Miracle Grow

I'm fairly certain the nurses at the hospital when I had my son sprinkled miracle grow on him.  Because how else is it possible he's already eating his first foods?

We started with sweet potato, and then added avocado a few days later.  Contrary to the way this picture looks, it seems he actually enjoys food but perhaps wishes that it were more similar to the consistency of breastmilk.

What were your babies first foods?  Did they enjoy them right away or was there a learning curve like with my little man?

Innocence

"Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart." — Winnie the Pooh

This weekend I had the pleasure of cuddling a newborn, smelling his head, listening to his cries, and most importantly, photographing this brief moment of tininess.

In the blink of an eye, his parents will be celebrating his first birthday, and in the next blink he'll be off to kindergarten.  I love to preserve these precious moments of newness because it doesn't take long to disbelieve that your baby was ever that small.

I shot this newborn session on location at the family's home near Oak Ridge, North Carolina.  I love using what the family has (in addition to things I bring) because it brings a uniqueness to their photos that otherwise wouldn't be there.

Are there any special things in or around your home you'd love to have pictures with?

Collaborating

Photographers often work together on projects, creating great opportunities to see potential images from another perspective.  It's a learning opportunity for everyone involved, and I particularly love working with my friend Krista, who grew into photography with me.  So when she invited me along for a beauty shoot I couldn't say no.

I just love beauty shoots.  The are an incredible confidence booster, and it's insanely rewarding to help a woman feel good about herself.  I admittedly didn't do much in the way of using my camera at this shoot, thanks to a tiny human I had strapped to me, but I couldn't pass up an opportunity to get a shot of the magic happening.

Do you enjoy working with other people who share the same hobbies or professional goals?  Isn't it refreshing to see how someone else does things?

Serenity

We're right in the middle of winter.  Our area is expecting some pretty nasty weather this week, and I am longing for warmer days again.  So, browsing through some pictures I took last year at the beach, I came across these I took of the sunrise one morning.  If I close my eyes and take a deep breath, I can smell the saltwater air.  I can hear the tides crashing onto the earth, and I can feel the sand between my toes.

Can you smell it?  Do you have a place where you can just unplug and recharge your soul?