Family Portrait

Similar But Different

Twins have always fascinated me.  Zach wanted twins when I was first pregnant.  That was ages ago and I think we are both glad to have had all our kids one at a time.

Then we met this family with quads… all boys!  Watching them interact and play is pretty cool.  I can’t believe I actually got all their names down while photographing them.  Their different personalities and their love (and annoyance) for each other is beautiful.  All normal stuff, but different in little twin-ish ways from my singletons.

Autumn and I met about a year ago.  We are both creatives (she’s amazing and on Instagram @kimballcreative), and we’ve all spent time in Sydney so the connection was immediate.  I look forward to hanging with these guys as the years go by.

black and white portrait of twin brothers

 

 

 

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Fall family portrait on a fence with quadruplets

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Color photograph of a boy playing in a creek near Denver

fall family portrait at a creek with quadruplet boys near Denver

 

 

B&W photograph with quadruplets

 

 

b&w photograph of boys running

Fall family portrait with dad giving a big hug.
 

 

Family portrait at sunset.

Photograph of a hug from mom beside the road.

Photograph of a sunset with a kid running alongside the road near Denver

In the Mornings

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I’ve been booking fall sessions and my mind has been wrapped around photographing outside.  Then the thought came to me that once the weather turns, I will not photograph people as much.

india with book-1

India pages through last year’s book.

Yesterday I began organizing my annual photo book and found a group of images, similar in that they were all taken inside the house… in the mornings… with snugly, drowsy kids.  I’ve shared many of these here in different posts, but thought I’d bring them together into one story.  As they should be seen.

I’d love to do this for you.  You game?  Contact me and we’ll choose a nice, cold day for you to snuggle and me to photograph.

Either way, take a look at the morning story I put together.  Having these mixed with the rest of our annual story will be so cool.

sunrise photograph on a winter morning

boy snuggling with kitten, b&w photograph

Our kitten was so tiny.

eating a bowl of cereal, b&w photograph

The cat still will put her paw on his eyes.

b&w photographs from above of boy with his kitten

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photograph of kids under their blanket fort

b&w photograph documenting morning at home

partial silhouette of boy playing with kitten, b&w photograph

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boy with his cat cuddling on couch, b&w photograph

This one still gets sick from wheat every once in awhile.

Sick

b&w photograph of brothers wrestling

injuries adding up.

b&w photograph of kids playing soccer in their house

TiredAndPlaying

kids on top of bunk bed, b&w photograph

kids' baseball card collection

color photograph with boys watching tv on the couch

The Broadmoor: Family Portrait

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You may have heard that the rain in Colorado this summer was epic.  Who knew that the week of the 4th of July would be so wet!  I know the rain wasn’t part of their vacation plans and it took us a little extra finagling to get this shoot to happen. I had never been to The Broadmoor Resort and it took my breath away.

family under a tree at the Broadmoore Resort, color photograph

I was so excited to meet Lisa Algert, and her family (of course).  Not only is she a talented photographer she is also a health nut, which I love.  It is always nice to meet another photographer whom I’ve only known from afar (that’s code for FB).  We got to chat after the shoot and I am so grateful to her for her bit of encouragement with my image transfer work.  She even gave me some tips on how to help my boy with celiac.  I hope San Fran is treating you well, and bringing some sunshine to make up for Colorado’s lack.

extended family portrait by the pond at the Boradmoor Resort

We began near the pond in the center of the Broadmoor complex. That place is expansive and quite beautiful… even with the low clouds obscuring the mountains.

family portrait by the pond at the Broadmoor Resort

Cutest girls.

b&w photograph of sisters under a tree at the Boradmoor Resort #stacieannsmith

They were brave and climbed down to this spot near the pond.

B&W photograph of a mom and son in front of the Broadmoor Resort

Pre-teens love a good hour with the camera in their face. Can’t you tell? I love this grimace/smirk

In the Studio: Vanity Fair Cover Shot

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Some of you may know what Vanity Fair is, and have caught a cover or two while in the grocery line. I took inspiration from those covers (I always imagine Annie Leibovitz behind the camera) when I was asked to photograph a large, glamorous family portrait this rainy summer. We were worried about the rain… and if it wasn’t raining- the heat.   So we planned to photograph inside and split the large group into smaller groups.

Have you ever seen a more beautiful group of people? I think not!

Vanity Fair Style family portrait, in studio, near Denver, Colorado

Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi

Friends, fun and home.  That is my absolute favorite thing to photograph.  I had the chance to visit my beautiful friend Ann Madden this last weekend.  She is probably one of the funniest people I have ever met.  Not only did I spend time with her, but my other two friends, Katy Tuttle and Kim Turner Smith, joined in on the fun.  We all went down to visit Ann and explore Bay Saint Louis and enjoy her gallery, Smith and Lens.  We each had a couple pieces in her show, Wonderland.  Really I wanted to see this place for myself.  It did not disappoint.

Family portrait, yellow house

Cutest family ever.

yellow house, front porch, kid with a trombone, #stacieannsmith,

The trombone made great noises.

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This is my favorite kitchen. I have photographed many kitchens and have never come across one with so much character and warmth. I need to spend more time in the south.

southern kitchen, beadboard, rustic, aprons

A story in every inch of this place.

girl brushing hair getting ready to be photographed

and art everywhere

girls bedroom full of art, #stacieannsmith

dreamiest kids room.

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photograph between drying drop cloths, black and white, #stacieannsmith

The drop cloths pulled us all in. It reminded me of bit of the corner Penn built… a lot less controlled. Much more imperfect, but still cool.

 

sisters on back porch, #stacieannsmith

So much greenery everywhere. Palms and lush, tropical foliage everywhere I turned. I want this porch and the light just makes it over the top.

photograph of a girl on backyard swing

So much energy. Donuts eaten before photographing guaranteed laughter and movement. I highly recommend sugar before a shoot… only if you can keep smiling with the crazy that follows.