How time flies!

Senior season has begun!   And what a way it did!  Our first 2013 senior was a mere 5 year old when her aunt started working here!  It's hard to believe that the little girl I first photographed with bunnies is now doing her senior portraits!  And look at how she's grown - such a lovely young lady!! 

Katie had a great time working with her model at Old Town in Lansing earlier this spring.  They got some gorgeous images that you may have already seen in our advertising.

Now that senior season is here - what does that mean?  Well, that none of us get much time off this summer, that's one thing!  :-)  But it also means our days are filling up with sessions - since most seniors are here about 1 1/2 - 2 hours.  We never double book our photographers - we actually spend that much time with each person!   Of course, it depends on the number of outfits, and what each senior wants, but we think that spending that much time with a person helps us really capture their personality.  Which is one of our biggest compliments we get year after year from our clients!
Yay!

The Live Bunnies are here! {Okemos Lansing Photographer}

As my friends and family know, "Bunny Week" is my hardest week of the year.  Photographing small children is always a challenge, but add in a couple of live animals?  Live animals that like to hop, even?  

But, I must admit, Bunny Week is also one of funnest and funniest.  There is nothing like the joy of a little one meeting a furry little friend.  Some of them get SO excited! 

I've seen squealers, gigglers, and some just in awe- "I get to hold it??"   I've seen kids just shake with excitement.  I've seen some who just can't stop smiling - like the 5 year old boy I had yesterday, who was really reluctant about the whole thing.   He walked into the camera room hiding behind his mom and hanging onto her shirt.  But after I gave him a bunny in a basket, he just did not stop smiling!   He and his sister were a joy to photograph!   And then later in the same afternoon, I made another boy laugh so hard he doubled over cracking up.  How can anyone help but laugh, too?

Look at that hair! {Okemos/Lansing, MI Photographer}

    My daughter has beautiful, thick, wavy hair and as a baby, invariably when people met her, they'd say "Look at that hair!"  I thought the same thing when I saw this little princess again.  Since Christmas, her hair has grown and what hair it is!   And I was so pleased when her parents decided to just let it be natural for these portraits.  This is her.  They wanted a natural portrait, and how much more natural can you get?

Half over or Half way to go?

Filling out a survey online today, I had to enter my age, which is *cough*, oh, never mind.  Anyway.  I had the thought that I am at that age when many people have their mid life crises.  And I wondered if I feel the need for one, or am I happy with my life the way it is?  Well, I am happy -and beside the obvious (my family and friends) I think it's also because of what I do.  I think many people that have a mid life crisis are realizing that their life is half over - and have they made a difference in the world?  Have they influenced lives or left their mark?  Will people remember what they did?  Will there be a symbol of their life after they're gone?   Well, I guess I'm really fortunate to say, yes, I've done that.

I was at a neighborhood meeting last night and a longtime neighbor told me "Your portraits are all over our house."   What a great thought!  To know that something I helped create is going to be treasured by that family for generations.  So, I guess I don't need a mid-life crisis.  I've made my mark.  Sure, it hasn't impacted many people beyond the Lansing area, but what I've done has been important to a lot of people, and they treasure their photographs.  Photographs I created.  That's my mark. 

Well, this can't be right.

I finally got a chance to sit down and catch up on the blog, and was horrified to find it's been a year! How did this happen? Surely, this can't be right. (Or is that Shirley?)

You'd think I'd be better at this. I have a friend, Amanda, who regularly updates her blog, even with having a house and huge yard to maintain and raising three boys and chickens, too! My only excuse is that it has been CRAZY at the studio - crazy I tell you! Rosalyn, Dana and I are scrambling to keep up with everything, keep the phone answered and get you the service you expect - and deserve!

What inspired me to catch up on the lamest blog ever, was a session we did this summer. Talia and her husband came in to do portraits with their newborn Jon. Jon is a pudgy little thing, though he was born a few weeks early, he caught up! He is a cutie - and we loved meeting him.

Anyway, what was so special about this session is that Jon's daddy is about to be deployed to Afghanistan. These portraits were not only a way to catch the proud new parents with their darling bundle of joy, but to capture memories for both Jon and his daddy, knowing they won't see each other for a long time. Our thanks go to this brave soldier for protecting our country, despite the personal sacrifices he has to make.

Godspeed.

When best laid plans....
Again, with the best of intentions, I planned on posting something last week, then life happened. Sick child, day care issues and the next thing you know, it's a new week. And August, already. Are you kidding? Why can't winter ever go by this quickly?

We are now in the middle of our busiest time of year. "Senior Season". The phone has been ringing like crazy! That's great! We're so happy when people choose Okemos Studio. We all really love to meet new people and enjoy what we do.

Here is another session from this winter that I enjoyed so much. Alexandre is a pixie of a thing. She loves to dance and chat and be goofy. Just what I love in a 3 year old friend! This was one of those sessions where we didn't really try to pose her, we just let her be herself and she did fabulous! Such a simple concept and such beautiful portraits. This portrait panel is actually 30" square and makes quite an impact on the wall. Her parents have hung this in her room. What a treat for Alexandre!

Another favorite session we did this year was "My Best Friend's Girl". My best friend, Kim, and I were inseparable during our younger years. This beautiful baby is Katie, her sweet little girl. Katie is the spitting image of her father, including the awesome red hair. Kim is expecting again and I cannot wait to meet Katie's baby brother when he makes his arrival!
This composite, which is also a 30" square graces the wall of the studio and we enjoy seeing it every day. We love the variety of sizes and design. Her eyes just 'pop' out of the top image!

I know, I know!

I know I promised to be better about blogging, but here it in 5 months later and nothin'. Not that I don't have anything to say, mind you. :-) Just to find time to put it into words...

I have included here some of the fun I've had the last few months.
This little guy, and I mean little was just 5 1/2 pounds when we photographed him at 13 days of age! How lucky am I to be able to hold this precious little human! He is so precious and I got all teary eyed seeing him again today.



This 'big' boy is Zachary. Z came to us when he, too was just 13 days old! This is his 9 month portrait, wearing his daddy's uniform. Funny how these little boys like to be like their daddies! Zachary is a treat and I look forward to seeing him every time he visits. He just cracks me up. What a joy!

There's been more, of course, but here I am trying to write, and I'm the only person in the office. The phone has been ringing like crazy today! More soon...and I mean it this time!