Natural. Candid. Real. Beautiful. { The Blog. }

{ Happy birthday Ashleigh! }

So I get an email tonight from the sweet and beautiful bride from my post a few days ago (pleeeeeeeease will you be my wedding photographer?  Puuuuulllllleeeease?  That girl.).  The subject line says this: birthday present request.  I'm thinking, what in the world?  Who is having a birthday?  And how does that involve me?  Well....here's how it involves me.  Ashleigh thinks that because it's her birthday today, she's entitled to a few more sneak peek photos.  She's darn right!!!  Happy birthday, darlin'!  Here you go....

ENJOY!!! :)

{ Ashleigh + Steve }

Something I swore I would never do....shoot a wedding.  Yep.  I did it.  After multiple (but of COURSE, polite) declines, there was something about Ashleigh that made me say yes.  Persistence maybe?  It went something like this:

"Hey children's photographer - I want you to be my wedding photographer."
"Um...no thank you.  I don't do weddings."
"I don't care.  I want you do to do mine."
"No thank you.  I want to keep my focus on one thing - and be really good at that one thing.  So I don't do weddings."
"I don't care.  I want you to be my wedding photographer."
"No thank you.  I'm flattered.  But no thank you."
"What do I have to do?  Beg?  Plead?  Bribe?"
"No thank you."
"Please?  Pleeeeeease?  C'mon..."
"It won't be traditional.  It won't be posed.  It will be candid and natural - that's what I enjoy and what I'm comfortable with."
"YES! YES! YES!!!!!!!!"
And then she gave me a big hug and a kiss - not really.  I think she may have if we weren't talking on the phone....

So, let's cut to the chase.  Here are a few of my favorites.....

Let me first tell you that Ashleigh has some serious pizazz, some serious sassiness, a lot of energy and an adooooorable-ness that just makes you want to be around her.  Moving right along to the part about pizazz - her choice in bridesmaid shoes below...not to mention that her bridal shoes were Tiffany blue patent leather Manolo Blahniks - wait until you see them.  Smokin'!

I loved Ashleigh's flowers - simple, yet so pretty.  Love the green.

I love this next shot - one of my favorites.  Love the blurred buildings in the background.  Steve looks so handsome, doesn't he?

And I love his genuine smile in this one.  He was laughing at his groomsmen.  Love it.  So real.

Check 'em out - there they are in all their glory.  The Manolos....

I love the next 2 photos - both the same photo, but with different post-processing.  I can't decide which one I love more. 

I'm speechless when I see the next series of photos.  Ashleigh and Steve go together so well.  They just compliment each other perfectly.  See for yourself..... 

The next one is another favorite - well....aren't they all?  Yes.  Yes they are.

Spunky and spontaneous they were - they followed my lead and really did whatever I asked them too. 

Ashleigh - would you mind to take off the Manolos for a sec and jump off of the steps for me? 

She didn't even hesitate.  Gotta love a girl like that.

Check out the height on this next one - Steve's face is priceless.

Okay - last ones.  The bling....so beautiful.  Beeeeeautiful.

Same photo - just different post-processing....giving it sort of an antique look.  So pretty.

Ashleigh and Steve - sharing the day with you was absolutely my pleasure.  Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your wedding day.  Enjoy your sneak peek!  XOXO

{ I'm excited - Christmas cards are DONE! }

Some beeeeautiful cards have been in the works - busy as a bee I've been putting them together.  There are 8 to choose from this year, and I love every single one!  Soooo...without further ado:

*Click on the card to view larger*

#1 front

#1 back

#2 front

#2 back

# front

#3 back

#4 front

#4 back

#5 front

#5 back

#6 front

#6 back

#7 front

#7 back

#8 front

#8 back

Here's the 411...

This year, instead of front side only photo cards, I've decided to step it up a notch and go with double-sided press-printed cards.  Cards are 5x7 and come in sets of 25, complete with envelopes.  Press printed cards are produced on state-of-the-art digital printing presses.  The presses use real liquid ink, not toner like a color copier as some printers use.  Press-printed products have the look and feel of a very high quality printed piece. 

The cards are available in 4 different papers.  The standard paper is a slightly glossy cover stock.  Clients may also choose watercolor paper or a linen paper.  Additionally, a pearl paper upgrade is available, which has a metallic-like sheen. 

Pricing is as follows:

• $75 for 25 ($3 each) 
• $137.50 for 50 ($2.75 each) 
• $187.50 for 75 ($2.50 each)
• $225 for 100 ($2.25 each)
• $250 for 125 ($2.00 each)

One more thing - photos from any 2008 session may be used on the cards.  How excited am I???

 Questions?  Let me know! :)

{ Holiday Mini Session - hurry before the spots are gone! }

Is it REALLY time to think about the holidays?  Yes, yes it is.  Here at Snickerdoodles Photography, we are slam jammed and hopping.  My regular session appointments are completely full for September and almost all of October.  My holiday deadline this year is October 18th, and I am completely booked until after then.  What's the next best thing, you ask (and may even be better?)???.  Why, it's a holiday mini session at Ault Park! 5 of the 10 spots are already taken before today's announcement, so get on my calendar quickly if you think you may be interested.  Oh, and one more thing - a $50 deposit is required to hold your spot.  So.....here's the 411 (click on the images to make them larger):

Holiday cards preview to come - I'm still designing them as we speak.  They will be smashingly, stunningly beeeeeautiful! :)

{ He's sooo much bigger now }

Well, I had the absolute pleasure of going back again to spend the morning with Jacob and his sweet Mama - remember him?

Well....look at him now, all big little man {please note: cutest little baby madras pants EVER}:

Okay - let's talk about this next photo.  I {love love LOVE} it for so many reasons.  If you look closely, you'll see that I was shooting through a mirror.  Can you tell?  I love that it seems as if it's just Jacob and his Mommy loving each other.  I love that they're in his Mommy and Daddy's bedroom.  I love that Diesel the dog seems to be protecting both of them on the floor below.  I love that there are flip-flops in view.  I love that it's natural. And candid. And real. And beautiful. It's timeless.

Below is the same photo - just with a little texture added.  I prefer the finish on this one - it just adds a little more of a timeless look. 

Mmmmm, sweet baby feet + Mama's hand blurred in the background (it's common knowledge that this is my thing - for those interested in photography, I often use a super wide open aperture, creating the background blur that you see here)

Isn't this blanket fantastic?  Urban Outfitters, baby.  Had to have it.  Knew at first glance that it would be this great. :)

Holding onto Mama's finger - melts your heart, right?  It does mine.

Angi and Mike - enjoy your sneak peek!   Your boy is just as sweet as he can be.

Okay....to all of my patient and loyal clients who are waiting on galleries - let the photo editing party begin!  I am now finished with all sneak peeks and am caught up in that area.  14 of you are still waiting to see your finished galleries - and those are my top and really only priority currently.  So, stay tuned...I'm speaking the positive: next week is going to be a great, productive week!!! :)

{ One busy Mama and her trio }

At last a sneak peek for my oh-so-patient friend and client - she's been waiting for waaaay too long to see these photos of her precious three.  So Carrie - without further ado....

Jacob is the baby - he's just a little over 1 year old, and just as sweet as he could ever be.  Just waking up from a nap in the next one - even still has the sheet marks on his little cheek.  Snuggling into Mama's shoulder and looking at me through those big eyes.  Sweet baby boy.

This next one makes me so happy - I have smiled every time I've looked at it (which has to be at least 15 times over the course of all of the editing and narrowing down that I do).  Such a happy, sweet boy he is....check him out:

Mommy reading him a book in his room - THESE kinds of things are what I want to capture for my clients.  The real moments - the natural, candid, real, beautiful moments {hence the name of my blog}... ;)  That's my ultimate goal.  So that you can look back and say - that's it right there.  That moment.  That expression.  That's what I want to remember.  Mmmmm.....they grow up way too fast.  Feeling a little sentimental today - my baby turns 2 tomorrow.  How did that happen? :)

This next one is my favorite - his little profile - and check out his reflection in the window.  Love love LOVE it.  It deserves to be big.  Poster size. :)

Big brother Matthew (who is his Dad's twin, by the way) - laughing and playing with me.  We were tossing a huge disc thingie (think frisbee x 10 - you know what I mean?), and I caught him just at the right moment.  Perfect.  Sweet.

Check out big/little sister Caroline.  Carrie and I were pregnant at the same time, and Caroline was born just before my Mac - hard to believe that they're 3 years old already.  Pretty little thing is really thinking about something important in this next one.  Isn't she something?  So funny and cute.

I often tell parents that it's not always about the smile - it is okay with me to capture the grumpy faces, the crying faces, the shy faces....because I want to capture them as they are.  And any Mommy knows that they are DEFINITELY not always smiling.  So, in the next one - they weren't feeling the camera love, were they?  No, definitely not.  But that's okay - I love it anyway.

NOW we're feeling the love a little more.... :)

This next one makes me laugh - I had to put it on here just to give you a glimpse of what it's like to be Mama to 3 children - crazy and fun and wild.  Never a dull moment.  Carrie, enjoy your sneak peek.  Angi, you're NEXT!

{ Double the love - again }

Twins really are probably my favorite thing - not only because it's just plain fun, but because I have twin sisters who I ♥adore♥ - and I know that the bond runs so deep with twins.  And when I photograph twin babies, I think of what is in store for them, and the lifetime of being connected to each other.  Meet Bryson and Brody....

Oooooh Brody, I want this one big for my own house. :)

How about Bryson's little cheeks and big round eyes?  And that hair?  So sweet.

Yummy, squishy, kissable baby boy fat rolls - mmmmmm....

I photographed this Mommy back in the winter when she was pregnant with these 2 sweet peas - she had the most perfect round belly I think I have ever seen.  Radiant she was - and so beautiful.  Breathtakingly beautiful, really.  Have a look at her sweet belly - hard to believe that she had 2 babies in there. :)

Told you she had the most perfect round belly - one more below that I love...

Holding Brody and looking at him with that Mama's love look in her eyes...

Brody's sweet little feet below....

....AND Bryson's sweet little feet.

 

 

I love this next shot - melts my heart.

You know I'm crazy about photographing feet - 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 feet in this next one...

I adore this Mama - she's wonderful.  Laid back and easy and kind and warm and just a natural.  Very fond of her I am...

How sweet is this next one?

Enjoy your sneak peek guys - gallery to come soon.... :)

{ She's turning 2 ♥ }

My baby is turning 2 years old this week - she holds 2 little fat fingers up and says this: "My. 2. Yeeas. Old."  And then "Dora. Paaaty."  You see, this weekend is her special girl birthday party - and life is all about Dora in my girl's eyes. Oooooh, how I love her.  So, here's a birthday invitation that I designed for her - I always do some sort of photo invitation that can be framed after the fact.  Fun, right?  So, here is the front of the card....

And here is the back....

Snickerdoodles Photography (that would be yours truly) can design a smaaaashing birthday invitation for you - or any other type of announcement, for that matter.  And how about this idea?  I think I may have the front design made into a canvas - OR how about just printed as a 10x10 or 20x20 on mounting board and leaned on a shelf or dresser.  Yes, that's what I think I will do.  The possibilities are endless, really.  So, tuck that in your hat and remember that when your next occasion rolls around... :)

{ Oooooh Brady ♥ }

It's been a long wait for these sweet parents, and I'm so excited to show them their adorable baby boy.  Oooooh Brady - sweet little pea.  What a happy new little family of three they are.  Mommy and Daddy are smitten - as they should be.  Check him out....

I have an overwhelming desire to hold a baby when I see this next one.  Mmmmmm.  Sweet sweet sweet.

You know me and baby feet - I'm addicted.... :)

 

This next one makes me feel all weepy - not because it is the greatest photo in the world, but because you can see how concerned and maybe bothered and uncertain and affectionate and tender and devoted and downright loving Brady's Daddy is.  He really is a natural - soooo good with Brady after just a week.  Melts my heart.

Okay, all better now.  Breathing a sigh of relief they both were....

How sweet is this next one?  I can't even tell you how much I loved this family.  Sweetest, most kind Mommy and devoted, most loving Daddy.  Brady - you are so blessed.  Welcome to the world and your precious new family.  I enjoyed every minute with you.

{ My own two little monkeys }

First of all - to my faithful blog subscribers ♥ (thank you - I so appreciate you!), run on over to the blog.  I posted 1-2-3-4-5 sneak peeks that were never emailed out. :(

So, it's been quite some time since I've posted some photos of my own kiddos - long overdue I would say.  Mac just turned 3 (HOW can that be?) and Lily will be 2 in just 3 weeks.  My babies are growing right up - just look how big they are....

Lily has newly discovered how much she loooooves corn on the cob - see?

Had to throw one in of our Daisy.... a face only a mother could love is what I'm told.  Awwwww, Daisy girl.

This one is definitely my favorite of the summer - captured it just at the right moment.  I want it on canvas.  Big.  Love it that much.  Mac's expression as he sprayed himself in the face.  Lily's little diapered hiney.  Priceless.

This next one captured my boy's personality perfectly - I {adore} it.  Just a quick snapshot, but it worked so well...

The serious side of my Mac...

And the oh-so-ticklish side of him.... XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

{ She's a natural - and such a beauty }

You may have seen her face on the "seniors" page of my web site.  She was kind enough to let me take some photos of her last summer to help build my portfolio.  She's my sweet cousin Ben's girlfriend (my kids and I like to endearingly call him Benny).  You can find Ben's senior photo sneak peek here - and his awesome rockin' band's site is here. 

What I know of Alexa is this - she's kind and meek and big-hearted and smart and sweet-spirited and she adores my Benny.  Beautiful on the outside - even more beautiful on the inside.  I tell her Mom that she MUST have done something right - I want to take lessons from her - because Alexa is nothing short of wonderful.  Here she is - a photographer's dream.  A natural.  So easy.  So, so easy.

I love this next close-up shot of her - love it.

Can you see how comfortable she is in front of the camera?  And it's not that she's arrogant or overconfident - not in the least.  She's just a natural. 

This next one is one of my favorites of the day - can't put my finger on what it is....but I love it.

Isn't she a movie star??? :)

Here's that same photo - with just a little different post-processing - gives it an urban feel.

More photos of Alexa to come...

{ Ooooooh Odin }

I'm back with more beeeeautiful photos of my favorite little man Odin.  He's getting so big.  Remember him here?

Now look at him....

Hey Odin - where did you get those beautiful blue eyes, hmmmmm?  I wonder....

Just a little of Mama's lovin'...

Sweet. Sweet. Sweet.  No other way to describe it.  Odin does love his Mama in a big, big way.  There's just something about boys and their Mommies.  Indescribable.

When Daddy's around, Odin is all smiles.  Odin loves his Daddy big big big too.  It's so sweet to watch them together.  Just a little lovin' from Daddy....

Can't you hear his sweet belly laugh in the next one?  Mmmmm.  Melts my heart.

Both Mommy and Daddy are {HUGE} Ohio State fans.  So you know Odin has his own buckeyes chair - of course....

{ Double the love - again }

'Tis the Snickerdoodles season for twins - another dynamic duo that I fell in love with.  Meet Ethan and Parker - and yes, your eyes aren't fooling you, they're identical.  Precious.  I enjoyed their sweet Mama Erin and their Grandma (Mimi) too - it took all 3 of us to wrangle the wildcats - quick we had to be.  On our toes.  Their Mommy has it all together - let me tell you.  Cool as a cucumber.  I enjoyed every minute with them.  Wait until you see them....

How about this first one?  I love how Parker is in focus and Ethan is in the background looking oh-so-serious.  Funny because he is so not the serious boy.  They are both so full of smiles and so much personality.

Hilarious this next one is - gives you a little glimpse of the wild, crazy fun.  Parker is yelling about something and Ethan's thinking - what are you so excited about brother? :

Ethan and his sweet Mommy...

Parker and Mama...

Parker's little feet = ♥ ♥ ♥

Ethan's little feet = ♥ ♥ ♥

Have you ever seen twins that look more alike?  The above is Parker; the below is Ethan.  Erin, am I right so far?  My eyes start to cross after awhile. :)

{ Newborn ♥love♥ is in the air }

Seems like I have had a rush of newborns lately - which are definitely the most challenging, but so rewarding for me.  Shooting newborn photos allows my creative mind to really open up.  And it's nothing but a privilege to enter a client's home when they're sleep deprived and out of sorts (we Mommyfolk have all been there - can I get an amen?) - may it be first-time parents or 5th time parents - for me, it's an opportunity for self-reflection and pure thankfulness.  Thankful for my own family and thankful for this amazing thing that I call my job.  My job.  Puuuleeease.

I ran across this quote recently, and it really struck me as perfect:

"I've come to believe that each of us has a personal calling that's as unique as a fingerprint -- and that the best way to succeed is to discover what you love and then find a way to offer it to others in the form of service, working hard, and also allowing the energy of the universe to lead you." --Oprah Winfrey

My hope and prayer is that my "fingerprint" is bringing others happiness each time they look at the photos that I've taken of their children and families.  Tracy - here's your sweet Connor. ♥

These next 2 photos are of Daddy holding Connor - simple but so, so sweet.

Connor is baby #3 for this amazing family (who live up the street from me - and who I ADORE, by the way).  I don't want to spark a debate, but I'm TELLING you - there is something about kids who are home-schooled.  They are JUST different.  No doubt about it.  I wish I had it in me to homeschool - but I just don't.  Hey Tracy - Mac is starting preschool in 2 weeks.  Maybe I'll send him on down to your house instead.  What's another one, right? :) Anyway...the below shot is big brother and big sister with their new baby brother.  Awwwww...melts my heart.

It's no secret that I LOVE baby ears....

This next shot was intentional, although it may not look like it at first glance - I was trying to capture the little wrinkles of skin on his back - don't you just want to kiss him?

Someone was very sleeeeeepy....

{ Hannah Banana is back }

She's baaaaack....remember this sweet face? 

Hannah Banana is what we call her - sweet baby girl belongs to my cousin Natalie, and I {adore} her.  She is quite the little cupcake - full of smiles and squeals and jabbers and just a tad bit of spitfire (well, maybe more than a tad).  She's just the most perfect little package of a 1 year old.  Have a look....

Below is the same image in b/w - stared and stared and couldn't decide.  I love them both.