Mother's Day is May 13th!! Don't screw it up THIS YEAR!!

I'm a mom, and I have two of them, and let me tell you, moms love to look at beautiful pictures of themselves and their babies, even when they aren't babies anymore. It's 2018! We give mom what she wants! And we show her how beautiful her love is and what it means to us that she keeps showing up to love us.

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For all the late nights, middle of the nights and early mornings.
For all the kissed booboos and broken hearts.
For the times she stood up for you even when you weren't totally right.
For the times she just sat there quietly when she needed you.

But mostly for the everyday, very mundane, repetitive mommy motions that she performs with beauty and grace even if her hair is in a bun and she hasn't gotten out of yoga pants in 4 days. Mother hood is a journey built on ideals and hopes and dreams and then comes crashing in as the hardest job she will ever show up for. 

But I am gonna help her see how beautiful all of this is. Then on nights when her deadlines are looming, her email is stacked, the baby is crying and the laundry is looking more and more like it's begging for a raging dumpster fire, she will be able to look at these images and feel SERENE ABOUT HER LIFE CHOICES.

$99 MAMA MINIS

She gets 30 minutes at Studio Be and access to the glorious studio wardrobe.
Sitting with her loved ones in whatever combination she chooses.
Choice of 3 images from gallery to download, share and print.
1 beautiful 8X10
(In time for Mother's Day if session scheduled, shot and selected by April 30, 2018.)



Let's face it. Motherhood is hard. Every day should be mother's day but actually days, weeks, HOW LONG GOES BY that we don't even thank her for what she is doing for us, and what she isn't doing for herself because she doesn't have time for it?

I am not saying that this special is going to CHANGE HER LIFE, so you might want to take her to brunch, too.

This baby is having brunch on her mom's FACE. Take her to brunch without the baby.

This baby is having brunch on her mom's FACE. 
Take her to brunch without the baby.

Oh, and here is one more thing. 

I know there is a mama out there who really needs this.
So comment here, or go to this post on my facebook page and nominate a mama that could really use this, and my kids will pick a winner on April 25th.

Your mama loves you. More than I do.

Get her this special because if I tell her about it and you missed out then she might stop making you eggs in the morning.

YOU CAN PURCHASE IT RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW.

Daytona Flash Wedding - Elope in Daytona Beach Shores

So I have a little thing I do on the side with a lovely friend of mine who is a local pastor/notary/wedding planner that is SUCH A GUILTY PLEASURE.

We take perfectly wedding-able couples and we ditch all the extra anything. 95% of brides at some point turn to me and say, "We should have eloped."

Every bride/family/wedding is different, so it's always for so many different reasons, and this is why I LOVE ELOPEMENTS. No tangled webs, no extra people to accomodate, and the easiest breeziest brides and grooms ever.

daytona flash wedding

So whether I meet you at a hotel or the wedding site, I do love getting small details and a couple "getting ready" shots. I mean just because it isn't a BIG wedding doesn't mean it isn't a BIG DEAL. Because it IS a BIG DEAL. And I am super excited for you!

I call it a FLASH WEDDING because we just show up and get married, wherever you'd like. We get in there and vow up, pose and leave before anyone even asks us to. All the fun, the dress, the make up, the flowers, the officiant, the only thing you need to bring is your Florida Marriage License, so we can get you all OFFICIAL.

daytona beach shores elope

Lynn is amazing and she will serve up whatever kind of service you would like. Want it short and sweet? She's got you. Want to write your own vows? Perfect. Whatever you have in mind, your wedding words will be crafted to fit your personality and wedding vibe.

You get to kiss the bride. 

daytona beach shores wedding

And then we take off to a gorgeous spot and I encourage y'all to hold hands and make out and give me sexy faces and funny faces. I will request that you dance, and spin her. I will ask you to grab her close and tell her about the time you were most proud of her. I will ask you to tell him your favorite future of your life together. I will ask you to fall together giggling and flirting. I will tell her to look up at you and bite her lip and bat her eyelashes.

And right when you tell me "I can't really do this I don't know what I am doing!" I will assure you that you already have, and to keep doing exactly what you are doing.

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We will adventure. We will explore different canvasses and backdrops for your gorgeous love.

We will take a moment to chill.
I mean, y'all just got married! Let's talk about THAT for a minute.

ponce inlet couples photographer
ponce inlet florida engagement photographer

We will play and dance and walk some more.
You will make her laugh.

YOU will make him smile.

I'll ask you both to whisper secrets. To dream together.

ponce inlet love photography

And when it is all said and done (about an hour and half for the whole thing) we will be exhausted. We will hug our goodbyes and you will drive off into the sunset.

daytona beach elope

And I will go home and download your images and fall in love with your love story all over again.

daytona beach shores wedding photographer

A Baby Baptism Party - Apopka, Florida

I was super excited to attend and photograph this little one's baptism in Orlando last month. His parents were actually one of my first weddings, and it had been years since I had seen or photographed them, though we kept in touch on Facebook.

I had been wanting to get my hands on this little guy for sometime, to say the least.

florida baptism photographer

This was my first baptism session, and it was absolutely lovely and so touching. It was a private event and therefore I was able to move and photograph freely during the ceremony, capturing all the sweetness and this beautiful light.

This handsome guy.
He has the sweetest little face.

orlando florida baptism event photographer

Baptism Day is a huge day for a baby.
So much family and so much party.
So much celebrating of life.

After the ceremony we headed back to the house for a family party and pictures with every grandparent, auntie, uncle, cousin and family friend.

baptism photography

And of course my session wouldn't be complete without a little getaway with mom and dad.
We sneaked a couple of quiet minutes in the living room for some cuddly family goodness.

orlando baby photographer

I am so in love with their little family.
Only thing missing is their gorgeous dog.

apopka florida family photographer

So I guess I will have to go back. 
Because family isn't complete without puppers!

Triple Threat - Daytona Beach Baby Photographer - Triplets

I once had a dog and if you threw 3 balls, he would try to fit all 3 in his mouth.
That's how these three little people make me feel!

Here is a session that is proof that the best part of a session are the outtakes!
(SPOILER Lifestyle Photography IS basically outtakes.)

this is real life :)

this is real life :)

I can't really begin to quantify my job as a photographer, because it is so fun and awesome, yet also it isn't as easy as I make it seem! I have 1 hour to try and reveal the souls and connection between how ever many people I have in front of my camera and so often, I will encounter a subject or two who may even have been brought to the session against their will!

But this is how my job is wonderfully easy:

Life is beautiful.
Life is magical.
Life is REAL.
As long as I keep snapping up
little bits and pieces of REAL life,
I will capture a magic that only truly yours.
 

It's so hard to make all three of them happy at the same time! I can't imagine what these adorable parents have been going through, but watching them just love on these babies and let them be themselves and soak in the moments was such an amazing process.

And mom had the best attitude. "Everybody loves the ones where they are crying!"
GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT. :)

Life so real I can't even handle the cuteness!

Life so real I can't even handle the cuteness!

Oh, NOW YOU'RE HAPPY. :P

Things I learned about tiny adorable gangs:
They do what they want.
They go where they want.
They eat cheerios.

After a little warming up, all 3 are almost happy. :)

identical triplets - daytona beach family photographer

The one in the middle KNOWS.

identical triplets - ormond beach family photographer

Finally the right mixture of cheerios, fan wind and me acting a fool. 

I MEAN COME ONNNNNNNN.
How are they supposed to deals with this manner of cuteness all day and night?

port orange baby photographer

You have no idea the amount of weird noises and exaggerated motions it takes to keep these three anywhere near THE ZONE. Of course with this level of content we had to try and throw the parents back into the mix!

Cutest family ever!

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Each one of them is adorable in a similar but totally unique way.
But my favorite part is getting to know their little personalities as they grow.

And there ya have it.
To sum up: Somebody is hogging up all the babies.
I think it might be ME!

Daytona Beach Shores - Family Beach Sessions

I absolutely love all 3 of these people.
But this little girl truly has my heart, because she looks so much like my baby sister.

daytona beach shores florida family photographer

I have 2 younger sisters, and 2 daughters, so I am a sucker for little girls.
They have the best hair.
And twirls.
And dreams.
And stories.

I get so inspired just sitting down and listening as they go on and on about what's in their brains. The things they think about. The ways they express themselves.

The way they are so honest for a camera.

The ways they love to play.
I just love that their hearts are so big and so free.

daytona beach florida family photography

Family.

SPOILER ALERT: These hearts are so full of love.

ormond beach florida family photographer

the edge of adulthood

When I look back at my senior pictures,
they don't look anything like this....

A lovely young lady on a lovely afternoon in Ponce Inlet, Florida.

glamour portraits
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Mommy loves you more than she can ever say.

So many times I try to recreate the moments I feel have passed me by.

Moments as a mother to young children, especially.

I long to have these photos of myself to calm my heart when life seems too rushed.

When they are growing up too fast.

I don't have a lot of pictures of me with my children.

I am the one who documents all the things in our lives.

I am the one not in the images of their childhood. 

I am the one behind the camera, tears falling as I scramble to capture the moments I can see flying into the past.

When I have the opportunity to capture this sweet fleeting moment of pure love, the world. just. stops.
There is nothing else.

There is only this.

This is what I want for you. 

To capture the sweet moments you want to hold on to.

To immortalize your sweet selfless love.

A Princess kind of day

(Port Orange, FL} Wedding Photographer

Your big day goes by so fast.

That's why I appreciate a good bridal session to do a nice trial run of the details in a BIG PICTURE kind of way. 

I love these.
Sparkles and red shoes.
A girl's BFF!

Going to the chapel and we're...

...gonna get married.

And she will be his beacon of light. On his darkest days.

And she will wait for him. And she will run to him.

And they will be a safe harbor for each other.

{Ponce Inlet, FL} Maternity Lifestyle Photographer

Each pregnancy is different.
Maternity photos should show the essence of the woman you are, the journey you are taking, the beautiful creation you are nurturing with every fiber of your being.

This pretty mama was such a joy to work with.
I can't wait to meet her little one.

Ponce Inlet is for Families

Who knew I would have 2 (2!) former classmates come visit me during the same week.

Seriously, I used to ride the bus with this one, too!

I called it my "Magic School Bus Reunion" week of shooting...

This particular family is PARTICULARLY adorable as they one a handful of couples from my high school (Go SILVERHAWKS!) that were a couple IN HIGH SCHOOL. How deep is that love?

And how crazy when daughter walked around the back of the car when we first pulled up and looked JUST LIKE I remember her mother.

It kind of took my breath away.

I love what I do. 
Mostly because I love who I do it with.
Every. Time.

Fantasy Maternity Sesh

I am always up for something new.
But something about maternity photos seems, I don't know, forced sometimes?
Yet, THE BELLY.
IT MUST BE PHOTOGRAPHED.
 

But I wanted to get creative.
Freshen the session.

My model here is the adorable and talented Cat Runyan, who is an amazing photographer and I may be a little bit (ALOT!) smitten with this kitten.


When she pulled out this umbrella I thought I might cry.

I mean, how perfect is this bump?

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Blast from the Past

Funny, it seems SO LONG ago that she had long hair. 
(She cut it herself when she was 3.)
So since this photo is from October 2011, she isn't even 2.5 yet here.)

Oh my heart.
::sigh::
 

They grow up so fast.
And I am so grateful for the pictures like these.
To remind me of lost moments. Replaced moments. Too busy to slow down and enjoy moments.
 

Don't let your moments slip by.
Document. Document. Document.

Your life is a story you should be able to pick up and flip through.
There are so many ways to share your life with those you love.

Take pictures.

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Grandma's Birthday -

This lovely family gathered in Florida for Grandmother's birthday.
I won't tell you her age, but I can promise she doesn't look it!

It was the 10 year old granddaughter's suggestion that they dance...brilliant!

These 2 could jitterbug like they were 17 again...

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