Magical Light

I photographed Brenda's family this weekend in this beautiful spot with magical light. Don't you just love it?

Thanks, Brenda, for choosing me for your family portraits. I promised you your gallery before I headed out of town ... so your proofs will be ready soon! (If the portrait looks pixely, just click on it to see it better).

Fresh Baked Mama!

I've recently started working with a darling little maternity boutique in Lenexa called About Nine Months. Yesterday I photographed owner Jenea Schmidt's new line of shirts, a brand she's named "Fresh Baked Mama," which I think it such a great name! The model is store employee Jessica Birdsong.

I'm very excited to tell you that starting next week you can visit the boutique to see some of my work - I will be exhibiting a rotating collection of some of my favorite maternity portraits -- first up is Christina, Julia and Mary - so everyone go check them out at the About Nine Months store at 12012 W.87th St., just west of the 87th and Quivira intersection.


Jenea also sells some really beautiful cocktail dresses for those special occasions we all have from time to time - I photographed Jessica in one of my favorites last night - if I were pregnant again I would so buy this dress! Isn't Jessica a beauty?

Repeat clients make me happy

Katie brought her two "older" kids today for black and white portraits to hang by the large portrait of her new baby boy that came from his newborn session a few weeks ago. Having clients return to me for portrait sessions makes me so happy - I get quite attached to the people (and faces) I photograph so I love to keep in contact and do more portrait sessions for them as time passes.

Katie - it was so nice to meet your other children today - and I can't wait to show you your gallery - I think you will be very happy with what you see!


Awww! Look at the baby smiling! To see how much the little guy has changed, check out my "Just like snowflakes, no two newborns are alike" blog entry below.

Happy Birthday to Krystin's Baby Boy, part II

I photographed this little guy last year for his first birthday (and I photographed his babyhood, too); and am proud to show you portraits from his 2-year-old session today. His mom, Krystin, is one of my most faithful clients, and a good friend, too. Thank you, Krystin, for trusting me with your sweet boy's portraits. I hope you and Steve enjoy the preview.

You may notice all of the outdoor portraits I've been taking lately - for being such a studio girl I really do enjoy getting outdoors for portraits - nature makes a beautiful backdrop, don't you think?

Of course, I still did some studio shots - the little guy's daddy has been gone for the last couple of months and is about to leave for Kuwait after a brief visit with his family. Krystin thought it would be fun to put K. in his daddy's jacket - the jacket is bigger than he is!

Getting the camera out for *me*

This June, I've photographed hundreds of children and teens for the dance portrait side of my business. It's fun seeing all of the (mainly) girls all dressed up in their recital costumes, feeling special and pretty and excited for recital - and I'm happy to play a part in that excitement. But as many of you know, I have two kids of my own and oftentimes it feels like I take pictures of everyone's children but mine. Sometimes I need to take pictures just for me, and there's no better place for me to do that than on my family farm, south of here in rural Kansas. My great-grandparents bought this farm back in 1880, and it's always been a magical place for me; and my kids love it as much as I do.

My goal recently was to get some sunset portraits of my kids on the farm, so we went to the meadow at the time of day photographers like to call "the golden hour," ... but unfortunately my little boy's allergies went crazy in the meadow so I only got to photograph my daughter. And my daughter wasn't that thrilled with the photo session herself, until we (my twin sister and I) pulled out the "America's Next Top Model" card deep into the golden hour. So not a perfect portrait session - which seems to happen quite often when I want portraits of my own kids!

I thought I would share a couple of her - I plan to get a little more personal here and there on my blog from here on out so you all can get to know me a bit better. Anyway - here's my daughter on the farm I love so much.

Recital Portraits - Aspire Dance Center

All recital portraits from both the Academy of the Arts-Shawnee and the Academy of the Arts-Aspire are now online. Photos taken during dress rehearsal on stage are in the process of being uploaded. Please check the site often for updates.

Kristy Finds Her Prince

I've known Kristy since I was 14 years old... which means we've been friends for 24 years! But she's been much more than just a friend to me and my twin sister, Karen - she is almost like another member of our family. Karen, Kristy and I all lived together during our college years; she was the one who Mom asked to tell us that our beloved Grandpa Carl had died; she gave our parents' dog her enduring nickname (Bonnie Blue Bell); and Kristy kept vigil with my family at the hospital the night I was in labor with my first child. She's been there for us -- a very loyal and true friend -- all of these years.

Today I did something very special - I photographed Kristy and her fiance, Bob, for their engagement portraits. And, since Karen, Kristy and I were a bit like the Three Musketeers, I think it was only fitting that my sister was also there for the portrait session tonight.

I am so happy for you, Kristy, and come September, Karen and I will wear those crimson dresses with pride.

Here's a few to look at while you await the rest of your portraits. All the best, Kristy and Bob!

Look who is 5!

Happy birthday to J., who is one of the sweetest little girls I know. I am so lucky to get to photograph this little face often. It's always a treat, because she's not only beautiful but she's also such a good poser and not shy with the camera at all. It helps that she's the daughter of good friends and the sweetheart of my 4-year-old son. I could have taken pictures of her all night, Shelly, but I know you already have a hard enough time choosing. So here you go - a preview for you to enjoy until your gallery is ready. Happy birthday, sweet thing!

(remember, depending on your monitor resolution, these portraits may look a little pixely - if they do on your monitor, simply click on them to see them better).