They love the camera - Quad Cities Childrens Photographer

Oh these girls...I love photographing them...and they LOVE getting photographed!

This is the third time I've had the pleasure of photographing them and they love it more and more each time...and so do I!  They are too of the most willing subjects I've ever had.  And when the session was over, they said, "awwww...already?!"  Love that.

Beautiful Katelyn has gotten so much more grown up since I met her the first time I photographed their family.  She didn't have glasses anymore and now is wearing contacts!

 

 

And Natalie came sporting a new, adorable pair of specs!  She wears them well!  And she has grown up SO MUCH since I photographed the little girl version of her for the first time not even 2 years ago!

 

 

And they seriously love each other...which makes my job easy!

 

Such fun sisters!

I love every minute I get to photograph these 2.  And the "outtakes" are hysterical too.  Oh my, when I let them loose to "work it" for the camera, they come up with some doozies for poses!  Love them!

Thanks girls for always being so fun to spend time with!

Madden turns 1 - Quad Cities Family Photographer

I had so much fun photographing the beautiful Dexter Family to commemorate Sweet Madden's 1st Birthday last week!  You just don't get much cuter than this!

I was welcomed by the Dexter Family to their home and the surrounding land to do the pictures.  And you can't tell by the pictures, but it was the HOTTEST day of the year!  The air conditioned house only a few steps away was a nice bonus!

And all 3 were just so photogenic!  I love capturing Daddy Love...

...and Mommy Love. :)

And I knew I was going to like the family as soon as they mentioned they would like pictures in their Hawkeye attire!  My kinda people for sure! :)

And then Brenda broke out the most adorable onesie ever created for a little boy!  Oh my...I need another baby boy JUST to put this onesie on him...

And what's a 1st birthday photo session without some cake smashing?!

Madden dug right in!

It's possible he liked the balloons better than the cake, but he still had his fill of cake...well, mostly frosting! :)

And despite the crazy hot weather, he did amazing...was so happy nearly the entire time!  What a gorgeous child he is and it's clear it runs in the family...

 

Great looking, great personality and lots of fun.  I'd say it's the perfect combination!

Thank you Dexter Family for allowing me to come to your home to capture these images for you.  It was so much fun!  And Happy Birthday, Madden!!!  You are one blessed little man to have such amazing parents!

In Love - Quad Cities Engagement Photographer

I love doing engagement sessions!  I love how I get genuine emotion in the images at an engagement session.  It's such an exciting time in the couple's life...they're starting the rest of their lives together.  It's such a happy time and you can always tell in the images!

Kayla and Matt were no exception.  They were so fun and easy to photograph and we were blessed with a beautiful evening to capture their love!

 

It wouldn't have mattered where we had taken their photographs, the love shines through.  However, the location WAS pretty fabulous!  We were allowed to photograph their session at a friend's property with a beautiful old barn.

 

 

 

Matt and Kayla were meant to meet and be together.  They come from 2 different parts of the country and were brought together for a reason.

And now they never have to be apart again.

It was such a blessing to meet you two!  I wish you all of the joy and love as you begin your lives together!  Many blessings to you Matt and Kayla!

A wonderful family! - Quad Cities Family Photographer

As a photographer, you are thrown into situations oftentimes that are uncomfortable initially.  I don't get uncomfortable very easily and so I suppose that is one of the reasons this line of work fits very well with my personality.  However, who wouldn't be a little nervous or uncomfortable going to a photo session in a place you've never photographed with a large group of people you've never met?  The good thing is that I did know one of the families in this amazing group of people.  I had photographed them a while back and knew that since they were related to the others in this clan, likely, it would be a fun evening.  I was right. :)  And we were in Bellevue, Iowa...BEAUTIFUL!

 

I believe you can just tell by looking at this image what a great group they are!

 

All the kids...on Grandpa's Edsel. :)

And these 2 were so much fun!  No wonder the entire group was so great...it all started with these two!

I took photographs of the entire group, the individual families, each couple and the kids as well.
It was the perfect evening for it and I had the perfect subjects! 

I can't look at this image without laughing!  This group was so fun...we laughed the entire time!

We went to a few locations, one of which was a restaurant that this family has owned for over 20 years.  They had never been photographed at their restaurant!  And it was such a beautiful place!  This group was so welcoming and even offered to feed me at their restaurant when our shoot was over!  Their restaurant is Spruce Harbor Inn.  Check it out!

What a good looking family!

And this group is the one who put this whole session together!  I met them over a year ago when I photographed their family for the first time.  They are just such kind and genuine people who I am blessed to have met.

And they are always fun to photograph!  I look forward to hopefully having the opportunity to photograph them more in the future!

These 2 brothers cooperated the whole time.  I might have laughed the whole time I photographed them!  They knew JUST what to do in front of the camera...naturals these 2. ;) 

And this photogenic group of siblings were so cooperative and sweet!  Lucas is verging on needing senior pictures, so I made him practice some traditional senior picture poses during our session. ;)  Ha.

And these 2 brothers always help me to get those candid shots I love.  Ryan (the youngest) is so funny and busy and reminds me so much of my oldest!  And Colin is just a go with the flow older brother...so willing to cooperate for pictures...that's not always easy to find in a boy his age!

So the nerves that come with photographing a new group in a new place?  They lasted about 3.2 seconds for me thanks to the warm welcome and kindness of this clan.  What an amazing group of people and what a pleasure it was to photograph each and every one of them!

 

 Thank you so much, Frank Family for making me feel so welcome and all being so cooperative and fun to work with!  You all made my job so fun and easy...and the Edsel and the beautiful property at Spruce Harbor Inn were such a wonderful bonus! :)

Cake Smash - Quad Cities Childrens Photographer

This beauty JUST turned 1!



I had the pleasure of photographing Stella to capture her at the ripe age of 1.
She was angelic the entire time!

And it couldn't have been a more beautiful night to capture this beautiful girl!

We couldn't do a 1 year photo shoot without smashing a cake!

She dug in immediately!  She preferred the frosting. :)

 

And then she got down to business...

 

Yum!

 

It is so fun that in this thing I call a "job", I get to be a part of so many peoples' special moments in life.  It's such an honor!  I had the pleasure of photographing Stella's family before she came into the world and again when she was a baby and now this!  And her personality definitely reflects the incredible family she comes from...laid back and sweet!  She is one blessed little girl!

Happy Birthday, Sweet Stella!

Beautiful Samone - Quad Cities Childrens Photographer

I had the pleasure of photographing this beautiful duo for a third time!

Samone is now 18 months old and gets more beautiful with every month that passes!

And it's always fun spending time with these 2...Amber and I hit it off the minute we met just over a year ago.  Amber was going through an extremely trying time and I will never forget that day...I had just met her and we stood in her living room and cried together.  Amber and Samone are such strong, beautiful ladies that I admire so much.

Wow...she is a stunner to say the least!

 

And she is so loved by so many and her Daddy is certainly watching out for her from above.
What a blessed little girl and what an incredible example of strength and courage she has from her wonderful mother.

She started out shy in the beginning of the session...

...but it didn't take her long to let loose! :)

Loved spending time with you two again.
Amber, I am so blessed to know you and your beautiful Samone!
Much love to you two!