Let’s hit the beach! I just love photographing kids, seniors, and families on the beaches of Lake Michigan. It always proves to be a beautiful setting…and really what could be better: warm sand, cool breezes, and beautiful scenery.

This West Michigan beach session was amazing. At almost three years old, this kiddo is bubbly, bright, and beautiful. And she is always an absolute pleasure to photograph. Her personality and charm really shine through.

Miss A’s mom brought along the perfect selection of outfits (a big part of creating a successful portrait). Here she is showing off her adorable Matilda Jane dress.

I like to let my little subjects help find spots for their portraits…it makes them feel important and they will often find an area I would not have selected. Miss A picked out this spot which had great light. It was also just out of view of her parents which equals great eye contact and natural expressions.

Here she is showing off some of that charming personality.

We finished off the session with a few studio portraits. Her dark brown eyes and intense gaze are nothing short of stunning.

Celebrating Adoption is a really awesome program that connects adoptive families and custom photographers. As a member, I have been so lucky to meet some really cool kids and families. I always enjoy celebrating and photographing this exciting time in their lives. I volunteer my time for 2 Celebrating Adoption session a month…and the next available opening is in October, so email me ASAP if you are interested in this type of session.

This little guy from Guatemala absolutely melted my heart. He is super smart, and sweet…just plain irresistible.

Apparently he really loved my green chair…and I’m so glad because I just love the eye contact he gave me!

Don’t those eyes just make you melt?

Remember he’s not quite two yet…and just look at him posing like a professional!

Wow! I’m so lucky when it comes to high school senior sessions…my senior girls always look like models. Seriously. And not only is this girl absolutely gorgeous, but she’s sweet and smart too. I’m not quite sure how she manages to fit volleyball, soccer, and basketball into her schedule? Oh, and did I mention she ran the Blueberry Festival 5K race in South Haven just before her session!

I love this dress she brought…perfect for the beach.

Showing off her amazing smile and eyes.

More from the beach…good thing Lake Michigan wasn’t too cold!

We found a few fun spots in downtown South Haven.

One of my crazy ideas. Thank you *M* for being such a great sport with this shot! (click image to see larger)

I think this is my 7th time photographing this little guy…and it’s been a privileged each and every time. I’m honored to be the one who has photographed him as he’s grown from an itty bitty newbie to a super speedy toddler: capturing his milestones from sitting, to standing, to running!

*R* enjoyed his first trip to the beach with the warm sand, sea gulls, and new things to be discovered. But I had to be fast. Really fast! And by the end of the session I began to wonder if his parent’s (and grandma) were training him for the summer Olympics. This guy can run!

Here’s a sweet portrait. I’m glad his mom brought that cute ball as it helped to slow him down. A little.

And here he is checking out his handsome reflection. At his newborn session, I remember we all tried to decide if he was going to have red hair. Yep! And isn’t it gorgeous!

I think this may be my all time favorite photograph of *R*. I don’t know if it’s the darling overalls, the charming expression, or the fact that I caught him holding still for a second (actually 1/640th of a second) before he ran the other way!

As soon as *J* stepped out of the car, I knew we were going to have an awesome session. She is totally adorable, has amazing eyes (and skin, and hair). To top it off, she is super sweet and even brought along a suitcase of clothing choices including some fun boots.

We started with studio portraits…and wrapped up the indoor portion of the session when this image made mom cry.

Then we took a walk for more portraits in some of my favorite little spots. I love how the red boots really pop here.

Then we hiked down to this really cool spot on the beach.

And we all know seniors rock…literally! She handled this uncomfortable pose like a pro. I, on the other, hand have bruises…but the pain was totally worth it!

So we had a rocky start to this session. Miss S fell asleep on the drive to South Haven and we all know what it’s like to wake a 3 year old up from a nap! But we slowly got past the crocodile tears and pouty faces. And we actually ended up capturing so many stunning portraits and had an amazing time enjoying a perfect evening on the beach.

When I first brought my camera out, Miss S hid behind mom. At this point, she didn’t even want me to take a picture of her feet! Dad started to worry this was all we were going to get.

But my patience and persistence slowly started to pay off. Hey, pouts are beautiful too…she is 3 years old after all.

Viola. We have eye contact. Can’t beat that gorgeous smile either!

Did I mention she has gorgeous parents? They look like they stepped right out of a magazine: movie star good looks and great taste in clothing. But I can’t share everything. So here’s just a little glimpse of the gorgeous family…

And I adore this portrait. In the full version (click on image to view larger) you can really enjoy the details: the sand slipping through her hands, the small shells in the foreground, her tiny toes tucked under…

This session made me think back to when my kids were newborns. I donned ratty old pajamas more often than I care to admit. Long, hot showers were suddenly a luxury. And going to Babies R Us to pick up the latest and greatest must have baby item was now considered a major outing that required careful planning. But when this hot mamma (pictured below) walked out in her pre-pregnancy jeans…c’mon! Seriously, is it really fair to look this good at 11 days postpartum?

I cannot even begin to tell you what a joy is was to photograph this super sweet and sleepy baby. At 11 days old and well over 9lbs, Miss A is simply scrumptious. Her laid back attitude and chubby cheeks made it easy to capture many beautiful portraits. Check back in a few days for more images with Miss A and her gorgeous mommy and daddy

South Haven, MI is always an amazing setting for portraits and this session was just that: AMAZING! I guess that’s what happens when you have a beautiful family, awesome locations, and absolutely gorgeous kids.

This adorable little guy has the most amazing eyelashes and check out this intense gaze. Wow!!!

And you might recognize this little charmer (aka: older brother, aka: future heart breaker) who I had the opportunity to photograph last summer. He is just as sweet as can be…and who could resist with those big, chocolate brown eyes.
And there’s no better ending to a beach session than watching the sun set as it slips off the horizon.

And last but not least, I’ve had tons of inquiries from families and seniors interested in scheduling sessions in South Haven. So I have set aside a week, from July 20-27, that is reserved exclusively for sessions in South Haven. There are already a few days that are filled but you can email me for openings. These dates are open to high school seniors and families. Anyone who schedules during this time will receive a gift album with your order. This darling 5×7 gift album holds 12 of your favorite session images and is not currently available for purchase.

The warmer weather must have everyone thinking about their Tonya Marie Photography portrait sessions…especially seniors and families! Thanks for all of the emails and calls. I will have some dates, more info, and a little something special specifically for Forest Hills seniors that I will post in my next blog. So keep checking in.

I’m also excited to share two more images to finish up my most recent family’s sneak peek. Can you believe this gorgeous girl is only 9 years old. Just look at that beautiful blond hair!

And what could be more fun than a family jumping portrait!