meet the Miller's

Kevin, Jackie and Jackson had a session with me on the beach this summer and returned for a Christmas special.  I joke with Jackie, claiming I'm arranging a marriage between her cutey-pie, Jackson, and my Dreama....after they both complete med. school, of course! ;)  hahahaha

This is a beautiful family - they couldn't make my job any easier!  We met at the Chesapeake Arboretum for our session...

i love this moment!

Isn't he a little stud muffin?!

That's right!  Jackson's going to be a big brother!!!!  Congratulations guys!

Mikyla, my youngest cousin.

A few years ago my cousin, Rhonda, asked me to do her maternity portraits.  I was honored - it being my first request from a family member (the ones hardest to convince you're a 'professional').   Anyway, this was my first session with Mikyla, post birth.  (I know?!?!?!  She's two now, what took me so long?! hahaha)   I drove to their new home in Newport News (congratulations guys!!!!) and spent the day snapping photos and visiting.  I had a great time and definitely wish we got together more often.  After all, they are family!  =)

Isn't she adorable?!

Photographing children in a place that's familiar to them is really the key to getting my shots!  They feel secure, relaxed and are quick to 'warm up' to the camera.  Mikyla was no exception.

Don't get me wrong, I LoVE smiles, but this photo just grabs me!  She's so photogenic!

Preston, 5 weeks old

Grace (our three year old) is enrolled in ballet.  A few weeks back, Glenn took her to practice and got to talking with Sharon...a new ballet mom with a 4 year old little girl and a newborn son.  Somehow they got to talking about portraits and he 'slipped in' that we were photographers ;)  The next week, Sharon e-mailed and I was at her house taking photos!   I was thrilled to meet them!  Jenna (her 4 year old) had a little bit of 'new big sister syndrome' but I think it added to the charm of the photos...she wanted to be included, and I don't blame her ;)  While little brother, Preston, filled his tummy, Jenna and I played princess, talked about the Backyardigans and even had time to sing a few songs and talk about all her neighbors and friends.  She truly is one of the sweetest little girls I've met (and I'm hoping to set up a playdate with my girls!)  Sharon claims that Preston usually sleeps most of the day away but for our session he decided to stay wide-eyed and bushy tailed all the way until the end of our session.  That was perfectly fine with me though- I loved those baby blues!!!!  =)

Mommy got peed on several times ;)  What a trooper!

Little Lexie

Meet Lexie...a vibrant, on-the-go three year old with a gorgeous smile.  I met her mom through myspace, so I had the privilege of seeing her before meeting her and knowing that she loves the Wiggles.  She started off a little camera shy, but I quickly warmed her up by playing peek-a-boo behind the lens and daring her "not to smile" (it works like a charm)!  This little girl can't take a bad photo, but here are a couple of my fav's:

Wooooooo who!  My husband is amazzzzzzzzing.  Our six year wedding anniversary is in about 2 more weeks and he surprised me with a brand new shootsac cover that I just fell in LoVe with!!!!!!!!!  Isn't is SMOKIN' HOT?!?!?!  I am so psyched about it!  I borrowed this photo from the shootsac website.  Google it!  I recommend it to all my photographer friends!  It's the BEST bag!  Loooooooooove it!  (Thanks Hunny!)

Woah, two sessions at once!

Sunday I planned on doing family photos for two different very good friends...two of my bests. They aren't really friends themselves, I'm just the commom denominator ;)

WELL, the Hunter family planned on being ready by 2:30 but with kids and naps...nothing ever goes as planned! hahaha Veronica and family were driving from Newport news to meet me by 3:30. Needless to say, Glenn grabbed a camera and I grabbed a camera while our children ran back and forth along the beach between shoots. We 'got 'er done'!  The evening couldn't have been more perfect...the temperature, the lighting......  And not to brag, but I think the photos are awesome. Thanks for 'rolling with it' guys!

Here are a couple...more to come!

November sunset....

Here's Veronica's crew (i love the colors she chose!)...

Benjamin (isn't he a stud?!):

Joe (little cutie pie!):

 and, The Hunter family:

my little love bug, Kyle (just look at that bright smile!)...

and here's Megan with her favorite boy =)

meet Tanisha & Brian...

Tanisha and Brian are referrals from my old friend, Cora. Any friends of hers are friends of mine! They've set their date for October 24,2009 and boy am I excited for their wedding!!!

We decided to meet at City Center in Virginia Beach...I had a vision of them surrounded by the chaos and movement of the city. Unfortunately, I wasn't thinking about the city being completely quiet on a SUNDAY! ah! Tanisha and Brian are a beautiful couple though...we could have been at a landfill and I could have gotten beautiful photos of them! They just radiate FUN and LoVe.

Here's one of my fav's...



Aren't they gorgeous?!

Rest In Peace*

The obituary reads...

"Nicole “Coley” Jackson
&
Hayden Tyler Jackson

Hayden and his mother “Coley” were escorted by their guardian angels from their earthly life into eternal life with their Heavenly Father on November 5th and 6th 2008. “Coley” was a very special woman, kind hearted, warm and loving and her family meant everything to her. She loved children and had a very special way with them. Her nieces and nephews were the light of her life, but the one thing that she wanted more than anything was to be a mother. The eight months that she carried Hayden were her happiest. “Coley” was a very active person; she loved to bowl, fish and shop but not necessarily in that order, she also loved animals, especially her dog, Brynn. “Coley” was preceded in death by her maternal grandmother, Betty Moon.

Left to cherish her memory is her mother, Sandra Moon; father, Donnie Jackson; brother, Nicklas Jackson; sisters, Bridget Weber, Britney Edwards and husband, Phillip and Jaclyn Miller and husband Kevin; maternal grandfather, Robert Moon; paternal grandparents, Elbert and Shirley Jackson; nieces and nephews, Natalie and Megan Weber, Isom and Talon Edwards and Jackson Miller; and her best friends, Kathleen, Lisa and Alicia.

A memorial service will be held for “Coley” and Hayden on November 13, 2008 in Rosewood Kellum Funeral Home with a visitation from 9 – 10 AM"




*I apologize, I am behind on editing. I took time out to edit photos and create a slideshow for Coley and Hayden's family. Please keep them in your prayers during this difficult time. Thank you.

The Starcher family's 2008 Christmas card (drumroll please...)

SO, I attempted to take a Christmas picture of all three of my munchkins sitting together, but let's just say that I couldn't salvage even one....the baby was crying or Grace was sticking out her tongue or Dreama was blinking-they weren't pretty ;) I decided to just take some individual snapshots and create a card with three separate pictures...I think it turned out beautifully! (And yes, Glenn is a paperboy seven nights a week. So I guess I'm in love with the paperboy! haha These cards were made for his route.)

Tim and Allie <3

Tim and Allie are getting married in June 2009 and I adore them. Glenn and I drove to Richmond for the afternoon to meet them and shoot their engagements at one of their favorite places to spend time and relax together- Belle Isle. The park was breath-taking (it didn't hurt that it's autumn and gorgeous reds, yellows and oranges are bursting from the horizon in every direction)! Afterwards, the couple treated us to lunch at one of Richmonds best 100 restaraunts...I think it may have been the best meal I've ever had! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! It truly was a treat!

Tim and Allie simply bring out the best in eachother...they just glow. I have no doubt that their love will last a lifetime. We first met a few months ago and I have anticipated this session ever since! The photo's are stunning. Here are a few of my favorite's so far...

I told them to think "Old Navy" ad...I think we achieved the look ;)

SUPER star!

I take my camera everywhere, so naturally I whip it out during every soccer game.  Today when uploading Saturdays photos, I couldn't help but notice that Dreama was in almost every shot and seemed to dominate the ball!  Watching the game through my lens gives me 'tunnel vision'.  I follow the ball with the camera and just snap away...cheering for whoever has the ball, but never really absorbing the moment until later when I have the images up on my computer screen.  I freeze moments, and that's what I love...I'm able to hold onto them forever.  Here are a few of my fav's:

Go Dreama!

...and to think I was never into watching soccer until we signed her up!

she's only four, but already plays so hard!

...and here's, Jeffrey, another of the several super stars on the team this year.  I love it!

Gooooooooooooo COSMOS!