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!

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!

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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.

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

I am honored to be invited into the homes and lives of amazing families through my job. The H family has so much going on, but it is clear that family is their priority. They have three boys. One in utero, one with special needs, and one with a brand new puppy. As if that wouldn’t be enough to keep you busy, they are in the midst of a MAJOR home renovation. So major that when I arrived I wasn’t sure where the front door was!

You know what’s important to them when the first things to be done at their house are the playroom, pool and outdoor play area. They even have their own ball pit!

Unfortunately, our shoot got cut short by a health scare that was both terrifying yet normal to them. Full plate, I told you. I can’t even imagine. Still, in the short time I got to spend with them, it was clear that this family is full of love and optimism despite their challenges.

K and M, good luck with the weeks ahead. I hope to get to pick up where we left off, next time with the new baby in the new house!

It’s been such a busy few weeks that I’ve not posted as much as I would have liked. These are from a mini session on the beach that I did recently near Fort Lauderdale. This shoot was late in the morning and it was HOT! We had to hide out under the pier to have any hope of finding shade. Miss E is beautiful, but wasn’t too keen on getting her picture taken by me! Thankfully, Daddy helped me bring out her smile.

So serious…

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

ATLANTA – One Day Only – Saturday, October 17 – until 2010! 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!

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.

This recent shoot was abbreviated by a sudden burst of rain, but we will pick up with this South Florida family in a couple of months (long story, but they happened to be in ATL the same week that I was)! Stay tuned to find out exactly when I’ll be heading south (for a change) to the Fort Lauderdale area and will be available for family, kids, or couple sessions.

We met up at one of the most pristine public playgrounds I’ve ever been to, John Howell, in Atlanta. But boys will be boys, and Z managed to find the little bit of dirt and sand there was to be enjoyed. He was so much more into that than any of the fancy playground equipment!

This is exactly what I mean about wanting to capture kids being themselves and not performing for the camera! Mom, T, said something to the effect of, “if you want to get a true picture of my son, this would be it!”

He may be the big brother, but there is still a lot of baby boy in him.  I love this swipe at an itchy nose.

And baby M…what a doll! There’s a lot going on in those eyes.

7 months and already more than a handful!

She loves her mama…and the camera, too!

Sorry you got soaked…can’t wait to come see you guys!

Having young kids at home this summer means that when it comes to my blog, it’s a late night choice between posting and sleep. As you can see by the paucity of posts lately, sleep has been winning. That is, until the last week when a summer cold struck each of us, one by one. I used to live by the mantra that I would sleep when I am old or dead (whichever comes first)…but now that I’m a parent and no longer have the luxury of catching up on sleep on the weekends, I’m starting to see the wisdom in relying on actual rest, rather than caffeine, to get me through the week. I’m turning over a new leaf. I am officially a fan of sleep. I should add it to my facebook page. Which leads me to another tangent: have you noticed the random and extremely vague things people claim to be fans of?

Not that I’m giving up on my blog, just that I’m slowing it down until the fall when I can actually work on it during daylight hours. In the meantime, here are some pictures from our summer so far.

These last few are by T (aka Mr. Future Second Shooter?), as I was giving CM a haircut.

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