I first met Madeline when she was 6 months old, and now she has a new sister…and has not changed a bit…she likes to keep me on my feet! She is full of energy and is hilarious! She even told me I was funny ~ debatable! Here are a few of my favorites of them! *side note~ the first one has a bit of a blurred background….I didn’t do anything to it…I think *mom* might have been walking behind and created that~

Many thanks to my friend Jamie who loves in Colorado now, for connecting me with this fabulous family! I met Jamie through my sister in law and we ended up attending a workshop in Chicago together and had such a blast! Anyways, aren’t these two adorable?! They have the most amazing kitchen, which I hope to shoot in this summer…but we just didn’t get to it! ….and Jill is such a great mom, I really enjoyed getting to know you all! He are a few of my favorites!

Well, I have had a lot of inquiries for my next workshop…and other inquiries to find out if I’m covering anything new, can we come again? Because I have so many of you at different levels, I want to gear my workshops for exactly what you’re wanting to learn, instead of cramming it all in. Sooo…here’s what I have come up with! You can reserve your spot by paying on my blog I will send you a confirmation email with more details!  I will have an additional website link with all of this info and  a calendar for the pro sessions, it should be up by the end of the week!

Basic ~ May 8th 2-8pm $175 *dinner inlcuded

For those of you who just got our camera, don’t even know what ISO means..yep that’s you, or the hobbiest who wants to step it up a notch!

Advanced ~ May 9th 10am-6pm $175

This is for the portfolio building photographer ready to start a business and needing to refine your camera and PS knowledge **professional editing software is a requirement**   lunch included.

Pro ~ “shoot & shadow” ~ $250 *up to 4 hours

This is for the photographer who has complete knowledge of all previous and wants to shadow & shoot a complete session on location with me and then return to my studio for a complete edit of the entire session. These will be scheduled within 30 days of registration, and will take place at the discretion of the registars and the client. Each session will be limited to two attendees max. bellies, newborns, kids, brides, engaged couples are all available!  Please call me to sign up for this class.

And one pick from earlier this fall….

The workshop went great! It was very cold, so I we decided to stay inside for most of the shooting practice. Which I thought was great, because my studio is not a natural light studio..it only has 3 medium sized windows….BUT…what a great situation to learn in! What help would I be if I was trying to teach in a well lit area! Although, we did venture outside for a short bit as well. We had lots of models to practice on…Ryan & Holly, a k-zoo photog team, posed as our engaged couple…and did a great job! Kristen a local photographer was our bride, and Tina, another local photographer brought her 3yr old daughter for us and threw on her dress for a few as well. Then Anne brought her 20 month old and 5yr old daughter for a few at the end! phew! I told you we had a lot of practice!! Practice makes perfect! I really didn’t have as much time to “shoot” as I normally would…I was helping all the workshop ladies! I did happen to grab a few favorites though..here they are!

Any of the attendees….if you have any comments about the workshop or questions about these photos…. feel free to share below! Please email your favorite photo if you want or any photos of the group shooting as well! (photos of me being your guinea pig–not wanted–!) Thanks everyone for coming and I hope I have set you in the right direction!

There are more coming….a beginner and an intermediate (where you get to come on a live shoot at someone’s home – or DT) stay tuned!

I first shot these two for the oldest belly session and now he’s 6 months! Time flies…and these two definitely gave me a workout…I think mom felt the same way! Of course though..you would never know it by the photos!!! That’s the magic of it! Here are a few of my favorites!

So, I just finished submitting photos for the Michigan Heart Gallery. I have blogged on this before, but will take any opportunity, to talk about it..so here goes! This is a modified excerpt from last years post…

As many of you already know, our oldest son was adopted through foster care. We have had several other children in out of our home, from 2 days to 14 yrs old. It IS a tough job…I’m not going to sugar coat that, and the rewards sometimes are never seen. But I truly feel we all have been called to take care of these kids…in one way or another. We still have continuing relationships with two of our old “foster” kids, even though they have returned home. **shout out to CRYSTAL** Some are making great choices, and others…our heart aches for them, for fear of seeing them repeating the cycle. Still, we are honored that God has allowed us to be apart of their lives in whatever way we can.

My point…the Michigan Heart Gallery exhibit that is made yearly, is in it’s 4th year create awareness of all the children that are up for adoption, and travels the state on display. Just in the state of Michigan, there are at any given time, 4,000 kids…. that are waiting to be adopted in the foster care system. Only a little over half of those ARE adopted. There is also a video put on by MARE that you may need kleenex for **click here** If you would like to see this years gallery gallery, I will post the schedule when it comes out.

I helped photograph one child this year and one family who adopted on of my girls from last year!! How exciting is that!!! **and that family told me that another that I photographed was adopted as well!! Photographers, consider volunteering next year….it’s a 20 minute session…and they only need one picture, but I end up proofing around 15….just email them if you are interested.

I can’t post this years pics until the gallery is published, but, I can post one that Nacole’s dad wanted to take of the two of us after we finished…I think he did a great job! thanks to MARE and the heart gallery for inviting me to a be apart of her story….

This session was done in our studio! These little boys are cousins…and the one picture I couldn’t blog was all of them in their Calvin Klein’s in front of the brick wall…apparently it’s their favorite cousin past time already….**side note** BOYS NEVER CHANGE!** Here are a few of my favorites!

…added another member!! Welcome Abraham Maxwell! Here are a few from their session. Can you believe Ruben (older brother) with his bear, diaper and bottle…adorable! **oh yea…the last one…seriously??! …Ruben…you are adorable!

Seriously ~ these children are adorable and as we were shooting, they were entertaining ME! That’s fun. These are the kids from the red couch on the opening photo on my portrait website. I proofed WAY too many pictures for their parents…but how can delete such cute little faces! Here are just a few of my favorites! I love the last group shots dearly…