I’m thinking about one more working trip to the ATL this fall, possibly in mid October. This would be just in time to get pictures for the holidays! If any of you out there are interested, please leave a comment, or email/call/facebook me so I can gauge the interest level and work on setting dates.

As with the upcoming Fort Lauderdale trip, I’ll throw in some extras to my basic packages. If those don’t work for you, contact me and we’ll come up with something that does, including splitting sessions with friends if that is more convenient for you.

Speaking of facebook, I created a fan page. I’ll use that to share more albums, events and other tidbits. Check it out and “become a fan”!

She sings, she dances, she’s bilingual, she’s charming, and she’s a SURVIVOR. I could eat her up.

Not to mention the glasses!

Miss R is a Patrons of the Hearts beneficiary, and the newest member of an amazing family. If you are not familiar with POTH, check them out. It is truly an admirable organization.

Three out of four members of our household have headed back to school this week. VC is in the baby program for a couple of days at the same school where CM is in preschool. And even T is getting in on it with grad school on the occasional weekend. Their first days came consecutively, starting Wednesday. Today everyone is out of the house and I’m off to work. Life moves so fast. I can’t believe it.

I really enjoyed this recent shoot for a number of reasons. First, that it was an opportunity to catch up with an old friend I went to school with (gotta love facebook). She was as genuine and easy to be around as I remembered her, as is the rest of her family, which was great to see.

Second,  was that I got to capture an amazing moment. Little Miss A took her first “official” step right in front of my camera! To get that, and mom’s reaction, was awesome.

Another cool thing, we went to a park that sits in front of the house that J’s grandmother lived in when he was growing up. He has a lot of memories of the house and park. I love that they picked a location not just because it was pretty but because it meant something to them.

I like the tear and smile in that last one. The line between crying and laughing is so thin with children.

And last, but NOT least, that hair!

Remember this sweet baby? Five months have passed since I last saw her, and I was amazed at how much she’s grown and changed. I couldn’t believe how much more she looks like her mom now!

With her proud big brother!

It could be a pool, a puddle, the tub, a creek, or the ocean. My girls just love being in and near the water. Well, CM has gone from being terrified to loving it now that she has learned to swim. VC already can’t get enough of it.

I love Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty. Their “Evolution” video, in particular, speaks so loudly and clearly to the fact that so much of what is presented to us as beautiful is doctored, manipulated, photoshopped…

I try so hard to keep this in mind when I am shooting, editing and post-processing my photographs. Not to mention in my life in general, when I’m judging myself and others, or trying to live up to expectations (sometimes I don’t even know whose). That beautiful doesn’t necessarily mean flawless, or vice versa.

I wish I could embed the video here, but it’s either not possible or I’m just not savvy enough to figure it out. Do follow the link and check out the video. It’s worth 2 clicks and one minute, fourteen seconds of your time.

“Evolution”

The pic above is one of me that T took recently. It’s one that on my first look, I say, “ooh, I hate this or don’t like that.” But if I take away those filters that tell me what I’m supposed to look like, then I can appreciate myself, the picture, the moment it captured for what they are. Beautiful and real. The sun spots on my cheeks show that A) I didn’t touch it up, and B) even brown people get freckles and should wear sunblock!