Baby's Birthday: Ella Turns One!

What a great time little Ella had! I wonder if she was trying to figure out what all this was about or if she could care less ... all eyes on her, lots of presents, lots of colors, a delicious peach cake she devoured, and swimming! What a doll. I love her.  

Newborn photography. Precious baby Ella.

This is my sister's baby. I knew when I held her I'd feel the same sisterly bond I do with Lora. I loved her and I knew her before she was born. It's been pretty surreal - my little sister having a baby. I've asked her lots of questions. I'm learning from her. 

This little girl is so pure. This is the first life I've seen in it's brand new existence. Looking at her fingers, her long arms and her long legs, her protective skin and her little lips adapting to the more developed human's form of eating. Translation = adapting to sucking on a breast rather than having an umbilical IV. 

She's about a week old, here. At some point early on during my visit I couldn't help but think about the abused babies of the world; I couldn't imagine how anyone could harm something so miraculous.

I then wondered why I would think of such a horrible thing. The dark side of me rarely makes appearances so all I can conclude is that, through a blessed bond with my sister, I have felt the only thing I can closely perceive to be a miracle. 

This is blood.

Children & Family Portraits

Milan, Italy
My little buddy, Bianca, whom I spent a summer with to help her practice English. We had a wonderful little schedule: reading, coloring, bike rides, roller blades, cartoons and lots of laughs and smiles.

Photographing kids is a breath of fresh air. Children are free, they just want to have fun or do what they're going to do. It's definitely nice to make children's portraits because they are not as self conscious or concerned with impressing anybody. Maybe they want to make you laugh or, perhaps, they'll reveal something they think is absolutely amazing or exciting (like the ladybug that landed on Bianca's arm above). Child photographers usually don't have to worry about photoshopping kids to fulfill a certain image that they think they should mirror.

Photographing kids, however, is not always easy because they have minds of their own, you know. As I said, kids sometimes do whatever they're going to do whether or not it makes a pretty picture. Yet, those candids can make the best photographs and at least get a good laugh, if nothing else. Regardless, it's a privilege to be able to document the purity of a moment or the spirit of a person in making family portraits.