Erin & Charles, 5/1/09

Well, I'll be honest. I was a little skeptical.

Not of Charles & Erin - I knew from our engagement portrait session and meetings and emails we'd have a great time together - but whether or not we'd get a wedding done at the OP Arboretum on May Day. The weather was, in a word, cruddy. Until about 3:00. So since we weren't getting started for awhile after that it turns out my worries were for naught. I guess I could have just asked Erin ahead of time since apparently the weather cleared up because she demanded that it be so.

Having gotten the weather situation squared away with Erin's assistance, it was time for a wedding lagoon-side at the Overland Park Arboretum with a reception following at the Pavillion in Lenexa (complete with May Pole). Here are some of my favorites from the day. Thanks again to Erin, Charles, the Collinses and the Foushees for making me feel like one of the guests.

Wyatt at age 1/4

Since Erica & Scott purchased the first year package (newborn, 3 month, 6 month, and one year pictures) Wyatt gets to experience the joy of having his portrait made over and over.

Not quite ready to sit up yet, young Wyatt gets an assist from dad:

The whole family gets in on the action:Wyatt, still happy with the whole idea of having his picture taken:

And the same in B&W:

A look of surprise, a tongue sticking out, and just a bit of slobber: the picture that has it all:

Wyatt, head up under his own power big boy style:
And one more that he'll probably someday wish we hadn't taken:

Thanks very much guys. I look forward to seeing you and Wyatt over the next few months and in the years to come.

TLC for Children and Families

I met Hayley Waynick, Community Relations Coordinator for TLC for Children and Families, awhile back at a Northeast Johnson County Chamber event and when she mentioned the organization that she worked for and that they are always looking for volunteers I jumped at the chance to help out with their upcoming Tastes and Tees event.

A little bit about TLC (borrowed from their Facebook entry):

TLC was founded in 1972 by the Johnson County Young Matrons to fulfill an unmet need for an emergency shelter for abused and neglected children. TLC’s mission has expanded as we have stepped forward to further help children and youth in crisis.

I'm really excited to be helping out a great organization and I'm sure that they would be willing to accept your help as well if you are so inclined. To learn more I encourage you to visit them on the web at www.kidstlc.org.

Thanks to Hayley for the opportunity and I'm looking forward to the event on July 16.

Skylar 042509

Skylar's back. She first came in with Doug & Michelle about six months ago and now it's time for her one year pictures. She has a lot more hair now:
And to go with all that hair an equal amount of personality:

And because we were celebrating her birthday, it was time for a little cake (and a tutu):
What happens to a cake when a one year old gets ahold of it:
Thanks again to Michelle and Doug - I was looking forward to this all week. Now if anyone has suggestions for getting icing out of a paper backdrop...

The Paw Clean

Kevin Fleming: family man, writer, and, dare I say it: visionary.

I'm not sure what the real story is so I'm going to assume that it involves vision quests, a native American medicine man, gypsy curses, and ancient scrolls written in some long-dead dialect of Sanskrit or some combination thereof. Either that or when the family dog came in from the yard Kevin got tired of cleaning up the mess, came up with the idea for Paw Clean, and realized there might be others with the same need.

The end result:

Among his many other talents, Kevin can now also consider himself one of the canine footbath industry's preeminent hand models:

And finally, to help us out Kevin brought along his beautiful daughter Finley:

One last note. Kevin is also the publisher of a great e-newsletter that highlights some of Kansas City's biggest goings on. I highly suggest you go to http://www.squeezeseven.com/ to check it out.

Thanks so much to Kevin and Finley for coming in.

A.J., mom, and dad

The Collins family came in for some family pictures and, more specifically, some picture for A.J.'s first birthday. We'll be seeing more of each other on May 1 when I have the honor of shooting Jeff's sister Erin's wedding.

The family:

The boy, looking perhaps a little surprised:

And then a little sad:
A little happy:
And finally, a little inquisitive:

Thanks guys - I'm looking forward to seeing you at Erin & Charles' wedding.