A Family – Agua Caliente Park

Another recent family session brought me back to my new favorite oasis in Tucson: Agua Caliente Park. Featuring grassy fields (yes even in the desert), swaying palm trees, and ACTUAL BODIES OF WATER it’s no wonder my last three sessions have been at this park.

But we haven’t even gotten to my most favorite part of this park. The brick buildings. After being spoiled by some seriously beautiful brick architecture in St. Louis it does my heart good to find an alterative to Southwest adobe in the desert (which deserves a post for it’s own unique beauty).

So yes, I love a good brick wall. Especially when shooting the lovely A family!

Big bro and sis were total champs when it came to cheesin’ for the camera.

But for lil’ sis…

“Ain’t nobody got time for this.”

It took some special “mama magic” to get the smiles going.

And when they did they were deliciously cute.

Drool and all. ❤

I do love me some unintentional sun flares…

Thanks for a great session friends!

Senior photos – Elena M.

Each adventure out with my camera usually yields some surprising favorites. Take senior photos with Elena. Sometimes when I’m shooting I assume my favorites will be something serious and contemplative like this:

Or this:

Or maybe delicate details showcasing what she holds dear:

But instead the favorites are when you finally get a shot of your shy subject smiling as if I don’t have a big ol’ camera up in her face. Like this:

Or this:

And yet the real favorite, the one I took on the sly, is the one I’m most partial to. When your subject thought she was just fluffing her hair but the camera caught a moment of unabashed modeliciousness:

Bam. Perfect.

Congratulations on your senior year Elena!

F Family – Tucson, AZ

Whelp, New Northwest is back! It’s been a while (i.e. over a year!) since breaking out my camera for a photo shoot…moving cross country, gestating a baby, and raising a baby have had a lot to do with the hiatus.

So when the F family needed some family photos I was happy to oblige. It was a beautiful day, albeit a bit hot (welcome to the SW, ha), which lends to such beautiful moments as this:

So DONE.

Got to love those blooper photos, eh? In reality these sweet kiddos were troopers, with sweet smiles a plenty.

Big E.

And let’s not forget some epically cute drool.

Lil’ six month E!

Mom and dad even got a few moments to themselves!

        

Love this sweet family. Thanks friends for being my first Tucson photoshoot!

Summer Mini Session #4: S. Family

A summer mini session wouldn’t be complete without Logan, Joy and their boys! Sometimes a summer mini session is so full of BOY that you can’t help but get a lot of photos like this one.

The glazed over look, bother struggling again brother, and weeping and gnashing of teeth. As dutifully cheerful as these boys were, the 30 minutes in the heat was finally getting to them. And I don’t blame them!  Thankfully, I was able to snap three of my favorite kiddo photos of all time before we all melted into the grass.

 

I love love love these boys. Through the school year I get to see them at least once a week. But with our move that is quickly coming to an end. I sure will miss these mischievous boys!

 

 

Bravo to Logan and Joy on raising such adventurous and vivacious children! And you’re not so bad yourself. 😉

K&D Engagement Session (part 2!): Tower Grove Park

Made it to Tower Grove Park today with recently engaged couple, Kristen and Dominic, for that blue-sky day to round out their engagement session.

I absolutely love this park. Of course Forest Park holds it’s own in “fabulous park awards,” but I love the eye-catching and unique architecture throughout Tower Grove.

Not to mention the darling little ponds and gardens.

But my favorite park of the park today was simply spending time with dear people.

K&D Engagement Session: New City South City

When it rains it pours! I love how many sessions I’ve been able to snap lately, collecting memories of dear friends and beloved St. Louis. I was worried my recent session with Kristen and Dominic would be thrawted by the rain as fat drops began to sprinkle my truck on the way to New City. But the skies held back the deluge just enough to give  us enough time to capture this wonderful couple outside this very special church.

I love this dear friend’s style. Such clever detail in an owly necklace.

Kristen and Dominic met here, so it was more than appropriate to incorporate their place of work and worship into this shoot. And with the overcast day we could take advantage of the great backdrops throughout the building. I couldn’t complain!

I always love her megawatt smile!

 

We plan to follow up with some pretty Tower Grove park photos on a blue-sky day. But until then, I’m pretty happy with how these turned out!

Summer Mini Session #3: R. Family

My do I love these folk. Philip and Amanda are dear friends who have walked a lot of life with us in the past couple of years. Starting marriage in the same month as us, surviving the Thanksgiving debacle of ‘011, and generally just being awesome friends (and neighbors!).

Can you feel the love?

And then along came a lil’ butterbean.

Look at her being such a big girl, holding up her head and everything.

Smiles and giggles for sure but I quite like G’s serious side. Those eyes for starters.

It may have been the big black camera in her face, but getting a smile was best when Mom and Dad worked their magic.

I’m lucky to be within walking distance to these lovely folk. Summer coffee mornings, here we come!

Summer Mini Sessions #2: H. Family

This next mini session is brought to you by the H. family! I was glad to get to know this darling family a little bit last weekend as they are getting settled into STL this summer.

It had been a while since I’d managed a shoot with multiple children so I was thankful how patient and fun these kiddos were with my camera in their faces. *Hint: it helps if toys are involved.

I love her skewed headband.

In case you couldn’t tell, a fourth bebe is on the way which allowed us for a mini-mini maternity shoot as well. How Holly managed to look this serene and glowing in the smothering heat of the morning is beyond me!

 

Squee! I’ve only known these kiddos for a couple of weeks and they have already stolen my heart. 🙂

Summer Mini Sessions: J & R & M

This weekend I shot a series of mini sessions for some fellow seminary families. At 9 AM it was already sweltering (welcome to St. Louis!), but you wouldn’t know it looking at Jeff and Rachel’s lil’ Maddie. Quick to grin and giggle, she brought the best out of quite a muggy morning. A great start to the day’s mini sessions!

Art Hill: Dave, Christy & Bodley

Art Hill. A St. Louis treasure in the heart of Forest Park. A beauty to walk (or run!) in the warmer months and home to epic sledding adventures each wintery snow-day. And let’s not forget the art museum itself.

It’s one of the many places in St. Louis I’ll have to say “see ya later” to this summer as the hubs and I prepare to move to the Southwest. We’re excited of course, but leaving St. Louis will be hard. It is home afterall.

This particular shoot was an actual goodbye for some fellow seminary friends. Dave and Chisty (and let’s not forget Bodley!) wanted some photos to remember their time in St. Louis before their big move. Where better than the beloved Art Hill?

Don’t be deceived. They’re actually pretty silly in real life.

Bodley couldn’t bear not being the center of attention.

This is Dave. I first met Dave on an Ultimate Frisbee field. He’s got a mean throw and is a less mean (actually quite nice) person.

This is Christy. I admire her good natured self-effacement and clever wit. Never a dull conversation with this lady.

Friends, this day was a privilege. St. Louis will miss you.