CT Family Photos – Alex and Abby in Harrybrooke Park

CT Family Photos

Alex and Abby in Harrybrooke Park

Abby turned one last month so we got together to celebrate! We started at the house so that Oreo could be part of the action (there’s a saying about kids and dogs but I can’t quite remember how it goes…..) Oreo was a super star and we got what we needed there in no time at all.

We headed over to Harrybrooke Park, New Milford’s beautiful hidden gem and we took the wagon for a walk. There are so many studies done on birth order and sibling personality traits that I am sure you can find scientific date to back up almost any theory. Let’s just say that Alex and Abby are pretty close in age and big brother Alex is social and extremely verbal for his age. Abby was as mellow as could be and clearly loved EVERYTHING her big brother did and said. And he has a lot to say!

It is always tricky to know what is going to work for a photo session with such little children. The wagon was a hit and kept Abby in one place and Alex busy taking his sister for a ride. Sunglasses were cute props to wear and to hold and snacking on pirates booty wasn’t too messy (and the pirates booty smiles cracked me up!) Remember if you bring a toy, snack, cup or prop then there is a chance that it will end up in every picture. Pick a small traditional toy or something fun to hold, keys distract for a few minutes but don’t really add to the end result. We played music and sang songs but if your child likes to hold the phone and dance then be prepared to see that phone in the photographs!

Are you thinking about CT Family photos? This is the busy season so call soon for availability!

CT Family Photographer – Horse Shoot

CT Family Photographer Planet Photo Meets Ricky!

There is something amazingly beautiful about the bond that exists between Janie and her horse Ricky. Ricky responds to Janie’s laughter and the tone of her voice, and if you know Janie then you know that laugh and you would be hard pressed not to react to it too! I met Janie a couple of years ago in a gym class at Phys-Ed in New Milford. Over the years I have come to learn that she is a former teacher, an avid rider, a grandmother (I know it’s hard to believe, but it is true) and one of the kindest and most considerate women you could ever meet.

We have talked about getting together to take photos of Ricky many times but something always came up or the weather got too cold and he started to get his winter coat but the stars certainly aligned this day. The sky was blue and the air was warm and Ricky was looking his very best and on his best behavior too. I got a tour of the barn and the wonderful home and studio of Bethlehem artist Sharon Curran.

I had some riding lessons after college and have always loved the atmosphere of horse barns, the smell of the hay, the leather and the noises of the horses rustling in their stalls. There is a lot of time and dedication that goes into owning a horse but I think you will agree that it is paid back 100 fold when you look at these photos.

Thanks for sharing Ricky with me Janie – he is stunning and such a sweet horse.

Family Photography in Vermont – Easter Weekend

I remember as a child the excitement that surrounded Easter weekend. Growing up in England, we typically got about three weeks off school, with Easter right in the middle. The tradition there is to give big hollow chocolate eggs filled with other chocolates or candies, and the line outside Thornton’s was long in the days before Easter Sunday. Easter dinner for our family was usually lamb with mint sauce, spring asparagus and new potatoes and was almost always followed by a trip to visit grandparents in Liverpool for more easter eggs!

We had to have a new outfit or something special to wear. We drew the line at easter bonnets, but there were still some families that went that far. It was the beginning of spring, a celebration of the end of the winter and the perfect time to spend with those you love.

We spent Easter 2013 with friends in Vermont. It seems like my kids have grown out of the matching new outfit phase (I have to admit, I am a little sad) and lamb was replaced by ham and a big easter brunch, but the idea was the same. We relaxed, we ate too much chocolate and we went for a walk with good friends and family.

The dogs were happy, the kids were happy and we celebrated the beginning of spring. April is also the start of mud season in Vermont – we celebrated that too!

Ella, a Bernese Mountain Dog, is completely at home in the snow of Vermont.

The kids were pretty at home too – they negotiated all weekend about how many clothes they needed to be wearing.

Yep – there really still is that much snow and they worked on that man sized hole all weekend!

Busted!!!! Declan hiding in the corner (behind the glove tree) to play with the ipad.

Judy is the reigning queen of cards so everyone wanted to see what she had in her hand…..

“Chillaxing”

Never work with kids and animals. Penny was in the picture. And then she wanted out. And then she wanted in again…. Doesn’t she look hysterical – kind of like she is springing along on her fuzzy legs! Mental note: call the groomer!

Final version – no Penny.

A rare Taub Family photo – thanks to Krista for that one!

Inger, a neighbor who also happens to be a massage therapist (how perfect is that!) joined us for brunch and a walk.

Yeah, I told you it was mud season! We thought it was hard driving up the hill in the snow last weekend, this was almost worse.

Happy Easter and Happy Passover to you all!

celebration Dogs easter family friends lifestyle shoot snow spring family session

Redding CT Photographer – First Communion

Redding CT Photographer – First Communion Belle

I first met Isabelle on the day she was born. I met Belle’s Mom, Jeanette, when our sons did Kindermusik. They were the ones raising cane outside the circle and getting disapproving looks from the instructor. Jeanette is the same age as me, we were married in the same year, we both have a boy and a girl and our kids are born within weeks of each other…..we often joke that we have lead parallel lives! We were honored to be among close family members to celebrate Belle’s first communion on a perfect day last spring. She requested red velvet cupcakes with blue frosting so that’s what we made for her – she’s a girl after my own heart!

We love you Belle Belle!

If you see any of those BFF products in the mall there is a good chance that Olivia and Belle would be interested! They are proud of their

“Best Friends Forever” status.

This is Belle’s cousin Molly – doesn’t she have amazing eyes!

Her cousin Anna is just getting interested in photography so we had to have a little portrait session….

Oh to be so popular!

children CT family first communion friends spring

CT Photographer – A basket full of puppies

Hank, Herman, Helen, Heaven, Harpo, Henry, Hugo, Houston, Hannah and Harley.

Ten newborn puppies for five and a half weeks.

It takes a special kind of family to take on the responsibility of caring for a litter of TEN puppies (and Bahama, the mom) and then send them on their way for further training with Guiding Eyes for the Blind. This Connecticut family decided to do just that and what an experience it has been. The day I met them they were down to eight. One of the puppies (Hannah) was not gaining enough weight, so Hannah went back to the breeder to get some specialized attention and Harley went along to keep her company. We had a rotating supply of sleepy puppies to choose from and it turned into a fun and active “newborn” shoot! The biggest difference of course was that when they woke up they just walked over and started licking the camera or my hand.