another chilly beach session | grand haven, mi

OMG, this family. Again, such troopers.

Cold threats of rain. Lots of wind.

And yet we still managed some smiles. :)










the d family | grand haven, mi

Can I please just preface this session by stating that it must have been cooler than 40 degrees with blowing winds out at the lake this particular evening? This little guy (and let's be honest, his mom and dad, too) was a trooper!

While I hated having to rush through our session because it was so, so cold--I must admit, I love the look and feel of Lake Michigan in October. So I may have to do this again next year. ;)

Thank you again for contacting me, Nicole! As always, it was a pleasure spending time with your family.

xoxo













mini session | grand rapids, mi

I did these photos as a "thank you" for one of my dear friends and her mother. Each of them lives in Michigan, and I took advantage of their offer for me to stay with them this past weekend while I was in the Mitten.

I got in a little after midnight on Friday night/Saturday morning, and was greeted with a little goodie bag full of chocolate, perfume, soap, and chapstick. OMG, winner for best gesture ever. It was so sweet.

Anyways, she had gifted her grandbabies with new clothes so I took them out to the field in their new digs and demand that they throw leaves in the air as if it was thebestdayevereverever.

I think they did quite well, don't you? :)







the p family | mattawan, mi

If I was to be totally honest, I'd have to say that I was more than a little disappointed in the outcome of this family's session the last time we met (October of last year). I raced to their session, and got there late. It was really, really dark and really, really rainy. But we went for it.

And for the conditions, the pictures turned out wonderfully.

But had the conditions been different--like they were this time--they could have turned out even more wonderfully.

This time. THIS TIME. We had the most beautiful fall weather.

And the pictures, ironically, have turned out to be what amounts to my very favorite session ever.

Ever.

As a bonus, I absolutely love working with this family. We have become friends over the past few sessions I have spent with them, and now I feel like our annual photo meetings are going to end up rolling in to get-togethers for dinner and drinks.

Thanks again, Jeff + Kelly! Enjoy your photos. :)

xoxo



















the m family | grand rapids, mi

My last-minute trip back to Michigan ended up going even better than expected. I was keeping a close eye on the forecast the entire week; and as the days went on, the forecast grew progressively worse. I found myself sending frantic emails on the Thursday before--"Bring umbrellas! We'll make it work!"

Thankfully, by the grace of God, the weather was, instead...absolutely perfect. My first rain drop came in my last session of the weekend, and even then--it was no big deal.

:)

This is the M family. They are verrrry familiar with my camera, lol. I've been photographing this family for many years, since there was only one sweet babe. Now there's two and OMG, they are both so sweet and well-behaved.

Thanks again, Liz and Dan! I had a great time!

xoxo