I always knew I get to photograph the cutest kids… and it’s fun to get confirmation of that now and then! A huge congratulations goes out to one of my wee clients, Mckenzie, for winning the current PBK “cutest baby” contest. Although a Julia Greer portrait (featured at the PBK link below, and also in the August catalog) helped her win, it’s most definitely Mckenzie’s cuteness that really won the contest! Mckenzie and her big sister have also recently been signed by Atlanta Young Faces.

http://ww2.potterybarnkids.com/ds/article.cfm?src=schp1%7Ct4%7Cv0%7Cwcontest%2Fhme&docid=design%2Fart%2Fnursery%2F080%5Fphotocontest&cmsrc=sbb%5Fphotocontest

Sweet little girl… protective big brother. Is there anything sweeter?! We spent TWO hours playing at Acworth Beach… Daddy even stopped by midway through. (Could that explain why one of my never-fail giggle-inducing tricks didn’t work? Me: “Say ‘Daddy has stinky feet!’” Pause. Then a shy little, “I can’t say that.” You can’t argue with THAT!)

Just one so far from this morning’s session. I’m enchanted by this capture because it reminds me of all that I love about childhood adventure… a little girl skipping fearlessly into the forest, following an intriguing path toward a sparkling lake ahead, with a glance backward that seems to say “Follow me!”

This session was initially for mom, since she needed portraits for her business materials. But I was excited to meet her two-and-a-half-year-old cutie, who is so polite and just a doll, and asked to photograph her as well. She was a blast! She turned on the charm as soon as the camera was aimed in her direction… as much as I love when kids ignore the camera and aren’t self-conscious, I have to admit I get a kick out of kids who totally ham it up.


You can see where this cutie gets her looks from… mom is a beauty too:

What a sweet, fun, tight-knit family this morning’s clients were! I love my family sessions to be more like family playtime than a portrait session, and this definitely was just that, full of giggles, hugs, and Eskimo kisses.

Anyone who knows my work knows that I shun ultra-photo-manipulative images with a great deal of post-processing. Nonetheless, the great-aunt of this tiny client request this specific image, and I obliged. I felt a bit silly as I created it, but now that it’s finished, I must admit I’m somewhat charmed by the idea of visually remembering a not-so-long-ago time when the little one in one’s arms was still yet to be.

Here is another one this beautiful first-time mommy and her new little sweetheart. There is just something about a new mommy gazing at her baby… I call it the glow. Their faces light up and the most sublime happiness shines through. Can’t you see that in her here?

My “baby” brother Jeff is visiting us this week from Louisiana. Of course, now that he’s in his 20’s, there’s nothing “baby” about him!

I’m so proud of Jeff. He’s finished film school and is pursuing a career as a cinematographer. (Funny how all three of us kids seem to have photography in our blood.) Jeff claims he first decided to go into the film industry because of the goofy homemade movies Jeremy and I used to produce. (Oh, such winners among those… “Esmeralda the Killer Fish” being one of the most memorable. About a fish who was a serial killer. Now there’s a Lifetime Movie of the Week for you!)

One of these days I’m going to do a bona fide photo shoot with Jeff (probably after he shaves off that facial hair!), but here he is from today… the wonderful kid who I will always think of as my baby brother… even when he is 50.