Twin Boy Portraits: Michael & Stickley

Does it seem to anyone else that there are an abundance of twins being born recently? They are tricky to photograph I can tell you that! These two little ones are just 3 months old and I was thrilled to find I actually got a few shots where neither of them were crying- much! I am so excited to watch Davis & Michael grow!

Cotton Candy Tutus

When Shannon called and asked me to make sure the skirts she had just ordered were suitable for the photo shoot I thought I had gone to heaven. Can you imagine anything better than these gorgeous poofy cotton candy tutus? I had butterflies in my tummy taking these photos!Shannon had baby Will four months ago. Yup. She looks amazing. But she is also a woman, so she is self-conscious. We had to plead a little bit to get her in front of the camera, but I think it was well-worth the persistence. Consider this: as precious as the images of your children are to you- that is how precious images of YOU will be to your children when they are grown. So what if you haven't lost the 10 pounds or have circles under your eyes? Love, happiness, a professional photographer and a very expensive lens are the perfect ingredients for photographs that will be treasured for generations. I think it is so important to make sure there are images for your children to look back on of their mother, smiling with happiness and self-confidence, showing them that they don't have to be our society's idea of "perfect" to be valuable, happy and loved.

What do you get when you put Regina in a room with three children under the age of four? Who knows? But that M&M jar was completely empty at the end of this session. This was the another fine example of the "un-structured" (slash chaotic) family portrait session that resulted in images that are yummy and precious.

The Wonder Years

I'm not sure what it is about this time in a young family's life but it is magical. The photo shoot with Gabrielle and Gavin brought up so many vivid and tender memories of when my brother and I were their same age (3 and 1). The photographs I have of my little brother, Daniel, and I are perhaps the most treasured items I own. The above two shots are two of my favorites. Daniel died when he as 15 and I was 17 and I have never seemed to have recovered from the loss. As soon as these children came into the studio I saw the similiarities and I found myself attempting to create images that have the same feel as my own childhood images.Not a very romantic location - nestled between a couple of dumpsters and the sun just overhead, but we were all delighted with these "family portraits"! I think this might typify the exact opposite of the traditional olan mills portrait- except we are inside. As I told Tim & Angie as soon as they walked in the door- I seem to be incapable of "posing" my subjects so family sessions usually feel completely unstructured and messy. But it is so amazing to see what we get! It is always something new and unexpected! I adore this photo.

And here are some of my favorite family shots of all time. An impromptu ring-around-the-rosy game! No time to switch lenses or even stand up so I just leaned all the way back on the floor wedged myself up against the wall (in a "crunch" position) and took these shots. I love them so much.

Ashley & Aaron- Engagement Photos!

I spotted Ashley's shoes straight away and yelled my sentiments from across the parking lot (in a very feminine fashion, of course). She gave her fiance an "I told you!" look. And then we took pictures. My engagement photos sessions are very mellow. We move around a lot, I constantly command my subjects not to look at me, I chatter away the whole time and usually trip on something. And then we're done. They last about 20-40 minutes. And at the end they say (usually the guy)- "wow, that was way easier than I thought..." And the she gives him an "I told you!" look.

Cover of Luxurious Wedding Style Report!

We are very excited to have an image from Trina & Ken's wedding showcased on the cover the The Luxurious Wedding Style Report as well as the home page of their website! They are a fabulous company with the most decadent wedding resources worldwide. Yum!

Here is the text from their "Style Report" letter: "If you are seeking something special in your wedding photography, look to Regina Mountjoy of Recherche Photography and Heather M Whiting Photography whose sultry images are featured on the cover of Luxurious Wedding.com this month. Ever the consummate wedding photojournalists, both took advantage of the lighting and the mood to produce wedding images that are editorial and evocative.... stepping out of the box and on to our cover. Both will travel the globe to chronicle your wedding in unparalleled style and elegance. For more luxury wedding planning ideas visit the main page of our Luxurious Wedding Style Report.

And by the way, are you yearning to see more images from this particular wedding? If so, here is a gallery we have online for editorial submissions:

http://recherche-photography.com/ThielWedding/Thiel/