I had the pleasure of photographing this adorably sweet newborn over the weekend. At only 11 days old, she was already incredibly alert and aware. She wiggled out of the cute little poses I tried to coax her into. Over. And over. And over. She really made me (and her mom) work for those sleepy, curled up portraits. But it was absolutely worth the patience and effort. Little did we know that her daddy has the magic touch. She quickly fell asleep in his arms just minutes after I packed my camera away!

You can see her eyes just barely peeking open here…

Our patience pays off with some sweet shots.

And who can resist this perfectly pink and peaceful portrait!

This sweet little guy was 9 days old and a bit over 6lbs for his in home portrait session. And he treated me so well. Even when awake Mr. R was content and relaxed. After a full belly, he just snuggled right in. And I must add…he is such a gorgeous newborn! Great shaped head. Fuzzy soft hair. Adorable little wrinkles. Two thumbs up for his parents who knew to schedule his appointment within the first two weeks so we can capture all of that yummy baby newness!

All together now…awweee!

He has the most amazing nursery! I think he has a very talented grandmother who designed the interior. We will definitely have to photograph this little guy at the beach once he is a bit bigger and the weather is warmer.

Love this image with his daddy.

Isn’t that bottom lip just the sweetest thing…

This stunning senior came all the way from Dayton, Ohio to South Haven, Michigan for her  portrait session.  Her  bubbly personality, striking blond locks, and piercing blue eyes (just like her moms!) made every minute of the session  super fun.  Her posing skills are amazing and she is so comfortable in front of the camera too…made my job a breeze.

Speaking of breeze…love it when the wind blows exactly right.  Anyone else see the symbolism here? Black and white checkered “flag” in the background. Senior year. Finish line. Maybe it’s just me…

A fun shot downtown. Isn’t she adorable!

Did I mention her stunning eyes?

Such a lovely day for fall color…I wish the weather would stay like this for at least another month or two.

Cedar Lake Golf Course and a “junk yard” were just two of the super fun settings we used for my most recent senior in Sturgis, Michigan. And we were able to take advantage of the gorgeous fall color too! Yes, it was a bit (okay, a lot!) chilly as we drove the golf carts around the course, but B did an awesome job!

Here’s a close up from the golf course. I love how the background color almost matches her amazing eye color.

I found this cool little spot on her parent’s property. Love it!

And some junkyard fun! She was such a trooper with all of my crazy ideas.

The weekend weather in Indiana has been perfection. Warm temps. Gorgeous sunshine. And the fall leaves are just starting to turn. Ahh…my favorite season. It also happens to be a lovely time of the year for portraits.

And this Celebrating Adoption session was the perfect compliment to the wonderful weather. Little D’s Mom and Dad did an amazing job. Mom brought along so many different styles of Baby Legs (which I adore) along with a fantastic wardrobe. Dad did an awesome job of keeping little D entertained with crazy animal noises. And little D was the perfect model. Adorable. Sweet. And easy going.

One of my new favs. Just look at those eyes and lips!

That expression…pure joy!

Total cuteness.

I love Dad’s hand here…so sweet.

This senior session in South Haven, Michigan was full of a lot of firsts for me. First time on a golf course. First time in a golf cart. First time hitting a hole in one…okay, so I didn’t actually hit the golf ball. But if I had, I’m sure it would have been a birdie or an eagle. I’m sure C and his mom are still laughing at me and my golfing “expertise”!

We were lucky to use Hawks Head golf course as a gorgeous backdrop.

I learned that the flags are different colors according to what part of the course you are on: the front nine or the back nine. And as a photographer, I really just like how the red and green colors work together.

We finished the session on the beach. This was one of the last shots right before the sunset.

Seniors are always so much fun to photograph. They don’t run away from you (well, this guy did climb up a tree by the end of the session!). They follow directions without the use of silly voices. And they don’t require lollipops or bubbles for a job well done. Make sure you keep your eye out for this guy. Rock climber. Downhill skier. And future entrepreneur. He’s definitely going places!

I love how his blue shirt really brings out his amazing eyes.

He really did a great job nailing the poses. He looks so relaxed and natural in my favorite spot on the beach in South Haven.

We found this cool little nook walking around downtown.

See I told you he climbed up a tree! Here he is just hanging out. Love his expression.

Portage, Michigan was the setting for this gorgeous family and child portrait session. We had the perfect weather and the perfect subjects. And I knew I was in for a fun filled session when I was greeted at the door by a super hero!

And this little sweetie insisted on calling me Julie instead of Tonya. She knew my name but apparently thought Julie was more fitting. Kids are so funny like that!

Love the inquisitive look here…

And sure, brother’s can be such a pain sometimes…but they’re always there when you need them. Aren’t they adorable!

So my mom loves to have a new family portrait taken every year. And I just hate love to do this for her. One might wonder why? I love photographing other families…but photographing your own is quite a different story. This photo session involves getting 6 adults and 3 kids dressed and transported to my favorite location on the beach. Then I set up my camera on a tripod, position everyone, set the timer, run to my spot, smile, hope for the best, and repeat about 10 times. Hey, at least I didn’t break my toe on the rocks this year!

And actually, the planning for this portrait started months ahead of time. We live in 3 different states: Michigan, Texas, and Indiana so just getting everyone in the same place at the same time can be a challenge. And then there’s the clothing selection.

We all know that great clothing is essential for a beautiful portrait. I’m always on the look out for unique clothing and while planning our color choices for “The Family Portrait” came across this fabulous designer Mary from Tickled Pink Girls. I fell in love with her collection, decided on a dress, and planned the colors according to the fabrics in the dress.

So this is what we came up with this year…colorful and fun.

And here are a few portraits with showing off the dresses. The attention to detail and the quality are simply superb.

My heart melted today. And it wasn’t from the inches and inches of rain we’ve had over the last few days. This adorable little girl was an absolute pleasure to photograph. Her vibrant and charming personality instantly brightened the dreary day. And to top it off, her parent’s were awesome. Hope you enjoyed your ice cream stop at Scoops!

Love this perfect little fall jacket…and super sweet smile!

She really enjoyed her camera time…and she loved the “pop” the light made.

Check out those girly toenails painted in her favorite color…pink, of course!

And such irresistible expressions!