Meet Margaux and her adorable sisters! I spent some time with these lovely ladies at Margaux's Hello Kitty themed 6th birthday party. With a DJ, face painter, crafts and pin-the-bow on Hello Kitty, it was a little girl's (and this big girl's) dream! The late afternoon light and the thoughtful details were as delicious as the beautiful cake! There is something about the joyful abandon that children dance with that gets me like an arrow to the heart. I want to thank Margaux's mom, Lisa, for asking me to be a part of her daughter's special day. 

For the rest of the afternoon, at least.....

If your kids are anything like mine, they need a little down time after school and before all those extra-curricular activities. One of our favorite things to do after school is play video games! The kids have a snack and then select a favorite title (usually Minecraft or one of the Lego games). Yesterday, they picked Lego Indiana Jones and they were having such a good time that I grabbed my camera to document. I used a few different lenses to switch up the perspective because they weren't moving around much. Then I grabbed a seat and snapped away. I only asked them to smile once! This would be an easy project for anyone with a camera, especially if your TV is near windows. 

It's the weekend and that means fooling around with my Fujifilm Instax 25. Bought two packages of film from stupid Urban Outfitters for 30$. If I had been thinking clearly I would have ordered film from Amazon early in the week and paid waaaay less, but I wasn't, and I ponied up the cash for my Insta-fix. One packaged got caught in the camera and was only semi-usable there after. The other pack worked fine but with only 10 shots, I ended up throwing most of them away. I need practice! And a better scanner! I also need a film camera to fool around with. 

Is there anything better than doing a job you love? How about doing a job you love that's all about love? How about doing a job you love with a wonderful friend? Whenever I work with Jami Carlson (and that's pretty much at every wedding), we have such fun together! 

One of the benefits of working with another photographer in a partnership is that you become accustomed to each other's shooting style and approach. You also develop complicated secret hand signals that help you flawlessly coordinate coverage during the wedding day. Ok, so we're still working on that one. But the effect is there! Since beginning work together 2 years ago, we've developed into a true tag team. Now all we need are sweet matching costumes and some badass wrestler names. You want us in your corner! 

Enjoy these photos I took while second shooting for Jami this past fall! 

Ok, ok, I'm about a million months behind here. But I think it's nice to see a summer session right now. If you're anything like me, you're at the end of your rope when it comes to winter weather. Remember when it was nice and warm and green? Speaking of green - people in Dearborn, Livonia, Taylor etc! Book your family session at Greenfield Village! It's such a beautiful, special location and a pleasure to work at. If you're a member, you can just walk right in and have your session anywhere in the Village. If you're not, just pay regular admission - I'll meet you there and we'll have a blast doing your session and then you can treat your kids to some ice cream and a carousel ride for being such good sports! There is a beautiful covered barn, gardens, willow trees, the carousel, vintage cars, old-timey porches! So much to love. 

Snow days are supposed to be fun and relaxing! Instead, we had fevers and headaches and sadness at my house today. Obviously things turned around with a visit to the pediatrician and the judicious application of ibuprofen and acetaminophen. Cordelia helped me fool around with my IceLight and gave me some fun shots to test the new VSCO presets on. 

Sweet endings! This is the last post in the series about Angela and Nate's wedding. We ended our day together at a bar owned by a family friend that had been closed to the public for this special night. The reception was informal and fun. The guests were served mountains of delicious Polish food  like peirgoi and golubtsy (stuffed cabbage) handmade by one of the best restaurants in Hamtramck. After watching a beautiful wedding video put together by Angela's brother, Nate serenaded his bride with a few classic Sinatra tunes. An amazing live band played - and every one danced till they dropped. Thanks Angela and Nate for including Jami and I in your wedding day! 

As promised, the second installment of Angela and Nate's bridal session in downtown Detroit. How gorgeous is the Detroit Public Library?!  I've been dying to do an engagement or bridal session in a library or book store for literally years. So imagine my delight in the DPL! Not only did we work in the stacks for a cute, high-school-crushin'-snog-amongst-the-books vibe, we also got the grandeur and beauty of the 2nd floor. Angela and Nate continued being their laid back, up-for-anything Californian selves. Thanks, guys! You are amazing.

Next up: the rocking reception! 

Angela and Nate were a DREAM to work with. They're adorable. They're relaxed and fun. AND they were married in California a few months ago and came to Michigan to have a giant party with family and friends, so we had two hours (unheard of! Amazing!) to shoot in downtown Detroit. We started at the Detroit Institute of Arts and then moved across the street to the Detroit Public Library. We made a quick visit to Angela's grandmother and then went to their reception at a family friend's bar. There was live music and a delicious buffet of homemade Polish food. HEAVEN. Today I'm going to share a few of my favorites from our time at the DIA. During the week, I'll post the library and reception! 

Say 'hello' to Mr. Enzo! Newborn sessions like this are rapidly becoming my favorite way to photograph infants and young children. I have nothing but respect for photographers who do posed newborn shoots (all that posing and baby wrangling is *really* hard) but I think my personal style is a better fit for a "lifestyle" inspired approach to newborn photography. An approach that showcases your home, your style and genuine interaction between parents and children. I was so energized by the modern design of Emily's home! We had originally scheduled an hour session but we were having so much fun that I ended up staying for much longer. Enzo is a super sweet little dude - and an amazing napper. 

Madison was my first senior *ever*. Sometimes, I can't believe how lucky I am. This young lady is not only gorgeous - she's also an actress! She had a really great sense of what worked for her when posing and a natural rapport with the camera that must come from so much time on stage. 

I want to write a little bit about how I work. Images like these are my favorites. Of course, I love working outdoors but there is something about coming into a client's home, working with their space and their furniture to create a studio-like experience that I'm really enjoying these days. I love it when I have wood floors to work with. A nice bright window and an interesting chair. I come into a room and pare it down to bare, beautiful essentials - putting all the focus on the subject and the light. I hope that photos like these are extra special for my clients because they reflect a moment in time that is about their children and their home.