Maria and Joe’s Wedding at the Hilton Bentley on South Beach

This wedding had all of the right ingredients, that individually, make for a special wedding and great pictures.  But combine them all together, and you have a recipe for absolute perfection and above and beyond awesomeness.  First, Maria and Joe had an Engagement Session, which is always a great way to develop a rapport with me, so we start off the wedding day as friends and with a certain level of comfort in our roles as photographer and subjects.  Second, add a beautiful and fun location with beautiful light at the right time of day.  I love that we had a mix of nature and urban spots for their portraits, and since their wedding coincided with Spring Break, that added an extra bit of fun uniqueness (and some photobombing characters).  Third, they allotted plenty of time for us to explore said great location and light for their portraits.  And last, but certainly not least, these two showed so much love and emotion for each other, that looking at some of these images gave me the chills!

Melissa and Family at the Boca Raton Resort

Spring is a season when many families gather to celebrate, and this family chose to fly down from the North to spend their time together in sunny South Florida.  They vacationed at the beautiful Boca Raton Resort, which is rather fitting for an equally beautiful family!

I'd never been there, but I'd seen (and researched) photos of it.  The property is expansive, and beautiful, with Spanish Architecture and well manicured gardens.  While my tried and true photo spots are great and I know them well, a new location is always fun to shoot, because it feels like exploring, and in addition to capturing a family, you're capturing your exploration together.

And what better way is there to freeze their time together than to have a family portrait session!? 

Janisse and Family

This family was getting together for Easter weekend, and wanted to have some photographs of their time together as a family, as they don’t all live locally, which made their visit extra special.  We met at a shady spot in downtown Miami this morning to capture this family and their love for each other before they headed off to brunch.  With twin toddler boys, I had my challenges getting everyone looking their best at the same time, but with some patience, sillyness, and a few head swaps in editing, here are some of my favorite moments from our session.

Ice Cream Store Mini Session with Rachel, Greg, Ellie, and Cullen

I was out doing a beach session a few weeks ago, and on my way back to my car passed this adorable ice cream shop, Sloan’s in Lauderdale by the Sea!  I’m always on the lookout for new and interesting photo spots, so I approached the owner and asked if she’d be open to me scheduling some family photo sessions at the store.  She was up for it (thanks Debbie!), and I posted the idea on my Facebook page.  The response was overwhelming!  I had 2 sessions this past weekend, and have 11 more coming up 2 weeks later!  The awesomeness of this session made me that much more excited for the rest.  Could this family be any cuter?!  I just love how their bright colors compliment the brightness of the store!  And it was great how the environment really allowed me to capture some genuine family moments, including happiness!  Who wouldn’t be happy in an ice cream shop with candy, a moving model train, and the smell of fresh waffle cones?!

Kim Kevin, Chloe, Caitlyn, and XX or XY Gender Reveal

This mom saw the gender reveal photos I had taken for a friend, and contacted me to make the arrangements.  I of course, was so excited, as this is one of my favorite milestones to photograph.  Permission was given for Kim’s doctor’s office to release the results to me, and mom explained that she was really hoping for a boy for her two daughters.  She also expressed doubts that it was possible she was carrying a boy, so when her office told me the gender, I got goosebumps, and made them double check!  Mom’s surprise and excitement is so genuine; it was a truly special morning to be able to capture these moments for them.  If we had a video too, you would hear Kim saying, “I still can’t believe it’s blue!”