number still baffles me. Even though I see a big difference in the way my clothes fit (and some of them just don't fit at all anymore) I still have a hard time believing I've lost 51 pounds. I have lost more than my entire 5-year-old nephew weighs! (Next time I pick him up I'm really going to think about that!) David and I started watching our diet on May 1st - the day after Landon's birthday party. I weighed 265 pounds. It's really hard to write that because it's still embarrassing even now, after all my hard work. Now I weigh 214. Still high. Still not where I need to be. But it's a significant improvement and I can really feel the difference in how I'm able to move around when I'm chasing kiddos during sessions and playing with my nephews.

When Samantha was in town to second shoot Lauren & DJ's wedding we went downtown to play with cameras and ended up taking pictures of one another. I had lost 30 pounds at that point, so I decided these photos should be the beginning of a photo project. Every ten pounds I lose I will go out with a different friend and we will take pictures of one another. Seemed like a good idea at the time because the first photos weren't planned. They just happened very organically. I wasn't even wearing makeup (which, quite frankly, is usually the case)!

And then came time for the next session. 40 pounds. Len volunteered and we shot it in the Milton Cemetery, of all places. Hey, it was a convenient location for a weekday afternoon and something different. You can't really tell it's a cemetery in most of the pictures. But it wasn't the fact we were shooting in a cemetery that made me ridiculously nervous. It was that I was intentionally putting myself in front of the camera. The wrong side of the camera. I changed my mind several times about what to wear and ended up with a long-sleeved black shirt, which made Len cringe when I got out of the car. (Photographers don't like solid black shirts. I knew this but I did it anyway. I'm sorry, Len.) I was so nervous about being the subject of the photos that my smiles were forced and I was kind of miserable.

Over the holidays I gave myself a few weeks off of logging my calories (one each for Thanksgiving and Christmas) so while I technically hit 50 pounds before Christmas I bounced around a bit and didn't consider it to have "stuck" until after all the holiday food was gone and I was back on the wagon. (I'm serious about changing my diet and my lifestyle, but that doesn't mean I should deprive myself on special occasions. I also get "cheat days" about once a week. I'm still losing weight and they keep me sane so I consider it a successful formula.) Dara and I ended up shooting my next session at Krul Lake on December 31st, the last day of 2011. I think it was a good send-off to the year. I was surprisingly more comfortable in front of the camera this time (possibly because Dara was really dreading having her photo taken and how was I supposed to allay her fears when I was dreading it myself?) and I even graduated to wearing a blue shirt!

And so I'm saying goodbye to 2011 and to the 51 pounds I've left there! I don't know how many pounds I'll leave behind in 2012. Someone asked me the other day what my goal is and I don't have a numeric goal. Honestly, I just want to be able to walk into any store and buy clothes. Plus size clothes are rather less than stylish most of the time, and when you weigh 265 pounds nothing ever fits quite right. So I want to be able to go shopping and actually find things in my size, and I want to be healthy. I'm short so my BMI was scary when I calculated it. I don't know where I'll stop. I do know I'm not there yet. And while I accomplished most of my weight loss so far primarily on diet alone, I've decided it's time to add exercise to the plan now that it's easier for me to move. I started the 30 Day Shred on January 1st and Jillian Michaels is killing me. I'm so sore! But I know it's a good thing, and I'm in this for real, so I'm not giving up.

Let's do this, 2012!

Darbi is 9 months old already?

2011-12-26T20:07:00.000-06:00

It really seems like last week that we shot Darbi's 6-month session in the pumpkin patch and now here we are all dressed up for Christmas. It's amazing how quickly the end of the year has flown by and how quickly my little Whittle Steps kiddos have grown up. Since it has flown so quickly for me I can't imagine how their parents must be feeling. They change so much in three months between sessions! I can't wait to see her smash a cake next time!

Introducing Rhett | Milton Newborn Photographer

2011-12-26T15:43:00.001-06:00

Rhett was six perfect days old when I met him for his newborn session last week. He is Bentley's cousin and I am so excited to have him in Whittle Steps, too! He slept like a champ through our session and aside from not wanting to stretch out for one of the cocoons (which I finally wiggled him into) he was a model newborn. We had so much fun dressing him up with all of my new props! The little owl hat and cocoon in the last image were made for me by one of my twitter friends, Cassie. It's so cute and completely washable, which is my number one rule for newborn props... if it isn't washable, I don't buy it! Anyhow, if you want one of your own, there's a contact button on her site!

Caitlin & Justin | Pensacola Winter Wonderland Wedding

2011-12-23T14:03:00.000-06:00

December 10th was a beautiful day for a wedding, and Caitlin & Justin did an excellent job of transforming Old Christ Church and the Museum of Commerce into a winter wonderland, complete with snow in Florida! They are such a sweet couple and I can tell they make one another very happy. They made me pretty happy, too, when they brought me a gift basket last night with some delicious banana bread! So sweet of them, and I have to tell you editing goes a little faster with banana bread. (It was delicious, you guys, and much appreciated! Thank you again!)

Ceremony: Old Christ Church

Reception: Pensacola Museum of Commerce

Bride's Hair: Kara James, Do or Dye

Bridesmaids & Flower Girl's Hair: Carol Rogers, Riverwalk Hair Exhibit

Bride's Makeup: Alana Smith, Merle Norman in Pace

Catering: Jerry's Cajun Cafe

Bride's Cake: Betty Crutchfield

Groom's Cake: Watson Party Supply and Cakery

The banner here says "Here comes the bride. No peeking until she's inside!"

It took us a while to find the person who could let us into the trolley, but what a fun spot for some pictures during the reception. The Museum of Commerce is a pretty awesome venue, and within walking distance of the church.

Happy first birthday, Bentley! | Whittle Steps Session

2011-12-21T22:22:00.000-06:00

Bentley celebrated his first birthday on Saturday, and from what I hear he did a pretty good job on his cake smash then. So when I came over on Sunday he knew exactly what the deal was and wasted no time digging in once we sat him down with his cake! But before that I had my hands full trying to wrangle him on my small portable studio and I actually got my first "fake smile" from him. Ha! I knew it the second I saw it because he has always been such a happy kid for his sessions. It was fleeting, but I'm still starting the blog off with that shot just because I think it's funny.

I'm so excited not only to show you Bentley's one-year photos but I'll soon be sharing his baby cousin Rhett's newborn session that I shot tonight! Those are coming soon!

JJ's first Christmas | Whittle Steps 6 month session

2011-12-19T19:57:00.000-06:00

If the Christmas decorations at JJ's house are any indication, he's going to have a pretty awesome first Christmas! I just loved all of the holiday cheer I felt when I walked into their home. I've already decided that next year I'm putting up a tree no matter what... I'll just deal with the fact that our two dogs and four cats will inevitably destroy it. ;) But this year I'm enjoying everyone else's decorations and living vicariously through them.

It was also nice to finally get to meet JJ's daddy, Jeremy! He recently returned from deployment and this was the first session he has been able to attend. I'm so happy for them to be a happy little family!

Laura is ready for Santa!

2011-12-19T16:40:00.000-06:00

I have searched but I can't find the tutorial that inspired me to try these photos. I sent it to Len and told him I wanted to try it out on Laura and luckily he and Val were game! So this past Saturday I took over their living room AND dining room to see if we could replicate it. While it didn't turn out quite like I expected and it took us about an hour to set up, I'm happy with how they turned out. I think some of these will look pretty awesome in metallic prints!

Hey, photogs... working with kids and trying to get a smile? Try a good HO HO HO! :)

P.S. Laura said my name! Yes, I was ridiculously happy about this.

No, she didn't say it where I could hear it and she wouldn't say it again. Of course. :)

Caitlin + Justin... coming soon!

2011-12-16T23:19:00.000-06:00

I just had to share these two because it's going to be another crazy whirlwind weekend for me! I hope you are all enjoying your family and loved ones this holiday season and having a wonderful time. I'm trying to strike a healthy balance of editing and relaxing. Good thing I LOVE photography so much, huh? ;)

This is sort of a before and after: Caitlin anticipating the ceremony and then Mr. and Mrs. Anderson!

Caitlin's Bridals | Pensacola Bridal Portraits

2011-12-15T20:02:00.000-06:00

I met Caitlin and her mom in downtown Pensacola on possibly the windiest day of the year this past October for her bridal portraits. I'm so happy I can finally share them with you! She and Justin had a beautiful winter wonderland wedding this past Saturday, and I decided to take a little break from editing those images to blog these. Now I'll get back to it so I can share some of them soon!

Hair by Kara at Do or Dye

Colin | 3 month Whittle Steps Session

2011-12-13T22:12:00.000-06:00

You can't possibly know from looking at these pictures from Colin's three-month session that he fussed at us a good portion of the time, but that's exactly what happened. He even decided to take a little nap shortly after we got started. Poor little dude was tired. But I think it worked out pretty well. I just kept on working while he recharged his batteries and when he woke up he was in a better mood. We got most of the good smiles at the end, so that's the order I'm going to blog them. Actually, it's just so I can start with my favorite image first.

See? You don't have to stop when they decide they need a nap. I think it worked out particularly well with the sock monkey that he was snoozing.

More People Who Love Laura!

2011-12-12T22:59:00.000-06:00

I got to meet Len's family again this weekend as we froze our toes off for a photo session early Sunday morning! They're a fun group, and they didn't lose their sense of humor as they jumped in and out of their warm jackets between photos. Thanks for being such troopers, guys!

This one of Harry and Hilda may be my favorite from the whole session... so sweet!

Laura and her cousin, Caden. We tried to get Bradley to join them but it just wasn't going to happen.

We had to have some relaxed shots at the end with the jackets on, too! Caden is a pretty good tree climber! I really wanted to post the picture of Len in the reindeer antlers but I decided not to do that to Val since she's also wearing a pair.

You're welcome, Val. ;)

Merry Christmas from Jackson A | 6 Months Whittle Steps Session

2011-12-08T21:39:00.000-06:00

I would like to introduce you to Jackson A! You've already met him here on the blog but we were calling him Daniel before. Today was scheduled to be a very big day for him and his family, so I hope I can add to the celebration by sharing their sneak peek tonight. :)

Now I normally wouldn't be excited for a dad to answer the front door in his pajamas, but they had the cutest matching Christmas jammies! They looked so comfortable, too. If I ever have a kid you can rest assured they will have winter jammies with footies. That's a requirement for childhood.

This last one is probably my favorite from the day.

Have a wonderful first Christmas, Jackson!

Charlotte & Daniel | The Oaks Plantation Wedding

2011-12-04T22:32:00.000-06:00

One week ago yesterday Charlotte and Daniel tied the knot at one of the most beautiful venues I've ever laid eyes on. I tried to narrow the images down but there was so much beauty that day it was impossible to leave any of these out. Every little detail was considered, down to the paper flowers that were hand-crafted by the bride. She also made the topper for the grooms cake - a fondant representation of her watching Daniel play the tuba with the most realistic loving expression on her face. She has such talent!

Another vintage touch included the display of a wedding dress purchased in 1955 by her grandmother and great-aunt that has been worn by five members of her mother's family. Her necklace was crafted from her great-grandfather's tie stick pin, which he purchased in 1926. It was incorporated into her grandmother's bouquet in 1955 and later converted to a necklace which was worn by her mother at her wedding in 1978. The history at this wedding was a rich and abundant as the love. Add to that the fact she gave me exclusive control of the lighting and the thermostats that day and I was probably the happiest photographer in the state of Alabama!

The venue: The Oaks Plantation, Pike Road, Alabama
Cakes: Teresa Phillips, Troy, Alabama
Reception Catering: Olde Enzor Lane, Troy, Alabama
Rehearsal Catering: Jim 'N Nick's BBQ, Montgomery, Alabama
Music: Fire Mountain, Troy, Alabama
Hair: Jennifer at Brooke's Beauty Salon, Troy, Alabama
Video: Collective Memories, Auburn, Alabama
Audio: AVR Audio-Video Resources, Inc, Montgomery, Alabama

In case you were wondering I will travel for weddings!

If you have a wedding that isn't in my area, contact me for a quote on travel rates.

Charlotte | Vintage Bridals

2011-11-28T12:22:00.001-06:00

I can't even begin to describe how difficult it has been for me to keep these images under lock and key since I shot them back in October. Charlotte & Daniel tied the knot on Saturday, and it was absolutely beautiful. I'll be working feverishly on those images now!

The wedding theme was vintage, so I processed some of the images in a vintage finish because I knew Charlotte wanted to display a few. It isn't my typical style, but it was perfect for their event. I have several favorites from this session and would love to know which one is yours in the comments below.

Hair for the bridal session done by CC at Do or Dye Hair Salon in Pace.

Charlotte & Daniel | The Storie

2011-11-25T20:04:00.000-06:00

Because some of Charlotte & Daniel's friends and family couldn't make it to their wedding this weekend (and also because Samantha and I just love any excuse to play with our iPhones) we will be adding to this Storie throughout the day. Click the arrows below to navigate through the images as we post them. Shooting officially starts at 2:00 with the ceremony beginning at 3:30, though due to our responsibilities during the event the images may not be posted in real time. We hope you enjoy this low resolution look at their day and I'll have their sneak peek posted hopefully in a few days!

Sweet Aubree | 6 months old | Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T01:32:00.000-06:00

It's almost 1:30am on Thanksgiving and I've been editing for hours. I'm thankful, though, that I've had the opportunity to be so busy this season! Last year I had only a tiny glimpse at what the busy holiday season holds for photographers and this year it is full force. I've been very blessed with awesome clients and friends. Aubree was session four (of five) last weekend, and I'm so happy to be able to share her sneak peek with you on Thanksgiving Day before I go to spend some time with my own family and then head out to shoot my biggest wedding of the year this weekend!

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving. I've been posting something I'm thankful for every day over on my personal Facebook page, and I've meant every word. There is so much I'm thankful for, though, and posting one thing a day on Facebook could never do it justice.

Alyssa turns two (on Friday)!

2011-11-22T23:59:00.000-06:00

What a milestone! Alyssa was the first newborn I ever photographed and she's also the first to graduate my Whittle Steps plan. I have to admit I'm both happy and sad... I'm happy for the great strides my photography business has taken in the last few years. I'm delighted at what a cute, sweet kid Alyssa has grown up to be. I'm sad that I may not be seeing Alyssa, Brooklyn, Heather, and Jackson quite as regularly anymore. But most of all I am grateful that I had the opportunity to be a part of her life and to capture parts of it.

This first one is one of my favorites. Alyssa took a while to warm up to me and she wasn't willing to let go of that baby doll for anything to begin with. (It finally took a very skilled trade for a penny to throw into the fountain, I believe! LOL!) While I would have preferred to be able to move her just a tad toward a better background or gone and kicked those leaves out of the way, I respected her space and kept my distance. So while this image isn't perfect it does capture two years old to me.

She was totally checking out of the corner of her eye to make sure I was looking for this one. ;)

It had been a rainy weekend and the fog was still burning off in downtown Pensacola during our session, so when we found this small puddle near the end of our time Heather encouraged the girls to take off their shoes and jump in it. Too cute! The world needs more splashing in puddles...

Kason is six months | Pace Baby Photographer

2011-11-21T17:53:00.000-06:00

Session number two of my whirlwind weekend was Kason's six-month Whittle Steps session. His family loves the outdoors and we had a fun session planned but the weather had other ideas. I'm so grateful they were flexible and willing to "relocate" to the portable studio! I think it really worked out, actually. We were able to get some cute Christmas shots that we wouldn't have been able to get otherwise.

The lights are LED so they don't get as hot as normal lights! That doesn't stop kiddos from wanting to put them in their mouth, though. And that part is still a wee bit hazardous! LOL. So I always approach the Christmas lights with caution, but I just love these shots!

Jackson F | Pace Baby Photographer | Whittle Steps Session

2011-11-20T14:10:00.000-06:00

I usually caution parents that the three-month session is one of the most difficult but Jackson got that out of the way at his newborn session and was an angel yesterday for his three months! He's such a handsome little guy, and I'm so excited to watch him grow up these next couple of years. I can tell we're going to have great fun playing together at his sessions!

Jackson's was the first of five sessions for me this weekend, so without further ado... here's Jackson and I'm going back to editing before I leave for my next session in an hour and a half!

All that playing and smiling and being cute was enough to wear him out. He fell asleep for the end of the session and I just couldn't pass up a chance to capture those amazing little eyelashes.

The Nephews, 2011 Edition

2011-11-19T20:16:00.000-06:00

Not that I'm biased or anything, but these two little guys are the best! David and I got to babysit on Veterans Day and while I slept really well that night (gosh, the older they get the faster they can tire you out!) I had a great time with them. They're a little harder to keep up with now that they're old enough to drive, though. Ha!

I've decided that for the most part I'm not going to take my dSLR camera with me when I'm just hanging out with them anymore. It's really hard to play kickball with a big camera hanging around your neck... My iPhone takes good enough pictures that I can still capture our time together (because that's just what I DO and I'm not going to stop) but the quality doesn't have to be the highest possible all the time. I'm looking forward to being more involved in playing instead of sitting on the sidelines and watching them play.

After nap we took them to Ascend Park. They love it there, and the gate to the pond was open so we got to go look for "crocogators" and turtles by the water. I understand this gate is not always open, so it's nice that we got to go down to the dock.

And then Sunday I had a cancellation so I was able to snag them again and go do some real pictures. It's hard for me to "formally" photograph them these days, and I think it's because they expect time with me and Uncle David to be play time. If a stranger was taking their photo, they'd likely be a tiny bit more apt to listen. Or that's my theory. Maybe they're just more themselves with me and I'm actually capturing something more real than a stranger would get? I don't know. But here they are!

I got a similar picture to this next one last year. It's amazing what a difference a year can make. Tyler doesn't look so much like a baby anymore and they both have so much personality!

I'm not sure what this next one was about but it's so Tyler right now. I think this is when he was mad that Landon wasn't listening to him about the "jail" he wanted to show him (a gate in the alley that in the imagination of a three-year-old kind of did look like it could be a jail).

One of the cute things they're doing right now is playing father & son. Landon is the dad and Tyler is the son. They would switch into this game whenever Landon was going to teach Tyler something or act in a protective type roll. I love their imaginations.

I don't remember why he was holding his breath here, but he was pretty serious about not breathing so I just went ahead and took the picture anyway. (And then he started breathing again and laughing at me and I got that shot, too, but I like how this one shows his stubborn side. It's so him!)

Hannah & Daniel | Krul Lake Portrait Photographer

2011-11-16T20:34:00.000-06:00

Hannah works with my little sister and she called me a few weeks ago to schedule a session for herself and her husband. They have been married two years now and they have a great tradition of having photos done every year! Those are going to be images they can look back on when they're old and gray together, and I'm so happy they chose me this year. Plus I got the chance to see Krul Lake in Munson! I didn't know we had lakes with such clear water around here. The scenery was gorgeous and I think it's a great place for a session as well as a beautiful place to just relax. Maybe after the holiday rush...

Troy | 6 month Whittle Steps session

2011-11-13T18:08:00.000-06:00

What's this? Two sneak peeks in one day! I prefer to spread them out a little more but I couldn't wait to share Troy (and his big sister, Allie J) with you. They're both absolutely precious and I had so much fun with them and their parents. At this age location portraits are more like a family session, though I still focus on the Whittle Steps participant the most. Troy wasn't really feeling the whole sitting up on his own thing yesterday.

Austin | 18 months Whittle Steps

2011-11-13T15:45:00.000-06:00

It took Austin a little while to warm up to me last weekend when we did his session, but I can't blame him since it had been six long months since he had a session with me when he turned one. I gave him his space and he eventually decided I was a pretty good play date... as long as there weren't other kids or a BALL within sight. Robin eventually had to borrow a ball from some other kids so we could keep shooting because Austin just wasn't going to go anywhere else without one! He's a pretty strong negotiator.

I love that my sessions give me an excuse to play on playgrounds again. I'm a big kid at heart, really. And I couldn't resist throwing in this last one with the static hair!

Amelia | Milton Newborn Photographer

2011-11-12T22:48:00.000-06:00

I told you back in October that Paxton was going to be a big brother and I'm so excited to introduce you now to his baby sister, Amelia! I had the pleasure of meeting her last Saturday. While big brother sets the bar pretty high in terms of cuteness, I don't think she's going to have any trouble keeping up. She's simply adorable! Perhaps a tiny bit strong-willed since she didn't want to sleep or be bendy for her session, but still adorable. ;)

The MacNaughtons | Milton Family Photographer

2011-11-05T15:48:00.000-05:00

This was another session I had to take David along for because Izabelle absolutely LOVES him. David works with Leif at the sheriff's office and they hang out together sometimes on their off days. What's up with all my little subjects loving my husband? In all honesty kids just love him in general, which I think is pretty awesome. It's too bad he's not available to go to all of my sessions for me to get some smiles out of the little ones.

Stephanie wanted some pictures of the girls but she also wanted a family picture since she didn't have any of the four of them together. I'm so glad I was finally able to make that happen for her.

Yeah, so... this isn't exactly how I envisioned this next one when I told Izabelle to give Violet a hug. Not even close. But they're both smiling and something tells me they might look back on this one when they're my age and appreciate it.

Stephanie made the tutus for the girls and Izabelle specifically requested we take pictures in them.

Jackson B, growing like a weed | 6 months old

2011-11-04T20:46:00.000-05:00

I would say the day I met Jackson and his parents in downtown Pensacola was probably the first day fall temperatures really set in this year. It was definitely the chilliest session so far! But Jackson was quite awesome and the cooler weather didn't seem to bother him any. I have to confess I have a love/hate relationship with winter as far as photography is concerned. Much of the vegetation dies off, leaving some drab backdrops... but I absolutely adore winter clothes, coziness, and anything having to do with the holidays. Winter just feels warmer, if that makes any sense.

Thanks for making the drive over and for a fun session, guys! Have a great first Christmas with that handsome little guy and I'll see you again in January (when it's nice and cold!).

Della | 18 months Whittle Steps Session

2011-10-30T13:35:00.000-05:00

I can't believe how quickly Della is growing up before my eyes... and my camera! And while she's growing up, another thing that is growing is her love for her big brother, Cale. He can make her smile and laugh like you wouldn't believe and when I gave her a big lollipop toward the end of the session she happily shared with him. It made for some really sweet moments! I got pictures of Della by herself but these are the ones I wanted to share with you.

And I just had to share this one of Cale by himself because he's such a fun kid and so helpful during Della's sessions! Anything Laura or I would ask him to do he did with a smile, even though his baby sister is the center of attention. That's not a level of cooperation you get from all big brothers, so he deserves a bit of the spotlight himself! Thank you, Cale!

Michael Paul | Pensacola child photographer

2011-10-27T20:22:00.000-05:00

With the exception of about a year and a half gap when she was laid off and then re-hired my mom has worked for the same company since my sister started kindergarten. Melissa worked in the same office as my mom back in the beginning, and they work together closely now. Back then Kelly and I would draw and make crafty things that we proudly presented to Melissa to decorate her office with. And so it was with great pleasure that I took pictures of her, Robert, and Michael that (I hope!) will now adorn her office and home walls! Who ever would have seen that coming?!

Melissa, thanks for giving me the opportunity to capture your little "Pork Chop" for you! I hope these pictures are a little more timeless than the stuff I used to make for you as a kid!

2011 Christmas cards are here!

2011-10-23T21:17:00.000-05:00

I've been hard at work preparing the 2011 Christmas card options! I've decided to post the options in a gallery on my website this year instead of here on the blog. To see them just CLICK HERE!

Here's how it's going to work this year...

The size, paper type, and price for each card option is listed under each option. All cards come with appropriately-sized envelopes.
Pick which option you like and email me with the following information:

Option number
Image(s) you would like used (in the format of IMG_1234)
Any customization you would like added. This could include names, a quote, a holiday wish, a scripture, or anything to make the card personal and YOURS.

After I receive the information from you I will build your card and send a proof to you to review prior to the order being placed.
Upon your approval and receipt of payment your cards will be ordered.
Sales tax is 6.5%
A shipping fee of $7.50 applies to all orders
Orders will be shipped directly to an address you provide to avoid delay during the busy holiday season. You can choose to have them sent to your home or business address.

The deadline for ordering Christmas cards this year is December 4th so make sure you order your cards early! I have a wedding on the 10th so I hope to have all orders placed by that time to reduce delay.

As always if you have any questions please don't hesitate to call, email, or text me!

Everybody Loves Laura

2011-10-19T21:10:00.000-05:00

Sunday evening was absolutely perfect for a beach family session with my favorite little girl. I probably shouldn't have favorites, but over the last year (during which Len even second shot a couple of weddings with me) I have gotten to know Laura's family pretty well and I can honestly say I consider them more friends than clients now. David even tagged along for this session (Laura likes to flirt with him!) and I don't usually let him come with me (or let girls flirt with him!). Laura was getting over a double ear infection AND teething but she was still her spunky, sweet, awesome little self... just not as smiley as usual.

And Val's parents joined us this time, too, so I should mention this was not a Whittle Steps session but a separate family session. Of course it was still mostly about Laura. Everybody loves Laura. ;)

Kinsley is ready for Halloween! | Pensacola baby plan photographer

2011-10-18T18:55:00.000-05:00

I couldn't believe Kinsley's super adorable Halloween costume. I bet she and her big brother get tons of candy on Halloween night because the cute is irresistible, even when they aren't dressed up in costumes. We didn't get to take quite as many photos as we wanted to because Kinsley decided we were infringing on her lunch time so there were no family shots this time, which is a shame. But if you've ever spent any amount of time with a hungry six-month-old you know there's really no arguing with them! ;) The wonderful thing about the Whittle Steps plan is that there's always next time.

Thanks for the fun session, guys! I'm looking forward to the nine-month session and we'll start with the family shots next time so we make sure we get them before she's done with us.

Exploring downtown with Bentley | Pensacola Baby Plan Photographer

2011-10-16T09:43:00.001-05:00

Bentley has never disappointed during a photo session. He's probably the happiest, most easy-going kid I've ever met. He was sleeping hard when we got to Seville Square but he woke right up smiling as soon as he heard the fountain. If you woke me up out of a deep sleep I couldn't promise to be as happy about... well, anything! But I think that power nap was just what he needed because he proceeded to be a happy, sweet, cute little guy! I can't pick a favorite from this session... either the first, second, or last. Which do you think?

Thanks for bringing the little guy to play, Joey and Ashley! I'm looking forward to him smashing some cake in a few months. I can't believe that he's almost one... time flies!

Darbi's Pumpkin Patch Adventure

2011-10-15T22:11:00.000-05:00

I met Darbi and her parents at the St. Mark's United Methodist Church's pumpkin patch in Crestview for Darbi's six-month session. The church said they didn't mind if we took photos there, and everyone was really nice. The pumpkins cost a donation of your choice and they had plenty to choose from last weekend! There were also some games for the kids and fun plywood cutout scenes where you put your face in the hole for a picture. If you still need a pumpkin I definitely recommend it.

And how about Darbi? She gets cuter every time, and I wouldn't have thought that possible because she started out pretty adorable. I just love her little smiles and her big blue eyes.

This next one was a bit of a candid when dad was trying to calm her down. Mom had run back to the car for something and Darbi had had just about enough of our photo shenanigans. I love catching sweet moments like this.

And Darbi's mom, Sara, made her Halloween costume with a little inspiration from etsy. What a sweet little clown!

Thanks for finding such a great location, Sara! I'll be counting down the three months until my next Darbi fix! ;)

Paxton is going to be a big brother! | Pensacola maternity photographer

2011-10-14T20:38:00.000-05:00

Brittney got in touch with me a few weeks ago because she and Brian are expecting a baby girl soon and they also wanted to get some pictures of their little boy, Paxton. I was so happy to capture some pictures of this sweet, happy family of three before they become a family of four. While some festivities in Seville Square detoured us down the street a few blocks, we had perfect weather (bordering on cold even) and found some awesome spots. It seems like every time I shoot in downtown Pensacola I learn something new about the area and the vast potential down there.

There isn't much I can say about this next image except MAN does Paxton's dad have some strong arms! Little guy had a great time catching some serious air.

Thanks, Kidd Family, for a great time and some sweet moments! I can't wait to meet that baby girl of yours. She's going to be the perfect addition!

Sunday morning at my house...

2011-10-09T21:47:00.000-05:00

This morning I was getting my camera ready for a session and decided to do something I haven't done in a while... take pictures of my pets! I love the light that comes in our living room in the mornings, but I rarely pick up my camera at home anymore. Brett looked so happy on the couch that I decided to give it a shot.

He had a seizure this past week. He's at least ten years old by our best guess, but since he was a rescue we don't know exactly how old he is. And I suppose he could have had a seizure in his early life that we wouldn't know about, but I really doubt it since he hasn't had any in the last 6+ years. We don't know why he had the seizure and all of his bloodwork came back fine, so we're just keeping a close eye on him.

He is comfortable and enjoying the extra attention. Since David had surgery he was home for two weeks straight and I was worried that Brett would have separation anxiety when he went back to work yesterday, but so far so good!

Bailey, on the other hand, seems to be absolutely stir crazy lately! I think it's the cooler weather. Every time I sit down to edit she starts demanding my attention. And she never ever lets me sleep in without waking me up at least twice. But she's still my little girl.

The cats are all doing well. Except for Bailey wanting to play with them... heh. She doesn't understand the kitties don't want to play with her. She needs a puppy. Too bad WE don't need a puppy. ;) I found all the kitties except for Isabelle this morning, which isn't unusual. She's always hiding. Right now she's curled up asleep on a dining room chair, but there's definitely not enough light to grab a shot of her. Just take my word for it she's adorable.

Elijah's Six Month Session | Pensacola Baby Plan

2011-10-09T18:54:00.000-05:00

I feel like I'm terribly uncreative with my blog title posts. I don't want to use the words cute, adorable, precious, handsome, or amazing in each title because I worry I'll begin to sound repetitive, but they usually fit. In this case, I could have inserted any of those words. I just love my sessions with Elijah! He's such a happy little dude, and it's contagious. There's also one other picture that I am just dying to share with you, but I'm pretty sure they're going to use it for Christmas cards so I'm showing some restraint and holding on to it for now.

And here he is with his Tonka truck that we're going to use at each session. We were able to lay him in the back of it last time and you can clearly see there's no way we could have done that again. Man, I can't wait to see what he looks like next to it at two years!

Thanks for the great play date, Teresa! I'll have your full gallery up soon!

The Kelly Family on Pensacola Beach

2011-10-09T14:45:00.001-05:00

I loved spending time with the Kelly family! Michelle told me when we got started that she really wanted more casual, candid images than posed images, and I was more than happy to oblige. Everyone seemed to have fun, despite some of the most harsh sunlight I've ever seen on the beach. It just had more of an orange glare to it that day, and I had to pull some orange out of several photos. You never know what the light is going to do on the beach! But the Kellys were troopers and watching them enjoy their time with one another was a great way to spend my afternoon!

Thank you so much for meeting me at the beach and just being your happy, relaxed selves for my camera!

Say hello to Keith Jr! | Milton Newborn Photographer

2011-10-08T14:01:00.000-05:00

Before I introduce you all to Keith Jr I want to apologize for the sudden screeching halt in sneak peeks. I was moving right along and catching up when I came down with a sinus infection last weekend that totally derailed my editing. Trust me, you guys don't want me trying to edit when I can't breathe and I feel like a truck ran over my head! I'm feeling a lot better now, with the exception of the lingering congestion that has now moved to my chest. The important thing is that I can edit again, right? Thanks for being patient with me if you're waiting for your pictures!

And now for the important part of this post: Keith Junior!

I'm so excited for Mai and Keith. Their baby boy, Keith Jr, is such a cutie. He has some proud older siblings, and one in particular who is very, very quick with her sweet kisses! It's so hard to catch the toddlers sometimes (they just don't understand why they need to stand in a specific place to share their kisses, lol), but what a sweet moment!

Thank you, Mai and Keith, for trusting me with another new addition to your wonderful family. I love working with you guys and look forward to watching him grow up!

Oh! The Places Samantha Will Go | Pensacola Senior Portraits

2011-10-02T15:03:00.000-05:00

Pardon me while I quote a book for this blog post. As I've been editing Samantha's senior session, this has been stuck in my mind and I can't think of any better words myself to punctuate the images of this amazing young lady. Dr. Seuss truly said it best.

Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.

You’ll look up and down streets. Look’em over with care. About some you will say, “I don’t choose to go there.” With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet, you’re too smart to go down a not-so-good street.

And you may not find any you’ll want to go down. In that case, of course, you’ll head straight out of town. It’s opener there in the wide open air.

Out there things can happen and frequently do to people as brainy and footsy as you.

And when things start to happen, don’t worry. Don’t stew. Just go right along. You’ll start happening too.

Oh! The Places You’ll Go!
You’ll be on your way up!
You’ll be seeing great sights!
You’ll join the high fliers who soar to high heights.

You won’t lag behind, because you’ll have the speed. You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead. Wherever you fly, you’ll be best of the best. Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

Except when you don’t.
Because, sometimes, you won’t.

I’m sorry to say so but, sadly, it’s true that Bang-ups and Hang-ups can happen to you.

You can get all hung up in a prickle-ly perch. And your gang will fly on. You’ll be left in a Lurch.

You’ll come down from the Lurch with an unpleasant bump. And the chances are, then, that you’ll be in a Slump.

And when you’re in a Slump, you’re not in for much fun. Un-slumping yourself is not easily done.

You will come to a place where the streets are not marked. Some windows are lighted. But mostly they’re darked. A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin! Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in? How much can you lose? How much can you win?

And if you go in, should you turn left or right…or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite? Or go around back and sneak in from behind? Simple it’s not, I’m afraid you will find, for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.

You can get so confused that you’ll start in to race down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space, headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.

The Waiting Place…for people just waiting.

Waiting for a train to go or a bus to come, or a plane to go or the mail to come, or the rain to go or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow or waiting around for a Yes or No or waiting for their hair to grow. Everyone is just waiting.

Waiting for the fish to bite or waiting for wind to fly a kite or waiting around for Friday night or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake or a pot to boil, or a Better Break or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants or a wig with curls, or Another Chance. Everyone is just waiting.

No! That’s not for you!

Somehow you’ll escape all that waiting and staying. You’ll find the bright places where Boom Bands are playing. With banner flip-flapping, once more you’ll ride high! Ready for anything under the sky. Ready because you’re that kind of a guy!

Oh, the places you’ll go! There is fun to be done! There are points to be scored. There are games to be won. And the magical things you can do with that ball will make you the winning-est winner of all. Fame! You’ll be famous as famous can be, with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.

Except when they don’t. Because, sometimes, they won’t.

I’m afraid that some times you’ll play lonely games too. Games you can’t win ‘cause you’ll play against you.

All Alone!
Whether you like it or not, Alone will be something you’ll be quite a lot.

And when you’re alone, there’s a very good chance you’ll meet things that scare you right out of your pants. There are some, down the road between hither and yon, that can scare you so much you won’t want to go on.

But on you will go though the weather be foul. On you will go though your enemies prowl. On you will go though the Hakken-Kraks howl. Onward up many a frightening creek, though your arms may get sore and your sneakers may leak. On and on you will hike. And I know you’ll hike far and face up to your problems whatever they are.

You’ll get mixed up, of course, as you already know. You’ll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go. So be sure when you step. Step with care and great tact and remember that Life’s a Great Balancing Act. Just never forget to be dexterous and deft. And never mix up your right foot with your left.

And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and ¾ percent guaranteed.)

Kid, you’ll move mountains!
So…be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray or Mordecai Ale Van Allen O’Shea, you’re off to Great Places!

Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So…get on your way!

--------------------------------------------------------------

I used the entire text of Oh! The Places You'll Go by Dr. Seuss based on the information found in the FAQ found here. I do not in any way claim Dr. Seuss's words as my own. He was way smarter than me.

A proper introduction for Colin | Cantonment baby plan photographer

2011-10-01T21:01:00.002-05:00

I'd like to formally introduce you all to Colin! He's the newest little member of Whittle Steps, and I absolutely adore him and his family. Of course I pretty much adore all newborns, but Colin was extra adorable and so much fun to photograph. He did spend a little time near the end of his session wide awake, but I actually managed to get some cute pictures with his eyes open so I'm gonna forgive him.

I absolutely adore the sock monkey! Shivan and Chris, this would make a great toy to include in each of his sessions to watch him grow along side it. Just a thought. :)

See what I mean about the wide awake looks? He has such personality already! Thanks for a fun afternoon, Shivan and Chris! It's going to be so awesome to watch him grow up over the next couple of years.

Sweet little Daniel | Navarre Baby Plan Photographer

2011-09-30T21:32:00.000-05:00

Daniel's parents are big University of Oklahoma fans, but as much as they love their team they love Daniel even more. It's so awesome to watch parents love on their little ones and get so excited about photo sessions! If he were my little guy I would totally want to show him off!

And in the interest of getting more editing done and showing you more pictures this weekend, I'm going to stop talking and show you this cute little guy now.

Thanks for having me out again to capture your handsome little guy! Six months is going to be SO FUN!

Ryley | Milton Riverwalk photographer

2011-09-27T21:28:00.001-05:00

Ryley's session probably holds the record for most rescheduled on my calendar. The poor little fella was sick for a few weeks and then there was a tropical storm. I'm so glad he's feeling better, and he looked absolutely great. Being right at seven months probably helped him sit up even better, too! I really prefer for the little ones to be sitting up steadily on their own before we do a session at a location because I can't stand the idea of them smacking their sweet little heads on concrete, wooden boards, or even grass for that matter.

As a perfect example, this shot is so tight (zoomed in close) because we had three people standing by ready to catch if he began to topple. I always tell parents not to hesitate to jump in and catch if they need to! I would rather miss the most amazing shot of my life than let anyone get hurt.

Chelsea, thanks for sharing your cute little guy with me. I had so much fun at your session and I can't wait to see what 9 months holds for us!

JJ the Gators Fan | Cantonment Baby Plan Photographer

2011-09-25T15:11:00.000-05:00

I had a lot of fun at JJ's three month session two weeks ago. He's such a handsome little fella, and he wasn't at all stingy with his smiles. He's quite a little sports fan, too! He modeled his Buffalo Sabres jersey and then he and his mama had coordinating Florida Gators t-shirts! People keep asking me which football team I root for (I think they're making sure I don't cheer for their rivals!) and I just have to say I'm not a die-hard fan of any of the teams. It's only within the last year or so that I actually understood football... despite going to football games every Friday night for three years in high school with the band! Go figure. But the point of this is that I'm happy to photograph your kids with any team apparel you want! I don't discriminate based on teams!

Amy, thanks for the fun session and for waiting patiently for me to get your sneak peek up! Enjoy that sweet boy, and I'll see you again at six months!

Lauren & DJ | Pensacola Wedding Photographer

2011-09-23T21:19:00.003-05:00

Lauren and DJ had a beautiful wedding on 09.10.11 at 5 Eleven Palafox. It was an amazing venue. Not only was the building stunning, but it was very rich in history, too. The groom's grandfather (I think) shared some of the building's history with me and Samantha during the reception, as he spent time there when it was Trader Jon's. If you don't know about Trader Jon's you should check out the Pensipedia article. It has been beautifully renovated, though, and was the perfect location for their elegant wedding. I had a really hard time narrowing down which images to share, so... here goes!

Venue: 5 Eleven Palafox
Flowers & Decorations: Dedra Thomas, bride's aunt
Cake: Kelly's Kakes
Dress: Julie Anne's Bridals and Formals
Tuxedos: Rein's Formal Wear

They opted for a first look because the ceremony was scheduled for sunset and we wouldn't have any natural light after for photos. I absolutely love first looks!

DJ & Lauren, thank you so much for sharing your day with me. I wish you many, many years of happiness together!

Lauren & DJ | Coming Soon!

2011-09-14T23:37:00.002-05:00

Lauren and DJ had a beautiful wedding this past Saturday! I hope Tropical Storm Maria isn't causing them any problems on their honeymoon in the Dominican Republic... I just googled it and it looks like it came awfully close!

Full sneak peek coming soon. I just wanted to get these two posted tonight before I head to bed. Congratulations, you two!

My buddy Kason is 3 months! | Pace baby plan photographer

2011-09-13T17:52:00.001-05:00

I had the privilege about a week and a half ago (as Tropical Storm Lee was rolling into our area) of a play date with Kason! Oh, I mean photo session. Sometimes I get confused. ;) Kason was SUCH a sweet, happy boy! Just wait until you see how many smiles he gave me! And his mama had to work a little late so I got to help pick out his wardrobe. I love raiding baby closets. You may think I'm nuts, but one of my favorite parts of babysitting Landon when he was itty bitty was that I got to pick out what he wore. I'm strange. ;)

Couldn't resist posting this one! Hehehe...

One of the things that I absolutely LOVE about using my portable studio for the little ones is that it means we're doing the photo session in their house. Not only is their closet right there and accessible (if you only take two outfits to a studio and they both get spit up on, then what do you do?) but invariably mom and dad think of something else they'd like to include in the session, as well. Go Noles!

Thanks so much for letting me play dress-up with your kid, Kara and Tommy! And I owe you big time for suggesting we pull my car into your garage to load up in the pouring rain!!! I can't wait to see what my little guy is up to at six months. :)

Tanya & Luke | Pensacola Intimate Wedding Ceremony Photographer

2011-09-09T23:14:00.000-05:00

I have been sitting on these pictures since August 12th, and I'm so happy I finally get to share them with you! This post will have a bit more of a personal spin because Tanya is my sister-in-law. She was accepted earlier this year to the University of Delaware to get her PhD in sociology, and that meant a cross-country move for her and Luke. Somewhere along their planning they decided to complicate the move schedule with a wedding! I can't say I was surprised when I came downstairs one morning before work and David opened with, "So you know how I just say Luke is my brother-in-law because it's easier than saying he's my sister's boyfriend?" Before he even finished the question I knew either they had already snuck off and gotten married or they were planning to get married. It only made sense. They're sort of perfect for one another.

From the beginning the pair insisted on a small, intimate, family-only ceremony. And I don't remember exactly, but I think they planned it in less than a month. (No. She's not pregnant. Why do people always ask that when they find out you planned a wedding on a short time span?) Immediately I told her no matter where they decided to get married or when I just hoped they had someone take pictures for them with something other than an iPhone. If it turned out to be me, awesome! If not (they were also looking at getting married in Washington, DC) then I didn't really care who it was as long as there were pictures. I have to confess I was really happy when they decided on Pensacola!

Venue: Lee House Bed & Breakfast
Catering: Nancy's Haute Affairs

The groom and father of the bride when they saw the bride for the first time. :')

Luke's brother wasn't able to attend the wedding in person, but he was there in more than just spirit... Lee House has a wifi network, so he was able to be connected via Skype or Face Time throughout the evening. More on this later...

We were all ready to go when Tanya realized she had forgotten the rings in her purse. There are three cell phones being used in the photo above. And the groom photo bombed his own bride in the photo below! (I hope it doesn't end up on that website.) I was trying to get a pretty picture of Tanya's hair.

This next picture is one of my favorites. Tanya's dad put together a photo slideshow to play during the reception that included pictures of both Luke and Tanya growing up. At a certain age Luke began making this goofy face with his tongue sticking out in a large number of his pictures. When Tanya met Luke and started dating him, she started making the face, as well. The crazy tongue pictures were a topic of discussion leading up to the wedding, and Bob suggested they do one during the formal pictures.

Then I got to sneak off to the park down the street with just the bride and groom (and Amy, who did us a huge favor by driving us and keeping us from walking two blocks in the lovely August heat!). I'm so happy I got them away for a bit to do some photos of just the two.

Then it was back to the reception where I was made to put the camera down and actually act like a guest for much of the time. LOL. And the lighting was very low (read: photographically challenging) since Luke's brother was still attending via video chat. In fact, he delivered his toast via projector screen!

And here's a shot you won't usually see... me! I just had to have a picture of me and Tanya on her big day.

Tanya and Luke... thank you for allowing me to be a part of your beautiful day. I hope I did the evening justice in your eyes and that you enjoy the pictures for years to come.

Happy Aubree | Pace baby plan photographer

2011-09-05T21:27:00.002-05:00

Aubree gave us a run for our money at her newborn session (I probably won't let her forget this as she grows up, lol) but she more than made up for it last weekend at her three-month session! She was soooo happy and sweet, and I can't get over how CUTE she is! It doesn't hurt that her mama brought tons of cute clothes, either! And she has the most adorable smile, too!

Sally, thanks for bringing your sweet baby girl back to Florida for her session! She's absolutely adorable, and I love that we get to play dress-up with her. ;) And Danielle, thank you for letting us use your house again! I can't wait to see what Aubree decides to call you when she grows up! Haha!

Troy is growing like a weed! | Milton baby plan photographer

2011-09-05T15:27:00.001-05:00

I hope everyone has fared well through this wet and windy holiday weekend! Tropical Storm Lee has been dropping buckets of rain here, but mercifully we've only had a few power flickers and no extended outages. It has been good for catching up on business stuff, and I have managed to do some editing as well as order my new business cards, stickers, and even some magnets! I'm almost caught up, and if that happens I really won't know what to do with myself!

I discovered when Jackie wanted to use the star crib sheet as a backdrop that crib sheets fit perfectly over my new baby poser! So feel free to toss any cute, unwanted crib sheets my direction. ;) I'm really excited to explore this as a background option!

I warn all of my parents that the three-month session is the hardest, and it usually is. But I can't remember a three-month-old ever falling asleep on me! It was so cute. He blinked and I could see his eyes were getting heavy, and then he blinked again and was out. We changed his outfit a few times while he slept and had fun throwing props in there with him. We decided maybe he should get a job and start pulling his weight around the house, so we even sent him to the office for a bit.

He woke up again near the end of the session and was just as pleasant as could be! If there were a prize for most laid back baby of the year, Troy would surely be the winner.

Big thanks to Jackie and Jeff (and Allie, too!) for a fun three-month session! I'll see y'all again in three more months!

Happy Birthday, Dear Jackson W... | Pensacola Baby Plan Photographer

2011-09-03T09:55:00.000-05:00

My goodness, time flies! Jackson is already one year old, and look how handsome he has grown. His little grin just kills me every time we manage to coax it out of him. (I think his biggest smiles and laughs came when his Aunty Mel was seriously messing up my hair with his favorite puppet!)

And this is going to be a super quick post. I'm about to run out the door to a three-month session... it's the only one of three this weekend that didn't have to be rescheduled because of Tropical Storm Lee. But I'm happy we aren't getting a full hurricane, and my thoughts will be with those who suffer the largest impact of Lee.

Here's his bear that we've been using in each of his sessions! He really had a fun time with the bear this time, which was awesome!

I honestly think this is when the puppet-in-the-hair action was going on! But hey, I'll take one for the team if it means we get grins like this. I'll turn my whole head into a bird's nest if that's what it takes!

And my sister made him this lactose-free cake! Poor little fella is allergic to milk, so milk in the icing just wasn't an option. The icing didn't decorate quite like usual, so she had to get a little creative. That car and another were actually on top of the cake, and he LOVED them! Didn't want to eat his cake after he got his hands on them, either! HA!

Kasey & Mark (and Auntie Mel), thanks for such a fun play date... I mean photo session! Looking forward to running around with him at 18 months!!!

Lauren & DJ are gettin' hitched!

2011-08-31T18:18:00.001-05:00

Lauren works with my husband, David. I was delighted when she contacted me about shooting her wedding next month! Scheduling their engagement session was a challenge since she has a tricky schedule (one I'm familiar with since it's exactly the opposite of what David works) and we got rained out the first time we were scheduled. But it just gave me a chance to chat with her more and get to know her better. And then the session almost didn't happen the second time because we had a really bad thunder storm come through and I actually cancelled it... but then the sun came back out and they were still willing to give it a try, so we did!

They wanted to do their engagement photos in Bagdad, Florida, which is a cute little historic village. I have to admit I was a bit nervous at first about how I was going to work with Bagdad, but I am so happy with the way the images turned out. It's good to be pushed outside of your comfort zone every once in a while.

I bet you can't guess when their wedding date is? ;)

This next shot is one that Lauren specifically requested and I think it turned out pretty cute. The two of them laughed so naturally together through the whole session, too! I loved it!

And since I wasn't certain that I would have enough locations in Bagdad, I asked my good friends Erin and Levi if we could use the outside of their historic house for a few shots. We weren't there more than five minutes, but I think it really added a different element that we wouldn't have had otherwise if we had stuck to publicly available spaces.

DJ & Lauren, I'm really looking forward to your wedding! Thanks for taking a chance on the weather with me and for being so easy to work with. See you on 09.10.11 if not sooner!!

I'm redesigning!

2011-08-28T20:04:00.002-05:00

Pardon the progress as I try to get the website put back together with the new elements in place! I promise this shouldn't last too long and things will be much prettier around here when I'm done!

Amy is one! | Milton baby plan photographer

2011-08-28T16:43:00.001-05:00

It was such a pleasure to return to Amy's home for her one year session. She is such a sweet little girl, and I am amazed by how much she has changed over the last year. She just has so much personality, and she even tried to share her cake with me! We had a great time exploring the back yard, reading a book, and playing with a few toys. Oh, and the monkey hat... which she really didn't want to wear, but I think the pictures of her trying to take it off turned out cuter than if she had just sat there and smiled while wearing it!

Heather and Tim, you have a beautiful baby girl! Thank you for welcoming me into your home over the last year to capture her milestones as she grows up! Let's just hope time keeps flying so her 18 month session will be here before we know it...

[Jackson F] 10 days - Whittle Steps

2011-08-28T01:22:00.000-05:00

I'm pretty sure it's safe to say that Jackson here broke a few records during his session, primarily fewest shots resulting from the longest amount of time! But he was so tiny and cute that it was impossible to be mad. And now I'm pretty sure he has the privilege of being blogged the latest at night! But I had a Coke Zero with dinner so I'm probably still good to edit for another hour! Haha! Caffeine and I don't agree after about 3pm. But that's not what you're here to hear about, so on that somewhat silly note I present to you Jackson F...

Mike and Melanie, thanks for your patience and for trusting me with your tiny little guy! The sessions can only get better from here, so ignore that stuff I said at the beginning of his session about the three month session being the hardest! ;) I'm looking forward to growing up with Jackson.

My nephew the kindergarten student!

2011-08-23T22:10:00.000-05:00

I don't post much to my blog about my family, but if you know me at all chances are you've heard me talk about my nephews Landon and Tyler. I love them like they're my own children, and when I see super ingenious photo sessions photographers do with their own kids, L and T are sometimes the recipient of an inspired session. I've seen this type of post over the years, and so when someone offered a free school desk on Freecycle I snatched it up! It has been hanging out in my garage for about a year waiting for this day.

However.

Landon was in a mood the Friday before kindergarten started when we did his session. It didn't go quite the way I had envisioned after all these months of planning it in my head. I suppose I get to try again when Tyler starts school in a few years. I really hope David didn't want to park in the garage again any time soon... Sorry, sweetie! ;)

Despite his mood, I think the pictures turned out pretty well. Not everything that I had built up in my head, but they definitely captured HIM at this major milestone. He's full of personality, and as I was editing I could only see how much I love the little guy. I'm really glad we did it.

This next one was after he had pressed the chalkboard to his face, smearing the chalk and getting it all over himself in the process. Gotta love five year old boys!

Then we went to this field I knew of... but they had cut the grass! I don't know what they were thinking, cutting the grass in the perfect field! I was so disappointed! But we didn't have time to find somewhere else, and we didn't have time to reschedule so I just made the best of it. Again, not what I had envisioned, but it still captures him.

Landon, if you read this some day when you're older I hope you know that I love you so so so very much. Even when you're a little stinker and insist on writing "wah wah baby talk" instead of something real on the paper (and you know how to write - the first piece of paper you wrote my name on is proudly displayed on my back door... which seems strange, but the front of our fridge isn't magnetic so that's where things end up being hung). And especially when you give awesome hugs with all of your strength.

And when you ask me if I brought the little camera for you to use when I come over to visit you melt my heart because it makes me think you might want to be a photographer when you grow up (in which case I think I know someone in need of an assistant)! I don't know what elementary school holds for you, but I know that you are one loved, intelligent little man, and you have the potential to go so far in life. Thank you for being you.

xoxo,
Aunt Jessie

Coming soon... Colin!

2011-08-21T21:32:00.000-05:00

This is the last day of my vacation, and I'm really not looking forward to returning to work tomorrow. I didn't even come close to finishing everything I wanted to accomplish, including rolling out my new watermark and website. I suppose I'll find the time for that some late weekend night. My Kindle is also feeling neglected! But I thought blogging Shivan and Chris's sneak peek would be a good way to end my time off... you know, before Colin makes his grand entrance and I'm off to shoot his newborn session!

I just love glowing pregnant mama-to-bes. Shivan was beautiful even though it was ridiculously hot outside.

Thank you, Chris and Shivan, for meeting me on a hot Monday afternoon! I really can't wait to meet your little guy when he gets here. :)

Amber and Jacob are married!

2011-08-20T12:49:00.000-05:00

I had the pleasure of working with Amber and Jacob leading up to their wedding and shooting it. I remember the evening we met for the first time. They are such a fun couple! I was in contact with Amber quite a bit because their venues changed about three weeks before the wedding. They had some major changes to deal with but I think they pulled it all off marvelously and it was so clear that they are very much in love.

Reception venue: Pensacola Opera House
Hair and Makeup: Dillards
Catering: Portabello Market
Tuxes: Rein's Formal Wear

The bride and groom would also like to send a special thank you to Peggy Dirk who handled the food setup.

The kids table was the most ingenious thing I've ever seen. From the beginning they knew they wanted a kid-friendly wedding, and I think they achieved just that. Not only were there arts and crafts to entertain the kids, but there were also kid-friendly foods. (I did see a few adults eyeing the mac and cheese, though!)

After the reception the three of us went over to Fort Pickens for a newlywed session.

Thank you, Jacob and Amber, for letting me share in your special day! It was beautiful, and your love for one another is evident. I wish you many happy years together, and I look forward to meeting with you for your album proofing!

[Jackson B] 3 months - Whittle Steps

2011-08-15T18:52:00.000-05:00

I can't believe I'm blogging before 10pm! Of course that's only because I'm off work this week. I was also supposed to take the entire month off of photography, but that didn't happen. I actually laugh at myself for ever even thinking that it would happen, and I'm okay with staying busy this month. Hopefully I will be caught up on everything by the end of the week, though, and I'll have a chance to roll out my new branding, including a new logo and a new blog/website layout! So that's pretty exciting.

But I'm pretty sure you're not here to read about my plans for the week. And I know Jackson's parents have been waiting patiently for his sneak peek! The last two weeks have been CRAZY busy for me and I appreciate their patience so much! So without further ado, here is Jackson and all his three-month cuteness! He pulled a newborn stunt on us and decided to sleep through some of his pictures!

Big brother, Ian, was also visiting for the summer, so we had to get him in on the action, as well!

Thanks, Brown Family, for having me in your home again to capture Jackson growing up! I'm really looking forward to our next session in October!

[Bentley] 6 months - Whittle Steps

2011-08-09T22:20:00.000-05:00

Bentley is always such a fun little guy to photograph! Not only does he have awesome hair and beautiful blue eyes, but he is just such a happy kid! He keeps me laughing and smiling through the session, and I love that. We did his six month session at the Milton Riverwalk and he loved exploring his surroundings.

We actually had to move his session up about 30 minutes because a thunderstorm passed nearby and I was worried that we were going to lose our sunlight. The result was this perfectly diffused glowing light thanks to the clouds. I wish this would happen at every session.

Thanks for being flexible on the time, Ashley & Joey! And thanks for sharing your happy little guy with me. He really is a joy!

[Kori] 1 year - Whittle Steps

2011-08-05T21:56:00.000-05:00

It is so hard to believe that Kori just turned one year old! I remember when I first met Jessica and Brandon only a short time before she made her appearance. And I had to go and pull one of the pictures from their maternity session so I could do this:

I wish I'd gotten the angle a little closer, but I can assure you those two pictures were taken in the same place sitting on the same piece of stump just a little shy of a year apart.

And then I had to pull a picture from her newborn session (that many of you probably recognize) so I could do this:

It's amazing the difference a year makes, huh? Kori has grown into a fun, sweet child. I'm so happy I've had the opportunity to know her! Unfortunately, this may be her last blog appearance, though. Her parents don't know if they will still be in the area when it's time for her 18 month session. So I'd better make this an extra good post just in case!

I just love her big blue eyes and her big happy smile!

This face was not an indication that the cake wasn't any good. Believe me, she loved it! But it was a funny face, so I had to share it!

Jessica and Brandon, I really can't thank you enough for trusting me to capture Kori's first year! It has been a pleasure watching her grow. No matter where the military takes you, I hope you stay in touch!

The Farrill family returns!

2011-08-03T22:33:00.000-05:00

If you've been following the blog for long you may remember the Farrill family. They were my first strangers back in May of 2010, and they moved to Texas right after our session. In fact, they ordered a spiral bound proof book from me and I delivered it to their house in a monsoon-like thunderstorm literally days before they moved! I was really sad then that they were moving and I wouldn't get to watch Aaden (I think I'm spelling that right this time) grow up. So you can imagine my surprise when they got in touch for another session! They were visiting their oldest - who is now in the military and stationed in Mississippi - and we met half way in Orange Beach for some new family pictures.

And they have a new addition, too!

I just love this grin Aaden was giving me from his dad's shoulders! Isn't he the cutest thing?

And this is Adrian! Despite being pretty tired he was a happy guy and he loved to smile for his big brothers. He promptly fell asleep as soon as we were done and slept as he was carried all the way back to the condo.

Thank you so much Tom and Dawn for driving such a great distance to meet me for your photo session! I hope life brings you back my direction again some day so I can continue to watch all four of your handsome boys grow into fine young men. (Two of them are already there!)

[Laura Bryce] 1 year - Whittle Steps

2011-07-26T21:44:00.001-05:00

I can't believe Laura is already one year old. It really seems like just last week when I packed my gear and headed to her house for her newborn session. And even though it seems like it has flown by, so much has changed in that one little year. My newborn props and equipment have at least quadrupled in size (and weight!), and Laura isn't just walking but running! She has a great smile, the sweetest laugh, and beautiful red hair.

In putting this video together I can also say my photography has changed over the past year... for the better! So don't hold the really old photos against me. ;)

I feel so blessed to be a part of Laura's life and to count her parents as my friends. Thank you, Val and Len, for trusting me to document your baby girl's life!

Some insight into photo contests

2011-07-16T23:06:00.000-05:00

This post is a little long (and wordy - you know I prefer pictures!) but please stick with me... I hope that it clears up my stance on photo contests as well as educates everyone on how sneaky they can be.

I have had several of my clients inquire about using my photos to enter their babies in contests... and it's a perfectly logical request considering how cute they all are! I've got some adorable babies for clients! But there is a lot more to a photo contest than most people realize. All contests have long and complicated legal rules that you must agree to before you can enter. Most of the time they aren't even presented to you when you submit your entry - you have to click around to find them! It is implied by submitting your photo that you have read and agree to the rules.

There are two major problems that I take issue with for contests.

Many require that you, as the submitter, hold the legal rights to the photo. As the photographer, I retain full legal rights to my images and give you a limited release. That means you can't release them. Doing so is a violation of copyright, and aside from hurting my feelings it's against the law. My other job is at the courthouse. In general I like laws and rules. Just sayin'.
Simply submitting a photo to some contests grants the entity running the contest permission to use that photo for whatever they want, wherever they want, and for as long as they want without compensating you in any way. Some of them (the really bad ones) can even sell the image for money! I don't really think you want your baby to become the face of the next national diaper cream sales campaign without the compensation that should be awarded for that.

Even though these are major concerns when it comes to photo contests, my answer is not a blanket no to the possibility. If there is a contest you are interested in entering, send me a link! I will review their terms and conditions, and if it is a reasonable contest with reasonable terms for entry I will provide you with the written release you need to be able to enter your photo.

I'm not unreasonable.

I want your kids to win, too!

I just want both of us to be protected in the process! I don't see how anyone wins when the terms of the contest aren't fair.

Recently, Val and Len approached me and asked permission to enter Laura's photo in the Baby Bella contest. The terms of entry were reasonable and didn't require me to sign over the rights to my photo, plus the votes cost 25 cents each, are tax deductible, and benefit Healthy Start, which is a great organization that provides free services to families. So I gave them a release for the contest, and Laura is currently in fifth place!!

So if you ask before you enter one of my photos and I decide to grant the release for the contest, I'll also post a link on the fan page and/or blog to try to help you out! And that's why I encourage you all now to go vote for Laura!! Just click on the picture below and it will take you there! (Contest ends 7/22/2011) And if you don't ask me and I find out... well, we're probably going to have a long talk that neither one of us will enjoy very much.

PS: Please allow at least a week for me to review the terms of the contest you wish to enter. I work a full-time job as well as running my photography business, so spare time can be hard to come by at times.

The Sotherlands and The Murrays!

2011-07-16T19:44:00.000-05:00

There aren't that many families I can say that I have known my entire life, but the Sotherlands are just that. I think Teri and Scott are listed in my baby book as my god parents, and I grew up playing (though somewhat sporadically due to distance) with Courtney and Lindsay. I was thrilled when I got to shoot Lindsay and Matt's wedding last year. Then Courtney emailed a few weeks ago to say that the whole family would be in town (unfortunately minus Matt who had to stay home in Oregon) and they wanted family pictures. And even though Lindsay had to come home without her dear hubby, she didn't come home alone... she brought Ellie!

I have been watching Ellie grow up via Facebook and while I was happy to see everyone else I was most excited that I finally got to meet Ellie for the first time! I can't help it. Kids are sorta my thing now. ;) Or at least I feel like they are.

We decided to do their session in Seville Square and in front of the church where Lindsay and Matt got married. I checked the website to make sure there was nothing going on in the park, but we showed up to find vendors setting up for the Fourth of July celebrations the following day. So I had to avoid big ugly vendor trailers and porta potties in addition to the normal traffic around the park. What you can't see here is that there were people sitting on the other side of the gazebo behind everyone! Ha! It's all about the angle...

This next image elicited a chorus of "ewwwwww" from behind me when it happened, which reminds me of something Kelly and I would do. So here on the internet for the girls to ewwww at...

After I had dodged all the funnel cake trailers and porta potties that I could stand I suggested we walk a couple of blocks to this other park I knew about. We got there to find I think it was a Miller Light trailer parked smack in the middle of the most photogenic area! At this point I'm beginning to think it's a conspiracy (and making a mental note not to shoot in downtown Pensacola the weekend before the Fourth of July next year!).

And then I got to spend a tiny amount of time with just Ellie! I should have just flown myself and my portable studio to Oregon when she was born because I feel like I have missed so much where this little cutie is concerned.

Thank you for thinking of me and for coordinating schedules with everyone, Courtney! And thanks to everyone for a pleasant evening in the park!

Johnson Beach Family Photography

2011-07-14T22:31:00.000-05:00

Priscilla was the maid of honor at Angela & Fred's wedding back in 2009, and she called me a few weeks ago to do a family session while her boyfriend Tracy's kids were in town. Turns out they met at that wedding! How cool is that?! And they really are cute together.

Of course we also tried to have some fun during the session! I love prompting people to squish together.

I couldn't pass up an opportunity to play with the sunset. Everything has to be just right to get these silhouette shots, so I find myself suggesting it every time it's possible.

Priscilla, thank you for thinking of me for your pictures! It was great to see you and Tracy again, and to meet the kids!

[Daniel] 4 weeks - Whittle Steps

2011-07-12T22:38:00.000-05:00

Daniel was four weeks old by the time I got to meet him for his newborn session, but his parents were rock stars when it came to having him nice and sleepy for me! He did so well through his session I would have thought he was only days old. Except that he didn't fit in my basket quite as well as a newborn does! ;) He kept trying to unfold himself and it looked really awkward with his head hanging out of the basket until I finally found the perfect balance.

His mama is planning to trash her wedding dress this summer and wanted to incorporate her veil in his pictures.

I love it when the kiddo rocks the session and I have plenty of time to get in some details shots. Would you look at those toes? Adorable!

And then there was this sweet moment with daddy...

Thanks Daniel & family for sharing your rainy Saturday afternoon with me! I know Daniel is going to grow up to be a very loved little boy, and I feel privileged to be allowed to be a part of it.

[Darbi] 3 months - Whittle Steps

2011-07-07T00:27:00.000-05:00

It's crazy late (for a work night, anyway) and one of the dogs is laying on the couch next to me having some pretty intense dreams if his barking in his sleep and running like crazy are any indication, but I couldn't succumb to sleep myself without posting Darbi's sneak peek! She was so adorable for her three month session and put on quite an adorable summer fashion show for us.

Just check out those adorable red toenails!!

You're growing quite the little model there, guys! I can't wait to see what six months holds!

[Alyssa] 18 months - Whittle Steps

2011-07-03T13:16:00.000-05:00

Alyssa's last session was another where I felt more like I went on a play date than anything else. Her mommy picked Bayview Park and we were able to do a lot of different things, from playing on the playground...

...to checking out the water...

...and playing with mommy's sunglasses...

...and even some just-being-adorable-ness!

Plus they brought her little four-wheeler so she could ride it, and she absolutely LOVED that!

A big thank you to Heather, Jackson, and big sister Brooklyn for a fun time at the park! Keep Alyssa laughing and smiling until I see her again. :)

[Kinsley] 3 months - Whittle Steps

2011-07-01T22:14:00.000-05:00

I was so excited to see Kinsley for her three month session. It has been almost two weeks now since I saw her and I have no doubt she has grown and changed even since then. The speed at which babies grow in their first year simply amazes me. I've thought before about dropping the three month session from the Whittle Steps plan because it's usually the hardest one, but I couldn't bring myself to do it because the change is so drastic.

Plus I'm happy I get to see "my" kiddos so often in their first year. It makes me happy. ;)

I don't normally post outtakes, but this was too funny. I have gotten into the habit of kicking off my shoes during sessions with the portable studio because I crawl around on the ground so much and it's just easier to move without my shoes on. As I was breaking down the studio Kinsley's older brother decided to put my shoes on and walk around in them. Too cute!

And since I'm a sucker for the cute older siblings I snatched this one while Kinsley was having a snack during her session. It's not technically a part of the plan, but he parked himself in just the right spot and was so darn cute I couldn't resist!

Britney & Deo, thanks for having such adorable children!

[ JJ ] newborn - Whittle Steps

2011-06-29T21:47:00.000-05:00

I am so excited to finally share JJ's sneak peek because his daddy is deployed overseas and I have a feeling he is looking forward to seeing them just a little bit more than most of my clients. And so without further ado I give you Jeremy Junior!

Amy and Jeremy, I'm so happy you chose me to capture JJ's time in the Pensacola area. He is precious and I am looking forward to our next session in three months!

[Elijah] 3 months - Whittle Steps

2011-06-26T21:40:00.000-05:00

Elijah had a bit of a rough start in this world, so I didn't get to meet him until he was already three months old! When his mom contacted me and told me his story, he stole a little piece of my heart before I even met him. My youngest nephew, Tyler, also spent some time in the NICU, and I know first hand the impact that can have on family and friends, but especially the parents. I'm happy to report that Elijah is doing much better now, and we'll get to watch him grow up here on the blog!

You know how we use the big teddy bear in each of Jackson W's sessions? Well, Elijah's toy that will make a repeat appearance is this Tonka truck! How awesome is that? And as I was driving down the road the other day I saw a great big piece of machinery and a thought struck me... whenever Elijah has his senior portraits done in high school, I hope his photographer can somehow incorporate a similar-looking piece of machinery because that would just be too awesome. (Hey, maybe I'll still be doing photography in 17 years and I can do his senior portraits - that would be even better!)

Thank you, Dutton Family, for trusting me with capturing your little guy's first two years! I know how special he is to you and I hope I do him justice!

Karissa & Kyle | Old Christ Church Wedding | June 11, 2011

2011-06-22T20:41:00.002-05:00

You simply couldn't have asked for a nicer day for Karissa and Kyle's wedding. Everything was beautiful and I mean the weather, the flowers, the dresses and hair... I didn't notice a single detail out of place the whole day. And the most beautiful thing of all was how much they love one another. Once he was allowed to see his bride, Kyle rarely took his eyes off of her. I had to prompt him to look at the camera sometimes! It was so sweet!

Ceremony venue: Old Christ Church

Reception venue: My Spayce

Hair: Mandy Mayfield at Self Salon

Florist: Blooms A Million

Cake: The Cake Shop

DJ: Music by Matt

I just love these next two pictures of the bride and groom with their mothers. So sweet!

While I was doing the bride and groom's pictures the bridal party made a visit to the Pensacola Bay Brewery across the street.

The first dance was to "Lucky" by Jason Mraz featuring Colbie Caillat. I tried to figure out a way to make it play while you're reading this blog post, but I couldn't... If it wasn't for copyright laws I would totally put together a video slideshow... I think it was the perfect song.

Fun was had by all! See yourself in any of the pictures here? Head over to Facebook and tag yourself (and your friends)!

I don't normally do this type of crowd shots but Len, my second shooter, did them and I absolutely love them!

Karissa and Kyle, thank you so much for trusting me to capture one of the most important days in your life. I wish you many, many years of happiness together... and I hope I'll get to meet the baby Yelvertons when they come along. ;)

[Aubree] 4 weeks - Whittle Steps

2011-06-18T19:21:00.000-05:00

I finally got to meet sweet little Aubree last weekend when she was one day shy of four weeks old. She lives in a different state, so it took a little while before she could come to see me (and all her friends and family in the area).

Aubree's sneak peek isn't much of a peek because she cried during most of the session (which I let go long because I had only gotten about five shots at the end of her two hours and I wasn't about to give up). She just did NOT want to be laid down. Her mommy asked me if I'd ever had a "bad baby" but I really don't believe there is such a thing. Like I told her, some babies are just more of a challenge! Aubree has been my biggest challenge yet, but I know it wasn't anyone's fault. Sometimes these things just happen. Do I wish I had gotten more pictures? Absolutely! But I know we did everything within our abilities to make the session the best it could be and it just wasn't in the cards that day.

I really think she looks like her mommy in this first one!

Sally, thank you for your patience and willingness to keep on trying that day! And a great big thanks to Danielle (Sally's friend who is also friends with my sister) for letting me take over your living room for three hours and chatting with me while Aubree was having a snack. ;)

[Kason] newborn - Whittle Steps

2011-06-17T20:23:00.000-05:00

Sweet little Kason is here, and I'm so happy to share his pictures with you! This sneak peek is really going to be a first look in some ways for his parents, too. While I was set up in the guest room with Kason, older brother Kohlton kept them a little busy! So they didn't get to see some of the shots I did! I really hope it's a happy surprise for them and that they like the poses and backgrounds I decided on... and I feel like Kason and I are going to be buddies! He was so good for me!

This was my first attempt at a serious swaddling picture. I had been wanting to try it for a while and since he was soooooo cooperative at this point I decided to go for it. It's a Kason burrito!

He was awake off and on near the beginning, but he hardly fussed at all!

Kara and Tommy, thank you for trusting me with your little guy! He's precious, and I am so looking forward to watching him grow up!

[Troy] newborn - Whittle Steps

2011-06-14T16:52:00.000-05:00

Baby Troy is here! I've been waiting for him since I met his parents and his big sister, Allie, at their maternity session. They are such a cute family and so excited to have a boy! When they told me Troy was named after Troy Aikman and they had an autographed football they wanted to incorporate into the session I knew it was going to be great fun!

I don't think big sister, Allie, could get any cuter! She also helped me set up the blankets while Troy was grabbing a little snack. We had great fun piling them up, putting them away, and piling them up again. :)

I am so excited that Troy gave us a SMILE for this next one! And just look at that proud Papa!

A great big thanks to the Bennett Family for trusting me with their baby boy... and their autographed football! I'm happy to report there were no baby incidents that could have tarnished the prized possession. ;) I worried about that the whole time we had Troy propped up on it! My stuff is all washable, but I don't know if I could replace an autographed football!

The Wilson Family

2011-06-12T20:12:00.000-05:00

When Desiree contacted me last year to buy a gift certificate for her mother-in-law I knew I was going to like her family. I finally got to meet them all last week, and they didn't disappoint. They seem like great people, and I'm sure they all have fun together. They had me laughing during our session and they were willing to try any pose I threw at them!

Something tells me Faye is the heart of the family. She welcomed me into her home and I just got that warm, friendly vibe from her. :)

The ladies refused to be outdone by the men, and I think they rocked this shot!

And I absolutely love it when people want to include their pets!

Thank you to all of the Wilsons for trusting me with your family portraits... and for taking a chance on the weather that evening! We desperately needed the rain, so I'm glad we had some, but I'm also happy it held off while we were taking pictures!