Baby Portrait Session :: Baby N's 1st Year (3 months)

This precious little one was so much fun to be with and just spending a short time with her it was easy to sense the sweet spirit she has been blessed with. She is already holding 'conversations' and gives the cutest, cheeky smiles for anyone who wishes to pay attention. I love capturing the little kissable details of this age...the crease in her wrist, dimples in her hands, those tiny toes. Seems they are all gone far too soon. I also enjoyed getting know her mommy, Ong, and look forward to seeing them again for her 6-month session. I can't wait to see how much she has grown and changed!

She LOVES her crib mobile...every time it stopped she'd look away and
then kick when it came back on

Baby Portrait Session :: Celebrating Adoption III

Yesterday I met with Lyndell and Ben's wonderful family for a Celebrating Adoption session~ not only do they have five beautiful children, but they are on their way to becoming a family of eight in just a few months. Yes, that will make six children~ and six adoptions. They went from couple to instant family just a few short years ago with the placement and subsequent adoption of their oldest three children. The two youngest, now two and half years old, and 17 months, each came to them as infants. Just last week they received a call from an attorney in Florida for a baby due in November, which would make even the count of girls and boys. Lyndell shares this quote on which their family is based:
"If you've ever thought about adoption, there's only one person who would put that in your mind - the Father to the fatherless. Just having the idea indicates God's inviting you to something….God doesn't necessarily call everyone to adoption, but I believe everyone's invited to care for orphans and widows. I know from our experience that when we accept that invitation, God blesses it." ---Steven Curtis Chapman

I often feel I am blessed by the special people I get to meet through photographing and this family is no exception. I have to admit spending just a little time with them stirs thoughts of what children are out there right now who need a loving home. They aren't kids who care about what kind of cars we drive, how many toys or what size house... they simply need someone to call Mom and Dad, to love them through the good and bad times, and be part of something special~ a family.

Here are few images from yesterday's session~ the kids did great despite the chilly weather (and Lyndell did a great job with their clothes~ I loved the coordinating fall colors and the boys' vests):

If you know someone who has recently adopted a child, 
please have them contact me for more information on this special portrait session offer.

Senior Portrait Session :: Morgan

Before I had even met Morgan, a senior at Palmyra High School, I had scouted the location for her session and was really excited to find a patch of long, dried, practically dead grass~ I know, you're thinking this doesn't sound too exciting, but seriously I could envision the finished image of her standing there, playing her violin. At our pre-session meeting, my heart did a little leap when I saw her beautiful long hair and again when she brought out her homecoming dress~  there it was! the black dress...her gorgeous, long flowing hair... the sun setting just beyond the hill... it was bound the perfect combination.

Thankfully all the elements came together (including that sunset) and this vision literally came true. Certainly I am not the first one to create an image like the one below, but it is a first for me! This is one of the reasons I absolutely LOVE what I do and working with seniors has been so unbelievably fun...to create a unique piece of art, an image that truly represents who they are right now and a glimpse of who they will be in the future.

Morgan plans to go to college to major in physical therapy and is thinking of starting at Lebanon Valley College, so it was the perfect backdrop for her session. I really enjoyed getting to know her and her mom a little more and we had fun walking around the beautiful campus garden, which was a new addition since I attended LVC oh-so-many years ago. Best wishes for all you do, Morgan! Thanks for being so sweet and patient.