les petit séance

Last Friday, Haute Shot Photography began a two week vaca of sorts, so this little blog-o-mine will be picture free for the next week or so. I wanted to take a moment, however, to let all of you loyal readers know that I am beyond excited to announce the introduction of les petit séance . . . or, the Little Sessions. More information to follow, so check back soon to find out when, where, what and why. And because I can't post a post with posting a pic, here is one of one of my favorite little imps celebrating National Lollipop Day last Tuesday. Who knew? Personally, I'm holding out for National Chocolate Chip Cooke Dough Day. Enjoy your week, and thanks for checking in!

tiffany & co.

~ Dear Mr. Lauren: Can I call you Ralph? Fabulous. I heard you were looking for a few new models for your childrens' line; well look no further, Ralphy. I spent Sunday morning with two of the cutest boys on the block. Their lovely mama, Tiffany, had chosen outfits for them from your spring line, and oh my heavens, did they own them! Never mind that Christian has a head of hair adults would covet (myself included), that Lincoln rocks a lil' mohawk, and that both boys have the bluest baby blues. Ever. Just look at them, Ralph. Do they not scream Polo 2010? Great; I'll have my people call your people, and we can set something up. ~ Seriously, though, I spent Sunday morning with Tiffany and her three boys. Christian and Lincoln are twins, and at the beginning of the session, Tiffany said her expecations were low. I believe she said something to the effect of, "They're 18 months. They're boys. And there are two of them." Well, while they boys certainly took care of my cardio routine for the next three days, I am happy to report we managed to snap a few keepers. Seriously, Tiffany had the guys dressed so adorably (sorry, Fahmi, but you did look adorable in that pink/celadon striped tie), and the boys provided plenty of action-packed moments for us to enjoy. Even if we were sweaty messes when it was all said and done. Tiffany and Fahmi were so very sweet, and I always enjoy working with them. And did I mention the boys? So full of life, so curious, and all boy. At the end of our session, Tiffany asked me if I ever submit my photos to contests. Such a humbling, sweet thing to ask (serioulsy, I know I blushed, but was so close to heat stroke that no one noticed!). And while I never have . . . if I did, the first pic of the four of them walking might be a candidate. I think I'd call it Blue Skies Ahead. Tiffany, as always, it was a pleasure. Thanks so much for coming out my way and enjoy your sneak!

laura & co.

Meet Laura. Tall, beautiful, smart, and sweet. Basically, my worst nightmare in high school . . . which matters not a bit, as Miss Laura is Aggiebound in a mere 4 weeks (much to her proud mama's bittersweet disbelief). Poor Laura had an emergency appendictomy in the spring, which derailed many of her spring plans (including senior portraits). Well, we more than made up for the delay on Saturday evening. Laura brought along her sweet mama, her sweet Sophie and her sweet boyfriend, Michael. And Michael brought along his sweet '70 Chevelle, which proved to be a very cool backdrop for the lovebirds. Laura did some modeling in high school, so she was a natural behind the lens. When she grows up she wants to be a Buyer for an individual . . . apparently she's a genius when it comes to shopping for others! Two interesting tidbits from the session, dear reader: Laura and Michael dated as 8th/9th graders, and recently rekindled their romance this past November. How cute is that?!?!?!? And Laura's grandfather launched a thriving business in his garage more than 30 years, which now supplies metal parts to countries worldwide. And is located in little, old Wylie. An ambitious, successful family, and I see nothing but the same for Miss Laura. It was great meeting you guys on Saturday; thank you for such an amazing session! Have fun in Rockport, kids, and enjoy your sneaky!

beth & co.

Saturday morning I met Beth and her lovely family at the Arboretum for Mr. Logan's 1 year portraits, as well as some extended family pics with Nana Joy, Papa and Elmo (all three very sweet grandparental units, by the by), and family pics for Beth's holiday card. Yes, it was a busy, bustling session (and I think Beth marks my first Christmas in July client!), but we managed to cross everything off our list. The twins looked adorable in their matching Gymboree dresses, and the birthday boy could not have been cuter! I loved working with Beth and her kiddos in February, and working with her delightful dear husband, parents and father-in-law on Saturday was just as pleasant! Seriously, this is one sweet family. And I can't post this post without mentioning, yet again, Haute Shot Photography's BFF of the year, Melissa. Beth brought along her gal pal again(who also happens to be a Nanny; go figure!), to help with wrangling and outfit changing. Indispensable, people. Seriously. Beth, it was wonderful working with you guys again. The kids are growing up too fast, and it's been so much fun seeing it all through my lens! Enjoy your sneak (and birthday kisses to Mr. Logan!).

christie & co.

Well, I'd like to say the nerves died down after April's session, but really they were just beginning. Because, after my Son of a Reality TV Celebrity Session, I went straight to Daughter of a Fox Affiliate Reporter and Winning 1996 Superbowl Player session. And the winning team I'm referring to just happened to be none other than the Greenbay Packers. Loyal blog readers know my obsession for the Green and Gold, so I won't digress (but, holy moly, check out that bling in the last shot!). Christie is actually BFF's with April, and the two haute mamas had the ingenious idea of booking sessions back to back! Christie and Rod really only wanted pictures of their little princess, Layla, but we still managed to snap a few sweet ones of her interacting with her doting parents. Layla is definitely one of the most verbal little two year olds (she literally just turned two) I've ever met. She obviously has a future in broadcasting, just like her mama! Although, come to think of it, those sprints she was doing for 15 minutes straight (in 100 degree temps!) actually might be her future ticket to something sports related. Layla is a very active little tot: she led (or ran, call it what you will), and we simply followed. In motion, or sitting still, you can't deny that she is one beautiful little girl. With a very sharp sense of humor, I might add. Nor can you ignore the obvious affection Christie and Rod have for her. Rod mentioned that he takes a picture of her daily, just to send off to grandparents in Vegas! Baby, Miss Layla's baby doll, joined us for some shots, and Layla enjoyed pushing her in a stroller and picking her flowers. But what I think she enjoyed most was playing in the water garden at the end of our session. I have never had a session end quite like that, but during these dog days of summer I'm going to start encouraging it! Christie, thank you so much for giving me the honor of working with your beautiful little girl. She was beyond adorable! And Rod, thank you so much for being so patient and kind as I rambled on and on about my Packers obsession. I promised myself I wouldn't, but I just couldn't help myself . . . You guys were so much fun; enjoy your sneak!

april & co.

When I started this photography thing a little over a year ago, I used to get nervous before every session. After a few months of continuous shooting, though, the nerves finally subsided. That is, dear reader, until today. When April first called to book her session a few months ago, she was as sweet as could be. Loved her accent, her son's name, her whole attitude about the shoot. I was really, really looking forward to working with her. That is, until I found out that she was once on the CBS hit reality show, Big Brother. Yeah. A reality tv celebrity. Nervous, anyone? Of course, I had no reason to be. Sure, she's drop dead gorgeous, sweet as pie and has a beautiful family to boot, but really, there was nothing to be worried about. Mr. Maverick (no, not the movie character or the basketball team), her 18 month old supermodel son was All Boy. His favorite things, it seems, are airplanes; check out his reaction to finding one in the sky below. He loves to pick flowers for his mama, hates wearing ties (even though it was THE cutest little thing I'd ever seen) and enjoys a super toss up into the air by Daddy. Who, by the way, was All Man. As in, Mr. Matt really wanted to be anywhere other than in front of my lens. Sound familiar, ladies? Well, Matt rallied and gave me some great smiles (and even took it upon himself to search the Dallas Arboretum for my missing flash case). I really had so much fun with this family. In between shots, April filled me in on all the juicy details of shooting a reality show (she made it to the final four, for crying out loud!), and I really think I could have hung out with her all day. Except, of course, by the end of our session I was a haute sweaty mess, and her family was still picture perfect. Even Matt, in his turqouise shirt (which he was more than willing to wear, as it wasn't pink). April, you guys were so much fun! Thank you, thank you, thank you for the fun session, and I look forward to working with you guys again in December!

ticey & co.

I was supposed to shoot their newborn session. Newborn. Twins. But they came early. My weekends were booked. And early twins really can't venture out until well after 6 weeks . . . So my heart broke a little, and I counted down the days until I would meet Hudson and Kennedy. My countdown, I'm pleased to report, ended on Saturday, when their proud parents brought them over for their 3 Month Photo Shoot. Poor Ticey: she had ironed outfits the night before (and not just one outfit, but three. Times two.), and I don't think we used one. Nothing beats delicious naked baby skin, and by the time I got my Baby Skin fix, the twins had had enough of my lights, camera, action! Three months is, by far, one of the hardest ages to photograph. Unless your name happens to be Kennedy or Hudson. They gave me some great smiles at the beginning during our family portrait time, and then Hudson decided he needed a snack. So while he ate, Kennedy posed. And when he finished, she decided a snack wasn't such a bad idea, after all. So while she ate, Hudson posed. It was as if these two little babies had their own little system, and watching them together . . . wait for it, dear reader . . . brought a tear or two to my eye (I know, I know: I'm sure there are meds I should look in to for my propensity to weep). Especially at the very end, when they had full bellies and heavy eyes: Hudson started to fuss, and Kennedy lovingly reached over to hold his arm. I am not kidding you. And her gentle touch, and him so near, was enough to lull them both to sleep. Their bond was beyond palpable, and it was amazing to see it at only three months! And, of course, Ticey and Harold's love for them was just as evident. And talk about a system: those two have the whole Twin Thing down. To a T. Ticey, I am so sorry the newborn session didn't work out, but it was wonderful working with you guys for the three month portraits. And, once again, I find myself counting down the days until my next session with Kennedy and Hudson. Which, lucky for me, is a mere 3.5 months away!). Enjoy your sneaky, guys, and I'll see you soon!

kristin & co.

Meet Miss Madison. But feel free to call her Miss Perfection. I mean, look at her, for crying out loud. It's almost impossible for me to even write this post because I keep wanting to scroll down and look at her divine face! That smile. That hair. Sigh. I miss her. Madison is the youngest member of The League: a group of sassy, sophisticated, gorgeous gals who also happen to be BFFs. And, lucky for me, I've worked with so many of them! And please forgive me, dear reader, for bragging on a few of them: Lindsey is the one who introduced me to the group. I think I am going to hire her on as my Fashion Consultant; keep in mind she's also one of my Planners. According to Kristin, she was over helping her pick out Madison's wardrobe for the newborn shoot. The newborn shoot. Yet she would pick up something and say, "Oh, save this for the 3 month shoot. This one will be great for the 6 month shoot", and so on and so on. Tiffany, also a Planner (I think it must be a requisite in the League's Oath), has apparently selected outfits for the twins that literally have me counting down the days to our session next weekend. Wait. Until. You. See. Them. And then there's April and Maverick, who I'll meet in two weeks . . . Anyway, I digress. Kristin and Chad could not have been more laid back about the entire shoot. Never you mind that I totally rearranged their lovely home, and that both are recovering from surgeries that prevent them from lifting anything that weighs more than their daughter . . . . Such troopers. Nana and Gigi (Madison's grandmother and great-grandmother, respectively) were also on hand for the shoot. Both women had such a gentle, loving touch, and it was so evident that Madison is already gaga over the both of them. I had so much fun with this family. Kristin was game for all my ideas, and at one point called her neighbors over while we were shooting outside. Just to watch. And I'll be honest, I don't know what was funnier: the fact that she called them, or the fact that the lovely Angie Harmon and Shawn Johnson look-alikes came running! And before I forget, I must make mention of Big Sister Molly. When she came to the door upon my arrival, she was wearing the sweetest little pink dress. And that hair! A gorgeous, soft cinnamon chocolate color. She clearly adores Madison, and I'm pleased to report that there is not one ounce of sibling rivalry in her little 8 pound body. Don't believe me? Just look at that shot below; the one where it looks like she's SMILING over baby sister's shoulder. Oh, did I forget to mention she's a canine? Kristin calls her her first born, and she truly is treated like it. Baby Madison's nursery was something out of a magazine spread, and her closet is something out of a movie. Large. And already full of clothes. Really, really cute ones. Kristin, you have no idea how much fun I had with you guys. I am looking forward to the 3 month, 6 month, 9 month and extended family session (see, readers, Kristin's a Planner, too). Thank you so much for sharing your supermodel with me. I told you it would be hard narrowing the pics down for the sneak, and it really, really was. Enjoy the ones I chose, and thanks again for such an amazing session!

carolyn & co.

Tommy. Carolyn. Stacey. Neal. Blake. Zach. Luke. Lana. Matt. Cody. Tyler. Russell. Jolene. Carson. Avery. Sage (the chocolate lab puppy). And the divine Miss M (Cody's super cute girlfriend of 2 years who was such a big help!). These 17 smiling faces greeted me Friday morning for a mega-family portrait session. Even though we started shooting a little later than planned, these professionals more than made up for the lost time. Everyone was so sweet, so easy and truly rocked the camera; even sleepy Zach. I come from a crazy large family, so I felt right at home with this gorgeous gang. Between shots there was plenty of laughing, plenty of playing with the cousins and lots of love. The kids (big ones included) were so polite, and you could just see how much Tommy and Carolyn adore their brood. At the end of the session, Tommy gathered his handsome grandsons for a quick shot by the creek; "We'll go fishing," he said (with uber-pride and affection in his voice, by the by). And then Carolyn grabbed Miss Avery for a quick Grandmother/Granddaughter pose, creekside. So sweet, so loving, and such a tight-knit bunch. At the end of the session, drinks were passed around (the temps had climbed by then, and everyond had earned it!), and fond farewells were said. Carolyn, it was an absolute pleasure meeting you and your lovely family. Thanks for the honor of working with everyone. Enjoy your sneak, and your family!