I met this charming West Side couple at the Civic Center in Scottsdale for pre-wedding portraits.

They were getting married at the courthouse but still wanted fabulous engagement-style  portraits to remember the day. They’re super sweet, so very much in love, and they made my job so easy.

Just look!

They celebrated the big event at a small Brazilian restaurant with family and close friends and I can’t wait to show them the rest of their images !

We could not have asked for a more perfect morning to shoot this session – it was actually overcast (hard to believe here in the Valley of  the Sun!)… weather was beautiful, and look at how adorable these two sisters are!

I shot this session at the DC Ranch Market Street area …and really loved it!  I’ll definitely be heading back to Scottsdale to shoot here… so many possibilities!

Without further adieu…meet this morning’s beautiful sisters:

Ah… I love my job!  I recently had the pleasure of shooting these two adorable siblings.  They were SO cute – little Sienna was the most well behaved girl I think I’ve ever met.  (Including my own four mini-me’s…).  She followed directions wonderfully and did whatever we asked her to do!  And her 6 month old smushable little baby brother…… six months of total preciousness!  Smiles, smiles, and more smiles!  (Oh yeah, mom and dad were pretty cool, too!)  Enjoy these few previews while I’m working on putting up more recent sessions…

You guys have been so patient and I **so** appreciate it!  I’m working feverishly (still!) to get all the sessions from Cincinnati previewed and proofed !  There were SO many gorgeous kids, families, babies, seniors, etc…. here’s a small sampling of what I’ve got previewed so far… more to come, I promise, I promise!  :-)

See!  I really wasn’t kidding – so many beautiful clients! More to come… soon… I promise!

Previewing another session from my marathon-shoot in Cincinnati a few weeks ago… these girls were beautiful, and ready to pose for the camera!  A photographer’s dream come true – they were fun, sassy, and adorable!  Just one preview for now as I work up a few more to share…..

To personalize these simple and timeless looks you need accessories. Accessories = fun, eclectic, classic, bold, delicate, etc. This is where each member of the family gets to show a little of their own personality without taking over the portrait. It says ME without screaming… and that’s where we can help.

For the girls in the family, it’s easy! Jewelry is usually the first way to personalize your portrait look. Start with what you wear every day and never take off: wedding rings, lockets, etc. Then add anything else that has special meaning and suits the look of the day. If your outfit still needs a little oomph, the first two sets above will look great with chunky, natural looking pieces, and for the third set, try pearls or long, multi-strand colored “gemstone” necklaces.

For guys, add a tee under a sweater or shirt, try a great belt, pay attention to your shoes, and choose jewelry that matters to you as well.

Another amazing family…. another rainy day in Cincinnati!  I had the pleasure of photographing Lora’s family again… this time in downtown Cincinnati!  She paid close attention to our conversation on “what to wear” and with the help of her awesome hubby….. came up with a wonderful look for the whole family… fun, colorful, but not too busy!  Downtown was the perfect venue for this urban chic family session!

And now, continuing with some previews from my jam-packed week in Ohio last week, here’s one of my favoritest, cutest, most adorablest toddlers of all time!  I’ve been photographing this cutie since she was just a few weeks old…. and now look at her!  So beautiful and full of energy and sass! I love her strong sense of self (already, at age 2!!!) and her love of shoes and hair accessories!

Let’s go over some simple hair do’s and don’ts for your portrait session!

Do -

• style your hair in a way that’s “normal” for you
• choose hair accessories that complement your clothes
• use a moderate amount of hair styling product
• bring extra hair supplies (product and accessories) to your session, just in case

Don’t -

• decide to get a new style right before your portrait session. You won’t look like YOU.
• do the helmet head hairspray look
• go overboard on the hair accessories. Bows the size of dinner plates are never appropriate.

Double the fun!  That was the motto for this adorable family!  Mom and dad coult not have been any cuter and the twins… oh BOY!  So content and even smiling at the ripe old age of 2 weeks old!  Just a few sneak previews to enjoy while I am proofing the next session up in the queue.