I Heart Faces {LOVE}

 
I haven't submitted an I Heart Faces image to their monthly challenges for quite some time. And I miss participating in this fabulous site! Here is my submission for this month's theme, LOVE, which of course is so fitting this month of February! The above image was taken over the holidays and is of my mother in law and her son, my husband. Her love and adoration for him are so apparent and moving in this image and so rightly so as she continually prays and keeps him close to her heart as he battles on through his 3 1/2 years of brain cancer. Her expression tells says it all.

Be sure to stop on over to I Heart Faces to see more LOVE images submitted from all types of photographers! If you would like to submit your image, this month's challenge ends on February 9th.

Jill, Andre and Autumn Rose

I love this couple and now their sweet bundle of joy, little Autumn Rose, completes them. They are awesome parents and little Autumn is certainly the center of their attention, and rightly so!
I was anxious for this session and happy to visit their home and photograph them all together. And of course, happy to get my baby fix. My 11 year old daughter who accompanied me on this session looks far too grown up now and amazing she was once as small as Autumn!
This little peanut was such a delight for me to photograph. At five months old she was so very patient and overall just so happy!
I am sure I will have more photo opportunities with her which I am very excited to do!
Thank you Andre and Jill for allowing me to create these images for you!

Close to My Heart ~ The F.I.L.M. Project

The F.I.L.M. Project; meaning, Family Images for Lasting Memories. For families stricken with cancer. Oh how this program holds close to my heart and soul. I am really excited and anxious and scared all at the same time about participating in this program. What is it exactly? It is a program for professional photographers to photograph and document those facing cancer's journey, young and old, creating lasting images for them, their family and loved ones with absolutely no charge to them. Such heroes braving cancer right in it's face. They will have images they and their loved ones will always have and always remember. Because without pictures, we have memories yes, but with pictures we have those memories completely frozen in time. Remembering how it felt to have those pictures taken. The weather. What they wore. The location. The smiles, oh and so importantly, the laughter. Giggles. Fun times. Keepsakes. And no matter what lies ahead in their cancer journey, these images will remind them how very much they are loved. How much inspiration flows from them. The courage. The strength. So very brave.

Facing cancer head on.

Cancer has been in my life for nearly three years now. My husband was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer in July 2009. And just like any cancer, took us by complete surprise. Shook up our world. He is beating the odds yes, but most importantly, reminding me daily to take each day for what it is, and make the most of it. To follow dreams. Be tough. And just live. Be thankful!!

The F.I.L.M. Project hits me right in the gut. I can't turn away from this opportunity. While I don't know what it is like to be the one stricken with cancer, however as a caregiver, the pain and fear extends out to me on a daily basis. Facing this disease. Unsure of the future. Living the "new normal". Trying to push away the fear. But living each day. Inspiring others. Because cancer just plain sucks and most often does not play fair. So we fight it and continue to do so.

Brothers forever. Gilly, so strong, so tough. An inspiration to everyone.

With The F.I.L.M. Project, for me, I will be able to share my gift of photography, " inspire healing, faith, and hope for these families during their most fragile times".

I believe memories should never be overlooked. They give us something back. We never forget. We can always remember. And with pictures, you have that memory frozen in time.

Yes, LIVESTRONG!

To learn more about this program, The F.I.L.M. Project, please go to their website here. And on Facebook here.

Meet The M Family

Meet the M family.

I had so many fun family sessions this past fall meeting new people and sharing a few hours of their day photographing them. Sessions like this one are my favorite. We had such perfect weather and spent a few hours exploring some of the prettiest places. I just let this family be and enjoyed taking pictures of them being the adorable family they are. After our session I drove home feeling so blessed to be able to have this gift of creating these keepsakes for this family. What an amazing feeling.

Sisters

What's the good of news if you haven't a sister to share it?
~Jenny DeVries

First Glimpse....Baby Brit

First Glimpse. Baby Brit.

She is 3 weeks old. And all what sweet babies should be. Tiny. Perfect. Dressed in pink. Adorable.

First Glimpse....The M Family

First Glimpse. The M Family.

We had a cold, cold morning for this session. But I adore this couple and their sweet new baby boy so the cool air really didn't matter.

Oh Sweetness!

These little darlings are twin sisters. Unbelievably adorable and very much adored. This was one of those sessions when I love, love, love being a photographer.

Preview From Today's Session

Oh what absolute sweetness! I completely adore this image!

Just a little preview from a photo session I had today with a lovely family.

First Glimpse....The S Family

First Glimpse. The S Family.

Autumn color. Smells of Fall. Family sharing the love of the outdoors with each other.

Happiness.

First Glimpse...The H Family

First Glimpse. The H Family.
We couldn't have had more fun with this tire swing! Made for real, happy smiles!

First Glimpse.....The C Family

First Glimpse. The C Family.

Family of three.....soon to be four!

First Glimpse....Joe and Christine

First Glimpse. Joe and Christine.

I remember during their wedding ceremony the priest speaking, "Without love, you have nothing." No truer words spoken.

And the smiles shared between these two show nothing but love.

First Glimpse....Gilly and Hutch

First Glimpse....Gilly and Hutch.

Brothers. Good buddies. Best friends forever.

Summertime

Looking to be a day at the beach kind of day!

First Glimpse.......

Bright blue skies. Warm sunlight. Adorable flowing skirts. Big smiles. So many giggles. Bliss.

First Glimpse...Jeanne & Richard

June 17, 1961. June 18, 2011. Fifty years. Wedding vows renewed. Blessed day.

First Glimpse...The R Family

Happy family plus happy smiles equals love.

I Heart Faces ~ Slice of Life

Slice of Life. What does that mean to you? When it comes to taking pictures for me it means capturing life as it is. Nothing posed. Nothing planned. Nothing scripted. Life as it happens. All in the moment and seeing life as it is. Real. Emotions. Pure. In the moment.

This picture above shows a dad tickling his son showing sheer joy and happiness on their faces. What a beautiful moment. And this image is even more special to me and those who know him because this dad has recently traveled home from serving in Kuwait to be with his family for several weeks. This makes my heart so happy for them!
Welcome home Rob!

To see more "Slice of Life" pictures stop on over to I Heart Faces! See what other photographers of all levels have revealed as life unscripted.

I Heart Faces ~ Sun Flare

I Heart Faces, a wonderful website full of all kinds of resources for photographers, is having a weekly theme open to any level photographer for sharing pictures. This week's theme is sun flare and my entry is of my daughter. Believe it or not she was petting our dog Ruby who really is down below her in the tall grasses of our hay field.

Be sure to stop on over to I Heart Faces and view more pictures having sun flare in them!