Ok, look at that adorable face. Seriously, could Hays be any cuter? I think not. I had the pleasure of photographing this little guy on the beach a few weeks ago while his family was visiting the Naples area. Hays was having so much fun playing in the sand…and eating the sand…ha ha yep, they all do it. I don’t know why they do it, they just do, and it makes me laugh out loud every.single.time.
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With it’s variety of resturants, markets, hotels, and miles of sandy beaches it’s no surprise that Fort Myers Beach is one of the more popular spring break destination for families traveling to Southwest Florida. Since I’m going to be heading back to Fort Myers Beach this evening to photograph a family at sunset, I thought it would be fun to share a sneak peek from that very same beach.
This family was seriously fun to work with! I always tell my family session clients to plan for a few more ‘posed’ images at the beginning of the session but after I’ve got those taken care of all the typical ‘rules’ of getting your picture taken are thrown right out the window. Even so, I don’t think any of them really expected to be making sand angels (the Florida version of a snow angel for you northerners!) or to have to make their way back to their condo soaked from head to toe. Boy did they ever though!
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First let me apologize for the lack of sneak peeks lately. Things have been quite busy in the land of lifeXpressions and, unfortunately, the sneak peeks are usually the first thing to get put on hold so I can concentrate on shooting and editing sessions. So, for a switcherooni I plan to sprinkle a few ‘Featured Sessions” over the blog, hopefully in the middle them I’ll be able to pop in and share a few ‘Sneak Peeks” too. 
I have to tell you all, I have had so much fun doing the Mother & Child sessions. The older my own children get, the more I realise how important these memories and how important it is to have photographs to tell the story of your relationship with your children. Too often Moms are behind the camera snapping the moments or worse yet, too intimidated by the camera to step in front of it and just be themselves with their children. To be perfectly honest, it does my heart good to know that the images captured during these sessions will become their cherished memories years from now. Mushy stuff aside, they really are just plain FUN for everyone involved.
I met this Megan and John recently on a chilly Naples beach. The slight chill in the air didn’t phase John, not even for a second! This little guy was so sweet and playful with an infectious belly laugh that made me giggle more than once. And, as you can see, he and his Mommy both share the same beautiful smile that somehow managed to brighten the entire Southwest Florida coastline.
The Mother and Child sessions have gotten so much positive feedback, I’ve decided to extend the offer through Mothers Day. Stay tuned to the blog for more details!
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I have to tell you, I am having so much fun with the Mother and Child mini session promotion. These sessions are packed full of ‘feel good’ images for me, this session was certainly no exception. I spent much of my editing time smiling ear to ear enjoying watching mother and son play together and really connect which can often be difficult to capture just because us ‘Moms’ have a hard time relaxing in front of the camera. Likely because we’re so used to being behind the scenes which is precisely why I felt the Mother and Child mini sessions were so important to begin with! Time passes all too quickly, it’s important to take the time to document and remember these special moments.
Back to Connie & Alex, I don’t think even my most loyal blog readers will recognize this handsome young man. I once proclaimed Alex the poster child for lifeXpressions his sweet smile and outrageous expressions have been melting my heart since the summer of 2006, let me tell ya, Alex has certainly grown but his personality is as lively as ever! No surprise really, you only need to spend five minutes with his beautiful and loving mommy to understand why Alex is as playful and charming as he is.
For those interested, I do still have just a few available dates in March for the Mother and Child mini sessions! If interested you’ll need to call our studio soon, this offer expires April 1, 2009.
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I was quite honored to have the opportunity to photograph Louise and Liam once again. You may recognize Louise and Liam from the image of mine featuring them in The Big Book of Babies. In fact, I do believe Liam’s mommy is the only Mommy of mine to have been included in the book. Perhaps they publishers saw that same unspoken love and affection for her son that I see when I watch them play together. Liam is such a sweet, gentle soul. He takes a little bit to warm up to strangers but once you’ve earned his trust it’s all laughter and pure boy energy from there on out. Ya know, I’m not sure who was more worn out after our session together; Leslie, Liam, or ME!
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Holy cow, that boy can fly! And as you can see he loved every second of it! This little cutie is only a year old and just overflowing with personality! Of course it’s really no surprise, Mom and Dad are equally charming. What a fun family to photograph. I have so many favorites it was hard to pick just a few for the blog!
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That little seagull better start doing some flying of his own! *giggle*
It was certainly beautiful on Sanibel today, I couldn’t help but pull out the camera and snap off a few shots before my clients arrived. I think the planets aligned just perfectly for this family. When I arrived on the island it was hot and oh so bright. Just look at that big beautiful blue sky surrounding the old Sanibel Lighthouse….
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The sun managed to make it’s way behind a few clouds as I was shooting which opened up a rare opportunity for me to capture a few shots of the family with the old lighthouse in the background. Normally the sun is right next to the lighthouse and much to bright to be suitable for portraits (unless of course I was working with a team of assistants and had those portable strobes I’ve been eying *hint*hint*). 
Today I had the pleasure of working with a very a lovely family vacationing all the way from Canada. While we were chatting I learned that tomorrow is actually Mom’s birthday!! So, happy birthday Mom! I hope you enjoy this little sneak peek into our session, the girls were delightful! I can’t wait to share the rest of the images with you all!
