Family Portraits {2011}
“Other things may change, but we begin and end with FAMILY”.
I love the break winter gives my business. True, it’s a self-appointed break (due to lack of enjoying cold temperatures and freezing subjects), but it’s a break all the same, and I love it! A time to recharge, organize the previous years computer files, design wedding albums, and plan for the coming years events.
This morning I was going through some files of family photos and decided to post a few of my sessions from last summer. I don’t usually post family pictures before Christmas (so as not to spoil the whole ‘sending out of the family Christmas picture’), but now that that’s past, here’s a peek into some of the fun families I was privileged to work with last year.
Oh for summer and the vivid colors and warm sunshine again!
If you can’t tell, I’m having a square photo fetish right now. Ah, love them!
And I can’t resist one of my parents…just because their cute and I like them. 
Treasure your family today, and make memories that will last a lifetime!
Dave & Sonia::family
What a fun evening with a sweet family! Sonia wanted family pictures and also some 1 year old pictures of Bryant. They turned out to be my favorite from the evening.
What a handsome little guy!
and might I add a busy guy too?!
even busy little guys can’t resist some love from mommy!
The whole family
Michael- the big brother and lover of his raft!
Sweet little Shayni
Such a cutie!
Dave & Sonia, thanks for letting me capture this precious time in your family!
Happy Wednesday!
Dave & Darlene::family
Every stage in a family is fun in its own way, and I love celebrating the different stages of a family through photos. This sweet family was no exception. Kids have lots of energy- so much so that its a challenge to capture sometimes 
but so fun at the same time!
Photogentic and all smiles- I love it!
This little sweet pea was just too cute!
A handsome couple…
…and equally charming kids.
Thanks for the opportunity to document this time in the life of your family- it was a fun (and entertaining ) evening!
Just a reminder to any of you families who would still like to have your pictures taken this fall- deadline for family sessions is Oct. 30th, and availability is very limited!.
Happy Tuesday!
Aden & Wilma::family
A fun little shoot with this lovely family!
You can’t help but have fun with photogenic people like this- and for some reason they didn’t believe me when I told them they look great!
Andrea and Hadassah
Yep, they’re looking very good!
::Totallyrandom::
I love vacation so much!! The ‘shooting part’ of photography is done for this year, and I’m enjoying the break from staring at this dear screen for days on end! There’s a lot of organizing, filing, and general clean up and maintenance that needs to happen now, and it’s fun to work on all those random projects. As I was going through files of pictures today, I realized how very many sessions will never get to my blog. Time doesn’t allow it. So I pulled out a bunch of random pictures and am going to post one more post of random pictures before I call it done for the year (unless I find something else that just HAS to be blogged!)
Every session has a unique twist all of its own, and I love that so much! No two people are the same; hence, no two sessions will be the same either! (profound, aye?)
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—oh yes, and did I mention there’s a wedding post coming yet??
::Just a peek::
Get ready for a random post, featuring a few of the wonderful people I’d had the privilege of working with this fall!
To put it shortly, I don’t have time to post pictures from every session I do.
A peek into a few of them is better than none at all, right? That’s what I thought too.
If there’s a particular session you would like to see more from (or one that you would like to see that I haven’t posted at all), just say so, and I’ll post more from that session.
Jesse & Bessie- a totally sweet, and fun couple (not to mention photogenic)!
The Zook Family- cousins, friends, and a cool family- need I say more?
Drew & Kathryn…love these kid’s fun-loving attitudes!
Cody & Wanita- a dear friend from way back! Looking forward to your wedding, Win!
The Smuckers- finally shot at a location I’ve had in mind for a long time…and with a super fun and cute family at that!
So that was your peek into my photography life lately.
I love my clients- they come in all stripes (literally sometimes 
) and bless my life!
A beautiful wedding coming up next…stay tuned in!
Happy Thanksgiving weeknd to all of you!
::Candid Hour::
Candid hour with the kids!! …good times with a fun family!
this family is always so fun to work with!
the twins…can’t believe they are 2 yrs. old already!
sweet little Gabby
gotta love the expression!
Daddy’s little boys
G.r.e.e.n.e.s.s.
a cute little family.
fun colors.
a unique location.
gotta love it!
I could’ve shot in this patch of weeds for a long time!…
…and the brick sidewalk…
…and the leaves…
…happy hour, to say the least!
Just.kids.
So many shoots…so many pictures…so little time to blog…
Here’s a few from a kid’s session I did a few weeks ago…
I love this little guy- his expressions are priceless!
Color…
…or B/W?
Loved this red wall.
Gotta love when this kind of stuff comes straight out of your camera- makes me smile.
Elvin & Lena
Family sessions are keeping me very busy right now! I’m having a lot of fun meeting and working with so many different families…it’s confirmed in my mind once again that no two families are the same! :)
I’m not going to be posting all of family sessions I do, but I’ll try to at least put a few of them up.
The Stoltzfus Family- they were the best; classy, photogenic, and they brought their sweet couch too!
Here’s one of my favorites from the evening- loved these kids and their expressions!
Totally loved this little guy!
Just a reminder: October 31st is my deadline for family sessions this fall!!
Stoltzfus Family
Before you get worked up and wonder what that last post was about- that wedding is coming- I promise! I just didn’t say when.
In the mean time…a few pictures from a fun family session I had a few weeks ago.
Portraits are so much fun! I love having more of them to do again this fall!
Family Times
New pictures, comin’ right up!
Here’s a few from a family shoot I did a few weeks ago…Raymond and Naomi (and Jana n ‘Rida, of course ) were like my second family when I was in Asia this winter, so I felt very priviledged to meet the rest of their family and spend a bit of time with them during their photo session.
what do you want to see next- a wedding or choir shoot?? Majority rules!
Troyer Family
…a few pictures from a quick family shoot after a wedding in June.
Good times and many great memories made with these people!
Note: If you are interested in having your family pictures taken for Christmas this year, please schedule a date for that a.s.a.p! My deadline for shooting family pictures is October 30th. I will not be doing family pictures in November and December this year!
Jay & Martha Smoker
This is a family session I had about a month ago…it was still cold, but we tried to pretend it wasn’t!
The kids did really well, all things considered, but I still think a summer shoot sounds much more appealing than these ‘frosty aired’ days!
The Kraybills
Yep, I think the cold weather has set in for good. 
Indoor sessions, here we come!
A few weeks ago I had the priviledge of meeting, and working with the Kraybill family.
The whole family was together, even the ones who are currently working in Africa, so it was a treat for them to all be together again for a short period of time.
Nevin & Barbara and family, thank you for allowing me to work with ya’ll!
It was a pleasure to meet each one of you!
sadly enough…
…I think outdoor family pictures have officially come to an end for this season- at least for me anyway! I will gladly schedule your family for a photo session next summer sometime, but I think we’d all agree, it’s plain too cold for outdoor sessions anymore (unless we’d all move south?!). Indoor sessions are always an ulternative tho.
I could not have ask for a nicer family to have a final outdoor session with!
Here’s a few of my favorites…
It’s always interesting and insightful to watch parents interact with their children during a photo session, and I was so impressed with this couple! I loved the way they treated each other and their children.
Kimberly- she had the most beautiful and continuous smile!
Omar & Naomi- it was a pleasure working with ya’ll!
Blessings to you as you continue to raise and love your dear family!
Feedback please:
I have more family sessions that I haven’t posted yet…to post, or not to post?
Elemental Shoot #3
The 3rd and final ‘elemental shoot’!
This session was probably the fastest one I ever did (due to the unfavorable temperatures), and was accompanied by a steady cold wind and a hint of snow flurries in the air!
Huyard family- thanks ya’ll for being great sports and for cooperating so well even in spite of the nasty weather! You can remember this photo session as the one where you nearly froze, but you weren’t allowed to show it! Was fun working with ya’ll!
Elemental Shoot #2
I suppose in all honesty, this photo session doesn’t qualify as being an “elemental shoot”, seeing as we had pleasant temperatures and sunshine for the entire hour-long session. But seeing as it rained most of the morning, and poured again almost as soon as we were done shooting (I guess it had to, to fulfill the 90% chance of rain that was predicted for that day), qualifies it as an elemental shoot in my eyes!
Now for a few pictures of this lovely family.
One of my favorites.
Another favorite.
Gotta love Logan’s eyebrow!
Vince & Lydia, was so much fun trapsing around Lancaster with ya’ll!
Blessings to you and your family, I feel priviledged to know you guys!
Oh yes, thanks Mike, for diligently shaking that rattle!
You proved yourself a very helpful assistant!
Elemental Shoot #1
You might wonder what my title means- well, try mixing the unpredictable November elements with outdoor photo sessions, and I think you get the picture (no pun intended)! I think this is the part where I need to get a studio up and running. But until then…
I had 3 family sessions this past weeknd, with the weather adding an interesting twist to each one…
Merv & Carol were the first family, and inspite of the drizzle and chilly temperatures, they were amazing and we had a fun time together!
Thanks, ya’ll for being such good sports and cooperating so well!
Was a pleasure to work with your family- always have fun with your kids!
note: more “elemental shoots” to come after the weeknd.
Gotta love ‘em
I feel so blessed to be a part of this wonderful and entertaining family!
Aren’t my Grandparents just the cutest couple around? I know I’m not biased either. They are some of the sweetest people on the earth and I love them both dearly!
More Autumn Fun!
3 Cheers to wonderful relatives and a beautiful family!
Larry & Kayla
“The Guys”
Larry & Lorene
I love this picture! I also love how that you can’t see what was happening a few seconds before or after! 
Kayla dear! She fell in love with my stool for some reason, and was on it every chance she could get!
One more of the happy couple. Thanks for all the laughs, you guys, was quite the hilarous shoot, I must say!
And one more of the handsome Petersheim family! Love ya’ll!
Autumn Fun
…and now I would like you to meet the rest of this charming family, who means alot to me. I had so much fun with Kevin and Joyce on Saturday. It had been almost a year since I saw them, and their kids have grown up so much since then! Add that to a beautiful autumn afternoon, and let the fun begin!
These little guys are way too precious! Gotta love the little grin.
I love watching Joyce interact with her children. She makes life so much fun for them!
Wyatt just started walking, and he looks pretty pleased with himself too!
Kevin and the boys. Quite the good-looking bunch, if you ask me!
Yep, I just had to sneak in one more picture of Gabby dear!
Lance- an awesome big brother, I must say! The twins love him.
With these parents, can the kids help but be good-looking?
One more family shot.
These sweet little boys stole a piece of my heart last summer when I lived with Kevin & Joyce for 2 months.
I had the priviledge of being with the twins for the first 6 weeks of their lives, and they will always be close to my heart.
I would also like to give credit to my dear friend Mari Jean for designing my watermark for me! She does some amazing stuff- check out her work here. Thanks again, Mari Jean! Your da bomb!
The Lapp Family
Family sessions are in full swing right now, but, unfortunately, are kind of slow in reaching my blog.
I had a quick shoot with Dave & Mary’s family on Sunday… here’s a few of them…
Little boys are so much fun and yet quite unpredictable!
I took some personals for Andrea, since the rest of the older children had gotten theirs done when I did the school pictures earlier this fall.
My family
Our family pictures are done! *sigh of relief* I dearly love my family, don’t get me wrong. Let’s just say that family pictures are alot of drama tho (no details)!
I’m glad they’re done and I can look at them on a screen now!
Here’s a few pictures for your enjoyment. Too bad you can’t see what’s happening, or hear what’s being said 1 sec. before the “click”! On second thought, it’s probably a good thing!
When it’s all said and done, I wouldn’t trade my family for any other and love them just the way
they are – drama and all!
