Jetton Park Engagement Session | Rich and Sarah

“It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting”

— Paulo Coelho

The Charlotte Summer heat was sweltering as I walked around Jetton Park with Sarah and Rich for their engagement session Wednesday, but they were rockstars anyway. Three outfits changes and circling the park a couple times to find the best light would be too much for most people, but they powered through and we were able to finish with a bourbon just up the street as a reward.

I knew these two were going to be fun because they wanted to wear their team jerseys for some of the photos, and their baseball teams are rivals. Rich explained that the family jokingly gave Sarah a hard time for agreeing to marry him because of it. They are a great fit regardless of team preferences though.

I asked them to share their favorite moment in their relationship so far and both of them had the same favorite, their proposal in Cancun! How could you choose anything different after something so epic though?!? They were so sweet as they reminisced about it and were even able to show me photos! I can’t wait to see how they form new favorites through the years.

Luckily their college teams are in different conferences so they’re able to happily support each others’ teams at games.

You guys thank you so much for letting me capture this special season! Cannot wait til May!

The Mayhew Family at Jetton Park

“Actually, the best gift you could have given her was a lifetime full of adventures”

— Lewis Carroll

Amid all the Christmas festivities happening this week Brentlee, John and Hamptyn were able to get away with me for a sweet family session at Jetton Park. We're all so familiar with each other at this point that we fell right into the rhythm of play, laugh, smile, chase Hamptyn around, play some more, adventure, laugh and smile again. I love it.

Hamptyn has ever been fond of finding shiny new rocks to pick up, but this adventure also included leaves - which brought some of the biggest smiles we've seen yet. It makes me so happy when things we regularly take for granted light up a child with wonder and magic. She was always also just a few steps away from blazing her own trail through the forest with her daddy right on her heels. My favorites are always the ones keen on adventure. Love this little one so much, I hope you enjoy some of my favorites from the day. :)

Bubbles Open a World of Possibility

“Too much of a good thing can be wonderful”

— Mae West

Can I just say how much I love bubbles? On a photo adventure with a child, I can safely say, bubbles make the session better every time. 

There's just something about the dream-like state it puts a child in that opens them up to the possibilities in the space we're in, opens them to laughter, opens their eyes bright toward the sky. If you're ever wondering if you should grab a bottle for your session, you should. :)

Jetton Park, Cornelius, NC

Leaves. Leaves are also acceptable flying dream makers. 

And balloons. :)

If only we could easily retain that ability to be moved by dreams as we grow. May your day be filled with beauty and your future with bright dreams. Maybe pop open a bottle of bubbles (or bubbly if you prefer) and see if it helps you see the world a little differently today. :)

Why Sunrise is the Perfect time for Portraits

“Opportunities are like sunrises. If you wait too long, you miss them”

— William Arthur Ward

All of these images have one thing in common: brisk morning air and gorgeous glow from the sun. Location, time of year, type of session and outfits are all secondary. The light is what matters. Every time. 

If given the choice, I will always choose 7am to meet for a session. (followed closely by sunset, but I find it harder to pinpoint the start time because you're racing the dark). 

I know. I know. It's not easy to get up extra extra early, and when you have kiddos to wrangle or otherwise uncooperative adults, it can be difficult. I promise though... get to bed a little earlier and just make it happen. You'll get dreamy images every time.  

8 Tips on What to Wear for a Portrait Session

What do you wear when you want your engagement or family session to represent your personalities but also be beautiful but also comfortable but also.... 

It can be a little daunting trying to choose the outfits that will represent you in your home, on Facebook, in your grandma's living room for feasibly the rest of your life. Seriously my mom keeps these ridiculous 14x16inch glamor shots of me at EIGHT years old, front and center in the living room. Think 90s poof hair with 90s poof shoulder pads and MAGENTA. Omg. 

Nobody wants to end up on the cover of Awkward Family Photos. I am no fashionista, but I'm here to help. I have shot hundreds of family and engagement sessions and I've seen all the things.

1. First and foremost. Don't feel like you have to do any of these things or anything you've seen on Pinterest. I would rather you be YOU 100% of the time because you'll be more comfortable, and that will produce genuine smiles. 

2. Your colors don't have to match (everyone wearing the same thing) in order to look nice together. Variety actually brings out individual personalities and helps everyone feel more comfortable "in their own skin." 

3. I am personally a huge fan of solids because it distracts less from your pretty faces, that said, throwing in a pattern or two is nice to break it up. 

4. If you're going to wear two outfits, one dressy and one casual for example, it's nice to have both sets of outfits coordinate (as if all the outfits were in the same photo at the same time) so that when you make prints and hang them on your wall later they will match. 

5. I wouldn't argue too long with your child if they really want to wear something different or hold their favorite toy in every photo, happy smiles win out over matching outfits every time. 

6. Nothing looks better in a photograph than bold color. While you may want to use mostly neutrals like grey/tan/brown/white, throwing in a colorful accessory or shoes will add life to the image. 

7. Don't over think it! If you want to buy a new outfit for the occasion you are certainly more than welcome to, that can make the session fun. However, I've found simplicity to quite beautiful, relaxed and natural.

8. If you're willing, I may guide you into a seated or laying position on the ground. Depending on how the session is going and if your attire allows for it, so keep this in mind when choosing your outfits if this is a direction you would like for your session.  

Above all else, just plan to have fun. We will play around with different ideas and explore different areas. 98.5% of the people I work with are not professionally trained models with fashion stylists living in their closets, they're just everyday people with a wide range of personalities and stories to tell. Just bring yourself, prepared to live in the moment and I'll worry about the rest.