Real.

Lisa, the Momma of this great family, isn't anything but real and authentic.  She doesn't have time or energy for fake or posed or playing a facade, and trying to be something she's not.  Lisa is Lisa, and her family, well they are real.  And because of that, they're pretty dang great.

I have had the distinct pleasure of documenting her family for a few years now.  We make a little bit of photography magic every time.  She trusts me to find the love amidst the chaos, and that trust allows me to push harder in my technique every time.

This is an in-home newborn session.  This is lifestyle photography.  This is documenting the modern family.  Put any label you want on it.  It's still real.  And because of that, it allows all of us to be little more real.

The best kind of newborn photography {Gilbert AZ}

Does this story sound familiar?  The pregnancy which you thought would take forever, went by in a blink of an eye and all the sudden she's here.  And then all the sudden, she's three weeks old and the photos of her only exist on a cell phone, because hello?!  There's three other kiddos running around and their world has been rocked too!

That's where lifestyle newborn photography comes in.  A super nice photographer comes to your home.  She plays with your kids while Baby finishes her nap and eats her next meal.  Instead of growls from the three year old, you hear "Take my picture too!".  Everyone has fun for an hour and then she leaves, and you wonder "Was that really family pictures?  That was too easy." 

Even better.  Those are photographs that you wish you could take while you're busy living life.  You try to burn them in your brain:  how your son looks with his favorite Superman cape on, how your daughter looks twirling in the sunlight, how your oldest boy scrunches his eyebrows when he's playing Star Wars on the piano.  Those are the scenes that you feel slipping through your fingers as time marches on.

But now they're caught.  Now you have them forever and ever.  You know, teenage blackmail if needed.  But more likely, that wedding video when Superman is all grown up and wearing a much different kind of suit.

 

 

 

 This photo shoot was done as assignment for an awesome class I took through Chic Critique forum with the amazing Lindsay Silsby (Pied Piper Photography) and Summer Murdock Photography. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hartley Family Photographs

A not so long time ago, a beautiful maiden met her match in a faraway kingdom called Idaho. While her family long maintained that no one would be good enough for this fair maiden, the dashing knight somehow convinced them that he was worthy of her brains, her smiles, and even her love. Which, of course, brought us to this....

 

 

And you can only go for so long with all of that, and you end up with a little of this....

 

Enter grad school, finals, homework, internship interviews, and oh yeah, a brand new baby. Throw in some adjustment to life as a stay at home mom in the dead of winter, minus a husband who's just grinding away at that degree. Luckily summer time always comes in this kingdom. And with it, a completion of coursework and an easy summer waiting for that final internship to start.

 

A family has begun. They've passed trials already and are stronger and more resilient because of it. Soon, the fair maiden and her knight will look back and think "We were so young! We had no idea what we were doing!" Yet, they will be proud of all they've accomplished together and the incredible family they have created.

 

 

And so it begins; Their Story.

The M Family - Mesa Family Photography

Three boys came, boom, boom, BOOM.  (That's Briggie Joe, there's nothing mild about that boy).  Smart as a whip, all of them.  I've known Mom since she was 19.  She always wanted to be a mother and we all knew she would be amazing.  And somehow with every baby boy, her Supermom powers grew. 

She got more organized, not more frenzied like the rest of us.  I watched her grow into herself, settled and centered and really dang successful raising boys.  I'm sure it had a lot to do with Dad.  I went on a double date with them, a month or two before he proposed.  I had never seen Mama smile like that.  She might have glowed just a little. 

The Hubs and I looked at each other with eyes wide and watched as she laughed and teased and just smiled.  True love can do that kind of thing.  But after three boys, you could tell she really, really wanted that baby girl.

Baby Girl 1 came exactly how Mama wanted, calm and sweet and LOVING everything girlie.  The more pink and bling, the better!  And then to top off the clan, Baby Girl 2.  A little spit fire just like her brothers, maybe even with a little more fire.  That girl is giving Mama a run for her money. 

And it is so fun to watch!!  You can't be gorgeous, organized, calm, AND have 5 angel kids.  SOMEONE's gotta make you sweat!  :)

The W Family

I remember the day, many years ago.  We had just moved into our first home, surrounded by boxes and crazy toddler boys.  She knocked on the door and with her was this tall drink of water we had only met a couple times before. 

But she couldn't stop smiling so we knew something was up.  A pretty ring on her finger made it official.  The Hubs' baby sister was getting married. 

I remember I made a fool out of myself (are we surprised?)  Right before the wedding began, I saw Tall Drink of Water in the audience with us and I questioned him sarcastically, why wasn't he getting ready with his Bride?  Turns out TDW is an identical twin and I was grilling the twin.  Awesome.  :)

They have been through a lot together already, earning degrees, finding vocations, working second together.  And having beautiful babies, of course.  Their girls are stunning, which means the next baby will make me swoon.  And I can't wait!

This is the W Family.  And a little bit of their story.  I'm so grateful I was able to capture it. 

P Family - Newborn Lifestyle Photography

Three boys.  That's a kick in the pants, no matter how you look at it.  But she's the perfect mom for them.  She probably doesn't see it because we rarely see our own strengths.  But she is so patient and soft.  She sees beauty.  She sees how precious they are and revels in it. 

Their family, their home, their story at this time in their lives, matters.

F Family Story - Lifestyle Family Photography

They fell in love in CA and had a beautiful baby girl.  Work brought them to Gilbert, AZ and a new baby boy was on his way.  Their maternity photoshoot is here and soon hopefully I'll post their newborn shoot. 

Life with two young kids and a busy, entrepreneur for a husband is really not all kicks and giggles.  I knew that firsthand from when my two boys were only 21 months apart and I had moved to a new city with almost no support system and a hubby working 80 hours a week. 

That time that should be so precious is really just a blur.  You go from naptime to bedtime and back again, just trying to find peace in the moment.  And Mama found that her joy was using photography to stop time for a minute.  Her home is covered in amazing pictures, from their wedding and the girl's birth to now.

Baby Drew has turned one and is an incredible part of their family story.  He's happy and strong and so smart.  I can't wait to see how their story develops.