There is this little nook of a field near my house. I take the kids here a few times a year, and probably even more so that it won’t be around for much longer as the other half is now quickly succumbing to construction.

These portraits were taken in August, and are celebrating Moose turning 18 months. As Bug gets closer and closer to 4, she is responding more and more to bribery, I mean, is more cooperative, and portrait taking is fun again! As Moose gets closer and closer to 2… well. It’s always an adventure.

My sweet Bug, who is learning to love to pose for Mommy’s camera. Especially when there’s a prize box.

Sweet, serious looking kids. The serious look only happens for a millisecond!

They truly love each other! No one can make Moose laugh like Bug. No one!

This is truly a visual to their relationship. Bug loves on Moose. Moose tolerates it for .06542 seconds. Moose swats her off because she’s cramping his style. He can’t ruin that tough guy image, now!

Laughter and more love. Bug thinks she is Moose’s little mommy. She is always trying to take care of him, whether he needs it or not.

My Moose Man. I typically prefer editing in color, but this particular image of the typical Moose laugh- wrinkled nose, looking off in the distance– was born to be black and white.

The many expressions of the Big Man.

More sweet Bug.

That’s enough to make this Mommy’s heart melt. My kids rock.

© lux amoris

Celebrate that little bit of warm weather we have left as we head into fall with a beautiful color palette of pinks, browns, and creams for your next portraits. These outfits would look perfect for a field session, with everyone cuddled on the grass, reading books to each other, or singing.

Harford County (well, all of the Baltimore metro area) shouldn’t get really COLD until late November, so there is plenty of time for an outdoor portrait of your family. I have 3 openings left before my Holiday delivery cut off, and 3 additional spots before the end of the year. Give me a call (443.504.4516) or contact me via the website to schedule your fall family portrait before all the spaces are gone.

I also have one remaining evening opening for my Short and Sweet Holiday minis if you are looking to get your holiday cards without the extras of a full Signature Session.

© lux amoris

Today’s photographer spotlight is on Holly Olsen, of Holly Olsen Photography in Highland UT.

You can find her on the web at HollyOlsenPhotography.com, and on facebook here!

10 Questions
About the image…
1. Why do you love this image? I love the stillness and the peace of this image. Life can get so busy and when babies are little it is easy to forget to take in the moment and enjoy it because too soon these moments will be gone.

2. What were your settings with this image? I shot this with my Canon 5D mark ii and my 50 mm lens. ISO 1000 SS 250 f/2.2

About Photography…
3. What do you love about Photography? I love having the ability to capture a moment that can be re-lived over and over through a photograph.

4. What type of Photography do you specialize in and why? I love newborns and children. Children seem to change in the blink of an eye and I love to capture that moment in time.

About your life?
5. What are your favorite hobbies and pastimes? I love gardening. I love flowers and I find nothing more beautiful than a garden filled with flowers. I look forward to spring every year so that I can start digging the dirt.

6. Who or what inspires you? There are so many wonderful photographers that I admire but what truly inspires me is the everyday beauty around me. I try to see the world in a different way… through my lens.

7. Who are some of your favorite singers/bands? I enjoy whatever is playing at the moment. In the car, we can listen to preschool sds or Taylor Swift (my six year old sings along which is so fun to watch!). In fact, my six year old probably knows the songs on the radio better than I do.

8. What is your favorite movie of all time? Don’t laugh but for some reason I love Sweet Home Alabama. I don’t know why but every time I am channel surfing and see that it is on I have to stop and watch it even though I have seen it a million times.

9. What would your ideal day be like? Playing with my family on a nice warm beach on an island in the Caribbean. The warm sand and sun always sounds like a perfect day.

10. If you weren’t a photographer, what other profession would you like to pursue? I have always wanted to be home with my children and photography allows me to do that. So I think that I have the best of both worlds!

I’ve said it many times, and I’ll say it again: I love LOVE!

I was contacted to do a couples session for a young, in love couple who wanted to celebrate their dating relationship, as they’ve never had portraits done together before. My excitement grew even further when I got a call a few days before the session from the boyfriend who confided in me that he planned on proposing DURING the portrait session. I was grinning ear to ear, let me tell you. We’ve gone from a couples session to an engagement session, and I was thrilled to witness “The Moment”.

I headed out to their family farm in Havre de Grace in gorgeous Harford County to document their love on a perfect evening. The ground was dry, the sun was out. Perfection.

They wanted to incorporate their dogs in the portraits, and I was more than happy to oblige. Such sweet puppies!

Some tender moments together. Isn’t that light just amazing?

I love their light-hearted laughter together.

I was getting REALLY nervous at this point. I can’t even image how he must have felt. So we headed off to find a new spot, for the big moment. (apparently she thought his blood sugar was low!)

Here we go– we had pre-planned a specific code phrase so we would both know it was time. I let it fly, perched up on my ladder, shaking and excited to watch the proposal unveil. Such a gentleman, down on one knee with a ring suddenly appearing out of nowhere.

Beaming smiles! She said yes!

The afterglow. More big happy smiles, and checking out that gorgeous ring. GUESS WHO IS GETTING MARRIED?

Engagement portraits aren’t complete without some smooching.

Check out that ring!

We walked around to more spots on the farm. Don’t you just love the rolling fields of Harford County? I really enjoy living up here.

A celebratory picnic for the lovebirds.

No sunset session is complete without a silhouette shot.

I feel so honored to have been included in something so important. Sorry for such a HUGE share, but I couldn’t fathom leaving any of these images out.

© lux amoris

In July, we packed up and headed out to the beach on our annual family vacation to the Outer Banks. It was a great week of family fun with the relatives, beach time, and general relaxing. (Well, as relaxing as you can get with a 3 year old and a 1 year old in tow!)

I dragged, I mean, brought my darling children out to the beach one evening for the monthly portraits. The weather wasn’t as nice as I had hoped as the air was thick with smoke from the wildfires. It was hazy, grey, and blah, but I knew it was now or never as we were running out of time left on our trip.

© lux amoris

I’m pleased to officially announce that the 2011 Short and Sweet Holiday Minis will take place on Oct 15 (raindate Oct 16) in Harford County, MD.

If you are a member of my mailing list, you got first dibs on these exclusive spots (sign up for the mailing list here). If you follow me on facebook, you got a second grab at the remaining spots. Now I open it to all my blog readers. There are very few spots remaining, so if you are interested contact me soon to get on the books.

All packages include a set of holiday cards. If you aren’t sure what you want, you can go for the lowest package and choose to upgrade at a later date.

© lux amoris

© lux amoris

Today’s spotlight is on Kara Layfield, of Kara Layfield Photography in Salisbury, Maryland.

You can find her on the web at www.karalayfieldphotography.com and on facebook here.

10 Questions
About the image…
1. Why do you love this image?
I love the color and his cute little smile! He was so excited to sit and just look at the flowers. He was such a happy little baby and I am so glad that I was able to capture this for his proud Mom.

2. What were your settings with this image?
f/2.0, SS 1/2000, ISO 200 on my 5DII.

About Photography…
3. What is in your camera bag?
Canon 5D Mark II, 50 1.2 L, 85 1.8

4. What is your favorite lens?
Most definately the 85 1.8. I’d LOVE to have the 85 1.2L, but for now this does the job and gives me such beautiful creamy bokeh.

About your life?
5. What one food could you eat every day?
Breads

6. Did you go to college? What was your major?
I majored in Communications.

7. What are you most proud of?
My kids! They bring me such joy!

8. If you could have one superpower what would it be?
I’d love to fly!

9. What would your ideal day be like?
It would have to definately be somewhere warm, I’d be with family and we would not watch any clocks or have any plans.
We would just take on whatever the day brings and enjoy being together.

10. If you weren’t a photographer, what other profession would you like to pursue?
I’m very intrigued by graphic design artists. I’d love to watch a pro in work to see how it all comes together. I’d also love to work at Disney World for a day.

Come back next week as I put the spotlight on Holly Olsen of Holly Olsen Photography in Highland UT!

I love watching babies grow! Remember this sweet little newborn? She’s back for her 3 month session and we had a blast. This pretty little harford county redhead was all smiles for me for the first half of our session, and slept sweetly for the second half.

Getting ready for her moment in the spotlight! I love her nursery, daddy did a great job painting it, didn’t he?

Such sweet eye contact as she warmed up to the camera. I love her red hair!

This dress complemented her eyes so well. Look at that happy face!

So many dresses, so little time. What’s a girl to do? I don’t think I can choose my favorite! She is one well dressed little lady.

These are my favorite. I want my families to remember life as it really is. Mom told me that this is how she prefers to fall asleep, upright with the binky, while Mom bounces/sways. Who wants a boring old swing when you can have Mom do it better?

Finally tuckered out and comfy.

Sweetness. Awwwwww.

© lux amoris 2011