Dowling Family | Family Portrait Photographer | Helena, Montana

Let me stop for a second to tell you that I am seriously the luckiest photographer in the world. My clients are always so wonderful to work with. That's true of my recent session with the Dowling family, too!

I met with them last month in my backyard and the weather was great for photo-taking. And while it was a beautiful warm,sunny day, it was the Dowling family that made this shoot such a blast! 

When it comes to photographing kids, I've learned that the session may not always be rainbows and unicorns. There are times when kids just aren't happy to have their pictures taken.  This was not one of those times (although Baby Jake was teething so we had a couple of tears). I've learned that when that sort of thing happens, you just have to roll with it. I always capture those moments too. And inevitably, mom and dad always buy at least one copy of that photo. Luckily, I was still able to get many wonderful shots of them without Jake crying. Our session consisted of lots of laughing, teasing, tickling, a little crying and even a photo bomb! 

As you can see from the photos, this family is not only photogenic, but also a very close-knit group who clearly love spending time together. They are lucky to have each other. Enjoy!

 

Tony | Children Portraits | Helena, Montana | Christmas

Meet Tony! This is my second time photographing him. Isn't he a cutie?

His parents came to me because they wanted some portraits done to use for their Christmas cards. They weren't sure what they wanted or what he should be wearing.

One of the things I always tell my clients is that it is very important to keep in mind where and what the photos will be used for. If you are going to be hanging a portrait in your home, its important to look at your decor. Is your home decorated in bright colors or more neutral colors? If its neutral colors and you choose to wear neon colors in your family portraits, they will look out of place hanging in your home and you won't be nearly as pleased with them. So try to make sure the colors of your clothes go with the color scheme of your home.

If you'll be using a portrait strictly for greeting cards, holiday cards or announcements, keep the colors and outfits as simple as possible. Think of the design and colors they'll be used with. If you choose a pink Christmas card design but you are wearing a blue dress with yellow polka dots, it's not going to look as nice as say a white dress with a smaller pink pattern will.

Tony's parents had already looked at my Christmas card designs and had picked a design that I knew using a simple white background would look best with. I suggested that Tony dress in Red, Green or Black.  His mom found this outfit at a local store and knew it would be perfect!

  

Fall | Children Portraits | Helena, Montana

Fall is my favorite season of the year. The morning air is crisp and the days are still warm. There's pumpkin carving, corn mazes, hay rides, the smell of baked goods wafting in the air. I can wear hoodies and jeans and boots. College football starts. Go UM Grizzlies! But most of all, I love the colors of season! They are gorgeous!

Baby J | Children Portraits | Helena, Montana

I've known baby J's mom since high school which is another way of saying "a long time". When she found out she was pregnant with J, I warned her I was going to be like the paparazzi around that baby! Before she gave birth though, she and her husband moved out of state. It broke my heart that I wouldn't be around to see her grow up on a daily basis. I'd still see them, just not as often as I'd like.

They made trip back to Montana right before J's first birthday! I had already purchased her gift: a pink tutu with a ruffled diaper cover and a ruffled shirt to match because lets face it, a girl can never have enough pink (or ruffles) in her wardrobe! When they stopped by my home to visit, I couldn't wait for Mandy (aka Mom) to see it! We put it on her and she looked adorable so of course, I grabbed my camera! But like most babies, J liked to be without clothing. So we ended up removing the shirt but J was fine with the tutu! I grabbed the pearls from my stash of props and the feathered headband and BAM! The opportunity for a photo shoot presented itself! I love when that happens...isn't she beautiful!