The W Family- Cranston, RI Family Photography

One of the nicest parts of photographing families year after year is not only seeing kids get bigger but also the relationships you cultivate with parents. Elaina and I really hit it off and got our kids together recently and it really hit home how fortunate I am to do this job. I meet great people-- people who I probably would not have met. Elaina and her husband are from the mid-west, not far from where my husband was born so it seemed that we had a lot to talk about right from the start. Elaina asked Roger Williams if we could use the Botanical Gardens for our photos and I think they were a perfect way to capture a little boy who loves the park and loves flowers.

T and D are Engaged- Cranston, RI Engagement Photography

I thought about taking some time off from weddings to focus on children's work-- and then Trish got engaged. If you thought you could never find another person who enjoyed "September" by Earth, Wind and Fire or Michael Bolton as much as me, you thought wrong. We teach together so when the two of us are "on stage" together-- well, watch out. She keeps me laughing throughout the day and I knew we'd have a great time doing engagement pics. Dan loved the idea of doing the photos at NYLO, since that is where he proposed. We knew we needed one more special thing to make the pictures pop- so we asked our other friend Sue if we could borrow The Judge and it was just what we needed. Here are Trish and Dan-- including in front of a rusty bridge that Trish found, thus landing her a new job as my "location scout."

Kate Caito Parties- Cranston, RI Florist, Cranston, RI Portraits

Kate Caito is a great friend and amazing party planner and cake maker! She recently asked me to capture some of the centerpieces she made for her cousin's wedding. Stunning for sure!

The R Family- Cranston, RI Maternity Photography

WOW is all I can say about this beautiful mama-to-be (again). You could tell how happy she is being the mother to one little boy and her joy just doubled this week when she delivered another healthy little boy. I was blown away by how easy going and relaxed this session was and I loved the color coordination. Her son was a natural for the camera and I love the shot of him with his daddy! Congratulations, Lauren and family!

Kara's Senior Session- Cranston, RI Senior Portrait Photography

Kara is my son's babysitter, as well as the daughter of a colleague. I just love her sweet, fun nature as well as her desire to have her senior photos done in her uniform! Kara is an "Ette" which is a dance team at her high school. As she enters her senior year, she's also entering her second year as an Ette and wanted to make sure her photos captured her in her red and white. I had a lot of fun with this session because, I too, am a Cranston West alumni and while I wore the red and white, it was for the band, not the dance team. I wish you a wonderful senior year, Kara!

The C Family- Cranston, RI Cake Smash, Cranston, RI Family Photography, Cranston, RI Portrait Photography

When Melissa called me to photograph her daughter's first birthday, I couldn't help but be not-so-secretly thrilled. Everything Melissa does is with an eye for detail and flair. I knew her daughters would be adorably dressed and excited for their session. Her oldest asked for days in advance, "when is the photographer getting here to take my picture?!?" Needless to say, it made my job very easy since both of them were perfectly behaved, smiley and full of energy for the multiple places we moved them for a variety of "looks." We went from dressy to cake smashing and I loved it!  

Olivia and Tony- Providence, RI Engagement Session, Rhode Island Engagement Photography

Olivia and Tony contacted me for some engagement pics here in RI this spring. Their wedding will take place in New York but they wanted some save the date photos. Olivia ordered the most adorable sign for their dog to wear during the photos and were really smart in bringing a friend to take the pup when the photos were done. Then it was time for us to really have fun. We took advantage of all of the nice spots at India Point Park- especially the trees in bloom. It was a beautiful session and I loved Olivia's dress. I wish them all the luck in the world as they plan their big day!

The Celeste Family- Cranston, RI Portrait Photography, Cranston, RI Family Photography

I love these people. Seriously. Matt did my awesome Mother's Day photos, which you can see on his blog.  Side note: If you need your wedding photos taken, check out Blueflash. You won't be disappointed. Matt's got a ridiculous eye for detail, color and fun. While we were out for my session, I asked if they wanted a few family photos. They were game and conveniently, I had my camera with me (mostly because I knew Tara would wear something adorable and striped and I couldn't pass up the photographic opportunity. She is just so darn cute all the time). Ezra, their son, had found a giant stick that somehow managed to make its way into their family photos. As I quoted that day, "Speak softly and carry a big stick during a family photo." What I love most about these few photos is that they are real. They are squirmy toddlers, grinning babies, doting dads and laughing moms. That's what photography is all about. The here, the now and the opposite of a perfectly posed, everyone-sitting-still photo. I've shot family photos for Tara and Matt three times and they said they loved these best because they are the Celeste family. Just as they are. 

Chelsey and Josh- Cranston, RI Engagement Photography

Beware. This post is full of photos. I can't help it. We had so much fun taking them that it was hard to narrow it down. Chelsey has done my nails for quite a few years and we have been talking about photos for just as long. She and I consulted a lot about what we were going to do for her engagement photos and with a few simple props, we really captured some great moments. We did find out, however, that if you open a bottle of white wine in the woods, you will attract every bug in a two mile radium. Just a warning for every wine lover out there :)

Braylon's New Legs- Cranston, RI Photography

This session is incredibly special to me because Braylon is my friend Kelli's son. Bray was born without a tibia or fibia. Instead of being overwhelmed by the situation, Kelli and Mike chose to devote their lives to making sure that Bray lives life to the fullest and never feels that he cannot complete something because he doesn't have legs. Kelli calls it a "diffability." This means that he's overcoming life's obstacles in a different way...and from my perspective, with a large dose of personality to boot! He was recently featured in a Super Bowl ad and one of these photos won Photo of the Week at I Heart Faces. I was really honored. The link to the video is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbRhiy0NryQ and if you ever want to support an excellent charity, the Challenged Athletes Foundation is the one to choose!

A mama and her newborn- Providence, RI in home newborn photography

This portrait session took place at the family's home and I loved it. It was very simple- no props, just a mom, a baby and a blanket. We did have some time for family photos too (big brother had to go to preschool) but I loved the natural pose of a mother and her new baby.

Miss V is 18 Months- Cranston, RI Children's Photography, Johnston, RI Portrait Photography

Violet and Emmett were due on the same day and born 8 days apart so I have really enjoyed seeing them grow up together. Big brother Shea wore his fishing boots to this occasion because there was a little promise of getting to stomp in the water at the end of the session. Mission accomplished!

Long Island Sound

Bryan and I had a quick trip this summer and these were three of my favorite shots from the trip. I used long exposures to catch these photos and look closely- there's a shooting star! While landscape photography is never a genre I would say I work in, I had a lot of fun taking these- I didn't take one picture of either of us. Oops.

The R Family- Narragansett, RI Family Photography

This summer, I had one week where I had three sessions in one week in Narragansett. I should have camped out in a tent and stayed for all seven days! Laura and I connected about six months earlier when her family decided to rent a beach house in Rhode Island. We decided on a 7 am start time to guarantee the beach wouldn't be crammed and the light, waves, beach were in our favor. It was perfect! Later that day, Laura emailed this to me: "My family can't stop talking about how much they love you and what a great job you did!" Thanks, Laura! I hope we get to do this again! I would like to apologize for showing beach photos when it is freezing cold out today. I'm about 30 sessions behind on blogging (shame on me...) including five weddings. Yikes. Until I'm caught up, bask in the rays and memories of summer for a moment!

The Triplets- Narragansett, RI Family Photography

It was a cold, cloudy and windy morning when I met up with Rosie, her husband, his kids and all of the grandkids together. We had a great time since the beach was almost empty. I remember when these little kiddos were just born so I was surprised to see how big they had gotten and how much energy triplets can have! They did a great job saying cheese for the camera-- and the shutterhuggers my dad bought were a big hit!

Alison and Eric- Middletown, RI Engagement Photography

WOW! I loved this session. Eric and Alison are avid hikers so we trekked in some mud in Middletown to get these shots. It was mid-morning and sometimes you catch the light in the trees just right, resulting in one of my favorite photos I've taken. I just photographed their wedding two weeks ago so stay tuned!

 

The "D" Family- Cranston, RI Family Portraits

The "D" Family came up from CT on a cold day but we were determined to make the most of the weather which was crisp and sunny and still had no snow on the ground! The kids were awesome and we shuttled them back and forth to the warm car in between their "solo" shots. These photos definitely made me smile while editing because they were so filled with personality and charisma!

Up Close and Personal- Cranston, RI Portrait Photography, Rhode Island Portrait Photography

Many people ask me what props they should bring to a photo shoot. I think that props can help tell the story of your child at a certain age. You will love looking back in twenty years and seeing photos of your baby with their favorite stuffed animal...but at the same time, I'm a fan of minimalist portraits. I love getting a crisp, clean portrait of a child's face. Look at these little cuties who allowed me to capture them, just as they are.

Winter Portraits- Cranston, RI and Rhode Island Children's Portraits

Although it is so cold out that I insist on warming my car for the three minute drive to work, there seems to be no stopping my outdoor sessions in November, December and January. You might think it would not be an ideal time of year for portraits but I've had lots of luck in the cold weather. First of all, kids LOVE to play outside and this gives them an opportunity to do so for a little bit. I've also had kids who thought it was the coolest to get to take their coat off for a few pictures. I mean, really, who is allowed to go out in the cold with no coat? That's good stuff! Also, the snow makes for a beautiful background. Here are a few cold winter pics that I've done to show how pretty the "brrrrrr" of January really can be! I'm currently booking outdoor portraits at a location of your choice. C'mon! Let's get out in the snow!

Nana and Her Girls- Cranston, RI Portrait Photography, Rhode Island Children's Photography

Rosie (another teacher!!) had her nieces visiting from Utah and asked me to photograph them with her sister and her mother. Her mom, now 80, knitted these delicate and colorful sweaters for the girls. We went down near the water in Edgewood on a beautiful day Thanksgiving weekend and did some portraits of the girls with their Nana. It was beautiful to see these three generations together.