Amazing Family - Kansas City Portraits

I just absolutely love this family! If you read my blog often you will recognize them all - I do a family session for them every fall; and birthday sessions for all of the kids every year. They are great clients but even better friends. This year the little guy was a "bit" of a problem - you all will never know what all we went through to get these portraits! (The story involves "Connor's truck," a lollipop I found at the bottom of my purse, maracas, and lots of silliness).

Thank you, Shelly, for your continued support of Center Stage!

Beautiful Kids - Kansas City Portrait Photographer

Pam brought her kids for holiday portraits and I'm so happy she did - they are darling! And her son wasn't that unhappy about having to sit for me (boys usually think they are way too cool for portraits). I just had to share a few.

Holiday Family Portraits - Kansas City Photographer

I enjoyed photographing Patti's family - her kids were cooperative and funny - which always makes the session a good one. It was a pleasuring meeting you all. Thanks for choosing Center Stage for our holiday family portraits.

Anniversary Gift - Kansas City Portrait Photographer

Diane and Deb came for a portrait session this week to celebrate their anniversary - Diane had, in fact, given the session as an anniversary gift to Deb after Deb had seen a co-worker's maternity images and loved my work. My goal is to not only provide my clients beautiful images, but to also capture emotion in my work, and I certainly did that here. Thank you both trusting me with this session.

The Fabulous Paperis - Kansas City Family Portraits

Nancy recently brought her four kids for holiday portraits at the Center Stage studio. I have known her dancing daughter for a few years now but had not yet met all of her sons. What a treat - aren't they all so attractive? They were really fun to photograph, too.

Thank you, Nancy, I enjoyed our session.

Kelsey - Kansas City Senior Portraits

I enjoyed photographing Kelsey and was really honored to get to spend a part of her 18th birthday with her. She's such doll, and very talkative, which always makes my job fun. Kelsey had been set to go to someone else for portraits until my aunt forced my business card on Kelsey's mom one day (my mom and aunt like to do that!), and so instead she came to me. I'm very pleased with my aunt over this - and note to self - I need to hand out more business cards. The box I ordered about 18 months ago still has a bunch left. Well, I never said marketing was my strong suit!

Thanks Kelsey! Enjoy your preview.

Beautiful family, beautiful day - Kansas City Family Portraits

This family wanted to be photographed in places meaningful to them. I just love that. To me, those emotional connections make the most enduring images. For this family, it was the Longview Farm area in Lee's Summit. It was so nice to photograph this family. I first met them in February when the girls came for a "ballerina" session. What a shock when I met them again this past weekend - the oldest daughter has grown 7 inches since I last saw her - and what a beauty, too.

Thanks Megan and Mark for choosing me for your portraits this fall. I appreciate you so much!

Fire and Ice - Kansas City Portrait Photograher

I photographed this little beauty a couple of days ago. She had been sick for her "ballerina portrait" session the week prior so her mom brought her in to the studio for her make-up session and we had a great time. I even convinced her mom to let me work on a different backdrop for some, and I know she will love what she sees :)
I like to think of these as the "fire and ice" portraits. I'm sure you can figure out why. But when she came in, I told her, with her blond hair and blue eyes she reminded me of an "ice princess" but later, when she was in the fall colored tutu and in front of the warm backdrop, there was nothing cold about it!

Thanks, Jill, for bringing her in and for loving my work - I appreciate that so much!

Cold But Worth It - Kansas City Portrait Photographer

The session could have been miserable. Yesterday was so cold and dark. But when I get to photograph two little girls who love the camera, add in two wonderful and helpful and involved parents, a cute dog and an amazing environment, the session was anything but miserable. Sure it was only 40 degrees, but we all had fun and I am so looking forward to showing Shelly her gallery. Choosing ones for the blog has not been easy - I love them all! (FYI - click on the images to see them bigger/more clearly).

I have give a special compliment to the girls' dad, Clint. He's just the type of dad I like in my line of business. Instead of acting bored, or hiding out in their SUV, Clint was encouraging to the girls, drove us around all over the West Bottoms, never once looked bored, and he even carried around my antique yellow sofa.

Thank you, Shelly and Clint, for choosing me, yet again, to photograph your girls - it was a pleasure.

Ballerina Portrait Event - Kansas City Children's Portraits

I'm thrilled to show you these portraits I took as examples of what I have planned for this year's fall ballerina portrait event.

I am styling this year's portraits around this stunning backdrop, loaned to me by a wonderful photographer, Kimberly Hill of Bliss. I have many costumes available for your daughter to wear, and our parent volunteers will pamper her with a beautiful hair do, a subtle make-over with lip gloss and a touch of blush (all optional!), and then help her slip into costume - transforming her into a prima ballerina. Once her session is over, she will leave with a few special little treats, as well.

If you aren't into tutus and tiaras, bring an outfit for your child to wear - dresses in pink, white and/or ivory would also look beautiful on this backdrop. Plus, if you prefer a fashion session, we can do that as well - I am also offering an alternative, modern paper backdrop in tan for those of you not interested in roses.

Session fees and print prices are discounted for these limited edition Center Stage sessions - contact me for details. Scheduling officially begins Monday, Aug. 31, although we've already filled several appointment times.

SESSION DATES: Sunday, Sept. 27; Friday, Oct. 2; Sunday, Oct. 4
PLACE: Center Stage Studio, located in the Academy of the Arts building, 5413 Martindale, Shawnee.

P.S. I've even bought a new settee for this event - isn't it lovely?
Alternative, "fashion" styling on tan paper for those of you wanting something different this year (and yes, the fashion sessions can have blowing hair, just like a model!):

The Boy Loves His Cake - Kansas City Baby Photographer

I adore Christina and Jason and their baby boy, and am so happy they have chosen me again and again to photograph their son's first year of life. It means a lot to me to have been able to watch this baby grow through my portraits, and both parents are just great people to work with. Thank you, Christina, for being one of my biggest fans =) She's also a bit of a Center Stage star, as a couple of her maternity portraits have become a bit famous - one is hanging in my studio and a local maternity boutique and I have booked clients based solely on that portrait; and another was featured in an international magazine for photographers.

Enjoy your preview!And, one of the famous Christina portraits - isn't she beautiful? I'm thinking they need another baby!

Lady in Blue - Kanas City Maternity - Center Stage Photography

I am so excited to give Jenn this preview of her maternity portraits. I have photographed Jenn's kids a few times and was so happy to hear she was expecting #3 and wanted me to document her pregnancy for her. It's been a rough one for her, and she and her husband really wanted portraits to remember, also, the beauty of this time. I'm pretty sure I was able to deliver on the "beauty" part.
(I have to show off the "hands" image - we worked so hard for this! Their 2-year-old gave us fits - it's a bit of a miracle that we managed to get this image, I think.)

High Key Dancer

Over spring break I had a chance to work on some high-key dance portraits. "High Key" is a photographic term for portraits that consist of mainly light tones. I don't often create high key portraits, but have been wanting to work on that for a while. One of my favorite dancers, Marquette Shannon, served as my model - we had such fun! I also used gels on my white backdrop to create some interesting silhouettes and different shades in the backdrop -- all very interesting - I am looking forward to working more with gels. I also photographed my 10-year-old, but she's forbidden me to put any of her on my blog (oh, wait, she okayed just one - and she chose it).

Thanks, Marky! I hope you are enjoying New York.
Gels:
Silhouette with gels: