A Special Family

When Bob came in to purchase a Gift Certificate for his wife, Cheryl for Mother's Day this year, our scheduled session seemed so far away. Well, "far away" came last week and it was worth the wait!

We met up at UNE, like we had planned so many months before and did some great shots of of their sweet, sweet girls, Payton and Claudia. When Cheryl mentioned a "special little spot" the family had just a few miles away, we couldn't resist taking a quick trip there as well.

It turned out that that "special little spot" that Cheryl mentioned was a beautiful and secretive beach right near by. Bob and Cheryl would go there when they were dating, and now they take their daughters there quite often.

I could tell that this was a comfortable place for the girls to be. They scaled rocks and searched for sea glass and covered the terrain like pros. I'm so glad that the family let me in on their little secret...a special place for a special family.

Just The Two Of Us

Meet brother and sister, Maddie and Drew. These precious twins were just two of NINE children under the age of four at their family reunion on Mousam Lake last weekend. What's even better is that thanks to their Uncle Chris and Aunt Karen, there willl be TEN little ones at the family reunion next year!

It was so fun to capture the big group shots and the smaller group shots and various other combinations and configurations, but when the dust settled and it was time to just be themselves, I was able to capture this special image of the twins. Beyond all the organized chaos around them, when their mom "stripped them down and let them go", this is what they did.

Though they were two of nine last week, and will be two of ten next year, it will really always be just the two of them.

A Natural

Massabesic High School Senior, Kelly, was a little shy when she first came to the studio the other day, but she came well armed with outfit changes and a little moral support too (she brought her mom and grandmother along). It did not take long before Kelly was looking and acting like a real natural!

Kelly chose the indoor and outdoor senior portrait session, so she has lots of images to choose from. Though inside is fun, with all the background choices, outdoors is my favorite. We headed to Fortunes Rocks in Biddeford for some wet beach pics. and then a quick trip to UNE (one of the colleges Kelly is considering for nursing school next fall) for some cool soccer silhouettes as the sun was setting.

I always have a blast meeting and photographing High School Seniors, but seeing Kelly come out of her shell was particularly enjoyable for me. I hope she had half as much fun as I did!

Hamming It Up

Alanna and Connor are so cute. Up until this photo session a few days ago, I'd only had the opportunity to photograph them at their Auntie Lisa's wedding. But this time, it was all about just the two of them!

Connor started out a bit apprehensive as you can see in the first image. He hung back a bit as big sister, Alanna showed him how it was done. I love how he doesn't even realize he's in the shot!

It didn't take long for Connor to warm up to the situation though. I credit both Alanna's great example and mom's convincing and comical sneeze attack with his amazing transformation. We got lots of smiles after that!

Connor and Alanna were so polite and articulate... well beyond their years. It was a pleasure to finally get to work with them one on one and watch them "ham it up!"

It All Adds Up

When Sam, a KHS student came in for her high school senior session, I thought she was just too cute! But beyond her adorable smile, long, blonde hair and captivating eyes is a really sweet and smart young woman.

During our session, Sam and I chatted about school, life and her future beyond Kennebunk High School. Sam has dreams of becoming an accountant! I think that with all the hard work she's planning for this year, she'll do it too! I wouldn't be surprised to hear in the not-too-distant-future about the prettiest accountant ever. It just all adds up!

Big Brother

Ethan is one of my favorite clients. It seems like only yesterday that his mom, Vanessa and dad, Donaldo first brought him to the studio as a baby. Even then, Ethan had gorgeous locks of thick, dark hair, and a smile that melted my heart.

Last week, when Vanessa called, I assumed that she was going to schedule a summer portrait session as she often does. What a wonderful surprise it was to hear that there would be a special spin on this year's session...Vanessa is two weeks away from welcoming a baby girl to the family!

How adorable it was to see little Ethan as a "big brother" in training. He was so gentle with his mom and her ever growing belly. He knew that his new little sister was in there somewhere, and was happy to listen patiently for any sign of movement and happier to announce each time he heard her "burp". I think Ethan will love this new addition almost as much as he loves soccer.

I'm always touched when trusted with such an important photo session, and I'm tickled pink that one of my favorite little families is about to get a wee bit bigger.

Welcome Home

After serving far from home for the last several years, Jason, a US Marine, and his family are finally home for a visit. Though they're just passing through for a quick trip on their way to their next assignment in New Jersey, Jason's dad and family decided to arrange for a portrait session to mark the special homecoming.

I was thrilled to spend an afternoon with Jason, Kazue and their three photogenic children as well as a lot of Jason's extended family. All were really glad to have the gang back, so we were sure to get a lot of different portrait combinations.

Though this visit, I'm sure will be too short for Jason, there's no doubt that the road to New Jersey will be well traveled in the next few years, until he and his gang are off again to who-knows-where (they're hoping Japan). But for now, Gorham family, thanks so much for your service, and welcome home.

Katie and Kevin

Yesterday, I posted a blog showing some of the gorgeous girls of Katie and Kevin's wedding. As promised to you (and to poor, Kevin) here are some images that show a little more detail from their beautiful day... namely, the groom!

Katie and Kevin's day was so unique to them. Everything from Katie's stunning gown, to the impromptu downpour, to the beautiful sunset seemed to be made just for them.

Katie started her day at her apartment in Portland, where her kind neighbor watched (and eventually moved) my vehicle so that I could go inside and photograph the gals getting ready while I was "somewhat illegally" parked. I was thrilled to see beautiful, high ceilings, rustic features and ample windows when I got inside...perfect for pictures when the rain started pouring down.

When it was time to head over to St. Dominic's Cathedral, just a few blocks away, it was raining like I'd never seen before. Katie was a trooper, though and though she was a bit tired of hearing about how rain is "good luck" on your wedding day, she kept on smiling. The Church has a long history in Kevin's family, so I was sure to capture a few images inside.

After the ceremony, this couple really showed their true colors. We headed off to Fore Play, in Portland's Old Port where the bride and groom first met, and then off to a friend's "house" in Falmouth for some more formal shots. I put the word "house" in quotes, because this was just no ordinary home. What a view! The perfect place to spend some time before heading to the reception.

At Camp Ketcha, where the reception was held, the light through the windows was gorgeous for us as we arrived. Katie and Kevin seemed to float around the room, greeting guests, posing for photos and dancing the night away.

I love how each wedding is so unique to each couple. Katie and Kevin's wedding was a great reflection of who they are... a happy, special and loving couple.

No Boys Allowed

At any given wedding, you'll find a pretty good mix of handsome guys and gorgeous girls. Katie and Kevin's wedding was no exception, but as I was working on their album today, I was inspired to post a blog of images of just the gals!

I'll be sure to post more tomorrow of some other of my favorite images from this special day, (it was a beautiful wedding all around) but for today... no boys allowed!

True Love

True love is hard to define, but you just know it when you see it. In my line of work, I'm so fortunate to come across it quite often. I've seen it in the way an engaged couple looks at each other, the way a groom looks at his bride, and in the way a new mom cradles her baby on her first portrait session. Last week, I saw true love again when the grown children of this great couple came from all over the U.S. to give them what they've wanted for a long time... a family portrait.

All the signs of true love were there that night at UNE. We started out waiting in our cars while a thunderstorm passed. When the lightning let up, we headed to the gazebo there for a few soggy shots. Then, what seemed like a miracle happened. The skies cleared and we had the most beautiful lighting to capture this special couple on this romantic night.

I think these photos show how important family is, and how we need to make time to show we love one another as often as we can, even if we live so far apart. I guess that's what true love really is!

Red, White and Blue

Summer is a great time to show your patriotic spirit with red, white and blue themed clothing! These festive colors look great together and they're probably something everyone already has in their wardrobe! I thought I'd post a few recent red, white and blue images in honor of the fourth.

We're off for a few short days of R&R in observance of Independence Day. We hope you get a chance to enjoy your friends and family too.

You've got to love a holiday where we celebrate with cheeseburgers... God bless America!

Happy 4th of July!

The Way Life Should Be

Mother Nature has been known to throw we Mainers a few curve balls here and there, so when Jill scheduled a family portrait session for when her parents and her sister's family would be visiting last weekend, she wasn't surprised to hear the forecast call for RAIN!

Since the families had such a short window of time together, we all met at Fortunes Rocks despite the fact that the street lights were coming on because of the dark clouds rolling in.

Everyone was great and we moved quickly through the group shots to be sure to get them in. As the morning progressed, the drizzle started and kiddos Sydney, Addyson, Zoe and Zachary were such troopers, nearly ignoring their dampening hair and their slightly shivering bodies.

Just as we winded up our time together, the drizzle turned to rain... but we made it! Another beautiful day in Maine!