The Wolfpack

When I go to my parent's house for a holiday, the house can get pretty chaotic. How chaotic can it really be? Imagine a house with two parents (mine), 6 kids (theirs), two spouses, one boyfriend, and four crazy dogs. It can get a little nuts and none of us kids even have children of our own yet! Although it's no weekend at the spa, it's always fun to go home to see everyone and there is never a dull moment. Since the puppies are the only "grandchildren" at the moment (my parents must be so proud), I took a minute over Easter weekend to take some photos of the four of them. Allow me to introduce you...

Ella (aka Ella Bella or Missy Ella) is a miniature schnauzer and belongs to my brother Sam. He tells everyone constantly that she is his "best friend". My parents bought Ella at the request of my sister about 6 or 7 months before Sam was born, so she's been a part of his life since day 1.


I'm sure by now you all are familiar with Einstein (aka Einer, Einey, Bubba), who makes regular appearances on the blog. He wasn't feeling especially into having his photo taken but even models have off days. :)


Next we have my sister Abby's cairn terrier Rudy (aka Rude Dog or the always popular Mufasa) who is playful and rowdy, much like his owner.


And finally there's Herky (aka Turkey or Herk), who is a Yorkie like Einstein but bigger and with more energy.

So there you have it, the gallery of grandpups! I definitely have a new respect for pet photographers - it's not as easy as it looks (I wish I had photos or a video of Josh and I behind the scenes, it was pretty comical I'm sure!). Einstein is used to me shoving the camera in his face, but the other dogs weren't too sure about the whole modeling thing.

I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend! I've got some great sessions coming up in May and I can't wait to share them all with you. Keep your fingers crossed that we have some warm (sunny) weather!

Also, if you aren't already connected with me on Facebook - you can see my page HERE. This is a great place to find out about session openings, specials, products, etc that I may not post about on here. Another thing - I have been having some issues with email so if you sent me an email and didn't get a response within 24-48 hours please call or try to resend (see my contact info HERE). I always try and respond to inquiries as quickly as possible, so please don't think I have been ignoring you if you haven't gotten a response - unfortunately it seems a few emails have been disappearing into cyberspace recently.

Toothless

This is my little brother Sam and his "best friend" Ella (more on her in a day or two).


I arrived at my parent's house for Easter on Friday night and Sam quickly announced that he lost one of his front teeth! Of course, we had to do a little photo session to document the occasion. He was so proud and the tooth fairy left him a whopping $20. The tooth fairy must have a fat bank account.




Two days later, the other tooth fell out too (with a tiny bit of help)!


Who knew being toothless could be so cute?

What to Wear: Family Photos (Spring)

People often ask the question "What should we wear?" and honestly so many of my clients nail it - bright colors, great prints, coordinating beautifully. My first advice is to trust your gut! Often times people over think things but if you trust your instincts and go with what you love, then everything will work out just fine and look fabulous. Bright colors are great and photograph well, especially in the springtime when the grass is green and the flowers are starting to bloom. I put together two different outfit sets, since I haven't done this in awhile, both for a family of three.

I love this first set, and I would tuck the woman's blouse in to give it a more polished and flattering look. I would also roll the sleeves up on the man's shirt (which you could tuck in or leave out, depending on your style). You'll notice the flower print AND the plaid - they work together because they are similar in color, so don't be afraid to mix it up.

Flare Denim by Urban Outfitters
Wedges by Lucky Brand

This second look is super fun with one of my favorite color combinations right now - orange and navy. This set has a more relaxed, casual vibe and I think the little boy's outfit is just adorable (love the shoes!!). I also found this super cute nautical dress for a little girl for a family of four (or if you have a girl instead of a boy).

Toddler Boys' Shoes by Gap
Sandals by Kelly & Katie