Little Miss Madelyn

Meet Madelyn, the youngest of three beautiful little girls.  She loves singing, picking flowers, purple jelly beans, butterflies, hide and go seek, playing in the dirt, feeling the grass between her toes, following after her sisters, and she absolutely LOVES having her picture taken.

 

"Bees!" she shouted, with equal parts fear and intrigue.  She stood her ground until they buzzed away.  "Come Nadia," she commanded as we headed off toward the barn.  Once we got there she peered through every hole, shuffled through the dusty dirt piles, and glanced back every now and then to make sure that I was still snapping photos.  

 

After all of the clover and buttercups, fence climbing, itsy bitsy spider, counting behind trees, and rolling in the grass, I had made a new friend.  By the end of our session, she was full of snacks and exhausted from being the center of attention.  She cuddled up with mom, kissed her belly (there's a baby boy in there) and dropped her head down on her shoulder.  Being a star is hard work :) 

Sweet Dreams Caitlin

Today I had the pleasure of spending the morning with the McGowan family.  It was an action packed couple of hours.  Not only did I get to hunt for snails and centipedes with Liam, but I also had the chance to photograph one precious little newborn - Caitlin. 

After family pictures under the Dogwood blossoms, climbing trees, digging in the dirt, playing with the dog, squinting in the sun and quality baby sister time...mom and I retreated to Caitlin's nursery and waited for her to fall asleep. 

We waited...eyes wide open, we waited...hiccups, we waited...cold little toes, we waited as 5, 10, 20 minutes went by...and...then her little eyelids dropped.  Quickly we undressed her, redressed her, posed her sweet little feet, changed headbands and bows and ribbons, moved her from couch to mom to blanket to mom again...and just before she woke up...the shoot was complete.  I'm sure as soon as I left, she slept for hours!  I had a great time, and couldn't have asked for a better newborn and family to spend my Sunday morning with.  After all, I got to practice patience and good things come to those who wait.

Bubbles

Last Wednesday evening, a good friend of mine brought me a bottle of bubbles.  As she handed it to me, she told me that one of her preschool students had brought it to school and instructed her to give it to someone whom she loved.  Despite the obvious age limit marked on the bottle and the princess wands that came with it, I was touched. 

I took my bubbles home that night and looked at them, chuckling...considering which neighborhood child I would regift them to.  When I got home on Thursday afternoon it was beautiful outside - a perfect day for pictures.  I grabbed my camera bag and headed out in search of adventure.  After snapping a few photos, my battery light began to blink and my adventure was over as quickly as it had begun.  On my way home I remembered my bubbles...I started to wonder how the sunlight would play against the iridescent spheres. 

While my battery charged, I poured a thick puddle of liquid soap into the small pink tray.  A new adventure then ensued.  I carefully selected an intricate castle shaped wand and gently blew into the air.  With each dip, a new shape, a new color, a new pattern, a new reflection.  Once my camera was thinly coated in soapy residue, I twisted the lid back on...feeling intrigued, imaginative, inspired.