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I made it! The 12th day of Christmas and I was able to post something every day.  I was glad to share so many sessions but have saved a personal post for last.  I am pretty sure my Christmas Cards will be late this year so I’ll just share some pictures of my own kids right now.  Getting combed hair doesn’t seem to be the battle I chose to fight this day.  I’m fine with it.  My standards are pretty low for pictures of my own kids.  I only want three things: Them, no crazy Superhero T-shirts and to look “pleasant” (aka it is okay not to smile).

They were acting very silly and out of control on this afternoon.  I would like to say that is out of the ordinary but it isn’t.  They were doing big huge cheesy grins with their eyes shut tight.  Below is what I got when I asked them not to smile so much.  It reminds me of those old pictures from the 1800s when everyone looked so miserable stoic.

Are you still with me or asleep?  In case my Christmas cards really never make it out, I have included a couple of my annual Santa pictures.  My middle child has the gift thing figured out and explained to my little girl how it works as we waited our turn.  According to him, if you only put ONE thing on your list, you are certain to get it.  If you put 5 or 6 things you don’t know what you will get.  So sure enough, all three went up to Santa with exactly one thing on their lists.  Barbie Scooter, iPod and Wii-U.  That is all the Phillipson kids need to make their Christmas complete.  I’m afraid 2 of the 3 will be very disappointed on Christmas morning (although Andy and I have been known to cave at the last minute). I like this Santa.  We think he must be the real thing and not just a helper.  I like him because he always tells my children to brush their teeth.

Photographer’s Note: I want to get a canvas for each year of my Santa pictures and pull them all out every December.  I haven’t quite figured out how to display them or where I would put them so stay tuned.

I would like to share the best and absolute worst all time Christmas picture of all 3 of my children.  It again has the theme of uncombed hair.  An added bonus is that it features Alex’s haircut he created himself called my bangs were bothering me and now they are not.  If you read my earlier post about how I have lived with scissors on the top shelf for the last 10 years, now you know why.  Unfortunately, my kids are bigger now and can move chairs and climb high when I am not looking.  Ariel the Mermaid had a recent hair loss as well.  Anyway, Enjoy! Merry Christmas.

No, you may not submit this to Awkward Family Photos.  I plan on holding on to all my awkward photos.  I’m pretty sure I will have enough material for my own book one day.  If you have a funny picture, I would love to see it.  And you actually can submit to a funny Holiday contest here.

More silliness below (probably my Mom is the only one that has made it this far?).  I will call this session “get in the backyard so I can get a Christmas Card picture” OR ” the sun is going, the sun is going, stop it!”  I can’t decide.

kid photographer atlanta my own kid photographer atlanta

Christmas Gift Ideas: Only one today – remember the real gift already given to us all!  I’ll leave you with my favorite Christmas song:

Merry Christmas!

“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you: He is Christ the Lord.” –Luke 2:11

These are the greatest dogs.  They remind me of the Golden Retriever I had in High School.  They are cute and hyper when they are puppies but grow up to be such good family pets.  We have friends with one now and the children just lay all over her and use her as a pillow.  She doesn’t mind at all.  If you have a long time wonderful pet like these two it is a great idea to document your time with them just like with children.  They are such special fur-people and really become a big part of the family.  They have their own personalities so it is funny to see how one of these two is so tennis ball crazy and the other…not so much.  🙂

Christmas Ideas:

Buy Cheap-O Christmas Decorations if you have little kids or pets so when they wreck them you won’t feel so bad. Really sad, huh?  Sorry, but I am still in that stage of life my husband calls “we can’t have nice things.”  True.

I bought this lovely ceramic Christmas Tree at Goodwill for maybe $4 (must not have had Grammy with me to get her Senior Discount?).  Don’t judge.  It has fake snow with little light up bulbs that no longer light up and reminds me of the one my grandmother had out every year.  I keep it right on my kitchen table so little fingers run all over it, color on it, break bulbs, smear food on it and as you can see below often decorate it with random things.  The first couple of years that I had it people were constantly informing daily what had “happened” to the tree on my table.  What a relief to not have to care.  For $4 it can be disposable (in my mind).  I have tried to keep the scissors and Sharpies on the top kitchen cabinet for the last 10 years.  I’m glad to at least have a tablescape for one month out of the year (I don’t think I can get away with tablescape can I?).

Merry Christmas!

Joy to the World

What a great job I have to meet and photograph great Atlanta families like this.  These little twin girls came into the world this year a little early.  I can’t imagine how scary that was or how life got turned upside down for their family.  I can only imagine…I just show up and get to see how perfect they are and capture some fun moments with them.  I know personally how hectic life can be with three kids but if everyone can stay healthy that is all that really matters.  This session was originally just to be for the twins to capture them while they were still little and do framed collages for their little bits and pieces (toes, fingers, etc.).  I’m so happy that it worked out for Dad and brother to be there too so we could get them all together for a family portrait.

I think having pictures made with your Dad is such a special thing (Mom too).  Even if you think the logistics of it all are a hassle to work out, you will be glad you did it in the long run.

My favorite kind of stuff: Just how do you switch two babies around between parents? A learned skill, I think?  I wouldn’t want them to ever forget what it was like having to juggle two little babies!  I’m so happy Mom has a good sense of humor and could appreciate a moment like this.  She actually included it on her Christmas card.  Love it.

Christmas Ideas:

Take pictures of those little details of your home every year at Christmas.  You might decorate and do the same thing every year or you might change things up and never be the same (like me – to some extent).  If you are reading this I bet you have a digital camera and that makes it so quick and easy. It is so fun to look back and see and/or it really adds to photo albums or books you put together.  I know it will be impossible to not have lots of pictures of your children on Christmas morning, right?  Make a point of actually shooting what Santa left as it was and the gifts by themselves.  Especially if you have little kids like the family above, it can all get away from you quickly.  To put it in perspective, here are some pictures my Mom took of me one Christmas. We will call them VINTAGE.  It’s not Instagram, folks, but real old pictures!  This won’t be a thrill for you but so fun for me to see my Grandmother’s house in the background and the toys I used to have that are now long gone.  Actually, we still have that Little People Town in the bottom left corner.  It is in my playroom. 🙂

Lastly, I’ll just say take LOTS of pictures of everything and then sit back and enjoy the moments of the day.  You don’t want to document it all so much that you actually miss out on the experience.

Merry Christmas!

 

2 and a half christmas

“Look at me! Look at me! Look at me NOW! It is fun to have fun, but you have to know how.”  — Dr. Seuss (The Cat in the Hat)

This sweet girl is just what you expect from a 2 1/2 year old.  She was a bundle of on the go, non-stop fun.  We explored, ran, jumped, threw leaves and laughed.  I think her candid moments are the best because they really capture a little piece of her fun personality.  Her family is so kind and patient with her and really enjoys all she has to offer.  It is really reflected in her pleasant, easy going nature.  All little girls should be this loved!

I have spared you a few days of super-cute puppy love so I leave you with one today.  Meet Sherman.  He isn’t too much of a puppy any more and he is just as cool as he thinks he is.  He was so nice to sit for my picture.  I think he almost smiled?

2 and a half christmas

Christmas Gift Idea for Little Girls:

Okay, this isn’t really an “idea” for you but more of a confession of what my little girl will be getting for Christmas against mine and the CVS cashier’s better judgement:

Stompeez
2 and a half christmas

Not just any Stompeez but the unicorn ones.  I hate unicorns!  I paid $21 at CVS oh and there is one more pair left for you!  These tacky things are going to be in my house now but I just had to do it.  You would understand if you had seen and heard the joy coming out of her as she told me all about them one day.  She had seen them with her Grammy “at the place where you drive up for subscriptions.”  She told me “they are a little big but I will grow into them!”  So, it is done and it will be worth it to see her when she opens them on Christmas.  When else in life will you ever be SO excited about light-up unicorn slippers?  I’m glad we can indulge her one day of the year.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas is for children. But it is for grownups too. Even if it is a headache, a chore, and nightmare, it is a period of necessary defrosting of chill and hide-bound hearts.  –Lenora Mattingly Weber

 

On the 8th Day of Christmas… A Baseball Inspired Senior Boy Session Share

I know I say all my Seniors are so nice and great but this one really is!  We shot his whole session in and around the baseball field where he plays for his High School Team.  We captured a lot – the uniform, field, casual jeans & polo pictures and the Letter Jacket too.  We captured some really nice images to reflect what a big part of his Senior Year of High School was all about.  We also got the classic and timeless shots that never get old.  I was so happy to be the one to have this session with him.

Gift Ideas for the Baseball Enthusiast:

Teenagers might like a Snap-On Baseball Case for iPhone.  I also found a site called EverythingBaseball.com (which sums it up).  There are a lot of unique baseball gifts you can purchase.

Shutterfly is having a sale on Calendars – buy one and the rest are 50% off.  You could surprise your baseball fan with a calendar full of your favorite baseball pictures.  You can also get 40% off of photobooks through the 10th.  You will have to move on those things pretty quickly to get the deals and have it in hand for Christmas.

Good luck!

Merry Christmas!

Today’s session-share is my kind of school portraits.  🙂  I’ve been invited several times throughout the years to go to schools and do the “school pictures” but I don’t really specialize in that and just have never had time to fit it in either.  This Fall I was so happy to work with an awesome school that was looking to hang huge canvases (30×40) around the top of their high walls.  They have been delivered now and I can’t wait to get back out there and check them out hanging on the walls.  The best part was that I was able to just “shoot” all the kids in their natural settings and in my style as well.  I love capturing children just playing and not having to fuss too much about bows being out of place and grass all over their pants.  It is just a lot more fun and natural to me.  I had lots of favorites from this session.  I think some of those kids could be GAP models!

Christmas Gift Ideas for Children:

I’ve heard the best toys are the classic ones that have stood the test of time and also help build fine motor skills.  Blocks will never go out of style.  A block set my boys were handed down from a friend and have always loved are Kapla Blocks. They are appropriate for around 3 years old and up;  We still have them out many years later.  My boys have built some really creative things with these blocks.  The blocks are simple and wood colored but I think you can add colored blocks now too.

The above was just one of their many Kapla creations.  It would go on to have Thomas trains running through it or around it and a few Lincoln Logcabins nearby.  It was the season of constant buildings and tracks lining my foyer hallway.  I often thought we had a pretty good security system from burglars coming in the front door.  Good thing Santa comes down the chimney!

Merry Christmas!

 

 

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