Lately I’ve been working mostly with families with boys. It’s made me realize that if I ever were to have a son, there would be whole new learning curve to endure, but also a lot of fun to be had. This guy was quite the charmer. Did not need a second to warm up. In fact, he was less than thrilled when Mom and Dad wanted to get in on his shots.

Love this father-son moment. I must say that it’s not uncommon for dads to be the most reluctant member of the family when it comes to picture time. It’s amazing how the kids relax when Dad lets his guard down. And I guarantee that Mom will be so happy to get this shot.

He took the old “watch closely and my big lens will wink at you” trick very seriously.

What a cutie.

This family with two little boys gave me a workout! Good thing it was a little cooler than usual on this Atlanta morning. I did work up a bit of a sweat, but this is what it’s all about for me. Kids being kids, and families doing their thing.

I was excited to hear that the boys’ grandparents would be in town for their session. I absolutely love it when I get to work with multiple generations of family.

When you give someone the gift of a portrait session you are

…giving them an opportunity to record, preserve, and CELEBRATE themselves and their families.

…giving a gift that they will have and cherish for years to come.

…giving them the experience of a photo session where they get to be themselves and then see how beautiful that really is.

Gift Certificates can be purchased in any denomination and can be sent either to you or directly to the recipient.

This is also something you could register for if you are expecting a baby.

Contact me to register or purchase a gift certificate today!

I love my job. I love getting to spend time with families spending time with each other. The B family was so sweet. It’s always even better when dads (in this case, aka JB2) are willing participants as this dad was.  And JB3 (see his shirt)? He didn’t even need a second to warm up. He had his own shots, even wardrobe changes, planned before I arrived!

Everything about this family – the way they spoke to each other, the way they cuddled and played, and the way they looked at each other was so warm and comfortable.

Thanks, guys, for letting me in on your Sunday morning. I really enjoyed getting to know you a little. I’m excited to hear what the next week brings for you!

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

JACKSONVILLE – Just a few slots left for Holiday Mini Sessions! See Investment page for details.

If the image above looks familiar, it might be because you saw it here. Mom wasn’t kidding when she told me that really captured her son the first time around! This time we were on the beach and at their home in Fort Lauderdale.

Baby M is not saying much with words yet, but those eyes are definitely talking.

And they could be saying, “have you heard I’m going to be a big sister?! I’m not sure what to think about that yet.”

Congrats to the whole W family! Thank you for being such generous hosts and friends to me and my girls. Next time, really, we have to get A in there…along with the new baby!

I have too many favorites of these guys to post here. Check out the JMP Facebook page to see more!

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

JACKSONVILLE – Just a few slots left for Holiday Mini Sessions! See Investment page for details.

I met the M family on a recent muggy morning when we got together to do a quick mini shoot at their new home.

I love this series of father and son.

But don’t forget baby sis.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

JACKSONVILLE – Just a few slots left for Holiday Mini Sessions! See Investment page for details.

Because I try to be all about being real when it comes to life, photography and especially parenthood, I had to share these 11 steps. I got them from my friend Jennie who I met at Me Ra’s workshop and who happens to be an amazing person, mom and photographer herself.

I have my hands full for the next several days, so probably won’t be posting much…have a great weekend!

11 Step Program for People Who Want Kids

________________________________________
Thinking of Having Kids? Do this 11 step program first!

Lesson 1

1. Go to the grocery store.
2. Arrange to have your salary paid directly to their head office.
3. Go home.
4. Pick up the paper.
5. Read it for the last time.

Lesson 2 ~ Before you finally go ahead and have children, find a couple who already are parents and berate them about their…

1. Methods of discipline.
2. Lack of patience.
3. Appallingly low tolerance levels.
4. Allowing their children to run wild.
5. Suggest ways in which they might improve their child’s breastfeeding, sleep habits, toilet training, table manners, an d overall behavior.
Enjoy it because it will be the
last time in your life you will have all the answers.

Lesson 3 ~ A really good way to discover how the nights might feel…

1. Get home from work and immediately begin walking around the living room from 5PM to 10PM carrying a wet bag weighing approximately 8-12 pounds, with a radio turned to static (or some other obnoxious sound) playing loudly. (Eat cold food with one hand for dinner)
2. At 10PM, put the bag gently down, set the alarm for midnight, and go to sleep.
3. Get up at 12 and walk around the living room again, with the bag, until 1AM.
4. Set the alarm for 3AM.
5. As you can’t get back to sleep, get up at 2AM and make a drink and watch an infomercial.
6. Go to bed at 2:45AM.
7. Get up at 3AM when the alarm goes off.
8. Sing songs quietly in the dark until 4AM.
9. Get up. Make breakfast. Get ready for work and go to work (work hard and
be productive)
Repeat steps 1-9 each night. Keep this up for 3-5 years. Look cheerful and together.

Lesson 4 ~ Can you stand the mess children make? To find out…

1. Smear peanut butter onto the sofa and jam onto the curtains.
2. Hide a piece of raw chicken behind the stereo and leave it there all summer.
3. Stick your fingers in the flower bed.
4. Then rub them on the clean walls.
5. Take your favorite book, photo album, etc. Wreck it.
6. Spill milk on your new pillows. Cover the stains with crayons. How does that look?

Lesson 5 ~ Dressing small children is not as easy as it seems.

1. Buy an octopus and a small bag made out of loose mesh..
2. Attempt to put the octopus into the bag so that none of the arms hang out.
Time allowed for this – all morning.

Lesson 6 ~ Forget the BMW and buy a mini-van. And don’t think that you can leave it out in the driveway spotless and shining. Family cars don’t look like that.

1. Buy a chocolate ice cream cone and put it in the glove compartment. Leave it there.
2. Get a dime. Stick it in the CD player.
3. Take a family size package of chocolate cookies. Mash them into the back seat. Sprinkle cheerios all over the floor, then smash them with your foot.
4. Run a garden rake along both sides of the car.

Lesson 7

Go to the local grocery store. Take with you the closest thing you can find to a pre-school child. (A full-grown goat is an excellent choice). If you intend to have more than one child, then definitely take more than one goat. Buy your week’s groceries without letting the goats out of your sight. Pay for everything the goat eats or destroys. Until you can easily accomplish this, do not even contemplate having children.

Lesson 8

1. Hollow out a melon.
2. Make a small hole in the side.
3. Suspend it from the ceiling and swing it from side to side.
4. Now get a bowl of soggy Cheerios and attempt to spoon them into the swaying melon by pretending to be an airplane.
5. Continue until half the Cheerios are gone.
6. Tip half into your lap. The other half, just throw up in the air.
You are now ready to feed a nine- month-old baby.

Lesson 9

Learn the names of every character from Sesame Street , Barney, Disney, the Tele tubbies, and Pokemon. Watch nothing else on TV but PBS, the Disney channel or Noggin for at least five years. (I know, you’re thinking What’s ‘Noggin’?) Exactly the point.

Lesson 10

Make a recording of Fran Drescher saying ‘mommy’ repeatedly. (Important: no more than a four second delay between each ‘mommy’; occasional crescendo to the
level of a supersonic jet is required). Play this tape in your car everywhere you go for the next four years.. You are now ready to take a long trip with a toddler.

Lesson 11

Start talking to an adult of your choice. Have someone else continually tug on your skirt hem, shirt- sleeve, or elbow while playing the ‘mommy’ tape made from Lesson 10 above. You are now ready to have a conversation with an adult while there is a child in the room.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

BOOK NOW for Holiday Mini Sessions! See Investment page for details.

A few slots left for  Fort Lauderdale and Atlanta families! Contact me at jenmen@gmail.com

I am booking now for Saturday, October 17. This is the only day that I have free in Atlanta prior to the holidays, so book NOW and don’t wait until the last minute!

See the investment page for options, including Mini Holiday Sessions. Another great option is to get some friends or extended family together and split the session up. This is also a fun way to get pictures of grown-up siblings, cousins, best buddies, etc, which also make wonderful presents. I’m always willing to work out custom packages. Contact me to come up with something that works for you.

I know these pictures aren’t exactly relevant to the post, but I can’t post without photos and I just happen to love these random ones from last week…

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

BOOK NOW for Holiday Mini Sessions! See Investment page for details.

A few spaces still available for the Fort Lauderdale families! Contact me at jenmen@gmail.com

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!

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.

Next Page »